Interloper "Search Party"

Country: USA
Genre(s): Progressive Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, digital, vinyl
Release date: June 11, 2021
Tracklist

1. Pathkeeper (5:20) 

2. Bound To Fall (4:09) 

3. Moonlight (4:29) 

4. Dreamlands (4:36) 

5. Drift (3:54) 

6. Search Party (4:55) 

7. The Wishing Well (5:09) 

8. Idle Years (4:43) 

9. Cheshire (6:30) 

10. Baring Teeth (4:15) 

11. Rio (6:02) 

Total Time 54:02 

Line-up

Miles Dimitri Baker (Rings of Saturn) - Guitar

Andrew Virrueta (The Faceless, Vampire Squid) - Guitar, Vocals

Aaron Stechauner (Rings of Saturn) - Drums

Description/Reviews:

On the basis of opener "Pathkeeper", a cynic might anticipate an album full of mildly progressive metalcore with big, shiny choruses. Fear not, cynics, because INTERLOPER's debut is ferociously original, at least in modern metal terms, and owes virtually nothing to the sterile mainstream. Instead, this feels like a newly minted form of prog metal, underpinned by the furious technicality that one expects from the men involved, but very pointedly focused on songcraft and the seamless weaving of textures and atmospherics. Although there is nothing remotely retro about these songs, there is a very RUSH-like sense of liberated ingenuity to their structures, with that magpie-like snaffling of disparate elements driving everything exuberantly forward.

Read the full review by Lawson at blabbermouth.net

Media/Samples
Search Party 

Idle Years 

Deezer 

Spotify

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Silver Lake by Esa Holopainen "Silver Lake by Esa Holopainen"

Country: Finland
Genre(s): Progressive Rock/Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, digital, vinyl
Release date: May 28, 2021
Tracklist

1. Silver Lake (3:04) 

2. Sentiment (3:45) 

3. Storm (4:14) 

4. Ray Of Light (3:31) 

5. Alkusointu (4:43) 

6. In Her Solitude (4:48) 

7. Promising Sun (4:17) 

8. Fading Moon (4:28) 

9. Apprentice (4:30) 

Total Time 37:20

Line-up
Esa Holopainen (Amorphis) - Guitars 

Vili Itäpelto - Keyboards  

Pasi Heikkilä - Bass  

Sampo Haapaniemi - Drums, Percussion 

Ronny Hemlin - Backing vocals 

Gas Lipstick - Drums

Jonas Renske (Katatonia) - Vocals (2, 9)

Håkan Hemlin (Nordman) - Vocals (3)

Einar Solberg (Leprou) - Vocals (4)

Vesa-Matti Loiri - Spoken word (5)

Tomi Joutsen (Amorphis) - Vocals (6)

Björn 'Speed' Strid (Soilwork/The Night Flight Orchestra) - Vocals (7) 

Anneke van Giersbergen (The Gathering) - Vocals (8)

Description/Reviews:

As is likely evident by now, Holopainen’s achievement lies in mining the strengths of each singer even while working within the context of these original songs. It’s Holopainen’s own material, yes, but it also delivers a kind of “greatest hits” vibe in terms of the sonic signature of its star vocalists.

Read the full review by Scott Medina at sonicperspectives.com

Media/Samples
Streams

Trailer
Storm

Ray Of Light

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Enslaved "Utgard"

Country: Norway
Genre(s): Progressive Extreme Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, digital, vinyl, cassette
Release date: October 2, 2020
Tracklist: 
1. Fires In The Dark
2. Jettegryta
3. Sequence
4. Homebound
5. Utgarđr
6. Urjotun
7. Flight Of Thought And Memory
8. Storms Of Utgard
9. Distant Seasons

Line-up: 
Ivar Bjørnson
Grutle Kjellson
Ice Dale
Håkon Vinje
Iver Sandøy

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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Alcest "Spiritual Instinct"

Country: France
Genre(s): Post Rock/Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, vinyl, digital, cassette
Release date: October 25, 2019
Tracklist: 
1. Les jardins de minuit (7:53)
2. Protection (5:49)
3. Sapphire (5:00)
4. L'île des morts (9:04)
5. Le miroir (5:31)
6. Spiritual Instinct (7:42)

Total Time 40:59

Line-up: 
Neige : guitars, bass, synths, vocals
Winterhalter : drums

Media/Samples 
Protection 

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Opeth "In Cauda Venenum"

