10 Best Progressive Metal Albums of 2015

Okay so it's been over a year since I've posted, but I promise I've been thinking about you.  And as a token of apology for my neglect, I'm making this offering of the 10 best progressive metal albums of 2015.  These bands may not fit the conventional (and increasingly old-fashioned) boundaries around the genre, in that they don't all feature stratospheric vocals, heavy keyboards or 20 minute epics (although there is some of all of that here).  Rather, they're all bands who play progressive music in that they challenge conventions, themselves and their listeners with either compositional inventiveness, virtuosic performance, a unique approach, complexity or some or all of the above with music that impresses, surprises and delights.

In preparation for this post, I listened to several hundred albums released in 2015 and narrowed down first to about 80 that I really liked and finally to the 10 best which, without further ado, I now present to you.

10. Between the Buried and Me - Coma Ecliptic

I've written about this Raleigh, North Carolina band before.  Their latest album tones it down a bit, but it's still quite heavy, quirky and loaded with tight playing.  They do a great job of balancing twists and turns with catchy hooks on this album and it may be a bit more accessible than its predecessors but that's not to say that it's not a blast to listen to.

9. Khariot - Esoteric
This band from Perth, Australia is a new one to me.  I'm sure glad to have been introduced.  They clearly take a cue from brilliant Canadian metallers Gorguts with the brutal heaviness, atonal riffing and soloing, and the blazing drumming, but it does somehow sound fresh and a bit more modern.  And it's only two people!

8. Leprous - The Congregation
These guys have been favorites of mine for a while now, and this, their fourth full-length studio offering, doesn't disappoint.  It's a step back toward the heavy after 2013's Coal, which was a bit more somber and prog-rock than previous albums.  This polished work sits somewhere in the middle of that and their earlier, more buoyant rockers.

7. Piah Mater - Memories of Inexistence
Another new band, this time from Rio de Janeiro, this progressive death metal band plays an eclectic blend of heavy riffing and acoustic interludes, clean and growling vocals, reminiscent of Still Life era Opeth with perhaps a bit of more avant-tinged moments that remind me of Forgotten Silence.

6. Symphony X - Underworld

Another pristine effort from neo-classical prog-power stalwarts Symphony X, Underworld is similar in style and quality to their last couple of albums.  With the usual orchestral and choral sections, super tight ensemble work, odd and mixed meters, precise technical execution and blistering chops on all instruments, it's just one more in a long catalog of impressive albums.

5. Intronaut - The Direction of Last Things
Unbelievably, this Los Angeles based quartet just keeps getting better and better.  I've seen their unique sound described as post-prog metal, and I think that's about as good a box as any you could put around them.  It's loaded with twisty ensemble playing, unusual vocal harmonies and stunning rhythm section work.  As good as this album is, they're even better live and a highly recommended concert outing.

4. Orakle - Eclats
Orakle, from Paris, has apparently been around for at least 12 years, but this is the first I've ever heard of them, and am I glad I finally did!  Eclats is a pretty zany, but polished release, featuring a wide variety of vocal and compositional styles.  It's all very well put together and, while there are plenty of surprises, nothing seems out of place... a mature and enjoyable listen.

3. Alkaloid - The Malkuth Grimoire

The top three this (last) year are all incredibly impressive bands, starting with German supergoup Alkaloid, featuring members with impressive credits in Obscura, Necrophagist, Aborted, Noneuclid and Blotted Science (among others).  This album borrows some from the afore-mentioned bands, but is perhaps less solidly in the death metal camp than its predecessors.  Really great playing and interesting and enjoyable songs!

2. Gorod - A Maze of Recycled Creeds
Another French band, this time from Bordeaux in the southwest, Gorod's grown over the past 15 or so years into one of the most impressive and inventive technical death metal bands around.  Generally up-tempo and super-tight, this album walks the line between prog and death metal nimbly.

