The Infinite

Ben, please add these new albums:

Madder Mortem - Old Eyes, New Heart

Persefone - Lingua Ignota: Part I (EP)

I would've chosen one or both of the Crimson epics for this thread, but that felt like too much of a cheat. So I'll just go with this highlight of catchy progressive action:

A 30th anniversary remastering of that track, having just come out today:

PainKiller - "Guts Of A Virgin" (1991)

Earlier this week I went about the process of revisiting the 1992 sophomore album “Buried Secrets” from unusual New York avant-garde jazz metal trio PainKiller. It had literally been decades since I last heard the three PainKiller full-lengths but I was really surprised to find that their second album offered me a level of appeal that I’d not received from it before. I guess I’m just a lot more open-minded with my music these days. That’s not to say that it wasn’t inconsistent because it most certainly was with the short grindcore sections adding no value to anyone’s life whatsoever. It was the lengthier, more restrained & slightly less consciously abstract material that floated my boat with all of the more significant tracks hitting the mark. From memory, I think I devoured all of PainKiller’s albums within about a week & I recall them getting better with each release so I had visions of their 1991 debut album “Guts of a Virgin” being an absolute abomination (& not the good type either). Given my newly found positivity for “Buried Secrets” though, I thought I’d challenge myself by giving it a few spins too.

There are similarities & differences between PainKiller’s first two albums. They both contain the screeching alto saxophone of John Zorn over almost every track, there’s a grindcore component to many of the tracks that pops up & disappears as quickly as it came & the band explores a number of different styles & genres around those core elements. There’s no doubt that “Guts of a Virgin” is the more extreme of the two records though. It’s twelve songs clock in at just 24 minutes in duration with the grindcore elements being drawn upon a little more readily. I still wouldn’t call this a grindcore record though as the combined length of those sections is really quite short with the remainder of the album feeling better suited to a few alternate genre tags in avant-garde jazz, avant-garde & experimental rock, the last of which is a little different from “Buried Secrets” which tended to explore more metallic genres like sludge metal & industrial metal whereas “Guts of a Virgin” dips its toes into rockier & jazzier sounds at times. The debut also includes some psychotic vocal screams from former Napalm Death drummer Mick Harris which are pretty harsh & abrasive on the ears to be frank. As with “Buried Secrets”, the album finishes with a pretty decent drone metal number too although this one sits quite a distance beneath the classic “The Toll” in terms of being a truly transcendental experience.

Both albums certainly contain their fair share of absolute rubbish. The difference between them is that “Buried Secrets” has a lot more meat on its bones & the crap on “Guts of a Virgin” tends to be… well… crappier. In fact, there are really only three songs that I enjoy here & I don’t think it’s any surprise to find them corresponding with the more traditional sounding pieces on the tracklisting because I’m simply not the guy for intentionally whacky music that offers more in the way of novelty value than it does from a musical standpoint. I really enjoyed Bill Laswell’s dubbier influence on a couple of tracks from “Buried Secrets” too but it’s nowhere to be found on “Guts of a Virgin”.

Perhaps I’m not the target audience for a record like this one but I have to ask… is there really one & are they actually music fans? Look… “Guts of a Virgin” is nowhere near as bad as I first thought it was but it’s a long way from an enjoyable listen either. In saying that, I get the distinct feeling that PainKiller’s third album “Execution Ground” might be the one to offer me the most appeal based purely on my past scores & its general genre-tagging which sees dark ambient & ambient dub playing a strong role at the expense of grindcore. Perhaps I should hook myself up with some of them apples shortly, huh?

2.5/5

April 2024

1. Wandering Oak – To Lir Thy Fell (2024)

2. Anacrusis – Still Black (1991)

3. Mechina – Earth-Born Axiom (2015)

4. DGM – The Secret Pt. 2 (2016)

5. Mr. Bungle – Squeeze Me Macaroni (1991)

6. Mutoid Man – Siphon (2023)

7. Protest the Hero – Gardenias (2020)

8. Rolo Tomassi – Closer (2022)

9. Rendezvous Point – Don’t Look Up (2024)

10. Cyborg Octopus – Afterburner (2024)

11. King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard – Dragon (2023)

12. Alkaloid – Kernel Panic (2018)

13. DVNE – Pleroma (2024)

14. Artificial Language – Two Faced Star (2024)

15. Avenged Sevenfold – Cosmic (2023)

16. Four Stroke Baron – The Witch (2024)

17. ALMO – Reconciliation (2024)

18. OK Goodnight – The Crocodile (2023) 

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

Here are my submissions for the May Infinite playlist:

Devin Townsend - "Deadhead" (8:05) from Accelerated Evolution (2003)

Into Eternity - "Into Eternity" (4:07) from Into Eternity (1999)

Mutoid Man - "Beast" (1:58) from Bleeder (2015)

Persefone - "Lingua Ignota" (7:34) from Lingua Ignota: Part I (2024)

Voivod - "Technocratic Manipulators" (4:35) from Dimension Hatross (1988)

Total length: 26:19

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!

Confessor - "Confessor" E.P. (1992)

I'd honestly never heard of North Carolina five-piece Confessor until I picked up 1992's Earache Records "Gods of Grind" compilation back at the time of release. The CD brought together high-quality EP's from Entombed, Carcass & Cathedral as well as the three-song self-titled effort from Confessor which featured the title track from their 1991 debut album "Condemned" as well as two cover versions of old Trouble songs that I probably wasn't aware of at the time. I think it's fair to say that Confessor's contributions saw my ears pricking up in a pretty major way too just quietly because they offered a very fresh & professional sound that not only showcased their clear technical talents but also saw them presenting something a little different to the norm.

If there's one reason to check out the "Confessor" E.P. then it's most certainly the opening cut "Condemned" which is a real treat for fans of the more complex side of progressive metal. The rhythmic experimentation on show here is nothing short of marvelous & will have even the more capable drummers out there picking their jaws up off the ground. Scott Jeffreys soaring higher-register vocal histrionics are certainly an acquired taste but shouldn't be too much of a challenge for prog fans who have been raised on a steady diet of Watchtower & Fates Warning. Things change up significantly for the second song "The Last Judgement" (an old Trouble demo track) which sees Confessor taking a different approach that sits somewhere between traditional doom metal & stoner metal. It's still solid enough stuff though. Closer "Endtime" was one of my favourite inclusions on Trouble's debut album "Psalm 9" so there's no surprise that I enjoy Confessor's version too. It kinda combines the three sounds we've heard over the first two tracks for a high-quality progressive stoner doom instrumental.

There's no question that "Confessor" is carried by the single original inclusion in "Condemned" but the two cover versions are both excellent too which has seen me being tempted to award one of my more premium scores. I've never gotten around to checking out much of Confessor's other material but it might be about time I did. The "Confessor" E.P. comes highly recommended for fans of Abstrakt Algebra, Dark Millenium & (unsurprisingly) Trouble.

4.5/5

Night Verses - Every Sound Has a Color in the Valley of Night, Part II

The second half of one of my most surprising albums of 2023 has its direct sequel from Night Verses and is out now. Progressive instrumental metal that knows how to create atmosphere.

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

These new unfitting modern influences cause things to go down in sh*t with pointless filter in this EP's intro:

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

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Animals as Leaders – Wave of Babies (from Wave of Babies)

4.5/5. Animals as Leaders is a prominent band in the wave of developing bands of djent alongside Periphery and Tesseract, and they made cool instrumentals like this one.

Extol – Shadow of Death (from Paralysis)

5/5. Extol's cover of this Believer classic is what got me into this band, and it's a total blessing! It's also a bonus track in the Japanese edition of Undeceived. Apparently, Cradle of Filth stole the song's opening riff for their own song "Dirge Inferno", though I didn't know that because I'm one of those people who prefer to listen to Extol rather than Cradle of Filth, although I'm not a Christian. I guess that proves that plagiarism has made its way into progressive death/thrash and gothic/black metal.

Madder Mortem – Convertion (from Mercury)

5/5. This eerie epic perfectly summarizes the desolate Autumn atmosphere of its original album and artwork. The distorted guitars, technical doomy drums, soft acoustic guitars, dreamy keyboards, and calm yet powerful vocals are all there. Truly hypnotic!

