Reviews 2023 

OBSIDIAN TIDE

The Grand Crescendo

Israel

September 29th, 2023

The progressive melodeath trio further evolved their sound in a wonderful way

Review


SPURV

Brefjære

Norway

September 22nd, 2023

The Norwegian instrumental post / progrock masters created a mesmerizing piece of art

Review


SUBSIGNAL

The Poetry of Rain

Germany

September 22nd, 2023

An amazing progrock record coming along with a certain, beautiful melancholy  

Review


TERMINALIST

The Crisis as Condition

Denmark / USA

September 8th, 2023

Powerful second album by the Danish-American hyperthrash metal four-piece

Review


POMEGRANATE TIGER

All Input Is Error

Canada

September 4th, 2023

One of this year’s highlights ffo sophisticated, instrumental wizardry

Review


KAIJU

K2

Denmark

September 1st, 2023

Progressive metalcore, metaphorically climbing on the world's highest mountain

Review 


MINORARC

Inclusions

Australia

September 1st, 2023

Wonderful, instrumental prog with excursions into dark classical and modern electronic music

Review


NOVERIA

The Gates of the Underworld

Italy

August 25th, 2023

With their 4th album, the Italian powermetal quintet offer another genre highlight

Review


TRIPLE KILL

Blackened Dawn 

Australia

August 25th, 2023

The Australian five-piece deliver a strong, second record and a hot "video of the year" contender

Review


ATRIA

Ground Zero (EP)

Canada

August 18th, 2023

Mind blowing, modern progmetal, expressing the anger about the world we live in

Review


THE GOD PARTICLE

Postcards From a Fallen Empire

Canada

August 14th, 2023

An impressive debut album, wandering in the wide fields of progressive melodeath and metalcore

Review / Interview


HEMINA

Romancing the Ether

Australia

August 11th, 2023

The next chapter in a conceptual story, which spans throughout their entire back catalogue

Review


TOEHIDER

Quit Forever? (EP)

Australia

August 4th, 2023

First in a series of EPs, bringing together a colorful bunch of styles with outstanding vocals 

Review


ARCH ECHO

Final Pitch

USA

July 28th, 2023

Fans of instrumental progmetal and related genres will find a lot to enjoy here

Review


LOKUST

Infidel

UK

July 28th, 2023

A modern sounding, high-energetic debut, sitting between thrash and (melodic / tech) death metal

Review


THE PARALLAX METHOD

Folie à Troi

UK

July 14th, 2023

Instrumental progrock fusion, sophisticated yet accessible and groovy

Review


MAREK ARNOLD

The Artrock Project

Germany / International

July 14th, 2023

The German multi-instrumentalist and composer brings together an illustrious prog line-up

Review


BLACKSCAPE

Suffocated by the Sun

Sweden

July 7th, 2023

A new trio on the metal scenery, unleashing a mighty progressive melodeath beast

Review


ARCHAEOLOGIST

Elements

USA

June 30th, 2023

A collection of guitar-centered, diverse tracks, often written and recorded within a single day

Review


AmongRuins

Land of the Black Sun

Greece

June 30th digitally, July 14th physically

The Greek quartet offers a strong, third album with melodeath in Gothenburg style

Review


THE ANCHORET

It All Began With Loneliness

Canada / International

June 23rd, 2023

A highly expressive prog masterpiece unique in its sound, incredibly creative yet always flowing

Review / Interview


STRUCTURAL

Decrowned

Israel

June 23rd, 2023

An album with well-balanced sound textures by a band that skillfully melt brutality and melody

Review


PYRAMAZE

Bloodlines

Denmark / USA

June 23rd, 2023

On their 7th album, they offer more symphonic powermetal and some serious earworms

Review


A.M.E.N.

The Book of Lies - Liber I

Italy

June 16th, 2023

Avantgarde Jazzgrind Metal by Dawn of a Dark Age mastermind Vittorio Sabelli

Review


INFINITE SPECTRUM

CAGE

USA

June 16th, 2023

The NY based progmetal band are back with a new concept album, feat 8 different singers

Review


THE ARCANE ORDER

Distortions From Cosmogony

Denmark

June 9th, 2023

The Danish extreme metal act transfers Greek myths into our current times - Brutal and relentless

Review


ATAN

Abnormal Load (EP) 

UK

June 9th, 2023

Modern progmetal, alternating between soulful,  melodious, and heavier, djent-driven parts

Review / Interview


RED CAIN

Näe'bliss

Canada

June 2nd, 2023

Their 3rd album is an homage to Robert Jordan’s epic “Wheel of Time”

Review


HRADA

Mirrorland

Norway

May 19th, 2023

Wonderful, often dreamy prog soundscapes, which easily could be used as a film score

Review


TARDIGRADE INFERNO

Arrival of a Train (EP)

Australia

May 19th, 2023

Their train rolls in heavy and pushing, but also comes along refreshingly cheeky and colorful

Review


ROGER STAFFELBACH

The Quest

Switzerland / International

May 12th, 2023

On his first solo album, the Swiss guitar wizard offers finest instrumental, neoclassical prog

Review


COUNTLESS SKIES

Resonance - Live from the Studio

UK

May 5th, 2023

By changing the arrangements a bit, the songs got a wonderful, new intensity without losing their core

Review


OSM

Plagued by Doubts (EP)

France

April 28th, 2023

The French progressive deathmetal four-piece offers us their satirical vision of today's world

Review


ORPHEUS OMEGA

Portraits (EP)

Australia

April 21st, 2023

Five songs as individual as the musicians behind, since each band member contributed one 

Review


NEVERUS

Burdens of the Earth

Netherlands

April 21st, 2023

This debut is some serious listening fun, offering majestic death metal

ReviewInterview


DYSTERSOL

Anaemic

Austria

April 6th, 2023

With their 3rd album, the Austrian five-piece offer a full-grown, modern death metal beast

Review


MARTIN MILLER

Maze of My Mind

Germany

Release Date: March 31st, 2023

A mesmerizing piece about the challenging journey to become a better self

Review


GOROD

The Orb

France

Release Date: March 10th, 2023

Brutal, highly technical, yet virtuosic and incredibly diverse in their compositions

Review


ABEL SEQUERA

Soundscapes

Spain / International

March 3rd, 2023

Together with 50! guests, the Spanish drummer & composer takes us on a mesmerizing journey

Review


WITCH RIPPER

The Flight After the Fall

USA

March 3rd, 2023

A crazy, space-themed story, great musicianship, and a proggy approach hidden under a sludge tag

Review


BENEATH MY FEET

In Parts, Together

Sweden

March 3rd, 2023

The Swedish quintet skillfully melt elements of modern progmetal, melodeath and metalcore

Review


HYPNO5E

Sheol

France

February 24th, 2023

With this musical piece of art, the avant-garde metal act take us on an intense, challenging ride

Review


VICTOR SMOLSKI

Guitar Force

Germany

February 3rd, 2023

The guitar wizard delivers an amazing album for fans of instrumental prog / powermetal

Review


MASK OF PROSPERO

Hiraeth

Greece

January 27th, 2023

Modern progmetal from Greece, and one of the first musical highlights this year

Review


BLOODY FALLS 

Dying is Easy (EP)

Finland

January 27th, 2023

The Finnish five-piece delivers high-energetic, full-sounding melodeath

Review