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Progressive rock

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Adamrogo said:
Nice man, they are always perfect live.

lol, did he recognize the game?

And I'm seeing if I can meet up with a personal friend of JP's for some drinks before the show in NYC, who's going along with Charlie Dominici.
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Yeah, he recognized it, said I was "one of the few" which made me proud for a little while.

While they're always perfect live, I think the time they took off prior to the Chaos in Motion tour really helped them. That show was so full of energy compared to the previous shows I've seen where it just seemed overly technical.

Side note: Thanks for the link Ceres, I have such a man-crush on Sir Russell
 
Dartastic said:
I JUST discovered them today. Too bad I'm having a really hard time finding their debut cd. Guah. This song however, is AWESOME.

61VJ8ZM37FL._SS500_.jpg
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*high five*

I avoid Prog bands that the members of are obviously wallowing in the potential pretentiousness of the genre; I gotta have bands that are doing using these wacky 13/4 beats and congas and wierd distortions to make good music, not PROGRESSIVE, if you understand what I mean. Check these guys, they're having fun writing, practicing, and performing this tough-to-play shit:

Elephant Talk ~ again, King Crimson

Sylvia/Hocus Pocus ~ Focus (This band not mentioned yet. FOR SHAME, GAF.)
 
I have no idea what is progressive and what is not, but these I like (that I think can be labeled progressive);

System of a Down
Mr Bungle
Mars Volta

And this Finnish band Stam1na's second album is a blast. You should check some of the songs in Youtube for example.

Likainen parketti (this is the "uncensored" video but I think it's crappy)
 
SatelliteOfLove said:
Sylvia/Hocus Pocus ~ Focus (This band not mentioned yet. FOR SHAME, GAF.)
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In all fairness apart from Hocus Pocus (which is genius) I never digged the rest of their stuff that much.


Chibrou : Can't believe I forgot about Andromeda! Great band.

I actually forgot to mention another great Swedish one - Anekdoten. Both are pure awesomeness.
 
Endow said:
Witchfinder General: I've seen them last December in Manchester and the set list was :

setlist from what I could gather:-

Fear of a Blank Planet
What Happens Now?
Sound of Musak
Lazarus
Anesthetize
Open Car
Dark Matter
Blackest Eyes
Cheating the Polygraph
Smart Kid
Way Out of Here
Sleep Together

The Sky Moves Sideways
Trains
Halo

My first PT gig and I loved it. I was happy to be able to listen to TSMS since they said they would be stop playing it in gigs soon. I guess the new audiences don't relate to that sort of sound so much.
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I've seen PT twice now, once touring for Deadwing and a couple months ago for Fear of a Blank Planet. They played the entirety of the new album and selections from older albums, mainly In Absentia and Deadwing. I was slightly disappointed that they don't deviate too much from the recorded music, but it's still a fantastic show.

I have the "Progressive Nation" show at the Tabernacle in Atlanta next month featuring Opeth, 3, Between the Buried and Me, and Dream Theater. I've been into Dream Theater for years, but this will be my first time seeing them. Somehow, I got my wife to go with me. I saw "3" open for Porcupine Tree last time they came through. They are fairly bad-ass. I'll have to remember to pick up an album.

Also, not really prog-related (though many proggish bands will be there), but I just found out that I'm getting a free "artist" pass to Bonnaroo this year (Pearl Jam, Metallica, Sigur Ros, Umphrey's McGee (rumored to play with Buckethead), Zappa Plays Zappa, and a shit ton of "etc."). This means I get to camp in the performer area inside the main grounds. It also means I get to pack in my Dales Pale Ale and I won't have to pay 6 bucks for shitty beer! Good times.
 
Don't know much about progressive rock, but progressive house is by far my favorite genre of music. What separates progressive rock from traditional forms of rock?
 
djtiesto said:
Don't know much about progressive rock, but progressive house is by far my favorite genre of music. What separates progressive rock from traditional forms of rock?
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Attention spans. Prog rock trends longer than normal rock. Multiple parts and key signatures. General weirdness in instrumentation and chording. It can be challenging for people who generally only listen to vanilla 3 chord rock.
 
Mango Positive said:
Attention spans. Prog rock trends longer than normal rock. Multiple parts and key signatures. General weirdness in instrumentation and chording. It can be challenging for people who generally only listen to vanilla 3 chord rock.
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Sounds like something I'd be more interested in than traditional rock... Could some of the more rockier Uematsu pieces be considered progressive rock?
 
Endow said:
No.No no no no. Signify + Insignificance is their best album followed by In Absentia :D
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:O what! Granted it's difficult to choose a favorite Porcupine Tree album, but if you don't think Deadwing's superior in every single aspect to In Absentia (as much as it has Trains), then there's something wrong with you.