Periphery – Four Lights (from Juggernaut: Alpha)

4.5/5. "THERE. ARE. 4. LIGHTS!!!!" yells Captain Picard in "Chain of Command", a two-part special episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Amazing djent instrumental, though I would've loved to hear Spencer's vocals over those guitar rhythms. I love this almost as much as Zagreus.

Arjen Anthony Lucassen's Star One – The Eye of Ra (from Space Metal)

4.5/5. This ballad-ish 3-part epic breaks the earlier mid-tempo/fast pace and is so majestic, especially in the epic ending where all 4 vocalists plus background vocalist Robert Soeterboek sing in perfect harmony.

Tesseract – Cages - PORTALS (from PORTALS)

5/5. Holy sh*t, thank you Tesseract! They really give this song the perfect live treatment.

Fates Warning – Part of the Machine (from Perfect Symmetry)

4.5/5. Frank Aresti has performed mighty technical guitarwork here. The bass work by Joe DiBiase is also mind-blowing. If people could pay attention to notes more, this would've ended up on the radio at any given chance. The band also gave Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie an earlier chance to shine in one of the songs from the next album Parallels, released a year before Dream Theater's Images and Words. At that point, their heavy metal from as late as Awaken the Guardian is already gone.

Caligula's Horse – The Stormchaser (from The Stormchaser)

4/5. A fun banger, but am I up to revisiting the band with the rest of their new album Charcoal Grace? Not right now...

Symphony X – Wicked (from The Odyssey)

4.5/5. An excellent wicked way to end this playlist, with great singing. I definitely like the bridge at the 3 and a half minute mark followed a minute later by a scream into the final chorus. And this is the same band with the neoclassical "Smoke and Mirrors"!

The frontrunner for The Infinite Release of 2023 Award are Ne Obliviscaris' "Exul', King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard's "PetroDragonic Apocalypse" & Periphery's "Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre". There's less than a week to go now so get those ratings in. 

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 2023.

Below are the releases that are currently competing for the prestigious 2023 The Infinite Cover of the Year Award (i.e. they rate at least 3.7 and have 3 or more ratings). The winner will be announced on the 1st of February, so there's still time to get your ratings in.

Blut aus Nord - Disharmonium - Nahab

Oak Pantheon - The Absence

Haken - Fauna

Abbey, The - Word of Sin

TesseracT - War of Being

Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium

Dirge - Dirge

Enslaved - Heimdal

Ne Obliviscaris - Exul

Vvon Dogma I - The Kvlt of Glitch

If you want to contribute and rate some covers, the easiest way is to go to The Gallery and select The Infinite and 2023.

https://metal.academy/gallery?cid=5&type=overall_cover_rating&myRating=&fromYear=2023&toYear=2023&exclude=0

I look forward to seeing which release gets up for the win!

I'd add that Ben & I feel that we should really be steering away from subgenres that are simply a combination of two existing genres, particularly when they cross clans, as it needlessly complicates things. If a post-metal release is doomy enough for The Fallen then it should receive a genre from The Fallen on top of its Post-Metal tag. If not, then I'd suggest that it's not worth mentioning in its tagging. The Angelic Process is an interesting test case. This is an excerpt from my review of their highly celebrated "Weighing Souls With Sand" album:

"'Weighing Souls With Sand' is most commonly referred to as drone metal. I can see why but it's never seemed to me to be a very accurate label to be honest. There's a lot more going on here than there is in your average drone metal release, particularly from a melodic point of view. The noisy analogue hiss that shrouds most tracks reminds me a lot of the noisier works of ambient artist Tim Hecker while the huge crescendos indicate a love for post-rock artists such as Sigur Ros. There is most definitely a shoegaze element at play here too with a lot of these tracks seeing Kris strumming open downstrokes repeatedly in a melancholic fashion that reeks of My Bloody Valentine's classic 'Loveless' album. The droning bass notes take my mind more towards the ambient variety of drone only more from a textural point of view than a stylistic one. Overall I find that the post-metal tag is the more appropriate way to label the album & I'd feel much more comfortable if 'Weighing Souls With Sand' was separated from the drone metal charts as it inevitably fairs quite well but doesn't sound anything like the records scattered around it."

So, I obviously felt that it has very little to do with the drone metal subgenre that it was continually being associated with at the time but possesses an obvious shoegaze component. There was also no mention of a doom metal component & I was comfortable with the release sitting under the post-metal genre which is quite telling when it comes to the topic of discussion here. Unless anyone can present a strong case to the contrary, my immediate suggestion is that we leave releases tagged on RYM as Doomgaze under the generic Post-Metal genre.

This is a debut record of a very traditional progressive metal slab and takes a lot of its influence from giants like Dream Theater and more recently Haken. And Nospūn are really good at paying homage to their idols within progressive metal. The album is incredibly well performed, the song compositions/structures are given a lot of detail as to not make any of the tracks here (including the fifteen minute "Within the Realm of Possibility") feel extended for their own sake, and the production is top notch. I can hear each instrument with the utmost clarity, including the bass, and some of the tracks even have a decent melodic hook to anchor them down, including "The Death of Simpson" and "Back, Yet Forward".

But the record is marred by two major faults. The first is quite obvious: Nospūn do not really have much of an identity of their own at the moment. I am willing to be a little bit more forgiving in this regard since this is the bands debut album, and it's disingenuous of me to expect the band to rock the progressive metal world, in the same way that Black Sabbath did back in the 1970s. However, the other big issue has to do with this god awful synthesizer that persists throughout the entire record. When it isn't there, or not at the forefront of the track, Opus can sound really good, but "Dance With Me!" and "4D Printing" sound brutal as the keyboards rival even the most nasally pop-punk vocalists with their irritation.

It's a solid debut, but I hope that Nospūn will take notes for a follow-up and carve their own identity within the world of progressive metal. Otherwise, they are likely to flounder just like so many others before them.

3.5/5

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Caligula’s Horse – The World Breathes with Me (2023)

4.5/5. The band led by the talented guitarist Sam Vallen and stunning vocalist Jim Grey are back, and HOLY SH*T, this song opens the playlist in amazing heights! The blend of heaviness and beauty is brought back into shape after Leprous lost it 10 years prior. No way will this ever disappoint!

Liquid Tension Experiment – Acid Rain (1999)

4/5. An untouchable piece from this instrumental band with bassist Tony Levin (NOT Walter White, despite who he looks like) and 3 of the guys from Dream Theater (John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy, and Jordan Rudess). After two wild progressive minutes, things slow down for some tribal percussion almost like it's from the George of the Jungle soundtrack. Then the keyboards rise for under a minute, then a cowbell is struck, in queue for Petrucci to play some sick riffing and soloing. Then over the 4-minute mark, things heat up, sounding similar to Riot's take on "Racing with the Devil on a Spanish Highway". And after all that, the last few seconds of guitar fiddling ends it smoothly.

Devin Townsend Project – Higher (2016)

4.5/5. Canadian metal mastermind Devin Townsend continues to bring his sound to higher places. The most glorious part of this epic is the last chorus that starts the final two minutes. An absolute tear-jerker!

Kayo Dot – The Manifold Curiosity (2003)

5/5. This one has so much to explore, as more instruments and vocal styles are added to the arsenal. 4 and a half minutes into the track, the soft ambience is broken by a melodic explosion with a huge variety of jazzy instruments that not a lot of metal bands can add without tainting their sound. From the 10-minute mark onwards, there's more intense chaos. How intense?! It's actually in the same level as Strapping Young Lad with Converge-like screaming rage, especially at the very end with a brief moment of grind-ish metalcore. A truly heavy and artsy epic!

Opeth – Blackwater Park (2021)

5/5. The epic title finale of this band's magnum opus continues the complex structure, adding in some of the later rhythm atmosphere. All I'm gonna note is how majestic the ending is, when the band unleash all their power before hitting the brakes in a bang.

The Contortionist – Return to Earth (2017)

4.5/5. Another amazing song to love and rock on to!

Gojira – The Art of Dying (2008)

4/5. Gojira's songs can be considered a heavy mix of Meshuggah and TOOL. The lyrics fit well with the title, as the philosophical lyrics, especially the first verse, detail the pain and depression of real-life and the peace and tranquility of the afterlife, relating well to our hardships of life. So it's not always the environment this French progressive metal bands always sings about. Beautiful rhythm appears from the 6-minute mark onwards, for their typical dose of progressive melody.

