The last two weeks of August brought us apocalyptic madness and cheese – and a new record!

The next chapter in the history of Norwegian prog pop orchestra Meer is being written right now: while their 2021 sophomore full length “Playing House” suddenly catapulted the eight-piece band into the limelight of the prog world, their brand new, third effort “Wheels Within Wheels” is once more a testament to their boundless creativity and easily establishes them as one of the most exciting bands out there. The emotions the siblings-duo of Knut and Johanne Kippersund manage to evoke are deep and heartfelt, having full-time band members Åsa Ree and Ingvild Nordstoga Sandvik taking care of adding further depth to wonderfully tasteful and playful arrangements with violin and viola respectively – lots of magical moments to be found on this gem of an album. The future looks bright for Meer! Read Alex’s full review here: https://theprogspace.com/meer-wheels-within-wheels/ Dario

When someone’s composing music, there’s always bound to be a direct connection to their very own experiences in life, shining through in varying degrees. Berlin based modern prog metal project Aquae Furtivae gravitates towards a fully honest account of the experiences of main composer and drummer Iago Franco Gonzalez, recounting the inner and outer implications of his father’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease over 15 long years. While the 2022 debut “Road to Square One” looked at the impact on the whole family from various angles and the perspectives from different family members, “A Maze Pt. 3” focuses solely on Iago’s very own experiences and the inner turmoil caused by this devastating diagnosis. Stunningly set to music with his partner in crime, producer, guitarist, keyboardist, arranger and versatile singer extraordinaire Lucas de la Rosa, this is epic modern prog metal at the highest level, excelling on every level, from the powerful production, masterful orchestrations and heartfelt vocal delivery ranging from vulnerable to almost spokenwords to the fiercest growls… And finally compositions that manage to unite various different influences underneath one coherent umbrella. Can you spot the movie score and gaming music references? In any case, a deep dive into “A Maze Pt. 3” is highly recommended and will be rewarded plentiful . Dario

Italy’s Kingcrow have been a mainstay in the European prog scene for a couple of years already, with a couple of excellent albums under their belt and a mostly steady line-up since 2010’s “Phlegethon”. With the new album “Hopium”, they have found a very fitting label home on Season of Mist, hopefully giving them another well-deserved push in their career. Sitting very comfortably in their atmospheric/emotional prog niche, the quintet from Rome has really found their own voice and style, highly recognisable, oscillating from introspective to energetic, and present throughout all of “Hopium” for old and new fans to enjoy. Read Bob’s full review here: https://theprogspace.com/kingcrow-hopium/ Dario

Slow burning atmospheres, sultry grooves and the occasional violent outburst: that’s the Leprous of 2024! Their ninth full length album “Melodies of Atonement” expands on the heavily emotional art pop metal they dipped their toes in starting with 2017’s “Malina” and refined on the subsequent “Pitfalls” (2019) and “Aphelion” (2021). With vocalist Einar Solberg’s solo debut “16” in between, we naturally get some of these influences as well. But can we please take a moment to appreciate the magical moments Robin Ognedal gifts us with a couple of extraordinary (slide-)guitar solos? The five-piece from Notodden is really going from strength to strength here, not showing any signs of slowing down or sacrificing any of their strong unique musical vision. A full blown world tour is already underway, with North America getting their Leprous live fix first. Don’t miss out on their energetic, engaging live shows if you get the chance. I’m sure some of those new songs will go down a treat just as well. Read Alex’ full review here: https://theprogspace.com/leprous-melodies-of-atonement/ and dive into the “Melodies of Atonement”. Dario

Are you ready for 91 minutes of Armenian fusion piano shred djent? Armenian jazz pianist Tigran Hamasyan’s new album “The Bird Of A Thousand Voices” features all of that – and so much more. The music therein fills me with so much wonder and awe, simultaneously pierces my heart and soul with the most beautiful, universal melodies and stimulates my prog-nerd brain with awe-inspiring technicality and complexity both rhythmically and harmonically. And if that wasn’t enough, there is a whole concept story to dive in, which you can read on Tigran’s website right here. I never thought I could dig an album with so much whistling, but it just works here in this context. A true work of art in every sense and I sure hope to be able to witness the special light show in collaboration with renowned transmedia and lighting artists. It’s gonna be magical, I’m certain! But until then, I’ll just continue to play the accompanying browser game over and over again… Dario

