Progressive Death

White Stones – Memoria Viva Review

By Saunders on July 1, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, 27 comments

“The side project of Opeth’s bass-slinging extraordinaire Martin Mendéz, White Stones emerged on their 2020 debut Kuarahy. Marketed as Mendéz’s return to his death metal roots following Opeth’s increased forays into vintage progressive rock, the debut featured some solid tunes and a chunky, quirky brand of prog-dabbled death. Striking while the iron’s hot, White Stones returned in quickfire fashion with 2021’s Dancing Into Oblivion. Unfortunately, the solid groundwork established on the debut was muddied on the sophomore opus, which increased the proggy inklings, yet lacked focus and cohesion, largely disappointing as a gripping, cohesive album.” Throwing curious rocks.

Eigenstate Zero – The Malthusian Review

By Maddog on May 29, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, 22 comments

“After a six-month hiatus from writing (and most everything else), I couldn’t resist reviewing an artist with eigen- in their name. My excitement for linear algebra drew me to Eigenstate Zero’s third record, despite my inkling that “eigenstate zero” was a nonsense phrase. Unsurprisingly, Eigenstate Zero is a solo prog project, and The Malthusian offers 78 indulgent minutes of off-kilter death metal from Sweden’s Christian Ludvigsson.” Death, math, and taxes are acquired tastes.

Job for a Cowboy – Moon Healer Review

By Saunders on February 21, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, 69 comments

“Arizona’s Job for a Cowboy garnered significant buzz and division within the metal realms when they dropped their 2005 debut EP, Doom. The brawny slab of deathcore impressed those inclined, before gradually transitioning into a modern death metal act with tech leanings, largely dispensing with the core influences. Fairly nonplussed by the band’s earlier material, Job for a Cowboy’s pivoting career trajectory blindsided me on fourth LP, Sun Eater, released nearly a decade ago. Signature technical proficiency, testosterone-charged aggression, and bludgeoning, slickly produced modern death remained, however, the unexpected integration of progressive structures and complex compositions, offering a hefty thump of aggression and brutality, largely impressed.” Cow tipping, gun slinging.

Begravement – Horrific Illusions Beckon [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

By Saunders on January 11, 2024 in Things You Might Have Missed 2023, Death Metal, Progressive Death, 25 comments

“Amidst the slew of mighty fine death metal releases in 2023, there were some killer debuts and plenty of albums well worth your attention, even if they didn’t feature heavily, or at all, during another epic Listurnalia campaign. One such album was the debut LP from up-and-coming Minnesota death dealers Begravement and their potential packed Horrific Illusions Beckon album.” Grave developments.

Dyssebeia – Garden of Stillborn Idols Review

By Carcharodon on November 18, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, 44 comments

“I am highly skeptical about the value of social media. For the most part, if you ask me (which I appreciate no one is but you should – I have OPINIONS!), it simply allows anonymous idiots hiding behind stupid pseudonyms to think that their opinions on anything from politics to music matter. For the most part, I don’t social. However, it was via a post on Zuckerbook (which I reluctantly use on occasion) that I first came to learn of the existence of Swiss blackened progressive death outfit, Dyssebeia, and their forthcoming debut, Garden of Stillborn Idols, which I duly snagged for review.” Farm fresh Idols.

Alkaloid – Numen Review

By Saunders on September 12, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, Technical Death Metal, 67 comments

“German collective Alkaloid bucks the trend often associated with bands fitted with the ‘supergroup’ tag. With a line-up boasting members of such lauded acts as Spawn of Possession, Obscura, Necrophagist, Eternity’s End, Dark Fortress, and many others, on 2015’s striking debut The Malkuth Grimoire, and 2018’s phenomenal sophomore opus Liquid Anatomy, Alkaloid ascended to elite status in the modern progressive and technical death metal scenes.” Dream team on paper (but see the N.Y. Jets).

Horrendous – Ontological Mysterium Review

By Saunders on August 14, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, 122 comments

“Between twenty-twelve and twenty-eighteen, Philadelphia’s Horrendous morphed from a straightforward old school death unit into a sophisticated and elite progressive death metal force, boasting a trio of gripping LPs on the back of a solid debut that hinted at Horrendous’ potential without fully preparing listeners for their stunning evolution.” Victory and mutation.

The Willowtip Files: Capharnaum – Fractured

By Saunders on October 18, 2022 in Blog Posts, The Willowtip Files, Progressive Death, Technical Death Metal, 19 comments

“Pennsylvanian-based independent label Willowtip Records was established by Jason Tipton in the late ’90s. From humble beginnings the label has stood the test of time, becoming one of the most respected and highly regarded record labels in the extreme metal scene. It takes something special to create a label with a consistently unfuckwithable roster of quality, innovative artists, while retaining long-term integrity and durability. Willowtip is the self-proclaimed forward-thinking label, releasing a slew of modern classics and top-shelf albums that may have a lower profile but are more than worth your while.” Next stop: All star death.

An Abstract Illusion – Woe Review

By Carcharodon on September 12, 2022 in Reviews, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, 102 comments

“As the title might suggest, Woe is a record packed with bleak soundscapes and drenched in misery. Sprawled across almost an hour of beautiful depression, An Abstract Illusion’s latest work feels like a single flowing composition, rather than the seven tracks it’s presented as. Heavier and channeling a more blackened and atmospheric edge into the progressive death metal of its predecessor, there is a swirling sense of barely controlled chaos that lies just beneath the surface of Woe.” Woe to we.

Sunless – Ylem Review

By Saunders on October 29, 2021 in Reviews, Death Metal, Experimental Metal, Progressive Death, 56 comments

“Back in 2016 I stumbled across the promising demo from Minnesota’s Sunless, a fractured example of violent, dense and dissonant death. Urraca, their 2017 debut LP, expanded on the promise of the demo in appealing ways, firmly placing Sunless on the radar. Now they return, fittingly backed by Willowtip Records for their anticipated sophomore album, Ylem, dubbed the second part of a conceptual trilogy.” Dark and dangerous days.