Ihlo, live at Prog Metal Mania in Munich! 2nd May 2025

Ihlo - debuting bass player, and a new song!

I’ll say it up front: I’m a longtime fan of Ihlo, and seeing them live again at Prog Metal Mania was an absolute highlight for me. We at The Progspace had the pleasure of premiering their very first single Parhelion 6 years ago, and even back then, I knew there was something truly special about these guys. Striking a rare balance between emotional depth, modern textures, and tight, progressive songwriting. Their sound stood out: emotional, modern, textured - progressive metal that doesn't try to mimic others, but carving their own path forward.

I first saw them live at ProgPower Europe 2022, and they already impressed me back then. But their performance at Prog Metal Mania proved how much they’ve grown. The leap in stage presence and confidence was huge. They sounded massive! Tight, dynamic and emotionally charged. The chemistry on stage was evident, energy, emotion, a camaraderie you can’t fake. They were clearly having a blast and the crowd gave it right back.

Fan favorites like 'Hollow' had the audience singing along, and they closed their set with the soaring, emotional 'Coalescence'. As a bonus, they treated us to a brand new track from their upcoming album, and judging by the audience’s reaction, it’s going to be something worth waiting for. Particularly exciting was the live debut of their new bassist, Max Brayson, who confident and smiling throughout, fit in like he’d always been part of the crew.

As someone who’s followed Ihlo from the start, it’s incredibly rewarding to see them climbing up the prog stages, not by chasing trends, but by staying true to their unique sound. They’re steadily carving out their place among the best in modern progressive metal, and after this show, I’m more convinced of that than ever.