There’s no place like ProgPower. If you’ve been, you know. If you haven’t, it’s hard to explain what makes it feel less like a festival and more like a family reunion where everyone just happens to love progressive and power metal. ProgPower XXIV was exactly that, four packed days of incredible music, unforgettable moments, and a community that feels tighter than ever.
This year’s lineup had something for everyone, and it made each day feel like its own little journey.
- Be’lakor finally hit the stage in Atlanta during their first U.S. tour, and man, was it worth the wait. Be’lakor’s whole set was heavy, melodic, and atmospheric. You could feel the whole crowd engage with them, as the whole venue headbanged and screamed along during their flawless set.
- Symphony X once again proved why they’re festival legends. Michael Romeo’s riffs shook the walls, Russell Allen’s voice was as powerful as ever, and the whole band looked like they were having as much fun as we were. It wasn’t just a performance, it was a victory lap.
- Skáld brought their cinematic stage presence to Center Stage bellowing out Nordic folk music using all natural made instruments, no electric guitars with this band. ProgPower attendees were left in awe as they banged the drums, as they were won over from the performance. Skáld was the outlier on this years lineup but proved they belonged.
- VOLA might have surprised the uninitiated, but by the end of their set they had a room full of new fans. Their sound is modern, moody, and layered in ways that don’t always hit until you feel it live. It was one of those “oh wow” moments that ProgPower is famous for.
- Visions of Atlantis brought that soaring, cinematic energy, the kind of set that feels like you’re stepping into another world. Right before them, Green Carnation took things in a darker, dreamier direction, it was two sides of the same coin that balanced the night beautifully.
- Majestica and Orden Ogan leaned hard into power metal glory. Big choruses, soaring vocals, all the fist‐pumping, beer‐spilling fun you could ask for. By the time Sonata Arctica hit the stage, it felt like the whole crowd was one giant choir. Orden Ogan’s lead singer was unable to perform due to sickness, but in ProgPower fashion they made it work. The guys played without Seeb Levermann as his vocal tracks played through the monitors and a makeshift dummy of him was placed on stage. It was epic!
Other highlights included heavy hitting sets from Novembers Doom and Rivers of Nihil. First time U.S. performance from Alterium, Green Carnation played their entire new album live before it even released, and brought their crushing thrash sound to the stage.
And that’s the beauty of ProgPower, you can go from crushing death‐tinged prog to singalong power anthems in a single night, and it all works.
But here’s the thing, as good as the music is, ProgPower is about the people. Every time you walk into Center Stage, it’s hugs, high fives, and “hey, I haven’t seen you since last year!” It doesn’t matter if you’re from Atlanta or halfway across the globe, everyone belongs here. It is the Cheers of music festivals.
You see bands hanging out in the lobby chatting with fans like old friends. You see newcomers who maybe came alone being pulled into groups and suddenly feeling like they’ve known these people forever. You overhear strangers bonding over obscure albums at the merch table. It’s that sense of community that makes ProgPower what it is.
This year wasn’t without its hiccups, with visa issues and lineup changes happen, but the way the crowd rolls with it, the way the organizers handle it with honesty, and the way the community rallies, it’s proof that ProgPower isn’t just about who’s on stage. It’s about being there, together.
ProgPower USA 2025 reminded me why people make the trip year after year, no matter the cost or distance. It’s not just about the music, it’s about the friendships, the reunions, the discoveries, the late‐night lobby hangs, and that one set that gives you goosebumps you’ll be talking about for years.
At the end of the day, ProgPower isn’t just a festival. It’s home. One that leaves us wanting for next year, especially with the stacked lineup that was announced. Next September cannot get here fast enough!
