Being a progressive metal fan is the best. By definition, it’s a genre with way fewer boundaries than the rest of the heavy metal family tree, meaning that each year will always bring fresh sounds from unexpected places. 2025 has been no different. From the djenty beatdowns of Jinjer to the high-flying sophistication of Dream Theater, enjoyers of all things avant-garde have been able to gorge this year. These are the greatest progressive metal albums to come out over the past 12 months, according to us here at Metal Hammer.
Amorphis – Borderland (Reigning Phoenix)
On 2022’s Halo, Amorphis abandoned the proggy extravagance of their recent material and settled into a more anthemic space. This year’s Borderland continued that focus, opening with the hardy, melodic singalong The Circle. But, there was still room for everything that makes Amorphis Amorphis. The Lantern kicked off with a quasi-mythical keyboard jam, while the title track kept the Karelian folk influences that they’ve had since 1994’s seminal Tales From The Thousand Lakes. Long story short: if you wanted to hear everything that defines this band and do it in a hurry, this was the album for you. Matt Mills
Coheed And Cambria – Vaxis, Act III: The Father Of Make Believe (Virgin)
The elements that helped Coheed And Cambria break out 20 years ago are still present and correct in 2025. Wildly inventive songwriting, grandiose compositions and a canny ear for hooks makes Coheed one of prog's most unique propositions, even before you get into the multi-entry sci-fi saga that makes up their lyrical content. Vaxis III is achingly emotive, yet soars on massive choruses that offer rays of light, the likes of Goodbye Sunshine, Searching For Tomorrow and Blind Side Sonny perfect for getting crowds roaring. Rich Hobson
Danefae – Trøst (self-released)
Danefae's Trøst is like stepping into a fantasy realm. We're not talking dungeons and dragons here, mind. Instead, the Danes conjure a sense of fantasical whimsy with a classical undercurrent, the "metal" parts of prog metal used sparingly and feeling all the more impactful for it. Even if you don't understand the band's native Danish [get that Duolingo on the go!], there's an emotive quality to Trøst that transcends language. Rich Hobson
Dawn Of Ouroboros – Bioluminescence (Prosthetic)
Three albums in, Dawn Of Ouroboros have hit their stride. Bioluminescence offers an impressively diverse range of sounds across its 43-minute run-time, drawing on everything from black metal and blackgaze to techy prog with an eye to creating something truly grandiose. The Oakland band succeed with flying colours, evoking a sense of enormity whilst still being heavier than Godzilla after a Thanksgiving buffet. Rich Hobson
Dream Theater – Parasomnia (Inside Out)
With the return of founding drummer Mike Portnoy in 2023, intrigue around a new Dream Theater album hit its highest point in decades. Not even 18 months later, the New York luminaries put out Parasomnia: a concept piece about sleeping and nightmares. It was a stirring showcase for the reunited lineup, displaying the full range of their capabilities, from riff-laden face-scruncher Dead Asleep to the rising, climactic ballad, Bend The Clock. The acclaim was almost instant, as it became clear that time had not dulled the prog metal daddies’ chemistry, bravery and songcraft. Now, never go your separate ways again. Matt Mills
Green Carnation – A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores Of Melancholia (Season Of Mist)
Proggy doom-dealers Green Carnation have wanted to make a trilogy for about 20 years now, and with the first volume of A Dark Poem they finally pulled the trigger. The album followed 2020 comeback effort Leaves Of Yesteryear and pushed its gloom to new proportions, integrating snarling black metal on The Slave That You Are and Vangelis-like space-jazz on Me, My Enemy. Given the band have promised to venture even further on the impending sequels, it feels like this saga could become prog metal’s own answer to the Lord Of The Rings films. No pressure or anything. Matt Mills
Imperial Triumphant – Goldstar (Century Media)
Imperial Triumphant are one of modern metal’s most fascinating bands. Behind their Art Deco masks and gold-plated guitars, the New York trio want their music to sound like the decadence of their hometown in the 1920s falling apart. Goldstar once again made it feel like a jazz group were melting and mutating in front of you, with single Eye Of Mars casting atonal horns against harsh, polyrhythmic freakouts. But, the songs were tighter this time around, using rock’n’roll structures to invite more people into Imperial’s dystopian vision. The horrors of late-stage capitalism had never sounded as compelling as they did right here. Matt Mills
Jinjer – Duél (Napalm)
There's a lot to unpack with Duél. Where 2021's Wallflowers was written against the backdrop of the pandemic with a sense of isolation, Duél contends with the full-scale invasion of their native Ukraine that the band have been experiencing to one degree or another across their entire career. Unsurprising, then, that its an album of fury and winding, complicated paths, less focus put on anthemic, sing-along choruses, the band instead writing something impressively dense and sprawling. Rich Hobson
Psychonaut – World Maker (Pelagic)
Psychonaut usually have their heads in the stars, writing sweeping post-metal tracks about the outer reaches. But, in 2024, the Belgian three-piece crashed back to Earth. Singer/guitarist Stefan De Graef welcomed his baby boy in January, the joy of which was soured when both his and bassist/co-vocalist Thomas Michiels’ fathers died of cancer later that year. World Maker unpacked that emotional dissonance and handed out some big, emotional punches, such as the drop from Pink Floyd ambience to prog metal intensity during Stargazer. The album was a swelling, dynamic triumph, and if you got through it without reaching for some tissues, you did better than us. Matt Mills
Rivers Of Nihil – Rivers Of Nihil (Metal Blade)
The past few years have been a rollercoaster for Rivers Of Nihil. While it's never detracted from their phenomenal recorded output, the departure of vocalist Jake Dieffenbach could've spelled disaster after 2021's The Work, but instead the sax-flecked progressive death metallers went back to the source to come up with another majestic outing. Their self-titled reintroduces some of the pace that was lost on The Work but doesn't skimp on melodies, resulting in a best-of-both-worlds approach that is utterly delightful. Rich Hobson
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