Need some music ideas

[Xerofall]

I've loaded my iPod with every shred of music I own and I need some more.

I need to know if you guys and gals have any suggestions of bands I might not have heard of and will fit my tastes.

Here's a few of my favorite bands...

Symphony X
Blind Guardian
Therion
Thy Majestie
Rhapsody
Nightwish

I'm looking for really epic stuff like the music of Thy Majestie and Rhapsody's new album "Symphony of Enchanted Lands II The Dark Secret"

I love the epic "movie-soundtrack" music mixed with heavy metal.

So I'm looking for ideas and suggestions for bands that might fit these qualifications.

Thanks in advance,

Xerofall- Metal Norseman for life.

 

[kazahana]

Here's are some of the bands/projects I listen to which seem to align with your tastes.

The ones that I've highlighted in bold are essential recommends. I can't really recommend much death or black metal because I don't really listen to much. These genres are vague and probably wrong - consider them a rough estimation, as many bands are crossovers or at the least have elements of multiple genres.

Death/Black:
Arch Enemy
Children Of Bodom
Dimmu Borgir
In Flames
Opeth

Heavy Metal:
Blind Guardian
Iced Earth
Iron Maiden
Loudness
Racer X

Instrumental Metal:
Angelo, Michael
Becker, Jason
Buckethead
Cooley, Rusty
Friedman, Marty
Gordian Knot
MacAlpine, Tony
Pinnella, Michael
Planet X
Romeo, Michael
Stump, Joe

Neo-Classical:
Adagio
Malmsteen, Yngwie
Impellitteri

Power & Speed:
Angra
Avantasia
Axenstar
Cacophony
Celesty
Dragonforce
Dragonland
Dream Evil
Edguy
Firewind
Hammerfall
Kamelot
Masterplan
Power Quest
Rhapsody
Stormwarrior
Stratovarius
Thunderstone
Wizard

Progressive:
Adagio
Ark
Ayreon
Dream Theater
Dreamscape
Evergrey
Freak Kitchen
Symphony X
Threshold
Time Requiem
Wuthering Heights

Dragonforce almost out-Rhapsody Rhapsody but not quite because they tend to stay away from some aspects of the ubër-cheese like overuse of orchestral synth, music videos filmed in the local woods etc.

 

[PRauhala]

Progressive:
Adagio
Ark
Ayreon
Dream Theater
Dreamscape
Evergrey
Freak Kitchen
Symphony X
Threshold
Time Requiem
Wuthering Heights

There was almost all what you should check. and some in other categories like opeth,death

 

[Kronikle66]

You would not bold Ayreon? Are you insane! Ayreon is one of the most progressive bands there is! Opeth, Symphony X, Rhapsody, Shadow Gallery, Stratovarius, Dream Theater, all have appeared on his albums.

Xerofall, get "The Human Equation" by Ayreon. It's been touted as the album of the year by I can't keep count how many reviews. Most of what kazahana recommended as far as power metal goes would probably suit your need for epic stuff. As far as power metal goes, Angra is the best by far, in my opinion. Shadow Gallery and Dream Theater are also some really great options for prog.

And I don't know if you've heard of them, but Circus Maximus is one of the most highly acclaimed Epic Metal bands according to metal-observer.com.

-Kronikle

 

[SilentRealm]

..what Kronikle said.. and if he didnt press Ayreon hard enough (and you happen to have been living under a rock this year and havent heard it already), I'm about to press even more so. I cant even put into words how wonderful The Human Equation is.

 

[Poison God Machine]

A lot of great suggestions here. I personally second the Iced Earth, Stratovarius, Arch Enemy, Marty Friedman, and Threshold noms

 

[kazahana]

You would not bold Ayreon?

No

Are you insane!

Yes

 

[Xerofall]

Thanks everyone. I'll give some of them a try...

I do have quite a few of those artists already but have never heard of Ayreon so I'll give them a listen.

Do you have any specific albums by any of the power metal bands listed above? Like their best albums?

An example is I like Kamelot's Fourth Legacy, but I'm not a fan of Karma and Blind Guardian's Nightfall in MiddleEarth is one of my favorite albums of all time, but I'm not a fan of A Night at the Opera.

Thanks again you all have been a great resourse.

 

[Kronikle66]

For Angra, the 2 favorites on these boards seem to be Rebirth and Temple of Shadows. I think both of those are amazing albums.

-Kronikle

 

[Androz]

I think you ccould like Ayreon's "Flight of the Migrator" better that The Human Equation acordirng to your tastes

 

[Kronikle66]

Why would you say that? Well, I think he might like the theme better, but musically, The Human Equation sounds much more epic and amazing.

-Kronikle

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

Jaaaaaaaasoooooon Beeeeeckeerrrrrr!

*clears throat* Sorry. I mean Jason Becker.

 

[Xerofall]

Okay I got Human Equation and The Migrator, very interesting stuff. I also got Angra's Temple of Shadows and Dragonforce... I actually had some Dragonforce back when MP3.com had free downloads, but my computer crashed and I lost all my free downloads. MP3.com doesn't do free anymore either so that kinda sucked... but I got several hours of new music thanks to you all.

Thumbs up!

 

[Xerofall]

Oh man I've fallen in love with Marcela Bovio's vocals.

 

[Freyja]

have you heard Sonata arctica's winter hearts guild? you might like that one

 

[dargormudshark]

I would bold that new Time Requiem, the new album kicks ass

BTW, If you want something epic I hope you have plenty of Rainbow

 

[Xerofall]

Thanks everyone, I'll look into the others you suggested as well.

By the way Marcela Bovio on Ayreon's The Human Equation was excellent so I emailed her and she is sending me an autographed picture.

I used to collect autographs but stopped, now I'm getting back into it, I already have Michael LePond's and all of Blind Guardian's from the show in Seattle 2002. (Where the rest of Sym X was I'll never know, I wish I got all theirs too.)

 

[soundgarden]

have you heard Sonata arctica's winter hearts guild? you might like that one

The last minute of "Ruins of My Life" is

Then again, the entire album is

 

[Freyja]

The last minute of "Ruins of My Life" is

Then again, the entire album is

wicked good

 

[The_Accolade]

angra might be epic enough for you
give edguy a try
they are better as power metal than anything symphonic... but its good. i recommend Vain Glory Opera
shadow gallery is kind of symphonic at times...in a very good way. i have carved in stone stay away from it for now... i also have tyranny..that's one you want. the symphonic bits are probably the best thing about it. very prog, very fast...complex.. a lot of interesting keys and modes.

evergrey - anything... they definitely use a lot of keyboard... its more dark, but they are very metal also... which means guitars rule more than programmed stuff...

check out magellan too... not really what you want but they do some interesting orchestrated stuff and actually play a couple of horns on their cd

finally, ask zappa fans what songs you should listen to... he is the big daddy of crazy complex orchestrated passages in rock songs. he probably holds the title for the most insane composition