The Infinite

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....

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

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Wtb5QsNObO9w62f7ThQNF?si=9fd067002816400e

1. VOLA – Alien Shivers (2018) (49)

2. Scar Symmetry – Chrononautilus (2023) (6)

3. Azusa – Iniquitous Spiritual Praxis (2018)

4. Queensryche – The Mission (1988) (20)

5. Oceill – Course Bottom (2023) (7)

6. Burst – I Hold Vertigo (2008)

7. DVNE – Court of the Matriarch (2021) (19)

8. Evergrey – I’m Sorry (2003)

9. Slugdge – Crop Killer (2018) (36)

10. The Ocean – Unconformities (2023) (22)

11. An Abstract Illusion – In The Heavens Above, You Will Become a Monster (2022) (12)

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

13. öOoOoOoOoOo – No Guts = No Masters (2016) (18)

14. Arjen Lucassen’s Supersonic Revolution – Odyssey (2023) (5)

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

16. Animals As Leaders – Arithmophobia (2016) (10)

17. Kardashev – Snow-Sleep (2020) (18)

18. Avenged Sevenfold – We Love You (2023) (37)

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....

My time with progressive/avant-garde/post-metal has been rather turbulent this year while still staying in my position in The Infinite, so I didn't find as many new Infinite albums that would stick with me long as I thought I would, but I can do a top 5:

1. Seventh Wonder - The Testament

2. Dir En Grey - Phalaris

3. Voivod - Synchro Anarchy

4. Persefone - Metanoia

5. Meshuggah - Immutable

One honorable mention is the new In The Woods... album Diversum that I really enjoy, but I would need to give it more listening before it can end up somewhere in my list.

Here's my review:

Despite the fact that German post-sludge metal icons The Ocean have been regarded as one of the premier exponents in their field for a full two decades now, I haven’t been particularly impressed with my limited encounters with them over the years &, as a result, I’m afraid to say that I’ve got a fairly significant gap in my knowledge of their back catalogue when you consider my passion for the post-sludge subgenre in general. My initial experiences with the band came through their pair of 2010 albums “Heliocentric” & “Anthropocentric”, neither of which I had much time for which resulted in me giving The Ocean a wide berth ever since so it’s probably time for me to review that position given that they're so highly revered by fans of the more progressive end of post-metal.

2013’s ocean-themed seventh full-length album “Pelagial” immediately saw me pricking my ears up due to its highly professional packaging & execution. The technicality is the composition & performances is outstanding & compares very well alongside the gods of the progressive metal world. In fact, despite what you may read to the contrary, “Pelagial” isn’t actually a post-sludge metal record at all. If you look closely you’ll discover that there’s only really a short one minute interlude that fits that description across the entire 53 minutes duration of the album. Instead I’d suggest that what we have here is a progressive metal record at its core with the post-metal & sludge metal components being more or less secondary in the grand scheme of things. This imaginative & creative record will see your more educated metal fans picking out the influence of bands like Mastodon, Tool, Opeth & Dream Theater a lot more than the Cult of Luna & Isis references that highlighted most of The Ocean’s earlier works with the band only turning their focus towards sludgier territory for any extended period of time right at the end of the tracklisting via progressive sludge epic “Demersal: Cognitive Dissonance” & the pure sludge-fest of closer “Benthic: The Origin of Our Wishes”. I’d suggest that it’s only the gruff hardcore vocal delivery of front man Loïc Rossetti that sees people being tempted into the sludgier genre tags but in truth he spends just as much time (if not more) exploring his cleaner & more melodic side of his creative repertoire.

“Pelagial” is an extremely consistent record with every one of the eleven tracks being very solid indeed. There are a few really impressive highlight tracks included (see “Bathyalpelagic I: Impasses”, “Abyssopelagic II: Signals of Anxiety” & “Benthic: The Origin of Our Wishes”) but they don’t tend to be the lengthier inclusions which sees me tending to steer away from my higher ratings. The rest of the songs are all very well written & executed but I’m not sure they have the hooks to fully differentiate themselves from each other. I do think it was a bit of a strange decision to tie the two 9+ minute epics together at the back end of the tracklisting as this makes the album drag a bit & seem a little more elongated than it actually is. On the positive side of things though, both of the short interludes are outstanding inclusions & add a lot to the album in my opinion.

