favorite lesser known progrock/metal bands

M

MNProgger

Guest

I was just wondering if anyone on this message board is familiar or into the band Soundscape (who remind me of Enchant in little ways). They broke up a couple of yrs ago but I would think alot of Enchant fans who enjoy the heavier progrock might go for them..very bubbly keyboards.
 

I've never heard of Soundscape. I'm really into the following bands...
Enchant
Rush
Dream Theater
Yes
Spock's Beard
TransAtlantic
The Flower Kings
Pain Of Salvation
Threshold.

My all time favorite band is definately Rush :)

Cheers.
 

Soundscape is very talented, Discovery is one of the best epic albums i have ever heard, good special effects and long instrumental pieces is what i like most about this band, they seem to tie everything in nicely without losing track in direction, Thorne is definitley the man ! too bad they broke up :-(
 

here are some more lesser-known bands:

Lemur Voice
Dreamscape
Spiral Architect
Digital Ruin
Empty Tremor

 

Agreed..do you have the other 3 releases from Soundscape? (or Rob solo work with Sdscape)..esp "Man ANd Machine" totally rips with the synth work and raw guitar of Todd Rose.
I was in touch with Rob himself online a while back but he has not been online that I can tell since last fall. Last he told me, he was playing with an Orchestra and having lots of Guitar work on his newest project through his label "Angelthorne".

I still have yet to pickup Sacred Oath though..I should sometime, but its not that proggy I guess (reason why i have not yet).

as far as some of the others listed..Spiral Architect I like, I saw them at ProgPower USA 2.0 last Nov..the bass player esp is great. They are on teh Fates Warning tribute (which Soundscape is on to btw..hehe..doing Fata Morgana),

I have 1 ET cd, the debut..not bad..very DT-clonish though. throw in Stratomonio, Arkhe, Evil Wings, and Madsword. I heard the 2nd ET album is better though.

heard Digital Ruin was alot like OM Queensryche.

Lemur Voice I like the album i have "Insights" alot. want to get their other album and Sun Caged (the ex-members band)

heard of Dreamscape..never actually heard though..what are they like?
 

i have soundscape's discovery as well as man and machine including thorne's solo project, i also have an 8x11 photo autographed by the guys including a registered certificate appointing me as soundscaper # 21 ;-) , last i heard was that the band had decided to call it quits for the time being due to the public's lack of interest...
 

Hi Guys

May I suggest you to put an ear on an excellent swedish band called ACT…_www.actworld.nu

It's fresh …_imagine a good mix of Queen, Journey, Kansas and maybe Frank Zappa…_

Doesn't it sound good to you_? ;-)

Ze Dan - drums, percussion & backing vocals
www.cyberconscience.com
 

Blueprintman, I'll second that on ACT. They are one of my favorite 5 bands out there, and I can't wait until their 3rd release. I would describe them as maybe ELO/10cc mixed with Dream Theater, but like Enchant, they are a musical sponge, so its hard to describe them.

Another cool ACT website to check out is Today's Report
www.ACT-Todays-Report.co.uk

And here are some nice long samples
Waltz with Mother Nature
www.ACT-Todays-Report.co.uk/waltzwithmothernature.mp3

&

Take it Easy
www.ACT-Todays-Report.co.uk/takeiteasy.mp3

enjoy,
jim

 

I've listened to so much prog that I've gotten progged out. It's kind of hard to determine what's "prog" and what's not, though.

I suppose I can type some of them up in a list and you can decide for yourselves. :)

Prog
Ambeon
Bruce Dickinson
Dali's Dilemma
Devin Townsend
Dream Theater
Echolyn
Enchant
Faith No More
Fates Warning
Lacuna Coil
Lemur Voice
Marillion
Ocean Machine
Pain of Salvation
Shadow Gallery
Spock's Beard
Symphony X
Transatlantic
Xen (heh)

More Melodic Metal than Prog:
Angra
Magnitude 9
Nightwish
Royal Hunt
Saviour Machine
Superior
Vanden Plas
Vanishing Point
 

theres a fantastic prog band here in west australia called Modus Vivendi. well worth downloading a track if you can. at work on a first album now, but have released a 3 track EP.
very Shadow Gallery-esque w/ definite DT influences.
 

One more thing I forgot to mention about Mind's Eye!!

They are by far the closest "clone" of Enchant and their style I have yet to encounter, and that's something because I have heard a heck of a lot of bands.
If you like enchant, you will LOVE Mind's eye...

