Other Power and Progressive Metal bands

[Kenneth R.]

Ecliptica from Sonata Arctica isn't that bad.
But from then it pretty much goes downwards... Unia is just uke:
I hate the sound of that one.
White Pearl, Black Ocean is not that bad, it's one of their better songs.

Then take Kamelot, they did the opposite. Since The Fourth Legacy it got better and better! Ghost Opera, their latest, is a very good disc.

That's the weirdest opinion on those bands I've ever heard. Ghost Opera is a sinker just like Unia, but you hated Reckoning Night and Winterheart's Guild? Seriously? Both bands improved with each release up until their respective latest.

 

[razoredge]

Isn't Fates Warning good?

not sure if you asked this in regards to my post or not. But Fates Warning and power metal have few common links outside of guitar, drums, bass and singer. Fates Warning is a sub genre of their own.

 

[mark b]

not sure if you asked this in regards to my post or not. But Fates Warning and power metal have few common links outside of guitar, drums, bass and singer. Fates Warning is a sub genre of their own.

True,and they are totally brilliant with Ray alder

 

[Iced Dog]

But Dragonforce, Hammerfall and Stratovarious just make my cry...

Haha...I love me some power, but Dragonforce is so damn gimmicky...it's so rediculously fast for the sake of being fast, it may warrant its own genre...Meth Metal. Hammerfall sounds bland and boring, and Strato...I dig a few tunes here and there, mainly off Visions, but the newest sounds awful.

 

[EyeballKid]

Wow...I agree with three posts in a row...that's a first.

1) Fates Warning have no place being mentioned in this thread.
2) Fates Warning kick serious ass.
3) Dragonforce are trash.

 

[TuoDrable]

That's the weirdest opinion on those bands I've ever heard. Ghost Opera is a sinker just like Unia, but you hated Reckoning Night and Winterheart's Guild? Seriously? Both bands improved with each release up until their respective latest.

RN and WG have got a few good tracks, Ecliptica has all good tracks.
I didn't hate those 2 records, but I really hate Unia, the sound sucks.
Compare it to older work and it just isn't what it should be.

Then take Kamelot and compare the drums from Ghost Opera and The Black Halo to The Fourth Legacy and tell me the difference. I won't talk about their older work, I think I've thrown my cd of Dominion in the division "garbage".
Is Ghost Opera better than The Black Halo? I say yes, some will disagree. But it's 1000 times better than the crap Sonata Arctica released.

 

[Phanto]

True,and they are totally brilliant with Ray alder

Yeah! But even better without! wooooooooo!

No, but, John Arch > all

 

[schenkadere]

Yeah! But even better without! wooooooooo!

No, but, John Arch > all

Just could never embrace Fates Warning...I've tried. I do like Parallels a lot...it's a good solid album, but all of the others I've listened to seem so meandering. I own Perfect Symmetry and No Exit as well as Parallels.

I'm not a huge Dream Theater fan...I like a lot of their stuff, but I'm not crazed for them. I've been considering picking up Scenes From a Memory because I've heard so many good things about it...any thoughts?

 

[Kenneth R.]

The problem with Ghost Opera is that, unlike Black Halo, the album as a whole seems disjointed (for lack of concept, which Kamelot ALWAYS did, and were good at), and none of the songs really stand out as memorable. They're all formulaic and all-too-similar. It seems like a half-assed effort to me, just like Unia. After Reckoning Night, I had very high expectations. Same with Black Halo. Neither band delivered.

Imo, the best Fates Warning discs are Disconnected, A Pleasant Shade Of Gray, and FWX. As for Dream Theater, if you must listen to them, pick up Once In A Livetime, Scenes From New York, Images And Words.

 

[Burnout]

I haven't heard Unia or Ghost Opera, guess I'll hold off.

Manticora is another power metal band I enjoy quite a bit, particularly Hyperion and 8 Deadly Sins.

 

[tinchman]

I would have to recommed blind guardian, somewhere far beyond, and nightfall in middleearth. Though I have to say I really only like the main songs on the latter. The into's are ok. I used to like Rhapsody alot. Kinda sounded soundtrack like to me which I love. But now I really have to be in the mood for them.

 

[zacmenta]

Pagan's Mind and Communic are both awesome bands from Norway, which is both home to laughable Black Metal (and the odd smattering of Black Metal that is able to be taken seriously) and some kickass power-prog bands. Pagan's Mind are very "Power Prog", while Communic are very thrash, as well as prog and power.

 

[greenaxer]

I'm not a huge Dream Theater fan...I like a lot of their stuff, but I'm not crazed for them. I've been considering picking up Scenes From a Memory because I've heard so many good things about it...any thoughts?

SFaM, I think, is probably one of their most versatile works. Of course there is the prog foundation (The Dance of Eternity is one of the most amazing prog instrumentals they've done), but it also includes the heaviness (Fatal Tragedy, Beyond this Life), simpler but heartfelt slower songs (Through Her Eyes, The Spirit Carries On, probably their most emotional song ever), and bits of different music styles woven in (ragtime piano in Dance..., Middle Eastern motifs in Home). Ok, sorry for that long run-on sentence. Even if you're a casual DT fan, I would say go for it and pick this one up. Cheers.

