worth listen

[lemur]

There'll be some time before the new Enchant's album is released, so let's recommend some good bands (records) to listen to until it happens.
Being a proggy head as I am, I'll recommend that ones:
- Lemur Voice: great prog band from the Netherlands. Unfortunately, they split some time ago (now you know where I got the name
- Shadow Gallery: a classic Magna Carta. Their new album and Tiranny are simply astonishing...

I'll try to come back with a few more names....

 

[Michael]

There are too many great bands to mention... but let me start by giving my best of 2001 list... Too bad Enchant didn't release an album ;-) As you can see I don't limit myself to prog... but I also dislike post-modern parody rock bands like Tool and Radiohead that members of Enchant I'm sure probably enjoy but I find pretty awful. Keep in mind that I am not counting live albums =)

1-10 equal quality work... truly fine albums
1.) (tie) Sonata Arctica- Silence/ 2.) Elvenking- Heathenreal A / 95%
3.) Children of Bodom- Follow the Reaper 94%
4.) Opeth- Blackwater Park A / 94%
5.) Ice Age- Liberation A- / 92% *recommended most for Enchant fans
6.) Angra- Rebirth A- / 92%
7.) Savatage- Poets and Madmen B+ / 89%
8.) Avantasia- The Metal Opera B+ / 88%
9.) Edguy- Mandrake B / 87%
10.) Evergrey- In Search of Truth B / 87%

The good but not great or excellent albums of 2001...
11.) Therion- Secret of the Runes B / 86 %
12.) Eldritch- Reverse B / 85%
13.) Shadow Gallery- Legacy B / 84%
14.) Leonardo- The Absolute Man B / 83%
15.) Dimmu Borgir- Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia B - 82% (mixed feeling about this one... some songs pure genious.. a few songs pure crap)
16.) Zero Hour- The Towers of Avarice B- / 82%
17.) Amorphis- AM Universum C / 77% This album was almost waste of my time... hint- go back to death metal... your "vocalist" sucks.

Now this part is for the Enchant fans.... top 3 bands ENCHANT fans should immediatey check out..

1.) Ice Age
2.) Clockwork
3.) Magellan

peace out
Michael

 

[skoeb]

What about Transatlantic?
Seen them in Tilburg Holland and thougt is was really great.

Other really good bands:
Marathon and Egdon Heath from Holland
Jadis and of course IQ.


I'm really waiting for the new Enchant album!

Ton

 

[Michael]

In fact the new Transatlantic was so weak I forgot to put it on my list. I'm not a fan of when a bands make 5 track albums.... who has time to listen to two 20+ minute epics? If that weren't enough they repeated one of the choruses throughout the entire album... zzz kinda boring if you ask me. I prefer quality 7 minute, 8 minute, and 5 mintue songs with maybe one 20 minute one and a few 12-15 minute ones... but Transatlantic is just trying too hard to be epic. And honestly, there isn't enough melodies buzzing around for it to be memorable... although the songs contain a few shining moments they are too few and far between. Granted now, I loved the first Transatlantic but this one is kind of a snoozer... *shrugs*

Believe it or not I felt a little about Enchant's 2000 release as I do about the new Transatlantic. I'm going to theorize that perhaps that is why they did not put on a full tour for this one. Doug's "sonic landscaping" and fun mixes of tones and textures etc... is kinda intriguing but without strong melodies a band's album isn't capable of staying long in the CD player.

Either that or Enchant are trying to turn into a "mature" band evolving far beyond their older what they may now view as cheesier sound to get a broader fanbase with more modern sounding albums. Becoming a popular selling band has completely to do with luck. A few of Enchant's more "modern" tunes could easily have been huge hits on the radio. Compare anything off of Break to Creed or Live for example. Ted's voice is far superior and the band is capable of much more melodic music while still maintaining that "modern" sound that sells records these days. Yet, they are still not popular. Its not possible for Enchant to make it big... so why not just concentrate on good melodies and have fun? Then again, if they truly believe Juggling 9 or Dropping 10 is their best album and wish to push further down that path then best of luck to them... but I will become increasingly less interested as an old time fan of theirs.

If Mr. Platt or any Enchant members are viewing this message, please do not take offense at my comments. I know you guys still have it in you but next album... PLEASE remember... melodies first... then worry about the "modernizing" or "progressiveness" or "heaviness" or whatever new sound you want to achieve...

peace out
Michael

 

[Snowdog62]

Here's a few bands that might be of interest to Enchant fans (I like 'em anyway)

Cairo
Tiles
Shadow Gallery
Ice Age
Dali's Dilemma
Royal Hunt
Threshold
Spock's Beard
Transatlantic
The Flower Kings
Symphony X
Pain Of Salvation
Evergrey
Ark

 

[Michael]

Thankfully I wouldn't call Enchant the "traditional prog band." What's great about Enchant is that they are somewhat like those bands you mentioned (other than Symphony X who are very different imo), but those bands are more similar to eachother than Enchant is similar to them.

The only band close to what I would call as the Enchant sound, however, is Rush. Rush are my favorite band which would explain why I enjoy Enchant so much.

For that reason I would add Gedd Lee's solo album My Favorite Headache to your list. Geddy seems to be writing the type of music Enchant seems to want to write.

peace out
Michael

 

[Benny]

Sorry but anyone who puts Magellan in their top 3 either doesn't know anything about music or is in the band.

