Odds & Ends: July 6, 2026

Band: Bekor Qilish | Album: Consecrated Abysses of Dread | Genre: Avant-garde metal | Bandcamp

The new album from one-man Italian experimental metal act Bekor Qilish sees a further refinement and evolution in the act’s sound. Black metal is still at the root of what he’s doing here, but there is a lot more at play. Riffs are bizarre and ultra-technical. This constant oscillation can be exciting and lead to some fantastic juxtapositions. At the same time, though, it can also come off as disjointed or unfocused. There is a lot to like on this record, but I think Bekor Qilish’s music works best in the format of a slightly-shorter EP.

Score: 78/100

Band: Different Light | Album: Binary Suns (Part 2 – Alternate Reality) | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp

Different Light is back with part two of their Binary Suns project, six years after releasing part one. Overall, it’s fine. It’s relatively sunny, piano-heavy prog that’s rooted in the 1990s. There is some good occasional crunch, and the vocal performance is strong. Certain passages are maybe a little cheesy for my taste, and transitions between the sub-sections of the suites can occasionally be a little awkward. But if you like Spock’s Beard and crave more Spock’s Beard-sounding music, this is a pretty decent choice.

Score: 74/100

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TEE’s Best of 2011-2018

I once received an email asking me if I had best-of lists for previous years before I started this site. I do, but I didn’t have easy access to them. Posting rundowns of new music I listened to in a given year was something I did on my personal Facebook page via the site’s now-defunct Notes feature 2011-2018.

Recently, I decided to see if I could access them, and it turns out I can! It’s just a hassle. I figured it may be good to copy them over here to hopefully give them greater longevity. I don’t trust Zuck to not just entirely nuke the Notes archive at any given moment.

Before I get into this, a few disclaimers and clarifications:

My first best-of list was actually in 2010, but I do not have that. At the time, I had a show on the University of Washington’s radio station, and the station asked everyone for a top 10 list for that year. I submitted my list, along with a one-sentence description of each record. Everyone’s lists were published in the campus paper. I tried searching The Daily’s archives, but I couldn’t find it.

For the first few years I did this, it wasn’t a ranking. It was everything listed alphabetically with a score out of ten. (It should also be noted that my scores out of 10 are scaled differently than my scores out of 100, which are in turn different from my RYM 5-point scale and ProgArchives’ 5-point scale.) I eventually eschewed the scores in favor of a ranked-list.

These are also not curated best-of lists. These cover all records released in a given year I listened to, so there’s usually some real crap mixed in there.

While I would say my taste has mostly remained consistent, my opinions on a number of records have shifted over the years, sometimes significantly. I will be posting the lists in the order in which I originally posted them with my original commentary, typos and all. However, if my views have shifted significantly, I will add a note explaining so.

I’m not planning to add images to this. That’s just going to take too long. From 2015 onward, I included Bandcamp links. For earlier ones, I would often include a YouTube link; I will add Bandcamp links where I can.

Alright, let’s get to it!

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Album Review: A Forest of Stars – Stack Overflow in Corpse Pile Interface

Band: A Forest of Stars | Album: Stack Overflow in Corpse Pile Interface | Genre: Progressive metal, Post-metal | Year: 2026

From: Manchester, UK | Label: Prophecy

For fans of: Arcturus, Ashenspire, Primordial

Bandcamp

A Forest of Stars has been around for nearly 20 years, but this record is my first exposure to them. It is their first release in eight years, so, in my defense, they have been quiet lately. Stack Overflow in Corpse Pile Interface is their sixth full-length release, and it’s full of theatrical, abstract, and highly emotive music that draws from classic prog, folk metal, folk, and avant-garde music. It’s a demanding record: the six songs range between nine and 17 minutes in length, and all the compositions are dense as hell. But it’s well worth your time and attention.

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Odds & Ends: June 1, 2026

Band: Angine de Poitrine | Album: Vol. II | Genre: Math rock | Bandcamp

I’ve gone on record saying I’m really not a fan of microtonal music, but Angine de Pointrine’s microtonality is more restrained compared to some other acts I’ve heard. Their unusual tunings and oddly-fretted guitars serve to enhance their wild and inventive riffs. Their music is energetic and driving, drawing from psychedelia and garage rock. Some of the individual songs can run a bit long, but overall, Vol. II is a fantastic display of technical prowess and inventive composition. “Utzp” in particular is one of the most exciting songs of the year.

Score: 80/100

Band: Divided by Design | Album: Stages to Osiris: Rebirth | Genre: Progressive metal | Bandcamp

The latest EP from this British instrumental trio is some really solid music. The band draws heavily from Tool, Porcupine Tree, and their ilk on the non-extreme end of alt-influenced prog metal. The music is usually melodic and fairly lush, with each song capturing clear dramatic arcs and motifs that tie everything together. This 30-minute release is, in my view, an ideal vessel for this style of music. It’s long enough to express some interesting ideas without drawing on so long as to become tedious and exhausting. I’ve listened to many 45-to-65-minute versions of this record from a lot of other bands, and this more-digestible size really suits this style well.

Score: 83/100

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Album Review: Neurosis – An Undying Love for a Burning World

Band: Neurosis | Album: An Undying Love for a Burning World | Genre: Post-metal | Year: 2026

From: Oakland, USA | Label: Neurot

Bandcamp

I will be totally honest. Neurosis is one of those bands that I know has been massively influential but which I’m simply not that familiar with. I’ve listened to Through Silver in Blood, and that is a fantastic record. I also know they’re considered one of the primary progenitors of post-metal as a distinct genre, along with Isis, whose former vocalist and bassist has joined the band. (I have run across folks trying to insist that post-metal and atmospheric sludge metal (another term frequently used to describe Neurosis’s work) as being distinct. There may be a technical argument to be made there, insofar as there is non-sludgy post-metal, but I don’t think there’s any atmospheric sludge I’ve heard I couldn’t also describe as post-metal.) That is to say, I went into this record blind.

