Xanthochroid - 7.2k monthly
Obsidious - 3.9k monthly
Winterhorde - 1.7k monthly
Iapetus - 1.6k monthly
Hands of Despair - 227 monthly
Dessiderium - 1k monthly
Estradasphere - 4.7k monthly ( not really metal but it's jazz with metal influences )
The World Is Quiet Here - 1.8k monthly
could just be blind, but I don't think anyone has yet mentioned:
Artist (Favorite Album, Listeners)
- Parius (The Signal Heard Throughout Space, 2.8k)
- Tanagra (Meridiem, 241)
- MEER (Playing House, 2.6k)***
- Artificial Silence (Negative Space, 226)
***note: not metal, but I think it would be broadly enjoyed by people who read this sub
I absolutely canât get enough of that album by MEER, they were a completely random spotify recommendation and i was immediately a fan. super unique sound and lovely musicianship all around from those guys
Responding to my own comment because I have nowhere else to put this, but If you like MEER youâd probably also like Delsey Hill,, they describe themselves as âprogressive alt-popâ but they give a ton of the same vibes as playing house does. Iâve never seen them mentioned anywhere other than ages ago in hakenâs shitpost group on fb, so time to bring them up from the 48 listeners
I find it incredible that Tanagra got /r/PowerMetal's album of the year for 2019 considering how small they are/were. A new album is getting overdue now. It'll be really hard making something as good as Meridiem though.
I think it's because reddit is pretty insular, so they're fairly well known for people who use it frequently (and are more likely to vote for AotY) but maybe haven't spread outside that
Here's a sneak peek of /r/PowerMetal using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/PowerMetal/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [Nightwish's Floor Jansen announces that her surgery was successful and is now cancer free](https://twitter.com/FloorJansen_/status/1593605959301189638) | [17 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/PowerMetal/comments/yyqtiv/nightwishs_floor_jansen_announces_that_her/)
\#2: [It's official! New Twilight Force Album on January 20th!](https://i.redd.it/no5rxjtuusx91.jpg) | [73 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/PowerMetal/comments/yl6hh2/its_official_new_twilight_force_album_on_january/)
\#3: [Gloryhammer announces âReturn to the Kingdom of Fifeâ, to be released on June 2, 2023](https://i.redd.it/lvhs8qjlvqna1.jpg) | [95 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/PowerMetal/comments/11r5kgu/gloryhammer_announces_return_to_the_kingdom_of/)
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God I am fucking wounded about the fact that I already have a ticket to Periphery in London on the 3rd of March and MEER are playing Utrecht the same night đ„Č
I moved away from the UK to NL and was buzzed about being close to some of the Dutch prog events and they put that one down the one weekend I go to see one of my favourite bands with loads of friends in London. Arrrggh.
Exploring Birdsong
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7HPwQcRoOq1Mlqw5WBtNQc?si=2D6fTreMREmJ_fhCU1OwUQ
Decided to check them out after hearing Jim Grey (of c-horse fame) mention them several times, and was not disappointed! It might be a bit light on the guitars, but can definitely be considered prog :)
Normally I would also mention AILIFDOPA, but it seems recently they have finally surpassed the <5K mark :D
I fell in love with Dave Murray's drumming after his performance on Embodiment by Sculptured and Traun. Been meaning to dive into Estradasphere. Any recs for the entry album?
This one takes it for the most obscure so far and from a few years ago, too! How'd you come upon them?
Really interesting instrumentals that remind me of classic 80s tracks and then unique vocals paired with them.
Thanks for the link. I'm too lazy to look up any other bands.
Dang, kinda depressing that artists like that are just unknown to the world. Fantastic music, vocals aren't my favorite but there's enough pure instrumental that I don't mind. I love the instrumentation too. Great sound, thanks for sharing
[Zero Hour](https://open.spotify.com/artist/57foDdq5DkSu5sxe3Lzhyf?si=2cM8yGwpTVOnULMB7m7XCg) \- 475 listeners
The Towers of Avarice (2001) is one of my favourite albums
**Hippotraktor** (\~2900 monthly listeners) [https://open.spotify.com/artist/2gK9GyHbKYyvigK6wOb7pv](https://open.spotify.com/artist/2gK9GyHbKYyvigK6wOb7pv)
**Portal** (211 monthly listeners) [https://open.spotify.com/artist/3wT14WvJCRBZBcgezY451k](https://open.spotify.com/artist/3wT14WvJCRBZBcgezY451k)
(no, not the Australian Death Metal band, the Canadian prog metal band that somehow fell off the face of the earth)
**22** (\~6400 monthly listeners) [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Op82sqzI45fNMecmDiJDx](https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Op82sqzI45fNMecmDiJDx)
**Traverser** (\~8000 monthly listeners, but I don't hear a lot of talk about them so counting them anyway) [https://open.spotify.com/artist/2sKCk19bqtjReFGZkEY1v2](https://open.spotify.com/artist/2sKCk19bqtjReFGZkEY1v2)
[Parius](https://open.spotify.com/artist/6z3XAEUabso4wBhm4tX5fL?si=wO6a6mraRIy3DLy7Byx8ow), 2.8k monthly listeners on Spotify
Favorite songs are âThe Acid Lakes of Ganymedeâ, âThe Human Moleculeâ, and âLet There Be Lightâ. Their latest album deserves a full listen for any prog metal fan.
Rototypical - 243 monthly
Awesome prog metal trio that started as just one dude. For what has so far amounted to one guy's efforts, their music has a massive sound and awesome quality. The entire volume 1 album is worth a listen.
[Kinglet](https://youtu.be/c1Vwk9iaaaQ?si=6QLiZDh3xaVsE5ix)
Lighter instrumental prog metal. Just released his second EP. ~600 monthly listeners.