Country: Sweden
Genre(s): Progressive Rock
Label: Moderbolaget Records, Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, vinyl, digital
Release date: September 27, 2019
Tracklist: (Swedish/English versions)
1. Livet’s Trädgård / Garden Of Earthly Delights (Intro)
2. Svekets Prins / Dignity
3. Hjärtat Vet Vad Handen Gör / Heart In Hand
4. De Närmast Sörjande / Next Of Kin
5. Minnets Yta / Lovelorn Crime
6. Charlatan
7. Ingen Sanning Är Allas / Universal Truth
8. Banemannen / The Garroter
9. Kontinuerlig Drift / Continuum
10. Allting Tar Slut / All Things Will Pass

Line-up: 
Mikael Åkerfeldt - vocals, guitars
Martin Mendez - bass
Martin Axenrot - drums
Fredrik Åkesson - guitars
Joakim Svalberg - keys

Media/Samples 
Teaser
Svekets Prins
Hjärtat Vet Vad Handen Gör" / "Heart In Hand

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Marko Hietala "Mustan Sydämen Rovio" / "Pyre Of The Black Heart"

Country: Finland
Genre(s): Progressive Rock/Metal
Label:  Savonian Rooster (Finnish version), Nuclear Blast (English version)
Format: CD, digital, vinyl
Release date: May 24, 2019 (CD, digital), July 5, 2019 (vinyl), January 24, 2020 (English version)
Tracklist: 
01. Kiviä / Stones (5:15)
02. Isäni Ääni / The Voice Of My Father (4:37)
03. Tähti, Hiekka Ja Varjo / Star, Sand And Shadow (5:02)
04. Kuolleiden Jumalten Poika / Dead  (4:42)
05. Laulu Sinulle / God’s Son (7:11)
06. Minä Olen Tie / For You I Am The Way (5:06)
07. Juoksen Rautateitä / Runner Of The Railways  (3:51)
08. Vapauden Kuolinmarssi / Death March For Freedom (5:03)
09. Unelmoin Öisin / I Dream (5:39)
10. Totuus Vapauttaa / Truth Shall Set You Free (5:43)

Line-up: 
Marko Hietala a.k.a. Marco Hietala (Nightwish) - bass, vocals
Tuomas Wäinölä - guitar
Vili Ollila - keyboards
Anssi Nykänen - drums

Media/Samples 
Isäni ääni
Stream
Deezer

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Amorphis "Queen Of Time"

Country: Finland
Genre(s): Progressive Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, vinyl
Release date: May 18, 2018
Tracklist: 
1. The Bee (5:30)
2. Message In The Amber (6:44)
3. Daughter Of Hate (6:20)
4. The Golden Elk (6:22)
5. Wrong Direction (5:09)
6. Heart Of The Giant (6:32)
7. We Accursed (4:59)
8. Grain Of Sand (4:44)
9. Amongst Stars (4:50)
10. Pyres On The Coast (6:19)
Bonus Tracks (DIGI, 2LP, and MAILORDER EDITION only):
11. As Mountains Crumble (6:17)
12. Brother And Sister (6:03)

Total Time 69:49

Line-up: 
Tomi Joutsen
Esa Holopainen
Tomi Koivusaari
Santeri Kallio
Olli-Pekka Laine
Jan Rechberger
   With
Anneke van Giersbergen

Media/Samples 
The Bee
Wrong Direction
Amongst Stars

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Enslaved "E"

Country: Norway
Genre(s): Progressive Extreme Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, vinyl, digital
Release date: October 13, 2017
Tracklist: 
01. Storm Son (10:54)
02. The River’s Mouth (5:12)
03. Sacred Horse (8:12)
04. Axis Of The Worlds (7:49)
05. Feathers Of Eolh (8:06)
06. Hiindsiight (9:32)
Bonus digipak tracks:
07. Djupet (7:39)
08. What Else Is There? (Röyksopp cover) (4:44)

Line-up: 
Grutle Kjellson - bass, vocals, additional synthesizer
Ivar Bjørnson - lead & rhythm guitars, synthesizer
Ice Dale - lead & rhythm guitars
Håkon Vinje - keyboards, synthesizers, organ, vocals
Cato Bekkevold - drums, percussion
   With
Einar Kvitrafn Selvik (WARDRUNA)
Daniel Mage - flute
Kjetil Møster -  saxophone

Media/Samples 
Storm Son
The River’s Mouth 

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Threshold "Legends Of The Shires"

Country: UK
Genre(s): Progressive Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, digital, vinyl
Release date: September 8, 2017
Tracklist: 
CD 1:
1. The Shire (Part 1) (2:03)
2. Small Dark Lines (5:24)
3. The Man Who Saw Through Time (11:51)
4. Trust The Process (8:44)
5. Stars And Satellites (7:20)
6. On The Edge (5:20)

