Recomend me some prog metal.

[Liquid Tension]

I enjoy Threshold a lot more than Dream Theater because they have the amazing ability to create atmospheres and melodies that capture the message the lyrics want to convey and thus are better storytellers. Storytellers who can touch your heart, move your mind and inspire your actions.

I've given Threshold a good amount of listens between the 5 discs someone gave me and they've never reached me on a level like this... It's great that they do for you!!!

BTW... Neither does Dream Theater....

A couple of bands that do hit me like this are Opeth and Pain of Salvation so I do understand where you're coming from...

 

[Phanto]

I think both DT and Threshold are great bands but I don't compare them, I just listen to them as is. Guess I'm weird huh :zombie:

edit: I have to say, I do think Threshold are doing better songs now. They haven't got shit on for example Scenes from a Memory, though. Will be interesting to hear DTs new album soon. But as I said I don't compare musicianship and stuff. Mainly because I can't

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

Right, but I'd file this under novelty. You wouldn't want to go to the circus every day would you?

I was speaking more-so about live shows. I wouldn't go to a live band show everyday either, although, I'm sure a lot of people here would, lol. I find it exciting to watch musicians live doing extremely complex stuff. As for music in general, I do agree that song structure/atmosphere/emotion come before complexity. A person with a wider range of musical skills can express themselves even farther.

 

[Meedleyx10]

lol... You are aware that Dream Theater recycles albums worth of riffs, whilst Threshold writes completely new stuff for each release? It may be "basic" to your ears, but as stated many, many times, there comes a point in a music fan's life when they realize that "complexity" does not equal technical proficiency, and that technical proficiency even does not equal quality songwriting. And finally, that music is about one of two things - songs (in melodic music) and atmosphere/mood (in ambient music). Technical showoffery is not the point of music. It's the point of ego.

OMGZ someone has a different opinion than Kenneth!


God forbid that there's music out there that does involves complexity or technical prowess, and how dare anyone like it. Are you serious though? Music is about songs and atmosphere/mood?!!! OMG I never would've guessed that without you, in all your genius, pointing that out.

You don't like DT, that's cool and I don't think anyone cares. Just because you don't like their kind of songwriting or the atmosphere they create does not mean those elements are not there. It just so happens that their music also involves the technical shit that you have your panties all wadded up over. Really though, do you truly think that by detesting music on the basis that it contains "technical showoffery" you are somehow less shallow than the teenage progsnobs who refuse to listen to anything that doesn't meet their technical standards?

oh yeah....

 

[ABQShredHead]

I think Kenneth has said on many occasions that he actually likes Dream Theater. But perhaps he likes critiquing them even more.

 

[Kenneth R.]

I find blind loyalty to be a sign of the unthinking masses. Those now on my case can likely find no fault in the band. Yet, they lay into me, a fellow fan, for critiquing obvious negative aspects of their style.

Liquid Tension: thanks for being a 3 year old and misquoting me on purpose for that attempt at humor.

Gentleman: Wow, an intelligent debater. Thank you (for real). Yes, I would agree. It's awesome when a band goes totally nuts and tears up their songs live. I'd just rather not hear senseless, endless wankery on an album.

Meedly: your response epitomizes the progsnob mentality. congratulations on being a pedestrian to this discussion (as in, you walked right on by the point and all the previously mentioned backup for all sides involved.) in this manner, you also represent the progsnobs in that, like our friends at UM Philosophy, you only exhibit pseudo-intellectualism.

 

[Netherworld]

Prog I would recommend (though probably most of you have heard it)-

Nevermore (has prog elements)
Liquid Tension Experiment
Opeth (death metal/prog)
Dreamscape
Zero Hour

I also have an instrumental prog project of my own, it's nothing fancy or anything, and it's not professional, but it is called Sentient Seas and if anyone wants to check it out here is the link ...
http://www.myspace.com/sentientseasband

I have several other bands/projects and most have prog influence one way or another, but this is more heavy prog/trash stuff. No vocals though because I don't sing clean vocals very much.

 

[Meedleyx10]

Meedly: your response epitomizes the progsnob mentality. congratulations on being a pedestrian to this discussion (as in, you walked right on by the point and all the previously mentioned backup for all sides involved.) in this manner, you also represent the progsnobs in that, like our friends at UM Philosophy, you only exhibit pseudo-intellectualism.

Do you have some sort of mental or personality disorder? (kind of being a dick here but I'm also genuinely curious)

It's obvious that if either of us is the snob here it's you. You're like the anti-prog snob who, in being that, has become even worse than any I have ever come across. Me? A progsnob? If the only qualifications for that are enjoying prog rock/metal, then I am absolutely a prog snob. The only thing about my post that had anything to do with any kind of "prog" was the fact that Dream Theater was the band being discussed. Your problem is that you are trying to take *insert music that Kenneth has a problem with* and impose the same standards that you use when listening to whatever it is you do enjoy. In the process, you sound like a dick-ish (oh no...here it comes!) snob. You're like this kid who was in my World Music class a while ago that shit-talked and bitched about far eastern music for being "out of tune" whenever he heard them using quarter-tones and such. You don't have to like the "technical showoffery" that comes with a lot of prog, but for fuck's sake is it that hard to have a "live and let live" attitude rather than bashing it and saying it isn't music just because it doesn't meet some stupid, superficial standard that YOU have?