Hey Ted, Ed, doug, and guys... have you ever heard of them yourselves?

That would be neat if you liked them too, because Enchant and Mind's Eye are both in my top 5 for favorite bands.

Go to www.roundrec.com and then check out their audio clips. I recommend listening to Frozen Tears and Eye for an Eye!

See ya!
 

Hey Guys thanks for the links

Peruviantide, I had not heard of Mind's Eye although I know there was a terrible band that we once played with years ago in San Jose at the old Caberet that had the same name! This is not them! These guys are great. Good songs, I like the Brooks guys as well and Jim A.C.T is pretty cool.

I won,t speak for the others cause we all listen to differant stuff but I don,t check out much Proggish stuff unless it envolves songwriting great vocals and melodies! and has something to it besides endless solos and contrived parts that don,t fit? A lot of it really bites! This stuff is cool but I would expect that from all you guys cause you have good taste right! :) ! Some good stuff and recomendations here!

Thanks EP

Thanks guys.

 

I am unsure where I misplaced it, but I think it was NEARFEST 2000 i picked up a RecordHEaven.net sampler disc for $1 and Mind's Eye was on there. I recall them sounding very dream theater-clonish. But It was only 1 song and I maybe spun the disc twice b4 I misplaced it. I may have to d/l some now. The bands I was told on here who were similar to Enchant were:

Catherdral
Maximum Indifference

I personally don't have as much interest in a band who sounds exactly like Enchant or close to them, rather just a band who has the delicate blend of Heaviness and Melodicness like Enchant. Soundscape is/was the band I think many Enchant fans would go for. They played at Powermad 97-99 I guess (I missed them 3 yrs in row since I barely knew them back then and had no $ to travel unfortunately). But Soundscape and Thorne (the frontman's project with members of Soundscape..ala Xen) are *special* to me in that they capture the light/heavy mix unlike most if not all other prog. Rob Volpintesta has a beautiful voice and is unbelievable keytar/ keyplayer esp when invoving bubbly keys. Todd Rose maybe the most underecognized guitarist out there. The guy can play any style, from shredding, to G3 arpeggios, etc. Their debut album "Discovery" is 78 minutes of a story about a boy who learns about growing up to be a man. I am in the process of writing a novel loosely influenced by this album.

The Rec. Co the frontman Rob Volpintesta formed's website is currently down but here are the main info I can find online about them:


Some info on Soundscape can be found here:

www.progressiveworld.net/soundscape.html

www.toddroseonline.com/scape/

www.throttlebox.com/Box/r.../285.shtml

and here is exceprts of a review of Soundscape's show at
Powermad'99:
www0.org/prog/gigs/powermad99.shtml

" Despite the long wait, these guys were the best band up to that point. Thorne is a total poser, but he's such a great frontman that it doesn't bother me. His vocals and keywork are fantastic. Todd Rose was definitely the best metal guitarist present. I'd probably even consider him one of the top 5 guitarists in progressive metal right now. He is incredibly versatile - he's fantastic at shred, fantastic at rhythm, and always play the appropriate solos without wanking out. The new material contains a lot of stuff that is wah-ed stuff done right (to my liking). It sounds more like progressive metal than rock, but doesn't rely on excess dt-clonage. They have their own unique sound. Overall - great musicians & vocalists, fantastic stage show, and superb writing. I already have all their stuff, except for the new stuff that hasn't arrived in the mail yet (hint hint)......Say what you want about the 2-hr soundcheck, I know it's not fair, but when you put on a show like these guys do, at least the wait is worth it. These are serious musicians, and when you have a Todd Rose in the band, it's hard not to be recognized. Todd is absolutely one of the best guitarists I've ever seen, period. The guy plays a style different from most in which he uses his leads as rhythm. His humble personality and friendly approach to fans make him one of the best examples of a musician ever. Thorne can be dramatic, as showcased at this show, but the guy can work a crowd and play like no other front man can. Hey, about the hat, I called him and asked him to bring it to the show and he said "absolutely" ....... There is no mistaking his unique vocal approach either. With a massive bottom end behind them, the band just smokes the stage from top to bottom, and let me just say for the record, that Soundscape has played all 3 Powermad shows, and have the distinct honor of having the crowd yell "MORE" at all 3 shows, even bringing them back for an encore last year. When they are able to transfer this massive, thunderous energy to a disc in the future, the band will make a serious dent in the music world."

I hope some Enchant fans will check them out someday.