Contrary to the album’s title, “Twenty Pills Without Water”, the new Bent Knee full length record is not a hard pill to swallow at all. Shrinking from a sextet to a quartet with the departure of bassist Jessica Kion and guitarist Ben Levin after the release of “Frosting” (2021), which I personally found partly unlistenable due to a lot of hyperpop leanings and an overuse of autotune, the Bostonian art rockers are finally back to a more organic sound, which suits them very well. Courtney Swain’s incredible voice sounds just too amazing to hide it behind a ton of effects. A very welcome return to form, at least in my book and if I had to summarize it in two words, I might use ‘pleasant’ and ‘endearing’. Hurry and catch them live at their last remaining tour dates in the US if you’ve got the chance! Dario

Almost a rarity these days, there’s still some bands holding up the banner of classic symphonic prog metal. So do the Swedes of Paralydium, and their second album “Universe Calls” hearkens back to the glory days of Adagio, Pagan’s Mind or Symphony X. The powerful vocals of new singer Alexander Lycke (Astrakhan) fit perfectly over a strong instrumental foundation laid by some current and ex-members of melodic metal/hard rock shooting stars Dynazty. Putting together part 1 and 2, ‘The Arcane Exploration’ makes up almost half of the album, but epicness suits Paralydium much more than speed or heaviness. The extended solo section of ‘Forging the Past’, leading into the inevitable chorus reprise is just a prime example of the typical traits of this genre, executed in exemplary fashion. I’m digging it. Dario

“A Light On The Screen” is the debut album by Parisian progressive (death) metal outfit Antichambre. Obvious influences from the likes of Opeth or Orphaned Land are present in some parts, elsewhere, a classical background is strong. Almost scratching the 20 minute mark, the penultimate epic “New Prelude” is without a doubt the most ambitious piece on the album, showing a lot of promise for this young band. Mastermind Elliot Pauvarel knows how to impress with excellent clean vocals as well as some fierce growls and screams and intricate guitar parts. So if you like progressive death metal, you should definitely keep out an eye for Antichambre! Dario

It’s funny how some bands manage to establish themselves firmly on the map of a specific subgenre with only a few albums, then disappear, and reappear as if no time had elapsed. Anciients from Canada certainly is a band like that, as they definitely carved their one niche with their first two albums “Heart of Oak” and “Voice of the Void” from 2013 and 2016 respectively, pairing the heaviness of sludge and stoner with progressive and psychedelic leanings. “Beyond the Reach of the Sun” continues that legacy and honestly, I’m thinking this might be a perfect gateway band if you’re looking to get into heavier stuff. The transition towards the end of the opener ‘Forbidden Sanctuary’ just feels so organic. And even though the extreme parts seem few and far between, they are absolutely vital to the whole. A very cool whole, if I might add. Dario

Spanish progressive death metal band Moonloop were founded in 2001 already, yet “Fate in Motion”, their brand new third studio offering is the first thing I hear from them. And despite the Porcupine Tree inspired band name, I’m confronted with some fierce, proper progressive death metal with much more emphasis on the extreme parts compared to Anciients’ new album for example (see above). Culminating in the short banger ‘Garghoul’ and final epic ‘Portal’, “Fate in Motion” is an excellent progressive death metal album that shouldn’t be overlooked by fans of the genre. The prominent bass in parts is just one reason why this is so much fun to listen to. Dario

Diving deeper into the multitude of excellent extreme prog albums the tail end of August 2024 had to offer, there’s no way to get past “Reclamation Pt. II”, the second, concluding part of the, well, two part “Reclamation” series by US based progressive black metal quintet Amiensus. I have to admit, I haven’t had the time to listen to both parts back to back, and my first reaction is that I think I might like Pt. II even more than Pt. I that was released back in April, but I will postpone that final verdict until after I’ve had plenty of time to digest both of them in one sitting. That doesn’t diminish the fact though that we’re dealing with the highest quality here. Highly recommended to sink your teeth in. And would you look at that gorgeous artwork! Dario

U.S. technical brutal death metal legends Nile are back with “The Underworld Awaits Us All”, their first release in 5 years. They have taken their signature blend of whirlwind technicality and cinematic grandeur to new limits, in a remarkably long cranial barrage for the listener. Not for the faint of heart (or those who need discernable grooves and catchy chord progressions, for that matter), but those with a certain tolerance to brütality have a treat waiting: Blazingly fast riffing, epic choir vocal arrangements and an exotic interlude drive perfectly complement the lyrical themes, set (naturally) in ancient egypt.