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

Gentleman: Wow, an intelligent debater. Thank you (for real). Yes, I would agree. It's awesome when a band goes totally nuts and tears up their songs live. I'd just rather not hear senseless, endless wankery on an album.

I definitely agree with a lot of your points. Debates aren't always a bad thing. As long as it doesn't get offensive/personal, and the points are legit, a debate can be fun and healthy.

LOL, love the pedestrian comparison.

My favourite type of music is using complexity, while keeping true to the song/mood. I find SymX very good at using complex elements, but making sure the song gets through as first priority. Opeth are another great example of this, but even more-so focused on good song writing over technical showboating. I completely understand both sides of the arguement.

 

[Kenneth R.]

Absolutely about Opeth and SX...

I'll just ignore meedly going off

 

[forgottenglory]

I've given Threshold a good amount of listens between the 5 discs someone gave me and they've never reached me on a level like this... It's great that they do for you!!!

At the end of the day these type of threads are a bit pointless because I think that we each connect to music in a different and unique way and what makes me click to Threshold, might turn somebody else off: one man's meat is another man's poison! Taste, after all is a personal thing that cannot be discussed.

 

[Liquid Tension]

lol... You are aware that Dream Theater recycles albums worth of riffs, whilst Threshold writes completely new stuff for each release? It may be "basic" to your ears, but as stated many, many times, there comes a point in a music fan's life when they realize that "complexity" does not equal technical proficiency, and that technical proficiency even does not equal quality songwriting. And finally, that music is about one of two things - songs (in melodic music) and atmosphere/mood (in ambient music). Technical showoffery is not the point of music. It's the point of ego.

He's your whole quote and for you come to any conclusion that "Threshold writes completely new stuff for each release" is one of the most rediculous things anyone could say... I'm sure your only response to this will be to call me a 3 year old again... Especially since you've decided to claim how your mature and superior music life has blossomed into a level that allows you to hear this "completely new stuff" that Threshold offers with every release even though many,many,many others don't agree and claim it sounds pretty much the same...

Technical proficiency and quality song writing DOES exsist and it could even be very complex at times... To claim otherwise is incorrect....

 

[Liquid Tension]

It's obvious that if either of us is the snob here it's you. You're like the anti-prog snob who, in being that, has become even worse than any I have ever come across.

Your problem is that you are trying to take *insert music that Kenneth has a problem with* and impose the same standards that you use when listening to whatever it is you do enjoy. In the process, you sound like a dick-ish (oh no...here it comes!) snob.

You don't have to like the "technical showoffery" that comes with a lot of prog, but for fuck's sake is it that hard to have a "live and let live" attitude rather than bashing it and saying it isn't music just because it doesn't meet some stupid, superficial standard that YOU have?

I'm not sure he's mature enough to understand what your trying to tell him which sums it up really good which means he'll probably just ignore you....

 

[Phanto]

Just chill and listen to what forgottenglory says :>

 

[BurningDownTheMiddle]

Every time I hear Threshold their sound seems to reinvent itself - I would try their latest album Dead Reckoning as well as Extinct Instinct, Clone and SubSurface to kick off. (Not that the other four studio albums aren't worth listening to as well!!!)

 

[Kenneth R.]

Liquid Tension - anal tension?

 

[DoomsdayZach]

Oh my god, why didn't someone tell me i was missing an epic arguement! FUCK!!!

man, i'd love to catch up but i think i'm too tired. I'm gonna take a nap. or fap. or some other _ap.

EDIT: NOT rap.

 

[Nefaglar]

I was speaking more-so about live shows. I wouldn't go to a live band show everyday either, although, I'm sure a lot of people here would, lol. I find it exciting to watch musicians live doing extremely complex stuff. As for music in general, I do agree that song structure/atmosphere/emotion come before complexity. A person with a wider range of musical skills can express themselves even farther.

As far as I'm know, Threshold plays really simple stuff and its really awesome because they don't have to kill themselves with their instrument to impress and make a listener to feel really cool about the songs and it's structure. Just the new album speaks itself.

Dream Theater with the years have wrote a lot of the same, I would love to see something new and impressive as the early DT.

 

[Rafael Espinoza]

I simply prefer Threshold because of the melodies, which in MY OPINION are better than DT ones.
James LaBrie's Mullmuzzler, however, have higher degrees of melody stuff. But, Dream Theater, definitely, is in a lack of inspiration since A Change of Seasons...

 

[Anonymous]

I prefer listening to music without having to explain to others in great detail why I like it.