May 2026 "The Infinite" Playlist - Progressive Metal Constellations

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Wtb5QsNObO9w62f7ThQNF?si=ea990c3d97fe42cb
1. An Abstract Illusion – Emmett (2025)

2. Black Crown Initiate – Withering Waves (2014)

3. Mr. Bungle – My Ass is on Fire (1991)

4. Disillusion – Am Abgrund (2022)

5. The Faceless – The Spiraling Void (2017)

6. Green Carnation – The Slave That You Are (2025)

7. Karmanjakah – Breathing (2023)

8. Leprous – Mb. Indifferentia (2012)

9. Plini – Manala (2026)

10. Protest the Hero – Limb From Limb (2008) (31)

11. Rolo Tomassi – Tempest (2025)

12. Speaking to Stones – The Human Strain (2022)

13. Stormhaven – Dominion (2023)

14. TesseracT – Eden (2011)

15. Twelve Foot Ninja – Kingdom (2012)

16. VOLA – Applause of a Distant Crowd (2018)

Once again, another Infinite playlist I felt up to breezing through entirely. Great work, Saxy! Here are all my track thoughts:

An Abstract Illusion – Emmett (2025)

5/5. Let's starts with one of two 11-minute epics, and this one is full of absolute complex rage! The guitars, leads, and keys are all embraced by the chaos that only become somber by the end. Incredible!

Black Crown Initiate – Withering Waves (2014)

4.5/5. I wonder if anyone has listened to this song while playing that game I keep hearing about, Wuthering Waves. Either way, amazing guitar to start the second third.

Mr. Bungle – My Ass is on Fire (1991)

4/5. Somebody's gonna get toasty buns. Quite an underrated track from a band that started doing masks before Slipknot and Mushroomhead.

Disillusion – Am Abgrund (2022)

4.5/5. I haven't heard from this band in a long time. All I remember is checking out their 3 albums before Ayam (I know it's Maya backwards, but it's also Malay for chicken). This epic has made me remember how epic I thought those albums were. Honestly, we need more of these dark heavy epics that have a positive theme. I really need to check out that album Ayam someday and see if it is the work of art I've missed out on for so long. And maybe I can catch up with those Times of Splendor with that amazing composition. The time signatures are quite a lot and used well. I also need to revisit the more melancholic yet heavy bands like Opeth and Katatonia. Nothing disappoints!

The Faceless – The Spiraling Void (2017)

5/5. I love how clean the distortion sounds here. This band has a lot more diverse variety than other bands signed to Sumerian Records. Like why listening to the mainstream rock/metal of Asking Alexandria when you can have progressive tech-death with a small salsa section midway through. They've been heaving their tech-death sound since Planetary Duality, and it never gets old.

Green Carnation – The Slave That You Are (2025)

5/5. Probably the heaviest track Green Carnation has ever made by far. It brings things closer to the progressive black metal of In the Woods and Enslaved, with the latter band's vocalist Grutle Kjellson guest appearing in the verses that contrast with the clean chorus.

Karmanjakah – Breathing (2023)

4.5/5. Headbanging? Deep breathing?! WHY NOT BOTH?!?! An amazing peaceful track to love!

Leprous – Mb. Indifferentia (2012)

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

Plini – Manala (2026)

4.5/5. Plini is back, and with the heaviness in the drums and guitars, this is Plini as his most metal!

Leprous – Protest the Hero – Limb From Limb (2008)

5/5. Another favorite here! Rody Walker's awesome vocal range varies rapidly, perfectly playing together with the guitar work without overshadowing it. The lower death growls are a bit unnecessary but fit well for the experimentation in the music. The common tapping is still there, but then we find something unique, groovy keyboard soloing by Vadim Pruzhanov from DragonForce. Wicked but I wanna hear from that band's guitarists too.

Rolo Tomassi – Tempest (2025)

4.5/5. Rolo Tomassi has also just returned, and they've made a powerful song called "Tempest" that just lasts 3 minutes, unlike TOOL's over 15-minute epic.

Speaking to Stones – The Human Strain (2022)

4/5. NO, this isn't a Kamelot cover. Nonetheless, it's both beautiful and heavy.

Stormhaven – Dominion (2023)

4.5/5. HOLY B*LLS, A 24-MINUTE EPIC?!? F*** YEAH, I'M IN!!! A few other bands I've known that have each made a song that long are Dream Theater, Symphony X, and Nightwish! Let's let this long epic speak for itself...

TesseracT – Eden (2011)

4/5. Great song by this band, including Daniel Tompkins' vocals. The final third is so emotional, enough to make even the manliest metalhead cry.

Twelve Foot Ninja – Kingdom (2012)

4.5/5. An amazing song I still like from this band despite not being fully commited to listening to this band since their one-year split. "Brother, this is your dominion!"

VOLA – Applause of a Distant Crowd (2018)

5/5. Now let's have a final round of applause as we close the playlist with this band. Whether heavy or soft, incredible riffing all the same!