CD 2:
7. The Shire (Part 2) (5:24)
8. Snowblind (7:03)
9. Subliminal Freeways (4:51)
10. State Of Independence (3:37)
11. Superior Machine (5:01)
12. The Shire (Part 3) (1:22)
13. Lost In Translation (10:20)
14. Swallowed (3:54)

Total Time 82:14

Line-up: 
Glynn Morgan - vocals
Karl Groom - guitar
Richard West - keyboards
Johanne James - drums
Steve Anderson - bass
   With

Jon Jeary - vocals (12)

Media/Samples 
Lost In Translation
Small Dark Lines

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Wintersun "The Forest Seasons"

Country: Finland
Genre(s): Technical Extreme Progressive Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, digital, vinyl
Release date: July 21, 2017
Tracklist: 
1. Awaken From The Dark Slumber (Spring) (14:40)
2. The Forest That Weeps (Summer) (12:18)
3. Eternal Darkness (Autumn) (14:08)
4. Loneliness (Winter) (12:54)

Total Time 54:00

Line-up: 
Jari Mäenpää - Vocals, Guitar
Teemu Mäntysaari - Guitar
Jukka Koskinen - Bass
Kai Hahto - Drums

Media/Samples 
Trailer

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Pallbearer "Heartless"

Country: USA
Genre(s): Progressive Doom Rock/Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast, Profound Lore Records
Format: CD, vinyl, digital
Release date: March 24, 2017
Tracklist: 
1. I Saw The End (6:21)
2. Thorns (5:24)
3. Lie Of Survival (8:25)
4. Dancing In Madness (11:47)
5. Cruel Road (7:13)
6. Heartless (8:09)
7. A Plea For Understanding (12:40)

Total time 59:59

Line-up: 
Joseph D. Rowland - Bass, Vocals, Synthesizers
Devin Holt - Guitars, Vocals
Brett Campbell - Guitars, Vocals, Synthesizers
Mark Lierly - Drums

Description/Reviews: 

Pallbearer’s third album, Heartless, is an inspired collection of monumental rock music. The band offers a complex sonic architecture that weaves together the spacious exploratory elements of classic prog, the raw anthemics of 90’s alt-rock, and stretches of black-lit proto-metal. From the gloriously complex, sky-lit opener “I Saw the End” to the earth-shaking (and heartbreaking) 13-minute closer “A Plea for Understanding,” the entire group puts forth the full realization of their vision: More than a doom band, Pallbearer is a rock group with a singular songwriting talent and emotional capacity. Heartless finds the group putting forth their strongest individual efforts to date: Campbell and Rowland, along with guitarist/vocalist Devin Holt and drummer Mark Lierly, turn in peak marathon performances. Both Campbell and Rowland also handle synthesizers alongside their normal duties, and there are plenty of gently strummed acoustic guitars amid the crunchy electric ones, adding a moody, ethereal spareness to the towering metal. The almost 12-minute “Dancing in Madness” opens with dark post-rock ambience and moves toward emotional blues before exploding into a sludgy psychedelic anthem. A number of the seven songs feature a humid rock swagger.

By fusing their widest musical palette to date, Pallbearer make the kind of heavy rock (the heavy moments are *heavy*) that will appeal to diehards, but could also find the group crossing over into newer territories and fanbases. After having helped revitalize doom metal, it almost feels like they’ve gone and set their sights on rock and roll itself. Which doesn’t seem at all impossible on the back of a record like Heartless.

Media/Samples 
Bandcamp

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Meshuggah "The Violent Sleep Of Reason"

Country: Sweden
Genre(s): Progressive Death Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Format: CD, digital, vinyl
Release date: October 7, 2016
Tracklist: 
1. Clockworks (7:17)
2. Born In Dissonance (4:34)
3. Monstrocity (6:13)
4. By The Ton (6:04)
5. Violent Sleep Of Reason (6:51)
6. Ivory Tower (4:59)
7. Stifled (6:31)
8. Nostrum (5:15)
9. Our Rage Won't Die (4:41)
10. Into Decay (6:32)

Total time 58:57

Line-up: 
Jens Kidman - Vocals
Fredrik Thordendal - Guitars
Mårten Hagström - Guitars
Tomas Haake - Drums
Dick Lövgren - Bass

Media/Samples 
Teaser

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Opeth "Sorceress"

