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40. Lost in Psalms – End of a Kalpa

I loved the debut album from Lost in Psalms, brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Gerardo Ruiz with members of Time’s Forgotten in tow. The music is progressive rock/metal that feels expressive, cosmic, and poignant. Lyrically, it explores the ways humans try to find relief for their grief and pain. It’s a beautiful experience.

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39. Johan Niemann – Celestial Traveller

Johan of Evergrey released another new solo album, this time leaning into keyboards and electronica. You’ll hear some terrific guitarwork here and there, but this beauty is all about the spacious, celestial, and riveting heartbeat of the universe.

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38. Built for the Future – 2084: Empire

I haven’t reviewed this one yet, but Built for the Future’s double album 2084: Empire is a delicious slice of melodic progressive rock. They write with pop sensibilities in mind, making for strong hooks all over the record, but there is meat in their guitars and rhythm section that is just as strong.

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37. Eye of Melian – Forest of Forgetting

Eye of Melian features members of Delain and Auri, and the music is subtle, nuanced, reserved. That means plenty of keys, orchestrations, violin, and more. This is a gorgeous listen for people who need healing sounds in their lives.

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36. Dynatron – Dark Matter

Another one I haven’t reviewed yet, this is Dynatron’s latest electronic/synthwave album, and it might be his best. This is a shadowy and quietly cinematic record that I find myself listening to quite often. It just has that replayability factor that helps me when I’m writing or need room to think.

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35. Blackwater Holylight

– Not Here Not Gone

Blackwater Holylight returned with a heavy, balanced record of their psych doom sound. I love how hazy the whole thing feels as the synth cuts through the walls of guitars. Lumbering yet fresh, spacey yet gritty, this album is a crowd pleaser.

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34. Wolverine – Anomalies

The much-anticipated new Wolverine album gave us a crystal clear prog metal experience. Anomalies is a subtle, detailed record that might take a few listens, but it’s also beautiful, emotionally intelligent, and layered.

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33. Inner:I – Lavender

inner:i came out of nowhere to deliver a rich, grungy, dark progressive rock album. I’m in love with the carefully-curated atmosphere, the punchy guitars, and vibrant rhythm section. This band is going places.

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32. Lynx – Trinity of Suns

Lynx dropped a nostalgic slice of 70’s-inspired prog and classic rock. I find it courageous, entertaining, and full of mystical moments, not to mention some seriously catchy hooks that will have you singing.

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31. Ulver – Neverland

Ulver’s latest technically released on 12/31/25, but I’m counting it for this year. Their sound has changed, vocals are absent, and the electronic drive has become rich, alive, and punctuated with color. This is an earwom, one of those records you’ll keep putting on just because of how it makes you feel.

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30. Devin Townsend – The Moth

Devin returned with his highly anticipated concept album The Moth. The record has a long tracklist, many of those songs being short and atmospheric, but it works for me! I love the cinema, theatre, and lyrically depth of the whole affair.

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29. Oh Hiroshima

– And the Dead Tree Gives No Shelter

I haven’t reviewed this one yet, either, but Oh Hiroshima’s latest is a beautiful, intelligent record. I find it wistful and deeply human, especially the track, “The Tree of Life”.

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28. Marc Atkinson – Voices

Marc (of Riversea and Moon Halo) returned with a solo album of fantastic tunes and heartfelt emotions. His harmonious songs always give me hope, grace, nostalgia, and a sense of home.

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27. Diatom – Low Light

Poland’s Diatom provided our dark prog rock fix for the year with Low Light. I love the dynamic vocals and interesting song structures, and fans of the Polish prog sound will not be disappointed in their melancholy, heavy bass, and alternative edge.

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26. Nordic Giants

– Under Celestial Alignments

Nordic Giants are back with another wondrous, incredibly beautiful album. This record is stripped back compared to some of their earlier works, focusing mainly on keys, horns, and drums, but it is every bit as engaging, serene, and uplifting.

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25. The Moon and the Nightspirit

– Seed of the Formless

Trees of Eternity fans should give this beauty from The Moon and the Nightspirit a try. It is full of ethereal vocals, heavy guitars, shadowy folk accents, and this feeling of dwelling between darkness and light. It is beautiful and haunting.

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24. Plantoid – Flare

Plantoid’s latest really grew on me over the past few months. It still presents the band’s quirky prog rock, math rock, and fusion sounds. Yet it leans further into shoegaze and pop sensibilities, and you’ll hear plenty of ambient portions and ballads that buff the album into a sparkling shine.

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23. Sojourner – Gateways

Sojourner returned with Heike Langhans on siren vocals, and it’s their best album yet. I love the heavy black metal darkness sliced wide open by gorgeous keys and terrific clean vox. It has such a cosmic and ethereal energy.

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22. We Stood Like Kings – Pinocchio

We Stood Like Kings hit me squarely in the chest with this amazing instrumental record of post-rock and post-metal. It’s heavy, sizzling with energy, and features some of the best riffs of the year. And, to top it all off, luxurious piano takes it to greater heights. It’s beautiful and engaging.

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21. Odd Logic – Mortal Heirloom

Odd Logic popped up on the radar again, and Mortal Heirloom joins their excellent discography as a worthy member. This album has some of the grooviest, most hook-laden segments in their prog metal history, and I find myself singing these songs constantly.