Similar to the predecessor “Vile Nilotic Rites” from 2019, Nile are back with the mix and master skills of Mark Lewis. The result is tremendously thick yet clear, with a strong emphasis on George Kollias‘s wicked drumming. Listening to 2005’s classic “Annihilation of the Wicked” makes the latter sound muddy and flat in comparison.

Genre-label aficionados like to question the distinguishing features between brutal death metal and its more modern incarnation slam. “The Underworld Awaits Us All” exemplary answers: It is bursting with brutality, yet eschews any hardcore influence or slamming breakdowns that Nile’s contemporaries have opened up to. In contrast, Niles technicality does not stem from the swirling noodling of sweep picking, tapping and the likes, but is exhibited in the form of brute speed in drumming and guitar playing. Driving the point home, the single tremolo-picked guitar note in the intro to ‘To Strike with Secret Fang’ begs to question if the audible pitch comes from the frequency of the attack… Bas

From brutal Egyptian tech death metal to atmospheric Romanian folk black metal: Sur Austru deliver their third album “Datura Str​ă​hiarelor” via Italian label Avantgarde Music. Compared to the ‘other’ Negura Bunget successor band Dordeduh, Sur Austru seem to keep an even more primal, folk-inspired underground sound. Traditional flutes, percussion and the native language lyrics add to that mystical atmosphere, upholding a mystic, esoteric vibe. Raw and visceral. Dario

Doomy sludge of the filthiest sort is delivered by Norna on their eponymous sophomore full-length, out on Pelagic Records now. It’s a primal, visceral sound that this Swedish/Suiss trio evokes and excels at like a band that’s been together for decades already. Granted, the three are not unknown in the scene having been active in such bands as Breach and Ølten, with Cult of Luna legend Magnus Lindberg leaving his impeccable stamp as producer. Being just back from an amazing 15th anniversary Pelagic Fest in Maastricht myself, I can’t see how Norna won’t be playing the charming halls of Muziekgieterij next year. Dario

From London, UK with their debut album “Bloom & Decay” are post-black metal project Dawn Treader. After releasing 3 EP’s since 2019, it was time to drop a big one, and did they ever deliver! Beautiful atmospheres and memorable moments throughout; this is a very promising full-length start for their career. I like this rise of solo blackgaze-tinged artists, especially because you can tell that there’s a vision and message from them that’s more direct and often personal. This person did everything for writing and performing, which in of itself is always impressive, but the quality adds so much. I have talked about Panopticon last year, and if you liked that one, definitely do yourself that favour and check this out! Colin

Putting the popular side of classical music in an often very fast extreme metal context for more than 15 years already is Italian five piece Fleshgod Apocalypse. “Opera” is their sixth studio album and it’s just so much fun to listen to those high speed guitar/piano/bass drum unison runs in between pummeling riffs, soaring operatic vocals juxtaposed with fierce growls, and epic orchestrations. Vocalist Veronica Bordacchini really gives her all and proves that she’s not only prolific in the classical operatic style, no, she got a few more technical vocal tricks up her sleeves adding a good dose of mania to the already crazy cocktail. Together with a professional high end visual concept including costumes and make-up, this theatrical posse is bound to continue to stir up the extreme metal landscape on the highest levels. Dario

Is this deathcore? Mathcore? Deathgrind? Something else entirely? I’m not sure, but one thing is indisputable though: “You and Me at the End of the Fucking World” is the first full length album of Montreal, Canada based project Anna Pest after morphing from a one-woman project of April Hutchins into a full band project with the addition of bassist April Sada Solomon and Ashbreather-drummer Colin MacAndrew. And another thing becomes clear while making my way through the beautifully named “You and Me at the End of the Fucking World”: it’s a freaking eclectic extreme metal record drawing from a multitude of influences and fleshing out those ideas with as many different guests. A strong artistic statement saying fuck genres, we’re gonna do our own thing. And even if I’m not fully on board with every idea presented here, I respect the hell out of this uncompromising attitude. Dario

Could there anything more lovely after surviving “You and Me at the End of the Fucking World” (see above) than “Condescending” into the vast, pitch-black chasms of nothingness by way of ultra-slomo avant-garde funeral doom? Föhn from Athens, Greece take us on an abyssal journey, a maelstrom of darkness. How beautiful. Continue below for more happy fun times… Dario

What might have happened, if the end-90’s/early-00’s incarnation of King Crimson had stayed together and continued after “The Power to Believe”? And morphed into a post-apocalyptic instrumental impro avant-doom free-jazz monster? Anchor and Burden might have happened, who present “Afterglow”, the logical aftermath of 2023’s “Extinction Level”. Devastating and leaving far more questions than answers, this is for the most adventurous amongst you. Bring your hazmat suits! Dario

It’s party time for German based gothic metal band Decadence Dust! After last year’s excellent “Lighthouse” album, which was my album of the year, they are celebrating their 10-year anniversary in 2024. For this occasion, they have brushed up their debut EP, originally called “S.T.R.N.”, with a complete re-recording. Even the title has changed, because the EP is now called “Aftermath”. The re-recording is a significant improvement to the original version in all aspects and shows how much the band have matured over the years.

