It’s early morning, coffee in hand—black, hot, no distractions and I just gave this brand-new prog-metal track (released today, June 20, 2025) its first spin. Right out the gate, the guitars come in slicing with surgical precision syncopated, tight, and aggressive, yet with these melodic flourishes that breathe between the riffs like steam off my mug.
What really pulled me in, though, are the vocals. There’s a refined duality at play here. The verses hit hard with raw, textured screams urgent and visceral, like a shot of espresso straight to the veins. Then the clean vocals come in, soaring through the chorus with emotion and clarity, lifting the track into almost anthemic territory. It’s that perfect contrast the grit and the grace—that gives the song real depth.
The drums are another standout. Technically complex, sure—plenty of polyrhythms and time shifts but they never lose the groove. They feel like the heartbeat of the track, grounding all that instrumental ambition. And the bass? It’s not buried. It growls just under the surface, anchoring everything like a rich crema at the base of a strong pour.
Production wise, it’s clean and deliberate. Every instrument sits in its own lane. The mix breathes, giving the vocals the space they need to hit emotionally. There are ambient textures woven in subtly nothing flashy, but enough to create a sense of atmosphere that pulls you in further.
Final thoughts, mid-sip: This is a thoughtful and emotionally charged slice of modern prog-metal. Technical without being cold, melodic without being soft. It’s the kind of track that reminds me why I love this genre especially with a coffee in hand and headphones on.
Marc Roussel, letting the riffs and roast settle in.
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