The second half of November blessed us with 25 highlights!

Italy’s got a growing scene in the world of prog and extreme metal, and this newest effort from progressive death rising stars Bedsore is definitely no exception. I was a big fan of their previous split with Mortal Incarnation, where both bands did a 15-minute song each, and I could tell that they would be getting more groggy from there. “Dreaming the Strife for Love” brings more to the table than you would expect, with flares of symphonic prog and jazz fusion. It’s epic, versatile, explorative, and foremost a unique experience. The production is organic, leaving room for the music and its performers to stand out more, and let’s you appreciate the artistry. If you thought new Opeth was a breath of fresh air, you need to hear this one! Even more recommended if you dig the likes of maudlin of the Well, King Crimson, The Flower Kings, Alchemist, and Phlebotomized. 2024 is on a roll! Colin

Speaking of Opeth; yes, the hype is real. Mikael is growling again, but beyond that, the music is heavier too. “The Last Will and Testament” takes the Swedish prog death legends back to their 2000’s sound, with a fresh fusion of what they’ve been creating across the 2010’s. The product in itself becomes more than your usual Opeth sound, but a unique approach with avant-garde metal and symphonic prog elements. This is also their first release with new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen (formerly of Paradise Lost), and he does not fail to deliver. Exciting grooves and technical abilities, while keeping true to the band’s style; this album is quite the exception. Great flow from front to back, and lots of moving sections to get you hyped. When it comes to the levels of quality that Opeth have accomplished, “The Last Will and Testament” may not be quite up there with the absolute best, but it is still quite a highlight for the year as an album of itself. Hear it for yourself! Colin

After jumping into our second November 2024 Release-Round-up with two of the most exciting deathmetal meets progressive rock albums (sorry Blood Incantation/see Colin’s mini reviews above), we’re continuing this RotW edition with some more excellent progressive death metal. No, that’s not Imperial Triumphant on the cover artwork of “The Hive Mind Chronicles Pt. 1: Parasitica” though, the debut album from Denver, Colorado based quartet Exuvial. Leaning heavily into the technical side of things, their musical science-fiction storytelling is both as compelling as it’s diverse and just overall captivating despite all the technicality going on. When’s Part 2 coming? Dario

Diving deep into the atmospheric realms of post metal are Icelandic newcomers Múr with their self-titled debut album. I was lucky enough to catch them live supporting progsters Wheel just about a week after this dropped and I have to say all my excitement to witness this live was absolutely warranted! The huge swathes of synth, the introspect, steady paced riffing and occasional tasteful soloing, the haunting vocals. The envy-inducing hair game of keytarist/vocalist Kári Haraldsson. All the way to the monumental groove riffs of ‘Múr’ and ‘Frelsari’ which were cleverly placed towards the end of the set if I remember correctly, making for a climactic ending of a powerful set. Oh well, this turned out to be more a mini review of their Munich show last Wednesday than of their debut album, but I’m guessing that just goes to show that they were able to equally impress live as they already did on record. Mark my words, these talented youngsters are going to be huge! Dario

To conclude our opening prog death metal quintuplet for this massive release roundup, we’re looking deep into the abyss that is “Mouth of the World”, the crushing collaboration of Montréal sludge death colleagues Ashbreather (feat. our very own Colin MacAndrew on drums) and Serpentine Cerberus. The Ashbreather trio is joined for this release by Gabriel Tulli, the sole member of Serpentine Cerberus, and together they’ve created an exhilarating prog sludge onslaught of almost 40 minutes, culminating in the gang shouts and swirling bass lines of ‘Pilgrimage’ after the rather calming ‘Pyroclast’. Another exciting achievement in the fast growing discography of Ashbreather and the perfect soundtrack of autumn slowly turning into winter. Dario

Jumping out of our prog death streak here to an eclectic mess of avantgarde bliss: Kyros/An Endless Sporadic/ex-Edge of Reality/Ryo Okumoto live guitar wielder Joey Frevola silently dropped his second full length solo album “Art Supplies and Pain” (on Bandcamp and Youtube) a week before his second Kyros release for this year alone (see mini review of “Fear & Love” below) and all I can say: it’s an absolute banger! Analyzing and deconstructing all musical styles he was able to mash into this surprisingly coherent mess would take weeks, so I dare, challenge, urge you to do so yourself. There’s so much fun and pure musical joy to be had with this one. Comparing this musical madness to Danny Elfman and musically related fun like A Flying Fish might not cover half of these crazy ideas, so I’m sorrynotsorry to tell you: you’ll have to listen for yourself. You can thank me later. Dario

Finally moving into less extreme, heavy and crazy musical territories here with a very special debut album: “Asleep or Insane” is the debut from Swedish prog rockers Bakelit, a brand new project by legendary key/synth/organ god Carl Westholm. A widely unsung hero of Swedish metal, this legend has put his stamp onto albums by Candlemass, Krux and Avatarium as well as spearheaded his own projects, the neo prog/art rock outfit Carptree and sci-fi doom prog metal concept trilogy Jupiter Society. Bakelit now sounds like the perfect lovechild of the last two, and yes, I’m all here for it. As much as I’m missing Jupiter Society (Öivin Tronstad, the lead vocalist of my favorite Jupiter Society song ‘Rescue and Resurrection’ makes a permanent return here), this will just do nicely, and there’s even more Westholm to be had with the new Hollingshead, out Dec. 06. My favorite synths to bathe in. Finally back for good. Can’t get enough. Give me more. Dario