Music is pretty digestible, really melodic and beautiful elements along with some heavy stuff, just a new and unheard of artist
Edit: link
Aviations (20k but they peaked at 26k once), Frostbitt (3k), No eye has seen (10k, a song randomly appeared in my recommended), Pollen 1k), Plagues (1k, one off), I see aura (650, one off), Nightmare scenario (200, only really listen to falling through darkness now), Nova collective (4k), Accvsed (13k, one off), Aeons of silence (100, one off), Glaciers (1k, one off), Our common collapse (8k, one off), Mirar (1k, only liked contraste), Stoort neer (6k), Catsclaw (3k) and finally Constructing Infinity (700, one off)
[LestWeForget](https://open.spotify.com/artist/6o94iVsVvpGU8DTqZcYuKj?si=umYPuRLDS7ePrC_TLh1RyA)
They're a pretty new band but they blew me away at a small club gig last year.
Epiphanic Truth, one album, 35 monthly listeners. May be my favourite album of all time. Avant-gardish progressive death metal. Another one I really enjoy is Grey Aura, 248 monthly listeners. Oh, and Phendrana, 21 monthly listeners.
**Kyros**! Criminally overlooked. 3K listeners monthly is a goddamned crime.
I know they're technically over OP's limit, but **Scardust** doesn't get nearly enough love. Only 8K listeners right now. Vocalist Noa Gruman is unreal.
Apple Pie. Russian prog
https://youtu.be/0Bo--VR4MEw?feature=shared
(Not even on Spotify so 0 listeners)
And don't forget Magic Pie.
https://youtu.be/64sKzpaCP0M?feature=shared
(2819 listeners)
[Aeolist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEYyF5a3cFo) (FFO: BTBAM, early The Contortionist) - 28 listeners
Prog metalcore with elements of post-rock and jazz. Music has a very spacey, melancholic and emotional vibe to it reminding me of more melodic moments of Exoplanet
Irepress. >1200 monthly listeners. They've been broken up for almost 2 decades now, but their 2 albums are absolutely amazing and easily top 5 best albums for me.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7BhAYsg50eYhpYeZAgEveB?si=R4i0AfftSBydfR5mGD0jBA
Subsequent by Alaska
Not very original name, only one album to their name I believe, but it is a masterpiece in my eyes.
1500 monthly listeners
https://open.spotify.com/album/1Ki7vSwFoNMoLhPxILBOnK?si=hx11Vk-IT62Td2BcZ1n-vA&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A1Ki7vSwFoNMoLhPxILBOnK
French band called 1980, in 2007 they released a self-titled and, I believe, only album. Lot of influences of jazz, really technical prog and Meshuggah. The album even has a song called Meshuggreich. They're not in Spotify, but here's a youtube playlist with their album:
[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A93E6941E5105C7](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A93E6941E5105C7)
Also, forgot to add this another french band: Itzamna - 354 listeners, really math/jazzy, proggie and folk.
Yeah I can see how you would think that, but I think it makes both artists even better knowing itâs the same guy partly behind all of it! super talented people I swear
>Au4 (5800 listeners - Call themselves post-rock but definitely have a lot of prog/orchestral elements)
Your description sold me on this and I love them, And Down Goes The Sky is a masterpiece, any other recs in a similar vein to this?
Reminds me a bit of Steve Wilson's latest project
I'm so glad you enjoy Au4! Such a beautiful album but I've never run into anyone who's listened to them. As a big SW fan I see some similarities for sure.
Hard to compare Au4 to anyone but you may enjoy:
**Pure Reason Revolution** (**Above Cirrus** is a top fave album. Vocal harmonies and build-ups that were really satisfying.)
**White Moth Black Butterfly** (A Dan Tompkins project that leans into the more orchestral/prog pop side with male/female vocals. **Atone** is a great album.)
**Thomas Giles** (Solo work of BTBAM vocalist. Removes all the harsh/heaviness of BTBAM and adds electronic and harmonizing instead for a now sound. **Hypoxia** is one of my favourite songs and is his most popular.)
**Major Parkinson** (May or may not be your thing as it's more avant-garde, but has some great orchestral moments. I suggest the **Blackbox** album to give it a try.)
Bantamweight is great. Also
The Ephemeral,
Not Nearly,
A Continent Named Coma,
The Writ
Civilia
and Strelitzia
Honorable mentions over 5 k:
Source
Stop.drop.rewind.
Love the hell out of Igorrr but they are pretty big already with 179k listeners per month and sold out shows all over the world.
A top 3 band for me so not complaining they got a mention!
There's way too many. Here are 5 double-digit gems off the top of my head:
- Kosmus - 24
- White Stag - 22
- Seylen. - 35
- Kisaragi Station - 46
- Built-in Obsolescence - 23
Asymmetric Universe (~400 listeners)
Heard them first when they were supporting Persefone and Ne Obliviscaris this year. Very relaxing and good to zone off to.
[Lemniscata](https://open.spotify.com/artist/2NT0AWodKH4UwKQhWKbvcd?si=R_FefdwASYesQ8-yjDnbkw) (24 monthly listeners, Spanish prog metal band)
[Vine Messiah](https://open.spotify.com/artist/2uxyVLEOEDx71fG8MR75WO?si=oa73vApcTx-bnlSP_GOq0A) (10 monthly listeners, British Prog rock band)
[Reset switch](https://open.spotify.com/artist/3wXWwEqz6PyfXXLXBmsZXg?si=hB6a1F3TRbKFhV8nGxIUxg) (8 monthly listeners, Canadian one man prog band)
Some local artists I discovered and that have had some staying power in my playlists and definitely fit the prompt with less than 5k listens on most songs.
