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ten essential InsideOut albums.

Symphony X The Divine Wings of Tragedy (1997) released by Zero corporation in Japan and insideout in europe, the new Jersey outfit’s third album revelled in its epicness: this was prog metal at its most bombastic, and all the more glorious for it.

Spock’S BearD

V (2000) thomas waber cites the Us band’s fifth album as a key point in the label’s success: it might have drawn on the genre’s golden age for its influences, but stands as a high water mark of millennial prog.

pain of SalVaTion

The perfect element, part 1 (2000) daniel Gildenlöw explores the tumult of childhood and adolescence on the swedes’ heavyweight third album. the sound of prog moving into the 21st century, and insideout with it.

TranSaTlanTic

Bridge across forever (2001) thomas waber was an early dream theater supporter, so it was inevitable that this mike portnoy-led supergroup would end up on his label. their second album – featuring signature song stranger in your soul – is one of the highlights of both portnoy and insideout’s back catalogues.

The floWer kingS

Unfold The future (2002) prog lifer roine stolt has been making albums since the early 70s, but the Flower kings’ seventh (very) long player stands as their finest two hours and 20 minutes: it’s equal parts symphonic grandeur and jazz-head freakouts.

ayreon

The human equation (2004)

Few other labels would have allowed maverick dutchman arjen lucassen to spin his vision across countless albums, which goes some way to explaining insideout’s success. ayreon’s sixth album remains as head-spinningly grandiose as it was the day it was released.

froST*

milliontown (2006)

Former atomic kitten backroom boffin Jem Godfrey made an unlikely prog figureheard, but his band’s debut album dripped with class and atmosphere. a key staging post in the scene’s mid-00s resurrection.

kino

picture (2006)

From transatlantic to sons of apollo, insideout specialise in nurturing supergroups. excellent case in point: kino, whose weapons-grade pedigree (arena, it bites, marillion, porcupine tree) produced this bar-setting debut album.

DeVin ToWnSenD projecT

epicloud (2012) the relationship between townsend and insideout has been long and fruitful. the canadian’s 2012 album was a standout moment in his illustrious back catalogue: a wall of amped-up sci-fi noise that sealed his status as the mad scientist of modern prog.

haken

affinity (2016) londoners haken were already on their way to global success, but their fourth album sealed the deal. this was next-gen prog metal, right down to its 80s meets ai-themed semi-concept. and in the 15-minute the architect, they served up a bona fide modern classic. DeV