Thank you all for your prog buying suggestsions a couple months ago

[adaher]

Here's what I actually went and bought:

Pagan's Mind-Enigmatic Calling
Poverty's No Crime-Chemical Chaos
Vanden Plas-Far Off Grace

And I went and revisited an album I bought a long time ago but hadn't really paid much attention to, Andromeda-Extension of the Wish.

My thoughts, based on about a month of listening:

Pagan's Mind-Wow. Awesome band. Especially the guitarist.

Poverty's No Crime- Eh. The album started off strong but degenerated pretty quickly into midpaced prog oblivion. Didn't really distinguish itself after the first two tracks.

Vanden Plas-Same as above. A couple of interesting moments, like "I Can See" and "Iodic Rain", but overall a bit boring.

Andromeda-Is this the same album I listened to two years ago? It sounds so much better now! I have to get the new version with the new vocalist, which IMO was the only weak spot of the album.

Once again, thanks for your suggestions, and I'll be buying a few more prog albums at ProgPower based on your previous suggestions, or any future ones you put in this thread.

What do you guys think is the best place to start in Evergrey's catalog? For a guy who is mainly into power metal?

 

[Curufin]

What do you guys think is the best place to start in Evergrey's catalog? For a guy who is mainly into power metal?

Recreation Day, hands down. Then move on to The Inner Circle or In Search of Truth, then Solitude Dominance Tragedy, and then The Dark Discovery.

 

[mtlheart]

Being mainly into Power Metal like you I was drawn to Evergrey by the song Recreation Day. But that song is atypical of anything else by Evergrey. I bought Recreation Day and In Search Of Truth, my reaction to the albums overall was pretty much the same as yours to Vanden Plas: Some interesting moments...

 

[Bryant]

Here's what I actually went and bought:

Pagan's Mind-Enigmatic Calling
Poverty's No Crime-Chemical Chaos
Vanden Plas-Far Off Grace

Pagan's Mind-Wow. Awesome band. Especially the guitarist.

I am not surprised you like Jorn Viggo Lofstat. He has a great style with oldschool flair.

Vanden Plas-Same as above. A couple of interesting moments, like "I Can See" and "Iodic Rain", but overall a bit boring.

I am surprised about this. However, we all have different tastes.

Bryant

 

[adaher]

I think I know you. Those are the same points you made to me at the get-together the day of last year's pre-party. Thats' why I started thinking of those bands a few months ago when I wanted to buy some prog albums.

 

[Locust0311]

Pagan's Mind-Wow. Awesome band. Especially the guitarist.

Poverty's No Crime- Eh. The album started off strong but degenerated pretty quickly into midpaced prog oblivion. Didn't really distinguish itself after the first two tracks.

Vanden Plas-Same as above. A couple of interesting moments, like "I Can See" and "Iodic Rain", but overall a bit boring.

What do you guys think is the best place to start in Evergrey's catalog? For a guy who is mainly into power metal?

Agree on the Pagan's Mind. All 3 are good.

I like PNC a lot, but the one you need to start with is Slave to the Mind, one of my favorite albums period. I enjoyed their last two (CC is #5, SttM is #3) but usually if I'm in the mood for PNC I pull out SttM.

To me Far Off Grace is their weakest album. The God Thing is tops (the Fire Blossom/Rainmaker combo to kick the album off is KILLER) followed by Beyond Daylight. Colour Temple is more hard rocky then their other stuff but I still like it better than FOG, the Stravinksy intro to the first track is very cool...

As for Evergrey my fave is still Solitude*Dominance*Tragedy though they're all very good.

 

[eaeolian]

Agree on the Pagan's Mind. All 3 are good.
To me Far Off Grace is their weakest album. The God Thing is tops (the Fire Blossom/Rainmaker combo to kick the album off is KILLER) followed by Beyond Daylight. Colour Temple is more hard rocky then their other stuff but I still like it better than FOG, the Stravinksy intro to the first track is very cool...

As for Evergrey my fave is still Solitude*Dominance*Tragedy though they're all very good.

TGT is, to me, by far the best from Vanden Plas, as well. Very solid melodic metal with prog touches, and a killer opening track(s).

My fav Evergrey is still The Dark Discovery, but they're all quite good - SDT has my two fav songs, though - "Nosfreatu" and "She Speaks to the Dead".

 

[adaher]

So I should give Vanden Plas another shot with the God Thing or Beyond Daylight?

Are they really that different? Are there more upbeat songs, because Far Off Grace was a bit slow.

 

[ashaman7122]

Agree on the Pagan's Mind. All 3 are good.

I like PNC a lot, but the one you need to start with is Slave to the Mind, one of my favorite albums period. I enjoyed their last two (CC is #5, SttM is #3) but usually if I'm in the mood for PNC I pull out SttM.

To me Far Off Grace is their weakest album. The God Thing is tops (the Fire Blossom/Rainmaker combo to kick the album off is KILLER) followed by Beyond Daylight. Colour Temple is more hard rocky then their other stuff but I still like it better than FOG, the Stravinksy intro to the first track is very cool...

As for Evergrey my fave is still Solitude*Dominance*Tragedy though they're all very good.

Far Off Grace is, by far, their weakest album, in my opinion as well.

 

[ashaman7122]

So I should give Vanden Plas another shot with the God Thing or Beyond Daylight?

Are they really that different? Are there more upbeat songs, because Far Off Grace was a bit slow.

Vanden Plas isn't necessarily known for being speedy, but their upbeat, melodic songs really get in your brain after a while...they're just infectious after a while. That being said, I think they're at their best in their mellow moments.

Take a chance...but, unfortunately, you started with the wrong album.

As far as Evergrey is concerned, go with In Search Of Truth...a classic album. If that turns you on, then go from there.


Rock on!

 

[sccaldwell]

To me Far Off Grace is their weakest album. The God Thing is tops (the Fire Blossom/Rainmaker combo to kick the album off is KILLER) followed by Beyond Daylight. Colour Temple is more hard rocky then their other stuff but I still like it better than FOG, the Stravinksy intro to the first track is very cool...
.

I completely agree...FoG isn't *bad*, by any means but it's definitely their weakest effort. I would have recommended the VP discs in the exact order you did....in particular, The God Thing is a "must-have" for anyone interested in ProgMetal, IMHO.

 

[booB]

I consider The God Thing to be the only "prog" Vanden Plas album. The rest of their stuff is more hard rock/AOR-ish.

 

[adaher]

Huh. I remember that when Far Off Grace first came out, almost every site I read at the time said it was better than the God Thing. I'd been meaning to buy Far Off Grace forever.

Guess I'll go with Beyond Daylight next. I'll pick it up at ProgPower.