Louis Goodwin aka Merkaba is a member of the growing one man instrumental progressive metal movement. Merkaba is a new project considering that it started back in June this year, and in such a short time Goodwin managed to write a self-titled EP which consist of nine songs and which brings a mix of electronica and djent / progressive metal. Goodwin sets himself apart by focusing on atmosphere rather than the intricate virtuosity of similar artists. The music utilizes relatively straightforward “djent” rhythms mixed with sustained synths and delayed clean guitars all dripping with reverb. The beauty of the layers is undeniable, with little to no dissonance to be found.

“Merkaba” definitely succeeds in what it was trying to do. The EP greatly benefits from more emphasis on clean delayed guitar sections that give the music a nice dynamic range. This is a record whose tracks slowing and steady grow until they burst with emotion yet always make sure to keep a super chill vibe. The songs aren’t in a hurry, and instead let you soak in the atmosphere and emotion of a truly chill, yet much more than ambient, experience. It has such a wonderful vibe about it, like profound discovery and the mystery and beauty of the universe. It’s great music to let your imagination run wild.

Listen to “Merkaba” on Bandcamp here.

Over the last few years, instrumental releases within the progressive rock/metal genre have been on the rise, and like with everything else, the quality of the releases vary from hit-and-miss to some absolutely amazing gems. Guamskyy, based in Houston, Texas, is a project of Christian San Agustin, a composer and guitarist who has been releasing music for a few years. Seven Parallels is a full-length debut by Guamsky. Scheduled for the December 20th release, it can be said that this album is definitely one of the latest releases to find its place in the AOTY lists for 2016.

Well composed, arranged and wonderfully performed, Seven Parallels is an ambitious piece of largely instrumental prog metal, with more than enough epic ideas to keep a listener engaged and attentive. Suffice to say, there is more than enough of a variety to keep the music from sounding stale or rehashed. Although Agustin’s true calling lies in melody-driven progressive metal guitar, the stylistic curveballs here are fully-realized and sound great. “All In Spite,” the album’s opener, is an excellent example of Agustin’s skill as a multi-faceted composer. And this skill just keeps on improving throughout the nine-track release. “Shellfish” features a guest performance by guitarist Dean Murphy, who performs an engaging solo, adding yet another layer to the already multilayered piece. Song structures seem arranged to cater to a string of individually satisfying moments, as opposed to the ideas all contributing to the overall whole of a composition. Even in the most ambitious progressive rock/metal moments, I tend to look for some of the same qualities found in conventionally good songwriting.

Obviously, much of the spotlight here is placed on Agustin’s prodigious grasp of the electric guitar. Although the album’s djenty side doesn’t stand any bit above what we’ve already heard from that corner of prog metal, Agustin makes himself out to be an absolutely brilliant fusion guitarist, possibly one of the best I’ve heard in recent years. “Hyper Beam” might be my favourite track on the album for this very reason; Agustin’s marriage of keen instrumental wandering and tight melodic passages is gorgeous.

Seven Parallels is an album packed with instrumental inventiveness and technical proficiency. Christian San Agustin excels here both as a composer and musician.

Pre-order ‘Seven Parallels’ on Bandcamp here.

As much as I have attempted to explore it, I cannot say that I have been able to decipher — much less appreciate — the trend of deathrash metal. There have certainly been bands in the style that I have greatly enjoyed, but as a whole, I cannot understand its fixation with speed and soloing over what I perceive to be musicality, not to mention the fact that so many of the bands seem content to mirror the existing sounds of the style. On that note, I see a world of potential when the aggression of thrash is melded with more progressive sensibilities. Voivod pulled it off beautifully, and now Riftwalker — a prog deathrash band from Vancouver — is taking these genres and going somewhere interesting with it. True enough, Riftwalker’s debut album “Green & Black” is not revolutionizing the sounds of the genre by any degree, but the band’s greater depth in their composition makes them one of the best bands on the current scene.

