"New and Unfamilar Bands" (for 5150)

[Harvester]

I have addressed your band suggestions previously which contained several repeats along with some higher profile bands that fit perfectly, but did not work out for me budget, schedule, etc type reasons. However, I would like to reinforce my point that your personal taste (which is more than understandable & I agree) is more of the argument against you not attending as compared to you calling the roster "new & unfamilar."

Examples of your specific suggestions:

Darkwater (1 release) Silent Memorial (2 releases) When the Empire Falls (1 release )Cryptic Vision (2 releases)

Other than the recent Darkwater post bringing their name up, I'd be curious as to how many people had heard of the others you listed in comparison.



I'll grant you my two openers are new bands. However, by next year, I maintain they will have a higher profile than any of the bands you listed above. Hell, Haken has been discussed numerous times on the two largest prog boards on the web (Portnoy & DT) over the past few months alone.

As for the rest of the "new" roster.....

Therion (19 years)
1. Of Darkness... (1991)
2. Beyond Sanctorum (1992)
3. Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas (1993)
4. Lepaca Kliffoth (1995)
5. Theli (1996)
6. A'arab Zaraq - Lucid Dreaming (1997)
7. Vovin (1998)
8. Crowning of Atlantis (1999)
9. Deggial (2000)
10. Secret of the Runes (2001)
11. Sirius B (2004)
12. Lemuria (2004)
13. Gothic Kabbalah (2007)
14. Sitra Ahra (2010)

Sanctuary (23 years)
Refuge Denied (1987)
Into the Mirror Black (1990)
Into the Mirror Live (1991)
*Every Nevermore fan is aware of Sanctuary

Arcturus (15 years)
Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1995), Ancient Lore/Misanthropy/Century Black
La Masquerade Infernale (1997), Misanthropy/Music For Nations
The Sham Mirrors (2002), Ad Astra Enterprises/The End Records
Sideshow Symphonies (2005), Season of Mist
[edit] EPs
My Angel (1991), Putrefaction Records
Constellation MCD/MLP (1994), Nocturnal Art
Constellation LP (1997), Nocturnal Art

Dream Evil (8 years)
Dragonslayer – (2002)
Evilized – (2003)
The Book of Heavy Metal – (2004)
United – (2006)
Gold Medal in Metal (Alive & Archive) – (2008)[1]
In the Night – (2010)
[edit] EPs
Children of the Night – (EP, 2003)
The First Chapter – (EP, 2004)

Labyrinth (16 years)
Midnight Resistance(EP) (1994)
Piece of Time(EP) (1995)
No Limits (1996)
Return to Heaven Denied (1998)
Timeless Crime(EP) (1999)
Sons of Thunder (2000)
Labyrinth (2003)
Metal For The Masses Volume II (Disc 2)[27] (2003)
Freeman (2005)
6 Days to Nowhere (2007)
Return to Heaven Denied Pt. II: "A Midnight Autumn's Dream" (2010)

Mob Rules (11 years)
Savage Land (1999)
Temple Of Two Suns (2000)
Hollowed Be Thy Name (2002)
Among The Gods (2004)
Signs Of The Time (Live, 2005)
Ethnolution A.D. (2006)
Radical Peace (2009)

Eldritch (19 years)
1991 - Reflection of Sadness Demo
1993 - Promo Tracks 1993 Demo
1995 - Seeds of Rage
1997 - Headquake
1998 - El Niño
2001 - Reverse
2003 - Portrait of the Abyss Within
2005 - Neighbourhell
2007 - Blackenday
2008 - Livequake

Red Circuit (3 years)
Trance State (2006)
Homeland (2009)

While Heaven Wept (16 years)
Into the Wells of Sorrow 7" - Open Eye Records (1994)
Lovesongs of the Forsaken - Promo (1994)
Lovesongs of the Forsaken EP - Sinistrari Records (1995)
The Mourning split 7" with Cold Mourning, Game Two Records 1997
Sorrow of the Angels - Eibon Records (1998)
Chapter One: 1989-1999 2x LP Retrospective - Metal Supremacy Records (2002)
The Drowning Years 7" Single - Maniacal Records (2002)
Of Empires Forlorn - Eibon Records (2003 Limited Edition), Rage of Achilles Records (2003), Rock Machine Records (2003 South American Pressing)
Vast Oceans Lachrymose- Cruz Del Sur Music (2009)

Voyager ( 7 years)
I Am The ReVolution (2009)
UniVers (2007/2008)
Element V (2003)

Haken (New)
Aquaruis (2010)

Creation's End (New)
A New Beginning (2010)

 

[No Username]

Still amazes me when people say "I never heard of this band, they must be new."

