Pallas are one of the founding bands of neo-progressive rock. Emerging from Aberdeen, Scotland in the early 1980s alongside Marillion, IQ and Pendragon, they helped lead the wave that revived the genre — and have stayed remarkably consistent across four decades. Here is our fellow fan’s ranking of all eight albums.

The short version

For the heart of Pallas, start with The Sentinel, The Dreams of Men, The Messenger and The Cross & the Crucible. Between them they hold the foundational classic and the peaks of their celebrated second act. The full ranking is below.

Founders of neo-prog

Their 1984 debut The Sentinel — a sci-fi concept album reimagining the myth of Atlantis — became a cornerstone of the genre, all theatrical drama and soaring melody. After the troubled release of their second album and a long hiatus, Pallas returned in the late 1990s for a second act that, against the odds, has produced some of the strongest music of their career. A note on the catalogue: all eight of their studio albums, 1984 to 2023, are ranked here.

How we ranked them

This is one fan’s order, and with a band this consistent it is an unusually hard one — the top several albums are closely matched and fiercely debated. The facts are accurate; the order is a starting point, and the lower placements are no slight at all.

The essential four

At the top sits The Sentinel (1984), the iconic debut that helped define neo-prog. But Pallas are that rare band whose later work rivals their classics: The Dreams of Men (2005) is a lengthy, beautiful album many fans rate their finest, and The Messenger (2023) is a stunning recent triumph that some call the best thing they have ever made. The Cross & the Crucible (2001) crowned their comeback with grandeur and bite.

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Reliably great

The next tier would be many bands’ best work. XXV (2011) is a brilliant thematic sequel to The Sentinel, beloved by fans, and Beat the Drum (1998) is the energetic, welcome album that launched their comeback after years away.

For completists

Two albums sit a little lower. Wearewhoweare (2014) is an ambitious set that some find a touch less compelling than their best, and The Wedge (1986) is the more commercial second album — undermined at the time by label troubles, and divisive ever since. Both still have their admirers.

Every album, in order

Their complete studio discography, 1984–2023, in chronological order. Click through to the full write-up on any record.

Where to start

Begin with The Sentinel — the landmark that made their name, and a perfect introduction to their theatrical, melodic neo-prog. From there, The Dreams of Men and The Messenger show just how good their later work became.

Prefer to own them? Find these on Amazon: The Sentinel · The Dreams of Men · The Messenger

The players

Pallas have been anchored for decades by a long-standing core: guitarist Niall Mathewson, bassist and chief songwriter Graeme Murray, and keyboardist Ronnie Brown. On vocals, original singer Euan Lowson fronted the iconic The Sentinel before Alan Reed took over for the band’s classic and comeback eras; Paul Mackie sang on XXV and Wearewhoweare, before Reed returned to the fold for 2023’s acclaimed The Messenger. Through every era, their melodic, dramatic neo-prog has kept its distinctive character.

Why they still matter

Pallas helped invent progressive rock’s second wave — and then, decades later, proved that a founding band could come back stronger than ever. Alongside their early-1980s peers Marillion, IQ, Pendragon and Twelfth Night, they kept the flame of melodic, ambitious prog burning — and their best albums remain landmarks of the neo-prog era.

Go deeper

Keep exploring: read about the best Pallas songs. You can also place them in the bigger picture with our list of the best progressive rock albums of all time.

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