avant-garde metal

Co-Editor-in-Chief Jon Rosenthal weighs in on his favorites from 2023, including a selection of favorite demos.

The Dutch weirdos are at it again. Can you keep up?

Yob and Cave In’s Chicago stop on Wednesday also included an opening set by avant-garde mystics Yakuza. Editors Jon and Ted were in attendance – read more and check out photos here.

Hailing from Madrid, the avant-garde metal group returns after almost ten years with a new album. Stream a new track from “The Laniakea Architecture – Volume II” here.

Reuniting former maudlin of the Well members Toby Driver and Greg Massi (and including lyrics penned by Jason Byron), avant-garde metal act Kayo Dot’s new album is a step forward that recalls the members’ previous band as well. Listen to a full stream of the album.

Listen to a single from the Dutch instrumental progressive metal band’s upcoming debut album “Proven Lands” – “Obsidious Veins” combines complex guitar and bass interplay with chaotic song structures.

A single-minded vision of lengthy and intricate extreme metal, Esoctrilihum’s latest album is another step forward for the cerebral and lore-heavy black/death project.

The New York-based avant-garde metal trio aims to tell the story of their home city, taking aesthetic inspiration from its near-mythical past. This edition of Piercing the Veil explores the band’s musical and conceptual ties to the Big Apple.

Metal Modernists Ehnahre team up with noise artist N on a uniquely avant-garde collaboration. Listen to “Jacob” in full and read an interview with Ehnahre member Ryan McGuire.

A change of venue revealed a new, more creative Spire. Listen to an early stream of “Hymn III – Harbinger.”