It's hard to be too critical of an album that possesses the sheer class that “Pelagial” undeniably does. It’s challenging in all the right ways & I rarely find myself losing engagement. Perhaps it’s just the victim of a little “style over substance” at times but it’s not easy to get the technically vs memorability ratio exactly right & The Ocean come a lot closer to the mark than the vast majority of their peers so I’d have to say that I’ve been converted by this record. I’ll not only be returning to it in the future but will also make a point of doing a little more experimentation with the band’s back catalogue in the future too.

For fans of Mastodon, Intronaut & Ghost Brigade.

4/5

I'd like to once again thank Saxy for allowing me to create the threads for his Gateway and Infinite playlists each month and including my really long submission in this one. However, I will skip out on commenting in this month's Infinite playlist. After breaking away from the more melodic genres from The Guardians, I want to ease up a bit on progressive metal, especially bands with a more melodic sound. I'm also currently busier than ever in the outside world on some days, and I need to put more focus on what's happening and not get my brain all whacked out from all the complexity the genre has, which I still like. Don't worry, I'm maintaining my place in The Infinite, but I just need to pace myself if I want my time in the clan for be more bearable for myself. With that said though, I'm still up to doing playlist suggestions and already have some in mind for next month's best of 2022 Infinite playlist. Plus I'm planning to comment on a good amount of songs in the Gateway playlist, so stay tuned for that...

I think I've spent enough time with this to form some actual opinions. I think this will definitely be an overlooked highlight of most people's 2022 lists due to how uniquely creative it is compared to the rest of the albums released this year. The Endless excels at creating its own little world of elements with the inclusion of more mood-setting keyboards and synths than is common in most Progressive Metal outings, let alone the female vocals taking up almost all of the front stage compared to the Black Metal adjacent harshes that only show up when they're really required to. I think I struggled with this one at first because, in all honesty, it's a pretty low-key record through and through. At just 40 minutes it sometimes feels like the album should be just getting started as the gorgeous closer "The Paradigm Mirror" peters out and ends the affair on a strikingly bittersweet note. It felt like there wasn't a whole lot there and I think that's where my opinion will start to differ a bit from Saxy and Daniel. I'm extremely glad this was featured as it would have definitely been a 2022 album I would have missed, but I don't think it has quite enough going for it to be a massive, landmark release. 

I think my favorite detail about this album is the distinct tone shift between the first and second half. The first sets up the expectation of having angelic vocals offset by the harshes, but "Liminal Veil" throws that completely out the window as vocalist Kelly Shilling adopts a completely different delivery as the album shifts into a more despondent and shadowy feel compared to the more ethereal sounding first half. I think there's a great balance struck between the heavier Post-Metal portions and the winding Progressive Metal musings too; I always leave wanting no more and no less of either style. I would have to do more digging and more listening to figure out an exact reason why, but I just feel like there's something left on the table with The Endless though, which is why it didn't absolutely floor me after spending more time with it. Maybe I'm one of the weird people who think that albums like this should be a bit longer in order to envelope the listener in the world. I'm not sure if I'll have enough time to fully review this one but it'd be a welcome challenge to try and nail down exactly why I can't give this full marks, despite really enjoying it. 

4/5

Here are my thoughts on most of the tracks:

An Abstract Illusion - "Tear Down This Holy Mountain" (from Woe)

4.5/5. Greater start than that of the Gateway playlist, but again the experimentation can be SO MUCH in this over 11-minute epic.

Conquering Dystopia - "Lachrymose" (from Conquering Dystopia)

5/5. A beautifully haunting acoustic/electric descent from that torn down holy mountain, with Jeff Loomis (also from Nevermore) playing Jason Becker-like guitar melodies. This could almost work well with lyrics that can turn it into a Nevermore ballad sung by Warrel Dane (RIP). D*mn, there should be an orchestral version of this soul-melting tune! It makes me glad against the sadness, sounding intense while staying beautiful and melodic. There is even a bit of a Last of Us vibe here.