1. Panzerballett - Breaking Brain

This fantastic album by Bavarian jazz/metal hybrid instrumental band is a treat to listen to, but be prepared for twisty metal-infused jazz as opposed to the other way around.  Leads are handled alternately or together by guitar and tenor sax, soloing abounds as does humor, and the rhythmic complexity is never understated.  Make sure you make it to the cheeky "Mahna Mahna" (track 4) for a fun and unique cover, but the whole album is equally amazing.

#18 - Ozzy Osbourne

Maybe the most iconic character in heavy metal music, Ozzy's solo career started way back in 1979, after having been unceremoniously fired by his band of over 10 years, the legendary Black Sabbath.  A lot of his notoriety comes from the dozens of stories of legendary, Spinal Tap-like rock-madness: the dove, the bat, the Alamo...  and of course a lot of it comes from his family's pioneering and highly successful reality television show.  His goofiness, age (he's 66 as of this writing) and devil-may-care attitude make him easy to overlook as an artist, but I, for one, don't believe his 45+ year career, his legions of fans and his enormous influence on just about every heavy metal band in history can fairly be disregarded as dumb luck.

Probably the main ingredient in Ozzy's illustrious career has been his charisma, both as a personality and as a singer.  He's extremely likable and very down-to-earth, and it comes through in his vocal performance, not to mention his on-stage persona.  One of his trademarks, dating back to the late 60's, is his double-tracking of his vocal lines, often in unison, which, when coupled with his helium-infused voice, achieves a haunting affect: desperate, paranoid and especially human.

Nearly an equal source of his success has been the in the selection of supporting musicians; especially guitarists.  Burbank's own Randy Rhoads, who had already developed a local following with his band Quiet Riot, joined Ozzy in 1979 and went on to influence countless guitarists with his neo-classical soloing, heavy use of extended techniques and under-appreciated and inventive rhythm playing.  Randy helped define Ozzy's sound as a solo artist and their chemistry was undeniable.  Following Randy's death in 1982, Ozzy was accompanied by very competent shredders Brad Gillis and Jake E. Lee, before settling on the great Zakk Wylde in 1987, who still seems to serve as Ozzy's on-call guitarist when needed.

If you haven't heard Ozzy's first two albums, Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman, shame on you.  You should correct that as soon as possible.  Beside being terrific works start to finish, they're foundational pieces of the art and history of metal music.  It's hard to choose one song from that era to play for you, but I want to give you a taste of the later stuff too.  The title track from the second album is probably my favorite Ozzy Osbourne song, but I'm going to forego it in favor of one of my favorite guitar studio performances of all time, "Mr. Crowley" from Blizzard of Ozz.  Randy's soloing on this track is inspired.

And a live recording of "Bark at the Moon" from the 1983 album of the same name, recorded much later (1997 I think) with Zakk on guitar and Mike Bordin of Faith No More on Drums.

#19 - Aghora

Aghora is the unique brainchild of Miami-based Venezuelan composer, guitarist, Berklee alum and martial artist Santiago Dobles.  I mention the martial arts because Dobles' music is heavily informed by his immersion in yoga and qigong, and the spiritual philosophy surrounding them.  Aside from the eastern musical and lyrical influences, Aghora's sound is an assortment of heavy, peaceful, shredding, jazzy, technical and beautiful all at once, and somehow manages to sound cohesive and clear of purpose through it all.

The first, eponymous album featured the legendary rhythm section of the Seans (bassist Malone and drummer Reinert), and is worth the listen on that merit alone.  But Dobles' guitar work is almost equally impressive (and that's saying a lot), and unknown vocalist Danishta Rivero's Indian-influenced singing is arresting, if a bit unpolished.  I highly recommend this album as well as the follow-up, Formless, which featured new members in impressive bassist Alan Goldstein and the more refined (but less unusual) Diana Serra on vocals and improved production by the great Neil Kernon.  Both are unconventional and interesting works, expertly performed, with the common thread being Santiago Dobles' unique blend of ethereal world music, modal jazz fusion and technical progressive metal and his impressive soloing.  Here's one song from each of the releases for you to compare and enjoy.