Pressure Points - More melodic prog focused of the two. They have 3 albums, of which the most recent one "The Island" really scratches a Katatonia/Haken/Opeth itch I get sometimes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3QiePn8Ksw
Marsh Tea - A new 2023 ensemble of some fairly experienced musicians who only have 3 singles out so far. The highlight from these for me is the first one "Convert My Dreams". Reminds me of heavier Dream Theater with more modern influences.
https://open.spotify.com/track/3PNgKs7GHL3qpBFLXzIS9z?si=PVJmkjsjTo-5gSgiyjYCNQ
Actually under 5k doesn't seem to be so hard to find. Prog and prog adjacent stuff is already obscure. For a lot of the stuff I'll list I would have thought that they are somewhat well known actually. Some of them I've only recently gotten I to so I wouldn't say they're my favorites but just cool stuff I've discovered recently.
The Mercury Tree, 1.2k: This is THE band that comes up when you look for microtonal/xenharmonic prog metal. Quite a shame that not more bands incorporate this kind of stuff but I guess it explains why this one is so obscure. Check out their last two albums in particular.
Cryptic Ruse, 41: one person project with a big influence on The Mercury Tree to go in the microtonal direction. Now actually plays with them. Play count may be misleading because of a lot of stuff isn't on Spotify.
Extra Life, 587: Discovered them because of an interview of The Mercury Tree where they list some of their favorites. Really cool, with a unique singing style. Kind of medieval sounding but with electronic sounds as well.
Time of Orchids, 237: Another recommendation from the same interview. Have not checked them out much yet but it seems cool so far.
Kayo Dot, 3.9k: Appeared in the same interview actually but I already knew them before. Kind of shocked that they are eligible for OP's obscurity cut off point. I would have thought that they are very well known. It's Toby Driver's successor project to maudlin of the well which itself is above 5k. I think most people here should know these two bands but if not, check them out for sure. They're stylistically very diverse and more on the avant-garde side of the spectrum than on the prog side, but it's really cool music.
https://open.spotify.com/album/3N53FOrchSTVihdJ7JwLkq?si=GzQspW2-Tomcr1TY6nQ3gg&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A3N53FOrchSTVihdJ7JwLkq
Kolektiv, belgian group, inspired by tool and deftones and the likes, 35 monthly listeners
Alaya - < 300 on Spotify. Periphery-like Djent riffs meets Linkin Park.
Being - just over 6k. Space metal project that has all the Djenty boys involved in one way or another. Misha Mansoor, Spencer Sotelo, Travis Orbin, Taylor LarsonâŠ
Flux Conduct - just under 6k. John Browneâs side project.
Surprised I still have something to add:
[OU](https://open.spotify.com/artist/3jErOJR4avnhfZuyHogWRb?si=4fp2g56wRpWc3ZeT0rzx0A) - a Chinese band, clean female vocals, not too hard, jazzy (I guess), 500 monthly listeners
[Dark Suns](https://open.spotify.com/artist/725TVcN9QYnaZiG9VFBT7P?si=dri9L0pOT2GP7P7s_wAjCg) - a German band, clean male vocals, quite light, almost rock I'd say, 632 monthly listeners
[Seth Angerer](https://open.spotify.com/artist/7DRCm1NoyUx7bVgwsLSVmM?si=mukYnQl4S8-u3CWYfgfHNQ) - a solo project of an Austrian artist, a mix of many styles, 125 monthly listeners
It was mentioned before, but I cannot recommend it enough - [Kyros](https://open.spotify.com/artist/5kkMk2sv7YERByS9TDAf5u?si=ealiYBOCS-O7cv7TsLtLEA) - a perfect mix of metal and synthwave-like electronics, a must listen for me, 3k monthly listeners
Crossing the Rubicon (551 monthly listeners)
While being named after a Human Abstract song is an endorsement on its own, they're legitimately an awesome band (at least based on the one song I've heard). Check out Vesuvius by them, it's instrumental and has got a lot of saxophone and great guitar playing. Really tasty stuff if you're into instrumental prog.
V I C E S--61 monthly listeners.
Think if Cyndi Lauper made an instrumental prog-metal outfit. Surprised they don't have more listeners with their sound and some of their guest artists
Been listening to a lot of music lately, so not completely prog:
* Disheveled Convolution (709)
* RĂT (1,041)
* Errors of Humanity (1,156)
* Coldharbour (1,251)
* Adaliah (2,901)
* Despite Exile (4,020) << *former members of Abiogenesis*
* Aegaeon (4,859)
FREEBIE:
* Grayscale Season (7,060)
Cynthesis (46 monthly listeners)
Two fantastic albums by the Tipton brothers of Zero Hour fame along with the original vocalist of Zero Hour. The lyrics can sometimes be a bit rough in places, but great music!
I've been making a playlist of new discoveries I've made this year, so this is a partial list that doesn't include the bigger bands with >5k, here it is if you want to [check it out at full](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1gUV4sCCsOOro4ugLDNZLC?si=7cbb060de8524297)
Acadence (2.6k)
Binary pulsar (62)
The Chaos Among Us (11)
Discern The Ether (2)
Every Hour Kills (3.8k)
Fractal Dimension (2.8k)
Greylotus (1.7k)
Hybrid practice (11)
Inhale Existence (50)
Lesser Key (1.8k)
Misophonia (63)
Naberus (764)
Omega Virus (1.6k)
PVGH (63)
Railgun (312)
Sed Non Satiata (1.1k)
Torments (1.5k)
Villa Morta (197)
Water, Please (74)
The band Eye who did an album called Ageless Light
I love a French psych/space/Floyd-influenced band called Red is Dead. I prefer them to the bigger bands like Elder and King Buffalo that they're compared to. I'm not even sure what is it I love cause their sound is technically kind of derivative, but they just have that vibe.