Ihlo - "Haar" (from Haar - Live Sessions From Pirate Studios)

4.5/5. Another nice progressive metal blessing! This amazing song can almost be a total winner. It's bands like Ihlo and VOLA that can guide you through the astral plane then take you on a wild ride through the crescendo. Of course, the intro can also blow your mind. This can nearly reach the f***ing height of g****mn progressive luxury! I wonder how if the name of the song is pronounced like how Germans or sassy pre-teen girls say "hair"...

ERRA - "Pull From the Ghost" (from Pull From the Ghost)

5/5. You can assume that my ongoing progressive metalcore search is an addiction, but the truth is, many of those bands rule! For this one, the guitar riffs sound so godly, and the angelic cleans battle against the demonic growls. Hardcore progressive metal has never sounded so ethereal.

Neurosis - "Water is Not Enough" (from Given to the Rising)

4.5/5. Great band, super-cool song, sick intro, karaoke-worthy vocals. The singing is by Scott Kelly, who has recently confirmed his departure from the band after a shocking revelation of his family abuse. It's not easy to make amends for serious wrongdoings that make you look like a total a**, but the music is still good, despite the outer drama.

Haken - "Nobody" (from The Mountain)

4/5. This can be considered a softer radio version of the song "Somebody", considering the shortened length and the acoustic instrumentation. This sounds so much like Anathema at that time, and I've already moved out of that kind of softness.

Psychonaut - "Violate Consensus Reality" (from Violate Consensus Reality)

4.5/5. You can never be highly disappointed by such a composition! The vocals by Colin H. van Eeckhout from Amenra really add that nice touch. Just how the f*** can this heartfelt emotion get so intense?! This is an immense post-progressive metal composition with awesome vocal power! Colin adds weight to the beautiful groove you cannot miss. It's like a great emotional timebomb! And I thought The Ocean was THE European progressive post-sludge metal collective... I can see and hear lots of magic fire here. Top-notch straight from the first minute!

Parius - "Contact!" (from Contact!)

4.5/5. A short, sweet, sick rocker! Throughout the first half, I wasn't sure about the OK riff. Then the bass and drums in the second half balance things out in greatness and leveled up my rating score a bit. I guess you can think of this like mid-90s Entombed gone Primus.

Liquid Tension Experiment - "Liquid Evolution" (from LTE3)

4/5. A beautiful short jazzy progressive interlude from this instrumental Dream Theater spinoff-band.

The Ocean - "Silurian: Age of Sea Scorpions" (from Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic)

4.5/5. Then finally, we end the playlist with a bit of the energy from the Precambrian era (of The Ocean).

A bit of a contentious album here.

Ashenspire have some chops, no doubt about it. When I heard this record for the first time, I was absolutely floored by the compositional techniques used to tell some awfully grim stories. The technicality of Hostile Architecture never feels overindulgent or as a medium for instrumentalists to wank; their purpose was to further the narrative and I appreciate that in a subgenre that seems too ignorant to this concept.

But as I said in my review, it's the vocals that bring it down considerably. Despite what so many people would like to believe, it's the performance, not the content that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Artsy (political) post-rock has this obsession with plainspoken vocals that have no sense of flow, groove or momentum. And as someone who doesn't relate at all to the content on display, I felt like I was being lectured to by a teacher for a class I had no interest in taking, but need credit for in order to graduate. Rage Against The Machine's political music was a statement, whereas as Ashenspire has the passion, but none of the precision. This score would have been several points higher if it was an instrumental record.

6/10

Here are my thoughts on some tracks:

Between the Buried and Me - "(B) The Decade of Statues" (from Colors)

4.5/5. Between the Buried and Me was one of those must-have bands for me in the progressive metal realm. Sadly when I moved away from this band, it was too late to bring it all back. This album and Alaska, among a couple of their other albums, had g****mn great moments. One of the most beautiful moments is the 30-second ending that almost marks this song a brilliant highlight.

Cynic - "Elements and Their Inhabitants" (from Ascension Codes)

4/5. You further travel through the cosmos with this sweet tune.