Leprous – Mediocrity Wins (2012)

3.5/5. The vocals by Einar Solberg are so unique, fitting well for the Opeth gone TOOL vibe. And the tasty bass that starts over the one-minute mark is also pretty good. Other than that, the song is a little too strange, and doesn't really reach its necessary height. In a battle for good quality, mediocrity wins...

So just like that we find that a new month is upon us which of course means that we’ll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we’re asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We’re really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don’t be shy.

This month’s feature release for The Infinite has been nominated by Rexorcist. It's the 2014 "Outsiders" debut album from Florida progressive power metal outfit Skyliner.

https://metal.academy/releases/39068

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Madder Mortem – Towers (2023)

5/5. OMG YES!!! This is another perfect playlist opener, this one having opened my ears to an awesome song from an underrated band that has been active for 3 decades yet hidden from my young view. A beautifully powerful sneak peek for their next album! This track has not disappointed me one bit. The frontwoman has a lot of talent within her vocals. I should put this song high up in my best songs of 2023 list. You can almost consider this band a metal resurrection of Siouxsie and the Banshees.

Anacrusis – Sound the Alarm (1993)

5/5. The lower sorrow of Kenn Nardi's cleans can already be found in the dramatic riff-wrath. The pessimistic darkness would continue in later songs from that album, while the mid-paced riffing stays sharp and keeps the bleakness interesting.

Nospün - …And Then There Were None (2023)

4.5/5. And then there's some melodic progressive metal that sounds amazing, but I would've loved this to bits if that side of my progressive metal interest was still dominant.

Opeth – Hex Omega (2008)

4/5. I love it when, 40 seconds in, the music halts until 40 more seconds later when the vocals rise magnificently. Ghost Reveries and Watershed are the band's two last metal albums before the prog-rock sound of Heritage onwards.

Charlie Griffiths – Dead in the Water (2022)

4.5/5. Some more superb melodic progressive metal, but again I've moved on to the more extreme side of the genre.

Periphery – Dying Star (2023)

5/5. This one has a more uplifting vibe, but the band returns to the impressive intricate heaviness. They can really add warm calm color to an ultra-heavy subgenre like djent.

Wilderun – And So Open the Earth (Ash Memory Part I) (2015)

4.5/5. Although my interest in Opeth has mostly faded out, I still have to thank that band for boosting my love for extreme vocals in progressive metal. With that and the folk/symphonic power metal vibes, this Wilderun track has so much color.

Star One – Human See, Human Do (2010)

4.5/5. "Get your stinkin' paws off me, you d*mn dirty ape!" Star One was one of my favorite progressive metal supergroups when I was younger, and I discovered them earlier than Opeth, like 5 years earlier. Still even back then, I enjoy Dan Swano's growling bridge of "SEE NO EVIL! HEAR NO EVIL! SPEAK NO EVIL! DO NO EVIL!"

Intronaut – Above (2010)

5/5. Another blessing from the heavens above, an underrated post-progressive metal band!

Tool – The Pot (2006)

4.5/5. This one shows the bass rhythm being less snappy, instead synchronizing with the beat in a groove-powered breakdown perfect for some live moshing. Maybe that Plankton AI cover would level up the mosh pit even more. Yeah, that version is what my brother was listening to that made me interested in checking out its original album.

Plini – Still Life (Feat. Tosin Abasi) (2023)

5/5. New Plini single, featuring Animals as Leaders guitarist Tosin Abasi?!?! An absolute djent dream! And who knew you can make a lute sound djent?!

TesseracT – Of Reality – Eclipse (2013)

5/5. Altered State is one of my favorite djent albums, and one any modern metal fan should have in their lifetime! Through the last third of this part, the filthy drumming adds to the serene ambience for beautiful heights. But I gotta get out of here before that peak drops....

Earthside - Let The Truth Speak (2023)

It's been a while since it felt like there was a Progressive Metal album to really sink my teeth into, but I think Earthside has finally delivered something for me. The sophomore album from this somewhat mysterious band from Connecticut comes eight years after their impressive debut and has a ton of featured artists attached to it, including some heavy hitters from bands like TesseracT. Most of the Progressive Metal I find myself listening to nowadays is on the heavier side with more extreme metal influences, so it's kind of a breath of fresh air to get back to my roots a bit with some gorgeous soundscapes and more melodic, technical structures. Earthside still have some chug in them like on "Tyranny", so it's been a nice balance so far. I think there are some ideas that don't exactly work in here, but it's the first time in a while where I'm far from satisfied with one or two listens with a Progressive Metal album. Let The Truth Speak has intrigued me in a positive way so far, so I'm excited to see how it holds up over the next week or so.

Now then, what have we here? This sole release from a mysterious & anonymous metal collective is the perfect example of a Metal Academy feature release in my opinion.

4.5/5

I'm a big fan of how I went from "Xephyr, why in the hell would you pick this as a Feature Release" to "Xephyr, this is exactly what I'm looking for in a Feature Release" this month hahaha

(Daniel's not wrong here for the record)

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Between the Buried and Me – Ants of the Sky (Live) (2008)

5/5. This 13-minute epic to start off this playlist that I still love from this band has wonderful aspects of blues groove and organ, with some hard rock/thrash added in, as the soloing ranges from jazz to Queen-esque to country. Soon it leads to an epic slow bridge that then quiets down for a bit of clean soloing. And then another country-like moment, this time with banjo-like guitars and a background bar fight (WHAT?!), before ending with an uplifting neoclassical outro similar to Pachelbel's Canon.

Opeth – Forest of October (1995)

5/5. Another 13-minute epic that I still love to bits, having melodies of beauty and sorrow from one of the band's most memorable earlier compositions. The song is quite d*mn long, but what makes those long epics superb is, there are some different emotions in different sections, all ranging from aggressive brutality to acoustic melancholy. One of my favorite Opeth songs, though still behind "The Drapery Falls"!

Disillusion – Back to Times of Splendor (2004)

4.5/5. I haven't heard anything from Disillusion in over a year when my prog-metal interest was at fault, but now that I'm reviving it slowly, this is yet another 13+ minute epic to strike my heart. It's crazy how emotional and powerful this composition, so much so that it should've been more popular. I'm glad I discovered this amazing sh*t 3 years ago via a recommendation, and I enjoy the lyrics here like "morning sun beyond the clouds". Think of this wonderful deathly progressive metal piece like Ne Obliviscaris collaborating with Amon Amarth. I mean, Ne Obliviscaris didn't fully start yet back in 2004, but still. This kind of music with tons of melody deserves more attention. At least the band is still around and producing music, even after a 13-year break at the same time as that of Tool. Near the 5 and a half minute mark is an Opeth like-section. The softer section two minutes later also rules. Things get more emotional at the 11-minute point. And two minutes later is the best ending. All in true deathly progressive metal!

Edge of Sanity – Crimson Pt. 3 (1996)

4/5. This track is actually part of a 40-minute progressive melodeath album/epic (almost as long as the first 3 epics of this playlist altogether!), but the digital edition of the album uses the slightly shortened version from the When All is Said compilation and splits it up to different parts, not caring about the movements within the lyrics. I think this is the ending of the "With Broken Wings" segment followed by most of the "War" segment (Yes, I still remember the names of the segments that I've made up). I would probably have much a better revisiting experience with this album/epic in its full form.

Haken – Elephants Never Forget (2023)

3.5/5. This epic was already in last April's playlist, but I don't mind sharing my thoughts on it again. The starting move into a more prog-rock-ish style is a bit forgettable, but still worth enjoying. After a one-minute intro, the band's Gentle Giant influence kicks in, especially in Ross Jennings' vocals. That goes on for a minute until Haken's own classic sound enters, further taken another minute later into their typical chorus. Yet another minute later, it ends sounding closer to a bit of the industrial rock of Nine Inch Nails. At the 7-minute mark is an insane bridge to make up for the earlier drag. This is then followed a minute after by the progressive metal glory that I wish there could be more of without sounding too melodic.

Caligula’s Horse – Autumn (2020)

4/5. A melodic half-acoustic half-electric ballad, slightly better than that Haken track.

Mastodon – Gobblers of Dregs (2021)

4.5/5. "All that I needed from you was your warm embrace. Turns out, that was mine to give." Tear-shedding emotional beauty!

Caligula’s Horse – Marigold (2023)

4/5. Whoa, hold the phone... Two Caligula's Horse songs here?!? Ain't that a break from the one song per band playlist rule! I suppose I can try making an exception in one of my own playlists later. Anyway, this has lots of Opeth vibes mixed with the clean vocals of Leprous.

