Sylosis - "Dormant Heart"

Sylosis are what Opeth would've materialized to in the later half of their discography had they stayed in touch with their metal roots as opposed to taking the 70's era Rush-prog approach they've embraced. Quality riffs (like mindblowingly entertaining quality riffs), a great bellow from the front man, and a subtle production that makes the "rough around the edge" come off with an artistic panache. It's one thing to vent consistently about the state of aggressive music, but it's another to be able to appreciate when the pros have struck oil. The replay value of Dormant Heart is similar to some of BTBAM's work on Alaska or dare I even say Colors?  "Overthrown" brings back to mind some of Xerath's glory moments on II. The songs often take you on complete journeys and its crucial to give them the respect they deserve. This is a substantial album that stands high above its competitors. Not sure if the live show will translate, but for now we have a great collection of epic tracks that are a force to be reckoned with. Highly recommended.