My top 5 prog metalbands! What are yours?

[Kazar]

Hey everybody,

it’s time we make this board a little more ALIVE!!!

So tell me, and the rest, what are your 5 TOP (PROG)METAL bands at the moment?

I’ll start of course:
1. DREAM THEATER – Been a fan since 1992. 8 awesome albums (I do not like the first one very much with C.D. as a singer). I’ve met James LaBrie three times (he’s an awesome person, very nice and down-to-earth) and the rest of the boys as well (once). They (still) manage to move me. I can enter another zone while listening to their music and that is something I want from my music – feelings/emotions etc. I’ve seen them live about 15 times now – awesome shows!
2. SEVENTH WONDER – W.I.T.W. got me by the balls from the first time listening and it still manages to kick my ass. Awesome songs, with good balance between hard and soft moments. I really hope ‘Mercy Falls’ will do the same thing, or even more! SW is a band who, in my opinion, can become pretty huge within the progmetal scene (of course they are allready in my book).
3. CIRCUS MAXIMUS – 2 albums with good/awesome songs. I have to say I like ‘Isolate’ even more than their debut. Saw them live a couple of months ago (with SX) and they kicked ass. I hope their next album (are they writing it now?) will make them huge as well.
4. SHADOW GALLERY – Awesome harmonies and melodies. ‘Tyranny’ and ‘Room V’ are (almost) flawless albums. If you don’t know SG, check this band out!
5. PATHOSRAY – made only one album, but damn, what an album it is. ProgMETAL that kicks your ass. I hope they can deliver another classic in the future.


So, this is it.
Feel free to comment and to post your top 5 as well!!

Greetz, Jamesfan

 

[Marc66]

Well, I'll give this little game a try...

1- Shadow Gallery : If you consider Shadow Gallery as progmetal, then yes, they are indeed my Number ONE progmetal band.
They are one of the very rare bands which are not from the seventies that stands as one of my top favourites. All their five albums are essential to me.
I think they are just beyond labels, anyway...like Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Queen or Led Zeppelin are.
and for me they not more metal than... something else, while all the other progmetal bands are first and foremost rooted in heavy metal/hard-rock
I love their symphonic style and fantastic vocal harmonies. Such a pity they never toured and are not very productive.

2- Dream Theater : I got really disappointed by some albums ("Six Degrees" and "Train of Thoughts", especially) but I love some others, and I do enjoyed Octavarium very much, and also Systematic Chaos... less heavy and more melodic than they had been.. that's why.

3- Threshold : I love their first, with the incredible singer Damian Wilson, "Wounded Land". The third one where he returned, "Extinct Instinct" isn't as good... I also like all the albums featuring Mac, less the last one, just before he left the band... that's more brtual sometimes.
Other favourites are "Critical Mass" and "Hypothetical".
It's not so much virtuoso stuff like DT, but it's very good melodies, and well-built solo parts, with some really interesting keyboards sounds, unlike to many bands that just use always the same textures

4- Symphony X, I have a love/hate relationship with them as I think they are too violent fo rmy taste... but I love some of their tracks, especially the one that features some classical music influences. I gave up with their last album, that I really don't like for the most... The vocals are way too brutal for my taste. Favourites are "Divine Wings of Tragedy" and "V".

5- I could mention Seventh Wonder, yes..
I also liked pretty much the latest from Tomorrow's Eve (great singer), and another German band that did only two records (with almost 10 years in between !) : Ricochet. Their second album "Zarah - A Teartown Story" is a very good concept-album. Another great singer on this album.
Look there : http://www.myspace.com/welcometoteartown
And there was the now defunct band created by Mark Boals, Ring Of Fire.

I wouldn't list Rhapsody (Of Fire) as progmetal... although they do some progressive tracks, without a doubt, but not so often. Same with Sonata Arctica...

But on another side, I think Iron Maiden would deserve to be called the "ancestors of progressive metal"... I do like them pretty much. Still today, I think "Powerslave", "Somewhere in Time" and the masterpiece that is "Seventh Son From a Seventh Son" have got several tracks that belong to what we would later call "progressive metal".
The two records with Blaze Bailey as well (although I don't like them).
And the other albums all have at least one or two progressive numbers, sometimes more.

cheers Marc

 

[Metal head87]

It's impossible for me to narrow it down to five. But to narrow it down to ten, I won't include any tech/prog death or thrash bands (otherwise, I'd even have trouble narrowing it down to 20).

