16 highlights from the second half of June

After having conquered many metal hearts with his 2022 debut “Immortal’s Requiem”, Phantom Spell is back with his new opus, “Heather & Hearth”. Being the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist and composer Kyle McNeill, the wizard returns with six heartfelt, musical tales, including two epics that clock in at over 11 minutes. He wanders on the old paths without sounding dusty, also confirmed by our chief editor Dario who called ‘A Distant Shore’ an instant classic. Hammond infused and guitar driven, also weaving in beautiful acoustic and great solo parts, this is a vivid release celebrating the roots of Heavy Metal. Horns up! Katha

With even more organ sounds to boot (including lots of good old church/pipe organ sounds), celebrating the roots of Prog as well as lots of Classical influences, Agropelter’s debut album “The Book of Hours” hits four times gold with three little introductory tracks as well as the epic 32 minute title track. With various Scandinavian prog royals from Norway (Mattias Olsson, Andreas Skorpe Sjoen, Jacob Holm-Lupo) and Sweden (Jonas Reingold) lending their talents to the project, Mastermind Kay Olsen really doesn’t have to hide behind those Prog luminaries. His vision is refined and detailed as it’s epic and eclectic. One of my favorite Progressive Rock releases this year so far, no matter if with or without vocals, first or tenth release. A timeless sound somewhere between Steve Hackett, Ayreon and a classical concert hall. No wonder we had to get on it right away and premiere the entire album a couple of days before its general digital release back in July. Dario

prdr is the brainchild of Adelaide based composer Peter Meere and the music on his second EP “the malice of chance and time” is crafted meticulously in the great young tradition of Australian Alternative Prog á la Karnivool or the far too underrated Breaking Orbit. It is prdr’s second EP after the great 2020 debut “how did the desert bloob” and features not only stellar contributions all around from some of Australia’s finest, but also a stand-out bona fide hit single with ‘spaces in between (the observer)’. A song that we liked so much that we just had to premiere it here on The Progspace! Since the new Karnivool album is coming in January 2026 only, I feel pretty confident in saying this is as good as it’s gonna get in terms of Aussie Alternative prog this year. Meaning: pretty damn good! Dario

Lately my favourite genre of music can be defined as “beautifully orchestrated melancholia”. That’s why I fell in love with “Then The Darkness” from the first listen. The San Francisco trio Grayceon has truly captured the feeling of pain and grief and its nuances. The mellow vocals of Jackie Perez Gratz opposed to the agonising screams create a great contrast, showing the two ends of the spectrum. The cello is such a fitting instrument in that context, because of the depth, but also gentleness it brings. The album relies on slow, repeated elements to build a trance-inducing atmosphere. Swallowing you, making you sink in, but almost in a comforting way. Making you accept and integrate your own dark night of the soul. I can safely say this is one of my favourite albums from this year. Evelina

How much OrientalJazzFusionDjent can we add to our Prog Flute? The answer in Storchi’s rehearsal room must have been a resounding YES PLEASE! There’s no other way “By Far Away”, the quartet’s new EP, could’ve come together like that. (Or maybe it was the other way around?) Virtuosic, imaginative, experimental, bold. A smorgasbord of wonderful, unexpected, intriguing sounds and an accomplished artistic statement. The final outcome is by far away the most astounding experimental EP I’ve come across in a long time. Dario

…unless you prefer the sounds of a Vibraphone to that of a Flute. Then Gus Hurteau’s debut EP “There’s Still Time to Regret Everything” might be even more up your alley. Apparently, Gus played all instruments (not only the lead Vibraphone), which is an accomplishment in itself. But the compositions hold up to any scrutiny as well. It’s simply a vibe. More of those Gus Hurteau Vibes please! Dario

From futuristic Electronic Jazz Djent x 2 to colourful, expansive Progressive Death Metal from Florida. “Beyond What Eyes Can See” is the second album by Jacksonville quartet Haxprocess, and they’re just blasting ferociously through four epic Prog Death wonders with a refreshingly raw Thrash leaning. 4 songs, 44 minutes 50 seconds. Entertaining twists and turns around every corner keep things interesting at all times, even with the shortest song clocking in at a mere 9 ½ minutes. Chaotic? Yes, but that’s the fun of it! Dario

