Hillsboro, Illinois melodic death metal project with a remarkably deep catalog for a small-town act. Five releases between 2010 and 2017 trace an evolution from raw melodeath into progressive territory, with album titles that hint at a philosophical bent lurking beneath the dual-guitar harmonies.

Durham, North Carolina power metal and progressive project. Imperial ambition through melodic precision from the Research Triangle.

Doom and progressive metal project of unknown origin named after the extinct cephalopod. Prehistoric heaviness built on geological time.

Lambertville, New Jersey progressive heavy metal project blending NWOTHM classicism with prog ambition. Their 2020 EP Dear Dark showcases sophisticated guitar work and compositional depth that draws from the best of both worlds.

Raleigh death metal project from the North Carolina underground.

Northern Colorado progressive metal project.

Miami progressive metal newcomers debuting in 2024 with the Nocturnes EP. Their name promises an epic journey, and the music delivers — ambitious compositions from a South Florida scene better known for death metal than prog.

Syracuse, New York progressive metal project named after Xenophon's account of a Greek army's perilous march home. Their 2017 single The Chamber hints at the kind of cerebral, historically informed metal that the name demands.

Philadelphia progressive metal project from the Pennsylvania underground.