Finnish & Canadian legends vs. fresh blood from NL & USA!

Quite a rarity these days, “Babel”, the new EP from dutch prog/art rock outfit Lesoir is exclusively available on vinyl, and this edition is strictly limited to 250 copies only at that. But fret not, you can still listen to the epic 20 minute song about the various global disasters happening in 2020 on YouTube, a one-time only performance they filmed last year with an extended line-up (feat. Vuur/Ayreon guitarist Ferry Duijsens a. o.) in the prestigious and gorgeous Open-Air Theater of Valkenburg (Midsummer Prog). Be quick to secure yourself one of the very rare handmade etched vinyls on the band’s Bandcamp page, they won’t last long! Groovy, atmospheric and epic! (Edit: it seems to have landed on streaming services as well, that’s no reason not to get one of those vinyls though!) Dario

Legendary Canadian progressive thrash punks of Voivod are back with a new album: “Synchro Anarchy”! This is their fifteenth album after a band history that spans more than 4 decades already, and they still sound hungry! Now I have to admit that I’m no expert when it comes to their discography, only discovering them with their latest releases, the stellar “The End of Dormancy” EP and subsequent “Lost Machine” live album about 2 years ago. I am assuming though that I’m not the first one to liken their sound to ‘if King Crimson played thrash metal’. Dissonant, wacky riffs and Denis ‘Snake’ Bélanger’s signature punkish vocals still dominate Voivod’s raw yet intricate sound and I must admit, it’s a lot of fun listening to this after the umptienth sterile djent production. Rounded off by a typical cover artwork from drummer and only remaining founding member Michel ‘Away’ Langevin, “Synchro Anarchy” seems to be an excellent addition to Voivod’s discography. Others will have to decide how it actually compares to their classic albums, I for one am enjoying it quite a bit, Dario

Massachusetts at it again with an ever-expanding hardcore scene; this time with today’s new debut launch by Heavy Meta titled “Mana Regmata”. This is their first release since 2019’s self-titled EP which had a more noise rock influence thrown on. This time, they went in the progressive metalcore direction, quite reminiscent of later-era Between the Buried and Me. If you also still miss the presence of Every Time I Die, this will heal that wound. Overall, quite the intricate performances without going over the top and prioritizing the songwriting aspect instead. Dissonant, mathy guitars, technical drumming, abrasive vocals; just the perfect blend of anger, focus, and melody. Really nice calmer proggy sections in areas to make the listening experience more engaging as well. What a refreshing record this is! Check it out if you want something different! Colin

Finland’s Amorphis need no introduction in the heavy music scene. Be it their genre-defining early death/doom milestones in the 90’s or their more melodic output in the new millennium, their lengthy discography is full of highlight after highlight. Arguably one of the most consistent discographies ever closing in on 15 full lenghts studio releases. “Halo” comes four years after their previous masterpiece “Queen of Time” and without missing any beat, Amorphis continue their streak of flawless albums. The sheer joy of this perfect balance of melodic death metal with folky and proggy influences and an infallible knack for irresistible hooklines that they have perfected a few albums back still shows absolutely no sign of wearing off. Even if it all seems quite formulaic if you were to break down the compositions, it just works and that’s all that matters. A band, 30 years into their career, not only still going strong, but riding a wave of consistent quality unlike any other. Another fine addition to their aforementioned discography, but did you really expect anything less? P.S.: Oh how I’ve missed Petronella Nettermalm‘s (Paatos) beautiful vocals, featured in the wonderful closing ballad ‘My Name Is Night’ in a duet with Amorphis velvet voice Tomi Joutsen. That Paatos comeback album can’t come soon enough if you ask me! Dario