Fairly new to the Prog Metal....

[biggs0072000]

I was of the school in Staind, Metallica, and Nickelback, untill my best friend (Gunstar 9 on here) intruduced me to prog/power metal back in the 9th grade. It all started after I made fun of Iron Maiden (long story.) My first album? Fucking Nightfall in Middle Earth!

 

[Jurakan]

My first album? Fucking Nightfall in Middle Earth!

 

[Ruthven]

I can't believe that I am beating Paul and Ben to this, but...
another fine progressive metal album for you to check out, Kross: Devin Townsend's Ocean Machine: Biomech.

 

[urinalcakemix]

Porcupine Tree - Deadwing. Prog rock at its finest.

Check out Spock's Beard, and Pain of Salvation for some of the classiest music your ears will ever hear. Its not metal, its not really that heavy, though they both have some really CRAZY sections. POS more than Spocks Beard - but both are absolutely fantastic- highly reccomended to all.

 

[Theandromedastrain]

Wow, congratulations. Finding progressive metal/rock is the best thing one can do with thier musical tastes. I got into prog/metal about 4 years ago when my friend turned me on to Iced Earth's "The Dark Saga". Then months later i saw evergrey on headbangers ball (that i do NOT watch anymore) and LOVED THEM and picked up thier album "Recreation Day" the day after.
My recommendations for you are these: Eternity X-the edge, Balance of Power-book of secrets, Green Carnation-The Quiet Offspring, Masterplan-Aeronautics, Thunderstone-The Burning, Symphony X-V, Iced Earth-The Dark Saga, ALL EVERGREY CD'S, Savatage-Handful of Rain & Dead Winter Dead, and of course SHADOW GALLERY-Room V

 

[LunaTEKKE]

Savatage-Handful of Rain & Dead Winter Dead, and of course SHADOW GALLERY-Room V

Great choices. I would recommend listening to Shadow Gallery's "Tyranny" before "Room V" -- since the two CDs tell a continuous story. And you'll have the benefit of NOT having to wait 7 years between installments!

"The First Chapter" from Circus Maximus is also a fantastic release. I decided to fly in to Atlanta a day early for the Pre-Party, since I wanted to be sure I didn't miss them due to flight delays.

I'm still a newbie, so I apologize if I'm mixing genres here, but other favorites that haven't been mentioned include Ayreon, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Van Helsing's Curse

Oh - and I must admit that I still listen to my Metallica CDs.

 

[Ruthven]

Oh - and I must admit that I still listen to my Metallica CDs.

Absolutely no shame there. I don't like their music from the past 15 or so years, but that early stuff was as influential as it gets.

 

[BlackenedDawn]

Metal comes in all forms. Tis the beauty of this musical universe. Basically it comes down to Traditional (the classics, can never be touched), and then True Metal and Extreme Metal. Prog and Power IS true metal. With every listen they both prove why metal is the greatest form of music imaginable.

 

[J-Man]

Kross try these out really good stuff:

SOLIDVISON "THE HURRICANE"
SPHERIC UNIVERSE EXPERIENCE
PYRAMAZE "LEGEND OF THE BONE CARVER"
SHADOW GALLERY "ROOM V"
FRAGILE VASTNESS "CYCLE OF LIFE"
CIRCUS MAXIMUS "THE FIRST CHAPTER"
DGM
POVERTY'S NO CRIME
NIGHTWISH "CENTURY CHILD" "WISHMASTER" "ONCE"

 

[eboles]

Hey Kross,

When I first came across the Prog Metal scene, I heard Dream Theater in 1992 when Pull Me Under came out and was broadcasted on rock radio stations everywhere. At the time I was trying to finish college and completely disenchanted by the music scene. It wasn't until about the turn of the century that I discovered other acts in the same genre as D.T.
I have to simply thank Amazon.com because of the way they list other items in their search engine. For example, if you like this CD you might also like Symphony X, Kamelot, Pain of Salvation & so on. It also took me way back to the 70's where it originated with ELP, Floyd, Genesis, King Crimson and many others.
This underground network has given me faith in the music scene once again and it has also led me to a lot of new friends. It has also encouraged me take up lead vocals again and join a band called Timeline. We are currently working on our second CD "Epoch" and a sample track will be on the ProgPower sampler this year.
I hope you are coming to the festival this year to witness what we will surely be another kick-ass 3 nights of music.
Welcome and we'll see ya there!

