The Infinite

May 2025

1. A-Z – Nothing Is Over (2025)

2. Baroness – Rays On Pinion (2007)

3. Becoming the Archetype – Construct and Collapse (2007)

4. Cormorant – Unearthly Dreamings (2011)

5. Empyrean Sanctum – Heart of Gold (2025)

6. Fallujah – Artifacts (2022)

7. Gojira – The Link (2003)

8. Illusion Suite – The Iron Cemetery (2013)

9. In Vain – Where the Winds Meet (2024)

10. Into Eternity – Selling God (2002)

11. Oddland – Freefall (2025)

12. The Odious – Repugnant (2019)

13. Omnerod – Satellites (2023)

14. Others by No One – Where Stories Comes From (2021)

15. Panzerballet – Ode to Joy (feat. Andromeda Anarchia, Conny Kreitmeier & Marco Minnemann) (2025)

16. Rivers of Nihil – Water & Time (2025)

17. Teramaze – The Harmony Machine (2025)

18. Vildhjarta - + ? regnet, the ? + (2025)

19. Voivod – Into My Hypercube (1989)

20. Voyager – Seen Better Days (2025)

Hi Ben, could you please add the compilation albums Marge Litch released?

Perhaps I just ignored it, but I never heard anyone mention this before finding this out today. Though I must admit I don't pay attention to djent or metalcore. Even so, I am mildly surprised that I was gone for a few days and suddenly there's a new genre.

That said, wasn't RYM supposed to have genres that aren't just made up random crap which might as well be what a band calls themselves? I remember that used to be a sticking point, but it seems whenever someone here brings up the site their sticking points disappear more and more. Like, I'm not saying things have to have Wikipedia pages, but it seems like this doesn't have much beyond the words of bands, who we don't trust to give themselves genres.

Inspired by one of my current favorite YouTube channels Thralls of Metal, I decided to also get in the "band's greatest hits" trend of compiling tracks from different albums by a band as your own "greatest hits" kind of album. If you have any of your own "greatest hits" albums for your favorite bands, feel free to post them here.

Here are my rules for how I would do my own "greatest hits" albums, but you may have your own rules:

1. Two songs per each studio album; one popular track and one underrated track.

2. One song per other album (remix album, EP, etc.).

3. If a track is at least 10 minutes long or close to that, it counts as two songs.

4. Might add in one extra song for one of the albums.

5. If the length of the tracklisting exceeds 80 minutes (the CD length limit), it's split into two discs, maybe 3 discs if even longer.

6. Songs are in chronological order.

Let's start with the Swedish pioneers of djent:

Meshuggah - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1FUW5yd9jRCkLXCi7JyQZx

Disc 1

1. Paralyzing Ignorance

2. Cadaverous Mastication

3. Humiliative

4. Future Breed Machine

5. Inside What's Within Behind

6. New Millennium Cyanide Christ

7. The Mouth Licking What You've Bled

8. Rational Gaze

9. Straws Pulled at Random

10. I

Disc 2

1. Entrapment

2. Shed

3. Bleed

4. Pravus

5. I Am Colossus

6. The Hurt That Finds You First

7. Clockworks

8. Into Decay

9. The Abysmal Eye

10. Armies of the Preposterous

Dream Theater - "Awake" (1994)

Dream Theater's third full-length "Awake" was a MASSIVE record for me back in the late 1990's, perhaps even contributing to them becoming my favourite metal band for a short period after I'd started my hiatus from the extreme metal scene. Listening back now with more critical ears though, it's not really the undeniable classic I led myself to believe it was at the time. In fact, I'd suggest that it's actually a step down from Dream Theater's previous material which was all solid gold & I'm gonna go out on a limb & say that the reason I've overrated it over the years is the fact that it's potentially the best guitar album of all time. Yeah, you heard me. John Petrucci is my favourite guitarist ever & this is his possibly his finest work as it consistently sees me picking my jaw up off the ground but that doesn't mean that "Awake" is without its faults. The band's record label had been pushing them to make a more commercially accessible & more metallic record & you can see both of those elements here. Petrucci uses a seven-string guitar for the first time so there are some great heavy metal riffs here with Mike Portnoy's ridiculously complex drumming providing the perfect accompaniment. But then there are a couple of clear filler tracks that sound like obvious attempts at radio play too (see "The Silent Man" & "Lifting Shadows Off A Dream"). I think I've been guilty of letting the highlights cloud my judgement of the overall product over the years as songs like "Erotomania", "The Mirror", "Lie" & album highlight "Voices" are without doubt some of Dream Theater's best work but I just don't think there's enough in that space to justify one of my elite scores these days so "Awake" sits more comfortably alongside a record like "Train of Thought" than it does an "Images & Words", "Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory" or "When Dream & Day Unite" in my opinion.

For fans of Symphony X, Rush & Liquid Tension Experiment.

4/5

An intense progressive instrumental that should be remembered:

I've done my review, here's its summary:

In 2014, Xerath released their third album (and last before their 7-year split) titled, you guessed it, III. This immersive masterpiece has revolutionized modern progressive metal, just like their first two albums have, but with more intriguing ideas in their inventory. This is true blazing epic extreme metal right here! Xerath III has production magic from well-known Mercenary/Volbeat producer Jacob Hansen. His golden touch has helped with the perfection of this blend of orchestral drama and metal structures, creating something so unique and apocalyptic. Many tracks have the fascinating talent of vocalist Richard Thomson, with his black metal-ish shrieks and operatic cleans making this track come out like an epic progressive take on both Children of Bodom and Soilwork. The incredible shredding by guitarist Conor McGouran has such diverse technicality. The ability to combine film score-style orchestra with metal pays off, adding beautiful harmony to this apocalyptic chaos. I'm glad to find an exceptional masterpiece from this band, one that I can consider the best album of 2014!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "I Hold Dominion", "I Hunt for the Weak", "Death Defiant", "Sentinels", "Demigod Doctrine", "The Chaos Reign", "Veil" (both parts)

For fans of: Devin Townsend Project, Mechina, Textures

Here are my submissions for the June Infinite playlist:

Allegaeon - "Wake Circling Above" (6:51) from The Ossuary Lens (2025)

Calva Louise - "Aimless" (3:37) from Aimless (2025)

Fallujah - "Labyrinth of Stone" (5:46) from Labyrinth of Stone (2025)

In Vain - "Times of Yore" (7:19) from Ænigma (2013)

Nevermore - "The Psalm of Lydia" (4:16) from This Godless Endeavor (2005)

Total length: 27:49

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Becoming the Archetype – Construct and Collapse (2007)

4.5/5. As I prepare for when I review Becoming the Archetype's debut Terminate Damnation that is this month's Revolution feature release, here's an amazing track with more prominent keyboard usage, particularly in the intro.

Fallujah – Artifacts (2022)

5/5. The riffing in this fantastic highlight can go from as brutal as Whitechapel to just straight-up melodic progressiveness. The opening riffing is so beautiful. Then two minutes later, we have some lovely searing soloing. And less than two more minutes later, at around the midway point, the soloing becomes even more face-melting. The ambient outro is like the cherry on top.

Gojira – The Link (2003)

4.5/5. The beginning riffing sounds so brutal in the riffing and vocals before the rest of the song becomes beautiful, hinting at their more progressive less deathly later material. The heavier dynamics kick in at over the 3 and a half minute mark. Quite an interesting banger! I also hear a bit of the band Obscura in the vibes, probably might also remind some of Nile.

Illusion Suite – The Iron Cemetery (2013)

4.5/5. Another brilliant track! Probably would've been perfect without that intro audio sample.

In Vain – Where the Winds Meet (2024)

5/5. This epic standout is where the two sides greatly battle it all out. The wall between the two sides is penetrated by the aggression from one side and the melody from the other, before the wall breaks down in a towering chorus.

Into Eternity – Selling God (2002)

4.5/5. God, those vocals and drums are amazing. Tim Roth can scream his lungs out while pulling off impressive guitarwork.

Rivers of Nihil – Water & Time (2025)

4.5/5. The Rivers of Nihil are filled with Water and Time. The band does an excellent emphasizing the prog in prog death, never having to go all-out brutal.

Voivod – Into My Hypercube (1989)

5/5. There's a more memorable approach in the catchy chorus ("Transient illusion, clairvoyant suspension, translucid condition, principal connection").

Voyager – Seen Better Days (2025)

4.5/5. An excellent way to end this playlist, but I've heard better ones.

Killer new single from these San Francisco-based progressive/tech-death metallers:

Saxy, you've done it again! Sharing with us a progressive masterpiece that I wish I had discovered earlier. And getting this album featured is a nice tribute to the recently passed vocalist/keyboardist Sindre Nedland. RIP... Here's my review summary:

Solemn is the latest offering in the 20-year career of Norwegian blackened progressive death metal band In Vain, and it's a monolith of triumph! The compositional writing is so unique and diverse. Besides the now-gone-from-the-band vocal duo of Sindre Nedland and Andreas Frigstad, guitarist Johnar Håland shines with his epic guitarwork. And the other half of the band also have the talent to help make this powerful masterpiece. Many tracks have riffing energy and deathly growls in the verses, followed by choruses drifting through clean melody in the guitar leads and singing. Deathly riffs and beautiful melodies make an intense blend of power and thunder. The fire and fury is brightened by melody and harmony and clean choruses soar through. Growls and cleans battle each other then make peace for coexistence. For anyone wanting a gem that's both ethereal and brutal at the same time, this is your Solemn hour!