From the most gorgeous analogue synth atmospheres to the just as gorgeous modern djent atmospheres of, well, Atmosphrs from Belgium. “Wave.04” is their fourth album and first in six years. And seriously, what I absolutely must compliment here, apart from the marvellous sound design and production, is the key significance of the bass in most of the angular where lots of contemporaries in the genre solely rely on 8-string guitars for the low-end (I hope mastermind Stef Exelmans isn’t inboxing me right now to tell me the opposite). This is a massive sonic achievement and was well worth the wait. Modern djent prog is not getting any better in 2024, I tell ya (Sorry VOLA)! Dario

Stepping back for a moment and realizing that Orso’s “Caffé?” is the first all-instrumental entry for this edition of Releases of the Week(s). Hailing from Lausanne (Switzerland), the quintet with three guitarists takes us on a vivid journey of coffee, four different ones. Ristretto, Espresso, Americano and Affogato. On the menu musically: colourful and proggy instrumental post metal for aficionados and connoisseurs of this particularly caffeinated blend. Entertaining and refreshing. Dario

After the Swedish synth-drenched art rock of Bakelit, there’s also a space for the spacey Norwegian psychedelic proggers of Meadows & io with their new album “Above and Below”. I’ve got to admit, when falling behind a couple of weeks (due to need of making money in order to have a roof above one’s head and some food on the table), the task of checking out a higher double-digit number of albums before deciding which to highlight is quite daunting, time-consuming and, sometimes, tedious. But as soon as I put on the new Meadows & io album I was completely reassured that all of this was worth it. “Above and Below” just keeps on giving with those delicious keyboard leads and atmospheres… This is superb stuff that shouldn’t be overlooked by any prog and psychedelic space-prog nerd. Dario

Looking at the vastness of space and the cosmos at the same time as pondering the infinite depths of the human psyche is French post metal outfit Septaria. Their debut album “A*”, out now via Klonosphere, is combining the ambient and serene with the crushing heaviness of post metal. And successfully so I might add. Any metal band out of France with a significant groove will be measured against Gojira from now on I fear, but Septaria has a whole cosmos to explore. Or rather two at once, the outer and the inner. Captivating and convincing front to back. Guess we’ll be hearing more from them in the future. Dario

In recent years, the British quartet called Sergeant Thunderhoof has emerged as one of the most promising bands in the stoner rock scene. So, when my favourite streaming service notified me of a new album, I did not hesitate and decided to listen to it immediately. Titled “The Ghost Of Badon Hill”, the album is inspired by the battle of Badon Hill, that took place somewhere in the early Dark Ages, where the Britons gave the Anglo-Saxons a major thrashing, stopping their westward encroachment for some time. Anyway, enough about history, how about the music?

Rest assured that Sergeant Thunderhoof did not suddenly start playing war or folk metal. Instead, we can hear the band gradually expanding on its sound, ending up with a surprisingly coherent blend of stoner, doom, prog and heavy metal. This means that the music is heavy yet melodic, groovy yet melancholic and generally very interesting. The musicianship is great, and Dan Flitcroft deserves a special mention here, because he has become an incredible vocalist, pushing the music to the next level with his powerful and dynamic performance. Without any doubt, “The Ghost Of Badon Hill” is the most mature album released by Sergeant Thunderhoof so far, and by far the most emotional. Highly recommended! Lykle

Even though I finally seem to have developed a taste for (melodic/atmospheric/psychedelic/avantgarde) black metal, the more electronic approach of new millennium Ulver seems to strike a particular chord with me. As do these nine retro-futuristic fever dreams accumulated on “Liminal Animals” by the remaining trio after the untimely loss of Tore Ylvisaker early this year. Electronic, yet kind of 60’s fluffy in a strange kind of way with warm, organic bass and drum sounds completing the picture in addition to the various synths and programmed electronics and not to forget, the inimitable timbre of Kristoffer Rygg. A clear case of “he could sing the phone book and I’d be hanging on his very lips” for me (I’m sure there’s a similar metaphor in every country), but it’s not the phone book in this case. He’s got things to say though. And I’ll be listening. Dario

Probably the most complex album of all the highlights in this RotW edition, yet also easily the most relaxing. How can that be? Yogev Gabay (Distorted Harmony, Ron Minis, Mattias IA Eklundh’s Freak Guitar Camp), one of the most accomplished contemporary drummers I dare say, guides Stephan Thelen’s Fractal Sextet (including one Colin Edwin) through their second exploration, “Sky Full of Hope”, with somnambulistic effortlessness. Complexity never sounded so smooth. Definitely closer to Ozric Tentacles than to Meshuggah. Poly-rhythmic chillout music, not only for advanced mathematicians. Dario