From the album artwork alone, I get the feeling that Riftwalker is taking after more classic progressive outfits. The music generally follows suit with this, although there is certainly a drawn influence from the more straightforward acts like Slayer and Exodus. The music is fast and furious for the most part, relying on riffs that immerse themselves in technical finesse as well as a rawer aggression that I sense often in the style. Balancing this out though is a dynamic, not only from heaviness to softer moments, but also in tempo. Often, the band will go from a blistering foray of furious soloing and likeminded rhythms, and then break down into something more atmospheric and doomy. The fast parts are admittedly fairly generic from an instrumental standpoint, but the fact that these compositions are given more than one-gear speed is enough to make Riftwalker stand apart from most in my books.

Maybe the best thing about Riftwalker are the vocals, performed here by all three members. Leading Riftwalker with higher pitched rasps, the sheer range that the guys are able to take their voices into is astounding.

Riftwalker’s “Green & Black” is a very good debut, taking the best parts of thrash metal and making an album that is both intelligent and a hell of a lot of fun.

“Riftwalker” can be purchased here.

Hailing from New York City, trio Infinity Shred has been around since 2012. In October this year the band released their second album “Long Distance,” a follow-up to 2013’s LP “Sanctuary.”

These three musicians have mixed post rock, electronica, shoegaze, black metal and math-esque rock together to form this mélange of amazingly enjoyable music. It’s fast, slow, heavy, light, crushing, light; everything all at the same time. It is hard to explain this record and yet, so easy to understand everything that is happening.

Bursts of emotion and intensity line the opener “Choir VI”; the bottom layer of slow epic synth holds up the fractured percussion/bass. All the different sounds and textures add to this incoming tidal wave that is Long Distance: a stunning example of how to expand the sounds of acoustic instruments. This record has rises and falls, climaxes, explosions of intensity, etc. The thing that makes it so different is the small little tweaks they made, and huge leap of using mostly electronic sounds in their music.

Although using mostly electronic instruments in music is not a new idea, their application is very fresh. There are no weak songs on this record. There are some parts which could have been extended, and sometimes it feels as if the drums are too overpowering compared to everything else. Over all, the record is quite consistent in staying interesting.

The complexity of this record seems to be derived from it’s simplicity: there are no solos, insane guitar riffs, piano runs, odd time signature jumps, or unfamiliar keys. The beauty is extracted from the sum of all it’s parts working in a wonderful harmony that is consistent, fresh, interesting, and most of all: lively.

Grab a copy of “Long Distance” from Bandcamp.

Mezzanine Floor is a South African band that has been active since 2010. They released their debut album this past September, bringing a mix of a catchy progressive metal and hard/alternative rock sound which circles around melodeath in some parts, then turns back again where it takes its roots. The album is called “Architecture Of Aeons” and it includes 11 songs. Both lyrically and musically the album is built around emotional fields covered with anger.

“Architecture Of Aeons” knows how to satisfy one’s ears. Great guitar melodies, mostly brutal vocals in a combination with cleans, lots of “anger” that helps in expressing the song vibes. This album is a great familiar tune from the very known and loved bands such as In Flames, Mastodon, Tool, and Children of Bodom.

“Architecture Of Aeons” is an interesting take on the mentioned genres; technically it is very professionally built. Hopefully we won’t wait too long for its follow-up. A must-listen of the year.

Get a copy of “Architecture Of Aeons” here.

Hailing frrom Wiesbaden in Germany, Unprocessed have been around since 2013, and for the period of these three years they managed to put two releases: 2014’s full-length “In Concretion,” and last month’s brand new EP “Perception.”

Unprocessed play a brand of djent/progressive metal, combining ambient elements and delicately played clean layers over top of the stuttering and stabbing rhythms set in place by Meshuggah and SikTh. The difference is, the music feels much more lush and organic, setting themselves apart from the very mechanical sounding contemporaries who follow a similar formula. While the melodic djent thing isn’t new, Unprocessed manage to sound unique and fresh, thanks to the atmospheres and singing.