Spans across all musical genres. When I used to watch awards shows you would see "Best New Group" trophies going to bands that had been around for years.

Looking forward to 2011. Thanks for providing specific disks to look for!

 

[DADRocks]

I see nothing wrong with putting newer bands in your 1st couple of slots, Raintime was one of my favorite bands to see and they were an opener. I'd hate to see you shy away from a band because they only have 1 or 2 releases out there (not to say you are doing that.) Serenity is another currently with only 2 releases that I'd love to see (I know there is some other reason not to book them due to previous happenings.) ProgPower is a great platform to see future prog bands before they hit it big and it ends up costing more to get them over here later. Just my two cents, not in anyway knocking on this years roster as I've just now ordered a bunch of their releases.

 

[jem777az]

I think part of the issue that people are having with some of the bands is that take Creation's End for instance. I don't even think their album is out yet. I know Ken had it available at the insider sale, but I would guess that very few people knew about this band. Then take Sanctuary, they haven't been together for pretty much 20 years. Yes there have been rumors of a reunion but it's kinda like "out of sight, out of mind". While Heaven Wept is a band that has admitted that they do very little promotion here in the U.S. (see get to know a band better thread). So again I would bet that very few people had ever heard of them. Voyager is from Australia and while they've been around for a few years they've released albums on labels which are not easily accessible here in the States. I had never heard of them until I saw their latest album on Lasers Edge's site and decided to check out their stuff.

To answer your question above I had heard of Darkwater and Silent Memorial ( I own all their releases). I've never heard of the other two. I think 5150 had also mentioned Cloudscape and I'm pretty sure a lot more folks are familiar with them than say Haken, Voyager, WHW, Red Circuit, and Creations End.

Please don't take this as a negative reaction towards this years fest. I actually like most of the bands. Just trying to give my insight as to why 5150 and others may be having issues with some of the lesser known bands.

 

[nomisofsiman]

I think part of the issue that people are having with some of the bands is that take Creation's End for instance. I don't even think their album is out yet. I know Ken had it available at the insider sale, but I would guess that very few people knew about this band. Then take Sanctuary, they haven't been together for pretty much 20 years. Yes there have been rumors of a reunion but it's kinda like "out of sight, out of mind". While Heaven Wept is a band that has admitted that they do very little promotion here in the U.S. (see get to know a band better thread). So again I would bet that very few people had ever heard of them. Voyager is from Australia and while they've been around for a few years they've released albums on labels which are not easily accessible here in the States. I had never heard of them until I saw their latest album on Lasers Edge's site and decided to check out their stuff.

To answer your question above I had heard of Darkwater and Silent Memorial ( I own all their releases). I've never heard of the other two. I think 5150 had also mentioned Cloudscape and I'm pretty sure a lot more folks are familiar with them than say Haken, Voyager, WHW, Red Circuit, and Creations End.

Please don't take this as a negative reaction towards this years fest. I actually like most of the bands. Just trying to give my insight as to why 5150 and others may be having issues with some of the lesser known bands.

I think having a band without an album yet in a 1 slot is a good idea. New exposure. I do remember there being a thread about Creation's End though. Plus, Illusion Suite didn't exactly have their album out when they were announced last year. I'll agree with you partly with Sanctuary, but there are a lot of people who like Nevermore who know Sanctuary as well. As for WHW I don't know where you've been. I remember the end of last year and A LOT of people putting it in their top releases of the year. Laser's Edge had it on sale as well.

 

[Harvester]

Remember the outcry when I booked a band with no album out into a second slot? You would have thought I shot the pope.

That band....Circus Maximus.

And btw, I don't have any issue with the unfamilar term (especially considering how narrow some tastes are). However, new is not fair to the majority of these bands.

 

[Harvester]

Remember the outcry when I booked a band with no album out into a second slot? You would have thought I shot the pope.

That band....Circus Maximus.

And btw, I don't have any issue with the unfamilar term (especially considering how narrow some tastes are). However, new is not fair to the majority of these bands.

 

[jem777az]

I think having a band without an album yet in a 1 slot is a good idea. New exposure. I do remember there being a thread about Creation's End though. Plus, Illusion Suite didn't exactly have their album out when they were announced last year. I'll agree with you partly with Sanctuary, but there are a lot of people who like Nevermore who know Sanctuary as well. As for WHW I don't know where you've been. I remember the end of last year and A LOT of people putting it in their top releases of the year. Laser's Edge had it on sale as well.

