Phil Weller

Phil Weller

You can usually find this Prog scribe writing about the heavier side of the genre, chatting to bands for features and news pieces or introducing you to exciting new bands that deserve your attention. Elsewhere, Phil can be found on stage with progressive metallers Prognosis or behind a camera teaching filmmaking skills to young people. 

Articles by: Phil Weller

Devin Townsend

“I thought it was just going to be a fun little party record, but my grief started leaching into the music”: Devin Townsend is slightly embarrassed by his new album, and that’s a good thing

By Phil Weller published

PowerNerd, the first of three autobiographical albums, was transformed into something unexpected as he began feeling like a liar, and wound up facing his 15-year-old self

Opeth

“I only asked for the spoken-word part, then an email comes in – ‘Do you need some flute?’ I wasn’t going to say no!” How Opeth’s The Last Will And Testament wound up featuring Ian Anderson, Joey Tempest and growled vocals

By Phil Weller published

Mikael Åkerfeldt insists his band’s new concept album, featuring Jethro Tull and Europe men, is no return to their death metal past – and won’t keep prog fans away

Leprous

“We released a single and some fans complained there was too much pop, it was boring and they missed the odd time signatures … The funny thing is, the verse is in 13/8!” Leprous continue to be progressive even if it doesn’t seem to be prog

By Phil Weller published

Latest album Melodies Of Atonement sees the Norwegians continuing to strip back and seek catchier elements of themselves – including taking influence from hip-hop

The Omnific

“People say, ‘I never would have expected that to work.’ But we’re not just a gimmick – we want to create something new”: The Omnific’s two-bass line-up is a serious bid to redefine what the instrument can do

By Phil Weller published

Australian trio’s second album The Law Of Augmenting Returns lays out their case for a rethink… they only wish Jaco Pastorius was alive to hear it

Simons SImons

“There’s not one lyric that’s light-hearted… We’ll see what the tear-shedding level for this album is!” Epica’s Simone Simons waited 20 years to make Vermillion

By Phil Weller published

Singer explains how Arjen Lucassen helped realise her long-held dream, what she’s saying with her songs, and why she chose a colour as her solo record’s title

Swallow The Sun - Shinin

“They’ve dialed back the abrasiveness in favour of a smoother sound while still retaining their progressive edges”: Swallow The Sun’s Shining

By Phil Weller published

New producer helps Finnish dark proggers explore their more accessible side on ninth album

Haken

"It'll be extra special!" Haken's Ross Jennings gets ready for Be Prog! My Friend. Read our full preview here...

By Phil Weller published

Be Prog! My Friend returns after six years away with a new-look headlined by Haken and Pain Of Salvation

Gojira

“We grew up with the album Crises from Mike Oldfield… The Beatles’ I Want You (She’s So Heavy) could be one of our songs”: From eco activism to maddening production values, there’s more to Gojira than you might think

By Phil Weller published

Taking influence from Pink Floyd, Björk and Metallica, the French band have never been shy about wanting success – but they’ve never sacrificed any of their progressive values

Jane Getter Premonition

“This album is about letting the song dictate when it needs something and when it doesn’t”: With her perfect new line-up, Jane Getter takes her jazz-prog back to basics

By Phil Weller published

With Steven Wilson as an influence, Division World features tracks that might not change the world – but may help you feel better about the way it is

All For Metal/Future Static/END/Whom Gods Destroy

4 brilliant new metal bands you need to hear this month

By Rich Hobson published

From sword'n'sorcery loving power metallers All For Metal to Will Putney's all-star metalcore mob END, these are the bands you need to hear in June 2024

District 97

“The producer was able to see through me to be like, ‘You don’t sound like you believe any of this.’ I love that psychology”: District 97’s Leslie Hunt took singing lessons before she tracked Stay For The Ending

By Phil Weller published

Chicago outfit’s prog and pop balancing act benefitted from listening to their fans – and Bill Bruford

Wheel – Charismatic Leaders

“Heavier and weirder than its predecessors… they’ve struggled to shake off Tool comparisons – but now they sound far more like themselves”: Wheel’s Charismatic Leaders

