Recommend Obscure Progressive Metal.

[Zarrix]

Progressive Metal is my favourite sub-genre of metal and I have got all the main stuff, so now I want some lesser known bands to add to my collection. Any suggestions would be appreciated

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

Depends what you mean by 'the main stuff'...


I can name what I love the most in actual 'progressive' metal and 'prog' (the thing where a band sounds like Dream Theater)...note there will be a distinction made..

WatchTower
Cynic
maudlin of the Well
Pagan's Mind (prog)
Zero Hour (only sort of prog)
Extol
Gordian Knot
Ephel Duath
Andromeda (prog)
Planet X
Spiral Architect
Twisted into Form
Believer (on 'Dimensions', and maybe on the new one)
Pestilence (on 'Spheres')

we shall note there is no mention of o-p-e-t-h in this listing.

Also, I'll go a little further and recommend you check out some older non-metal influences for such bands....just some quick examples... Mahavishnu Orchestra, Magma, Camel, Return to Forever, Yes, King Crimson.

 

[genocide roach]

extol - undeceived is pure win
~gR~

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

actual 'progressive' metal and 'prog' (the thing where a band sounds like Dream Theater)

Awesome distinction.

Sun Caged (prog)
Zero Hour x2
Fates Warning
Vauxdvihl
Frantic Bleep
maudlin of the Well
Mechanical Poet
Pathosray (prog)
Icycore (prog)

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

extol - undeceived is pure win
~gR~

Yes, and they fell so incredibly far after that it's depressing. 'Blueprint' has to be one of the worst things I've heard.

Icycore (prog)

Now this is a band that has enormous potential but tends to operate on maybe half of it. They'll have a full song, or part of a song, or some element or theme or lyric somewhere that will really hit me and then it'll be surrounded by filler..

 

[genocide roach]

i totally agree, and they got even worse after that.

good thing is i saw them while they still played the old stuff. they had just released blueprint.
~gR~

 

[wandering_taco]

iirc Riverside is a pretty cool band.

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

I have a hard time really enjoying Riverside's stuff past the first one, but that's a band I should have mentioned too. Maybe it's just that they've crossed the line they were on and flirted too much with droll Tool or Porcupine Tree type stuff and since I would never rec those bands to anyone..... but yes, Riverside, band to check out also..

 

[wandering_taco]

I've only heard a couple of their songs but I liked what I heard.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Anacrusis (Screams & Whispers for melodic progressive thrash)
Confessor (the missing link between Watchtower and Meshuggah)
Psychotic Waltz (not obscure, but just in case...)
Secrecy (Art in Motion only)
Spastik Ink (uber-tech/prog stuff)

 

[optionthree]

Lots of great recs already in this thread, especially Fates Warning, Vauxdvihl, Gordian Knot, Psychotic Waltz and Spiral Architect. Also:

OSI
Digital Ruin
Conception
Crimson Glory
Mekong Delta
Ice Age (not the female thrash band)
Voivod
Terminal Function
Canvas Solaris
Scale the Summit
Darkstar
Vanden Plas

 

[Burkhard]

Atrox (especially "Terrestrials")
Sieges Even
Soul Cages

 

[Ator]

aghora-pretty much the best underground progressive metal band

 

[Belligerent]

WatchTower
Cynic
maudlin of the Well
Pagan's Mind (prog)
Zero Hour (only sort of prog)
Extol
Gordian Knot
Ephel Duath
Andromeda (prog)
Planet X
Spiral Architect
Twisted into Form
Believer (on 'Dimensions', and maybe on the new one)
Pestilence (on 'Spheres')

Also, I'll go a little further and recommend you check out some older non-metal influences for such bands....just some quick examples... Mahavishnu Orchestra, Magma, Camel, Return to Forever, Yes, King Crimson.

Wow i haven't heard alot of these, i'll be sure to check a few of these out. The threadstarter should DEFINITELY check out Camel.

 

[Zarrix]

Thanks for all the suggestion, now to hunt all these down slowly but surely =D

 

[Savern]

Recently discovered Unexpect. PRetty cool - they're gonna be in the Euro progressive nation tour.

Also, OCI refused to rec them but Opeth. Check it out, try Blackwater Park album. If you like it cool, if you don't then its ok - I forgive you.

 

[Einherjar86]

If you're looking for more power/traditional heavy-oriented prog, try:

Sieges Even
Shadow Gallery
Power of Omens (I don't own anything, but I recall hearing a couple songs by this band a long time ago and I enjoyed them; I don't think they're still active though)

 

[Vimana]

Pirania
Introspection

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

Oh, I forgot an awesome one: Koyaanisqatsy

 

[Belligerent]

Frantic Bleep haven't been mentioned yet.