Stu Block Singing On New Iced Earth Album Dystopia

[Liquid Tension]

I can't think of a single good prog metal band making music right now if by "prog metal" we mean the Fates Warning/Queensryche/Dream Theater tradition. Other than Fates Warning themselves.

Does anyone have any examples?

Not sure if these bands meet your "traditional" post but here a few I thought of right a way...

Riverside
Diablo Swing Orchestra
Leprous
Ihsahn

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

^ I wouldn't consider those traditional prog metal (and not saying that this is a bad thing). The guy's right... most current bands that use the traditional/DT style are pretty terrible.

Sax solos definitely rock. The sax solo in Lemur Voice's Divided is fantastic, and I've always loved the sax solo in DT's Another Day.

I listened to a blues/jazz instrumental album the other day, and the sax player was unreal.

 

[Phanto]

Sax solos can be awesome indeed. I want more cello and violins in... well I was gonna say prog but in music in general. this showcases how melancholy and awesome the sound can be by incorporating these instruments:


I don't know what the fuck this instrument is but it's awesome as well (bag..pipe?) solo at 1:40 (sound isn't live -- obviously ) I think a violin takes over halfway through the solo.

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v6M1sVbDcU&feature=related[/ame]

What instrument does that sound like at 2:00? It's awesome, regardless... especially when everything rips in. Also, at the start... what is that? Sounds like a high-pitched sax, but I dunno... I suck at this.

^ Around the 1 minute mark in that first video you posted, the slow chord strums go straight to your core. It's like you're falling into a pit of darkness and you are encompassed by the music.

I actually created a really cool sounding piece... I had your first video playing, and then around the 1:05 minute mark, during the slow chords, I started the song I posted, and it sounds like a sax solo over-top. It's pretty epic.

 

[AsoTamaki]

^ Sounds like bagpipes. Interesting song. I should check this band out. Never heard of them before.

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

I thought it sounded like bag pipes too.

That album "Metamorphosis" is great, IMO. I got it about a month ago, and it was my first by Magenta. There are only 4 tracks, 2 of which are over 20 minutes long. The first track is my favourite.

I just received their new album in the mail last week, but haven't listened yet. I've read that it's a lot more poppy, but I'm still excited to listen

I've really started to love female vocals. I never used to like 'em.

 

[AsoTamaki]

Cool, cool. I'll look into obtaining that album then. Her voice suits the music very well. Aside from heavier music, most of what I enjoy tends to be with female vocals actually.

 

[Wander]

Magenta is one of those bands from sort of the same British progressive rock circle as Mostly Autumn, Karnataka, Panic Room, The Reasoning and Touchstone (and possibly some others). Every single one of them features a female vocalist too. I'm most familiar with Mostly Autumn's stuff, but there's good stuff to be found in others bands of that group too, I'm sure.

I've really started to love female vocals. I never used to like 'em.

Honestly, I like both equally. It's just that female vocals are often less than good in metal music for some reason. But if you just step down to rock and alternative or whatever, the amount of quality vocalists increases immensely.

 

[_Gentleman of_the Snow_]

I find that a lot of female vocalists sound very similar to each other, and that they don't incorporate much variety into their performances. They usually sing one way, and that's it... they even lack passion and intensity a lot of the time.
I find that male vocalists usually push themselves a lot further.
That being said, there are definitely a lot of amazing female vocalists, and when they are good, I appreciate them equally to the male vocalists.
When I discover a new band, I do not care if the singer is male or female, as long as they're good!

 

[Liquid Tension]

I find that a lot of female vocalists sound very similar to each other, and that they don't incorporate much variety into their performances. They usually sing one way, and that's it... they even lack passion and intensity a lot of the time.
I find that male vocalists usually push themselves a lot further.
That being said, there are definitely a lot of amazing female vocalists, and when they are good, I appreciate them equally to the male vocalists.
When I discover a new band, I do not care if the singer is male or female, as long as they're good!

