Best Progressive Metal Albums of 2024

Denmark’s IOTUNN has created something remarkable with Kinship, moving from the cosmic themes of their earlier work to the equally vast territory of human connection and loss. The band brings the same sense of scale to these personal themes that they previously applied to space exploration, creating sweeping progressive melodic death metal that never loses sight of its emotional core. Jón Aldará’s vocal performance throughout the album is a masterclass in range and control – his clean baritone conveys vulnerability while his growls pack serious power, and he knows exactly when to use each. The guitar work creates these broad, epic melodies that somehow manage to be both immediately grabbing and reward repeated listens. Take “Mistland” which unfolds over its runtime like a novel, each new section building on what came before while adding new layers of complexity and emotion. Bjørn Andersen’s drumming deserves particular praise – his subtle variations between bars keep even the longest tracks engaging, while his more explosive moments never overwhelm the songs’ melodic elements. While some might find the album’s closing track “The Anguished Ethereal” less immediately impactful than what came before, it serves as a necessary comedown after the emotional peaks of earlier songs. The improved production compared to their previous work gives the music more room to breathe, though there’s still some congestion in the busiest passages that slightly muddles the otherwise crystal-clear melodic lines.

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WHEEL’s Charismatic Leaders takes on big themes about populism and personality cults, but unlike a lot of “message” albums, the music hits just as hard as the lyrics. The Finnish band’s Tool influence is still clear – especially in those hypnotic, spiraling guitar patterns – but they’ve grown into their own sound. Opening track “Empire” shows their new, heavier direction right away, with this massive, surging riff that builds into something that’s both brainy and visceral. The production gives everything this huge, clear sound, with the kind of detailed bass work that prog fans love but enough grunt to satisfy metal heads. When they lean into their proggier side on later tracks, it feels earned rather than like they’re backing away from the heaviness. “Submission” stands out as the album’s high point, starting with this ominous, creeping rhythm that keeps taking unexpected turns without ever losing its grip on you. The vocals find this sweet spot between aggressive and melodic that perfectly matches the music’s intensity level. Even without obvious hooks or catchy choruses, these songs stick with you – they’re built on these deeply satisfying rhythmic and melodic patterns that reveal more details with each listen. The mix places everything exactly where it needs to be, especially the bass, which gets the kind of prominence that this style of progressive metal demands.

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Sunburst’s Manifesto proves that Greek metal is about more than just the black metal scene that put it on the map. This is modern prog metal that knows its history – you can hear echoes of everything from Dream Theater to Symphony X, but filtered through a distinctly Mediterranean sensibility that gives it its own character. “The Flood” opens things with exactly the kind of energy this style needs, building from a relatively simple riff into these increasingly complex patterns that somehow never lose their grip on melody. Vasilis Georgiou’s vocals soar over everything without overwhelming the instrumental work – he knows when to push and when to pull back, something too many power metal vocalists never learn. Gus Drax’s guitar work throughout the album is just ridiculous, laying down these massive riffs one minute and pulling off face-melting leads the next, but always in service of the songs rather than pure showing off. The production might be a bit light on the bass for some tastes, but the overall sound is warm and dynamic, avoiding the brittle, computer-perfect sound that plagues too many modern prog metal albums. Even in its busiest moments, like the speed-demon sections of “Hollow Lies,” there’s always a sense of purpose to the technicality.

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Dvne’s Voidkind shows the Edinburgh band tightening their grip on what makes progressive sludge metal work. Where their previous albums sprawled outward, this one punches straight through – but that doesn’t mean they’ve simplified anything. Take the opener “Summa Blasphemia,” where the band hits you with this knockout combination of roaring vocals and rolling drums that feels like getting caught in an avalanche, but in the best way possible. The whole album has this refreshing directness to it – even when they’re playing with complex time signatures or layering different guitar parts, everything serves the forward momentum of the songs. “Sarmatae” might be the best example of what they’re doing here: this whirlwind riff keeps spiraling up and up, but instead of getting lost in technical showing off, it builds to these crushing moments of pure metal catharsis. The production might not be what every fan expected – yes, the drums could hit harder in places – but it captures the raw energy of a band that’s found its sweet spot between progressive ambition and gut-level impact. “Abode of the Perfect Soul” particularly stands out, opening with this face-melting intensity before shifting through different movements that never feel forced or random. The way they handle dynamics throughout the album – knowing exactly when to pull back and when to unleash everything they’ve got. Even in its most aggressive moments, there’s always this underlying sense of melody and purpose that keeps you coming back for more. When people talk about the future of progressive metal, this is exactly the kind of fearless evolution they’re hoping for – music that has a clear objective while remembering why we fell in love with heavy music in the first place.

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ARKA’N ASRAFOKOR’s Dzikkuh represents something genuinely new in metal, and we’re better off for it. This Togolese band brings their Ewe musical heritage to modern metal in ways that feel completely natural and earned. Ahavi’s seven-string guitar work provides more than just heavy riffs – he creates these winding patterns that complement the traditional percussion in ways that make both elements stronger. When the band locks into a groove, like on “Walk With Us” or “The Truth,” they achieve something unique: music that’s undeniably metal but doesn’t sound quite like anything else in the genre. The production strikes a perfect balance between modern metal punch and the organic sound of traditional instruments, particularly in how it handles Mass Aholou’s percussion work. Enrico Ahavi’s vocals – mixing harsh barks with occasional raps – add another layer of intensity without overshadowing the instrumental interplay. Even tracks like “Still Believe,” which lean more toward melody than heaviness, maintain the album’s cultural authenticity while pushing metal’s boundaries into new territory. The rhythm section of Francis Amevo and Richard Siko provides the crucial bridge between metal’s aggressive drive and traditional Ewe rhythms, making the fusion feel seamless rather than forced.

