The metal and prog worlds are fusing

[Jim LotFP]

How so?

And keep in mind we're talking about "extreme" metal (death/black), not stuff like Queensryche and Fates Warning.

Focus, Elements, Min Tid Skal Komme, Orchid, Wish I Could Dream It Again, HEart of the Ages, Tales from the Thousand Lakes, Crimson, The Death of Art, Into the Pandemonium, Statik Magik (which included Voyage of the Homeless Sapien).

Ten releases from 1996 or sooner. Opeth was part of a larger trend, not the creators of the trend.

 

[Ellestin]

 

[Disgustipated]

Well, not that my opinion is valid or anything, but I think Dickman makes many good points that have been in my mind for quite some time.

 

[IOfTheStorm]

Dick, discussions were made, you just didn't listen to this material when they were made (for example, i easily remember a Rush bashing thread in the Nevermore board, and only me and azal (favourite UM poster ever) were defending them). And please stop saying "kiddies everywhere mentioning Camel" cause you were one like..2-3 years ago, suddenly putting a Yes/Rush/Hawkwind avatar, and speaking about them like you were listening to them since forever.
On topic: UM barely reflects the world of metal. It's about time some of you realize that. It just needed someone (or 2) mentioning some bands and poof that was it. "Always" when metalheads were listening to something non-metal, that was progressive rock (or Dead Can Dance). Metal magazines were always doing prog rock features, and great reviews of prog rock re-releases (mentioned why and how the x band is linked to metal, and why metal fans will like it). Also when many albums (that JimLoftp mentioned) were released, the names of King Crimson, Hawkwind, Yes, Rush were mentioned and every dumb metalhead (including me) was questioning himself "who the fuck are these bands?". The first band that greatly introduced prog rock to metalheads was DREAM THEATER for sure with "Images And Words". About Um: For example if someone mentions a band in this board, then suddenly 20 more people "know" the band. Ellestin speaks the truth, but i wouldn't call it a "trend" as JimLotftp does, it's the wrong word to describe it. If you look all around you, metal musicians finally realize that there was a decade before the 80s. They either put elements of 70s prog rock (or heavy rock) in their music, they start projects playing it (like some Cannibal Corpse dudes with James Rivera, they start new bands "renouncing" their past (like Bill Steer and Firebird), or they even steal the album titles/lyrics/band names of 70s bands and present them as their own ideas (like Opeth). So it's not just about prog, but generally about the 70s (or late 60s). The whole thing is not sudden for sure, the world of metal just suddenly wakes up and realizes what has been going on for years.
BTW Ulver in their latest album are totally worshiping Yes

 

[Jim LotFP]

or they even steal the album titles/lyrics/band names of 70s bands and present them as their own ideas (like Opeth).

eh, I wouldn't phrase it like this. Åkerfeldt never pretended he came up with any of these things out of thin air.

 

[Erik]

i really hate prog faggotry.

 

[M.Lehto]

i really hate prog faggotry.

Hey, have you checked Morte Macabre - Symphonic Holocaust, that's a good prog-record!

 

[Erik]

i haven't... i don't hate anything that's "progressive" but i really hate almost everything i've heard labelled "prog metal"

 

[IOfTheStorm]

If he admits that he stole these ideas, then alright. Point is, it is funny that the "hottest prog metal band" of our times, uses ideas (not only some words, musical ideas too) that were presented to the world of music 30 years ago.

 

[M.Lehto]

i haven't... i don't hate anything that's "progressive" but i really hate almost everything i've heard labelled "prog metal"

OK, I was lazy and didn't even read the whole topic. Morte Macabre has nothing to do with metal, they did a record with strange prog covers from old horror-movie soundtracks.

 

[Erik]

well probably I was lazier

 

[BenMech]

Good points IOfTheStorm, and Jim.

Think of it this way: Prog is the new Punk(definition), where Punk(now) = anything on the pop/MTV charts, and Punk (definition) = that which is UNAcceptabler to the MTV crowd.

 

[lizard]

there's always been a meld between prog and metal, most genre names are stupid anyway.

 

[Dick Sirloin]

Focus, Elements, Min Tid Skal Komme, Orchid, Wish I Could Dream It Again, HEart of the Ages, Tales from the Thousand Lakes, Crimson, The Death of Art, Into the Pandemonium, Statik Magik (which included Voyage of the Homeless Sapien).

Ten releases from 1996 or sooner. Opeth was part of a larger trend, not the creators of the trend.

You could probably throw The Gallery in there too.

But Opeth's style has changed pretty remarkably since those early days, no? I mean, these prog discussions didn't even come up until Damnation came out and Akerfeldt began mentioning his favorite bands. There's really no doubt that Opeth are the cause of 85% of this new interest in the genre.

For the record, "Min Tid Skal Komme" is amazing and is one of the few cases where prog-metal actually works.

 

[jimbobhickville]

Well, I've been listening to Rush and metal since the late 80s/early 90s. So, no, it's not a new trend. I do believe Rush were considered to be a metal band when they came out, and I've even heard King Crimson described as metal (dunno how that works, but I heard it). Getting into more prog was simply a matter of exposure. I didn't get that until the intarweb came around.

 

[IOfTheStorm]

Rush have lots of METAL moments, but overall i wouldnt call them "metal".

 

[J.]

For the record, "Min Tid Skal Komme" is amazing and is one of the few cases where prog-metal actually works.

Of course, because it is truly a progressive album (as in "pushing forward") and not stupid wank-metal. Not to mention the entire album is superbly written, original, and cohesive.

 

[JayKeeley]

Enslaved.
Eucharist.
and other artists beginning with E, like Englebert Humperdink.

 

[Jim LotFP]

I mean, these prog discussions didn't even come up until Damnation came out and Akerfeldt began mentioning his favorite bands.

This was happening after Morningrise. Actually, there are interviews from the Orchid era that went into 70s prog worship.

Maybe not on a large scale, but just because the band wasn't popular doesn't mean this all wasn't already happening.

 

[Dick Sirloin]

But isn't the fact that they have become popular THE MAIN REASON why we are seeing this new wave of prog-metal? If Mikael hadn't mentioned Anglagard and Camel, would all the 14-year-olds of the world be obsessing over them?