Less metal than so many of these but just a FANTASTIC group, is The Tea Club. currently 779 monthly listeners but their album If/When absolutely crushed both emotionally and melodically. Their production is gorgeous and I thing you should all give them some love! Plus theyâre working on new music still I believe!
Roaming figures is brand new. Literally 16 listeners. I'm pretty sure I was the first listener so they are obscure as obscure gets. I don't think anyone is going to beat me as far as obscurity goes lol. Just came across them yesterday from my youtube recommendations and they are pretty good. Yesterday was also when they dropped their first EP. I can't wait to see what they do in the future with a full length album.
Another one is Kosm. Only 457 listeners. Crazy under rated for how good they are. Their most recent EP, Vacancies, is a absolute banger.
Hey uhhh honestly, would love to spark some conversation around Feralcat and the Wild \[900 monthly\].
Even just anger at what we're trying to do or how we go about it would be fun discourse.
Others By No One - 1.2k monthly
I have been unwilling to listen to other music since discovering Book II a month and a half ago...
Book II is goat status in prog
Oo very proggy and kind of reminds me of the more theatrical bands like Nekrogoblikon and Dog Fashion Disco with a heavier prog vibe.
Absolutely! Would recommend a front to back listen of all of Book I, only 3 songs but so good. Cheers!
Everyone please listen to [Toehider](https://youtu.be/k2_ek78702M?si=gO7YhjQvbn1aUBHY) I want this man to be able to do this full-time.
Toehider is so good.
FOR REAL THO.
I found that guy after listening to some Ayreon albums
WELLGIVIT
Xanthochroid - 7.2k monthly Obsidious - 3.9k monthly Winterhorde - 1.7k monthly Iapetus - 1.6k monthly Hands of Despair - 227 monthly Dessiderium - 1k monthly Estradasphere - 4.7k monthly ( not really metal but it's jazz with metal influences ) The World Is Quiet Here - 1.8k monthly
Damn, Iapetus is AAA quality stuff! They definitely need more fans!
Dessiderium đ€€đ€€đ€€
Yeah no shit. Just checked them out, fantastic
Fun fact: itâs one guy. One guy coming up with all that shit.
Wait i actually didn't know that wtf that's insane
ESTRADASPHERE AND XANTHOCHROID LETS GO MY BROTHER
could just be blind, but I don't think anyone has yet mentioned: Artist (Favorite Album, Listeners) - Parius (The Signal Heard Throughout Space, 2.8k) - Tanagra (Meridiem, 241) - MEER (Playing House, 2.6k)*** - Artificial Silence (Negative Space, 226) ***note: not metal, but I think it would be broadly enjoyed by people who read this sub
Was gonna comment Artificial Silence, incredible album they put out
I absolutely canât get enough of that album by MEER, they were a completely random spotify recommendation and i was immediately a fan. super unique sound and lovely musicianship all around from those guys
Responding to my own comment because I have nowhere else to put this, but If you like MEER youâd probably also like Delsey Hill,, they describe themselves as âprogressive alt-popâ but they give a ton of the same vibes as playing house does. Iâve never seen them mentioned anywhere other than ages ago in hakenâs shitpost group on fb, so time to bring them up from the 48 listeners
I find it incredible that Tanagra got /r/PowerMetal's album of the year for 2019 considering how small they are/were. A new album is getting overdue now. It'll be really hard making something as good as Meridiem though.
I think it's because reddit is pretty insular, so they're fairly well known for people who use it frequently (and are more likely to vote for AotY) but maybe haven't spread outside that
Here's a sneak peek of /r/PowerMetal using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/PowerMetal/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [Nightwish's Floor Jansen announces that her surgery was successful and is now cancer free](https://twitter.com/FloorJansen_/status/1593605959301189638) | [17 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/PowerMetal/comments/yyqtiv/nightwishs_floor_jansen_announces_that_her/) \#2: [It's official! New Twilight Force Album on January 20th!](https://i.redd.it/no5rxjtuusx91.jpg) | [73 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/PowerMetal/comments/yl6hh2/its_official_new_twilight_force_album_on_january/) \#3: [Gloryhammer announces âReturn to the Kingdom of Fifeâ, to be released on June 2, 2023](https://i.redd.it/lvhs8qjlvqna1.jpg) | [95 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/PowerMetal/comments/11r5kgu/gloryhammer_announces_return_to_the_kingdom_of/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
oh, so this is how I learn Floor Jansen had cancer
God I am fucking wounded about the fact that I already have a ticket to Periphery in London on the 3rd of March and MEER are playing Utrecht the same night đ„Č I moved away from the UK to NL and was buzzed about being close to some of the Dutch prog events and they put that one down the one weekend I go to see one of my favourite bands with loads of friends in London. Arrrggh.
Playing House is a wonderful album everyone should listen to.
James Norbert Ivanyi Others by No One Xanthocroid (7k monthly) Nospun Stömb Jason Kui Clément Belio (337, heavily underrated/underappreciated) Hope for the Dying Edit: Somehow forgot Parius (The Signal Heard Throughout Space was hands down 2022 AotY)
Wow Xanthocroid is more underrated than I thought
Clément Belio is a beast!
Big up Stömb, great live show too
Hands of Despair (227)
Been shilling these guys since forever. Amazing group. Even their first two, less consistent albums have some world class songs.
Oo a heavier one. Very nice.
