PROG AROUND THE WORLD 2023
Many countries are famous for their music scene, and sometimes strongly connected with stereotypes or a genre. Others are maybe not on the radar as a typical rock / metal nation, but discovering a band in a new area often brings even more to light. The idea behind “Prog Around the World” is to travel musically and find new bands on this trip, or learn more about those who might be familiar already.
A huge thanks to all who followed and supported this adventure from the beginning, and a warm welcome to those who joined us along the way. Welcome to also check out the interviews from 2021 and 2022
Let's see, where 2023 is gonna take us :-)
ASHEN - Australia
The new year doesn't start quiet at all, as the Australian death metal act comes along with a powerful debut album. "Ritual of Ash" is out on January 13th via Bitter Loss Records, and guitarist Shannon took a moment to tell me more about the stunning cover artwork, the band's development and new music. Check it out here
SAMTAR - USA
We're heading to Wisconsin and meet with the mastermind behind alternative one-man band SAMTAR. His new album "Shadow of a King's Charade" is set to release on January 13th, welcome to read more about his background, work and the eye-catching cover here
HamaSaari - France
French post-prog band HamaSaari woke my interest with their amazing debut single and the accompanying video, which announced their first album. "Ineffable" is out on March 3rd, 2023, welcome to read more about the band and their work here
WITCH RIPPER - USA
Our next stop is in Seattle, where we meet with progressive sludge band WITCH RIPPER. They released their marvelous, new album on March 3rd, and told me more about their inspirations, musical background, and the stunning cover artwork. Learn more here
TURRIGENOUS - USA
We stay in the USA but head over to the East, more precisely New York City, and sit down with the frontman of progmetal band TURRIGENOUS, Greg Giordano. Their new album "Vesper, The Evening Star" came out on March 14th, welcome to learn more about the epic cover artwork, the band's history and broad influences here
ICE AGE - USA
Our next stop is pretty close, as we hit up with progmetal band ICE AGE, who are also from New York. On March 10th they released their third album, "Waves of Loss and Power", which was their first within 22 years. Welcome to read what guitarist Jimmy Pappas and singer / keyboarder Josh Pincus had to say about the band's history and their current work, check it out here
NEVERUS - Netherlands
We cross the Atlantic for a stop in the Netherlands and a chat with Jack, the frontman of majestic death metal band NEVERUS. They caught me with their powerful live performance at Prog Power Europe last year, which was their first show ever btw, and they're now set to release their debut album "Burdens of the Earth" on April 21st. Welcome to learn more about their background, the album's topics and their future plans here
OMNEROD - Belgium
From Eindhoven, it's not too far to Brussels, and the release of OMNEROD's third album offered the perfect opportunity for trip down there. "The Amensal Rise" is out on May 12th, and comes along epic, highly complex, and expressive. Welcome to learn more about its lyrical concept, the band's musical background and name here
THE ANCHORET - Canada
It's time for our first stop in Canada this year, where we meet with the mastermind behind new progmetal project THE ANCHORET. They will release their brilliant debut "It All Began With Loneliness" on June 23rd via Willowtip Records, but Eduard Levitsky already tells us more about the album's background, the great artwork, and a mysterious, new genre description. Read more here
ATAN - UK
London based modern progmetal act ATAN released their amazing debut album "Ugly Monster" last September, quickly followed by the great EP "Abnormal Load" in June 2023. Welcome to follow me to the UK and learn more about their background, the beautiful cover artworks and the story behind their name here
VORDONA - USA
It's our third stop in New York this year, and we meet progmetal newcomer VORDONA, who recently woke my interest withe their amazing debut "Quadrivium". Welcome to learn more about their background, the album's concept and beautiful cover artwork here
BLACKSCAPE - Sweden
We're heading back to Europe for our first stop in Sweden this year to meet with progressive death / thrash metal trio BLACKSCAPE, who unleashed their mighty debut "Suffocated by the Sun" on July 7th via Massacre Records. Guitarist and bassist Tage Andersson told me more about the band's background, their creative process and the stunning cover artwork, check it out here
NOSPŪN - USA
Not sure what it is with the USA this year, but the number of stops there at the moment is striking \m/. We head to North Carolina now and meet with members of progmetal act NOSPŪN, who released their marvelous debut "Opus" on May 19th, and took my proggy heart by storm. Welcome to learn more about them here
THE GOD PARTICLE - Canada
We're travelling to Canada again and visit Jeff Sanna, who is the composer / main musician behind THE GOD PARTICLE and released his mighty debut album "Postcards from a Fallen Empire" on August 14th. Read more about this new project and its work here
ENOCH ROOT - USA
New York seems to be a hot tip for prog fans this year, as it's our 4th stop there within a few months (and the 6th in the USA). We sit down with the mastermind behind new progmetal band ENOCH ROOT, who released their mesmerizing, first album "Delusion" in February. Welcome to read more about them here
SYLVATICA - Denmark
Back to Europe, we visit Danish Melodic Death Metal band SYLVATICA. The release of their third album, "Cadaver Synod", on October 20th offered the perfect opportunity for a chat about their musical influences, creative process and the record's crazy, medieval related stories. Check it out here:
ATAVISTIA - Canada
Canadian symphonic death metal band ATAVISTIA released their mighty, new album "Cosmic Warfare" on April 21st, 2023, and now told me more about their recent live experiences, the inspiration behind their name, and the stunning cover artwork. Read our chat here
CHARLES SOULZ PROJECT - Brazil
From Canada, we fly South to our first stop in Brazil within our already 3years journey. Keyboard wizard CHARLES SOULZ already mesmerized me with his solo debut album "Split Mind" in 2021, and the announcement of his new release offered the perfect opportunity for a chat. Welcome to learn more about this versatile musician and his new record "Trilogy of Mankind", that will be out on November 24th, here
XOTH - USA
Next up, we head over to Seattle and visit Cosmic Tech Death force XOTH, who just unleashed their mighty album "Exogalactic" on November 3rd via Dawnbreed Records. Welcome to join us for a chat about the stunning cover artwork, their musical background, and the album's topics here
MAYFIRE - Norway
We're back in Europe for our first stop in Norway after 3 years of Prog Around the World. The Cinematic Progmetal band released their amazing debut "Cloudscapes & Silhouettes" on November 17th, and told me more about their overall concept as well as the band's history and future plans. Check it out here:
SPLICE - France
How about a stop close to the French cappital? Symphonic Death Metal band SPLICE just released their first work within 10 years, which is brutal and beautiful in one. Their guitarist and mastermind Med told me more about the role of visuals in metal, the band's background and name, welcome to read more here