Cyborg Octopus - "The Projector" (from Between the Light and Air)

3.5/5. This one's pretty good, but a little weird for me. Moving on...

Maudlin of the Well - "Heaven and Weak" (from Bath)

4/5. This one starts with a slightly weak slow intro, but gets more progressive and heavier before twisting into stronger aggression to f*** off that weak heaven.

Gojira - "L'enfant Sauvage" (from L'enfant Sauvage)

4.5/5. When I was still listening to deathly progressive metal bands like Gojira, I've recognized how well-done their songs have been, including this killer single, especially in the loose angry bridge. The title is French for "The Wild Child", fitting for something wild throughout this track.

Devin Townsend - "Moonpeople" (from Moonpeople)

5/5. Devin Townsend has brought back his heavy talent after his ambient album pair from last year. I'm glad we finally have a song from his upcoming album Lightwork. I have a feeling this album would be a heavier yet light end of the dark tunnel that is the pandemic...

Meshuggah - "Born in Dissonance" (from The Violent Sleep of Reason)

4.5/5. This is more dissonant yet simple, working well enough to get caught up in the game.

Enslaved - "Kingdom" (from Kingdom)

4/5. I admire the riffing work that sounds weird at first being arranged into amazing coherence. I've lost my fan status for this band since moving away from black metal at the start of this year, but there's majestic creativity that makes me acknowledge their Infinite position, especially the cleans. Though an instrumental version would work too.

Opeth - "To Bid You Farewell" (from Morningrise)

4.5/5. This track is an ending highlight to both its original album and its playlist, a mostly acoustic ballad except for 3 minutes of heaviness toward the end. Mikael Åkerfeldt uses his clean singing as his sole vocal style for the first time, delivering such an emotional performance, a nice break from his furious aggressive growls from other songs. It's not easy to absorb the complex structure, but it's an underrated song that deserves attention. The next few albums would continue the motive of including at least one prog-rock ballad, but shorter.

At least he's admitting to it.  But this is the kind of behavior that takes time to fully heal.  Hell, Meat Loaf saw three psychiatrists and he still couldn't get over his anger issues (though I don't think consistent family abuse was part of that).  I've worried about the bands status too, but this is the best decision Scotty could have made.  If Neurosis plans on continuing releasing music, they'll probably have to get some younger guy with a powerful voice the same way Alice in Chains did.

As a Devin Townsend fan and as someone who loves Empath, Deconstruction was still a bit of a sucker punch since I'm not too familiar with the middle portion of his discography. I always knew his style was overblown from Empath and Transcendence, but it took me a few years to eventually go back to Ocean Machine, Terria, or other albums like Accelerated Universe to get the full picture of Devin's music. Turns out he was a nutjob (in an endearing way) for way longer than I thought, since Empath was my first foray into the more insane and eclectic brand of Devin's music. I knew that Ziltoid was a thing but haven't gotten around to it, but I didn't realize that Empath wasn't exactly breaking new ground in the way I thought it did after listening to Deconstruction this month. All of the zaniness that I loved about Empath is shown off in full force here, but it's definitely more aggressive and a bit less mature. Devin's brand of sensory overloading walls of sound have always entertained me, but I'd say Deconstruction has more intrigue and interesting songwriting than his other, similar albums. 

This post was going to be about how Deconstructed fell into the same bin as most of Devin's other albums for me, but as I put off writing this because I couldn't quite gather my thoughts, I found myself listening to it more and more. To be honest, it's basically like watching a car crash or some embarrassing stand up comedy act that you can't look away from. It's such a stupid album in some truly irredeemable ways, but at the same it's it's incredibly good at being stupid that I've come full circle with it. Hell, it was apparently so stupid that I missed every single guest vocalist on here until I read Andi's post. I know my audio/voice recognition is really bad but this was a new low for me. I think part of that is because Devin is, in fact, a very talented vocalist with a ton of range so I didn't really notice it, but also because there's so much going on in each song that you hardly have time to figure out whether that random growl in the background sounded like Opeth or not. Once I wrapped my head around the different guests and their places in each song, the album as a whole got much more enjoyable as I'm always a fan of all-star lineups, for the most part. 