#20 - Pantera

The third band in the last seven from the Texas Triangle (along with tech-prog wizards Blotted Science and Power of Omens), post-thrashers Pantera hailed from Arlington, in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.  Scraping by for the duration of the 80's, they started out emulating the popular sound of the decade, glam metal.  While not completely terrible, and despite some proficient and interesting guitar playing by then-Diamond (later Dimebag) Darrell Abbott, their first four albums didn't really stand out from the crowded field.  It wasn't until 1990 that they broke out (in a big way) with what's commonly regarded as their real debut, Cowboys From Hell, having evolved their sound into something far heavier, thrash-influenced and really unique for the time.  As it turned out, that sound was also highly influential, as it seems every American metal band of the subsequent two and a half decades claims them as an influence.

I remember first hearing "Cemetary Gates" from that album, which was getting heavy rotation on So Cal's metal station, KNAC, and not knowing what to make of it.  It was both melodic and percussive, kind of funky and super heavy.  Because of the later armies of emulators, it sounds more commonplace now, but at the time it was striking music.  The next album, Vulgar Display of Power, is my favorite of theirs, and takes their trademark "groove metal" sound a step further with Darrell's crushing riffs and lightning solos, rock-solid rhythm section playing by Darrell's brother Vinnie Paul Abbott on drums and bassist Rex Brown, and the versatile half sung, half shouted vocals of Phil Anselmo.  Below is the opener, "Mouth For War", which is an exemplar of the band at its height.  The riffs are as good as any in rock, and the pocket is palpable.  Following that is a live performance of one of my favorites from the "debut" entitled "Domination", which was the heaviest thing I had ever heard in 1990.

#21 - Crisis

Grindcore is definitely not one of my favorite metal genres.  The shorter, less complex compositions, the screamed vocals, the loose ensemble playing and the lack of showoff-y instrumental work and solos are all characteristics diametrically opposed to some of the qualities I generally value most in metal.  That said, New York's Crisis is such a fantastic specimen that they're not only the lone example of the genre in my top 100 bands - they're near the top at number 21.

There's no denying a distinct hardcore punk influence, nor the Anthrax-ian thrash that belies their geographic origins.  But Crisis weaves in abrupt tempo changes, from syncopated, hard-charging thrash to bone-crushing doom and back again, as well as an arty experimental approach akin to Mr. Bungle.  There are also occasional progressive hints, with some longer than typical songs and odd meters cropping up from time to time.  The musicianship in general is pretty strong, and the energy is breathtaking.  But what really pushes this band into the conversation as a topnotch metal act are the astonishing capabilities and expressiveness of vocalist Karyn Crisis.

I first came across Karyn and the band during a phase when I was looking for bands with female vocalists, trying to disprove the inclination I had at the time that metal could only be convincingly performed by men.  What can I say?  I was young.  And female-fronted metal wasn't easy to come by.  You've already heard a few of my discoveries from that time, but Karyn (along with Anneke van Giersbergen and somebody else you'll be hearing from later) remains one of my absolute favorites.  Her vocal approach attacks gender stereotypes viciously, slipping between an almost childlike-sounding clean tone, hardcore screams (sometimes pitched and sometimes completely chaotic), death growls and grunts and ear-piercing shrieks with jaw-dropping effortlessness and frightening earnestness.

Here's a favorite of mine, "Prisoner Scavenger", from their breakthrough sophomore release, Deathshead Extermination, the whole of which is as consistently enjoyable as it is astounding.  Make sure you listen to the fast middle section starting at 1:30 to witness some mindblowing vocal schizophrenia.  Following is a early live performance from just before that album's release which, while not of pristine A/V quality, demonstrates that Crisis wasn't just studio magic which is pretty hard to believe when you hear them.