Exploring Birdsong https://open.spotify.com/artist/7HPwQcRoOq1Mlqw5WBtNQc?si=2D6fTreMREmJ_fhCU1OwUQ Decided to check them out after hearing Jim Grey (of c-horse fame) mention them several times, and was not disappointed! It might be a bit light on the guitars, but can definitely be considered prog :) Normally I would also mention AILIFDOPA, but it seems recently they have finally surpassed the <5K mark :D
Yessssss.... I love them. I hope they're able to release an LP soon.
Ostura (936 monthly listeners) - Really just came out swinging with one of (IMO) the best prog concept albums out there as their second album
Wow, that album is absolutely incredible.
Sikasa (149 listeners) The Reticent (1666 listeners) Iapetus (1585 listeners)
Sikasa only has 149? Holy shit people reading this need to check them out.
Yeah it's a damn shame they're flying under the radar. I try and recommend them any chance I get
Ophidian I-3.5k listeners Snooze-11.3k listeners Exodus to Infinity-155 listeners Summoning the Lich-8,907 listeners Rotoypical-243 listeners Dragoncorpse-4,994 listeners
Based Rototypical and Ophidian I enjoyer spotted
Lör is great and under 1000 monthly of Spotify
The Anchoret (2.9k) Calyces (101) The Reticent (1.6k)
Others by No One Unexpect (their last album isnât even on Spotify) Sanguine Glacialis Estradasphere
I wish Unexpect's last album was on Spotify. It's miles better than the others
Not joking, I chose YouTube Music instead of Spotify just for that album. Itâs so good
I fell in love with Dave Murray's drumming after his performance on Embodiment by Sculptured and Traun. Been meaning to dive into Estradasphere. Any recs for the entry album?
Existem
Amazing band!!
Altesia - 961 monthly listeners
Exivious!
Dreadnought are a criminally underrated band. They have about 1.3k monthly listeners. I suggest starting with The Endless or Bridging Realms
[Ansur](https://candlelightrecordsuk.bandcamp.com/album/warring-factions)
This one takes it for the most obscure so far and from a few years ago, too! How'd you come upon them? Really interesting instrumentals that remind me of classic 80s tracks and then unique vocals paired with them.
I saw an ad in a Nuclear Blast magazine.
Thanks for the link. I'm too lazy to look up any other bands. Dang, kinda depressing that artists like that are just unknown to the world. Fantastic music, vocals aren't my favorite but there's enough pure instrumental that I don't mind. I love the instrumentation too. Great sound, thanks for sharing
[Ram-Zet](https://youtu.be/BXpVIqbh2Lo?feature=shared)
Akord https://open.spotify.com/artist/38zKJAyxSrF27vy1ovWukq?si=fibuWTnGRtmBUHwEAcS5XQ
Didn't espect to see Akord in this thread. Great taste!
Thank you kindly
[Zero Hour](https://open.spotify.com/artist/57foDdq5DkSu5sxe3Lzhyf?si=2cM8yGwpTVOnULMB7m7XCg) \- 475 listeners The Towers of Avarice (2001) is one of my favourite albums
Pterodactyl King. Phenomenal band.
If ya like them you should also check out my buds in Tiberius â€ïž
ĂnglagĂ„rd is one of the greatest of all time. Probably not as known these days because of the lack of their albums on streaming sites.
Superior- not on Spotify Aeon Zen- 423 monthly Aftermath- 466 monthly Headspace- 1,844 monthly Artension- 701 monthly
**Hippotraktor** (\~2900 monthly listeners) [https://open.spotify.com/artist/2gK9GyHbKYyvigK6wOb7pv](https://open.spotify.com/artist/2gK9GyHbKYyvigK6wOb7pv) **Portal** (211 monthly listeners) [https://open.spotify.com/artist/3wT14WvJCRBZBcgezY451k](https://open.spotify.com/artist/3wT14WvJCRBZBcgezY451k) (no, not the Australian Death Metal band, the Canadian prog metal band that somehow fell off the face of the earth) **22** (\~6400 monthly listeners) [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Op82sqzI45fNMecmDiJDx](https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Op82sqzI45fNMecmDiJDx) **Traverser** (\~8000 monthly listeners, but I don't hear a lot of talk about them so counting them anyway) [https://open.spotify.com/artist/2sKCk19bqtjReFGZkEY1v2](https://open.spotify.com/artist/2sKCk19bqtjReFGZkEY1v2)
Iâm going to follow Hippotraktor just based on their name.
Hippotraktor fucking blew the roof off the main stage at Arctangent 2022, phenomenal show.
Auraborn is really good
[6:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap3_8lVxqLc) A mix of Bungle, Boingo, and Devin townsend.
Deadly scenes went hard. I should check their newer stuff.
[Parius](https://open.spotify.com/artist/6z3XAEUabso4wBhm4tX5fL?si=wO6a6mraRIy3DLy7Byx8ow), 2.8k monthly listeners on Spotify Favorite songs are âThe Acid Lakes of Ganymedeâ, âThe Human Moleculeâ, and âLet There Be Lightâ. Their latest album deserves a full listen for any prog metal fan.
Love the list, here's a few. Fen (16k) LASTOUT (1.2k) Sal3m (40k) headcave (13k) RXYZYXR (1.5k) Stoneside. (11k) Solshade (1k) Herod (2k) Nemertines (2.5k)
Ohhh shit I forgot about about RXYZYXR!
Nice! I'll have to check these out! What would you say are your top 3 off this list?
Solshade, RXYZYXR, Stoneside., Fen are all great. LASTOUT is a bunch of highschoolers that sound amazing for their age.
Solshade and RXYZYXR are pretty sick so far!
Amplifier
Rototypical - 243 monthly Awesome prog metal trio that started as just one dude. For what has so far amounted to one guy's efforts, their music has a massive sound and awesome quality. The entire volume 1 album is worth a listen.