As other reviews have said this album is definitely an exercise in excess and throwing a gigantic middle finger to the expectation of professionalism in music. Granted I definitely wish there was a bit more professionalism here, considering I'm never a fan of toilet or fart noises. I'm sure there's some metaphor you could figure out regarding the music industry or the music scene in general, but Devin's antics tend to get the better of him throughout the entire album. Thankfully there are enough great riffs and soundscapes to make this a standout in his discography for me, but it's going to be an acquired taste no matter how you look at it. 

I've been horribly busy recently so trying to come up with things to say about albums has been the least of my worries, hopefully stuff like this will get me to be better about stream of consciousness writing because trying to form an opinion about this album has my head spinning. 

4/5

Wow, Saxy, it's incredibly nice of you for me that you've placed all 5 of my suggestions first before the rest of the playlist. Thanks for that! However, I'm still kind of straining from some of the more melodic genres, such as the melodic side of progressive metal, but don't worry, I'm still staying in The Infinite, I just need to pace myself if I want my time in the clan for be more bearable for me. I still look forward to submitting track suggestions for next month's Infinite playlist, and I have a special amount planned for then. In the meantime, here are my thoughts on over half of the tracks here:

Between the Buried and Me - "Specular Reflection" (from The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues)

4.5/5. Ah, one of my favorite BTBAM epics when I was still listening to that band. This can be reduced to a 7-minute radio edit and still be brilliant! The melodic and aggressive chills are a nice step up from the previous album The Great Misdirect. The clean singing sections can remind some of Circa Survive.

Dream Theater - "Hell's Kitchen" (from Falling into Infinity)

4/5. This instrumental is, contrary to the title, like transcending through Heaven's gates in magnificent mind-space. Still it did not beat the other Dream Theater instrumentals I liked when I was still enjoying this band, especially "Stream of Consciousness" which takes its title from a lyric in the epic coming after this track, "Lines in the Sand".

Leprous - "Restless" (from Bilateral)

4.5/5. A short catchy song with Einar Solberg's vocals ranging from peaceful to, that's right, restless!

Seventh Wonder - "Victorious" (from Tiara)

5/5. There's another reason why I would never forget Kamelot, and that's because of the powerful vocals of Tommy Karevik, who's also in this band Seventh Wonder. It's songs like this that make me enjoy the best of both worlds reigning victorious!

Veil of Maya - "Doublespeak" (from False Idol)

5/5. This song is aptly named because of both the singing and the growling playing out well in the lighter instrumentation. The chorus filled with singing really creates a beautiful aura along with rising drumming. The guitar tone lingers through heavy verses before the delicate chorus.

Threshold - "Silenced" (from Silenced)

4.5/5. I've practically forgotten about this band in the two years since I've given up interest in them after a mere two months, but now I remember them again with this excellent new song. Welcome back, Threshold! Absolutely sensational and could almost make an instant classic.

Cynic - "Infinite Shapes" (from Kindly Bent to Free Us)

4/5. Interesting choice, since this is from Cynic's small break from metal in Kindly Bent to Free Us. With that said, this was one of my favorite tracks from the album with the best lyrics there. So beautiful, especially the g****mn synthesized wolf howling at over the 3-minute part that then transitions into guitar. This is also the final album with the two Seans before their untimely passings in separate ends of 2020. RIP...

Mastodon - "More Than I Could Chew" (from Hushed and Grim)

4.5/5. A killer track from Mastodon's recent offering that marks their first double album. So f***ing beautiful, but what else can I say?

Novembre - "Jules" (from Materia)

5/5. An astonishing blend of progressive metal with gothic/doom influences, similarly to Green Carnation in the early 2000s. I think I might've found a decent re-entryway into gothic/doom metal, thanks to this track!

The Ocean - "Triassic" (from Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic)

4.5/5. This one has heavy dynamic groove and stays in a between clean soft melody and harsh aggressive riffing. They haven't unleashed their contained destruction yet until later on in that album.