 

[greenaxer]

About Kamelot, Ghost Opera is alright, but not their best by far. The title track kicks ass, though. Epica is still my favorite, IMHO.

 

[EyeballKid]

Is Ghost Opera better than The Black Halo? I say yes, some will disagree.

Though I agree that Kamelot has improved VASTLY on their older work, I do still think GO falls a little short of Black Halo.

The problem with Ghost Opera is that, unlike Black Halo, the album as a whole seems disjointed (for lack of concept, which Kamelot ALWAYS did, and were good at), and none of the songs really stand out as memorable. They're all formulaic and all-too-similar. It seems like a half-assed effort to me

Indeed. I like a lot of the songs on the CD...but they run together. The lack of a concept seems to have deflated the grandeur.

Just could never embrace Fates Warning...I've tried. I do like Parallels a lot...it's a good solid album, but all of the others I've listened to seem so meandering.

Try FWX by Fates Warning, it is definitely their most straight-ahead "metal" album in awhile, and I would say it does not meander at all.

 

[razoredge]

Just could never embrace Fates Warning...I've tried. I do like Parallels a lot...it's a good solid album, but all of the others I've listened to seem so meandering. I own Perfect Symmetry and No Exit as well as Parallels.

I'm not a huge Dream Theater fan...I like a lot of their stuff, but I'm not crazed for them. I've been considering picking up Scenes From a Memory because I've heard so many good things about it...any thoughts?

I'd say both bands are either... you get it or you dont, if they didnt grab you from the start they never will. Its not your kind of music. Typically in the beginning fans interested in DT were already fans of Fates Warning and Im not saying they are that similiar just at one time drew a similiar type of listener. Cant speak for who finds either interesting today, I've been on board for along time. Perfect Symmetry was the first tape I spent alot of time with and kept going back for more not only because I liked it but because it was unique and just captured my interest as in "what the hell are these guys up too". I didnt feel ripped off, like I had "heard that before". It was a new musical adventure.

My younger buddies were huge Fates fans at that time and had played me plenty of Arch/Fates but it never clicked until the big transformation that was Perfect Symmetry, I bought Parallels the second I saw it in the racks. Arch/Fates only draws my interest because its so off the hook vocally, and musically it had a very non compliant approach as well, it was kinda like old school hardcore(non thrash) metal. I recogonize Arch for his voice and uniqueness but typically his assult is too toneally or rhythmically abrasive for me. I'm not even a huge fan of No Exit, that was Alder when he was trying to be Arch and the band had not yet made the complete transformation. My only complaint about Alder is his sloooow way of singing. Nearly always long notes for every word, but it is their sound. Matheos became a master at letting the music breath, as opposed to their earlier more hyper stuff. Definantly deep interspective mood music. Nothing to go partying or dancing too. Im not much good at figureing out time signatures but it seems they use alot of 3 or 6 beat measures.... never really user friendly time signatures.

 

[schenkadere]

I'd say both bands are either... you get it or you dont, if they didnt grab you from the start they never will. Its not your kind of music. Typically in the beginning fans interested in DT were already fans of Fates Warning and Im not saying they are that similiar just at one time drew a similiar type of listener. Cant speak for who finds either interesting today, I've been on board for along time. Perfect Symmetry was the first tape I spent alot of time with and kept going back for more not only because I liked it but because it was unique and just captured my interest as in "what the hell are these guys up too". I didnt feel ripped off, like I had "heard that before". It was a new musical adventure.

My younger buddies were huge Fates fans at that time and had played me plenty of Arch/Fates but it never clicked until the big transformation that was Perfect Symmetry, I bought Parallels the second I saw it in the racks. Arch/Fates only draws my interest because its so off the hook vocally, and musically it had a very non compliant approach as well, it was kinda like old school hardcore(non thrash) metal. I recogonize Arch for his voice and uniqueness but typically his assult is too toneally or rhythmically abrasive for me. I'm not even a huge fan of No Exit, that was Alder when he was trying to be Arch and the band had not yet made the complete transformation. My only complaint about Alder is his sloooow way of singing. Nearly always long notes for every word, but it is their sound. Matheos became a master at letting the music breath, as opposed to their earlier more hyper stuff. Definantly deep interspective mood music. Nothing to go partying or dancing too. Im not much good at figureing out time signatures but it seems they use alot of 3 or 6 beat measures.... never really user friendly time signatures.

I'm on board with the comments on the vocals...very well put and accurate.

 

[EyeballKid]

I understand about the vocal style of Alder, but it works for them. Specifically on PSoG and FWX. I'll agree that at times it can be a chore to listen to his melodies.

 

[razoredge]

the entire package of how they get the message and emotion of the song across with the mood of the music works great for me, even with his looooong words. I just would have suggested they mixed the vocals up with more melodic ideas than just the one.... oh well. Alder is and has actually been in my top five favorite voices since PS. X is the only studio recording I dont have yet and I like them all pretty much equally when Im in the mood required for the stuff.

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

I like a lot of the songs on the CD...but they run together. The lack of a concept seems to have deflated the grandeur.

Agreed. There are some good songs, but they seemed to be a bit too structured for my tastes. I do think, however, that the best lyrical idea on the album was that song about the German warship.