:lol j/k

Also I'll add Jellyfish, Star One, Vanden Plas, Shadow Gallery and Saga to the list. Discuss. :D
 
I love Dream Theater. Absolutely adore them.

I also have the albums of Transatlantic (not too bad), Liquid Tension Experiment (good but not great), Ayreon (almost great), Opeth (can't get into them), Pain of Salvation (good but not a huge fan), Symphony X (doesn't do much for me).

What does GAF recommend?

I keep hearing of Porcupine Tree, Devin Townsend and Spock's Beard. For these three bands, what is ONE album that you would recommend I pick up?
 
ElyrionX said:
I love Dream Theater. Absolutely adore them.

I also have the albums of Transatlantic (not too bad), Liquid Tension Experiment (good but not great), Ayreon (almost great), Opeth (can't get into them), Pain of Salvation (good but not a huge fan), Symphony X (doesn't do much for me).

What does GAF recommend?

I keep hearing of Porcupine Tree, Devin Townsend and Spock's Beard. For these three bands, what is ONE album that you would recommend I pick up?
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my first question is wtf have you heard from the first bands you listed? Paradise Lost by Symphony X is just fanfuckintastic.
 
ElyrionX said:
I love Dream Theater. Absolutely adore them.

I also have the albums of Transatlantic (not too bad), Liquid Tension Experiment (good but not great), Ayreon (almost great), Opeth (can't get into them), Pain of Salvation (good but not a huge fan), Symphony X (doesn't do much for me).

What does GAF recommend?

I keep hearing of Porcupine Tree, Devin Townsend and Spock's Beard. For these three bands, what is ONE album that you would recommend I pick up?
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Porcupine Tree - Deadwing

If you can't get into that, may god have mercy on your soul.
 
bounchfx said:
my first question is wtf have you heard from the first bands you listed? Paradise Lost by Symphony X is just fanfuckintastic.
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I have:

Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever
Liquid Tension Experiment - Self-titled
Liquid Tension Experiment - 2
Ayreon - The Human Equation
Star One - Space Metal
Opeth - Blackwater Park
Opeth - Ghost Reveries
Pain of Salvation - Be
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element I
Symphony X - Twilight in Olympus
Symphony X - The Odyssey

As for Dream Theater, I have almost every single album of theirs and my favourites are Images and Words and Scenes From A Memory. I don't really like Train of Thought or Octavarium. Systematic Chaos is saved by its opening and last two tracks.

I'm actually more of a power metal person. Edguy, Sonata Arctica, Heavenly, Kamelot. I only ventured into prog because of Dream Theater.
 
ElyrionX said:
I have:

Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever
Liquid Tension Experiment - Self-titled
Liquid Tension Experiment - 2
Ayreon - The Human Equation
Star One - Space Metal
Opeth - Blackwater Park
Opeth - Ghost Reveries
Pain of Salvation - Be
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element I
Symphony X - Twilight in Olympus
Symphony X - The Odyssey

As for Dream Theater, I have almost every single album of theirs and my favourites are Images and Words and Scenes From A Memory. I don't really like Train of Thought or Octavarium. Systematic Chaos is saved by its opening and last two tracks.

I'm actually more of a power metal person. Edguy, Sonata Arctica, Heavenly, Kamelot. I only ventured into prog because of Dream Theater.
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Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane is spuriously absent from this list.
 
Rahul said:
Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane is spuriously absent from this list.
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That sounds familiar. I think I downloaded it long ago when I was trying Pain of Salvation for the very first time and thought it was pretty good. I don't see it anywhere my my harddisk now, must have deleted it. No idea why I didn't buy the album in the end though.

Before people start jumping on me, let me clarify that those albums I listed are those that I have bought. I do download albums of course, but only to sample them and if I really like them, I buy a copy from the store.
 
ElyrionX said:
I love Dream Theater. Absolutely adore them.

I also have the albums of Transatlantic (not too bad), Liquid Tension Experiment (good but not great), Ayreon (almost great), Opeth (can't get into them), Pain of Salvation (good but not a huge fan), Symphony X (doesn't do much for me).

What does GAF recommend?

I keep hearing of Porcupine Tree, Devin Townsend and Spock's Beard. For these three bands, what is ONE album that you would recommend I pick up?
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Check out Evergrey: Inner Circle, Recreation Day, In Search of Truth. Ignore all the other albums from them. And if you like Ayreon you may really like http://www.amazon.com/Dissonance-Rising-Clay-Withrow/dp/B000NO215K
 
ElyrionX said:
That sounds familiar. I think I downloaded it long ago when I was trying Pain of Salvation for the very first time and thought it was pretty good. I don't see it anywhere my my harddisk now, must have deleted it. No idea why I didn't buy the album in the end though.