Protest the Hero - "The Canary" (from Palimpsest)

5/5. This song shows intricate groove hooks alongside the captivating narrative. The charging pace and epic dramatic chorus really makes that song a sweet highlight.

I have strayed into unchartered waters by drifting into The Infinite feature release and I feel I may be about to alienate the clan residents somewhat with my attempt to review this release, but I am here now so might as well use the rope in my hand. I feel that in listening to Handmade Cities that I have just watched an eighties film were the protagonist has just overcome great evil (or maybe a serial killer) and I am revelling in the joy of the end credits having somehow missed the whole film. Sarcastic comment over, I promise.

If I focus on the talent required to make this album then I cannot failed to be impressed. It might not be my bag at all but despite there being more than one "WTF" moment for me, I could not quite bring myself to turn it off. Intrigue got the better of me even though I am not a fan of instrumental tracks (let alone full releases that are all instrumental tracks). It kind of reminded me of a Joe Satriani record I listened to years ago which although inoffensive never held my interest enough for me to ever explore it enough to truly get to grips with it. I guess that I find Plini to be decent enough background music and nothing more. Occasionally it does something interesting as it chops away at the aether around me enough to break through whatever it is I am focusing on to remind me that it is still there.

Overall, I find Handmade Cities just to be too safe a record for my extreme tastes, and whilst I acknowledge its merits I am coloured a dull, pastel shade by it. If I had the patience (not something that I have vast stocks of) then I would perhaps revisit over the coming days but I have to get my head around Spheres and that Parkcrest record yet as part of the monthly reviews and at least one of those has got me ruffled already this month so I feel they will be the focus of my attentions for the coming days instead.

2.5/5

Saxy, let me just say, you have done such as incredible job assembling this month's Gateway and Infinite playlists! This tracklisting has encouraged me to go through the entire playlist and find excellent tracks from bands I already listen to along with different bands in which some of them I feel up to trying some more songs from them. Well done, please keep it up! So let's get my track thought journey started:

Cynic - "Mythical Serpents" (from Ascension Codes)

4.5/5. A great opening highlight to show each member's skill! This is actually also in the January playlist, but never mind. Moving on...

Evergrey - "The Orphean Testament" (from A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament))

4/5. Evergrey strikes again with a good heavy tune from their new album released only a year after the last.

Charlie Griffiths - "Luminous Beings" (from Luminous Beings)

4/5. I was only a Haken fan for about a year before realizing that band was better off being listened to by me 8 years ago when my melodic side of progressive metal was dominant. With that said, I'm still delighted by such a h*ll of a prog-metal experience from that band's guitarist. This song's pretty great and so is the cartoony video for any biology lovers out there. Monstrous Haken-like riffs can be found especially near the 4-minute mark and in the intro chord. Great guitar skills from this man, with some Allan Holdsworth influence. Amazing how creative he can be! The drums also rule, though I don't know who's performing them. Blessings to this beautiful yet monstrous piece, along with the video aesthetics reminding me of Spongebob Squarepants. Call this song prog, rock, or metal, but what matters is this journey with lyrics warning us about the darkness of extinction. Crawl, walk, run!

Dream Theater - "The Shattered Fortress" (from Black Clouds & Silver Linings)

4.5/5. This was one of my favorite melodic progressive metal epics that marks the end of the band's "Twelve-Step Suite" and eventually, Mike Portnoy leaving the band after 25 years, heart-breaking many DT listeners. There's a lot to mention, so here goes: The volume heads up at the 3 and a half minute mark, then two minutes we have a f***ing great riff. At the 7-minute mark we have a Metallica-ballad-like section with narration, before throwing back to Octavarium a minute and a half later, even sounding close to Black Sabbath after a minute. And after some Paul Gilbert-like soloing and one more verse ("I am responsible when anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, I want my hand to be there"), the opening of "The Glass Prison" is reprised, closing the suite in full circle. EPIC!

The Contortionist - "Early Grave" (from Our Bones)

4/5. This one continues the aggressive vs. mellow pattern. Then we reach a climatic post-metal bridge with an outro that's probably the band's heaviest since their Language album from 5 years prior!

