Tag Archives: Progressive Metal

Visions Of Morpheus was originally formed as a solo project by Jeff Pearson but has grown into a full-fledged band. Their debut album, Lost Within, was released in November 2023. Hailing from Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, they join a long line of Canadian Progressive rock and metal bands in exploring vast soundscapes meant to stimulate more than just the ears. This is more of a full-body experience as you wander through haunting melodies and heavy rhythms, influenced by the hyperactive interplay between the guitars and keyboards, supported by nuanced rhythms and wrapped around vocals that range from delicate to bombastic.

Hyloxalus is something heavy music fans have been familiar with for decades; the Canadian Power Trio. One of the key differences is the vocals. The layers of Nina are something out of an Epic Power Symphonic Metal lover’s dream. Her tones are stunning and the way the layers are built creates a soundscape that rivals anything you’ve heard to date. Mike takes on a lot of roles, playing everything except the drums. Danial takes on that task and the three of them show they are all very capable of performing their parts with precision and technicality.

Disconnected Souls is a hyper-diverse blend of musical elements meant to push boundaries to limits rarely explored. Multiple vocalists weave around each other track after track, creating complex interactions that will have you constantly referring to the lyric sheet as you study this album. This is not a record you put on and walk away from. The concept is intricate and the lyrics reflect that depth, coupling with the music to deliver something you have to dig into. You will want to understand this record, not just hear it.

Olathia is a four-piece Power/Thrash Metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. They add in Melodic and Traditional Metal with hints of Progressive Metal to craft a sound that is expansive and complex. They also like a challenge as you will notice from the cover song on the album, “Hall Of The Mountain King” by Savatage. This female-fronted band will blow you away with the sheer force of the music they write. Their bold choice for a cover track from 1987 by one of the (in my opinion) most underrated bands in Metal shows they are not afraid to push boundaries and test their abilities, an attribute I appreciate in a Metal band.

Weightless World is a Progressive Metal band from Finland formed in 2011. Heavy on the Progressive end of the Metal spectrum, they bring in elements of Power and Metalcore and even edge pretty close to Speed Metal at times. They use clean and harsh vocals, mixed in with the backing vocals to create a larger-than-life set of voices capable of taking their songs to a new level.

Noturnall is a Brazilian Power Metal band that has been around for a decade now and has achieved international fame through relentless touring and creating some EPIC music. Guest performers include Michael Romeo, Mike Portnoy, and Ney Matogrosso just to name a few. With guitar work rivaling DragonForce and a rhythm section that is second to none, the vocals round out a dynamic sound built for speed and rooted in accurate, aggressive compositions. It’s no wonder world-class musicians are joining them on their musical journey.

Dovorian is a lockdown project of Adam Sayer. Adam writes and records all instruments with additional inputs by Tom S. Englund of Evergrey handling vocal arrangements and lyrics, and Jonas Ekdahl, also of Evergrey, on drum programming. The album also features Johan Niemann (Evergrey) on bass for “Heathens” and Vikram Shankar (Silent Skies, Redemption) with a piano performance and writing on “Someone Like You.” The inclusion of members of Evergrey and the outstanding skills of Vikram add even more elegance and finesse to an already fantastic album.

You get a musically focused, beautifully executed Prog Metal album that is worth every moment. The music is the catalyst, not the ability of the musician. There is a symbiotic relationship between the lyrics and the music, an organic link that builds a connection. I hope this becomes a new trend; Prog for the music, not the musician.

Ex Aegis is a Power/Prog Metal band with Hard Rock sensibilities mixed in. Hailing from Sacramento, California, they blend beautifully into the West Coast Metal scene. You can hear the 80s influences and the new production and recording qualities, giving this album a timeless feel.

Obsidian Tide is a three-piece Technical/Progressive Metal band from Tel Aviv, Israel. Formed in 2012, they combine clean and harsh vocals with a wide variety of different musical styles. Ranging from gentle, almost lilting melodies to incredibly aggressive metal, Obsidian Tide allows your mind to wander through soundscapes that are relaxing, but are not afraid  Continue Reading »