Monosphere – Method Acting (2023)

4.5/5. Some killer progressive metalcore here! Anyway...

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

5/5. 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, and the longest epic of this playlist! 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.

Rivers of Nihil – Hellbirds (2023)

4.5/5. Let's end this playlist with a new single by Rivers of Nihil, their second one with bassist Adam Biggs on lead vocals. The vocals are incredible in both Adam Biggs' death growls and guitarist Andy Thomas' melodic singing. The drumming, soloing, and breakdown are all so intense! And this band has been up in prog/tech-death game since their formation in 2009.

Please be advised that I have just completed the long & arduous process of removing the Atmospheric Sludge Metal subgenre from our database. The thinking was that it's really a combination of two different subgenres that reside in different clans which creates a logistical problem for us as a subgenre can only reside in one clan. Ben & I felt it made more sense to tag post-sludge metal releases with both the sludge metal & post-metal subgenres instead which is in line with how we do it for most other similar situations e.g. post-black metal, progressive metalcore, industrial death metal, etc. Any releases where you feel there isn't enough of either of those two subgenres can be actioned through the Hall of Judgement.

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Ayreon – Collision (2013)

4/5. Interestingly the start of this month's Infinite playlist, the song is from Ayreon's The Theory of Everything that is more of a progressive rock opera album. However, some songs like this one have metal energy, and I enjoy the vocal synergy between two power metal vocalists; Tommy Karevik (Kamelot/ex-Seventh Wonder) and Marko Hietala (ex-Nightwish). From the intro drumming to the Star One-like speed, this could easy be a radio single.

Meshuggah – Sane (1998)

4.5/5. This song is just INSANE, continuing the complex riff-wrath.

Sikth – Days Are Dreamed (2015)

5/5. This is such a unique epic track from djenty progressive metal/core band Sikth. It reminds me more of Green Carnation and In the Woods... It might even be a fitting soundtrack for Stephan King's Revival. "A heart can glow, so bright if it has grown"

The Ocean – Isla Del Sol (2004)

4.5/5. Although I've lost interest in The Ocean recently, this song is still underrated. It's sounds so beautiful and emotional, yet heavy and complex, all at once! And that's only the second-longest epic of their debut Fluxion.

Voivod – Golem (1991)

5/5. The industrial rock-ish machinery is a powerful hint to the band's mid-90s experimental trilogy, telling a tale of self-awareness within artificial intelligence in existential monotone. A discovery of futuristic humanity that can surely surpass any Star Trek TV series episode!

Cyborg Octopus – Hindsight (2022)

4.5/5. Cyber djenty progressive metalcore, huh? Quite excellent, but they'll have to do something slightly better to get me fully hooked.

Symphony X – The Turning (2002)

4/5. This song from Symphony X I still like for its fast pace. Like HOLY SH*T, the a**-kicking speed really picks up halfway through! Still I need to slow down on this playlist after all that madness. I'm still grateful for this playlist though, thanks Saxy!

I have the DVD version of this release & really enjoy it. Looks like it's a 165 minute triple album in the CD format. It certainly won't disappoint fans of the band.

Yes, it is sufficient, Daniel. I'm not suggesting creating a cross-clan subgenre, I just like the tag and this is more of just a discussion thread. There are key bands of this hybrid such as all that's been mentioned so far here, but not enough beyond those bands to constitute a new subgenre, and probably just as well.

Yeah, but filing it as an actual metal genre feels like more of a misnomer, so if anything this is more of a non-metal discussion.

On the subject of cross-clan genres, while I often use these as a way to build custom charts of my own, I think the general idea is a very complex one that shouldn't be discussed right now.  I mean, if there was a way to make it work, I already thought of one that probably wouldn't get in the way of clan integrity, but we're so small right now that the idea is best avoided.

The dog days of summer might be behind us, but that doesn't mean we should leave the crappy animal puns behind as well. I present to you for the Infinite featured release for the month... OK Goodnight, a Boston based progressive band who very much surprised me a couple years ago with their debut and followed it up with a very smooth and enjoyable concept album, The Fox and the Bird. We would love to know what you all think of this record as well!

https://metal.academy/releases/45287

September REVIEW DRAFT (The Infinite)

I've found a new batch of records to try out and anyone who wants to help me clear out this batch is more than welcome. I'll select first, followed by Rexorcist, Xephyr and then possible Andi.

1.El Altar del Holocausto - - I T - (2019)

2.Fractal Universe - Rhizomes of Insanity (2019)

3. Ocrilim - Anoint (2006)

4. Oxiplegatz - Sidereal Journey (1998)

5. Sun Caged - The Lotus Effect (2011)

This might be the best review draft yet considering I haven't heard a single one of these names before! My selection will be... Sidereal Journey by Oxiplegatz.

Rex, you're up!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Wtb5QsNObO9w62f7ThQNF?si=fa859b301cb24c02

1. Vildhjarta – + den spanska känslan + (2023)

2. Nuclear Power Trio – Anti-Saxxers (Mandatory Saxination) (2023)

3. The Advent Equation – A Sudden Perception (2023)

4. Ashbreather – Hivemind III (2022)

5. Psychonaut – Violate Consensus Reality (2022)

6. Ostraca – Heaven is Still (2023)

7. Dodheimsgard – Det tome kalde morke (2023)

8. Evergrey – Closure (2006)

9. Pestilence – Soul Search (1993)

10. Sikth – Cracks of Light (2017)

11. The Ocean – Permian: The Great Dying (2018)

12. Pain of Salvation – A Trace of Blood (2002)

13. TesseracT – The Grey (2023)

14. You Win Again Gravity – Paper Bodies (2023)

15. Aviations – Pure (2023)

16. The Anchoret – A Dead Man (2023)

17. Lucid Awakening – Aphelion (2021)

18. An Abstract Illusion – Slaves (2022)

19. Mastodon – Gigantium (2021)

20. Intronaut – Fast Worms (2015)

21. Haken ft. Courtney Swain – Canary Yellow (2023)

22. maudlin of the Well – Interlude 3 (2001)

23. Erra – Pale Iris (2023)

24. Cyborg Octopus – Old Stories (2022)

25. Vola – Paper Wolf (2023)  

This is certainly one of the strangest combinations of heavy metal meets jazz fusion that I've heard in a while. The heavy use of brass as a primary instrument brought me initially to a heavier version of Thank You Scientist, but as the album progressed, the timbre stuck less as an influence and more the compositions that felt closer to Imperial Triumphant and Focus-era Cynic. The record contains lots of dissonance and quick modulation keeping the listener on their toes as the record refuses to become boring.

That said, I wish I could like this as much as an Imperial Triumphant record. I think it's the mixing, but this style of really muddy and unfocused production does not fascinate me. Some of these tracks sound like they were initial demo recordings and is being recorded by one of those portable Zoom microphones; the quality is still superior to that of using your shitty phone microphone, but it loses the intricate details. And, since the record seems to do away with anything resembling a hook or motif, it's hard for me to hear this album as anything but noise. Perhaps a mix closer to that of Imperial Triumphant will help, but for now, this isn't doing it for me. Props to the band for trying something different, but it needs work.

5/10

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Wtb5QsNObO9w62f7ThQNF?si=782f80a056a6454d

1. Arcturus – La masquerade infernale

2. Dødheimsgard – It Does Not Follow

3. Evergrey – Recreation Day

4. Sólstafir – Svatir Sandar

5. The Ocean – Subboreal

6. Rosetta – In & Yo / Dualities of the Way

7. While Heaven Wept – Icarus and I / Ardor

8. Symphony X – Pharoh

9. Between The Buried And Me – Voice Of Trespass

10. Dawn of Destiny – My Life Lies in Ruins

11. Holy Fawn – Drag Me into the Woods

12. Scar Symmetry – Reichsfall

13. Soen – Lucidity

14. Disperse – Message from Atlantis

15. Ebony Ark – True Friendship Never Die

16. Amogh Symphony – Decoded Karnosiris

I am not currently in the right headspace to produce decent (or even coherent) reviews, but I have listened to this and found it to be excellent. Where it scores over a lot of other progressive black metal is that the black metal parts absolutely rip. A Mariusz Lewandowski cover will always see me going in with a positive frame of mind anyway and here it is not even remotely misplaced. Hopefully I will be able to return to this and put together a decent review at some future date.