5/5

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Allegaeon – Driftwood (2025)

5/5. Allegaeon have never drifted away from their melodic/progressive death metal sound. They have enhanced it with new aspects, including vocalist Ezra Haynes adding in some excellent cleans to go with his brutal growls.

Apocalyptica – Aqua Genesis (2019)

5/5. Hard to believe that one of the most progressive tracks Apocalyptica has ever done is one composed for a Nat Geo-ish documentary soundtrack. The sound ranges from ethereal and ominous to brutal and complex, the latter especially in the blast beats and unorthodox time signatures.

Fallujah – Levitation (2024)

5/5. Although I actually submitted the original 2014 version, this 10th anniversary re-recording still marks the song as one of my favorites and just what I need in my life.

Grace Hayhurst – The World is Dying (2025)

4.5/5. Lots of energy here, especially in the synth solo that starts the second third. Beautiful singing and powerful music from this talented lady. I also enjoy the drumming by Robin Johnson. Many different sections to enjoy!

Into Eternity – Behind the Disguise (1999)

4/5. Pretty great, though it would've been slightly better if the vocals by Tim Roth weren't affected by a lot of the added effects.

Meshuggah – Swarm (2012)

4.5/5. This track has a swarm of fast thrash similar to previous albums.

TesseracT – Of Reality – Palingenesis (2013)

4/5. The polyrhythmic djent doesn't end there, we still have this great short track.

Meshuggah - "None" E.P. (1994)

This five-track E.P. not only marks the point where these Swedes started to find their signature sound but it also represents the birth of the djent subgenre. I'd gotten a fair bit of enjoyment out of Meshuggah's 1991 debut album "Contradictions Collapse" but had never heard anything like "None" at the time & it subsequently sealed the deal for me with this band who have stuck with me ever since. There are a few more external influences on display here than we'd see on some of their later material which was more finely honed. You can easily pick up sections that harness groove metal, progressive metal ("Ritual") & industrial metal ("Aztec Two-Step") but the dominant component is the heavy reliance on rhythmic, atonal bottom-string chugging built around some seriously complex time signatures. All five songs are really solid but there's not any genuinely classic Meshuggah material on offer here so I don't feel that too many punters will be tempted to claim "None" as a lost masterpiece, even if it should be essential listening for all djent nuts.

For fans of Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects, Gojira & Strapping Young Lad.

4/5

Here's my review summary:

Somewhere in Southern Europe lies a small land between borders, a great distance away from wherever you live but smaller than your country's average state... Andorra! And over there is one group who has taken both eastern philosophy and western-cultural music in a great attempt to let people about Andorra's existence, and that is... melo-deathly progressive metal band Persefone! The band's spiritual philosophy continues from their previous album as they maintain their atmosphere-flavored extreme impact that has kinda put them in rivalry against the Australian Ne Obliviscaris (friendly rivals, of course, Ne Obliviscaris' Tim Charles would perform guest vocals and violin in a special single later), yet there's the slight addition of traditional prog ala Dream Theater. Persefone's previous two albums established their motive of songs ranging one-minute interludes to 10-minute epic. For this album, they've spiced it up with a 4-part 20-minute epic. The esoteric amount of subjects is in strong symmetry with the clean and unclean vocals, plus a small bit of robotic vocals from Cynic vocalist Paul Masvidal. That epic perfectly exemplifies all the band has to offer, plus some vocals by Merethe Soltvedt (best known from a few songs by Two Steps From Hell) and guitars by Øystein Landsverk who recently left Leprous. Any fan of Persefone should get Aathma, and probably start with an earlier album if they're newcomers. It has been Persefone's quest to expand their horizons, and they have a promising path to please the Earth!

4.5/5

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Atheist – Air (1993)

4.5/5. This waltz-paced track to start this playlist rises from jazzy guitar and cymbal into a riff blizzard. Shaefer's impressive shrieking strike the music down into the snow. Rather than being catchy, the windy music catches the feeling and drags through the breeze. After a bit more fury comes some more commanding jazz.

Black Crown Initiate – Belle The Machine (2016)

5/5. Some of the greatest modern progressive death metal songs are the ones that are around 9 minutes long. This one is so unique and beautiful! Anyone discovering this band should be considered lucky to find great gems in their discography. The instrumentation and growls is like a modern upgrade for Opeth. The guitarwork should be worth playing on a djenty 8-string guitar. Too bad the massive rhythm section of rhythm guitarist Wes Hauch and drummer Jesse Beahler are gone after this album...

Car Bomb – Gratitude (2016)

4.5/5. This trippy track actually has a Deftones-like sound, where a verse drives through with clean vocals and jangly guitars, taking a sideways turn in direction.

Fallujah – Sapphire (2024)

5/5. Over 10 years and still timeless, so much so that its album The Flesh Prevails has been given a f***ing kick-A 10th anniversary remastering. Transcending through this epic djenty sound!

Haken – The Architect (feat. Einar Solberg) (2016)

4.5/5. I still enjoy this Haken epic with a lot going on throughout these 16 minutes. When the heaviness enters in the first minute, it's closer to some jazzy progressive metal packaged from Planet X. The verses don't come until the 3-minute mark, with background 80s synths. Then the riffing hits hard in the chorus. After those 6 minutes of Dream Theater-esque progressiveness, it calms down for a soft ambient break with some guitar fiddling. The ambience slowly rises up for a bit of TOOL and the softer side of Rosetta. When the vocals come back on after a minute, they might remind some of Porcupine Tree. At over the 10-minute point is when things start to sound more like Opeth, especially when we get to hear screamed vocals by Leprous vocalist Einar Solberg, his last screams that he would perform in 5 years. Two minutes later, the heavy djent-ish riffing really fires away. Soon the chorus returns, and we reach the ultimate climax during the final two minutes. Truly an astonishing epic!

Ihsahn – Celestial Violence (feat. Einar Solberg) (2016)

5/5. Up next, we have another track featuring Einar Solberg. Shorter, darker, and showcasing his cleans. What a masterpiece of a song! Ihsahn has appeared in a couple Leprous tracks, so it's good for Einar to return the favor. Truly an anthem that should be remembered for centuries, maybe even millennia!

Intronaut – Fast Worms (2015)

4.5/5. Wow, this is the 4th time this Intronaut song has appeared in an Infinite playlist. I won't complain though, this is f***ing killer jazzy post-/progressive metal with flawless mixing by Devin Townsend.

Novembre – Marea (2002)

4/5. A 3-part 12-minute epic that actually combines two tracks originally in Novembre's debut. Calm acoustics aside, it's a vast improvement and another great track here!

Along with the Swedish pioneers of djent:

Meshuggah

1. I (EP)

2. Catch Thirtythree

3. Destroy Erase Improve

4. Chaosphere

5. Nothing

6. Koloss

7. The Violent Sleep of Reason

8. None (EP)

9. ObZen

10. Immutable

11. Contradictions Collapse

12. Meshuggah (EP)

Here's my review summary:

Catch Thirty-Three is a concept album where all songs flow seamlessly together like an epic suite, similar to some Between the Buried and Me albums. A complete trek of a journey from start to finish, that you would want to do all over again. It's a djent journey not to be missed, with the usual downtuned guitars, bellowed vocals, and complex drumming (though it's programmed unlike the other albums). Lyrics, riffs, ambience, and seamless suite sections, all you can hear in this monstrous album. One word: brilliant!

5/5

Recommended tracks: The whole album, or if you just want separate tracks - "The Paradoxical Spiral", "Entrapment", "Mind’s Mirrors", "In Death" (both parts), "Shed", "Sum"

For fans of: Between the Buried and Me (for the "seamless album suite" aspect), Sikth, Textures

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Angra – The Bottom of My Soul (2018)

4.5/5. An amazing song to start with, with the emotional vocals of guitarist Rafael Bittencourt. The instrumentation is quite beautiful too! The lyrics are relatable for battling against anxiety and depression. Rafael is also good at his guitarwork, so is Marcelo Barbosa with his passionate soloing at the 3-minute mark. Rafael's vocals sounds like a mix of Devin Townsend and Chris Cornell, in contrast to the higher power metal singing of Fabio Lione in all the other tracks in the album. Either way, f***ing magical! Despite the more Creed-ish motive for this song, the melody from Rebirth still shines, along with those lyrics.

Chaos Divine – Hazard (2024)

5/5. I actually love this cover more than the one for Toto's "Africa", and it's more metal too. This epic cover should get on the radio more than the original.

Haken – A Cell Divides (2018)

4.5/5. Sick chills from this one! While the vocals by Ross Jennings sound great here, they should've brought in Leprous' Einar Solberg for some growls like in "The Architect".

Imperial Triumphant – Lexington Delirium (feat. Tomas Haake) (2025)

4/5. Finally we get to hear some cool extreme avant-prog metal, with spoken vocals by Meshuggah drummer Tomas Haake.

Jinjer – Green Serpent (2024)

4.5/5. Jinjer's progressive sound slithers through in this single from their new album Duel.

Joviac – Shine (2024)

4/5. Nice positive modern progressive metal/rock right here.

