Select Page

An Abstract Illusion, Toehider & Fallujah: 3 highlights of the week, if not the year!

Releases of the Week 36/2022 with An Abstract Illusion, Toehider & Fallujah
An Abstract Illusion, Toehider & Fallujah: 3 highlights of the week, if not the year!

This week we found a total of 44 new releases in the bigger prog realm, including the remastered re-releases of the first 4 albums by Norwegian Prog Metal Legends Conception and our highlights include some progressive death metal from Sweden with An Abstract Illusion, crazy all-over-the-place prog rock from Australia with Toehider and blistering tech death from California with Fallujah! Dive in!

An Abstract Illusion - Woe

09 September, 2022 | Willowtip Records
AnAbstractIllusion_Woe

When Swedish progressive death metal trio An Abstract Illusion released their debut album “Illuminate the Path” six years ago to critical acclaim, I was just starting to delve deeper into the wonders of some of the more extreme fringes of progressive metal with albums like “Shores of the Abstract Line” from France’s Hypno5e, Oceans of Slumber’s “Winter” or Persefone’s “Aathma” a year later. So I missed out on this little underground gem. But now, an avid fan and follower of all things progressive death metal, there is absolutely no way to get past their second album, “Woe”. Released through Willowtip Records, this monster of an album is clocking in at 7 seconds short of the full hour and manages to balance the fierce and the serene, the brutality and the beauty in exemplary fashion. The production is clear and full, but not too perfect and sterile, preserving that human feel that seems to get lost more and more in modern (prog) metal productions. Judging by the quality of the songs at hand, this could very well become An Abstract Illusion’s very own “Spiritual Migration”, i.e. their breakthrough and now that it’s out in the world, it’s up to the fans of the genre to lap it up and provide the recognition that they deserve. Because we’re dealing with some of the best material the genre has to offer here. Be it some relentless single note riffing like in ‘Prosperity’ or sprawling synth solos and massive organs like in the final ‘This Torment Has No End, Only New Beginnings’: this is Album of the Year material right here, no doubt about that! Woe is upon us. How wonderful, give us more! Dario

Toehider - I Have Little To No Memory Of These Memories

09 September, 2022 | Bird’s Robe Records
Toehider_IHaveLittleToNoMemoryOfTheseMemories

Australian multi-instrumentalist and vocal acrobat Mike Mills aka Toehider is back with new music. 47 minutes and 47 seconds of new music to be precise. “I Have Little To No Memory Of These Memories” is the name of this new mammoth of a song/album, and from the jaw-dropping a-cappella intro all the way to the last triumphant chorus (unless you’re listening to the vinyl edition where you’ll get a different, sad ending), this is as awesome and pure fun as you would have expected if you’re familiar with Toehider’s music. A roller-coaster ride through different eras and (sub-)genres of (heavy) music, there’s no piece that sounds out of place, no second that is boring and no part that overstays its welcome. Already well respected in underground circles and among Ayreon-fans, it is high time that the larger prog rock community takes notice of his genius. Don’t miss out on our Progtalks episode with Mike, to get some insights into the making of “I Have Little To No Memory Of These Memories”! Dario

Fallujah - Empyrean

09 September, 2022 | Nuclear Blast
Fallujah_Empyrean

Still up for some more technical/progressive death metal after consuming the masterpiece that is An Abstract Illusion’s “Woe” (see above)? Fallujah got you covered! “Empyrean” is their fifth album, and the first with new vocalist Kyle Schaefer (Archaeologist). The Californians led by shredmaster Scott Carstairs are absolute pros and deliver an album filled with 10 certified bangers. Catch them in North America on the Divine Ascension tour together with Psycroptic, Interloper & Cognitive, starting tomorrow, or later this year in Europe on the Faces of Death tour with Rivers of Nihil, Allegaeon, Inferi & Harbinger. It’s gonna be a blast! (And if you’re still craving more Tech Death, check out Warforged’s sophomore effort “The Grove | Sundial” and Revocation’s “Netherheaven”.) Dario

