The Progspace Editors List 2023 – Top 5 releases from our editors. Part 2
These days, music lovers get flooded with tons of new releases every year. 2023 was no exception to this and sometimes it can be hard to not get overwhelmed. We at The Progspace know how you feel! Yet we have been happy to make our personal Top 5 lists plus Honourable Mentions and share them with you.
Since our team has grown during the last year, you will see a wide range of releases in our lists, covering many different genres reflecting our personal tastes. We sincerely hope that you will enjoy scrolling through them and hopefully find some inspiration to either try something new or remember that one release you still wanted to check out.
Here's the second part of the Top 5 lists, starting with Alex, Bas and Katha presenting a wide range of releases as their favourites of 2023
Listen here to the Playlist with the best of the Top 5 from Alex, Bas and Katha
Alex Kabargin
(Reviewer)
1
Earthside - Let the Truth Speak
I know the word “masterpiece” is overused to the point that it is completely devalued, but I can’t call the new Earthside album “Let the Truth Speak” anything less. Absolutely beautiful record from start to finish, fantastically composed and produced, definitely the best album of the year for me not just in progressive music, but overall. Here is my full review of this album.
2
TEMIC - Terror Management Theory
I was excited to hear Temic’s debut and it didn’t disappoint: keyboard insanity from Diego Tejeda, Fredrik Kemp’s vocals, which are captivating and beautiful (he’s one of my favourite vocalists in prog, and I am a big fan of Maraton), fantastic drumming by the underappreciated Simen Sandnes, and creative Eric Gilette’s guitar riffs. This album is very progressive, melodic and heavy, with a good balance of instrumental and vocal tracks, and while it sounds like a mix of a few different progressive bands, it still has a lot to offer and I am very curious to see how their sound develops.
3
4
Haken - Fauna
A lot has been said about Haken and there’s no denying: Fauna is a fantastic album, and it seems like a step up from Virus, in terms of variety and especially the vocal work and the drums. Perhaps if it came out later in the year, it could have been higher on the list, but it’s still a very remarkable album. Haken keeps evolving their sound, while still staying themselves, which is very important for progressive music.
5
Neverus - Burdens of the Earth
I was a bit reluctant to put this album to the list, as it’s not exactly the music I normally listen to, but the fact I enjoyed it so much makes it worth a place in here. A great mix of melodic death and symphonic metal, it impressed me in 2022 live at ProgPower Europe, and “Burdens of the Earth” is an unexpectedly fun listen, especially given it’s the debut album from a young band.
Honourable Mentions
Katatonia
Grails
Nospūn
The Color of Cyan
Bas Beer
(Reviewer & Interviewer)
1
Entheos - Time Will Take Us All
This one really blew my mind, full resonance to my personal taste! It’s intensely heavy, vividly progressive while telling me stories on the instrumental and vocal level, impressively technical, has a unique slap bass approach, and it cohesively flows through - perfect for a single listening session.
2
Obsidian Tide - The Grand Crescendo
Along the modern prog lines of my tastebuds, this remarkably expressive work was my highlight. Especially listening to the gut wrenchingly crushing story of The Field of Reeds, in a proggy extended-length composition spanning multiple songs: This is how I like my prog!
3
Stortregn - Finitude
Tech Death is a staple of my audio diet, and the likes of The Faceless - Planetary Duality have been long-time regulars on my rotation. In the future, this stream will be joined by Stortregn, hitting hard with tremendous chop flex and intensity, alongside some surprising flavors sprinkled in.
4
Linus Klausenitzer - Tulpa
A major bass playing influence to me, Linus Klausenitzer really surprised me with Tulpa. Going far beyond a bassist solo record, this one is a full fledged opus along the classical prog metal vein, with the slight nod to fretless mwah emphasis that draws me to the likes of Obscura, Cynic, Obsidious, and Death.
5
Honourable Mentions
Katha Reiser
(Reviewer & Editor)
1
The Anchoret - It All Began With Loneliness
What actually began with loneliness, as mastermind Ed Levitsky started to write these songs during the lockdown isolation, has become something very special in my ears, heart-breaking and soul healing in one, touching me in a way as only music can do… A highly expressive prog masterpiece, unique in its mesmerizing sound layers, incredibly creative yet always flowing. Magical.
2
Nospūn - Opus
The US based progmetal quartet comes along with an outstanding debut, highly dynamic and varied in their musical storytelling. Telling about a composer who tries to create the greatest piece of his life but is plagued with a form of writer’s block, his obsession grows worse, even as the other tenants of the house he lives in begin to perish in a series of tragic events. Absolutely brilliant, and with some earworm guarantee 😉
3
Blackscape - Suffocated by the Sun
Even though the Swedish trio appeared as a new formation on the metal scenery, the attentive reader could probably recognize the one or other name in the line-up - And they introduce themselves with a blast! Their debut album is best described as a mighty, beautiful beast, coming along dark and mind blowing, yet with a strong progressive approach, whether in the fantastic guitar work, the challenging rhythmic, or the diverse, expressive vocal performance. Crank it up!
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4
Turrigenous - Vesper - The Evening Star
Don't let the dragon on the cover fool you about a possible powermetal direction 😉 Turrigenous’ third record “Vesper - The Evening Star” is a full-grown, diverse progmetal album, melting a wide range of styles to a wonderful, new whole. Sophisticated and very dynamic, they tell a thrilling story about the imposter Vesper, with the words having been the first part of their creative process and the music written after it, which has some interesting effects on the complexity and melodies of the compositions.
5
Mask of Prospero - Hiraeth
What starts like - hmm... - just another metalcore record, quickly evolves into a highly emotional roller coaster. The whole album comes along powerful yet atmospheric, wandering in the wide fields between soft synth-pop and djent-driven progmetal, with many nuances in between. The sound is mighty yet detailed, making each instrument as well as the expressive vocals clearly audible without the band losing their strong unity, also catching me with their nearly flawless, varied song-writing.
Honourable Mentions
Obsidian Tide
Enoch Root
A Flying Fish
Neverus
Dissona
Listen here to the Playlist with the best of the Top 5 from Alex, Bas and Katha
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