This is the third album from Swiss/Italian progressive metal band Virtual Symmetry.
Virtual Symmetry play progressive metal, and on their self-titled new album they give us 63 minutes of professionally crafted material. Also, you’ve got to love it when a band opens their album with a 20-minute epic. Spoiler alert – it’s a very good track indeed. Continue reading “Virtual Symmetry – Virtual Symmetry (Review)”
This is the third album from US progressive metal band Parius.
The Signal Heard Throughout Space is a 61-minute sci-fi “conceptual rock opera”. Blending progressive metal with technical and 70s progressive influences, the album offers a Continue reading “Parius – The Signal Heard Throughout Space (Review)”
This is the third album from Imminent Sonic Destruction, a progressive metal band from the US.
The Sun Will Always Set contains 52 minutes of expressive progressive metal. It’s an album that might not be what you think it is as it wears many hats across its playing time. Continue reading “Imminent Sonic Destruction – The Sun Will Always Set (Review)”
Interloper are a progressive metal band from the US, and this is their debut album.
Although this band feature ex-members of acts such as Abiotic and Rings of Saturn, Interloper is a different proposition to groups like that. Search Party contains 55 minutes of music, and has more in common with far more accessible bands; think of a mix of acts such Continue reading “Interloper – Search Party (Review)”
This is the third album from Italian progressive metallers Odd Dimension.
For an very rough idea of what The Blue Dawn sounds like, think of a metallic modern fusion of Dream Theater and Rush. It’s an imperfect description, but it gives you a decent idea of what to expect across the 64 Continue reading “Odd Dimension – The Blue Dawn (Review)”
The Lylat Continuum are a progressive death metal band from the US and this is their debut album.
Ephemeral is a 56-minute trip into progressive death metal waters, although the death metal influences are not always prominently displayed; the band’s modern progressive metal influences are Continue reading “The Lylat Continuum – Ephemeral (Review)”
Intervals are a Canadian progressive metal band and this is their fourth album.
Following on from 2017’s The Way Forward, Circadian delivers high quality modern progressive metal. This is essentially a solo album, only with guests and session musicians. It’s an instrumental release, which is a style I normally shy away from, but Intervals is Continue reading “Intervals – Circadian (Review)”
This is the debut album from Tiberius, a progressive metal band from the UK.
If you fancy a spot of technical wizardry with your big choruses, and are partial to a bit of Protest the Hero or the more accessible side of Between the Buried and Me, then you might want to check out these Scottish metallers. Continue reading “Tiberius – A Peaceful Annihilation (Review)”
East of the Wall are a progressive metal band from the US and this is their fifth album.
East of the Wall have produced a progressive metal album that finds the band in fine form. This is a collection of textured, layered songs, embracing a modern progressive approach that has elements of the heavier side of the spectrum in its makeup. Continue reading “East of the Wall – NP-Complete (Review)”
Memories Of A Dead Man are from France and play Modern Progressive Metal.
Here we have a band that merges Metal, Post-Metal, Hardcore and Sludge into one big compelling whole.
This is ambitious music that has the talent to back it up. This is Modern Progressive Metal in the style of Gojira or the excellent Eryn Non Dae – both also French; I wonder if there’s some strange conspiracy to inflict interesting, thoughtful music on the world…? Where do I sign up?
The songs meander and bruise, wander and startle. A pounding rhythm section backs up emotive guitar riffs and a voice like leather. At least that’s when the singer’s not softly crooning at you that is, which he doesn’t do very regularly but when he does it sounds very intimate.
The band will take you on a journey through melancholic atmospheres surrounded by walls of guitars and heavy riffs. The length of the songs work in favour of the band as they make the most of the freedom allowed them, irrespective of genre constraints or rules.
Music like this is full of ideas and quirks, whether it’s as simple as a certain riff in one song or the addition of female operatic vocals in another; the band create an impressive soundscape in which to dwell, and invite you to come join them and sample their world.
Memories Of A Dead Man have crafted a modern Metal treasure with Ashes of Joy. Let’s hope many people get to find it.
This is music for adventurers and explorers.
Wonderbox Metal 