If you enjoyed “Lighthouse”, you will certainly enjoy this one too, as it showcases the smooth style of Decadence Dust, with a fine balance between melancholy and more uplifting, danceable moods. Anna Dust’s vocals are as lovely as always and form the icing on the birthday cake. Should the impending autumn season make you crave some gothic atmospheres, “Aftermath” will be a good start. I am also eagerly anticipating a new full-length album by Decadence Dust after this, because this tasty snack has certainly awakened my appetite for more. Lykle

After all this crushing (post-)apocalyptic extreme stuff, it’s high time for something more chill and mellow, don’t you think? Longstanding Norwegian prog folker of Tusmørke somehow didn’t click with me when I finally sampled some of their sound last year when they released their 10th album, “Hestehøven”. Something about the punk-ish vocals just didn’t sit right with me at the time. But now with “Dawn of Oberon”, they seem to hit a nerve with their “Midsummernight’s Dream meets Norwegian Wood Troll Family”-sound. This is just wonderfully whimsical, even the birds join in, and I’m all here for it. Dario

Staying in more relaxed waters, “All Paths Diverge” takes us on seven psychedelic journeys to drift and dream and dance. It’s the second full length under the delving moniker from Elder frontman Nicholas de Salvo and in true solo album fashion he played almost everything himself. The kraut-y vibes remind me a bit of Ozric Tentacles, yet less electronic, more organic. On tour in November/December in Europe. Dario

Lone Cairn from Grenoble, France, follows up their debut EP “Obsolete” (2019) with a 25 minute track inspired by a book series called “The Hyperion Cantos” by Dan Simmons. “Music of the Spheres” features lush keyboards and epic melodies, not entirely unlike the lengthy intro to Dream Theater’s ‘Octavarium’. It is entirely instrumental, except for one choir moment, and can be enjoyed either as one piece or six individual chapters. Very enjoyable prog rock sounds to be found here. Dario

An album that was sure to divide the fanbase of the band releasing it is certainly Zeal & Ardor’s fourth full length “Greif”. Most of the fierce black metal influences the band originally from Switzerland used to mix up with gospel vibes have given way to a very alternative approach to rock music. I was not sure if I was going to like the outcome of this new direction after I heard the first few singles, but once the album dropped I couldn’t help but think of Pain of Salvation all the time. It’s as if Daniel Gildenlöw had taken the most alternative bits and pieces of the “Road Salt” and “In The Passing Light of Day”/”Panther” eras and made something completely new out of it. Be that as it may though, at the end of the day, a song like ‘Solace’ is just peak emotional songwriting, period. No matter what label you wanna slap on it. Dario

Just about a year ago, Evergrey bassist Johan Niemann surprised us with his first solo album, “Karnivore”, and the danceable synth sounds with lots of fretless bass awesomeness showed exclusively influences way outside his usual metal repertoire. One dark ambient EP (“Anhedonia”) and one more 80s synth album (“Frankly…”) later, he’s back with 30 minutes of droning, pitch black ambient sounds, generated solely with his bass guitars. If you don’t like ambient stuff, this is not gonna meet your approval, but if you’re open for some funeral drones and the occasional industrial noises, “Kalpa” might just be the right thing for you. I for one find it endlessly fascinating! Dario

Ok, this is super cheesy. The epitome of cheesiness. But I’m enjoying it greatly (for the most part) in these late summer days. Legendary Yes (Official) frontman Jon Anderson is back with a new album called “True”. If you manage to overlook and forget about the horrible cover artwork, there’s just so much classic prog rock fun to be found on the album for it to be overlooked or deliberately shunned. Of course, all of this is nothing new or groundbreaking, but no one does it better, not even Neal Morse. Just do me one favor and forget that there’s a song after the final epic ‘Once Upon A Dream’. Because there is none. Never has been. Right? Ok. Enjoy! Dario