RoadKing
The Central Scrutinizer
- Mar 28, 2008
- 454
- 0
- 16
This is a real fucking thread, thanks for this outerone!
I will do as instructed in the original post and pick up the bands that i feel might be "most important" regardless of my personal taste. Thus i will leave out bands like Katatonia, Ulver, Agalloch or Bathory (whose classic works date mostly from late 80s actually, just as Metallica's or Maiden's), in favor of Porcupine tree and Dream theater. I will also understand the "metal" genre label loosely and thus include such music that was sometimes only rooted in metal, or bands that only started out as metal bands or picked up metal influences at some point, but transcended the label and pushed the envelope further... These are my picks:
Porcupine tree - Steven Wilson is an unstoppable creative force and his primary band perhaps the most developed platform for ambitious and forward-thinking music that he composes. Although not such a big fan (thus far) i understand the importance of SW's musical and also intellectual figure, and the impact PT's music has on progressive youth...
Dream theater - In time i tended to change my stance toward this band, from passion to almost complete negligence, yet, when i pick up their best compositions, and also take in consideration their wide recognition and influence, i realize DT is one of the bands that may easily be seen as crucial to progressive metal of 90's and the new millennium...
The Gathering - Ever since Anneke joined the band, The Gathering created one of the most impressive streaks of brilliant albums ever!, varying their sound over and over, and also changing my understanding of what is and what might be seen as metal, and bringing the sense of sophistication and artistry that was rarely if ever present in rock music whatsoever. Interestingly, they remained rather quiet and humble about it. Such a subtly iconoclastic band!
Tool - Long time my favorite band, Tool is all i could ever ask of music. They managed to inject alternative rock sensibility and emotional depth into progressive and complex song structures of metal, making the sound and a genre all their own. They remained true to their strictly artistic approach, and made music that is defiantly art, nothing else, and nothing less! In addition, i have never found a lyricist so undeniably gifted with poetic and literary talent as Maynard James Keenan is. Tool has it all.
Opeth - Most beautiful, most terrifying and most metaphysical music i have ever happened to hear. It makes our miserable existence worthwhile Yet it doesnt even sound like music written by a human (not meant as a phrase, but a true impression), more like a creation of some omnipotent and malevolent deity. And its a fair judgment thrown at the world we live in ! Opeth!
Excellent post! What he said.