Monolithe – Unveiling the Illusion (2024)

4.5/5. This one unleashes guitar aggression in contrast with the string tranquility. Truly one of the greatest standouts here!

Nevermore – No More Will (1999)

4/5. "The velvet sleep is conviction only fools know", "These tears of dust are the tears from one who knows why", "The voice that stills the pain, I am the lover gone insane"... Some of the most emotional lyrics I've heard from Nevermore! And I love the riffing at the one and a half minute mark. RIP Warrel Dane...

Protest the Hero – Soliloquy (2020)

4.5/5. This one springs into hyperactive action with killer blast beats alongside a good lyrical concept. The instrumental wizardry keeps you in the flowing stream.

Scale the Summit – Goddess Gate (2017)

5/5. Fantastic soloing by Nick Johnston and Scar Symmetry guitarist Per Nilsson!

Sepultura – The Pentagram (2020)

4.5/5. Another progressive instrumental that's one h*ll of a thrashy journey that can be considered the Quadra Crusade.

SikTh – Weaves of Woe (2017)

5/5. Let's stop here with this awesome hyperactive highlight that reminds me of Protest the Hero's Kezia.

Nice choice with that Taramis track, Daniel. Cool 80s progressive power metal right there!

So with the start of a new year it's once again time to have a look at the covers for all the releases for each clan. I personally like to rate a whole stack of covers all at once, rather than doing them one at a time throughout the year, as it allows me to get a better feel for where each cover sits in comparison to others. With that in mind, I've just rated every cover for releases in The Infinite for 2024.

Below are some of the releases that are currently competing for the prestigious 2024 The Infinite Cover of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on the 1st of February, so there's still time to get your ratings in.

The following link will take you to the Gallery, displaying the top Infinite releases that you have not rated yet: CLICK HERE

I'm guessing that the database is still reflecting the status from when Vinny was a member of The Guardians. I'll have Ben investigate it. Thanks for the heads up.

I've just finished reviewing the Oranssi Pazuzu album & it's another genuine classic in my opinion. It's easily my front runner for The Infinite now.

Wow, we're starting off the new year quite well with some amazing playlists you've made, Saxy! Such an amazing job that I have the incentive to comment on all the tracks in it. So here are all my thoughts:

Alchemist – Jar of Kingdom (2006)

4.5/5. The cacophonic title track of Alchemist's first album once again has 70s space rock twisted into intricate thrashy death metal rhythms.

Almah – Beyond Tomorrow (2008)

5/5. OK, the truth is I originally included this track as one of my submissions for this playlist, but I found out it wasn't available on Spotify in my country, so I replaced it with a different track. Seems like this Almah track is available in Saxy's country, so thanks Saxy for including this submission along with its replacement. This lineup has everything including the epic vocals of Edu Falaschi, the blazing riffing and soloing by Marcelo Barbosa and Paulo Schroeber (RIP), the booming bass of Felipe Andreoli, and the mighty drumming of Marcelo Moreira. So f***ing cool! Too bad we haven't heard from Edu since the band's hiatus and departure from Angra. You gotta believe how awesome he is!

Artificial Language – Trauma (2024)

4.5/5. Progressive greatness should never stop! It's a blessing that has touched upon us last week, shortly after Christmas. The ethereal intro leading heavy riffing sounds so good. Absolutely stunning!

Atheist – Unquestionable Presence (1991)

5/5. This Atheist highlight is my original replacement submission for the Almah track, and is the best of its awesome original album! The rhythmic twists will blow your mind.

Conjurer, Pijn – Sunday (2019)

4.5/5. Maybe I should've saved listening to this playlist for January 5th, so it really would be a Sunday. I love the f***ing heavy and beautiful intro.

Death – Spirit Crusher (1998)

4/5. This one has riffing mixing brutality and melody, the latter appearing more in the chorus.

Devin Townsend – Tiny Tears (2001)

4/5. Although I haven't listened a lot of Devin Townsend in a couple years, I still underrated magical songs like this one. The lyrics are somewhat relatable.

Dvne – Summa Blasphemia (2024)

4.5/5. Then after that flight through ethereal Heaven, we drop into bleak Hell with this heavy post-sludge track.

Extol – The Things I Found (2005)

5/5. This somber highlight is my favorite track in its original album. It starts almost dark, but the chorus is so emotional in the lyrics. Awesome!

Fallujah – Chemical Cave (2024)

5/5. I think I just found a brand-new favorite progressive/tech-death band with this atmospheric riff-tastic track!

Gojira – Mea Culpa (2024)

4.5/5. The song Gojira performed in the 2024 Paris Olympics is perhaps the most brutal the band has performed in nearly two decades, probably heavier than "The Heaviest Matter of the Universe"! While the performance itself is pretty epic, you don't have to watch the ceremony itself to witness all this kick-A beast has to offer. I'm just glad Gojira have their earlier technical heaviness back.

Hypno5e – Los Heraldos Negros (2018)

4.5/5. Flamenco metal?!? Another intriguing combo! Though more recognition would be nice. It sounds so beautiful and unique, and it might be worth a classic. This collab with A Backward Glance on a Travel Road is like two universes merged into one. Lots of dynamic mood in the Spanish guitar, making such a great song.

ISIS – Weight (2002)

5/5. Perhaps my favorite song by Isis, with lyrics sung by guest vocalist Maria Christopher of 27 taking you far beyond.

Leprous – Rewind (2015)

4.5/5. It's songs like this when I wish I could rewind back in time and appreciate this band's masterpieces more. So f***ing captivating! The way it gradually builds up from a suspenseful beginning to an intense ending is pure genius. The drumming by Baard Kolstad sounds so cosmic. Set free, rewind, and clear your mind!

Novembre – Come Pierrot (2001)

4/5. I regret leaving this band's material behind so soon. I should get back in touch with the deathly gothic progressive metal Novembre's early 2000s era has to offer. The soloing that starts the last minute sounds so big and sweet. As of listening to this piece, we have just left December and started a new year in January. The song has such strong beauty! In a way, Novembre is like the Italian Opeth. A major difference is how overlooked Novembre is. But there might still be hope in the future...

Nuclear Power Trio – Vamos, Brandito! (2023)

3.5/5. Another good piece of flamenco metal, though a little too funky for me.

Orse – Affogato (2024)

3/5. Nice post-metal epic but a bit forgettable. And that cover art makes me want vanilla ice-cream with caramel syrup, along with mint Mentos after seeing a Mentos YouTube ad appear IN THE F***ING MIDDLE OF THE SONG!!!!!

Rendezvous Point – Apollo (2019)

3.5/5. At least we can end this playlist with some good music and beautiful vocals.

I blame Atheist for giving me such high expectations for tech death metal. While there are many good tech death bands, few can match what this album accomplishes; and none can match the elegant simplicity of the intro to Mother Man. In ten seconds we get the bass leading, then a surprisingly simple guitar riff, and finally the focus is on the drums. Each part in harmony, creating a whole that is much more than it seems. It's rare an album that can show exactly how well it works in it's opening notes.
It's not that there isn't anywhere else for the genre to go after hearing this album, it's just that it's hard for anyone to come up with something that doesn't sound worse. Each factor that goes into making a song good, does here. A perfect blend of aggression, technicality and melody. And unlike a lot of guitar solos where it comes down to a case of technicality or artistry, this never comes up here. If I had to complain, I'd say that even after years of extreme metal and having the lyrics, it can be hard to decipher the vocals.
I really don't have much critical thought on this one simply because it was almost everything I wanted out of tech death. What more did I want? Elements.

10/10

I'm well up for this one so are really looking forward to my annual new release cram session in January.

Saxy, you've done an amazing job with this playlist! So much so that I have the incentive to comment on all the tracks in it. So here are all my thoughts:

Altesia – Mouth of the Sky (2021)

4/5. A pretty great start to this playlist with killer vocals and chorus to illuminate your soul. There's a nice balance of influences from Haken and Opeth. I remember listening to their album Paragon Circus a few years ago but haven't checked out much of this band ever since. The amount of high quality is quite big! I like how well-composed it is. Things also get a bit djenty here and there.

Atomic Guava – Tether (2024)

4.5/5. The bass sounds quite rad in this one.

Chaos Divine – Landmines (2015)

5/5. Not gonna lie, this mind-blowing song has one of the best choruses I've heard in this Karnivool-ish brand of melodic progressive metal. So heavenly!

Devin Townsend – Goodbye (2024)

4.5/5. This 6-minute epic is a joyful rocker in a similar vein to Van Halen, probably done better!

DGM – From Ashes (2024)

4.5/5. Wicked progressive power metal rising from the ashes.

Extol – Reflections of a Broken Soul (1998)

5/5. This one continues the amazingness with more cleans and lyrics of depression.

Fates Warning – One (2000)

4.5/5. Fates Warning can add in not just upbeat drumming but also melancholic melody. While their 80s era is often considered the best, they've also shown their standing potential in later albums like A Pleasant Shade of Grey and Disconnected. They also have the operatic progressiveness of 90s Savatage. Nice vocals and guitars!

Hemotoxin – Reborn in Tragedy (2024)

4/5. This one has more of a tech-death/thrash sound, practically rebirthing a genre that faded out long ago, but it's actually more progressive than most of the other tracks in its original album, but again, technicality and aggression reigns.