Have you listened to Madder Mortem?

Her singing is intense...

 

[Phanto]

well to be completely honest, heather in mostly autumn isn't that good. the new vocalist is a lot better.
also, most female metal vocalists are pretty shitty IMO.

 

[Wander]

well to be completely honest, heather in mostly autumn isn't that good. the new vocalist is a lot better.
IMO.

Oooooooh, I strongly disagree. Olivia is great and all, but dissing Heather is just plain wrong. If you listen to early Mostly Autumn stuff, she isn't quite there yet (in her early 20s, mind you), but I think she just got better and better with each album. Passengers onwards she's just perfect imo.

But speaking of intense, I think Tori Amos is probably the most expressive female vocalist I know. Especially in the 90s she often went kind of beyond. A lot of the time I have no idea what the lyrics are about, but atleast she means it. For example:


And as Tori is in progarchives, she actually sort of qualifies as prog now I guess.

 

[donKyle]

I find that a lot of female vocalists sound very similar to each other, and that they don't incorporate much variety into their performances. They usually sing one way, and that's it... they even lack passion and intensity a lot of the time.
I find that male vocalists usually push themselves a lot further.

Pretty much this. There just isn't a whole lot of variety.

The only time I liked female vocals was when Tarja was with Nightwish. I just don't care for female vocals in general, especially in country music, which is annoying by itself already.

Even at school, when they have to sing for recital class, it just annoys me.

 

[Postulate]

There are some amazing female blues singers. Metal and prog just happen not to have many great female vocalists, I guess.

 

[Kenneth R.]

Nobody disses Heather Findlay.

Have you heard "The Gap Is Too Wide" or "Evergreen"? Solid.

To add to your growing list of bands in that circle, +Paatos.

Oh yeah, and sax solos are boss.

To ASO below me v------- Lana Lane would be alright if her songs weren't all the same and with the same boring music/lyrics. Nice voice but wasted...

 

[AsoTamaki]

It's just a male dominated position. I bet the ratio of crappy male singers to crappy female singers is about the same.

Check out Lana Lane. She's one of my favorites:

But speaking of intense, I think Tori Amos is probably the most expressive female vocalist I know. Especially in the 90s she often went kind of beyond. A lot of the time I have no idea what the lyrics are about, but atleast she means it. For example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aD4egZFxw8

And as Tori is in progarchives, she actually sort of qualifies as prog now I guess.

Haha, in progarchives? Wow. Boys For Pele was sort of prog, I guess. Tori is great regardless.

 

[Postulate]

Nobody disses Heather Findlay.

Have you heard "The Gap Is Too Wide" or "Evergreen"? Solid.

To add to your growing list of bands in that circle, +Paatos.

Oh yeah, and sax solos are boss.

To ASO below me v------- Lana Lane would be alright if her songs weren't all the same and with the same boring music/lyrics. Nice voice but wasted...

I'm listening to Paatos now, damn this shit is UNF

 

[AsoTamaki]

To ASO below me v------- Lana Lane would be alright if her songs weren't all the same and with the same boring music/lyrics. Nice voice but wasted...

Well, her voice definitely is the strongest part of her music, but I wouldn't go that far. I consider Curious Goods, Secrets of Astrology and Winter Sessions to be great albums, and for the most part, all of those sound very different from each other.

I definitely can't argue with the lyrics part though and the most recent album was rather weak. The songwriting style does seem to be getting stale. It's kind of sad when an established artist's cover songs start being way better than their original material. I always wish she would at least collaborate with another real band or something. Oh well.

 

[metalxmetalx]

Pretty much this. There just isn't a whole lot of variety.

The only time I liked female vocals was when Tarja was with Nightwish. I just don't care for female vocals in general, especially in country music, which is annoying by itself already.

Tarja, the only good thing in that band.

A great female vocalist: Wendy O. Williams

 

[Kenneth R.]

Tarja and nightwish in general are a prime example of how not to lead a metal band.