Between the Buried and Me - "Prequel to the Sequel" (from Colors)

4.5/5. Between the Buried and Me is another band I loved for a few years but have not gotten in touch a lot recently, other than this album's recent sequel Colors II. This one's quite awesome despite the recent remaster making not a lot of difference, other than making the bass and keys sound better while lessening the power of Adam Fisher (Fear Before)'s screams. Life is constant happiness...

Kardashev - "Cellar of Ghosts" (from Liminal Rite)

4/5. This one's quite powerful from start to end. F***ing sick instrumentation and growls at times. Rock on!

Diablo Swing Orchestra - "Exit Strategy of a Wrecking Ball" (from Pandora's Pinata)

4.5/5. The lyrics here convey the feeling of betrayal and not seeing the one you love again. That inspiring lyrical theme might one day make me up to trying Diablo Swing Orchestra despite crossing them out after a short month. This is a band of musical geniuses! Who knew swing and metal fit like a glove?! There's even a slight death/nu-metal scream section towards the end. The lyrics should probably have thicker meaning though, but I can identify with that situation well. High-quality unique swing-infused progressive metal here, am I right? Still there are other bands for me to enjoy in my nearly a decade of listen to metal...

Isis - "Garden of Light" (from In the Absence of Truth)

5/5. Such as this band whom each instrument has their own significant parts. An incredibly epic song with a f***ing awesome intro and outro. The album this song is in shows a more melodic/experimental side that the Isis band members would have in their later band Palms with Deftones' Chino Moreno.

Symphony X - "Seven" (from Paradise Lost)

4/5. This was one of my favorite Symphony X songs from when I was still commonly listening to that band and Dream Theater. It's decently long at 7 minutes, but I guess it's short in comparison with the longer progressive epics out there.

Polyphia - "Playing God" (from Playing God)

3.5/5. The first time I heard the jazzy riffing, I had a confusing "WT*" look on my face, but the majority of this is a beautiful listening experience. Note that this band's earlier material was basically just jazzy prog-rock.

The Ocean - "The Grand Inquisitor I: Karamazov Baseness" (from Anthropocentric)

4/5. This is part of "The Grand Inquisitor" trilogy that has killer heaviness. Enough said!

Novena - "Ghosts" (from Ghosts)

3.5/5. This one ends the playlist in an almost similar direction to the end of the Gateway playlist, sounding the closest to hard rock. In saying that, the male and female vocals sound pretty good. Though there could've been a better end to this playlist in which the rest of it is awesome.

Well I have to say that I fucking loved this release Xephyr. It took me by complete surprise. The size of this dudes balls must be absolutely astronomical to have pulled this off with his debut solo album. It's just so beautifully executed & emotionally engaging. I can understand Saxy questioning whether it should technically qualify as metal or not as the metal component isn't huge but I think it's enough for me to want to link it to Post-Metal as it invites me to recall some of the more stripped back & atmospheric works of bands like Kayo Dot, Neurosis & Anathema. The androgynous vocals are lovely, the strings are very well orchestrated & even though the 55 minute single-track arrangement may seem drawn out to many (if not most) metalheads I never find myself questioning the artist's patience thanks to his exceptional ability to build tension & atmosphere. This record is just pure class from start to finish to be honest & I'm sure it'll be right near the top of my AOTY list come January.

4.5/5

I'd like to once again thank Saxy for allowing me to create the threads for his Gateway and Infinite playlists each month and including my really long submission in this one. However, I will skip out on commenting in this month's Infinite playlist. After that incident last month that happened because I didn't ask for permission that time (among other reasons), I'm still not sure about commenting on tracks from clans with the more melodic genres (except for a few tracks that I still like from this month's Guardians playlist). I'm currently more focused on my other 3 clans, but don't worry, I'm still staying in The Infinite, I just need to pace myself if I want my time in the clan for be more bearable for myself and others. With that said though, I've already submitted track suggestions for next month's Infinite playlist, which I'm still up to doing. Plus I'm planning to comment on the majority of the Gateway playlist, so stay tuned for that...