Album Review: Mastodon – Marrow Deep

Band: Mastodon | Album: Marrow Deep | Genre: Progressive metal | Year: 2026

From: Atlanta, USA | Label: Loma Vista

Mastodon is a trailblazing band in the realm of modern metal. As it stands, prog-sludge is one of the most popular varieties of progressive metal, at least by the sheer number of bands playing in that style, and much of that popularity can surely be attributed to these Atlantans.

In revisiting their discography prior to writing this review, I noticed something of a parallel to Metallica’s career trajectory. Both bands started off with four absolutely stunning albums. This phase of work was then followed by a shift toward more radio-friendly sounds. (Obviously, The Hunter was nowhere near the success that Metallica’s self-titled was, but there are still overarching similarities.) Metallica’s subsequent records have ranged from middling (Death Magnetic, Hardwired), to awful (Reload, St. Anger), to downright baffling (Lulu). Mastodon, meanwhile, has been more consistent (and simply better, to be frank), but their output since the masterpiece that is Crack the Skye has oscillated boring-to-okay.

Marrow Deep, the group’s ninth LP, comes at a time of major change for the band. It follows five years after their last album, the perfectly fine but overlong Hushed & Grim. It’s also their first release since the death of guitarist-vocalist Brent Hinds, following his messy firing from the band. Longtime touring keyboardist João Nogueira has also joined the band, officially making Mastodon a quintet, alongside new guitarist Nick Johnston.

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Odds & Ends: September 7, 2026

Bands: Cocanha, Los Sara Fontán, Tarta Relena | Album: 4132314 | Genre: Experimental folk | Bandcamp

This collaboration of three duos is a mixture of original compositions and reinterpretations of folk songs. Cocanha specializes in Occitan polyphony, Los Sara Fontán in Catalan folk, and Tarta Relena in electronic-tinged post-rock; and all three bands’ styles are on proud display here. The vocals are rich, multi-layered, and carefully arranged; and the backing is brimming with odd metrical flourishes. This record feels like it has one foot in the twenty-first century and another in the nineteenth, and it’s a fantastic mash-up.

Score: 86/100

Band: Furii | Album: Pyromancy | Genre: Progressive pop | Bandcamp

Furii (pronounced “fury”) is a Cardiacs-adjacent project, a fact which is unmistakable from this album’s opening moments. Sole bandmember Adrien Rodes is the longtime keyboardist of Spratleys (another Tim Smith project) and an occasional member of Cardiacs’ live band. Joanne Spratley, another member of Spratleys, provides vocals on Pyromancy, and her vocals lend an eerie, airy atmosphere. The textures on this record are psychedelic and dreamy, with tinkling piano and swirling synths. Despite the songs being rather to-the-point, the soundscapes presented are dense and complex, with lots of innovative sonic choices. I found LSD to be an exhausting listen (and not in a fun way), but this is a much more enjoyable spiritual successor to Cardiacs.

Score: 80/100

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Album Review: Jordsjø – Pestkrønikene

Band: Jordsjø | Album: Pestkrønikene | Genre: Progressive rock, Heavy psych | Year: 2026

From: Oslo, Norway | Label: Dying Victims Productions

For fans of: Anekdoten, Wobbler, Uriah Heep, Rush

Bandcamp

This is far from the first time Jordsjø has been featured on this site. They’re among the most prominent names in the flourishing Norwegian prog scene, and their music is usually pretty solid. Their last release, the split LP Kontraster with Breidablik, featured some of their best work ever.

What I love about Jordsjø’s usual work is the way they integrate classic Anglo-prog elements with ample Nordic folk flavors. Pestkrønikene (Eng.: The Plague Chronicles), then, marks something of a break from their usual style. The music here is much heavier, harder, and fuzzier, drawing from classic heavy psych sounds. It’s certainly different from their usual output, but it’s another strong entry in their discography.

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Album Review: Hesse Kassel – Morir Saltando

Band: Hesse Kassel | Album: Morir Saltando | Genre: Post-rock | Year: 2026

From: Santiago, Chile | Label: Amuleto

For fans of: black midi, Swans, Kayo Dot

Bandcamp

Chilean post-rock sextet Hesse Kassel are back with their second full-length release. Last year’s La Brea had a ton of really solid music on it, but on repeated listens, its biggest hindrance is its crushing length. Eight songs with an average runtime of nearly ten minutes can make for an exhausting experience, even in the hands of very skilled songwriters and musicians. The songs on Morir Saltando (Eng.: To Die Jumping) retain all the strengths of those on their debut, but they are more focused, giving them more impact.

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Album Review: Papangu – Celestial

Band: Papangu | Album: Celestial | Genre: Progressive rock, Jazz-rock | Year: 2026

From: João Pessoa, Brazil | Label: Deck

For fans of: Genesis, Soft Machine, Gentle Giant, King Crimson

Bandcamp

Brazilian prog quintet Papangu returns with their third LP, Celestial. This was likely my most-anticipated album of the year, given this group’s track record. Their 2021 debut, Holoceno, is, to date, the only album I’ve given a perfect score to upon release. That album is easily the best integration of zeuhl and metal I’ve heard, and even now it absolutely holds up after many, many listens.

Then in 2024, the band shifted their sound rather drastically on their sophomore LP Lampião Rei. With the expansion of the band to include keyboards and wind instruments, Papangu explored a jazzier direction. That jazziness continues here, with sounds from both the band’s native Brazil and the Canterbury scene playing prominent roles. Hints and dashes of their metal and zeuhl roots crop up throughout this album, but the sound is overall much closer to Lampião Rei than to the apocalyptic tones of Holoceno.