Fates Warning (innovative, unorthodox, and very emotional)
Scott Mosher (very unique approach, mixing neo-prog rock, prog metal and new age)
Seventh Wonder (WITW is one of my most played prog metal albums. It's not so often I come across a prog album with the melodic sensibility of AOR)
Mind's Eye (whether it was their more neo-prog sounding material, or the heavier, more film score approach on A Gentleman's Hurricane, Daniel has yet to release anything short of brilliant)
Dreamscape (Great ambiance, yet really crushing. 5th Season is one of my favorite prog metal albums)
Cynic (great as a tech death band, but they really evolved into an incredible fusion prog band when they released Focus)
Evergrey (very dark, really moving, with some of my favorite ballads)
Dream Theater (not really much of a fan of their material after Kevin Moore left, but I adore their first three albums)
Tomorrow's Eve (Mirrors Of Creation: Genesis II is another one of my favorite prog metal albums. Great story, very visual with their sound and pretty tasteful)
Pathosray (granted, they have only released one album, considering the sheer number of times I have listened to it in the past month or so, they definitely deserve mention)

 

[fire_angel]

In no particular order:

Seventh Wonder
Symphony X
Shadow Gallery
Dream Theater
Mind Odyssey (http://www.myspace.com/mindodyssey07)

 

[Arymo]

Seventh Wonder
Dream Theater
Pain Of Salvation

Thats actually all the pure Progressive Metal bands I listen to; all the other are Progressive and some other genre.

 

[korruption]

1. Seventh Wonder
   When I heard "Not An Angel", I just couldn't not order it. I mostly focus on vocals when I listen to metal and Tommy's vocals are godly! The wait for September 12 is tormenting!
   
2. Symphony X
   I loved "V" and thought "The Odyssey" was pretty good. I just hate how the keyboards were pushed back so far in favor of Romeo's guitars, so I have a problem with that. Also, I think "Paradise Lost" was a major strikeout. Russell's vocals just... suck on this one. He didn't need to shout so much and especially on the "ballads". The keyboards were pushed even further back on this one too. But with that all said, I still enjoy their older shit.
3. Shadow Gallery
   Excellent group, awesome vocal melodies. Anyone who hasn't heard of them, check out my favourite song "I Believe", I think that chorus is a prime showcase on their handle for vocal melodies. Too bad it only plays twice in the song.
4. Pyramaze
   Running out of things to type here... Anyways, yeah they brought Matt Barlow back into the metal scene who performed amazingly on their new album "Immortal" (and was promptly snatched back by Schaffer... poopy) looking forward to "The Crucible of Man" though.
5. Mercenary
   Death, progressive, power kind of genre... Amazing vocals and melodies. Anyone who doesn't check them out could be missing out hugely.

 

[Aran]

My top five would look like this.

Pagan's Mind
Circus Maximus
Seventh Wonder
Myrath
Threshold


But so many others i listen to regulary,

Pathosray, Dream Theater, Symphony X, Darkwater, Spheric Universe Experiment....

 

[Kazar]

Great to see that Shadow Gallery is mentioned a lot.
They are indeed awesome..............do any of you know if they are in 'writing-mode' or something like that? It's been a while since 'Room V' so any new material would be great.

 

[Marc66]

Great to see that Shadow Gallery is mentioned a lot.
They are indeed awesome..............do any of you know if they are in 'writing-mode' or something like that? It's been a while since 'Room V' so any new material would be great.

I don't like spreading rumours, I should e-mail Gary Wehrkamp who I've been in touch with, pretty regularly over the last 6-7 years. I think some music is ready but as far as I know, alas, they are not yet in a studio to record a follow-up up to the excellent "Room V". and when you know they are pretty slow to record... I have no idea when we can hope for a new record release. Not this year, for sure, alas.
The problem is that they never earned a living from their music, unlike Dream Theater... they have their jobs and making their elaborated albums with such incredibly rich arrangements/overdubs takes a lot of time...