Intronaut – The Unlikely Event of a Water Landing (2015)

4.5/5. Intronaut is such a mind-blowing band that f***ing needs to be more famous. This is one of my favorite songs from this band, especially the kick-A vocals touching the 3-minute mark alongside the more soulful harmonies. Though the outro throughout the final 3 minutes might remind some of Alice in Chains. If you're up for atmospheric progressive metal, you've come to the right band.

Kardashev – Silvered Shadows (2022)

4/5. If you're up for atmospheric progressive metal similar to Intronaut but more deathly, you've come to the right band, but I'll just keep digging.

Mur – Vitrun (2024)

3.5/5. Some nice fresh arrangement, though a bit draggy.

The Ocean – Unconformities (2023)

4/5. It was great listening to The Ocean for a few years, but my interest didn't last as long as I hoped. The dark lyrics and orchestration throw back to 20 years ago when they relied on all that in their debut Fluxion. This was one of my favorites of their new album Holocene, with great gorgeous guest vocals by Karin Park. Her vocals help bring power to even the softer moments. So d*mn stunning! The music and vocals work well together for that part. The heavier part from the 5 and a half minute mark onwards somehow don't strike me as greatly as they should. But what sad is, the band's lineup might split up after an upcoming tour. I wish them all the best...

Opeth – S4 (2024)

4.5/5. I'm glad this highlight got added in because it's my favorite track in the new Opeth album. The riffs and rhythms flow together perfectly. Generally, the folk-prog of Heritage is given a darker heavier treatment complete with growls.

Pyrrhon – Not Going To Mars (2024)

5/5. We may not be going to Mars too soon, but I'm going to get more of this band's material sometime later, thanks to this wild banger.

Tesseract – Luminary (2018)

4.5/5. Another excellent djenty track!

Textures – To Erase a Lifetime (2008)

5/5. This highlight closes its original masterpiece album in all its beauty and glory. However, we still have two more tracks in this playlist...

Trenches – Pathways (2008)

4.5/5. Trenches can be considered progressive post-sludge with metalcore screams from vocalist Jimmy Ryan, formerly of Haste the Day, and this song is no exception.

You Win Again Gravity – Dreadbound (2024)

4/5. Let's end this playlist with some promising creativity. And f***ing h*ll, there's a lot of it! The best part is, when there's two more minutes left, a ripping solo to make this tune stay unique. It's really great and not highly disappointing. We need a f***ing lot more solos in modern progressive metal, we really do....

Well 2024 is almost in the rearview and it's about that time that we enter into the new year ass first and look to see what stood out among the rest in metal music in the previous year. As a distinguished member of the Infinite clan, putting this list together is always the most challenging. It's the one with the most reviews of any clan during the year, but with so many crossover's the ones that truly belong in the Infinite list might be surprising. If there are any albums that seem like obvious omissions, check those albums other clan leaning and you'll likely find that album there. As for the Infinite exclusively:

1. Klone - The Unseen

2. Thy Catafalque - XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek 

3. Anciients - Beyond the Reach of the Sun

4. Ihsahn - Ihsahn

5. Dvne - Voidkind

6. Calligula's Horse - Charcoal Grace

7.. Opeth - The Last Will and Testament

8. Locrian - End Terrain

9. Intervals - Memory Palace

10. Wheel - Charismatic Leaders

The last month of the year has been insane with Opeth, Thy Catafalque and Klone bullying their way to the top of the chart. There wasn't that much bad progressive metal that I heard in 2024, but a bunch of it turned forgettable in one way or another. With lackluster returns by Oceans of Slumber and Alcest, a new crop can spring forth into the top ten. I really need to listen to that Cave Sermon album don't I Xephyr?

This month's list is a fucking belter. I loved pretty much all of it. There's so much great progressive stuff out there right now.

When you wish upon a star,
It makes no difference who you are.
Unless, of course, you don't like wishes,
Then maybe an album while you do the dishes?

For the month of November, I've chosen a slapper,
Melo-death and prog is a combo quite dapper.
Anciients' Beyond the Reach of the Sun,
Canadian bands sure know how to have fun!

https://metal.academy/releases/54564

This album was actually one of the more formative ones for me, coming early in the lifecycle of me listening to Metal with any sort of harsh vocals. At the time, I was really into the idea of bands bouncing between clean and harsh vocals, no doubt because of the heavy Opeth influence I was under. After stumbling on Chaos Divine, their style was a perfect meshing of the slightly harsher Metal I was dipping my toes into and the Progressive Metal that I enjoyed so much. Was I aware of other more established (and probably stronger) bands that still had this sort of style that I would have loved? Absolutely not, so I ended up buying this CD and it lived in my car for a very long time as I took long drives to college and wherever else. I wanted to revisit this for a deeper look as not only was it one of the first reviews for an album that I wrote, but for a bit of a nostalgia hit while trying to be extremely critical of an album that I think is good, but maybe it's not all that special. 

And honestly? It isn't really anything that special in the grand scheme of things looking back, but I still find myself immensely enjoying this collection of songs. Chaos Divine's claim to fame, for me at least, is their balance between harsh and clean as their name so aptly alludes to. Most of the album has lead vocalist Dave Anderton doing soaring leads that I still think are great to this day; he really sells the big chorus moments and has some solid verse delivery as well. His harshes, however, leave a bit to be desired. I've definitely grown away from the rasping, strained, and somewhat weak sounding growled vocals as I have a better baseline of what I think powerful sounding harshes in Progressive Metal can be, whether it's examples like Wilderun, Ne Obliviscaris, or even a safer choice like Amorphis. That being said, Anderton's harshes are used sparingly and well on choruses and big moments like the opening "One Door", the climaxes of "The Ringing of the Sirens" and "Chasing Shadows", and a nice opening hook on "Invert Evolution". The rest of the band does some solid work in my opinion, with each riff having a ton of movement as Chaos Divine loves to write whirling background scales for their lead guitars alongside slightly more complex than normal chugging rhythms. "Beautiful Abyss" has the best example of this as it's one of the more catchy and groovy songs on the album as it does a fantastic job of building upon the starting motif with tons of transitions and different layering without falling back on the harsh vocal crutch for any of the choruses or climaxes. The final 12-minute epic also really takes its time and is a great atmospheric payoff that feels like it fits right into the flow of the album, although the final 4 minutes of it really drags on and ends the album on a more somber and reflective note instead of a massive, satisfying climax. 

Even though I set out to get rid of some nostalgia this month, I think I still really like this album. It's easily Chaos Divine's best work to date, as Colliding Skies and Legacies just didn't have the staying power or memorable moments for me. I think the album has such a satisfying flow to it and while it may lack the aggression and grit of some heavier hitting Progressive Metal albums, I really enjoy the more contemplative and spacey atmosphere that this album has. The overall songwriting has stood the test of time and many, many listens to the point where it's still pretty impactful for me, which is impressive after all these years. Even though it's still definitely a nostalgic comfort alum for me, it's a more than decent diamond in the rough for Progressive Metal fans looking for something a bit softer around the edges or to expand their knowledge of Australian Metal bands. 

4/5

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

A((wake)) – Iron Mold (2011)

4.5/5. An excellent atmospheric start that's worth your money.

Alchemist – Worlds Within Worlds (1993)

5/5. This one has some of that Eastern balladry followed by a bit of thrashy death metal in a progressive epic.

Gloios – TELE II (2022)

3.5/5. There are some cool metal ideas thrown in here and there, but that and the first "Tele" track are the only ones in that Gloios album I would consider metal.

Meshuggah – Rational Gaze (2002)

4/5. Another killer song with a paradoxical lyrical theme.

Nevermore – The Termination Proclamation (2010)

4.5/5. RIP Warrel Dane. I need to one day get back in touch with the amazing blend of beauty and heaviness occurring in tracks like this.

Sadist – Sadist (1993)

4.5/5. The band's own theme interlude creeps in with horror-filled synths. This time, the heavy guitars join in on the spooky action. The band can actually pull off the horror movie vibe better than other death metal bands, enough for the chances of ending up in a film soundtrack to be likely. Probably a Psycho remake!

Scale the Summit – Atlas Novus (2013)

5/5. Now this one hits the right tone for my instrumental progressive djent search, and I need to scale more of this summit!

Scar Symmetry – Xenotaph (2023)

4.5/5. The 8-minute title epic of Scar Symmetry's latest album concludes this part of the Singularity trilogy, blending their own usual sci-fi melodeath with the extreme progressiveness of Ne Obliviscaris. By the end of this epic, you'll be wanting more from this saga and hoping you'll get it from the upcoming third part.

TesseracT – Juno (2018)

5/5. What's that? More progressive djent?!? You've come to the right place, and with vocals! Hope you've enjoyed the ride.

