Listeners who last checked in with Long Island progressive metal outfit Painted in Exile in 2009 — which was the last time they put out anything more than a single — will be surprised and delighted to learn how much the band has grown in the seven years since.

In short, Painted in Exile have found their own voice. Whereas in the past no one could deny they were a very talented bunch of individuals, if there was any knock on them it would’ve been that they didn’t stand out too much from the very crowded pack of adequately talented progressive metal bands. Now, with years of hard work, practice, writing and nationwide touring under their belts, all that’s changed: their new album, The Ordeal, which comes out October 28th, is a completely different beast. It’s dynamic as an album and dynamic within each song, with a much more highly focused band honing their songwriting chops and figuring out how to take madness and turn it into order in their own unique way. We’re still discovering all its nooks and crannies ourselves, but it’s a complex beast, we’ll tell you that.

If anyone here remembers The Human Abstract, we think you’ll hear a lot of similarities here to that band’s later material. That’s a very high compliment in our book.

Pre-order The Ordeal here.