The History Of Prog Metal In 21 Albums

BeatleMatt

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I never imagined reading the words “Mr. Bungle” and “quality” in the same sentence. “Oddly entertaining” perhaps. But “quality”?
 

dr wu

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Interesting list.....big fan of King Crimson of course and I do like a few of the others on that list.
I personally feel that Iron Maiden, Rush, and Porcupine Tree should be on a list of 'prog metal' (at least some of their lps) but I assume they weren't 'metal' enough for whomever did that list.
BTW...Iron Maiden and Sabbath get listed as 'prog related' on Prog Rock Archives and Porcupine Tree and Rush as 'heavy porg'...whatever that is.
As I said on the other thread on 'what are you listening to' and the Queensryche post that I have been trying to get into more interesting prog metal bands....can't do 'straight heavy metal' since I find most of that to be downright terrible music....imho of course.
So far I like some Fates Warning and some Dream Theater though found Queensryche to be disappointing. I also liked some Symphony X but havent played many of them for a few months now.

If anyone has some ideas on good prog metal bands throw out some names and Ill ck them out.
I'll do reviews of them here.
:rock:
 
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Magic

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;)@dr wu

I know you have said you don’t like things that are too metal. I am not sure what it is that hits your ears in a bad way, but I will try to toss things your way.

Does it matter if the vocalist is female?
You like clean vocals, no growls, right?
Does aggressive double thumping drums bother you?
Are you interested in anything symphonic?
How about experimental?
Or Djent?

I’ve got one for you to take a peek at. Seventh Wonder. From Sweden that I consider on the fairly mellow side of progressive metal. You can start with the debut, Become…..or my favorite, Mercy Falls.:p


 

dr wu

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@Magic

I dont mind female vocals...I 'm a fan of many ladies in classic rock and folk rock bands.....Joni Mitchell, Sandy Denny, Grace Slick, Janis Joplin, Ann Wilson, Chrissie Hynde, Annie Haslam (Renaissance), Christina Booth (Magenta)...etc.
I dont care for growl or guttural death vocals at all...but I love raspy voices with character and some clean vocals are actually too clean for me. They seem sterile with no personality.
Not a fan of drummers who 'overuse' the double drum bass thing but I dont mind it if it fits the song.
Love symphonic prog rock since that's probably my favorite prog area but also like eclectic prog and other forms if they have strong melody. There are some prog bands that are into RIO or avant garde areas that lack 'hooks' if that makes sense. Hard to like those for me unless they have something special going on. Many are 'atonal' in structure.
Dont like the 'Djent' bands I have heard, but some experimental heavy is interesting if they have something special going on that draws me in.

Just finished listening to Seventh Wonder -Mercy Falls....it got 4.03 from PA members. I might give it 3.5....to me many tracks have the same thing going on ....cant differentiate songs unles they do a quiet one ,but I did like Mercy Falls and The Black Parade.
To me there's a sameness to many prog metal/melodic metal type bands. I hear Fates Warning , Threshold, Symphony X , Dream Theater and other prog metal bands in them but that goes for the other bands also in that area.
When I 'm done with the lp nothing really sticks with me like it does with other prog rock and classic rock bands. It could take a while with a metal band to really sink in.
 

TACdtf

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Another useless list. lol

How you can make such a list without Rush's Hemispheres or Yes' Close To the Edge is crazy.

@Dr. Wu...I think Queensryche really has only one album that I would consider progressive, and that's Rage For Order. I think they pushed some traditional metal boundaries on The Warning, but I don't know of that one's for you. And personally, I don't consider O:M a progressive record at all, but it is an amazing album nonetheless.
 

Magic

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Nightwish got a mention!
I saw that. As much as I love Nightwish they are not progressive metal..:heheh:

Meshuggah is kinda way off base, too. More on the extreme/thrashy side, even too avant garde to be progressive metal.

bullocks article!
 

Nai Noswad

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I saw that. As much as I love Nightwish they are not progressive metal..:heheh:

Meshuggah is kinda way off base, too. More on the extreme/thrashy side, even too avant garde to be progressive metal.

bullocks article!
True,the feature was a bit all over the place..modern day press [or Ai most likely] blur the lines.
 

Magic

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@dr wu
I am thinking that some of the older bands may be more to your liking. Those tend to ride the fence between progressive metal—progressive rock—hard rock.

Try Royal Hunt. Start with Land of Broken Hearts or Moving Target

 

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