Solo avant-garde metal artist Hypomanic Daydream released her sophomore album titled “The Yearning”, and if you’re a fan of what was provided on the debut, you’ll be pleased with the improvements made on here. For those unfamiliar with what to expect; this is some wacky, heavy extreme stuff, and in a good way! There’s lots of influence of 90’s tech thrash and Mr. Bungle-driven weirdness, with similarities of more modern groups like Diskord, Flagman, and Fleshvessel. The mix of Marie McAuliffe’s soaring falsettos and aggressive gutterals makes for a fun listen on top of the already versatile instrumentals, not to mention the inclusion of bass clarinet! Surprising and catchy, this is a project worth following if you’re trying to find unconventional ideas and unpredictable structures. Extreme prog is thriving with creativity this year! Colin

“On Others” is the second EP by Atlanta based Progressive Metal quintet Effuse, but my first occasion diving into their universe of sound. Think BTBAM and Haken mixed with – whatever the handpainted cover artwork is evoking in you in terms of emotions but also in terms of sound. It’s always bringing in another meta layer when there’s a canvas painted onto a canvas, just like the philosophical musings about the impact of art “On Others”. Something to think about. Dario

Spawning from a fruitful alliance between the UK with bassist and producer Tom MacLean (Psion, To-Mera, ex-Haken) and Brasil with guitarist/vocalist/composer Adriano Ribeiro and drummer Gledson Goncalves, Brutta is something like the unholy twin of Athemon. Instead of top notch Progressive Metal, we’re being served Extreme Metal of the highest caliber with various finishings depending on the subject matter of the song. ‘Cannibal’ divulges naturally into the deepest caverns of brutal death (including the most musical chainsaw I’ve ever heard). ‘Dracul’ on the other hand sports Black Metal flourishes instead. The idiomatically entitled “Horror” is Brutta’s second full length outing since their self-titled 2022 debut already. Extremely excellent Extreme Metal all around. Now bring on Athemon 2. Dario

More canvases on canvases. Eliran Kantor is a name I’ve seen around a lot of times already, along with his striking artworks. Abigail Williams is another name I’ve seen around for quite some time, but unlike with visual artworks that can be processed and acknowledged with a single glance (at least superficially), it is not so easy with music, making “A Void Within Existence” the first Abigail Williams album I really laid my ears into. And I must say, my ears resonate well with the wonderfully unique, unorthodox Atmospheric Black Metal at hand here. Probably something I might have found unpalatable to my taste not too many years ago, but well nowadays it’s a different story. Not only the album title sounds enticing and inviting. The music itself burns its way into my skin and soul – and I welcome it with open arms. Dario

Leaning towards the fine line between Post and Black Metal is Sheffield based quintet Ba’al. Their second full length effort “The Fine Line Between Heaven and Here” reveals fine sonic details including strings, harps and field recordings while not holding back in the fierce ferociousness of the Black Metal part of it all. Time will tell whether they were able to pierce that fine line. One thing is for certain now though: they’ve presented a fine album. Dario

In terms of best cover artwork paintings of abyssal hellscapes, Brutal Death Metal bands in general are easily leading. When it comes to iilustrations of vast cosmic spaces and gargantuan celestial bodies, it’s gotta be either Psychedelic/Stoner Rock or Post Metal. Belgian quartet Hemelbestormer belongs to the latter and they are storming the heavens in rather slow, doomy tempos on “The Radiant Veil”. Their mostly instrumental sound places all the more detailed attention to building atmospheres, just as cover artist Wesley Dewanckel painted mountains, orbs and mist on his canvas. Dario

If you’re looking for something new to add to your road trip playlist, Big Iron got you covered! Their new EP “Frontier Living” is just the thing – catchy, energetic and addictive. Usually I’m not that into hard rock, but the Scottish band has something about them that makes it sound so fresh, to the point I want to see it live and get in the vibe completely. Also, if you like breakdowns, then you’re in for a little treat here. Big Iron seem to not take themselves too seriously, considering they named one of their songs after a Simpsons character, but that EP is seriously good. Check it out! Evelina

“Genesis of Error” is just about 15 minutes, but leaves a long lasting impression. Cryptodira surely are well-refined. The first track starts out quite strong – harsh vocals, blast beats and all, but once the clean vocals hit the contrast is like night and day. I loove bands who can mix hardcore and melodic sounds and can do both equally well. The short release is very engaging and full of interesting elements. I wasn’t familiar with the band before that EP, but it left me wanting more. Evelina

With this Releases of the Week edition probably being the one with the most artwork mentions so far, it’s only fair to include some music from primarily visual artists as well. “The Nether Living Rooms” is an intriguing EP from Olivia & Costin Chioreanu, two visual artists who’ve already left their visible mark within the metal world, no doubt. The chilling ambient sounds they produce are really more like a soundtrack to a horror film than any traditional prog or metal songs to say the least. Doesn’t make them any less mysteriously mesmerizing though. Dario