June 2025 "The Infinite" Playlist - Progressive Metal Constellations

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Wtb5QsNObO9w62f7ThQNF?si=01f5ac07a14b46ca

1. Allegaeon – Wake Circling Above (2025)

2. Calva Louise – Aimless (2025)

3. Changeling – Abdication (2025)

4. Fallujah – Labyrinth of Stone (2025)

5. Haken – Deathless (2011)

6. In Vain – Times of Yore (2013)

7. Intronaut – Cubensis (2020)

8. Mandroid Echostar – Haunted Vows (2013)

9. Ne Obliviscaris – Xenoflux (2012)

10. Nevermore – The Psalm of Lydia (2005)

11. A Notion of Silence – Journey’s End (2022)

12. The Ocean – Atlantic (2023)

13. Ovid’s Withering – Falsehood of Blasphemous Voices (2015)

14. Pain of Salvation – Beyond the Pale – remix (2016)

15. Protest the Hero – Reverie (2020) (29)

16. Syncatto – Hollow (2025)

17. Utopian Dream – Restriction of a Mind (2016)

18. Wheel – Empire (2024)

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

Allegaeon – Wake Circling Above (2025)

5/5. Although Allegaeon's new album The Ossuary Suns continues their melodic/technical death metal, a couple tracks are progressive enough for The Infinite, especially this highlight to start this playlist. The background cleans by guitarist Michael Stancel provide an incredible contrast with the blackened growls of Ezra Haynes.

Calva Louise – Aimless (2025)

4.5/5. Calva Louise needs to be discovered more. My brother and I can't be the only ones enjoying these fun experimental works!

Changeling – Abdication (2025)

4.5/5. Changeling is another progressive tech-death band similar to Allegaeon, though I still prefer that band and Fallujah.

Fallujah – Labyrinth of Stone (2025)

5/5. Killer new single from these San Francisco-based progressive/tech-death metallers. An awesome blast, I would say!

Haken – Deathless (2011)

4.5/5. Now for some deathless prog-metal! This is still a hidden melodic diamond in the deathly rough. The only thing extreme about this song is the lyrics, but everything else is so melodic and heartful, like a more metal take on Opeth's Damnation, maybe even later Leprous. Despite the lack of soloing, the song can still take you on a beautiful journey far beyond. One of the most lovely songs by this band!

In Vain – Times of Yore (2013)

5/5. And now we're back to some awesome progressive heaviness! The outro is one of the most epic I've ever heard, and it hints at the song's sequel in the next album.

Intronaut – Cubensis (2020)

4.5/5. I love the kick-A drumming in this one. I've only discovered this band a couple years ago, and they still rule!

Mandroid Echostar – Haunted Vows (2013)

5/5. Awesome vocals, awesome guitars, awesome bass, awesome drums... F*** YEAH!!!! I want more of this!

Ne Obliviscaris – Xenoflux (2012)

5/5. This one has a perfect blend of loud and emotional, especially in its climax that comes to a sudden stop.

Nevermore – The Psalm of Lydia (2005)

4.5/5. This one is full of surprises, such as acoustic guitar briefly snuck into the wild progressive thrash.

A Notion of Silence – Journey’s End (2022)

4/5. The journey is still far from its end, as we going into more rock-ish territory.

The Ocean – Atlantic (2023)

4.5/5. This still remains one of my favorite songs from the new The Ocean album, and it might very well fit in a David Attenborough documentary. From the 6-minute mark onwards, you can hear dark heaviness to remind some of TOOL. Sad that the lineup has to face some changes after this album and tour. Still this track is mind-blowing!

Ovid’s Withering – Falsehood of Blasphemous Voices (2015)

4/5. I think I just found what planted the seed for the symphonic blackened deathcore scene of Lorna Shore and Shadow of Intent. Pretty great despite certain allegations.

Pain of Salvation – Beyond the Pale – remix (2016)

4.5/5. I remember hear the original song but not the remix. Here the vocals by Daniel Gildenlöw have amazing clarity. This pretty much fulfills the song's purpose, "To make each other better, to heal each other's wounds."

Protest the Hero – Reverie (2020)

4/5. This one continues the theatrical nature with expert guitar impression. The composition sounds a bit closer to Rhapsody of Fire style of symphonic power metal while seamlessly matching the usual PTH progressive metal.

Syncatto – Hollow (2025)

4.5/5. An amazing djent instrumental!

Utopian Dream – Restriction of a Mind (2016)

4/5. This one is also cool despite sounding a bit restrained.

Wheel – Empire (2024)

3.5/5. D*mn cool bass with the sound having more in common with Karnivool, VOLA, and Caligula's Horse. Still can't beat those bands though, while still being a solid ending to this playlist.