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Album Review: Nostalghia – Departure

Band: Nostalghia | Album: Departure | Genre: Progressive metal | Year: 2026

From: Mexico City, Mexico | Label: Independent

For fans of: Opeth, Enslaved, Riverside

Bandcamp

Nostalghia is a one-man project helmed by Mexican multi-instrumentalist Alex Becerra. This album is my first exposure to Nostalghia, but it looks like this is a very prolific project. According to RYM, this Departure is Nostalghia’s 14th release since their debut in 2020. The music on this record is stunningly diverse and ambitious. Aside from the band’s black metal roots, jazz, classical, alt-rock, classic prog, and more all play important parts here.

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Odds & Ends: August 3, 2026

Band: beauty is the end | Album: White Knuckle Dress | Genre: Art rock, Progressive pop | Bandcamp

Ever wonder what Spock’s Beard might sound like if they were a lightly-folky art-pop band? Well, I think beauty is the end is a pretty good approximation of that idea. Their songs are long and complexly-structured, with some flashy and emotive instrumentalism. Tones are mostly bright, but they also ably deploy tense, minor-key moments well. I really enjoy how prominent violin is throughout the record, and melodies are pretty consistently catchy. Certain passages are a bit cheesier than I’d normally go for, but this record is an overall success. The 10-minute “Domesticated” is a definite highlight.

Score: 76/100

Band: Brass Camel | Album: Brass Camel | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp

Brass Camel’s third album is a peppy, punchy, enthusiastic, and unashamedly retro-sounding record. They lean heavily into classic rock, hard rock, and glam rock tropes and imbue it with Yes-like technical flashiness. They remind me a lot of acts like (early) Kansas or some of Queen’s more ambitious moments. The sound is maximal and bright, and they effortlessly weave catchy pop melodies alongside complex instrumental displays. I wouldn’t call this an essential release, but it’s a lot of fun, and it’s an example of how to do proggy retro-rock well.

Score: 75/100

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Album Review: Genghis Tron – Signal Fire

Band: Genghis Tron | Album: Signal Fire | Genre: Post-metal, Industrial, Cybergrind | Year: 2026

From: Poughkeepsie, USA | Label: Relapse

For fans of: Dillinger Escape Plan, Nine Inch Nails, BTBAM

Bandcamp

Genghis Tron’s last album, 2021’s Dream Weapon, was my introduction to the band. It was also a rather sharp break with their first two records. Where their first two were scourging mixtures of electronica, grindcore, and mathcore, the lush textures and restrained tempos of Dream Weapon were downright relaxing by comparison.

Their new album, Signal Fire, then, is something of a return to their earlier sound. It’s not entirely without the spacey post-rock elements that dominate on Dream Weapon, but this is a much more intense and aggressive release.

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Odds & Ends: July 22, 2026

Band: Athak | Album: Primarï | Genre: Zeuhl | Bandcamp

Hong Kong-based one-man zeuhl act Athak is back with their latest release. Primarï sees Athak veer into some new territory. Chinese music plays a prominent role, something I had not heard previously from this act. (Maybe they’ve done it before; I don’t know. Athak is quite prolific, and I haven’t heard everything.) “Iyelō” leans into some Canterbury influences, especially Third-era Soft Machine. Yangqin and erhu lend some very unique textural contrasts throughout the album. This record is inspired by colors, and fittingly, the music here embraces the full spectrum.

Score: 76/100

Band: Chafouin | Album: Chafouin Orchestra | Genre: Krautrock, Modern classical | Bandcamp

Brittany-based experimental math rockers Chafouin are back with a new 26-minute opus. Joining Chafouin on this record is a small orchestra, adding a new layer of depth to their music. The whole ensemble utilizes repetition beautifully, with themes gradually building and slowly morphing. Jagged guitar lines are rounded out with flute, saxophone, and violin, and wordless vocals lend a certain fanciful character. The mood grows noisier and more chaotic as this piece progresses, imbuing it with a sense of constant forward momentum that never feels drawn-out.

Score: 91/100

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Album Review: Deathspiral of Inherited Suffering / Elysian Blaze / Panegyrist / Maerund – Sunthema

Bands: Deathspiral of Inherited Suffering, Elysian Blaze, Panegyrist, Maerund | Album: Sunthema | Genre: Black metal, Progressive metal, Post-metal | Year: 2026

From: Memphis, USA; Adelaide, Australia; Chicago, USA; Tallinn, Estonia | Label: Rubeus Obex (USA); I, Voidhanger (Europe)

For fans of: Cormorant, Enslaved, Batushka

Bandcamp

I first found out about this record through Rate Your Music’s handy “Upcoming Releases” feature. It was there that I saw Panegyrist had their first new music since 2018 coming out! Their lone LP, Hierurgy, is a stunning, unique release. It blends avant-garde black metal with liturgical music and lyrics so dense and obscure that I feel like I need a theology degree to understand them.

Sunthema, the four-way split LP with Panegyrist and three other acts, continues on that trend. (Side note: Personally, I would have transliterated the Greek “συνθεμα” as “synthema,” but to each their own. The word is more often found in its plural form, synthemata, and it refers to any signs, symbols, or material tokens, especially those associated with certain rituals. Esoteric terms and ideas are prominent on this record.) All four acts here weave their brands of forward-thinking metal with Christian mysticism to make something powerful and enthralling.

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