Three prog metal albums that couldn’t be more different!

German prog metal veterans of Poverty’s No Crime have been around for 3 decades now, yet they always flew a bit under the radar, remaining an insider’s tip for lovers of 90s melodic prog underground sounds. Their eighth album “A Secret to Hide” will see the light of day through Metalville on April 30 and judging by the first three singles, this is going to be another solid affair just like their previous three albums, “The Chemical Chaos” (2003), “Save My Soul” (2007) and “Spiral of Fear” (2016). Fans of bands like Threshold, Vanden Plas or Tomorrow’s Eve should take note as Poverty’s No Crime are not a secret that the german prog scene needs to hide… Dario

French progressive groove/death metal pioneers Gojira finally launch their seventh studio album “Fortitude” after fans waited 5 years since the release of “Magma” (2016). As one would expect based on the singles, it is another versatile and more catchy take, like from their previous effort. While maybe not quite up to par, they still managed to make it a strong release with plenty of great riffs, tight drumming, and Joe Duplantier’s iconic voice. There are some surprises to find, as some of the tracks do go back to the death metal roots of their earlier works, but I wouldn’t push it to calling this a return-to-form. They are simply allowing themselves to try different sounds while maintaining their identity, so fans of the band won’t be disappointed, because it is still indeed a Gojira album. Solid throughout; don’t miss this one! Colin

Coming from UK, prog/tech death metallers Atvm released their debut full-length album on Wednesday, titled “Famine, Putrid and Fucking Endless”, and it is quite an innovative piece of music. It has been 6 years since their previous EP launch “Out of Chaotic Waters” (2015), and they definitely made the wait worth it. Fast and shreddy, yet thrashy in many instances that fans of Coroner would appreciate. Lots of Atheist, Mekong Delta, and Cryptic Shift vibes from this record as well; solidly executed with a relatively raw production that fans of old school metal would appreciate. While there could be more room to breathe with softer passages, there are plenty of groovy sections that will keep you hooked. It’s just overall such a fun listen, and anyone with an open mind and craving a really cool technical journey will get a kick out of this! Colin