An Undying Love for a Burning World is Neurosis’s 13th full-length release and their first in a decade. I’d heard it getting some positive buzz, so I decided to give it a spin. And boy, am I happy I did!

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Odds & Ends: May 4, 2026

Band: Czyszy | Album: Aftermoon | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp

On his latest release, one-man Polish experimental rock act Czyszy (pronounced “chih-shih”) draws heavily from classic ‘70s prog sounds. Yes, ELP, and Camel are all obvious influences, as are more recent emulators of that sound, like Wobbler. The playing is nimble and creative, and the compositions are generally lively. The structures of the songs can feel slightly disjointed at times, and reading about how this record was written and recorded, that makes sense. This work evolved out of plans for a rather short EP. Despite the occasional lack of coherence, this is a fun release with a lot to like.

Score: 75/100

Band: Gondhawa | Album: Täkomā | Genre: Heavy psych | Bandcamp

This French trio plays high energy, muscular psychedelia heavily suffused with “oriental” (their phrasing) scales and melodies. Just how far east “oriental” encompasses varies from song to song. Some tracks draw influence from Central and South Asia, while others take cues from Anatolia and the broader Middle East, and yet others head (south-)west of France to draw sounds from the Sahel and Maghreb. This transcontinental musical sampler platter may not have a ton of geographic consistency to it, but Gondhawa’s musical pillaging results in something pretty fun. They demonstrate a good ear for catchy melodies and infectious rhythms, as well as a knack for powerful and engaging jams.

Score: 76/100

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Album Review: Witch Ripper – Through the Hourglass

Band: Witch Ripper | Album: Through the Hourglass | Genre: Sludge metal, Progressive metal | Year: 2026

From: Seattle, USA | Label: Magnetic Eye Records

For fans of: Mastodon, Baroness, Coheed & Cambria

Bandcamp

Witch Ripper is one of my favorite local acts, and they’re always near the top of my list of bands to recommend. Through the Hourglass is this quartet’s third full-length release, and it is a direct sequel to their last release, 2023’s The Flight after the Fall. The shared story of these records is obvious, even without looking at the lyrics, with the music here bearing clear throughlines from TFATF.

My first exposure to this record was at Witch Ripper’s album release show earlier this month. They played it in its entirety, and it was a killer performance. On subsequent listens, the album has grown on me even more.

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Album Review: Holotropic – Individual

Band: Holotropic | Album: Individual | Genre: Progressive metal | Year: 2026

From: Bratislava, Slovakia | Label: Independent

For fans of: Anciients, Tool, Cynic, The Faceless

Bandcamp

Holotropic is a Slovak extreme metal five-piece that skillfully weaves a base of technical death metal with elements from further afield, ranging from classic prog to ambient to Middle Eastern folk. Individual is their second release, and this short-but-mighty album demonstrates impressive breadth and depth of skill.

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Album Review: Cryptic Shift – Overspace & Supertime

Band: Cryptic Shift | Album: Overspace & Supertime | Genre: Progressive metal, Technical thrash metal | Year: 2026

From: Leeds, UK | Label: Metal Blade

For fans of: Vektor, Voivod, Coroner, Atheist

Bandcamp

I don’t know what keeps drawing progressive and technical thrash metal bands to outer space, but it seems to be working. Vektor, Droid, Voivod, Obliveon, and plenty of others have plumbed the depths of the night sky for inspiration, and Cryptic Shift continues in this proud tradition. Their 2020 debut, Visitations from Enceladus, is a phenomenal work, with the 25-minute “Moonbelt Immolator” being one of the greatest metal epics of this century.

Their newest release, Overspace & Supertime, is a monumental work, clocking in at nearly 80 minutes over just five songs. Their brand of cosmic, death-tinged thrash is a powerful canvas for their sci-fi storytelling.

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Odd & Ends: March 2, 2026

Band: Hällas | Album: Panorama | Genre: Progressive rock, Hard rock | Bandcamp

I saw this record getting a lot of hype online, and I can’t say that I get it. On a structural level, at least, the opening epic is well-built, and the occasional fun twist does occur. But my biggest issue with this release is the sound palette. This sounds like schlock-rock acts from the ‘70s and ‘80s tried their hand at prog. The vocalist reminds me of Dave Cousins of Strawbs, which is different, at least. But I don’t particularly like Journey or Foreigner or Styx, and these guys are clearly drawing a lot of influence for that particular vein of cheesy arena rock. Everything is overblown and uses trite, tired musical tropes. That results in an exhausting listen. Oddly, the four shorter songs on this album feel much more tedious and drawn-out than the 21-minute opener.

Score: 62/100

Band: JUZZ | Album: JUZZ (II) | Genre: Progressive rock, Jazz-fusion | Bandcamp

Juzz, a jazzy instrumental six-piece from Galicia, has put out their sophomore album. It’s similar in tone and style to their debut, if perhaps a bit more rock-oriented. Moods morph fluidly across this album’s runtime, ranging from hard-rocking numbers to Tangerine Dream-inspired space-synth passages. These songs also show greater focus than their debut, so I am happy to see that evolution in their writing style.

Score: 80/100

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