Gotta love it when it's crazy yet tightly constructed and extremely well led.

Highly recommended, works better than crushed horn powder.

Enorme coup de coeur. ❤️

According to my dentist, Sympho metal is usually metal with orchestral arrangements (or even pop arrangements played through classical instruments). Rare are the groups managing to combine the quintessence of classical music and the exuberance of metal (or the other way around, I don't care) . To cite a few, Waltari, MD, SF, FA.

Amazing work of art, blessed (or cursed) by the souls of Russian composers .

Flamboyant, jaw dropping (which makes it easier to floss).

Not my usual go-to style.

For this style, E-L-R is becoming my go-to band (together with Kassad, which share similar sensibility and hypnotising quality).

The middle-eastern influence isn't a gimmick, it blends perfectly with the psychedelic/prog facettes.

The bass is sumptuous.

FFO: Am'Ganesha'n, potentially Bak & Subterranean Masquerade (but less "prog metal"-typed).

Darker synth that the cover may suggest. Which is great in my book.

Another master(boot)piece!

Phenomenal. AOTY material.
If you like your metal both intense and sophisticated, this is for you.

Due to my monkey brain, i usually have hard time with lancinant stuff.

With Thurisaz, the inventiveness in progression, rythmes, entrelacs and sounds make each title a fascinating journey.

Very highly recommended.

Not that it matters (*), but I'd usually take my prog a tad more metal.
The cheer brillance and boldness here makes it up for it.

(*) It does matter. It might convince other metalheads to give it a try. Also, don't depreciate yourself, unless it is for a joke.
-- What? But my life is a joke!

Infernal is more convoluted than this note, and far more beautifully written.

Avant-garde brillance.
Avant-garde darkness.

Balance in dynamism.
Cantharellus grows.
So does Nämïdäë.

Clearly influenced by Peter Tägtgren, Souldrainer fills a very sweet spot:
* More extreme than Pain.
* Stylistically more varied than Hypocrisy.
* Their own sympho-electro-gothico-lantern touch is great.

Recommended!

Top notch prog death. Inspired by Opeth? Maybe. More importantly, as inspired as Opeth, without being a copy. Should have been in your top 2021.

Electro-indus-metal done extremely right, with the perfect dose of crazyness.
Maximal headbanging-inducing.

Some Kovenant (Animatronic) flavour (which is a enormous compliment for me), but not a copy-cat.