Festivals and Instagram friends are both great ways to discover new bands and albums. Israeli progressive metal band Scardust was announced in September that they would have their first US appearance at ProgPower in September 2026. I knew the name but wasn’t super familiar with their music, so they were definitely on my radar to check out soon. Then in the past week, one of my IG friends, Wolfi, posts his top 6 albums of 2025 so far, and lo and behold, Scardust is one of them. I hadn’t realized they just released a new album, so I decided then and there to go check out “Souls,” which was released in July, 5 years after their previous album.

Those who know me know I like music with unique character that incorporates intelligence and technical proficiency. This album is definitely different, in a very good way, and I literally have not been able to stop listening since the first time I hit play. At its core, this is progressive metal, melding classic prog (think bands like Yes and Rush) with a more modern aesthetic (think Haken, TesseracT, Symphony X), but then incorporating a heavy dose of symphonic metal (Epica, Xandria), making it sound unlike anything I have heard previously. It could be described as a progressive cinematic rock opera at times, and there are definitely times I felt like I was watching a big production Disney movie or Broadway musical. If you are familiar with Maestrick and their release earlier this year, you could draw parallels, but this is an entirely different beast. The musicianship is phenomenal, and the more I listen, the more I pick up. Every musician gets their moment to shine on many occasions, and this album may have some of the best bass solos I have heard on a metal album. The guitars are phenomenal, the drumming big and powerful, the keys technical and atmospheric.

The orchestration is massive and adds amazing atmosphere to the song. Scardust utilizes Hellscore Choir liberally throughout, adding so much character to the choir sections that symphonic metal is known for. Additional musicians include the TLV Orchestra, and Ally Storch of Subway to Sally on violin. They also add a bit of a middle eastern folksy flair which adds additional depth to the sound. And holy crap where has Noa Gruman been my whole life? The vocal versatility she displays is mind boggling: angelic highs, raspy and punchy, gnarly growls, jazzy (just hear her scat!), Broadway musical. She can do it all, switching on a dime effortlessly, and her voice is confident and commanding, functioning at times like another insanely technical musical instrument that is just complementing the incredible musicianship around her. This album has been such a pleasant surprise to start listening to, and I am literally addicted to it.

Things kick off with “Long Forgotten Song,” which immediately introduces you to the bombastic cinematic feel that permeates the entire album. It is very theatrical and could have you thinking it will be more straightforward symphonic metal until all the various layers converge, ranging from Broadway, to Disney, to proggy instrumental deliciousness (check out the late drum solo!), with many twists and turns that keep you on your toes, never knowing what is in store next. The ending guitar solo is pretty fantastic. “My Haven” is my personal favorite song, with an absolutely massive feel out of the gate, utilizing Noa’s incredible vocals dueling with a choir. Noa showcases it all: aggressive and raspy, high and in the rafters, her gnarly growl, and vocal gymnastics with runs and scat-like sections, reminding me a bit of Fabi from Illumishade. The chorus will get stuck in your head, and I find myself randomly singing it. I mentioned earlier that the bass is amazing on this album, and it starts with this song. The basswork in this song is phenomenal (check out the long late bass solo!), but each instrument gets the chance to show off.

“RIP” features more of Noa’s extreme vocals while showing the effortless transitions to all the other amazing things she can do. The proggy breakdowns in this song are insane, themselves showcases for the other band members while bludgeoning you with technical prowess. The ending is so big and also anthemic, and if you aren’t jumping up and down and headbanging, there is something wrong. The next 2 songs, “Dazzling Darkness” and “Unreachable,” both feel like they could be centerpiece songs of a big Disney movie (or really any big production movie). The former is quite short at around 2.5 minutes, but it delivers quite a punch.The latter practically transports you to a Disney movie, and the presence of the TLV Orchestra adds so much richness and depth to the song, making it feel utterly massive and epic. I love the middle eastern vibes, and they still give the musicians opportunities to show off with nice bass and guitar solos late. Noa’s voice is so impressive in these songs, big and strong and confident.

“End of the World” is an instrumental with a choir acting as an additional set of instruments, functioning almost as an interlude. The album does feel like it is split into 2 acts functionally, with this track being the natural pivot point. It leads into “Searing Echoes,” which is the proggiest (and longest) song on the album to this point. There are so many twists and turns throughout, and after an intense intro, it takes its time building, eventually leading to an incredible section that features Ally Storch (of Subway to Sally) absolutely crushing it with some killer violin lead over the top of an atmospheric choir while the rest of the instruments are djenting their hearts out. The rest of the song features Noa delivering plenty of emotion through her heartfelt delivery, and the various instruments shine in so many ways, building a complex puzzle with their technical prowess.

The album ends in epic fashion with the just over 13 minute “Touch of Life” conceptual opus, presented as a trilogy. The band retells the story of Pygmalion, but adapts the ancient myth to capture the journey of musical performers. Part 1 essentially retells the original story, Part 2 delves into the mindset of the artist, and Part 3 brings the 2 worlds together. Scardust employs the amazing talents of Haken’s Ross Jennings for dueling vocals with Noa on Parts 1 and 3, adding additional texture and emotion to the song.

I love the progression through the trilogy. Part 1 starts triumphant while recognizing that the artist may be a madman, building the bridge to Part 2, delving more deeply into the heart of the artist and truly appreciating their art. After a more somber melodic beginning, the song hits bombastic heights, with full on scatting from Noa, giving it a jazzy feel with metal clothing. The free flow, at least to me, emulates this “Dance of Creation,” an amazing musical device bringing the title to life. But after this immense joy, the artist and creation realize that all is not happy as Part 3 (“King of Insanity”) begins, complete with complex technical parts and Noa bringing out her harshest vocals yet. This song is easily the heaviest and most technically complex song on the album. The song then sees Noa and Ross trading off as the narrative progresses, with the harsh and clean vocals used effectively to match the mood of the story at the time. They warn of seeking perfection and the pain it can cause while still assuring you can find beauty in creation. This song is intelligently constructed with myriad layers, making both the prog and technical enthusiast in me jump for joy. The members of Scardust are so insanely talented, and they absolutely shine on this song. It is an epic conclusion to an epic album.

This album was not just a pleasant find, but it has completely dominated my listening since discovering it. I cannot recommend it enough, and I am so excited to experience this music live next year at ProgPower!

Original Instagram review Part 1
Original Instagram review Part 2
Original Instagram review Part 3
Original Instagram review Part 4