4.5/5

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Wtb5QsNObO9w62f7ThQNF

Tracklisting:

1. Dream Theater - "The Alien" from A View From the Top of the World (2021)

2. Sons of Apollo - "Goodbye Divinity" from MMXX (2020)

3. Amorphis - "Bad Blood" from Under the Red Cloud (2015)

4. Between the Buried and Me - "Bicycle Race" from The Anatomy of (2006)

5. Opeth - "Burden" from Watershed (2008)

6. Evergrey - "For Every Tear That Falls" from The Dark Discovery (1998)

7. Watchtower - "Technology Inaction" from Concepts of Math: Book One (2016) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

8. Devin Townsend - "Why?" from Empath (2019) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

9. The Ocean - "Firmament" from Heliocentric (2010)

10. Cult of Luna - "The Revelation Embodied" from Cult of Luna (2001) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

11. Rosetta - "Release" from A Determinism of Morality (2010) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

12. Obscure Sphinx - "Nastiez" from Anaesthetic Inhalation Ritual (2011)

13. Maudlin of the Well - "The Ferryman" from Bath (2001)

14. Sigh - "Mayonaka No Kaii" from Shiki (2022)

15. Dog Fashion Disco - "Private Eye" from Adultery (2006) [submitted by Shadowdoom9 (Andi)]

16. Polkadot Cadaver - "Get Possessed" from Get Possessed (2016)

17. Cardona - "Insight" from Seasons (2012)

18. Reflections - "Lost - Redux" from The Fantasy Effect Redux (2022)

19. Entities - "Atlas" from Rebirth (2020)

20. Veil of Maya - "Disco Kill Party" from [M]other (2023)

21. Boyinaband - "Djentstep - Dubstep + Metal Genres Mash" from Djentstep - Dubstep + Metal Genres Mash (2012)

22. Fates Warning - "The Last Song" from Long Day Good Night (2020)

Firstly, there are plenty of good ideas within Black Medium Current, and I really do get why people would love it. To me though, it is a bit like the Oscar-winning movie, Everything, Everywhere, All At Once with just too many ideas being crammed into it's (admittedly, suitably lengthy) runtime. I also understand that the fault is entirely mine and my lack of sophistication, or maybe intellectual capacity, are the real reason I can't wrap my head around it's myriad of ideas, but I just can't hold everything it has to offer in my head all at once. Another issue for me is, frankly, the terrible clean vocals that are the real villain of the piece here. I much prefer the black metal sections because it means we get a few moments of respite from this vocal torture.

I did enjoy how they employ the keyboards and the occasional excursion into space rock was welcome. To be honest, though, I think Deathspell, Blut aus Nord and especially Oranssi Pazuzu do this sort of thing much better (or at least, more to my own taste). I have been determined to give it sufficient listens to allow it to reveal itself, but after four full listen-throughs, I have been relieved every single time when it has ended, so I guess it is just one of those albums that really isn't for me.

2.5/5

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:

VOLA – Alien Shivers (2018)

4.5/5. Now let's start with a killer discovery! Getting me pumped from beginning to end.

Scar Symmetry – Chrononautilus (2023)

4/5. I'm absolutely stunned by the strength the band has maintained after their long hiatus, in the singles that lead up to the long-awaited second part of The Singularity saga. Lars Palmqvist ascends like a neohuman angel with his enigmatic clean singing, in contrast to the demonic growls of Roberth Karlsson. Excellent!

Azusa – Iniquitous Spiritual Praxis (2018)

4.5/5. This awesome track frantically switches through different tempos and time signatures, all from different corners, in just under 4 minutes, unlike those other extreme progressive metal bands that make long epics.

Queensryche – The Mission (1988)

4/5. Now we head back to the 80s for what was considered a total gamechanger in that decade. Back when I still found this melodic heavy/progressive metal sound appealing, I thought this album was an epic mind-blowing masterpiece. But now I'm more focused on the modern heaviness of the bands from the first 3 tracks of the playlist. Still I appreciate Chris DeGarmo's might guitar work. The vocals make the song great too, and I can hear where the vocal work of Rhapsody of Fire came from.

Oceill – Course Bottom (2023)

4.5/5. A cool melodic instrumental arrangement for a heavy rhythm-focused subgenre like djent.

Burst – I Hold Vertigo (2008)

5/5. This one begins with some steady chugging rhythm that would soon lead to a roller-coaster of unexpected twists with no time to prepare. After that typical metalcore riff, monstrous melodies and electronic sound-waves start building up. My own complaint about the song is the 30-second outro riff that keeps starting and stopping after the rest of the instrumentation stopped. That's just piercingly repetitive and annoying, but doesn't affect the rest of the song's perfection. So I give it a 95% percentage rating.

DVNE – Court of the Matriarch (2021)

4.5/5. Some more solid djenty progressive metal, with the singing reminding me of Evergrey's Tom S. Englund.

Evergrey – I’m Sorry (2003)

4/5. Speaking of Evergrey... The destructive truth and reality is often something we feel f***ing sorry for and want to avoid, and Evergrey lets out those kinds of thoughts with such a beautiful song in the vocals, guitars, and drums. This is actually a cover of a song by Turkish-Swedish pop star Dilba Demirbag. Evergrey's earlier ballads have some good gold. Apologetic lyrics are sung in sheer beauty. But still I don't know if I'm up to making a full return to listening to this band's material.

Slugdge – Crop Killer (2018)

4.5/5. Now does this song title reminds you a certain controversial Body Count single? Of course, the sound is much different, being sludgy progressive death metal.

The Ocean – Unconformities (2023)

5/5. If Cult of Luna can make a collaboration album with Julie Christmas, I don't see why The Ocean can't do the same with Karin Park as they've done in this incredible song. The new Holocene album is quite epic, and I look forward to reviewing it when it appears in this site. The album is a sequel to the Phanerozoic duo of albums while throwing back to the sound of Heliocentric. As part of the Holocene theme, the track seems to center around sea turtles using the moon to guide them but avoid artificial light than can get them lost and die lonely. Probably my second favorite track there, though I'll tell what my ultimate favorite is in the review.

An Abstract Illusion – In The Heavens Above, You Will Become a Monster (2022)

4.5/5. A crushing extreme progressive death metal epic! As amazing as the first half is, the 6-minute mark starts one of the most emotional parts of a lengthy epic I've heard, all leading to a beautiful riff to start the second half and be used throughout that half. So exceptional! There's barely anything that can go wrong. The awesome riff starts near the 9-minute mark, and at one point sounds a bit like Devin Townsend Project. Then over the 12-minute point is where you can hear the climax of agony-ridden vocals. The atmosphere can remind some of Ghost Brigade. This is quite exciting, a nearly perfect masterpiece of a song! I don't know how else I can describe all that intense heaviness. Oh, and there are some female vocals too, can't forget that.

In The Woods… - The Cave of Dreams (2016)

5/5. A perfect dreamy doom-ish progressive metal standout!

öOoOoOoOoOo – No Guts = No Masters (2016)

4.5/5. As weirdly intriguing as this music is, the band name sounds like a ghost moaning. It's as experimental as Unexpect! If Heaven has room for something strange, it is this. It might fit well as soundtrack for Berserk. This is quite a creation of pure magic. Solid avant-garde/progressive metal right there!

Arjen Lucassen’s Supersonic Revolution – Odyssey (2023)

4.5/5. The mastermind behind Ayreon is back at it again for the music equivalent to a spacey journey throughout the universe. The song blends together Arjen's usual spacey vibe, the comedic vibe of Tenacious D, and the groove vibe of JC's vocals. The space-prog metal sound also has some touches of Deep Purple and Rainbow, all while worth headbanging in a cosmic sea. In fact, I might just say that this might surpass some of Ayreon and Star One's material!

Ne Obliviscaris – Misericorde II – Anatomy of Quiescence (2023)

5/5. The second half of the "Misericorde" suite is a mournful classic track, sounding beautiful while staying unpredictable. There are barely any vocals there, and that kinda makes things sound longer than should be. Still all this exceptional chemistry is what makes that part stand out.

Animals As Leaders – Arithmophobia (2016)

4.5/5. I had a trip to IKEA earlier today as of writing this post, and this track's technicality fits well for when I was assembling a table and a bookcase that we've bought. Throughout this instrumental djent ride, the beat and time signatures vary in each and every instrument, all played in mathy progressive fire!