Benny

 

[Michael]

Trent Gardner tends to have a polarizing effect on the prog music listening populous, and I've never understood it. Trent is a genious! I think you're just mad cuz I am faulting Enchant for slacking in the melody department on the last album =) I never said Juggling 9 was a bad album. Its a good one! Just not as good as their previous releases... and probably their weakest.

word
Michael

 

[Benny]

I used to like Magellan. Then I figured out that he only wrote one song! I think all their stuff sounds the same. I was excited about the Explorer's Club. After I bought it and opened it up I found out who wrote all the music and was completely disappointed. Anyway there's my 2 cents on Magellan.

Benny

 

[Michael]

You must be smokin' something, because Explorer's Club rocks... Wait actually smokin' something might help you appreciate it more!! It is prog rock ;-)

What doesn't rock quite as much however is Leonardo- The Absolute Man =)

peace out
Micahel

 

[NoRehearsal]

In the progressive rock area, I can only mention bands I discovered in 2001, although they did not necessarily release albums:

Porcupine Tree - extremely melodic music, more concerned with melodies than length of song. Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun are both excellent CDs.

Symphony X - Very talented - "V" has alot of good stuff

In non-progressive music:

Sevendust - Animosity: I can't stop listening to this CD; I usually dont get into groups with screaming, but their lead vocalist is very good, and they have gotten much more melodic. I haven't figured out if their lyrics are genius or make absolutely no sense.

Garbage - Beautiful Garbage: Alot of catchy songs.

As a side note, I saw someone compare Dropping 9 or 10 to Transatlantic, and have to totally disagree. Enchant has songs with reasonable length and great catchy melodies. Transatlantic is quite talented (as are the bands they came from), but much too lengthy songs. I dont see any similarities.

 

[lemur]

Hi everyone again!
I can't help giving my opinion on certain bands:
First of all, Trent Gardner. He's a good composer, but magna carta sickly overrates him (IMHO). Some ideas that could be gorgeous are not being so great 'cause MC wanted Trent Gardner to do it all by himself. Being as many good composers on the MC artist list, I'll never understand this. Btw, Explorers is great, but thanks to the great performances that were in: Bozzio, Petrucci, Sheehan, etc. On Leonardo great singers coudn't save what for me was a dissapointing album, mainly 'cause there's a lack of originality or variety on the compositions, and it falls constantly into nonsense passages. If you hear a Magellan album, it's absolutely repetitive. Don't understand me bad, I like Explorers and Leonardo, and Trent's composistions too. Little doses of his ideas are great, but not a whole album.
About Transatlantic, umm.... It's a perfect example of how to make an album based on 2 riffs. Great musicianship names are not enough to make an album!!!

What else...
Yes, I totally agree with Michael in his opinion about Enchant's musical directions (but IMO Break was not as good as Juggling, being both far from their first albums)

Finally I'll recommend to more names away from the prog world:
- Paul Gilbert: his solo albums are great for pop/rock fans. Must have for guitar players
- Mourning widows: pop/rock played with lot of attitude.

 

[Lucas]

i see some bands i didnt know and found out to be great
i mostly saw the same bands i already know
gonna give my little top 3 on some
progressive ....
1. Enchant
2.Mind's Eye
3.Van Den Plas

Power Metal
1.Labyrinth
2.Kamelot
3.Rhapsody

some other names
U should all check out Freak Kitchen! listen the lyrics dont judge by one song
check out whatever u can find fantastic band!
dont even have words for it

Off course Pain of Salvation
but whats that , prog Rock ? melodical ?
i dont exactly know, dont really care tho
check out Ivanhoe also a great expierence to listen

also Cynic and Wolverine , genius bands
i thought i'd just giva a small reply
if you wanna share some mp3's u can contact me at icq allthough the original is always the best but not always so easy to get here where i live
my icq = 109589950
l8ers all and keep on rockin!

 

[towersofavarice]

Tiles. They are an amazing band, especially their newest album, Presents of Mind. Check it out!

www.seismicradio.com

 

[x3r0]

Their "newest" and "only" CD has been out for a couple of years!

 

[brianw]

Has anyone else ever heard from the band Tempo Tantrum? They had a really solid CD out in the late 90s called "Into The Realm". Very melodic and guitar focused progressive metal. Not sure what their newer material sounds like. Hope this adds to the discussion!

- Brian

 

[enchantweb]

Tiles have 2 albums out, not just "Presents of Mind". Their first release is called "Fence The Clear". I like it better than the 2nd one.

By the way... Everon will be releasing 2 new albums soon, the first one is coming by the end of May. If you guys haven't heard of them, check them out:
www.everon.de

-The Webmaster

 

[x3r0]

I stand corrected about Tiles. And I was trying to be Mr. Know-It-All. My apologies. I must get that CD!!

 

[dennisw76]

sorry men - u are all wrong.

they got 3 albums out!
I got them all, and I like the first one the most. Some really good songs in there.
btw - Kevin Chown has played bass on the debut. - excellent job.
The first album sounds more like rush stuff.

I saw them live and they completely disappointed and bored me like hell.

 

[Brian W]

Hi again. I wanted to follow up on a current website for the band Tempo Tantrum I posted earlier. I really enjoyed their CD.

www.tempotantrum.net