‘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.