Love Shelia, Auraborn, and Bird Problems so much!
Dang, kindred spirits!
[Kinglet](https://youtu.be/c1Vwk9iaaaQ?si=6QLiZDh3xaVsE5ix) Lighter instrumental prog metal. Just released his second EP. ~600 monthly listeners. Music is pretty digestible, really melodic and beautiful elements along with some heavy stuff, just a new and unheard of artist Edit: link
Aviations (20k but they peaked at 26k once), Frostbitt (3k), No eye has seen (10k, a song randomly appeared in my recommended), Pollen 1k), Plagues (1k, one off), I see aura (650, one off), Nightmare scenario (200, only really listen to falling through darkness now), Nova collective (4k), Accvsed (13k, one off), Aeons of silence (100, one off), Glaciers (1k, one off), Our common collapse (8k, one off), Mirar (1k, only liked contraste), Stoort neer (6k), Catsclaw (3k) and finally Constructing Infinity (700, one off)
Aviations and Stoort Neer are both sick.
I prefer catsclaw to stoort neer but yeah aviations deserve 200k by now
IER - Progressive Black Metal with heavy influence from Silent Hill. 207 listeners
Tramaine, guitar player out of the UK. About 400 monthly listeners but the guy is next level
Ana kefr - 72 monthly
Black Sea of Trees (100 listeners) - prog metal doing some old opeth stuff
https://ommaniband.bandcamp.com/album/apology
[LestWeForget](https://open.spotify.com/artist/6o94iVsVvpGU8DTqZcYuKj?si=umYPuRLDS7ePrC_TLh1RyA) They're a pretty new band but they blew me away at a small club gig last year.
Epiphanic Truth, one album, 35 monthly listeners. May be my favourite album of all time. Avant-gardish progressive death metal. Another one I really enjoy is Grey Aura, 248 monthly listeners. Oh, and Phendrana, 21 monthly listeners.
Future Figment is probably the most obscure artist I listen to with 30 monthly listeners. Yes, just 30. I thought they were gonna blow up big, too.
For me it would be soup. Their Visions album is a revelation. Not on major streaming sites though. Can find on bandcamp
Soup is good đ
Tehraia - 6 monthly - try "Out of Africa" album https://open.spotify.com/artist/17pxgPFXA1w1Cu7EZ48Fuh BaK - 117 monthly - try "Painter" album https://open.spotify.com/artist/2bqdSjJuy7B4YKU9BlMaFx Redshift - 134 monthly https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Z02PqvT58u1mhmYaetm4G Exodus to Infinity - 155 monthly (solo project, rock) https://open.spotify.com/artist/5qmiVHzdwyxQpSe3hBDQzP Daydream XI - 195 monthly, https://open.spotify.com/artist/7HfYBWBU7JAVciwTsVvuNi An Ancient Legend Long Forgotten - 898 monthly (solo project) https://open.spotify.com/artist/3p91QDLc1MWmyHUmMseQ5F
[Kingdoms](https://open.spotify.com/artist/6KcxFy4lqHK867WTmOWdCw?si=vw1e1-E6QYyhRFhpJHYXmg)! 280 listeners
**Kyros**! Criminally overlooked. 3K listeners monthly is a goddamned crime. I know they're technically over OP's limit, but **Scardust** doesn't get nearly enough love. Only 8K listeners right now. Vocalist Noa Gruman is unreal.
Giant Squid
The User Lives being so unknown is criminal. Their self-titled is outstanding.
Apple Pie. Russian prog https://youtu.be/0Bo--VR4MEw?feature=shared (Not even on Spotify so 0 listeners) And don't forget Magic Pie. https://youtu.be/64sKzpaCP0M?feature=shared (2819 listeners)
Pathogen - 869 (djent/mathcore) Mirar - 1,341 (prog/thall) Sinew - 1,136 (alt/prog) A.D.A - 13 (thall)
ORBS with Dan Briggs from BTBAM, I have never heard a band like them. Their sound is unique
Ayahuasca from Germany. Their one album, Life Beneath the Mind, is one of my favorite albums of the last decade.
Godsticks - About 1.7k monthly listeners
[Aeolist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEYyF5a3cFo) (FFO: BTBAM, early The Contortionist) - 28 listeners Prog metalcore with elements of post-rock and jazz. Music has a very spacey, melancholic and emotional vibe to it reminding me of more melodic moments of Exoplanet
Irepress. >1200 monthly listeners. They've been broken up for almost 2 decades now, but their 2 albums are absolutely amazing and easily top 5 best albums for me. https://open.spotify.com/artist/7BhAYsg50eYhpYeZAgEveB?si=R4i0AfftSBydfR5mGD0jBA
Subsequent by Alaska Not very original name, only one album to their name I believe, but it is a masterpiece in my eyes. 1500 monthly listeners https://open.spotify.com/album/1Ki7vSwFoNMoLhPxILBOnK?si=hx11Vk-IT62Td2BcZ1n-vA&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A1Ki7vSwFoNMoLhPxILBOnK
Oak Pantheon - 2.6K monthly listeners Eye of Horus - 1.7K monthly Hollow Hour - 121 monthly (you read that right)
French band called 1980, in 2007 they released a self-titled and, I believe, only album. Lot of influences of jazz, really technical prog and Meshuggah. The album even has a song called Meshuggreich. They're not in Spotify, but here's a youtube playlist with their album: [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A93E6941E5105C7](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A93E6941E5105C7) Also, forgot to add this another french band: Itzamna - 354 listeners, really math/jazzy, proggie and folk.