The vocal work, courtesy of Manuel Gardner Fernandes, on “Perception” is superb, sounding like a much more competent and versatile Chester Bennington (meaning no disrespect, I absolutely love his singing voice.) The soaring vocal melodies and lyrics will definitely embed themselves in your memory. The screaming vocals are few and far between, but when they show up, they are in the right place and sound, once again, like Chester Bennington and maybe a touch of Chad Gray back when he could still scream worth a damn.

The guitar work is split between the dry and low polyrhythmic chugs and clean and melodic layering for ambiance. These two styles fit together in perfect harmony and create some wonderful soundscapes and textures. The bass is also very present in the mix, which is an added touch of brilliance. You can hear it slapping and popping along throughout the EP, even taking a few moments here and there to be the focal point of the music from time to time. Listen to numbers like “Ocean of Silence” or “Perspective,” and you’ll catch it. Oh, and the drumming is actually real, which is a nice change of pace for a genre that likes to program everything or play it through an electronic kit. This is one of the contributing factors for the EP not sounding like an overproduced machine.

As for the musical composition, “Perception” does feel like one song and flows through tracks logically when things take a change in pace or theme. Unprocessed can definitely demand the attention of the listener without having to drop a solo every few minutes. These guys know what they’re doing.

With the release of “Perception,” Unprocessed have moved out of the periphery (no pun intended) and into focus. If Unprocessed can come up with this great music in the course of a half-an-hour EP, we are in for a treat when their next full-length is out.

Get a copy of “Perception” from Bandcamp here. Unprocessed are on Facebook, give them a like.

Now I’ll go on a limb here and tell that Salem, Oregon quartet Dusks Embrace are innovators. Their upcoming studio record titled “ReAwakening” represents somewhat a creative renewal for the band, and brings the sound that (possibly) you didn’t hear before. How come you ask? Most of time on “ReAwakening” this band explores within the progressive rock genre, but what makes it unique is addition of the doom element to the mix.

There is certainly something ethereal in the music of this fine band. Be it singer’s Aldo Carlissian’s voice, or guitarist’s Josh Brewer’s spacey soundscapes, the atmosphere throughout “ReAwakening” is unique. The beauty of this album lies in its brilliant blend of styles, which are infused with tranquil passages and superb melodies. It is that rare album that challenges, yet never bores, and never falls into the trap of purposeless instrumental excursions.

In other words, the song remains the central focus. In many ways it is the album’s quintessence, beginning as an epic prog rocker and morphing into the type of scintillating melody that brings to mind the first-rate tunefulness of acts like Anathema.

Beyond the individual tracks though is a cohesive, multi-part prog symphony that variously hits hard with robust riffing, eases into sections of lush, keyboard-created atmospheres, and benefits from the vocal dexterity of Carlissian, which is bolstered by serene harmony vocals. By the time you have reached the final two songs, “Winter’s Epitaph” and the title track, you will not even think about distinctions made between instrumental pieces or vocal melodies. The feeling instead is one of immersion in the album’s seamless mix of sonic might and sparkling beauty. Impressive.

Follow Dusks Embrace on Facebook.

X-Panda premiered in 2011 (has it been that long?) with the stunning “Flight Of Fancy.” This was a nearly flawless combination of progressive rock and metal. Hopes for an equally satisfying sophomore effort are fulfilled with “Reflections,” another work of complex compositions, pleasing melodies, and terrific vocal stylings.

After listening to this great album, several important characteristics stand out. One is Tamar Nugis’incredible vocals; his range is varied and his delivery smooth. A second noteworthy attribute is the single-minded cohesion of the band: this is a very tight band. Third, the production is nearly impeccable: all players gel together in unison, yet all are heard with clarity. Finally, being a fan of great guitar work, I am again impressed with Risto Virkhausen, a superb and passionate musician. He needs more recognition in the genre.