Actually Illusion Suite released their album in July of 2009 I believe. I already had it prior to the announcement. That may have been the case with WHW. But I'd still never heard of them prior to this years announcement.

 

[TychoCelchu]

A few may also remember that Guitar magazine named Arcturus the best band in Norwegian black metal in a writeup in a 1997 issue (which I have saved. It was the first time I ever heard of 'black metal').

 

[AngraRULES]

Plus, Illusion Suite didn't exactly have their album out when they were announced last year.

Wrong. Album was out in August in Europe.

 

[jem777az]

Wrong. Album was out in August in Europe.

I thought it may have been July but it was August 7th so you are correct. I knew it was prior to the announcement though.

 

[nailz]

WRONG. GOOD DAY SIR.

 

[TlalocFJCV]

Even when I have not listened at least half of the band roster for 2011, it is because prog metal is really not my kind of music, may main interest is classic Heavy sound ala ACCEPT or SAXON, trash and Power Metal bands, so next year I'll be there because I wanna see Dream Evil, Mob Rules, Sanctuary and Eldritch, this 4 bands alone for me worth the trip from Mexico City to Atlanta, and of course the whole fest is a great experience, music is the main reason but I really enjoy the metal vibe inside the Center Stage venue, a lot of friendly people, a lot of Cds to buy, and this trip have been since 2008 for me a pleasent vacation time too.

Of course I woul like to see more power metal bands like Falconer, Axel Rudi Pell, Heavenly or Grave Digger but maybe Glenn can put some of this bands in the bill when the right time comes.

See ya at PPXII

 

[TheLongshot]

Still amazes me when people say "I never heard of this band, they must be new."

It doesn't amaze me at all. There are plenty of bands who have been around for years, but aren't necessarily household names. I think of Jag Panzer, who has been around since the 80s, but there are probably plenty of younger people on here who'd go 'Who?' It is the same reaction that I had to the announcement of Sanctuary. Some got excited, but I went 'Who?'

It is also why that just because you have been around a long time doesn't mean that you are going to get the draw. What kind of draw do you think Jag Panzer would get? Considering the last time I saw them was as the opener to two other bands, I would guess not much.

 

[TychoCelchu]

Actually I think the Jag Panzer example illustrates the precise opposite of the situation with XII: JP is a band who is very well-loved within "our" scene, but virtually unheard of outside of it. Playing ProgPower would be a real boon to a lot of the fest regulars IMO (myself included), but I am not surprised when they struggle for recognition on normal shows or tours.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Actually Illusion Suite released their album in July of 2009 I believe. I already had it prior to the announcement. That may have been the case with WHW. But I'd still never heard of them prior to this years announcement.

Maybe you got it elsewhere. The release date on Amazon is November 3, 2009. Not trying to argue, just saying...I know that's when I got mine.

 

[TheLongshot]

Actually I think the Jag Panzer example illustrates the precise opposite of the situation with XII: JP is a band who is very well-loved within "our" scene, but virtually unheard of outside of it. Playing ProgPower would be a real boon to a lot of the fest regulars IMO (myself included), but I am not surprised when they struggle for recognition on normal shows or tours.

Maybe for the older members, but I don't know how much recognition they'd have amongst the younger set.

Maybe you got it elsewhere. The release date on Amazon is November 3, 2009. Not trying to argue, just saying...I know that's when I got mine.

And I got mine from Ken at Progpower last year.

 

[jem777az]

Maybe you got it elsewhere. The release date on Amazon is November 3, 2009. Not trying to argue, just saying...I know that's when I got mine.

It's cool man. No worries, that may have been the US release date. I don't remember where I got mine actually, just that I had it before the fest.

 

[TwizstedJesus]

I think having a band without an album yet in a 1 slot is a good idea. New exposure. I do remember there being a thread about Creation's End though. Plus, Illusion Suite didn't exactly have their album out when they were announced last year.

If I'm not mistaken (and I know I'm not) Illusion Suite's disc was found in the vendor room last year. I've been listening to the disc for quite a while previous to this years progpower, and I hadn't purchased any cd's since last years 41 disc take.

The problem with new bands is that everybody expects safe and predictable. Glenn expands horizons, looking for bands that he believes will make their mark once they perform. I just go along with the formula and purchase each band that I am unfamiliar with. Expensive habit, yes. But some of the bands become must have cd's, so its worth the extra cash.

 

[adaher]

Remember the outcry when I booked a band with no album out into a second slot? You would have thought I shot the pope.

That band....Circus Maximus.

I think those have been some of your best choices: Illusion Suite, Circus Maximus, Raintime, Stride...