Dream Theater - "Live at the Marquee" E.P. (1993)

By the time I finally got to Dream Theater's first live release "Live at the Marquee" some time around 1997/98, the Boston progressive metallers had become one of my very favourite metal bands. I'd been blown to pieces by their classic second & third albums (1992's "Images & Words" & 1994's "Awake") which had seen me further indulging in their 1989 debut album "When Dream & Day Unite" & 1995 "A Change of Season" E.P. & my urge to seek out more of this wonderfully complex yet inherently catchy metal music seemed to hold no boundaries. Of course, it would only be a matter of time until I'd pick up a CD copy of 1993's "Live at the Marquee" E.P. which was recorded in London on 23rd April 1993 as a part of their European tour. The tracklisting includes a selection of material taken from Dream Theater's first two albums as well as an instrumental jam piece called "Bombay Vindaloo" which they only performed on a handful of occasions & was never recorded. It also contains as a short intro track called "Another Hand" that was written specifically for the tour & was intended to be a smooth segway from "Another Day" into "The Killing Hand". At 47 minutes in length, this certainly looked like an attractive prospect for me at the time & it didn't disappoint either as I'd soon find that Dream Theater were a remarkable band in a live environment too, an experience that I've since partaken in first-hand on a number of occasions.

The lineup for "Live at the Marquee" is the same one that recorded the "Images & Words" album with new front man James LaBrie having been with the group for a couple of years by that stage. Keyboardist Kevin Moore (Fates Warning/OSI) was still onboard & would remain a part of the band for another year or so until after the "Awake" album. This was arguably my favourite Dream Theater lineup given that it would produce two of my three favourite albums from the band so it was hard to imagine that this E.P. could produce anything other than a series of diamonds as long as the production job was up to scratch. I wouldn't say that it's perfect but I don't think there's much to complain about in that regard either with all of the instrumentalists being easily identified & nicely separated & LaBrie being given ample room to soar over the top.

It's easy to simply assume that a Dream Theater live release would produce a series of dazzling technical feats & let it wash over you but I don't honestly think that's giving them enough credit because they are truly a remarkable talent & one that I'm not sure has been matched in the decades since. Each member is a highlight in themselves & it really depends on which are your instruments of choice as to who you'll froth over the most. For me personally, it's guitarist John Petrucci (Liquid Tension Experiment) who I regard as the greatest axe-man ever to pick up the instrument. As an old shred-head myself, that's really saying something too because I was raised on a smorgasbord of the most talented virtuosos the 1980's & early 1990's had to offer but this guy simply takes his phrasing & understanding of melody & note choice to its ultimate extreme &, in doing so, never fails to leave my jaw on the ground. LaBrie's performance is also worthy of special attention as he would appear to have been right in his sweet spot at this point in his career with no sign of a dud note or a wavering, uncertain vocal. His tone is as pure as we'd heard from him too & he brings another element to the two tracks taken from "When Dream & Day Unite" which was recorded with underrated original singer Charlie Dominici. The rest of the band kinda works in small teams with Petrucci & Moore laying down a series of intertwined yet incredibly intricate runs & celebrated bassist John Myung (The Jelly Jam/Platypus) & metronomic drum legend Mike Portnoy (Flying Colors/John Arch/Liquid Tension Experiment/Metal Allegiance/Neal Morse Band/The Winery Dogs/Transatlantic/Yellow Matter Custard/Adrenaline Mob/OSI/Sons of Apollo/Twisted Sister) effortlessly reproducing some of the most rhythmically demanding & complex metal music ever written.

The tracklisting is impeccable & had me salivating before I'd even pressed play on my first listen. Opening any progressive rock/metal release with the unbelievably complex "Metropolis (Part 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper)" would surely a devastating effect on any fan of this style of music & the execution is so meticulous that it's almost hard to believe that we are listening to humans & not some sort of higher beings from outer space. The two tracks that are taken from "When Dream & Day Unite" have never sounded better & are buoyed by the fresh production job & LaBrie's added layer of accessibility & class. The prog rock fueled ballad "Surrounded" is probably the least significant inclusion but it's still performed with heart & finesse while their can be no denying the emphatic statement that is closer "Pull Me Under" which is arguably one of the pinnacles of the entire progressive metal movement & will likely be labelled as the highlight of any set it's a part of for all eternity. Interestingly though, it's the improvised jam piece "Bombay Vindaloo" that's left me most enamored with "Live at the Marquee" as it contains one of the greatest examples of guitar playing I've ever heard in my life. When I think of what the instrument is capable of after all these years, I often think of this track as it encompasses everything that I aspired to be in the late 1990's & this single track makes the entire release worthy of my hard-earned cash, even if the rest of the E.P. had been found to be nothing more than filler. Thankfully though, that's anything but the case.

Wow! This revisit has really thrown a cat amongst the pigeons for me as I've rarely held "Live at the Marquee" up as highly as I'm about to. I regard both the "When Dream & Day Unite" & "Images & Words" albums as genuine progressive metal classics but I'm gonna take the bold step of claiming that this E.P. is even better than anything Dream Theater had produced before. Hell, five of the six songs are classics in their own right & "Surrounded" is pretty fucking solid too so it's really hard to see any chinks in the band's armour off the back of this muscle-flexing outing. Dream Theater have produced a series of wonderful live releases over the years but I can't see how any of them could be too much better than this one & it's hard to imagine why "Live at the Marquee" hasn't received more kudos over the years as it's rare to see it claimed as one of the prog metal master's more essential releases. I'm gonna have to assume that it's the E.P. format that's responsible for that as that's the only conclusion I can come to. There's not a doubt in my mind that "Live at the Marquee" should be essential listening for every member of The Infinite though.

For fans of Symphony X, Rush & Liquid Tension Experiment.

4.5/5

Amiensus - The Reclamation (Part I and II) (2024)

I've been really digging this double album by a previously unknown band from me, with Part I being released in April and Part II releasing about a week ago at the end of August. Despite being labeled as Black Metal there isn't much to back up that claim; it resides in that strange amalgamation void of Progressive Metal bands that take a million influences from Black/Death metal and smash them together into something that is unique yet recognizable if you've been around bands like Ne Obliviscaris, Wilderun, or Earthside's newest album shown above. I absolutely love this kind of stuff in general, so I was glued to Part I since the middle of August and eagerly awaiting the release of Part II. I'm not entirely sure The Reclamation needed to be a double album, as I find Part II to be weaker than Part I through and through despite an amazing start and riff on the opening "Solfario". I think they could have trimmed some of the fat off of Part I and added a few of the stronger tracks from Part II to come up with an hour long album instead of the rather lengthy 90 minutes it ended up being. I'm not exactly complaining because I'm a big fan, but it does begin to run out of ideas and steam halfway through Part II. It's a pretty dense album though, so it'll take me some more time to really see how the whole thing holds up overtime. Overall though, there's a ton of memorable riffs and moments from both the heavier side and lighter, melodic side, and it's been a comfort listen for me as I add another Prog Metal band that's more on the extreme side into my repertoire. 

Part I - 4/5

Part II - 3.5/5

As much as I enjoy the rest of Textures' debut, I see no point in including this overlong ambient sh*t at the end (the only Textures track to ever qualify for this thread):

I've done my review, here's its summary:

By the mid-2000s, djent was still starting off low-key. We have the originator, Meshuggah, and Sikth made their entrance with their djenty progressive metal sound. Named after an instrumental from Cynic's debut Focus, Textures was determined to give their music the many aspects and layers including djenty guitars. And it all starts with their debut Polars, their only album with talented ex-vocalist Pieter Verpaalen. RIP... There's no underestimating the complexity of this music. As often done by Meshuggah and The Dillinger Escape Plan, heavy aggression and soft relaxation are covered in different grounds of sonic emotion. In the short tracks and the 18-minute title epic, there's everything including minimalistic riffing, clean vocal harmonies, and the deathly djent of Meshuggah. Practically all you can ask for from the band. Polaris would've been as glorious as their subsequent albums if not for that final overlong ambient track....

4/5

Recommended tracks: "Ostensibly Impregnable", "Young Man", "The Barrier", "Polars"

For fans of: Meshuggah, Periphery, Sikth

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

7 Horns 7 Eyes – Regeneration (2012)

5/5. A perfect instrumental standout featuring some soloing by Jeff Loomis (ex-Nevermore), reminding me of his later supergroup Conquering Dystopia.

Gojira – The Heaviest Matter of the Universe (2005)

4.5/5. Gojira has made some real heavy stuff alongside their usual progressiveness. The "OPEN THE DOOR!!!" part is quite climatic, I'll say!

Ions – A Terrible Mistake (2023)

4/5. You ever want to hear the sounds of Northlane, Tesseract, and Karnivool come together? You got it right here! There's great talent and craftsmanship to love. It's quite cool hearing the orchestration blend in with the djent guitar. That shall help encourage me to level up my progressive metal zone.

Leprous – Like a Sunken Ship (2024)

4/5. Both Leprous and Opeth are making their comeback to their earlier growl-filled metal roots with their singles from their respective new albums, and that's pretty great! Unfortunately, I found out that this is the only track from Leprous' new album Melodies of Atonement with that sound, and the rest of the album is the soft art rock continued from their previous 3 albums.

MaYaN – The Illusory Self (2018)

4.5/5. This 9-minute progressive epic is the best way to summarize all this album has to offer, from the classic riffing to the epic choruses. This should've been the end of the playlist right there, but it's OK that it isn't, because there's more of the progressiveness to come...

Meshuggah – Future Breed Machine (1995)

5/5. The chaos continues after starting with a bit of an apocalyptic atmosphere that sounds like robotic machines taking over the world; industrial noises for almost 30 seconds, then a piercing siren over a total headbanging onslaught.