X-Panda again includes several longer songs where the members stretch their collective musical talents. Both “Denial” and two-part “Reflections” are great pieces of prog metal, the former being a little edgier. Other favorite songs include opening “The Game,” “Hit And Run,” and instrumental “On The Way.” Take particular note of the instrumental piece, where Virkhausen and keyboardist Kaarel Tamra rip it up in a dynamic exchange

It’s hard for any band to build upon the success of a great debut. Yet, X-Panda has done it and done it very well. My hope is that the Estonia’s best kept secret is here to stay.

Buy this album and enjoy!

As I’m writing this review, I’ve probably listened to this album dozens of times. This is the type of album that motivated me to start reviewing in the first place.  A band of this caliber not being signed or at least getting some exposure is ludicrous in every sense of the word. The band I’m talking about, of course, is Eden Shadow.

‘Melodies for Maladies’ is one of those albums that, musically, a person finds to be perfect in every way, but either the rest of the world doesn’t think so or the band just isn’t very lucky, because few others get to share that glory. In place of the archetype ‘Metal with some Prog Rock’ influence that most Progressive Metal bands use, this band actually plays something of an opposite, instead adding Metal influence to a very evident Progressive Rock structure.

There’s nothing more valuable than a good opener track; it starts the album off on the right foot and in many cases, can make or break a listener’s enjoyment.  While ‘Ventriloquist’ starts out a bit slow it’s certainly forgivable, because it picks up fairly quickly. During its ten-and-a-half minutes the song is changing moods, making it for an amazing experience, overall.

Probably one of the most standout factors of any Metal recording is the riff work. In many cases – more so with Progressive Metal than anything – the riff work is at the forefront of the music in a very obnoxious manner, and it overshadows the rest of the things going on in a song. With Eden Shadow this isn’t the case; as I said earlier, they seemingly take a Progressive Rock structure and blend it with elements of Metal to produce what I find the sound of Progressive Metal SHOULD be. In Eden Shadow’s case, the guitar is used pretty regularly, but it’s never obnoxiously placed at the forefront of the music, and instead falls into place with everything else that’s going on. Between the catchy riffs, melodious leads, and soothing acoustics (‘Edge of Insanity’), Eden Shadow’s riff work is definitely worthy of praise.

A couple other things that really stood out were the vocals and, quite surprisingly, the keyboards. All of them, including guitars, courtesy of Ryan Mark Elliott. There’s always been something about woodwind instruments that I’ve found organic, and the masterful use of the flute courtesy of renown Theo Travis on the epic “Introspect Part 2” gives the music that extra warmth that many of its contemporaries lack. In addition to the use of flute, the vocals found on much of the album are quite easy to digest, but at the same time are fairly unique and can be recalled quite easily.

In conclusion, this album is something that everybody who listens to Progressive Rock or Progressive Metal on ANY scale should listen to, hands down. I believe the term ‘the best band you’ve never heard of’ comes into play here, and with an album this good, it’s incredibly easy to say. In a scene where there are numerous clones and rehashes, this album is a breath of fresh air.

Buy “Melodies for Maladies” from Bandcamp.

Although Kyros, formerly known as Synaesthesia, has been around for a few years now, the Londoners are gradually coming to accept their position in the vanguard of interesting British rock. In some ways Vox Humana is, naturally, the most explicitly progressive statement they’ve made since their inception.

What is significant here is that the self-imposed structure seems to have given the band a greater freedom in their craft. As if released from the weight of a requirement to create rational, self-contained songs, the pieces that make up Vox Humana feel much more freely creative than the group’s previous effort. Ideas flow between and through the tracks with wild abandon, and simple moments create a drama far beyond the sum of their parts.

First impressions of Vox Humana are of an album that would appeal both to newcomers and to those that are already familiar with the band’s work. Kyros is at the top of their game here; with such a rich heritage, brittle pop-prog and more, this band is a real tour-de-force and something to look for in the future.

Repeated listens of Vox Humana have just made it easier to fully understand the story and delve deep into this large chunk of material. The album is a culmination of the musical ideas present in the previous album but with unleashed avalanche of creativity. It is a pinnacle achievement, an album to be savoured, and one which begs the question – where next?

Pre-order ‘Vox Humana’ from Kyros’ BigCartel page.