‘Progressive’ is a pretty loaded term in rock and metal. The word should represent artists who push heavy music forward, expanding its conventions with new sounds and concepts. More commonly, though, what we get is worship for the pioneers of the past, with many ‘experimentalists’ simply conveying their love for Dream Theater, Tesseract and other idols.
This is why the bands who actually have new shit to say deserve to get their voices heard. Below, Metal Hammer has collected seven albums from 2024 that truly sound peerless and progressive. Whether it’s by immersive psychedelia or cinematic black metal, prepare to have your mind expanded.
Bipolar Architecture – Metaphysicize
Metaphysicize is hellishly oppressive. On their second album, Bipolar Architecture follow post-rock and shoegaze introductions with blasts of ultra-dense metal. Djent rhythm guitars, black metal tremolo picking and the odd hardcore breakdown barrage your ears when this German/Turkish rabble rage at full tilt, and the ambient build-up only makes them hit all the harder. No band in modern metal has cooked the same stew of hideous things to punish you with.
Dvne – Voidkind
On Voidkind, you’ll hear the influence of Mastodon, Neurosis and classic prog. However, Dvne melt those touchstones into rocket fuel and blast off to somewhere distinct. The post-metal cosmonauts’ second album is a tightly wound odyssey, its songs stacked with layers of guitar, melody and space rock synths. Plus, unlike such veterans as Tool, the five-piece are quick to reach their crescendos, making much of this hour as breakneck as a jump to hyperspace.
Ihsahn – Ihsahn
Talk to Ihsahn and he’ll tell you he’s just as inspired by the scores of Jerry Goldsmith as by Iron Maiden and Twisted Sister. With his self-titled album, the Emperor lynchpin fully expresses that cinematic influence: such standouts as Taste Of The Ambrosia don’t use chord progressions typical in rock, but rather those found in classical music. It’s especially clear on the double disc’s second half, which strips away metal to reveal the songs’ sweeping orchestral touches.
Ou – 蘇醒 II: Frailty
Ou’s instrumentalists formed the band after meeting through the Beijing jazz scene. With drummer/songwriter Anthony Vanacore hoping for the project to also scratch his heavy metal itch, they were always going to be a unique prospect, then singer Lynn Wu sealed the deal. Her almost pulsing vocal performance affirms 蘇醒 II: Frailty as a one-of-its-kind release. Meanwhile, the music sounds especially enormous thanks to the production of prog maverick and wall-of-sound master Devin Townsend.
Pallbearer – Mind Burns Alive
Pallbearer are stripping themselves back to move forward. The American troupe were among the most maximalist in doom metal, until 2020’s Forgotten Days switched to more episodic songs. Then, this year, Mind Burns Alive sounds even more sparse, venturing undaunted into ambient post-rock territory. Talk Talk and Peter Gabriel were key inspirations, which, when combined with the hefty metal chords of With Disease, make this band’s fifth album a fascinating anomaly in contemporary music.
Seeyouspacecowboy – Coup De Grâce
Before Coup De Grâce, Seeyouspacecowboy were raw-sounding yet emotionally vulnerable mathcore prospects. Album number three changes almost all of that. Vocalist Connie Sgarbossa favours positive messaging over personal lyricism, while production’s handled by Panic! At The Disco dial-twiddler Matt Squire. Squire pulls out numerous baroque melodies, though their energy is still erratic enough to fit in with the savage hardcore riffs and juddering time signatures. Along with the endorsement of Spiritbox, it all suggests that SYSC are going to go places.
Slift – Ilion
Slift needed four years to make Ilion and even a cursory listen will illustrate why. The French trio’s third album is an immersive, stop/start jaunt through cosmic planes. First the band lure you into a hypnotised lull with layer upon layer of space rock fuzz. Then, they stamp the accelerator: singer/guitarist Jean Fossat howls in seemingly alien tongues atop wildly technical licks and the flurrying rhythm section of brother bassist Rémi and drummer Canek Flores.