Piah Mater’s Under the Shadow of a Foreign Sun shows how Brazilian metal continues to catch some attention in unexpected ways. The band has taken the technical foundation of progressive death metal and built something that feels both familiar and strange – like watching a movie you swear you’ve seen before but can’t quite place. The production puts every element exactly where it needs to be, giving the blast beats and double bass the power they need without burying the more subtle elements that make this album special. “As Islands Sink” perfectly captures what makes this band worth watching: the way they build tension through these long, winding passages before releasing it in bursts of pure aggression. The guitar work throughout is stunning, but it’s how they use it that matters – these aren’t just technical exercises but actual songs that take you somewhere, like “Macaws Lament”, with some beautiful accoustics. The lyrics dig into some heavy themes about loss and change, but they do it without the usual prog metal pretension. When the heavy parts hit, they hit hard, but there’s always this underlying sense of melody that keeps things from becoming a pure technical exhibition. The drumming deserves special mention – it’s complex without being showy, always serving the song rather than drawing attention to itself.

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Sgàile’s Traverse the Bealach shows exactly what we’ve been missing. Tony Dunn has created something that captures both the harshness of Scottish winters and the beauty of Highland landscapes without falling into the usual Celtic metal clichés. Mike Lamb’s production work gives everything this huge sense of space – when the guitars ring out, you can almost feel the fog rolling in over the hills. Dunn’s layered vocals work perfectly within this context, sometimes barely rising above a whisper before building to these massive crescendos that never feel forced or theatrical. The whole album flows like one continuous piece, each track bleeding into the next in a way that makes it hard to pick favorite moments – it’s really meant to be experienced as a whole journey. The atmospheric touches never feel tacked on but grow naturally from the black metal foundation, creating something that works both as pure mood music and as a more active listening experience. The mixing is particularly clever in how it handles the layers of guitars – they’re clear enough to pick out individual lines when you want to, but they also blend together into these waves of sound that carry you through the album’s quieter moments.

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Charcoal Grace shows Caligula’s Horse reaching new heights, building on everything they’ve learned while pushing into fresh territory. The Australian band tackles heavy subjects – religious hypocrisy, generational trauma, personal redemption – without falling into prog metal’s usual traps of pretension or excessive complexity. The title track suite perfectly demonstrates their growth: complex rhythms and technical playing serve the emotional weight of the songs rather than overshadowing it. The production brings out every detail but never feels clinical – when the band goes heavy, you feel it in your chest, and when they pull back for quieter moments, every note rings clear. Jim Grey’s vocals have never sounded better, equally convincing whether he’s belting out huge choruses or almost whispering during the album’s more intimate moments. The rhythm section deserves special praise too – the way the bass and drums lock together during the more technical passages creates a rock-solid foundation that lets the guitars and vocals soar. Even in its densest moments, like the climax of “The Breaking Light,” every element has room to breathe while still contributing to the overwhelming whole.

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Borknagar’s Fall marks the point where the band has finally mastered their transition from pure black metal to something far more interesting. The Norwegian group has spent years working toward this sound, and here they’ve nailed it – folky melodies weave through heavy riffs without losing their bite, while the vocals shift between harsh and clean with real purpose. “Nordic Anthem” shows exactly what makes this album special: the way the guitars create these circular patterns that somehow sound both ancient and modern, backed by drums that know exactly when to blast and when to breathe. The production deserves special mention too – where many metal albums these days compress everything into a wall of sound, Fall gives each instrument space to move. You can hear it best in quieter moments like the middle section of “Moon,” where acoustic guitars and clean vocals build tension before the heavy parts crash back in. The whole album feels like one complete piece, but “Summits” might be its highest point, starting with full-on black metal fury before opening up into these gorgeous progressive passages that never lose their emotional punch.

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On The Last Will and Testament, Opeth hasn’t just brought back Mikael Åkerfeldt’s death growls – they’ve found entirely new ways to use them. The concept behind the album, a reading of a will that uncovers dark family secrets, gives the band a perfect excuse to mix their death metal past with their progressive present. When those growls first appear in the opening track, they hit harder because they’re unexpected, used sparingly and with purpose rather than just out of habit. The production follows this less-is-more approach – sometimes letting the 70s-style prog rock sections breathe, other times building to these massive walls of sound where Åkerfeldt’s roars feel like another instrument in the mix. The seven-part main composition flows naturally, each section building on what came before while adding new elements. Even the controversial track “A Story Never Told,” with its sudden shifts between jazz fusion and death metal, makes sense in the context of the story being told. The mixing choices that some fans have questioned – like having the vocals sometimes sink into the mix rather than dominate it – actually serve the album’s theatrical nature, like different characters moving in and out of focus. What a way to bring back the awaited growls!

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