A welcome comeback, eight full years after I discovered them opening for Orphaned Land with their then current opus “Terra Incognita”: Chilean prog metal quintet Crisálida presents their fifth full length album, “Ni​ñ​os Dioses”. Even in the quieter moments towards the later songs on the album, there’s a certain conviction and resolution palpable through Cinthia Santibáñ​ez’ powerful vocal performance (even though I can’t understand a word). A very solid record, and with some more bangers like the opening ‘El Niño de El Plomo’ on possible future albums, they might even find themselves a good bit higher up among highlights such as these in this release round-up here. Dario

EP Highlight #1/9: Atomic Guava’s “Beach Episode”. Andrei gave this one a 9/10 in his in depth review, and I couldn’t agree more. This is a bit like heavier, more adventurous Exploring Birdsong, with an absolutely terrific vocal performance by Elizabeth Hull, flamboyant, bubbly bass lines courtesy of Kari Estes, some serious shred balanced out by tasteful leads from guitarists Martin Gonzalez and Mike Midura, pushed forward by the energetic drums of Corey Hall. Oh yes, this is a short but sweet sixteen minutes masterclass in modern prog! More please! Dario

EP Highlight #2/9: Thom Pankhurst’s “Borealis”. Clocking in at almost double the time compared to the “Beach Episode” above, you can expect 30 minutes of top notch uplifting, lighthearted modern instrumental prog metal goodness here. Yes, the Plini & Syncatto style. Always sounds so relaxed and laid back while throwing down the craziest guitar acrobatics. Never fails to put a smile on my face. Dario

EP Highlight #3/9: as promised way above here in the mini review highlighting guitarist Joey Frevola’s new masterpiece “Art Supplies and Pain”, here’s “Fear & Love”, the new mini album/EP by UK based synth prog poppers of Kyros. The perfect addendum to their February full length release “Mannequin” (that most probably will end up in many a prog rock album of the year-list), this is ironically titled after the shorter of the two tracks that are featured on it (both in a vocal and an instrumental version). ‘Duchess Desire’ manages the perfect balance between mini epic and hit single, as only Kyros can. Bring on the party, for example to ProgPower Europe next October. Dario

EP Highlight #4/9: “Fraktions is an instrumental band (piano, bass, drums) that combines prog, jazz and modern metal together into an equally delightful & devastating concoction.” The new EP from the London based trio is entitled “Don’t Mess With Grandma” could also be called “Don’t Mess With Fraktions”. Insane chops focused into five ridiculously titled songs that oscillate from serene beauty to crazy and menacing. And back again of course. Exhilarating and mesmerizing. Dario

EP Highlight #5/9: it’s not often that I get a promo e-mail in my inbox from a Canadian agency (CSquared in this case) telling me about a Munich based project from my neighborhood, but here we are. “Pattern Rebirth” is the Of The Sun’s first EP and it gives me really cool 90’s technical death metal vibes. There’s a bit of grunginess seeping in towards the end. Tech death grunge? I kinda like it. Dario

EP Highlight #6/9: And now for the post rock part of the highlights. “Anam Cara” is a split EP by German post rockers of Noir Reva & There’s A Light. They provide two tracks each with There’s A Light’s ‘Embers’ setting the tone masterfully with its “In A House, In A Heartbeat” vibes. Came for the strings and guitars full of reverb, stayed for the bristling synths. Highly recommended for fans of the genre. Dario

EP Highlight #7/9: Relative Values is a guitar/drums duo hailing from Toronto, Canada. Their first EP “Odyssea” features four times instrumental prog metal. Top notch stuff. Two singles are up on the streaming services for now. The rest will follow in March 2025. But you can listen to the entire thing on Bandcamp already. Curious to hear more as this “Odyssea” sounds very promising indeed. Dario

EP Highlight #8/9: Symphonic Extreme Metal from Sweden? Hell yes, gimme some. The two first singles from Gothenburg newcomers Medusian promised great things already, but I was not prepared for the wonderfully smooth and melodic opening bass groove of ‘Bottom of the Well’, the very first song on their debut EP of the same name, proving they already have more variety in their songwriting than most of their (sub-)genre peers. More of that please! And don’t worry, you won’t turn to stone, even if you’ll be watching out for future releases of this promising band… Dario

EP Highlight #9/9: Haunting beauty, ethereal melancholy. Just a couple of months after her latest magnum opus of glowing darkness, Chelsea Wolfe is back with a mesmerizing acoustic EP. “Unbound” centers on sparse acoustic guitar and piano accompaniment, her masterful songwriting craft, and of course her otherworldly voice. Usually I like to stay away from putting the most streamed songs of a release in our accompanying playlist, but there’s no way around the perfection that is this “Unbound” version of ‘Place In The Sun’. Absolutely breathtaking. Dario

Bonus highlight: Jazz Sabbath’s “The 1968 Tapes” is probably the most metal album you can safely play during christmas dinner without upsetting your in-laws. Or something like that. I don’t even have any in-laws but might be playing it anyways. It’s just so much fun. Go get some! Dario