Here are the top prog metal albums from 11 different countries!

If you missed it, Loudwire already selected the best prog rock album from nearly a dozen different countries (including England, Sweden, Norway, China, and of course, the U.S.A)! We’re not ones to do anything halfheartedly, so we’re back to highlight the other half of the prog equation – prog metal – under the same lens.

Unsurprisingly, this was just as challenging (if not more challenging) since there are so many deserving collections to appreciate.

For instance, we knew right away that Opeth would take the Sweden spot, but it was really difficult to choose which of their many “observations” outshone the rest. (Plus, Pain of Salvation has multiple discs that could’ve overshadowed Opeth.) Meanwhile, Dream Theater, Between the Buried and Me and Queensryche hail from the U.S.A., just as Norway is home to Leprous, Green Carnation and Enslaved.

READ MORE: The Best Prog Metal Song of Each Year Since 1985

Unfortunately, only one LP from each country could make the cut, and after many sleepless nights, cups of coffee, and internal debates, we solidified the selections you see below!

Whether they’re surprising, infuriating or (hopefully) mutually agreeable, here are our picks for the best prog metal album from 11 different countries!

Be sure to tell us how your choices compare to ours, and keep scrolling once you’re done to check out our lists of the 10 wackiest prog metal albums ever and the five heaviest prog metal bands of all time.