Top Picks
Foretoken – Triumphs (symphonic blackened melodeath)
I was tempted to throw "progressive" into the genre mix for this one, given the compositional scope and technical prowess on offer. At the end of the day though, what makes Foretoken so impressive is just how hard they lean into their blackened melodeath approach. The overwhelming (and increasingly pervasive) influence of Naglfar is confirmed via a killer cover of "I Am Vengeance", but there's a brighter side to Foretoken's sound than their immediate reference points might suggest. As Eden pointed out, there are parallels to be drawn to Iron Maiden's mid-period output and for me they bring to mind more recent Heaven Shall Burn records as often as early ones by In Flames or At the Gates. Plus, they have Hannes Grossmann behind the kit, so you know it's good.
Entropia – Total (progressive blackened post metal)
I'd never heard of Entropia before putting this list together. The quick bit of research I've done suggests they have a fairly acclaimed back catalogue, and judging from Total I can see why. There's a lot going on on the album, and I imagine it's going to take a bit to fully wrap my head around it. At the same time, its blend of dissonant, almost-Ulcerate-like post metal with progressive sections that bring to mind some of Enslaved's more angular experiments is instantly engrossing. I look forward to delving deeper into both this and the rest of the band's back catalogue over the coming weeks.
Harboured – Harboured (progressive blackened post metal)
I don't think I've used "progressive blackened post metal" as a genre tag before, let alone twice in one week for two seriously quality top picks. Harboured is led by vocalist and guitarist Michael Stancel of Allegaeon, whose bassist Brandon Michael also numbers among their ranks. The band's's approach to their particular genre is both more atmospheric and abrasive than Entropia's more cerebral compositions. There's a lot of Cult of Luna in the album's tonality, but it's distinctive atmosphere is delivered with the urgency and aggression of sludgier, hardcore-tinged acts like The Atlas Moth or Intronaut. I don't think Harboured is the finished product just yet, but it's one hell of a foundation.