Band: Baroness | Album: Stone | Genre: Progressive rock, Sludge metal | Bandcamp
Baroness’s first non-color-themed album is an improvement over the miserable Gold & Grey. The production is much better here; I can actually distinguish different instruments in the mix! The songwriting sees Baroness try a few new things, to mixed results. “Beneath the Rose” and “Choir” both see the band integrate some alt-metal influence, and “Magnolia” features some excellent evolution through its runtime. Stone still sees the band trying to be both pop-friendly radio rock and prog-sludge, and that prevents either side from truly shining.
Score: 71/100
Band: Giant the Vine | Album: A Chair at the Backdoor | Genre: Progressive rock, Post-rock | Bandcamp
This instrumental Italian act usually plays at an unhurried pace. This gives the music a chance to build and take its time in making its point. In their best moments, the channel strains of Porcupine Tree and Dream Theater’s less-metallic side. On the flip side, Giant the Vine has a tendency to let their music become aimless or repetitive. On the whole, this is decent, enjoyable instrumental prog, but the bloat does detract from it somewhat.
Score: 67/100
Band: Hemina | Album: Romancing the Ether | Genre: Progressive metal, Progressive rock | Bandcamp
I saw the tags “djent” and “groove” on this Australian act’s Bandcamp, and I immediately dreaded this one-song album was going to be 35 minutes of something in the vein of Periphery or TesseracT. Thankfully, those fears were misplaced. This band is much more stylistically similar to Dream Theater or Haken, the latter of which has gone in an increasingly djent-y direction of late. And much like Dream Theater, parts of this album do get a bit ballad-y for my taste. It’s not bad, per se, but if you’re not into rather sweet music, these sections may bore you. Throughout the massive track, this band skillfully shifts from metal to classic prog to poppy balladry to electronica, and more. Considering this composition’s massive scope, it’s cohesive, fluid, and overall impressive.
Score: 75/100
Band: Loma Baja | Album: Piscinas Verticales | Genre: Progressive rock, Post-rock | Bandcamp
This album has a slow-moving, hazy atmosphere to it. Loma Baja incorporates elements of post-rock and drone into their songwriting. The songs are well-structured and keep the whole affair interesting. The band is also capable of putting some good grit and muscle into their music, frequently incorporating elements of stoner rock and metal. The closing “AAAAA” is an especially strong example of their compositional skills.
Score: 79/100
Band: Osees | Album: Intercepted Message | Genre: Synth-punk, Krautrock | Bandcamp
Osees (and the many other ways they’ve spelled their name) are usually a pretty fun band. They have a lot of garage and punk influence and energy, but they’re usually also inventive and forward-thinking. 2018’s Smote Reverser is a wonderful blend of garage rock, krautrock, and psychedelia, and Face Stabber is pretty cool, too. I haven’t kept up with their last few releases, but I decided to give this one a spin, due in part to its creepy-cool cover art. The music on Intercepted Message is infectious. It’s so catchy and melodic while also being rather artsy. I love the synth tones on prominent display here, and this record absolutely flies by.
Score: 82/100
Artist: Ashley Reaks | Album: Winter Crawls | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp
The thirteenth album from English musician and visual artist Ashley Reaks is a dark, brooding affair that draws heavily from Van der Graaf Generator and late-career Porcupine Tree. An array of keyboard tones, saxophones, and distorted guitars keep the mood on Winter Crawls fittingly gloomy. Acoustic moments and electronic passages help to break things up. Overall, melodies are strong, and there are plenty of strange, memorable moments. Some songs can run a bit long or grow somewhat repetitious, but this is still a strong release when taken as a whole.
Score: 74/100
The Elite Extremophile 