More releases for 09 September, 2022

  • Meteora - …of Shades and Colours (Sept. 06, H-Music)
  • Sedate Illusion - Sedate Illusion (Sept. 07)
     Bandcamp  
  • Primaterra - Devolution (Sept. 07)
  • Warforged - The Grove | Sundial (The Artisan Era)
     Bandcamp  Read Our Review
  • Ardarith - Home
     Bandcamp  Read Our Review
  • Anders Buaas - The Edinburgh Suite (Apollon Records)
     Bandcamp  
  • Revocation - Netherheaven (Metal Blade Records)
     Bandcamp  
  • Cosmograf - Heroic Materials
     Bandcamp  
  • Crippled Black Phoenix - Banefyre (Season of Mist)
     Bandcamp  
  • Prey for Nothing - Kivshan (Wormholedeath Records)
     Bandcamp  
  • END / Cult Leader - Gather & Mourn
     Bandcamp  
  • Collisions - Collisions (Naïve/Believe)
  • Raedsel - Determined to End
     Bandcamp  
  • Wired Ways - Wired Ways
     Bandcamp  
  • Numan - Form and Foundation
     Bandcamp  
  • Abrams - In The Dark (Small Stone Records)
     Bandcamp  
  • Nessel - Gestalt
     Bandcamp  
  • Holy Fawn - Dimensional Bleed
     Bandcamp  
  • Netherlands - Kali Corvette
     Bandcamp  
  • Polychrome - Equilibrium
     Bandcamp  
  • Pentragram (Mezarkabul) - Makina Elektrika
  • Inhuman Depravity - The Experimendead (Gruesome Records)
     Bandcamp  
  • Offernat - All Colours Retract
     Bandcamp  
  • Arsena - Blood Rusted Mother Earth
     Bandcamp  
  • Anzv - Gallas
     Bandcamp  
  • Vermilia - Ruska
     Bandcamp  
  • Sowulo - Wurdiz
     Bandcamp  
  • Valborg - Der Alte
     Bandcamp  
  • Bloodbath - Survival of the Sickest (Century Media Records)
     Bandcamp  
  • Allen/Olzon - Army of Dreamers (Frontiers Music)
  • Damn the Machine - The Last Man
  • Conception - The Last Sunset/Parallel Minds/In Your Multitude/Flow (Remaster/Re-Releases)
  • Therion - Theli/Vovin/Deggial/Secret of the Runes/Lemuria/Sirius B (Re-Releases)
  • Poison the Well - Distance Only Makes the Heart Grow Fonder (Re-Release)
  • Praise the Sun - The Proffer of Light (Art of the Night Productions) (Sept. 10)
     Bandcamp  

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About the Author

Dario

Co-Founder of The Progspace - Dario discovered the world of Prog upon hearing "Shine on you crazy diamond" for the first time at the tender age of 12 around the turn of the millennium. Coming from a musical family and brought up with classical music, this seemed to be the logical next step. Attended the school of www.progulus.com from 2002, delving into both directions: catching up with the history of already more than 30 years of progressive music as well as always staying up to date with the newest prog sounds. He loves meeting like-minded people and enjoying live music at a concert somewhere in Europe.

What’s Hot?! – Our latest Weekly Playlist

Releases of the Week – Spotify Playlist

A lot of news happen on Facebook: FOLLOW US!

Progtalks by The Progspace

Listen to our newest episode right here!

Progtalks by the Progspace
Or tune in on your favorite podcast app!

About us

ico-2 We’re a group of Prog-lovers who started a journey to share with you our thoughts about albums, concerts, tours and festivals, the photo galleries of the Prog concerts we visit, as well interviews with upcoming or established musicians or prog-related people. Follow our Facebook page for frequent updates and news around the Progniverse.

Read more…

Archives