1: VON HERTZEN BROTHERS - Red Alert In The Blue Forest
2: KAPREKAR'S CONSTANT - The Murder Wall
Description: Third album from this UK-based folksy-prog collective that will delight all fans of early Genesis and Big Big Train, with a lovely blend of male and female voices.
Another concept album, The Murder Wall chronicles six different attempts to climb the north face of The Eiger, one of mountaineering’s most difficult challenges. Listening to this lovely album is a much easier way to spend an afternoon!
3: ODDLAND - Vermillion
Description: Almost exactly a decade after the release of their debut album, A Treachery of Senses, complex prog-metallers Oddland return with their third effort. After the more djent-inspired foundlings of Origin six years ago, this newbie is much closer to that debut album.
Opening with a five-part title track stretched across 25 minutes, you can tell that this ain't gonna be a simple listen; it never has been with Oddland. Part Pain of Salvation, part Meshuggah, part Leprous, part Teserract, part name-your-avant-garde-prog-metal-band-of-choice. Heavy sh*t for adventurous minds.
4: HUMANOTONE - A Flourishing Fall in a Grain of Sand
Description: Over at Bandcamp-land this has been topping the best-sellers lists in all sorts of categories; and who am I to argue with the record-buying public!
Hailing from Cocuimbo, Chile, heavy-psych, progressive, stoner, doom one-man band Humanotone tick all the right boxes for me. Swathes of heavy guitars can be heard duelling with keyboards/organ in an ever-changing dynamic across six extended tracks. Composer Jorge Cist admirably performs all drums, bass, guitars, keys and vocals. Heaven for fans of Elder and King Buffalo.
5. BIID - Medium
Description: Here's some alt/prog rock/metal that deserves more attention than it seems to have been getting so far. This quintet from Leipzig produced a five-track mini album (Home) back in 2017.
Having spent time building homes and creating families, the five-some have returned with a very enjoyable collection, inspired by the likes of 3, Tides of Man, Dark Suns, Fair to Midland and Tool.
Frontman Matthias Prokop’s soulful voice has an easy pop-sensibility. The music is not in-yer-face heavy but complexly-engaging. Start with I Don't Belong Here or Catching Shadows and keep going if you enjoy it. Thanks to the DPRP's Ignacio Bernaola for the tip!
More info from the official band website
6. TANGERINE DREAM - Raum
Description from the press blurb: "On their new album Raum, Tangerine Dream develop the concept of its precursor EP (Probe 6—8) further. Composed and produced with full access to Edgar Froese’s Cubase arrangements (and Otari Tape Archive with recordings from 1977-2013), Thorsten Quaeschning, Hoshiko Yamane and Paul Frick deliver late-night, real-time compositions. Combined with classic studio productions, sequencer-driven soundscapes alternate with anthemic, warm synthesizers."
The Top 20 Heavy Prog & Progressive Metal Albums of 2021
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