Country: Sweden
Genre(s): Progressive Rock/Metal
Label: Moderbolaget Records, Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, vinyl, digital
Release date: September 30, 2016
Tracklist: 
1. Persephone
2. Sorceress
3. The Wilde Flowers
4. Will O The Wisp
5. Chrysalis
6. Sorceress 2
7. The Seventh Sojourn
8. Strange Brew
9. A Fleeting Glance
10. Era
11. Persephone (Slight Return)

Line-up: 
Mikael Åkerfeldt - vocals, guitars
Martin Mendez - bass
Martin Axenrot - drums
Fredrik Åkesson - guitars
Joakim Svalberg - keys

Media/Samples
Sorceress 
Will O The Wisp 

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Epica "The Holographic Principle"

Country: Netherlands
Genre(s): Symphonic Progressive Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, vinyl, digital
Release date: September 30, 2016
Tracklist: 
1. Eidola (2:39)
2. Edge Of The Blade (4:34)
3. A Phantasmic Parade (4:36)
4. Universal Death Squad (6:38)
5. Divide And Conquer (7:48)
6. Beyond The Matrix (6:26)
7. Once Upon A Nightmare (7:08)
8. The Cosmic Algorithm (4:54)
9. Ascension - Dream State Armageddon (5:16)
10. Dancing In A Hurricane (5:26)
11. Tear Down Your Walls (5:03)
12. The Holographic Principle - A Profound Understanding Of Reality (11:35)

Total Time 72:03


Line-up: 
Simone Simons - vocals
Isaac Delahaye - guitars
Mark Jansen - guitars, vocals
Coen Janssen - synths, piano
Ariën van Weesenbeek - drums
Rob van der Loo - bass

Media/Samples 
Universal Death Squad

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Fallajuah "Dreamless"

Country: USA
Genre(s): Atmospheric Tech/Extreme Progressive Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, digital
Release date: April 29, 2016
Tracklist: 
1. Face Of Death (3:30)
2. Adrenaline (4:21)
3. The Void Alone (4:54)
4. Abandon (4:31)
5. Scar Queen (4:04)
6. Dreamless (6:18)
7. The Prodigal Son (4:17)
8. Amber Gaze (4:32)
9. Fidelio (2:44)
10. Wind For Wings (6:14)
11. Les Silences (5:56)
12. Lacuna (4:53)

Total time 56:14

Line-up: 
Andrew Baird - Drums
Scott Carstairs - Guitars
Alex Hofmann - Vocals
Rob Morey - Bass
Brian James - Guitars
   With
Tori Letzler‎ - Clean Vocals (3)

Description/Reviews: 

The record starts with “Face Of Death“ and directly makes sure that all of your expectations, hopes and probably dreams do come true. The song starts with ambient noises and modified guitars before the distorted guitars come in with heavy hitting drums. The brightness of the production directly swallows the recipient into its own atmosphere. In contrast to the slowed down tempo of the first track, the band shows a lot of fast-shaped songs, like the following track “Adrenaline,” on this 55 minute record.

Read the full review by Rodney Fuchs at itdjents.com

Media/Samples 
Scar Queen
The Void Alone

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Textures "Phenotype"

Country: Netherlands
Genre(s): Tech/Extreme Progressive Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD
Release date: February 5, 2015
Tracklist: 
1. Oceans Collide (6:03)
2. New Horizons (4:51)
3. Shaping A Single Grain Of Sand (4:20)
4. Illuminate The Trail (7:15)
5. Meander (1:38)
6. Erosion (4:34)
7. The Fourth Prime (7:06)
8. Zman (3:20)
9. Timeless (4:42)

Total time 43:49

Line-up: 
Daniël de Jongh - Vocals
Bart Hennephof - Guitar
Joe Tal - Guitar
Stef Broks - Drums
Remko Tielemans - Bass
Uri Dijk - Synths

Description/Reviews: 

“Oceans Collide” is a powerful opener to the album, with a subtle initial intake of breath just as the explosion of sound bursts forth. Immediately, the patterns and rhythms of heavy prog metal meet those of a slightly metalcore feel, with the rather recognizable tones of frontman Daniel de Jongh bringing the whole thing to life. The usage of aggressive harsh vocals in combination with his deep-sounding upper register of cleans are in full force, and as usual, provide a distinct quality to the band as a whole. However, Textures is not simply a vocal-driven band; the guitars provided by Joe Tal and Bart Hennephof are equally as impressive throughout.