By Phil Weller published

Fourth album sees leader James Lascelles taking on weighty subjects, backed up by equally weighty music

Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends

“Not dissimilar to the sound Radiohead would later explore on King Of Limbs”: With the help of Brian Eno, Coldplay dipped into prog with Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends

By Phil Weller published

The Grammy-winning track Viva La Vida remained unashamedly pop, but the rest of the 2008 record shows their experimental side

Sleepmwakeswaved - It's Here But I Have No Names For It

“More aggressive but with a parallel tranquillity… they continue to separate themselves from the post-rock pack”: Sleepmakeswaves’ It’s Here, But I Have No Names For It

By Phil Weller published

Australians’ fifth album boasts seismic, speaker-rattling production with punch and nuance

Radiohead

“Their sense of adventure has never been up for debate; their progressive ambitions are a perpetual undercurrent”: These songs prove Radiohead are prog

By Phil Weller published

From spanning musical styles to blending odd time signatures, the band have always been restlessly creative

Periphery

"We chose to be a progressive metal band because it meant that we could do whatever we want." Periphery

By Phil Weller published

The story of how Periphery V: Djent Is Not A Genre finds the US prog metallers at their defiant best.

Anthony Phillips and Harry Williamson - Gypsy Suite

“Instantly recognisable, all detuned guitars and intricately detailed melodies… it feels like we’re waiting for Peter Gabriel’s vocals”: Anthony Phillips and Harry Williamson’s Gypsy Suite

By Phil Weller published

Remastered and expanded set from the former Genesis guitarist has its roots in the mid-70s, but feels timeless and evocative

Square Wild

"I think that Rush are the best band that have ever existed and ever will." Young UK prog rockers Square Wild state their case

By Phil Weller published

2023 was a big year for Manchester quartet Square Wild, wininng Best Unisgned Band in the Prog Readers' Poll and introducing themselves to the prog community in no uncertain terms

The Aristocrats

“We had a song called Sitting With A Duck On A Bay, and a song with the title Duck’s End. We thought, ‘Are we writing an album with a story here?’” The Aristocrats’ new record is many things, but it’s not The Wall

By Phil Weller published

Cartoon duck takes on malevolent police penguin on an Antarctic island in the trio’s concept outing – which is also their hardest-hitting work to date

The Pineapple Thief - It Leads To This

“Grooves that are musically optimistic, but lyrically pessimistic… touches of nuance, beauty and snarl make their turmoil worth it”: The Pineapple Thief’s It Leads To This

By Phil Weller published

Modern prog mainstays return with a sombre yet impressive album that cements the advances they’ve made since Gavin Harrison joined the band

Pallas - The Messenger

“Having suffered something of an identity crisis, minor blemishes don’t stop it being their best album in decades”: Pallas’ The Messenger

By Phil Weller published

The return of singer Alan Reed – who rebuffed a previous invitation – is an indicator of its quality

IO Earth

“I took my in-ear monitors out and the whole theatre was deathly silent. It was a proper goosebumps moment”: How IO Earth learned to shut up and trust their audience

By Phil Weller published

The return of vocalist Linda Odinsen revitalised co-leaders Dave Cureton and Adam Gough, and latest symphonic prog album Sanctuary is the result

Mavon Safia

Meet the Mavon Safia, the Finnish proggers uniting talent and taste through guitar-driven instrumentals

By Phil Weller published

Genre-hopping guitarist Markus Venehsalo has introduced himself to the prog world with a vivid and varied record that chooses accessibility over virtuosity.

Everything Everything - Re-Animator

“Signature absurdities, from a local criminal to sentient grease, neglect all pop sensibilities”: The prog nature of Everything Everything’s Re-Animator

By Phil Weller published

Manchester band’s 2020 album demonstrated they’d never really lived inside the indie rock community

Tesseract - War Of Being

“That sense of struggle permeates every moment”: TesseracT’s War Of Being

By Phil Weller published

Their heaviest album to date sees vocalist Daniel Tompkins revealing a new secret weapon