Sweden’s Scar Symmetry have been a force for prog metal good for over 20 years now. The long-awaited second part of a planned three-album concept splurge, The Singularity (Phase II – Xenotaph) (Nuclear Blast) is an aggressive and intense affair, but prog-friendly harmony vocals and complex song structures remain key components. The result is an immaculate, intergalactic beat-’em-up.
An instrumental quartet from Kimberley, British Columbia, Phaeton are skilfully blurring the boundaries between old- and new-school prog metal. Their second album, Between Two Worlds (phaetonband.bandcamp.com) covers a vast amount of ground, from intricate post-djent riffing to indulgent prog pomp, and no single idea outstays its welcome. The nine-minute title track is a particularly impressive display of showboating and smart songwriting.
Over in France, one-man tech metal force Anthony Delmas kicks up…
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Prog (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 141