Read the full review by Sandra Yeomans at metalwani.com

Media/Samples 
New Horizons

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Amorphis "Under The Red Cloud"

Country: Finland
Genre(s): Tech/Extreme Progressive Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, vinyl
Release date: September 4, 2015
Tracklist: 

1. Under The Red Cloud
2. The Four Wise Ones
3. Bad Blood
4. The Skull
5. Death Of A King
6. Sacrifice
7. Dark Path
8. Enemy At The Gates
9. Tree Of Ages
10. White Night
11. Come The Spring (Bonus track)
12. Winter’s Sleep (Bonus track)

Line-up: 
Tomi Joutsen
Esa Holopainen
Tomi Koivusaari
Niclas Etelävuori
Santeri Kallio
Jan Rechberger

Description/Reviews: 

1. Under The Red Cloud
Far from the in-your-face opening of the previous album, the title track starts with a soft piano intro, interspersed with subtle guitar lines and building up without any haste. Yet by the time the vocals set in, much has already happened. The organic development continues, with Tomi´s voice at first taking a secondary role to the guitars before gradually assuming domination. The stellar keyboard/guitar solo confirms that Amorphis are again at the top of their game: while this first impression reminds me in many ways of the best stuff on Skyforger (my favorite Amorphis album so far), it is heavier and far more diversified.

 Read the full track-by-track review by Tina Solda at stalker.cd

Media/Samples 
Death Of A King
Trailer

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Symphony X "Underworld"

Country: USA
Genre(s): Progressive Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Format:  CD, digital, vinyl
Release date: July 24, 2015
Tracklist: 
1. Overture
2. Nevermore
3. Underworld
4. Without You
5. Kiss Of Fire
6. Charon
7. Hell And Back
8. In My Darkest Hour
9. Run With The Devil
10. Swansong
11. Legend

Line-up: 
Michael LePond - Bass
Michael Romeo - Guitar
Russell Allen - Vocals
Michael Pinnella - Keyboards
Jason Rullo - Drums

Description/Reviews: 

First track is “Nevermore”. It’s a tribute to Dante in a compositional sense, and the number 3 is essential. The track is a classic Symphony X opening song; fast, catchy and melodic. Still it was the one track I spent most time getting to really like. The next three or four tracks are really the icing on the cake here; the super heavy title track, “Without You”(classic Symphony X, lovely balladry with some acoustic guitars, yet epic and a true stadium-anthem), and the ultra heavy “Kiss Of Fire” with some superb Devildriver-like pounding by the  great Jason Rullo, and Russell Allen who proves with his over-the-top performance that he’s one of the greatest singers out there. His vocals are more melodic, emotional and soaring this time than it was on “Iconoclast”, but there’s still some heavy shit going on.

 Read the full review by Hans Mikael Ødegaard at  screammagazine.com

Media/Samples 
Nevermore
Without You

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Nightwish "Endless Forms Most Beautiful"

Country: Finland
Genre(s): Symphonic Progressive Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, vinyl, digital
Release date: March 27/30/31, 2015 (EU/UK/USA)
Tracklist: 

1. Shudder Before the Beautiful - 6:29
2. Weak Fantasy - 5:23
3. Élan - 4:45
4. Yours Is an Empty Hope - 5:34
5. Our Decades in the Sun - 6:37
6. My Walden - 4:38
7. Endless Forms Most Beautiful - 5:07
8. Edema Ruh - 5:15
9. Alpenglow - 4:45
10. The Eyes of Sharbat Gula - 6:03
11. The Greatest Show on Earth - 24:00

Line-up: 
Floor Jansen (After Forever, Ayreon, Star One) - vocals
Tuomas Holopainen - keyboards, piano
Emppu Vuorinen - guitars
Marco Hietala - bass, vocals
Troy Donockley (Iona) - uilleann pipes, tin whistle, backing vocals
   With:
Kai Hahto (Wintersun, Swallow the Sun, Trees of Eternity) - drums, percussion
Richard Dawkins - narration
Pip Williams - orchestral arrangements and conducting
Metro Voices - choir

Media/Samples 
Elan

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Enslaved "In Times"

Country: Norway
Genre(s): Progressive Extreme Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Format: CD, vinyl
Release date: March 6 (EU), March 9 (UK), March 10 (NA), 2015
Tracklist: 

1. Thurisaz Dreaming
2. Building With Fire
3. One Thousand Years of Rain
4. Nauthir Bleeding
5. In Times
6. Daylight

Line-up: 
Grutle Kjellson - bass, vocals, additional synthesizer
Ivar Bjørnson - lead & rhythm guitars, synthesizer
Ice Dale - lead & rhythm guitars
Herbrand Larsen - keyboards, synthesizers, organ, vocals
Cato Bekkevold - drums, percussion

Media/Samples 
Steram
Trailer

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