Kardashev – Snow-Sleep (2020)

4/5. It's quite exciting hearing some more extreme progressive death metal, especially in the drumming.

Avenged Sevenfold – We Love You (2023)

4.5/5. Let's end this playlist with a solid track from the new Avenged Sevenfold album. People might think this is just experimental garbage with sudden tempo breaks, but you'll get used to it and love it. This is almost like Dream Theater, Rammstein, Trivium, and Lamb of God all formed into one. Quite a pleasant surprise! The lyrics are quite amazing here. If they ever get to submit another song to a video game, they should let Devil May Cry use this song of intricate fire for a boss fight. Anyone who thinks this band is f***ing selling out as they had in Hail to the King has been proven wrong. This kind of art can decimate those harsh opinions! Though the synths are kinda weird.

By sheer coincidence two of this month's feature releases are from a couple of the first new bands I got into after returning to the bosom of metal brotherhood following a hiatus for most of the Nineties. One was Fear Factory and the other was Amorphis. I heard Black Winter Day somewhere (probably on a Metal Hammer cover disc) and was impressed by it's combination of death metal sensibilities and folky atmosphere. I obtained copies of Thousand Lakes, Elegy and Tuonela and they were all on regular rotation back in Sonnyville. 2001's Am Universum was a bit of a damp squib for me, however and eventually my love for Amorphis waned as I dived further down the extreme metal rabbit hole and I haven't listened to them a whole lot since the mid-2000s other than the odd track from Thousand Lakes, so this review will be a bit like catching up with an old friend and finding out what they have been up to since last we met.

Well, it would be wrong to say they haven't changed a bit, but I would have to admit that they have aged very well. I thought that by 2015 they would have become more technical and progressive than they actually were and I suspected that they wouldn't appeal to me that much, but I actually found Under the Red Cloud to be a very enjoyable and accessible slab of metal. Melodic death and folk metal are combined in an alchemical formula that shouldn't appeal to me in the slightest, but in the Finns' capable hands become an exceedingly palatable cocktail. I don't think I can praise the songwriting highly enough, for them to be able to combine genres I normally run a mile from into such an addictive release is testament to their songwriting skill. The folk metal element is quite prominent, but even so it never even hints at the cheesiness that so dogs the genre in other, less skilled hands, but makes complete sense in the context of this album and it is hard to imagine how it could exist without it. There are a couple of tracks where this element really transforms the melodic death metal skeleton of the tracks into something special, the oriental-flavoured Death of A King and Enemy At the Gates with it's exotic Middle-Eastern atmospherics and brilliant keyboard work. One track that made me smile was Tree of Ages, not because of any inherent cheesiness, but because the irish whistle featured sounds a lot like that featured in Aussie punk's The Rumjack's An Irish Pub Song - a track I love for it's vitality and catchy Irish theme. Amorphis have always been skilled performers and their performances on Under the Red Cloud are terrific, Tomi Joutsen's superb death growl / clean dual vocal attack, Esa Holopainen and Tomi Koivusaari's riffing and excellent leads, the layering of Santeri Kallio's keyboards and the faultless rhythms laid down by drummer Jan Rechberger and bassist Niclas Etelävuori underpinning everything the band does, are all absolutely top-notch.

There are several guest musicians featured on Under the Red Cloud, all of whom's contributions add a sheen that raises the album above the crowd, not least the much-lamented Aleah Stanbridge who contributes female vocals to three tracks, most noticeably official album closer, White Night. The Österäng Symphonic Orchestra are also featured and I don't think their contributions can be underestimated either, lending the album a sumptuousness that lifts it above the mundane.

All-in-all I loved Under the Red Cloud and it just seems to get better with each subsequent listen. I'm really glad Andi nominated it for this month's feature (thanks Andi) as it has allowed me to catch up with an old friend and to realise that I have actually missed them over the intervening years. I'll have to backtrack over their discography now and see what other marvels they have produced over the last twenty years or so.

4.5/5

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Veil of Maya – Mother Pt. 4 (2023)

5/5. HOLY MOTHER!!! Veil of Maya is back with an awesome piece of synthwave djentcore!

Cynic – Veil of Maya (2023)

4.5/5. And speaking of Veil of Maya, the song that inspired that band's name, along with other songs from Cynic's famous debut Focus, is getting a revamp for the album's 30th anniversary. Sean Malone and Reinert would be proud. RIP the two Seans...

Between the Buried and Me – Bad Habits (2021) 

4.5/5. This one mixes extreme prog blast beats, triumphant sections, strange organ duels, and celestial acoustics, having a greater cauldron than in The Great Misdirect, along with a lyrical reprise to "Ants of the Sky" (from Colors) at the end.

Car Bomb – Antipatterns (2019) 

5/5. This one ironically has its own pattern in the structure. It starts heavy again with a breakdown before building up and collapsing into a cinematic ending of operatic synth reverb. The heat begins to cool down...

Slice the Cake – Westward Bound, Pt. 1 – The Lantern (2023)

4.5/5. The vocalist for this band can f***ing easily switch from cleans to growls, which is amazing, especially in the climax after a bit of repetition. Sheer poetry throughout the lyrics! "IF I GO WESTWARD!!!" Magic purity all over until the end riff!

Amorphis – Northwards (2022)

5/5. One of the best songs from Amorphis' latest album, a bit similar to Opeth!

Enslaved – Nauthir Bleeding (2015)

4.5/5. This one has the best of the clean vocals by keyboardist Herbrand Larsen, who would end up leaving the band a year after this album.

Green Carnation – Crushed to Dust (2003)

4/5. Now let's hear some more of that Amorphis-like style in a more punk-ish sound. A great song from a band I've been enjoying for a year and a half now.

Stone Healer – In the Spoke of Night (2021)

4.5/5. The album's fantastic intense finale for this offering. Hell breaks loose in the riffing, in a progressive balance with the band's more melodic side. Talk about a kick-A closing summary of their progressive black metal! However, the playlist is far from over, though I have one more song to comment on...

The Ocean – Swallowed by the Earth (2010)

5/5. An awesome way for me to head out, with spacey reverb in the midsection that helps The Ocean expand their new style.

Here's my review summary:

I can still hear some greatness from this band. They've never stopped recording and touring yet, and the amazing quality shows. With this album In Times, the band keep up their fearless ascension of their classic progressive black metal sound through the modern age. All the songs in the album are each 8 minutes long, with the title epic reaching under 11 minutes. They all walk the line between the complex melody of progressive metal and the violent extremeness of black metal, with each song have slightly more emphasis on one genre than the other. In fact, here's how I would tag the genres in the 6 tracks (with judgement submission for this album coming soon):

1. Thurisaz Dreaming - black/progressive metal

2. Building With Fire - black-ish progressive metal

3. One Thousand Years of Rain - black/progressive metal/hard rock

4. Nauthir Bleeding - black-ish progressive metal/rock

5. In Times - progressive/black metal with ambient bridge

6. Daylight - progressive metal/rock with black metal vocals

So based on what I've analyzed, there's quite some prominent black metal while progressive metal remains dominant by a slight notch. The progressiveness is blended together with their black metal roots. A beautiful and beastly offering like In Times needs some attention!

4.5/5

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Haken – Elephants Never Forget (2023)

3.5/5. OK, this starting move into a more prog-rock-ish style is a bit forgettable, but still worth enjoying. After a one-minute intro, the band's Gentle Giant influence kicks in, especially in Ross Jennings' vocals. That goes on for a minute until Haken's own classic sound enters, further taken another minute later into their typical chorus. Yet another minute later, it ends sounding closer to a bit of the industrial rock of Nine Inch Nails. At the 7-minute mark is an insane bridge to make up for the earlier drag. This is then followed a minute after by the progressive metal glory that I wish there could be more of without sounding too melodic.

Between the Buried and Me – Disease, Injury, Madness (2009)

4/5. The best song in this BTBAM album has a different execution but the same soft-hard blend. It starts in a progressive deathcore frenzy, then switches to soft and clean, all leading up to an excellent bluesy section in the second half. A unique standout!

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!

Dream Theater – The Court of Tuscany (2009)

4/5. This nearly 20-minute progressive metal epic references a lot of the Thomas Harris novel Hannibal, specifically the eponymous Count of Tuscany. The epic is really solid, though not as much as I would've thought of it about 8 years ago. Still that over two-minute ending proves the band to already be on top of the world!

