There has been a trend the past few years for bands who haven’t released anything in quite a while to not only release a new album, but one that is quite impressive. Add Norway’s Triosphere to this list, who previously released “The Heart of the Matter” in 2014, a fabulous progressive/power metal album that was very well received. 12 years later sees the release of “Oceans Above, Stars Below,” and the wait was totally worth it. I have been obsessed with this album, and Spotify agrees as I am one of this album’s top listeners. 

This album is a great melding of power and progressive metal, with the balance more in favor of power, while also bringing in some thrash and traditional heavy metal sensibility. Before I get into the technical aspects, I will start by saying just how singable this album is. The melodies on this album are glorious, throughout both verses and choruses, bringing the best of the traditional heavy metal feel and the feels of a band like Heart. It is nearly impossible not to want to sing along to the words or hum along to the various guitar melodies and leads. This might cause you to think this would sacrifice the heft and become a saccharine form of cheesy power metal, but nothing could be further from the truth. This album has banger after banger without losing the accessibility that makes each song so fun. Vocalist / bassist Ida Haukland is a huge reason for this, with a voice that mostly reminds me of the amazing Brittany Hayes (Unleash the Archers), particularly in her mid range, with an added rasp as she expands outside this range. A handful of times I get hints of Terje Harøy (Pyramaze) as well. Her voice is powerful, majestic, and beautiful, and it brings out all the necessary character in each song. The dueling guitars are a marvel, gliding across power riffs, harmonized solos, silky leads, and plenty of technical heft. The drums are a force, never going too crazy, but exhibiting plenty of skill while driving the various tempo and dynamic shifts. The song structures are recognizable, many times following an  intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-instrumental-chorus structure, but what is unique is how Triosphere approaches it. No two songs ever sound the same, with myriad tempos and rhythms (sometimes even just within the verse) that keep things varied and interesting. The instrumentals shy away from typical power metal and traditional heavy metal solo tropes and take on more of a progressive identity, with complex multi stanza passages that will keep you on your toes. Add to this just how accessible and singable each song is, and you have the perfect marriage of approachable, dynamic and varied. 

Things open with short instrumental “Premonition,” a quick build yielding to an epic choir and a cinematic vibe as the drums and guitars grow. It fades out, setting us up for the thrashy opening of “Of Tyrants,” ripping out of the starting block with a vengeance as the guitars and drums blaze while Haukland’s voice takes command, introducing you to her melodic rasp. The chorus is majestic, a soaring melody that is just so catchy, providing slight reprieve before blazing ahead again. The song shifts gears after the long held note ending the second chorus, slowing as the guitar emotes softly, before diving into a killer guitar solo that blends prog and traditional metal sensibility. The ending salvo returns to the chorus, Haukland soaring beautifully, before the thrash grooves get one final turn.

Title track “Oceans Above, Stars Below” is next, and wow what an amazing song. The verse alternates fast riffing with drawn out melodies, creating a nice effect that flows well into the massive chorus. And what an earworm it is! You get a brief taste after verse one before getting the full treatment after the second verse, very Brittany Hayes like as the melodies effortlessly soar and camp in your brain. The more than 1 minute solo traverses various passages, tickling your ears with great melodies and technical ability. The song ends with a big finish of the chorus.

“Monster’s Ball” has a driving verse with a hard-hitting approach, memorable in its own right that feels like a great live crowd participation section, transitioning to another catchy chorus. The instrumental section slows the pace and adds an orchestral feel with the sound of woodwinds, followed by emotive guitar, before transitioning into another great guitar solo that builds throughout. The song structure is relatively simple, and yet there is still a lot to take in.

“Through the Phantom Wall” has an urgency as it starts, cool guitar lead flowing over galloping drums. The verse dials down the pace while maintaining the urgency through Haukland’s delivery, with the drums coming back to full speed as the chorus arrives. The guitar solo here is one of the coolest in the album, with some call and answer amidst Middle Eastern melodies and various tempo and dynamic shifts. The ending chorus finishes with some big vocals from Haukland and a nice crunch at the end.

“Shorelines” could be a long lost Unleash the Archers song to my ears. Haukland perhaps sounds the most like Hayes on this song, and the guitar work is fabulous, with some great keyboards complementing the guitars. The chorus is just phenomenal, one I find myself humming constantly, and the keys add fabulous extra depth. The middle section as the keys extend and a choral feel permeates feels so epic, only to transition to a jammy, almost bluesy guitar solo. The guitars and drums join forces with some crushing riffs, transitioning back to the earworm chorus before guitar melodies collide over galloping drums.

“Lightning in a Bottle” opens with the fluidity of lightning, guitar noodling galore, before settling into a mid-paced verse. The pre-chorus and chorus on this song remind me a lot of something that could have appeared on “Bloodlines” by Pyramaze, complete with Terje’s signature delivery. This song may not be one of the faster paced, but the guitars go all out, with lots of flourishes and leads, not to mention a great harmonized solo. The final chorus extends slightly, letting Haukland shine, before a drawn out close.

This takes us to the shortest non-instrumental and only ballad of the album, “Encore.” Silky guitar picking is the primary driver, lush orchestration providing a beautiful backdrop, with no drums supporting. Haukland puts on a clinic, luring you in and causing you to get lost in her gorgeous vocal lines. This is a song that feels like it would be top 20 rock radio if it had the chance to play.

“Embers” breaks you from your somnulence with mid-paced power riffing. This song brings in some different vocal mechanics and more keys to add some variety, and the chorus is powerful. The guitar solo is just so epic, broken into multiple stanzas featuring a variety of tempos and melodies before absolutely letting loose right at the end. The final pre chorus transitions to a brief a cappella moment with Haukland’s rasp on full display, before finishing out the chrous in style.

“Orpheus’ Bane” is another favorite, perhaps the most consistently fast song on the album, beginning with a killer intro and an in your face verse with a heavy bass and power riffing focus. Her vocals in the second half of the verse and chorus bring back the Pyramaze comparisons, powerfully emotional and memorable. The instrumental break in the middle starts off more like a bridge, changing things up completely, with a brief blaze of fret work before the final chorus and a race to the finish. 

“Cadence of Chaos” is the longest song on the album and last song with vocals, starting epically with a choir feel and symphonics. The mid-paced verse is punchy, a symphonic backdrop providing atmosphere. It picks up the pace as it flows into the chorus, which features a slower vocal over frenetic drums, treating your ears to a series of amazing fills. Of course, if it is the longest most epic sounding song, the guitar solo has to match, and it is up to the task, frenetic fingers and multiple harmonizing duels taking the lead. The noodling flows into the final chorus, matching the energy of the drums. And then when you think the song is done, we get a reprise of the intro in all its cinematic glory before starting a drawn out fade.

“Gjenklang” ends things in somewhat unique fashion, a softer instrumental medley of melodies from the preceding album tracks featuring just piano and strings, stitched together beautifully and in almost cinematic fashion. It is the kind of track I might typically skip on successive listens, and yet I find myself getting lost in its beauty.

It may have been 12 years, but Triosphere hasn’t lost a step and in fact has taken steps forward. As beloved as their 2014 album is, I like this one even better, and it is easily amongst the top power metal albums released in 2026.