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20. Big Big Train – Woodcut

Big Big Train brought us a winding concept album that did not disappoint. The band is proggier and sassier than ever, yet also gives us some of their most atmospheric and wondrous moments yet.

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19. Fires in the Distance

– Circadian Promise

Fires in the Distance returned with a new vocalist, but their signature death doom sound is intact. This album has all the rhythm and haunting passages to satisfy doom fans, yet the power and riffs to reach new fans in other genres.

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18. Kolm – Yūgen

Kolm delivered a complex and psychedelic ride. Their blend of concepts, layered melodies, and rhythmic specters is simply potent and beautiful. I find myself loving it more every time I hear it.

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17. The Paradox Twin

– A Romance of Many Dimensions

The Paradox Twin returned with a new vocalist and a focused concept album. This one has so many towering moments, so many incredible grooves and elegant passages. It’s a must for any modern prog rock fan.

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16. Karnivool – In Verses

The long-awaited Karnivool album finally dropped, and I think it met my expectations. It has undeniable swoon and charm, a bit of swagger in its complex progressive rock rhythms. Yet the foundation of their signature sound is yet here and still arresting.

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15. Muse – The Wow! Signal

Simply put, this is Muse’s best album in 20 years or so. They injected every bit of theater and sass they could into this conceptual monster, yet it’s the purity of the songwriting that feels so inspired. I plan to review it soon.

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14. Exploring Birdsong

– Every House We Built

We finally received a full album from Exploring Birdsong, and it’s just as addictive as I expected. The rhythm section up against Lynsey’s vocals and keys just never gets old. The same goes for their tongue-in-cheek style, pop-laden hooks, and explosive technical portions. It has a little bit of everything and it rocks.

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13. Einar Solberg – Vox Occulta

Einar delivered his second solo album, this time a heavy, theatrical progressive metal event. Many of the tracks are pure theater, pure expression. Others are fiery prog metal with huge hooks. It’s a great blend and a fantastic album.

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12. Major Parkinson

– Valesa, Chapter II

Major Parkinson offered up part two of their Valesa story, and this one really connected with me. The band’s signature quirky style is on towering display, full of irreverent lyrics and incredibly catchy choruses, yes, but also laden with technical fireworks and social commentary. It’s an immaculate record.

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11. Kristoffer Gildenlöw – Humanised

Kristoffer (ex-Pain of Salvation) revisits some of that old PoS sound with his latest solo album. I find that it rocks hard and is thrilling in all the right moments, but it’s also very human and authentic, too.

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10. Argovia – Primal Repetition

Argovia knocked it out of the park with their latest, Primal Repetition. I’ve liked everything they’ve made so far, but this album is a huge step forward with some of my favorite songs of the year. Their smooth, grooving prog rock sound is instantly likeable.

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9. The Emerald Dawn

– The Land, the Sea, the Air, Vol. II

The Emerald Dawn released Vol II of their The Land, the Sea, the Air offering, and it absolutely rocks. I love how the band combines ethereal trappings with fiery rhythmic grooves. They may play a retro style of prog rock, but their sound is fresh and unlike any other band I know.

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8. A.A. Williams – Solstice

A.A. Williams hit a homerun with Solstice. This has some of her most complex songs yet, but also some of her most heartfelt. I love her combination of singer-songwriter, post-doom, and alternative rock. There’s just something about the emotional tidal wave she produces that draws me in.

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7. Lunatic Soul – Transition II

Lunatic Soul finally released the bonus tracks from the deluxe version of 2020’s Through Shaded Woods on vinyl, but Transition II is more than that. It features a 12-minute new track, “Realm of the Weeping Willows”, plus a 23-minute version of the Oldfield-esque “Transition II” experience. It feels like a new album, which is why it is here.

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6. Puscifer – Normal Isn’t

This is Puscifer’s best album by a long shot, at least for me. The lyrics are pure fire, the groovy songs with waves of sizzling guitars are so memorable, and Maynard sounds as good as ever.

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5. Lor3l3i – Peace by Proxy

Heike released her long-awaited Lor3l3i debut, and it is an instant treasure. This is darkwave, pure and simple, but the delicious shadows are every bit as good as the demo collection she released in 2020. It feels both calculated and stream of consciousness in composition, and I find it deeply soothing.

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4. Draconian – In Somnolent Ruin

Siren vocalist Lisa Johansson is back with doom legends Draconian for a spellbinding new record. In Somnolent Ruin has some of the energy of their mid-2000s works, but all the poetry and gorgeous atmosphere of the last couple records with Heike. This is a terrific album, period.

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3. Lunar and the Deception

– The Somnambulist

Lunar and the Deception was a big surprise for me. This band blends alternative folk, psychedelic, and darkwave, getting proggy in many moments, and it is such a breath of fresh air. I love every single song and basically know all the lyrics by heart now. It is a grand, sing-able, and mystical record that needs more attention.

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2. Mono – Snowdrop

I’ve liked Mono for years, but Snowdrop is something else entirely. It is an enriching, hopeful, and golden experience that is simply perfect. The band’s post-rock sound is supplemented heavily with choirs and orchestrations, and the results are utter glory.

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1. Evergrey

– Architects of a New Weave

Yeah, I know this is predictable, but when my favorite band releases an album of pure fire, that’s what happens. They get the top spot. Evergrey is possibly more melodic than ever on this disc, and having Vikram Shankar (Silent Skies) as co-writer and co-producer has injected new life into their sound. Evergrey just doesn’t miss for me.

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