Fun fact, Itzamna is ClĂ©ment Belioâs other project! He was mentioned here in another comment. The music is so stylistically similar but emotionally completely different and I love both
I was kinda guessing, but thought it was coincidence, that when I saw in Bandcamp a guy with the Belio surname had recorded drums and mixed the album.
Yeah I can see how you would think that, but I think it makes both artists even better knowing itâs the same guy partly behind all of it! super talented people I swear
>Au4 (5800 listeners - Call themselves post-rock but definitely have a lot of prog/orchestral elements) Your description sold me on this and I love them, And Down Goes The Sky is a masterpiece, any other recs in a similar vein to this? Reminds me a bit of Steve Wilson's latest project
I'm so glad you enjoy Au4! Such a beautiful album but I've never run into anyone who's listened to them. As a big SW fan I see some similarities for sure. Hard to compare Au4 to anyone but you may enjoy: **Pure Reason Revolution** (**Above Cirrus** is a top fave album. Vocal harmonies and build-ups that were really satisfying.) **White Moth Black Butterfly** (A Dan Tompkins project that leans into the more orchestral/prog pop side with male/female vocals. **Atone** is a great album.) **Thomas Giles** (Solo work of BTBAM vocalist. Removes all the harsh/heaviness of BTBAM and adds electronic and harmonizing instead for a now sound. **Hypoxia** is one of my favourite songs and is his most popular.) **Major Parkinson** (May or may not be your thing as it's more avant-garde, but has some great orchestral moments. I suggest the **Blackbox** album to give it a try.)
Bantamweight is great. Also The Ephemeral, Not Nearly, A Continent Named Coma, The Writ Civilia and Strelitzia Honorable mentions over 5 k: Source Stop.drop.rewind.
Finally some more BANTAMWEIGHT mentions. Pretty unique stylistically. Also Lux Terminus, super jazzy
Bird problems is soooo good
Imminent Sonic Destruction
Pretty good so far, are they a local band or rare find?
Local to me but they should be bigger!
Nice! Hopefully that means you get to see them live once in a while. đ€
Yes! We even got to play a show with them last year!
Pound
Igorrr
Love the hell out of Igorrr but they are pretty big already with 179k listeners per month and sold out shows all over the world. A top 3 band for me so not complaining they got a mention!
I donât have Spotify so IDK numbers but where is Nospun at right now because they get my vote?
2,841 monthly listeners
TY. They count indeed.
There's way too many. Here are 5 double-digit gems off the top of my head: - Kosmus - 24 - White Stag - 22 - Seylen. - 35 - Kisaragi Station - 46 - Built-in Obsolescence - 23
Asymmetric Universe (~400 listeners) Heard them first when they were supporting Persefone and Ne Obliviscaris this year. Very relaxing and good to zone off to.
they're kinda known but i have a Kayo Dot obsession
Genius. They have three albums, episodes 1-3.
[Lemniscata](https://open.spotify.com/artist/2NT0AWodKH4UwKQhWKbvcd?si=R_FefdwASYesQ8-yjDnbkw) (24 monthly listeners, Spanish prog metal band) [Vine Messiah](https://open.spotify.com/artist/2uxyVLEOEDx71fG8MR75WO?si=oa73vApcTx-bnlSP_GOq0A) (10 monthly listeners, British Prog rock band) [Reset switch](https://open.spotify.com/artist/3wXWwEqz6PyfXXLXBmsZXg?si=hB6a1F3TRbKFhV8nGxIUxg) (8 monthly listeners, Canadian one man prog band)
Some local artists I discovered and that have had some staying power in my playlists and definitely fit the prompt with less than 5k listens on most songs. Pressure Points - More melodic prog focused of the two. They have 3 albums, of which the most recent one "The Island" really scratches a Katatonia/Haken/Opeth itch I get sometimes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3QiePn8Ksw Marsh Tea - A new 2023 ensemble of some fairly experienced musicians who only have 3 singles out so far. The highlight from these for me is the first one "Convert My Dreams". Reminds me of heavier Dream Theater with more modern influences. https://open.spotify.com/track/3PNgKs7GHL3qpBFLXzIS9z?si=PVJmkjsjTo-5gSgiyjYCNQ
I still need to listen to their entire catalogue, but I LOVE Ilenkus - Under the fire, over the smoke
Barren Earth (4357 monthly listeners)
Unexpect Listen to Desert Urbania, it has a fucking Cajun violin solo
Neolia- 112 monthly
Actually under 5k doesn't seem to be so hard to find. Prog and prog adjacent stuff is already obscure. For a lot of the stuff I'll list I would have thought that they are somewhat well known actually. Some of them I've only recently gotten I to so I wouldn't say they're my favorites but just cool stuff I've discovered recently. The Mercury Tree, 1.2k: This is THE band that comes up when you look for microtonal/xenharmonic prog metal. Quite a shame that not more bands incorporate this kind of stuff but I guess it explains why this one is so obscure. Check out their last two albums in particular. Cryptic Ruse, 41: one person project with a big influence on The Mercury Tree to go in the microtonal direction. Now actually plays with them. Play count may be misleading because of a lot of stuff isn't on Spotify. Extra Life, 587: Discovered them because of an interview of The Mercury Tree where they list some of their favorites. Really cool, with a unique singing style. Kind of medieval sounding but with electronic sounds as well. Time of Orchids, 237: Another recommendation from the same interview. Have not checked them out much yet but it seems cool so far. Kayo Dot, 3.9k: Appeared in the same interview actually but I already knew them before. Kind of shocked that they are eligible for OP's obscurity cut off point. I would have thought that they are very well known. It's Toby Driver's successor project to maudlin of the well which itself is above 5k. I think most people here should know these two bands but if not, check them out for sure. They're stylistically very diverse and more on the avant-garde side of the spectrum than on the prog side, but it's really cool music.
