Underrated Prog-Metalcore/Deathcore Gems
Some of these picks veer a bit off-genre into tech-death and post-metal and other stuff but I tried to stay on target for the most part. Enjoy. |
1 | | Centaurus-A Side Effects Expected
This is my favourite tech-death album of all time. The song-writing and musicianship are off-the charts. The second solos in Praying Mantis and Dripping Red Canvas are life affirming stuff. |
2 | | Echoes Of Misanthropy Shades Of Ugliness
This little slice of Russian deathcore is the most brutal piece of music I’ve ever had the pleasure to listen to. Endless War and Fetus Of Humanity are utterly face-melting. I spin this about 40 times a day and it’s still not enough. |
3 | | Shame Of Kali 8 Sins
If Nile were a prog-deathcore band they would sound a bit like this. This album slays, from the intricately piano-laced breakdown in My Nymphony to avalanche-like rhythms of Upon The Dead/The Forgotten Sin. |
4 | | Forever Orion Passion. Love. Harmony.
Extremely underrated prog-metalcore. For fans of Jesse Leach era Killswitch Engage. Best songs are Many Waters, Answers, and the 3-part title track. |
5 | | Machinery The Passing
A very intriguing blend of Melo-death, metalcore and thrash elements, this album just rules but nobody’s heard of it. |
6 | | Noah Sias Departures
Basically Glass Cloud but without vocals. This EP slams, Brain Dead Scene grooves hard. |
7 | | Nemertines Nemertines
Extremely dark and ambient djent-y deathcore stuff. Album is totally addictive, best tracks are Samsara (ft. Forever Autumn) and IwantYou. |
8 | | Dionaea Still
A totally insane avant-garde post-metal band with elements of technical post-hardcore that switches smoothly on a dime between tranquil passages and ear-busting bursts of guitar wizardry. |
9 | | Hypno5e Des Deux l'une Est l'autre
One of my favourite bands of all time. Maintained Relevance of Destruction Pt 1 & 2 are god-tier. For fans of Gojira and avant-garde metal. |
10 | | Once We Created Asylum 2.0 EP
Good stuff for fans of Ovid’s Withering. The breakdowns in Mankind’s Fool and Insanity are just stupid. |
11 | | Cardona Seasons
An extremely talented prog-metalcore band that could use more recognition. Title track slays and then some. |
12 | | Naive Illuminatis
One of the greatest post-metal bands of all time, everything they touch is solid gold. Focus and Belly are on another level. |
13 | | Janus Nox Aeris
This is their best album but sadly they never followed this up which is a shame because this literally sounds like Katatonia’s Great Cold Distance part 2. Absolutely amazing alternative metal album, and on par with Katatonia on every level. Waive, Pound Of Flesh, and Lifeless are amazing jams. |
14 | | Unleashing The Beast Jusqu'aux Dernières Heures
Slamming French metalcore. Chrysalide fucking destroys. |
15 | | Detonation Emission Phase
Criminally underrated melo-death that shits all over most In Flames and Soilwork clones. Best tracks are Reborn From The Radiance, Invoking The Impact, Soul Severance. |
16 | | Stargazer (US) Genesis
Some pretty crazy djent metalcore. The track Desideratum is beautiful and heavy and impossible not to head bang to. |
17 | | Ceruleus Trenches
I feel like this EP gets shit on because the production is muddy and lousy but some of these tracks are intense as fuck like Mariana’s Trench which a guest appearance by Michael Barr puts over the top. |
18 | | Shades Of Dusk Quiescence
Absolutely relentless technical metalcore. |
19 | | Catch The Sun Feel The Creator
Super tight instrumental metalcore. Very bouncy and fun. |
20 | | Before I Turn The Virus
Keyboard-centric deathcore for fans of Make Them Suffer. |
21 | | Silence The Messenger The Proclamation
These guys aren’t reinventing the wheel but this is some nice clean wholesome deathcore. |
22 | | The Room Colored Charlatan The Veil That Conceals
Everything these guys do is awesome, but the female vocals on this album make this one really special. |
23 | | My Heart to Fear Into the Maelstrom
Extremely tight metalcore well worth a listen. The breakdown in Life Under The Stairs is off-the-charts apeshit. |
24 | | Stories (AUS) The Youth to Become
Awesome post-hardcore/metalcore in the vein of Northlane except better. |
25 | | A Plea for Purging The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell
Very brutal yet dynamic album. This Eternal Female is one the most intense songs I’ve ever heard, and Jealous Wings is a beautiful track reminiscent of Deftones. |
26 | | As Oceans Enough Light to Warrant the Contrast
Amazing prog-death metal with some twists and turns. |
27 | | Terakai The Last Stand
Lightning in a bottle, this EP. Their subsequent album wasn't nearly as good. |
28 | | The Healing Elevate
Awesome prog-metalcore, really good clean vocals. |
29 | | Reflections The Fantasy Effect
This album man... Tracks like Rotations and Found cut like razors and batter like an avalanche. |
30 | | The Interbeing Edge of the Obscure
Industrial groove-metal with some metal core elements. Really fun, check out Rhesus Artificial and Face Deletion. |
31 | | Closer (SWE) A Darker Kind of Salvation
Awesome melodeath/metalcore band that showed tons of promise and then faded into obscurity. Check out the song Places Of Pain, it's amazing. |
32 | | Through Lucid Eyes Through Lucid Eyes
Amazing EP. Tracks like Celestial (ft. Jesse Cash) and Elysiun really bring the fire. |
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