Ne Obliviscaris – Painters of the Tempest – Part II – Triptych (2014)

5/5. More of the chaos is unleashed with part 2 of "Painters of the Tempest". Even though the entire suite is 23 minutes long, this part would still be Ne Obliviscaris' longest song at 16 and a half minutes! This is perhaps my favorite Ne Obliviscaris song even though it's NOT in Portal of I. There are so many brilliant ideas! This part is actually is split into 3 smaller movements. The first movement, "Creator" has a couple transitions between fast storms and soft melodies. Then the second movement "Cynosure" is more acoustic/violin oriented, unlike the overpowering guitars in the other two movements. The avant-garde jazz themes are more apparent with only clean vocals and mid-tempo melodic grooves, until it builds back up to a crescendo of metal and growls. The last movement "Curator" is back to some of the most intense powerful chaos of the album until a nice ethereal ending.

Nevermore – The Fault of the Flesh (1999)

4.5/5. RIP Warrel Dane. He had the greatest sense of drama in the vocals. Jeff Loomis is also talented with his face-melting soloing, like the one over 3 minutes in.

Novallo – White Phoenix (2015)

4/5. Quite creative, though having some slight weakness.

The Ocean – Bathyalpelagic II: The Wish in Dreams (2013)

4.5/5. Even in a small part of a multi-track suite, you can get everything from different bands like Mastodon, BTBAM, and Opeth.

Opeth - §1 (2024)

4/5. And with all that talk about Opeth, we've made it to the first single of their upcoming album The Last Will and Testament. While the sound picks up where In Cauda Venenum left off, the growls and metal of Ghost Reveries and Watershed have returned! And there's drumming insanity by Waltteri Väyrynen (previously from Paradise Lost and Bodom After Midnight). This deathly sound better not be a one-time thing like that Leprous single is. It's my last hope in regaining full interest in Opeth....

A new month means new music and I couldn't be more excited to present the third studio album from U.K. atmo-sludge band Dvne, Voidkind, for the Infinite feature release in August. I really enjoyed this album the first time around and will likely make a full review for it later this month. I can't wait to see what others think of it.

https://metal.academy/releases/51521

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Anciients – In The Absence of Wisdom (2024) 

4/5. Another Infinite playlist ride begins, and this is when you're starting up the engine. It has some Opeth-like ambience that then climbs up into a banger. Actually it's more Opeth in Chains, considering the more grunge-infused direction.

Angra – Gods of the World (2023)

4.5/5. Angra have made a wonderful throwback to their more classic roots in the music and lyrics while keeping up their later progressiveness. So cool! The amazing vocals of Fabio Lione take on the highs of Dio. The soloing definitely has Rebirth all over it.

Gojira – Esoteric Surgery (2008) 

4/5. The drumming by Mario Duplantier is so fast and diverse, he's practically superhuman! This song certainly needs more attention.

Haken – Cockroach King (2013)

4.5/5. The Muppet-themed music video for this Haken song is good way to introduce your children to a more modern/metalized Gentle Giant/Pink Floyd. You can hear some dirty metal soloing and silly fun jazz in the bridge. And this is before the band's more pop-ish side took over in later albums...

In Mourning – Hierophant (2019)

4/5. It's astonishing how much this band can sound like Threshold while maintaining their deathly sound.

The Ocean – Hadopelagic II: Let Them Believe (2013) 

4.5/5. The Ocean have made beautiful epics like the 3 multi-track suites covering most of this album. At the 4-minute mark, there's a TOOL-like bass riff in a more mystical soundscape. And 3 minutes later, the soundscape turns destructive, leaving behind an underwater wreckage. This is practically Cult of Luna and Katatonia mixed together, and I mean that as a compliment.

OK Goodnight – The Falcon (2023) 

4/5. This one's more chill while having fresh creativity. Nice lyrics too, "Today we own the sky". The instrumentation, especially the guitars, can remind some of Shadow Gallery. This beautiful song can be the soundtrack to a Hearthstone forest adventure. The progressiveness reaches his high power close to 4 minutes in.

Opeth – Ghost of Perdition (2005)

4.5/5. We have experienced Gojira and The Ocean in this playlist, but not yet Opeth?! Well, thank greatness for my submission! This deathly prog-metal epic with acoustic guitars is still a complete one for me.

PainKiller – Morning of Baladchaturdasi (1994)

5/5. My favorite track of the final PainKiller album, and the only track from the band I would consider perfect, for when you wanna chill out in a world of noise (not something I thought anyone would say in a way that makes sense). It's a shame that track didn't get the same ambient treatment as the other two.

I really enjoyed the hybrid of styles and influences Ætheria Conscientia took on this album. The Blossoming has showings from progressive metal giants as Ihsahn and Rivers of Nihil, and also avant garde stylings of Kayo Dot and Pan.Thy.Monium. This record shows more restraint than the previous album and makes wonders; songs like "Endless Cycle" show that they can write well developed songs without always resorting to the ten minute epic. They can be concise and still say everything they need to say. The avant-garde tag is more of a passing one as the record is still rather accessible from a progressive standpoint; The Blossoming takes liberties from atmospheric black metal for its feel, while occasionally adding the tremolo guitar and blast beat percussion. It's fascinating that a "black metal" album has so little black metal on it, but it sounds great when they do go all out.

8/10

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Amorphis – My Kantele (2010)

4/5. Let's start this playlist with the Magic & Mayhem album grand finale! The sorrowful lyrics really detail the emotional magic from the Finnish instrument in question ("Its strings gathered from torments, and its pegs from other ills. Truly they lie, they talk utter nonsense... So it will not play, will not rejoice at all. Music will not play to please.") The vocals work well with the guitars and keyboards. The track is basically extended into an epic as the heavy version is combined with the acoustic reprise for a memorable climax of harmonic leads. Beautiful!

Cynic – The Space for This (2008) 

4.5/5. The greatest emotion spawns from the blend of clean melody and harsh heaviness from both the music and vocals, that can help motivate you to battle against the weight of depression. There's space for many great memories of when I listened to more melodic progressive metal bands like Cynic. The band started off as more of a jazzy tech-death in their debut Focus before softening their sound 15 years later in Traced in Air. And the soloing at over the 4-minute mark is out of this world!

Dysrhythmia – Coffin of Conviction (2024)

5/5. If mathy progressive metal does sound wicked awesome as people say it does, I'm highly convinced!

Edge of Sanity – Incantation (2006 Remastered)

4.5/5. This is the best part of the massive Crimson II album/epic/suite for me, with all that glittering melody.

Ever Forthright – Tambora (2024)

4/5. This one's also pretty cool, and I also love its music video.

Evergrey – Cold Dreams (2024)

4.5/5. This new Evergrey single features frontman Tom Englund's daughter Salina and Katatonia's Jonas Renkse. Salina's beautiful vocals show her improvement since her guest appearance in 2011's Glorious Collision (she was a kid back then, but still). But HOLY SH*T, Renkse has regained his growling ability that's absolutely crushing!

Meshuggah – New Millennium Cyanide Christ (1998)

5/5. The best song of Chaosphere has drummer Tomas Haake's shining lyric writing. Those lyrics aren't as complicated as they are clever. That's my second favorite Meshuggah song behind "Future Breed Machine"!

Rivers of Nihil – The Void from Which No Sound Escapes (2021)

4.5/5. Amazing sound of sax-ified deathly progressive metal!

Spiritbox – Trust Fall (2019) 

4/5. I love the vocals by Courtney LaPlante, singing emotional lyrics in simple passion. It's nice how this song can sound heavy and soothing at the same time.

TesseracT – Burden (2023) 

4.5/5. "I'm afraid, and I don't know what I am, and I don't know where to turn, but I'll learn." Lovely lyrics of hope sung by Daniel Tompkins, almost having similar falsetto-like singing to the late Michael Jackson. Just don't expect any of the "HEE-hee!"

Voivod – Killing Technology (1987)

5/5. Killing Technology's title track begins with rumbling ambience and what sounds like heart-monitor beeps, then it stops shortly after a robot says "We are connected". Right then, freaky fast metal riffing crashes in with Snake's signature punkish vocals and lyrics of a paranoid futuristic dystopia. Now that's killer 80s prog-thrash!

Zeal & Ardor – Gotterdammerung (2022)

5/5. Another playlist-ending grand discovery! Avant-garde black metal is blended together with bluesy gospel for a unique sound of pure perfection.

The Ocean - Pelagial (2013)

Genres: Post-Metal, Prog Metal

Subgenres: Atmo-Sludge Metal, Post-Rock, Metalcore, Death Metal

I'm glad I'm taking this time to go over older albums I've heard for the sake of rearranging some things on my charts.  This was started by a willingness to explore the catalog of Metal Blade, which includes listening to the Metal Blade albums I've already heard for different reasons, such as The Ocean's popular Pelagial, which I've planned on going back to for a while.  Now despite being part of the Infinite clan on Metal Academy, that's mostly for the prog and the avantgarde.  Post-metal isn't generally my thing, but I can spot the good stuff.