Do you know Gary's side project with DC Cooper, with Kurt Barabas on bass (Under The Sun) and Nick D'Virgilio on drums (Spock's Beard) ? The project is called Amaran's Plight and the album's title is "Voice in the Light". That was released last year.
I liked it very much, and we can find some common elements with Shadow Gallery, although I prefer Mike Baker's voice, in general.
Cheers - Marc

 

[Kazar]

The problem is that they never earned a living from their music, unlike Dream Theater... they have their jobs and making their elaborated albums with such incredibly rich arrangements/overdubs takes a lot of time...

Yes, i was aware of that fact. I always had hoped they would be big enough to travel/tour the world but :Smug: indeed.
It's unbelievable that music that is that beautiful isn't noticed by more people!!!

Do you know Gary's side project with DC Cooper, with Kurt Barabas on bass (Under The Sun) and Nick D'Virgilio on drums (Spock's Beard) ? The project is called Amaran's Plight and the album's title is "Voice in the Light". That was released last year.
I liked it very much, and we can find some common elements with Shadow Gallery, although I prefer Mike Baker's voice, in general.

Yes, i knew that. Amaran's Plight is allready in my possesion. It's an awesome cd indeed! Good songs and nice melodies but i do agree with you, Mike's voice appeals to me a little more as well (BUT, let's make one thing clear, DC Cooper CAN sing!).

 

[fire_angel]

Haha, i was just about to mention Amaran's Plight myself. I'm a big fan of Gary and DC, but didn't really like the album.

I've been holding out for the day that Gary and the boys would sit down to write a follow-up to one of my 5 favourite albums of all time (Room V), but given their position, i completely understand if that may or may not ever come to realisation. One can only hope

 

[is.the.mic.on]

seventh wonder
ayreon
circus maximus
dream theater
pagans mind

no spcific order, and i'm supprised noone has mentioned ayreon yet!

 

[Kazar]

I think some music is ready but as far as I know, alas, they are not yet in a studio to record a follow-up up to the excellent "Room V".

Well, if they are indeed in 'writing-mode"........that would be great news.
They DO take the time to write their masterpieces......

 

[chrissie]

Not easy to answer, the most bands I am listening are "mixed genres"!
I write 5 of my favorites, they all have a more or less "progressive" in their music.

Kamelot
Pyramaze
Seventh Wonder
Ayreon
Suspyre

 

[Marc66]

seventh wonder
ayreon
circus maximus
dream theater
pagans mind

no specific order, and i'm surprised no one has mentioned ayreon yet!

Well, I certainly could have listed Ayreon, yes, because I do like a lot what Arjen Lucassen does, most of the time. But for some reason, I tend not to classify Ayreon in progressive metal...or let's say it doesn't come to mind immediately when I think of progmetal ... while it is mostly that, when I think of it, after all... and something else, impossible to label.. I like it when the music is impossible to label.
I enjoy particularly The Human Equation, The Dream Sequencer, The Final Experiment and "01011001"

 

[Metal head87]

no spcific order, and i'm supprised noone has mentioned ayreon yet!

Oh man, how could I have forgotten about them (him, whatever)! The project is brilliant!

 

[grossalex]

1: Dream Theater
2: Symphony X
3: Seventh Wonder
4: Rush (I know it´s not metal but still)
5: Opeth

 

[Taliwakker]

Hard one...my top 5 bands of the genre probably haven't released my top 5 albums of the genre. So my top bands are ones that have released at least 3 really good albums.

Bands

1.Symphony X
2.Ayreon
3.Pain of Salvation
4.Pagans Mind
5.Mercenary

Albums

1.Ark-Burn the Sun
2.Ayreon-THE
3.Dream Theater-Images and Words
4.Seventh Wonder-WITW
5.Mind's Eye-A Gentlemans Hurricane

 

[estYMaj]

Im just gonna give you all a band to check out since the average favorite band list is about the same as mine exept this band , CHECK EM OUT!!!
Sphyric Universe Experience the latest cd is Anima ( Best of the Two Cd's )
There 1st is mental tormants

 

[Kilroy Murdoch]

1. Kamelot
2. Vanden Plas
3. Threshold
4. Symphony X
5. Pagan's Mind

Those are all time faves. Bands like Serenity, Seventh Wonder, Circus Maximus are up there, but they don't have enough of a history for me to call them a top 5 band. YET.