 

[sccaldwell]

Based on what you said, here's a few recommendations:

Conception - In Your Multitude ($21, but worth it)
Kamelot - The Black Halo
Ark - Burn The Sun (it's flawless...really)
Vanden Plas - The God Thing (and/or "Beyond Daylight"...equally good)
Circus Maximus - The 1st Chapter
Enchant -Break (and/or "Juggling 9 or Dropping 10"...equally good)
Dream Theater - Metropolis 2000: Scenes from a Memory
Redemption - The Fullness of Time
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element, Pt. 1

If you like instrumental stuff, get:

Liquid Tension Experiment - 2

It's by 3 of the four guys currently in Dream Theater. Excellent.

I'm sure I've left out at least 100 others, but those jump immediately to mind as "must-have" CDs.

Welcome!

Craig

 

[KROSS]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and I will listen to them all. Keep them coming.

 

[Jurakan]

Liquid Tension Experiment - S/T (the first one) is also great.

For killer instrumental music I have to suggest the geniuses from Apocalyptica. But I strongly suggest you get the albums in order, from the first (Plays Metallica by Four Cellos) to the most recent (S/T). Reason being that you can appreciate how their musical style develops and matures to their current state with each album. These guys actually got me into some classical music.

BTW, I think these guys have to be in Prog Power someday.

 

[Burkhard]

Psychotic Waltz (especially "A Social Grace" and "Into The Everflow")
Sieges Even
Watchtower
Toxik

And if you want to try something really different (also vocal-wise), check out Atrox (Monika Edvardsen-era), especially "Terrestrials" (click on the "retro"-button in the upper right corner after following the link and you´ll find some mp3´s to download - however, be aware that the two songs from "Terrestrials" are not representative, because all songs on that album sound different from one another).

np: Madder Mortem - "M for malice"

 

[Kenneth R.]

Wow, congratulations. Finding progressive metal/rock is the best thing one can do with thier musical tastes.

roflocaust. i mean, seriously people get a grip. how is this any different than getting into jazz for the first time, or classical? every genre of music has excellent stuff to offer, and proffering the attitude that prog is somehow more 'elite' than other forms of music is pretty narrow minded, and beyond that, you're only denying yourselves the enjoyment you could be having. i'm not aiming this just at you dude, but a lot of the replies. i still love you guys but i thought it needed to be said, even though i am fairly certain none of you meant it that way

 

[Mosquito]

Green Carnation-The Quiet Offspring

If you're going to recommend GC, recommend the best album. Light of Day, Day of Darkness.

 

[Pellaz]

LoD, DoD is brilliant, sure....but someone new to the genre might be better served with a more conventionally-arranged CD.


Since GC's show in Augusta, GA was -- predictably -- cancelled, I think they should still be fair game for a future PPUSA.

 

[Mosquito]

It's more than brilliant, however I don't think GC is a good introduction to the genre, along with a lot of the bands recommended. Not to belittle everyones suggestions, but I sure as hell would not have been able to get into metal through bands such as Voivod, Vanden Plas, Watchtower, etc.

These bands are all good now, but it's because I've spent years listening to metal and its easier for me to digest, but someone new to the genre's of metal? It might turn them off of from the band because they're not ready for it. I'm not saying KROSS isn't good enough or something like that, but if you heard some of the bands you guys are recommending as introduction bands, do you honestly think you would've gotten into this? I have to argue that in most cases the answer would be no. I think more basic recommendations are needed. Just try to remember way back when you were getting into stuff and try to recommend stuff like that.

 

[Ruthven]

I agree that some of Voivod's material would be too weird for a new listener of the form, but I do highly recommend THE OUTER LIMITS and their self-titled album - especially the latter in this case due to Jason Newsted's involvement with it (hey, the dude here is or was a Metallica fan, so it's a pretty good bridge ).

 

[Mosquito]

Yeah he might like that one, can't say I did though. I don't think I'd ever recommend Voivod for anyone as an intro to metal unless they come from something with weird things happening in the music, like jazz or something.