The first thing that must be noted is that unlike most post-metal albums, there is certainly not a level of clearcut repetition going on for the sake of exploring overlong ambient textures.  Leave that to Isis and let The Ocean do whatever they want.  I mean let's be honest: Disequillibrated is a death metal song in the same vein as Gojira.  Like past Ocean albums you can sense instances of post-hardcore and metalcore inserted easily, like an off-white patch on a white quilt.  Despite the extremities, The Ocean never forgets that they're making atmo-metal, so there's plenty of time to chill.  As Boundless Vasts starts off heavy and ends its three minute half by quickly getting more and more serene, takes us through a chilling but ambient journey into instrumental deaths while our singer screams like he's trapped at the bottom of the abyss.  Clever work.  Most of these songs are around average length, but there are a couple beautiful segues and two nine-minute tracks near the end.  Let Them Believe may not change things up progressively, but as a post-metal track there's just enough ongoing mutation to keep exploring the oceanic themes.  As well, I completely adore the fact that the eneded the album with a seriously doomy sludge song.

Even though this is definitely a prog album, there is no limit to how accessible this is.  Ironically, this album doesn't border on the questionable nature of the prog tag like some Rush and Dream Theater albums that many metalheads can name.  You can easily take songs like the joining Impasses and The Wish in Dreams and probably play them at work on the same playlist as one with Zep's Ramble On.  This is not only because the band excels with melodicism, but the decisions they make bear a flawless alchemic formula of the post-rock and extreme metal elements even with highly-melodic piano is being played at the same time as death metal screams.

I won't call this a sludge album anymore, but as a post-metal album this is likely my new number one, depending on how I define it and whether or not I'd give the tag to Through Silver in Blood by neurosis.  Pelagial fits every standard of mine for a perfect album.  it sets out to create atmospheres perfectly while balancing out a number of genres in one of the single most consistent deliveries I've ever heard, as well as remaininh 100% accessible in its melodies while testing the borders of extreme metal and prog.  I'm especially happy that I'm currently moving this up to my number 2 prog metal album of all time, as I was afraid that having the top two be the same band (Symphony X) seemed like fanboyism.

100

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Amorphis – Course of Fate (2009)

4/5. A nice song to start with from this Finnish melodic prog-metal band.

Animarum – Vikalpa (2024)

4.5/5. New bands have quite the magic touch when they make sick songs like this. There's some killer fire in the lyrics. A f***ing cool discovery! Those vocals can be performed well without choking, including the clean harmonies. Excellent!

Becoming the Archetype – The Balance of Eternity (The Physics of Fire Pt. 4) (2007)

5/5. The 4th and final part of this suite perfectly summarizes the lyrical theme of faith vs. fire, connecting well with this progressive epic to bring its original album, a glorious offering, to a fantastic close.

Dream Theater – About to Crash (2002)

4.5/5. Anyone listening to this after the return original drummer Mike Portnoy? His drumming talent goes well with the emotion of this part of the "Six Degrees" suite.

Pain of Salvation – Reasons (2017)

4/5. If you're wondering why I haven't listened to these melodic prog-metal bands now as much as in the last decade, I have my reasons. Still this Pain of Salvation album was a standout album for me back in early 2017.

Rendezvous Point – Utopia (2024)

4.5/5. Some well-done beautiful progressive metal/rock there! A bit of a Muse vibe, even being as short as their songs in a length of 4 minutes. Impressive!

Rivers of Nihil – Criminals (2024)

4/5. It's insane how well drum solos can turn out like this brief one that starts the last minute. The song is another total banger overall with a fine line between their earlier tech-death albums and The Work. I look forward to more!

Scar Symmetry – Reichsfall (2023)

4.5/5. There's dynamic elegance in the intro before the usual heavy fight and melodic flight. The pace often slows down right before the chorus, losing a bit of dynamic while still sounding cool. The vocals are amazing, but I can't tell the higher notes are real or done with a vocoder similar to Cynic. Either way, that along with the guitar melodies spawn a pleasant Blind Guardian vibe. What a progressive adventure within an adventure!

Teramaze – Step Right Up (2024)

4.5/5. Step right up for some more mesmerizing progressive metal!

Textures – Awake (2008)

5/5. For a few years, I've been enjoying this band. And how can I not?! They made a lot of songs that are both hard-hitting and melodic. There are also seems to be some influence from the heavier side of Devin Townsend. I love this!

Wheel – Saboteur (2024)

4.5/5. Let's wrap up this playlist with another brooding heavy crusher. The chorus and its vocals are so mind-blowing! The Wheel shall keep turning....

I've already written my review summary in Rex's thread, but I don't mind sharing it again here:

You gotta admit, Arjen Lucassen is a true talented space metal genius. He can make a song with just a couple riffs and transform it into something beyond belief. I was once a fan of Ayreon and remembered the mind-blowing status of his albums. I suppose one day I can check out some of his former projects that I missed out on like Stream of Passion, but for now, let's escape into a wonderous dimension of progressive space metal! Musically, Star One's debut picks up where Ayreon left off in Flight of the Migrator, including that album's heavier D-tuned sound. This time, only one of the two discs is the main album, and there are 4 vocalists in every song; Russell Allen (Symphony X), Floor Jansen (ex-After Forever, Nightwish), Damien Wilson (ex-Threshold), and Dan Swano (ex-Edge of Sanity, Nightingale). The music speaks in loud fury while in spacey beauty. The deep synth/guitar momentum adds to the heaviness factor, though a few tracks lean closer to the earlier hard rock of Deep Purple, and there are some moments that sound a little too pompous. But the main verdict is an Ayreon spin-off project of progressive metal with the speed of power metal and the cosmic vibe of Hawkwind that you shouldn't miss out on. This man's a true genius!

4.5/5

Recommended tracks: "Set Your Controls", "High Moon", "Master of Darkness", "The Eye of Ra", "Intergalactic Space Crusaders", "Hawkwind Medley", "Inseparable Enemies", "Space Oddity" (David Bowie cover)

For fans of: Ayreon, Symphony X, Threshold

Thanks so much for this, Daniel! Here's my review summary:

I haven't heard of this band from Canberra, Australia before, but let me fill you in right away on what to expect from Alchemist's debut Jar of Kingdom. This is avant-garde/progressive death metal soaring through the psychedelic cosmos! This is the kind of style that's either awesome or too weird to enjoy. In this case, it's the former. Alchemist made an experiment in metal alchemy that has really paid off! With this incredible debut, I have a great feeling about the rest of their discography. There are many things that are both expected and unexpected all in one dish. Avant-garde/prog-metal has lots of twists through death and doom here. For newcomers to The Infinite genres, it may sound weird and take some time to digest. Listeners of the album get an out-of-this-world experience, as 70s space rock and Eastern balladry twisted into intricate thrashy death metal rhythms. Frontman Adam Agius actually damaged his voice during recording, hence the rawness of his deathly vocals here. The complex experimentation of Alchemist is a deathly adventure through the dark psychedelic depths of space!

5/5

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Devin Townsend – Deadhead (2003)

4.5/5. Let's start off with this beautiful song from Canadian metal mastermind Devin Townsend. I still love the emotion spawned from there!

Leprous – Mb. Indifferentia (2011) 

4/5. I've been a bit indifferent to Leprous for the past couple years, though songs like this make me question why. The perfect vocals of Einar Solberg first enter around the one-minute mark alongside instrumentation that starts reminiscent of the softer Opeth but then rises to be similar to the heavier side of Devin Townsend. Then gets more ominous right in the middle, but after a minute of that, right around 4 and half minutes into the song, that when we reach the heavier climax that Dream Theater is often good at doing. "DO NOTHING AT ALL!!!!"

Pain of Salvation – On a Tuesday (2017)

4.5/5. I haven't heard from this band for so long, apart from a few small revisits. In the Passing Light of Day was the last album I heard from this band 7 years ago before I switched out of the more melodic progressive metal. The lyrics have f***ing meaningful emotion that fits nicely with the Nine Inch Nails vibe in the instrumentation. This song and "Reasons" were total heavy rollercoasters for me back in those days. The "I lost the will" bridge is so beautiful. Then right after that, the heaviness comes back to surprise you. The verses are quite deep with a bit of shallowness. I can understand, considering the near-fatal Hell the band's frontman Daniel Gildenlöw went through when he suffered from a life-threatening disease. Luckily he's still alive and well.

Into Eternity – Into Eternity (1999)

5/5. Ah yeah, the perfect theme song for this progressive melodeath band Into Eternity! Guitarist Tim Roth can write great lyrics and has nice clean singing. This whole "song and album with the same name as the band" thing has been done before by classic heavy metal bands Black Sabbath, Motorhead, and Iron Maiden.

Mutoid Man – Beast (2015)

5/5. For a two-minute track, this one perfectly unites progressive metal with hardcore/speed metal as the leads and rhythms strike each other for dominance.

Persefone – Lingua Ignota Part 1 (2024)

4.5/5. The best riffing comes on in the title track of their new EP. Here we have some great guitar soloing to level up the surrounding riffing and give the EP some redeeming value. This definitely throws back to the band's better earlier material. Although the verses and choruses can sometimes get me ticked, they're still at their best here. The cleans should've been slightly reduced though.

Ever Forthright – Techniflux (2024)

4/5. Soft piano, funky bass, crushing guitar... Ain't that a great combo! The only problem here is the generic structure throughout this 13-minute progressive epic.