Rosetta – Ayil (2010)

4.5/5. Rosetta is one of the best bands of sludgy post-metal, and this song is d*mn amazing, like pretty impressive! The vocals remind me of Cave In's Caleb Scofield (RIP).

Ne Obliviscaris – Misericorde I – As the Flesh Falls (2023) 

5/5. Nicely done extreme progressive glory! I look forward to listening to and reviewing the rest of the album, including the second part of "Misericorde".

Voivod – Planet Hell (1995)

4.5/5. Killer bass from temporary vocalist Eric "E-Force" Forrest, along with raging rhythm the late Denis "Piggy" D'Amour. Though Negatron is an underrated album, it doesn't beat most of the albums prior.

The Ocean – Sea of Reeds (2023)

5/5. The Ocean continues to impress me with new singles to pump us up for their new album Holocene. They're another one of the best sludgy post-metal bands besides Cult of Luna. Loïc Rossetti can really execute his vocal ambition that he's had in the band since Heliocentric. That and the drumming by Paul Seidel are what make the band stay progressive. They still can't bring back the dynamic heaviness of Precambrian, and the ambience might remind some of the band Thrice. Nonetheless, they'll never stop their metal side. And the previous singles are slightly more captivating. Maybe there would be more of the earlier harsh vocals and guitars in the album, but we'll see when the album comes out over a month from now if they have them or not.

Slugdge – Transylvanian Fungus (2018)

4.5/5. Slug-themed sludgy progressive death metal, eh? Quite amazing, but not much to say here.

Scar Symmetry – Scorched Quadrant (2023) 

4/5. The Swedish masters of sci-fi progressive melodeath are finally back! This phenomenal sound is like late 90s In Flames modernized and sci-fi-ed. I probably would've loved it perfectly if the chorus didn't sound too much like Madonna's "La Isla Bonita", along with the cleans not sounding too quiet. I gotta check out their upcoming release!

Caligula’s Horse – Capulet (2017) 

3.5/5. Stunning yet a slightly bland soft ending. Still this playlist was a fun ride!

I found "The Great Misdirect" to be another very high quality progressive metal record from this mob. It must have been a huge task to put together as there's simply so much to it. The complexity & ambition in the composition is top notch while the arrangements regularly veer off in unexpected directions. I definitely like the heavier & the jazzier moments best & could probably do without some of the more experimental sections but there's not a weak track included in the six with only the alt-country song "Desert of Song" seeing the quality levels dipping a touch. The metalcore vocals are OK but it's the more progressive instrumental excursions that see the band drawing upon the Dream Theaters & Opeths for inspiration that are where Between The Buried & Me manage to differentiate themselves. I may still rate their "Colors_Live" live album slightly higher than "The Great Misdirect" but it's not by much as this is another excellent record that should tick most prog-heads boxes.

4/5

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Haken – Lovebite (2023)

4/5. I would've loved this band much more if I started listening to them like 8 years ago. Nonetheless, this song and "Nightingale" are good bangers, this one having addictive happiness despite the lyrics telling otherwise.

The Contortionist – Follow (2019)

4.5/5. This song is quite amazing, I wish I could've followed this band more.

Burst – Cripple God (2008)

5/5. This one's an awesome favorite, charging in with intense riffing and raw vocals that resemble Mastodon. Now that I think of it, this album is like a more ambient hardcore Mastodon. Then there's a beautiful softer verse before exploding into a furious attack of classic Metallica.

Ne Obliviscaris – Devour Me, Colossus (Part I) : Blackholes (2014)

5/5. The first part of this two-part suite starts off with a brutal riff and sinister growls give the song an evil atmosphere. Then you get an unexpected hit by one of the most brilliant drum grooves ever alongside emotional clean vocals and crazy riff-wrath. The bass draws you in further. Then all of the members unleash their instrument power at once with overwhelming section at once before transitioning to another quiet acoustic/violin section. The amazing violin solo soon gives in to more great clean vocals and some nice bass work... Then BOOM!! The brilliant chaos explodes in before quieting down again for that groovy bass riff. Soon the instrument layers of riffing and drumming build up with a godly guitar solo. Finally all the intense instrument power is unleashed together with the (male) beauty and the beast vocals before ending in joy and sorrow.

Queensryche – Bridge (1994)

4.5/5. An amazing soft bridge between the two halves of this playlist, with the guitar of Chris DeGarmo and the vocals of Geoff Tate. I suggested this song to be added to the playlist while my father and brother were on a trip to the U.S. I wasn't sure if they would make it back to my home country, but I'm glad they're still around. I'm currently 24 and I still would like my family to stay complete. My dad built this bridge that has connected between each other, and I don't want it to fall down. To be honest, though the song has more of a Cat Stevens vibe than progressive metal, but it's still beautiful.

Veil of Maya – Godhead (2023)

5/5. New Veil of Maya single? Are they returning with a new album?! I hope so, this is a hard-hitting single, and probably their heaviest since 2012's Eclipse!

Fallujah – Carved from Stone (2014)

5/5. A totally sick burner of heavy technicality! Gotta get more of this band...

Leprous – Contaminate Me (2013)

4.5/5. Horns up for one of the heaviest Leprous songs, featuring Emperor's Ihsahn!

Today Is the Day – Going to Hell (1999)

4/5. I wanted to get interested in the experimental wackiness of this band, Today is the Day, but I couldn't really. Still this is quite killer.

The Ocean – Parabiosis (2023)

4.5/5. The Ocean is back with their current album Holocene, expanding on the Phanerozoic saga, into the Holocene Epoch. This band is quite incredible, performing their music so well. They really evolved just like the Earth throughout all those different eras. I can't wait for this release, it's gonna rule! And this is an amazing way to end this month's Infinite playlist, until next time...

Here are some of my track thoughts:

Caligula’s Horse – Into the White (2013)

4.5/5. Yo. Check this song out, Infinite members. Period.

Sikth – Tupelo (2002)

4.5/5. This is a cover of a song by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, doing the original justice while keeping Sikth's identity.

Symphony X – The Accolade (1997)

4.5/5. A story is told through the vocals, a bit like the scenario of a medieval knight. It's quite excellent, and back when I was still listening to this band, I agreed that this is their best album. I love the Pantera-like riffing, balanced out with the mystical keyboards that especially appear near the 8-minute mark. F***ing powerful vocals from this man, Russell Allen ("A LEGEND FOREVER!!"). However, as I go into my own heavier direction, I've had enough of the Dream Theater-like melodic sound.

The World Is Quiet Here – Writhing Gate (2023)

4.5/5. Well it ain't gonna be quiet in this song! Holy f***, that breakdown midway through is a hard-hitter with psychotic vocals. This is something I would recommend to fans of Sikth, Dir En Grey, BTBAM, and pretty much any progressive deathcore band.

Converge & Chelsea Wolfe – Lord of Liars (2021)

4.5/5. This anguish-filled song has a bit of strain, but Kurt Ballou takes the strain out on his guitar with cool results.

Haken – Taurus (2023)

4/5. Based on the singles from Fauna that have come out so far, you can hear the best this band has to offer, staying melodic with occasional electronics and nice rhythm, while having the slightly more extreme djenty riffs they've been using since Virus. The chorus can be a throwback to Affinity. The ending is quite beautiful, complete with a change of chord. No chance that I'll completely return to that band anytime soon though...

Ihsahn – Unhealer (ft. Mikael Åkerfeldt) (2008)

4.5/5. Ihsahn is known as the frontman of black metal band Emperor, and Mikael Akerfeldt is known as the founder of deathly progressive metal/rock masters Opeth. It's great hearing both of those men's work here, alongside the bass of Lars Norberg. You might just wake up with great inspiration for progressive metal creativity. Holy sh*t, both of their growls are fantastic! The year of this album's release is 2008, and that was one of the last years Mikael could channel his f***ing incredible growls from as early as Still Life. Absolute genius!

Enslaved – Havenless (2003)

4.5/5. I'm sure every fan of progressive black metal would like this song, but I feel slightly more comfortable focusing on the former than the latter. You can also consider this epic viking metal that's worth giving respect. This really works well for a march into battle, and if anyone's up for that kind of scenario, you can find it in that song. There's still some old-school Norwegian in the chanting vocals, while the band was already moving into writing lyrics in English. A little weird, but works greatly.