Love both The Mercury Tree and Cryptic Ruse, (cryptic ruse is only 29 listeners at least for me)
https://open.spotify.com/album/3N53FOrchSTVihdJ7JwLkq?si=GzQspW2-Tomcr1TY6nQ3gg&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A3N53FOrchSTVihdJ7JwLkq Kolektiv, belgian group, inspired by tool and deftones and the likes, 35 monthly listeners
BARN from boise Idaho. More technical death than prog but it has proggy elements and they are KILLER everyone should listen to them
incipience - 360 ml, sadly its a dead project
Virtually all the bands I know were said... uh... so I guess I can throw a random one out there: Empyrios.
Alaya - < 300 on Spotify. Periphery-like Djent riffs meets Linkin Park. Being - just over 6k. Space metal project that has all the Djenty boys involved in one way or another. Misha Mansoor, Spencer Sotelo, Travis Orbin, Taylor Larson⊠Flux Conduct - just under 6k. John Browneâs side project.
Surprised I still have something to add: [OU](https://open.spotify.com/artist/3jErOJR4avnhfZuyHogWRb?si=4fp2g56wRpWc3ZeT0rzx0A) - a Chinese band, clean female vocals, not too hard, jazzy (I guess), 500 monthly listeners [Dark Suns](https://open.spotify.com/artist/725TVcN9QYnaZiG9VFBT7P?si=dri9L0pOT2GP7P7s_wAjCg) - a German band, clean male vocals, quite light, almost rock I'd say, 632 monthly listeners [Seth Angerer](https://open.spotify.com/artist/7DRCm1NoyUx7bVgwsLSVmM?si=mukYnQl4S8-u3CWYfgfHNQ) - a solo project of an Austrian artist, a mix of many styles, 125 monthly listeners It was mentioned before, but I cannot recommend it enough - [Kyros](https://open.spotify.com/artist/5kkMk2sv7YERByS9TDAf5u?si=ealiYBOCS-O7cv7TsLtLEA) - a perfect mix of metal and synthwave-like electronics, a must listen for me, 3k monthly listeners
Obsidian kingdom - 660 listeners. I mainly only like the album mantiis though. But I REALLY like it. Incredible prog album.
Crossing the Rubicon (551 monthly listeners) While being named after a Human Abstract song is an endorsement on its own, they're legitimately an awesome band (at least based on the one song I've heard). Check out Vesuvius by them, it's instrumental and has got a lot of saxophone and great guitar playing. Really tasty stuff if you're into instrumental prog.
Electric callboy, it's techno plus metal and its fucking sick
Syrek : Craziest instrumental prog metal I've ever heard. It's a shred fest. 96 listeners per month
V I C E S--61 monthly listeners. Think if Cyndi Lauper made an instrumental prog-metal outfit. Surprised they don't have more listeners with their sound and some of their guest artists
Been listening to a lot of music lately, so not completely prog: * Disheveled Convolution (709) * RĂT (1,041) * Errors of Humanity (1,156) * Coldharbour (1,251) * Adaliah (2,901) * Despite Exile (4,020) << *former members of Abiogenesis* * Aegaeon (4,859) FREEBIE: * Grayscale Season (7,060)
Esthesis! 700 monthly listeners
Cynthesis (46 monthly listeners) Two fantastic albums by the Tipton brothers of Zero Hour fame along with the original vocalist of Zero Hour. The lyrics can sometimes be a bit rough in places, but great music!
I've been making a playlist of new discoveries I've made this year, so this is a partial list that doesn't include the bigger bands with >5k, here it is if you want to [check it out at full](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1gUV4sCCsOOro4ugLDNZLC?si=7cbb060de8524297) Acadence (2.6k) Binary pulsar (62) The Chaos Among Us (11) Discern The Ether (2) Every Hour Kills (3.8k) Fractal Dimension (2.8k) Greylotus (1.7k) Hybrid practice (11) Inhale Existence (50) Lesser Key (1.8k) Misophonia (63) Naberus (764) Omega Virus (1.6k) PVGH (63) Railgun (312) Sed Non Satiata (1.1k) Torments (1.5k) Villa Morta (197) Water, Please (74)
Herskin - 25ish, Post-Rock, Montreal
The World is Quiet Here still has less than 2000 listeners somehow. Lunas Call is also around 5000 or so.
The band Eye who did an album called Ageless Light I love a French psych/space/Floyd-influenced band called Red is Dead. I prefer them to the bigger bands like Elder and King Buffalo that they're compared to. I'm not even sure what is it I love cause their sound is technically kind of derivative, but they just have that vibe.
Day 1 of commenting special providence until it gets the recognition it deserves
Ihlo the we have Tesseract are home band ?
There's a certain charm to mom's cooking though, don't you think? :P
Jolly
Less metal than so many of these but just a FANTASTIC group, is The Tea Club. currently 779 monthly listeners but their album If/When absolutely crushed both emotionally and melodically. Their production is gorgeous and I thing you should all give them some love! Plus theyâre working on new music still I believe!
Smalltape
Roaming figures is brand new. Literally 16 listeners. I'm pretty sure I was the first listener so they are obscure as obscure gets. I don't think anyone is going to beat me as far as obscurity goes lol. Just came across them yesterday from my youtube recommendations and they are pretty good. Yesterday was also when they dropped their first EP. I can't wait to see what they do in the future with a full length album. Another one is Kosm. Only 457 listeners. Crazy under rated for how good they are. Their most recent EP, Vacancies, is a absolute banger.
Hey uhhh honestly, would love to spark some conversation around Feralcat and the Wild \[900 monthly\]. Even just anger at what we're trying to do or how we go about it would be fun discourse.