Progressive Metal 2000s Albums

Show Your Colors is a turning point for Amoral, retaining heaviness while bringing clean vocals and strong melodies to the front.

Skyforger blends Amorphis’s heavy guitars with a distinctly northern sense of melancholy.

Baroness's second album, issued by Relapse Records on 13 October 2009. It scored 87 on Metacritic, in the range the site calls universal acclaim.

Addicted unleashes Devin Townsend’s bright, high-energy side through loud guitars, stacked vocals and huge melodies.

Ki finds Devin Townsend deliberately holding back the usual explosions in favor of quiet tension and spacious sound.

Black Clouds & Silver Linings gathers Dream Theater’s intricate structures, virtuosic playing and dramatic vocal melodies on a grand scale.

Design Your Universe layers orchestra, choir and metal riffs with great precision, creating an immense sonic space for Epica.

Sad Day on Planet Earth keeps Lillian Axe rooted in melodic hard rock while reaching for a more shadowed emotional tone.

The fourth studio album, a seven-song concept record whose narrative runs through Tsarist Russia and Rasputin.

American Soldier turns the experiences and emotions of soldiers into a highly narrative Queensrÿche album.

Sunn O)))'s sixth album, issued by Southern Lord in 2009. It took two years to make and carries a long list of guests, brass and choir among them.

Voivod's twelfth studio album, from 2009: the last to use what Piggy left behind, and the last with Jason Newsted on bass.

Dir En Grey's seventh album, from November 2008. It takes its name from the Ouroboros symbol and its subject from reincarnation.

The Way of All Flesh uses Gojira’s chiseled riffs, irregular rhythm and low vocal roar to confront themes of life and death.

Architect of Lies uses Mercenary’s contrast between clean vocal and death growl to join heavy riffs with broad melody.

Opeth's ninth album, from May 2008, and the first with the guitarist Fredrik Akesson and the drummer Martin Axenrot.

Protest the Hero's second album, out on 29 January 2008. Its ten songs are split into three movements by piano interludes, over about forty-one minutes.

Collision Course... Paradox 2 revisits the world of Royal Hunt’s Paradox through heavy guitar, classical keyboards and dramatic vocal writing.

Reptile Ride brings complex rhythm, including odd-meter motion, together with sharp guitar riffs in an aggressive setting.

Silent Waters joins folk-shaped melody, heavy guitar, and Tomi Joutsen’s rich voice in a deeply atmospheric record.

Between the Buried and Me's fourth album, out on 18 September 2007. It is split into eight tracks but, with the transitions, plays as one continuous piece.

Ziltoid the Omniscient uses layered guitar, thick choruses, and eccentric narration to create a cosmic story.

Dir En Grey's sixth album, released on 7 February 2007 and recorded across various locations between December 2005 and January 2007.

Systematic Chaos brings complex meter, heavy guitar, and detailed keyboard work into a single large-scale flow.

The Divine Conspiracy layers Simone Simons’s clear voice, Mark Jansen’s growl, and orchestral sweep into a richly multi-level sound.

6 Days to Nowhere unifies complex arrangements, vivid guitar, and Roberto Tiranti’s strong voice.

Waters Rising by LILLIAN AXE: track list, Spotify player and English liner notes on METAL BOOST.

Porcupine Tree's ninth album, out on 16 April 2007. Classic Rock magazine named it its album of the year.

Take Cover is a covers album on which QUEENSRYCHE recasts songs by artists as varied as Pink Floyd and Peter Gabriel in its own sound.

Immortal combines complex rhythm, bright keyboard color, and strong melody in a renewed lineup.

Paradise Lost joins complex riffs, symphonic keyboard work, and Russell Allen’s commanding voice to a darker, heavier sound.

Eclipse opens a new Amorphis chapter with Tomi Joutsen, balancing Nordic shadow, folk-shaped melody, and heavy metal riffs.

Aurora Consurgens uses Angra’s shifting rhythms, detailed guitar, and Edu Falaschi’s expressive voice to shape progressive power metal with both tension and lyricism.

Synchestra lets Devin Townsend combine heavy guitars, stacked choirs, electronic texture, and pop melody with almost excessive freedom.

The third studio album, and the band's first for the major label Reprise. "Colony of Birchmen" was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 49th Grammy Awards.

The Hours That Remain keeps Mercenary’s sharp riffs and double-kick propulsion while bringing more clean vocal and memorable melody to the front.

Operation: Mindcrime II returns Queensrÿche to the story begun in 1988, turning its characters’ conflict and resolution into dramatic metal.

Tool's fourth album, released on 2 May 2006: self-produced, a Billboard 200 number one, in a Grammy-winning package with stereoscopic lenses.

Voivod's eleventh studio album, from July 2006, built from the guitar and bass tracks Piggy had recorded before he died.

Decrowning combines cutting thrash riffs, complex rhythm and low harsh vocals into an aggressive metal record.

Between the Buried and Me's third album, out on 6 September 2005. It is the first record by the band's longest-lasting line-up.

Dir En Grey's fifth album, out on 9 March 2005. It was the first of their records given an official release in Europe, North America and South Korea.

Octavarium balances complex rhythm, fluent keyboard and virtuosic guitar with accessible vocal melody.

Consign to Oblivion crosses Simone Simons’s clear voice with growls, choir, heavy riffing and orchestral scale.

From Mars to Sirius builds enormous weight from low surging guitar, precise drumming and rough vocal force.

Freeman by LABYRINTH: track list, album artwork and English liner notes on METAL BOOST.

Nevermore's sixth album, from July 2005. Recorded in England with Andy Sneap producing, it is the record most often named as the band's best.

Opeth's eighth album, from August 2005. It was their first for Roadrunner and the first with keyboard player Per Wiberg as a permanent member.