Progressive metal...

[RETIREDTrapped]

...Anyone care to discuss what they think it is? I love all kinds of prog-metal, like martyr, watchtower, death, etc... but none of them actually have anything at all in common... so does someone want to clarify what progressive metal actually consists of???

 

[TravestyOfMan]

Always found this definition pretty interesting (tend to disagree with the last sentence though):

Progressive Metal blends the attack, volume, and aggression of metal with the grandiose, pseudo-classical ambitions of prog-rock. Of course, certain bands emphasize one influence over the other — Dream Theater, for instance, leaned toward prog more than some of their peers — but they all shared this one basic ambition. Progressive metal first surfaced in the late '80s, led by such bands as the Pink Floydian Queensryche. At the time, prog-metal was fairly underground (although such Metallica albums as And Justice for All were as dense and layered as prog albums), and it remained that way throughout the '90s. However, it was popular enough to produce a handful of crossover hits, most notably Queensryche's "Silent Lucidity." But even though it never became a huge seller in the '90s, progressive metal always had a dedicated following, and bands like Queensryche and Dream Theater stayed on major labels throughout the decade. By the end of the '90s, however, it was firmly the province of hardcore fans.
http://www.allmusicguide.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=C2952

I've got no musical talent or knowledge of music from an artistic perspective, so I find it hard to put it into my own words. I just know when I listen to a song if it's progressive or not, even though I've only really gotten into metal in the last 3 or 4 years.

 

[Russell]

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4546

 

[Mikael is God]

progressive music
is
music that PROGRESSES
music that isnt uniformed
music that isnt ordered strictly

 

[splump]

I think that Progressive music is VERY STRICTLY ORDERED..

So very strictly ordered in a very hard way to understand.. They arent improvising, they are very aware of what they're doing when they do that kind of stuff..

 

[Anacrusis]

I think the term progressive is waaaaay overused.

Progressive IMO has nothing to do with song structures and/or the complexity of the music. It's about pushing boundaries, breaking new ground, doing something unique and innovative. One thing that bands I consider progressive (strangely most of them are on the link TravestyOfMan posted) share in common is that they were ahead of their time.

Trapped, the bands you mentioned fall more into the technical field. Though technical music is not really my cup of tea (most of it just flies over my head) I do like some bands like Cynic, Spastic Ink (Ron Jarzombek) and Gordian Knot. Now if you were asking about what technical bands have in common then my answer is vocalists that suck. I've yet to find a technical band that has a vocalist who can actually sing.

Btw, you might like Theory In Practice, they are similar in style to Martyr, also Spiral Architect if are into Watchtower but I guess you've already heard them.

 

[Anson]

The only bands I've heard that I'd consider 'progressive metal' are Dream Theater, Opeth, Ved Buens Ende, Symphony X, and maybe Meshuggah, and some of Tool's stuff. Some people call Queensryche, Fates Warning and Shadow Gallery progressive, but they're too normal to be considered prog IMO.

 

[RETIREDTrapped]

Anacrusis... Thanks... i'll check out 'theory in practice'...

Technical metal hey? I've never thought about it like that...!