The Ocean Collective – Preboreal (2023)

4.5/5. The Ocean continues to rise, still shining as one of the great progressive/post-sludge metal bands. And f*** yeah, I think we found the missing link between the Phanerozoic and Heliocentric/Anthropocentric concept eras! I love this atmospheric tune despite sounding a bit different.

In Mourning – Isle of Solace (2012)

4.5/5. This song is amazing, especially the intro. I really need to get progressive melodeath back into my life.

Ne Obliviscaris – Graal (2023)

5/5. The soloing by Benjamin Baret will really blow your mind. What's more impressive is, violinist/clean vocalist Tim Charles let his daughter guess appear on violin during the last few minutes. There's not a single bad song from this band, and I'm glad this amazing playlist ended in a bang. I look forward to that album Exul!

So just like that we find that a new month is upon us which of course means that we’ll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we’re asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We’re really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don’t be shy.

This month's feature release for The Infinite, nominated by me (Shadowdoom9 (Andi)), is one of two 2002 EPs by Hertfordshire-based British progressive metal/mathcore masters Sikth, How May I Help You?. This is the release I chose to review in January's Infinite Review Draft, and what a discovery! The 3 tracks in the EP are some of the best I've heard in modern progressive metal and mathcore, and it would be a great introductory sample of the band's material, for any MA members here to test out their interest in both of those genres.

https://metal.academy/releases/3152

Waves of Visual Decay is one of those slept on albums that may only have been because of it's close release time to Nevermore's The Godless Endeavour. And it's clear to see why; Communic have taken the Nevermore influence and rolled with it on the same emotional level as classic Nevermore albums had. However, I do feel like Communic are closer related to Fates Warning than a Judas Priest or Iron Maiden Daniel. 

As for the record itself, it's exactly what you would expect from a comp to Nevermore. It's a well constructed, well performed progressive metal album that is easy to go down, rather than bashing you over the head with unending guitar solos. The individual tracks go down very smoothly as the more progressive songwriting techniques are complimentary. There are some heavy thrash riffs on "Frozen Asleep in the Park" and "My Bleeding Victim" and compliment the slower, melancholic moments on the title track and the closer "At Dewy Prime" very well. Not all of it works; I was less than impressed by "Fooled by the Serpent", but overall this is a very good album from a band whose influences should surprise no one. They might get in the way for some, but I feel Communic does more than enough to distinguish themselves from Nevermore.

8/10

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Haken – The Alphabet of Me (2022)

4.5/5. A weird yet very enjoyable start of this playlist, bringing back the wackiness of the band's earlier recordings while maintaining their recent power. Probably the most wonderous and creative electro-jazz-infused progressive metal blend since some of Plini's works!

Caligula’s Horse – The Tempest (2020)

5/5. Caligula's Horse has done their melodic progressive metal sound quite as well as, and even slightly better than, Haken. If you enjoy their earlier pieces like "Into the White", surely you can't miss this.

Altesia – Amidst the Smoke (2019) 

4.5/5. This one starts heavy before changing into beauty with polyphonic vocals. Clément Darrieu sings amazing melodies and great harmonies to combine with the rhythm.

Dream Theater – You Not Me (1997)

4/5. I used to really love this band back when I first started listening to progressive metal, beginning my journey with the genre's more melodic side. Good song, and I especially like the keyboards at the one-and-a-half-minute mark before the second verse.

Ostura – Duality (2018) 

4.5/5. A killer 12-minute progressive piece with a huge stunning sound! It's quite impressive how my 10-year metal journey led me from DragonForce and a small bit of Metallica all the way up to something almost massive.

Evergrey – The Essence of Conviction (2004)

4/5. Another good track from when my progressive metal interest was more melodic.

Xanthochroid – The Sound Which Has No Name (2017)

4.5/5. This is the cinematic finale of that album where the band has mastered it all. This is symphonic black metal within the orchestration, tremolos, and blast-beats, along with vocals ranging from unclean to clean, and the epic progressiveness is added once again to the brutality enough for to be proven worthy in The Infinite.

Textures – Singularity (2011)

5/5. I didn't become fully interested in this band until over a year ago, and I wish I could've found this band much earlier. The metaphorical imagery of water can really be associated with the artwork and lyrics.

Protest the Hero – From the Sky (2020)

4.5/5. This one continues going through the album's theatrics with hefty bass and riff energy taking the stage. A soothing piano section leads up to the song's glorious ending climax.

Ne Obliviscaris – Equus (2022) 

5/5. Ne Obliviscaris is back and staying as glorious as ever! The song and its video is dedicated to the victims of the 2019/2020 Australia wildfires that affected many people and animals there. I look forward to hearing more of this album Exul and all the epicness it has to offer. What better way to end this playlist is there?

I've given Act I a review, here's its summary:

Do you ever wonder if bands combine the epicness of symphonic black metal and complexity of progressive metal? This band can! They've done it with great magic that many other bands of similar styles lost over the years. However, it's not like a Christmas present that I've really desired (and it is close to Christmas as of this review) in some parts, but there's no way this will ever make me as disappointed as I was about Opeth's prog-rock era. Of Erthe and Axen (Act I) is quite an exciting thrill-ride, and it was definitely worth the 5-year wait fans of the band had since their debut. This is kind of a throwback to around the time of the album's release, when I was an older teen listening to other band of the more epic progressive metal shortly between switching to its extreme side and more modern genres. It really satisfies what I've expected! The band members have done a brilliant job turning this album into a near-perfect masterpiece. While I hear a good amount of symphonic black metal, the album is not entirely like that, balanced out with tremendous progressive metal. Even the story is planned out to be as structural as the music, setting up a climatic tale from beginning to end, told through heavier metal songs and softer acoustic/orchestral ballads. The heavier tracks showcase the symphonic black metal sound in the orchestration, tremolos, and blast-beats, along with vocals ranging from unclean to clean, and the progressiveness is added to the brutality. In the end, we have a beautiful first part of the Of Erthe and Axen saga. Will I ever be up to checking out the exciting conclusion? Not today, but perhaps one day when I'm fully up to exploring more of non-satanic black metal and the more cinematic progressive metal. And this epic offering has given me a bit of motivation!

4.5/5

I'm up for it! I look forward to some more Infinite release discoveries. May I please be added to the roster?

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Animals as Leaders - "Gordian Naught" (from Parrhesia)

4.5/5. Animals as Leaders is a band with some of the most technical-playing musicians in humankind, though I prefer progressive metal slightly more with vocal flavor. There's even a rare blast beat from drummer Matt Garstka.

Cult of Luna - "Blood Upon Stone" (from The Long Road North)

5/5. Too early for an apocalyptic climax, but never mind that, this is a perfect epic! The guitarists from the band Phoenix join in, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz.

Persefone - "Merkabah" (from Metanoia)

4.5/5. This one is the right choice for all those pattern structures to decipher. The near-end breakdown is more straight than everything else. The keyboardist/clean vocalist sings a sincerely catchy chorus.

Seventh Wonder - "Invincible" (from The Testament)

5/5. One of my favorite tracks from the new Seventh Wonder album The Testament besides "The Light"! It's far more than just a cheesy anthem, the mind-blowing melody is awesome, and what keeps me hooked is vocalist Tommy Karevik who's also in Kamelot, one of two power metal bands I still have time for (the other being DragonForce). Besides those angelic vocals, the band performs an impressive blend of fast guitar/bass riffs, complex drumming, and single-handed keyboarding.

Voivod - "Synchro Anarchy" (from Synchro Anarchy)

4.5/5. Still doing great while aging, I see! Guitarist Daniel Mongrain can do the skills to the late Piggy justice while staying fresh. Their earlier albums from the 80s are still bad-a** though. Rock on!

Ibaraki - "Ronin" (from Rashomon)

4/5. Alongside wanting to find a song in the playlist for me to listen to besides the ones I've requested, I've heard of Trivium frontman Matt Heafy's progressive black metal side-project Ibaraki and thought of checking it out at some point. Now's the right chance! A major motion picture should have this track as part of the soundtrack, it's quite excellent. And wow, who knew My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way can be a kick-A black metal shrieker?! Still I prefer Matt Heafy performing with the metalcore power of Trivium, but maybe I'll someday check out more of this side-project Ibaraki....