Intronaut – Fast Worms (2015) 

4.5/5. Wow, this is the 3rd time this Intronaut song has appeared in an Infinite playlist. I won't complain though, this is f***ing killer jazzy post-/progressive metal with flawless mixing by Devin Townsend.

Voivod – Technocratic Manipulators (1998)

5/5. This highlight demonstrates highly creative originality, packing powerful metal punches, sounding so progressive without turning into a 20-minute epic! After a calm dark ambient intro with a few bass touches, the crossover-ish dynamics erupt with speedy riff rhythms and signature snarling vocals. Near the two-minute mark, the song makes a weird evolution into old-school Hawkwind-like spacey guitar rhythms. Many styles and influences all in dexterous textures in only under 5 minutes. A truly awesome feat!

Here's my review:

My incentive for nominating San Diego progressive metallers Psychotic Waltz's 1992 sophomore album "Into The Everflow" for feature release status was predominantly built off the very positive experience I had with the album's older sibling "A Social Grace" back in October 2023. I'd never given Psychotic Waltz a genuine crack before then but their 1990 debut album left me thoroughly impressed by its class & execution. Possibly the only thing missing was the sort of hooks that are required to take a very solid record & make it into a truly great one so I was left wondering if perhaps the band might have been able to achieve that with a little more time & experience. This month seemed like a good time to find out.

Once again we find Psychotic Waltz indulging themselves in the more progressive end of the metal spectrum with "Into The Everflow". It's perhaps not as consistently heavy as "A Social Grace" was but it certainly has its moments. The more intense & highly complex passages definitely coincide with my favourite parts of the album but the more experimental & atmospheric sections are not to be scoffed at either with prog rock playing a stronger role than I remember it doing with the debut. The vocals of Deadsoul Tribe & former The Shadow Theory front man Buddy Lackey are positioned in the higher-register, theatrical style of the US power metal scene but are not as difficult to digest as a John Arch (Fates Warning) or a Jason McMaster (Watchtower). In saying that though, he does tend to wander into some artsy territory at times & I'm not sure it always works. Thankfully, the guitar work of Dan Rock & Brian McAlpin tends to jump out & save the day at key moments.

The eight-song tracklisting is very formidable with even the weaker inclusion "Tiny Streams" still offering something of interest. The super-complex "Out Of Mind" is my personal favourite with its weighty riffs & odd time-signatures seeing my ears staying pricked up for its full duration. Unfortunately, I don't think there are any other classics included here, despite the very solid & consistent level of quality that drives the album. Some of the material takes two or three listens to fully comprehend too as there's a lot to take in here which perhaps results in a less immediate record than its predecessor which I slightly favour over this one by the barest of margins. I'm guessing that fans of Fates Warning, Watchtower & Spiral Architect will likely already be all over this album but I feel that there's enough in it for me to recommend it to ALL of our The Infinite members as Psychotic Waltz are a highly talented band that produces top quality progressive metal material. If you don't get into the proggier end of metal then you should steer well clear of it though.

4/5

I'm not really up to a lot of progressive metal at the moment (other than discovering Into Eternity and Volumes the other day), so I'll just review submissions from me and Xephyr for this playlist. Sorry Saxy, maybe next time. So here are my thoughts on those tracks:

Wandering Oak – To Lir Thy Fell (2024)

4.5/5. A killer blackened progressive metal epic to start this playlist, though I have not much to say there.

Anacrusis – Still Black (1991)

5/5. The best and most ominous riffing comes in this track which is my personal favorite here.

Mechina – Earth-Born Axiom (2015)

4.5/5. The engines ignite and the spaceship blasts off in an extensive epic in which electronic synths and cinematic orchestra prevails over the heavy djent instrumentation. Tiberi knows how to combine all that with a landscape of sci-fi dystopia that Neurotech can also achieve.

DGM – The Secret Pt. 2 (2016)

4/5. Pretty great hooks to grab your attention, especially when reaching its last third.

Mr. Bungle – Squeeze Me Macaroni (1991)

4.5/5. This amazing bass-fueled track is where its original album sounds best when blending lightness with spookiness.

Mutoid Man – Siphon (2023)

5/5. This highlight kicks off having some of the math-ish metalcore instrumentation of Converge and The Dillinger Escape Plan then continues on in progressive/sludge metal again as the vocal harmonies and growls blend together.

Protest the Hero – Gardenias (2020)

4.5/5. The instant impact here is so good you can even listen to it on its own! The drum kicks and instrumental punches unleash thunderbolts while electrifying lightning strikes from Rody Walker unleashing his screams and growls.

Rolo Tomassi – Closer (2022)

5/5. Not every track that I absolutely love has to be heavy. This ballad is so beautiful, including the harmonic voice of Eva Korman. Such a lovely song!

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Job for a Cowboy – Beyond the Chemical Doorway (2024)

5/5. Starting this playlist is a band that I never had the leeway to listen to in the year 2014 when I was in my power metal-loving teens, due to their death metal (deathcore in their 2006 EP) sound. But now that I'm in my 20s and can handle that kind of sound, especially in their more progressive material like their new album Moon Healer, I'm up for more! It's just way too good to lose, and the bass sounds audible and groovy.

 The Ocean – Permian: The Great Dying (2018)

4.5/5. My interest in this band seemed to have died out lately, but songs like this one still have their underrated greatness.

Ibaraki – Kagutsuchi (2022)

4.5/5. Violent yet melodic blackened prog-metal. How did I not hear this until now???

Intronaut – Prehistoricisms (2008)

5/5. And how perfect can this progressive post-sludge sound get?!

Periphery – Zagreus (2023)

5/5. This glorious highlight kicks the heaviness back to bloodthirsty brutality. This almost has a blackened vibe with the riffing and demonic growling. I haven't heard Sotelo sound so savage since when he guest appeared in Sikth's "Cracks of Light". Then the track closes with a cinematic orchestral ending.

Stortgern – Xeno Chaos (2023)

4.5/5. Standing out well is this track that bursts out more than a human-killing Xenomorph (unrelated). It truly is special as the progressive tech-death rises up in melody.

Charlie Griffiths – Arctic Cemetery (2022)

4.5/5. I hadn't listened to much Haken and Between the Buried and Me in the past couple years, but hearing the former band's guitarist Charlie Griffiths and the latter band's vocalist Tommy Rogers together is quite a treat where you get to hear a bit of BTBAM's signature deathly progressive metal sound.

The Human Abstract – Complex Terms (2011)

5/5. I just wish this band was still around. Their complex djent-ish neoclassical prog-metal sound rules, especially close to the one-minute mark then two minutes after.

Rivers of Nihil – Where Owls Know My Name (2018)

4.5/5. This one is a bleak yet amazing song from another band that I should've listened to more of. The lyrics are some of the best here, and what makes it beautiful yet slightly laughable is the jazzy saxophone solos, one of them as early as the two-minute mark. Quite a groovy headbanger this track is! It will make you float out or orbit into the astral plane. I think I can hear where some of the more technical aspects of Lorna Shore came from!

Leprous – Contaminate Me (2013)

4/5. Horns up for one of the heaviest Leprous songs, featuring Emperor's Ihsahn!

Here's my review summary:

Whenever there's experimentation, their results are often mixed reactions from many critics. The negative reception is due to those changes being suddenly different from the sound they're used to, whereas bands like Voivod take things slowly when gradually changing their sound for a fresh complex result. And on that same year, Metallica also released a more progressive thrash metal album before making their abrupt switch to the heavy/alternative metal that was received negatively. For Dimension Hatröss, only a few traces of thrash remain, those traces being just the fast thrashy tempos. Those tempos are dominated by all its changes every few measures. The band can go straight-on progressive without making a 20-minute epic, with many styles and influences all in dexterous textures in just an under 5-minute track. Some of the jazz influences come from the otherworldly diminished chords of Piggy (Denis D'Amour) (RIP). Their progressive sound would be fully solidified in their next album Nothingface. Their thrash was in the past, but their progressive metal would come in that's out of this world!

5/5

Recommended tracks: "Chaosmöngers", "Technocratic Manipulators", "Macrosolutions to Megaproblems", "Brain Scan", "Batman Theme" (bonus track)

For fans of: Watchtower, and the early 90s eras of Anacrusis and Coroner

I've done my review, here's its summary:

Anacrusis has reached a greater progressive height in their tech-thrash sound. Their two albums before this one showed subtle hints of progressiveness, but with Manic Impressions, they have reached their signature style that has put this album together with Coroner and Dark Angel's respective albums that year as the 1991 tech-thrash triptych! Manic Impressions shows a new vision for Anacrusis, along with a different drummer whose skills added to the complexity. Soft breaks and multiple time signatures have become more common than before, as are the mid-paced progressive aspects that would be in full force in their swan song album Screams and Whispers. With the songs and lyrics in cohesive flow, you can almost consider this a concept album when it isn't. Not every album has nothing but strong songs, but this album stands out as that. Kenn Nardi's talented voice (at least I think is talented) has improved significantly to flow with the dark atmosphere and intense heaviness colliding in a dramatic mix. The ominous riffing and melodic leads enhance the fast thrash that's balanced with the mid-paced sections surrounding, sometimes slowing down to heavier doom. All this and technical emotion in the music and lyrics show you what progressive tech-thrash is all about!

4.5/5