#22 - Power of Omens

There are so many things to like about this terrific Prog Metal band from San Antonio, Texas.  1. Their chops are as formidable as just about any band of their genre, which is saying a lot when it comes to the ambitions of progressive metal.  2. There's a decent amount of flamenco-style guitar in the mix, which, while not completely unique, is pretty unusual, and, although I'm a layperson when it comes to flamenco music, band leader/guitarist David Gallegos sounds pretty legit to me.  3. Vocalist Chris Salinas is pretty much a dead ringer for one of the greatest metal vocalists of all time, Queensrÿche's brilliant Geoff Tate.  4. The drumming is so note-y and varied, both of their two albums (especially the first) sound like a percussion solo work with band accompaniment.  I mean it's completely unique, impressive and bizarre drumming.  5. Everyone likes the underdog right?  How many other predominantly Latino progressive metal bands do you know?  None, right?  Plus, they released on tiny labels Elevate and Metal Ages, and they hail from the musical Mecca of San Antone.

I came across Power of Omens just after the release of their second album, Rooms of Anguish, in 2003 thanks, I think, to the late great website mp3.com.  At that time, I think they had about six or seven songs available for download between the two albums, and I remember being blown away by progressive masterpieces "Word on a Line", "My Best to Be", "A Toast to Mankind", "With These Words" and the on of my favorite metal epics of all time, "Test of Wills".  I immediately bought the album and scoured the internet trying to find a copy of the debut, Eyes of the Oracle.  It was tough to find; I even sent an email to David who basically told me "good luck".  I eventually found a copy on Ebay for less than $40 and snatched it up.  Unfortunately, they split up a couple years later, but at least they left behind two classics of the genre and some of the most complex, densely orchestrated melodic metal I've ever heard.  Here's the studio version of "A Toast to Mankind" which illustrates some of the unique characteristics I mentioned above, followed by some terrific footage of the band playing that terrific epic, "Test of Wills" live at a bar in San Antonio, which is almost comical due to the juxtaposition of the proficiency of the musicians, the complexity of the music and the dramatic presentation against the ordinary, everyday setting.

#23 - Rage Against the Machine

I don't listen to them all that often, but whenever this Los Angeles quartet gets into my rotation, I always come away impressed and glad I gave them yet another listen.  Like with Mr. Bungle, I was introduced to Rage Against the Machine by a trumpet playing college friend who had great taste in music that was then woefully under-appreciated by me.  He came from more of an alt-rock background and... let's just say that I hope I'm more open-minded to different musical perspectives now than I was in the early 90's.  As a result, it took me a few years before I really gave their 1992 self-titled debut a chance.  Better late than never.

RAtM is often referenced as the pinnacle of rap-metal and the chief influence of the nu-metal genre that took off in the late 90's, and while those plaudits are true, I think they sell the band a bit short.  You can definitely hear the influences of earlier rap-punk bands Beastie Boys and Urban Dance Squad, as well as those of metal acts Anthrax and Faith No More, but you can also hear a distinct beatnik jazz influence in the vocal and instrumental rhythmic approach, and of course in the exaggerated, idealized poetry of the lyrics.  Add to that Tom Morello's unique approach to guitar solos, a super-stanky funk groove, and an extremely enthusiastic, energetic and earnest performance style, and you've got a wholly unique and convincing metal act.  Early on, I had a tough time with what I saw as outrageously over-the-top lyrical content, but over time I've come to appreciate it as, like a lot that I love about metal, an output of expressionist art that's simultaneously embarrassing and essential to the success of the music, and now they are to me a landmark band, as impressive and listenable today as they were over 20 years ago.  You probably remember the following songs, as they certainly weren't "underground", but they're a couple of favorites of mine, so here you go.  "Wake Up" was featured in transition to the closing credits of the great action/sci-fi film The Matrix, and besides a great groove and some interesting rhythmic shifts, features a spine-tingling crescendo to the coda where vocalist Zack de la Rocha screams desperately at the listener to "WAKE UP!".  And probably their most famous song, largely thanks to the shock value, "Killing in the Name" follows a similar formula - I'll close with a compelling live performance of it.  Just in case you somehow arrived here unawares and are sensitive to strong language, be warned: there is no hesitation on the part of this band to gleefully deploy f-bombs with frequency and heartfelt emotion.