Before people start jumping on me, let me clarify that those albums I listed are those that I have bought. I do download albums of course, but only to sample them and if I really like them, I buy a copy from the store.
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I understand. I just bought Train of Thought and The Perfect Element I this week. But you need to own Remedy Lane! In my opinion, it's their most complete concept album and the best one to listen to all the way through.

Anyway, I'd also underline Spock's Beard - Snow as not only the only one by that band that you really need to hear, but also one of the prog rock albums in general you need to have heard -- it's defining.

For Porcupine Tree, I'd suggest Stupid Dream if you prefer more relaxed, or In Absentia if you don't mind a little overdriven guitar (which judging by your inclusion of Opeth in your list, you don't seem to). Over the past few years, Porcupine Tree, Dream Theater and Opeth have almost become interchangeable in some areas due to their band members working together so much -- Steven Wilson can be heard on Opeth's Damnation in backing vocals (he's also produced a few of their albums), while Mikael Akerfeldt has been involved similarly with Porcupine Tree. And both artists appeared on Systematic Chaos' Repentance, which if you pay attention is basically co-written by the aforementioned, given the style of the song and how it consists of three disparate parts. So I recommend you get completely knee-deep into Porcupine Tree post-2000 (Lightbulb Sun, In Absentia, Deadwing, Fear of a Blank Planet, as well as all the EPs and assorted singles in between), and make sure you hear Opeth's 2003 album Damnation. And then there's the interviews with Mike Portnoy and Mikael Akerfeldt on opeth.com right now leading up to the release of Watershed. God I love these guys.
 
Endow said:
Interchangeable?They sound nothing like each other. Steven Wilson produced some Opeth albums and was influenced by them to a certain extent but apart from that the bands are completely different. Steven Wilson and Mikael Akerfeldt are good friends and might contribute in a project in the future tough.

As for DT the only connection with PT is Steven Wilson participating in one of the songs in which he apologizes for trash-talking DT; other artists also apologize for this or that (the song is about repentance I think) but this is done via back monologues barely audible.
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I didn't say entirely interchangeable, I said in "areas". I can hear definite influences of Opeth's style on Fear of a Blank Planet and Futile, and Opeth's harmonic style has progressed more towards Porcupine Tree's style over the last few of their albums.

I don't really want to get into a semantics argument over who contributed more to the other project -- the point is that the three bands are closely connected and I wanted to point that out to ElyrionX in hope that it would help him when considering Porcupine Tree.
 
ElyrionX said:
I have:

Transatlantic - Bridge Across Forever
Liquid Tension Experiment - Self-titled
Liquid Tension Experiment - 2
Ayreon - The Human Equation
Star One - Space Metal
Opeth - Blackwater Park
Opeth - Ghost Reveries
Pain of Salvation - Be
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element I
Symphony X - Twilight in Olympus
Symphony X - The Odyssey

As for Dream Theater, I have almost every single album of theirs and my favourites are Images and Words and Scenes From A Memory. I don't really like Train of Thought or Octavarium. Systematic Chaos is saved by its opening and last two tracks.

I'm actually more of a power metal person. Edguy, Sonata Arctica, Heavenly, Kamelot. I only ventured into prog because of Dream Theater.
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For PT get the last 3 albums. In Absentia is a really mellow album, Deadwing is their hardest album (but not really a metal album) and Fear of a Blank Planet is the tits. The only real downside to Fear of a Blank Planet is that it's too short. In my opinion Deadwing is their best album although I haven't really gotten to deep into their earlier stuff.

You should try to get into Opeth again. I wasn't really hooked on Opeth until I listened to Damnation. It's probably their most mellow of albums and it doesn't feature any of the death growls that Akerfeldt is so good at (at least that I can remember). Their best album is Still Life which is more of a blend of metal and mellow songs. Face of Melinda, Benighted, The Moor, Godhead Lament, White Cluster, Serenity Painted Death, Moonlapse Vertigo.... that album is perfect.

As for Dream Theater I'm gonna guess that you don't have When Dream and Day Unite (you're not really missing anything), Falling into Infinity (which is only really worth getting for Hell's Kitchen and Lines in the Sand), and Awake (which is one of their better albums).

You didn't mention Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence either which is one of their best albums. A Change of Seasons is worth getting for it's title track, which is probably their best 'epic song' (by epic I mean over 20 minutes long). I'd also recommend getting the Score DVD. It's got the best versions of a lot of great Dream Theater songs (the Under A Glass Moon version off of score makes the I&W version obsolete IMO). I know you said you didn't like Octavarium but if you don't like The Root of All Evil after seeing them play it live then you should turn in your prog-nerd badge. I'd also recommend the Live at Budokan DVD but seeing as how you don't like Train of Thought then you will probably want to skip this one.
 
Rahul said:
I understand. I just bought Train of Thought and The Perfect Element I this week. But you need to own Remedy Lane! In my opinion, it's their most complete concept album and the best one to listen to all the way through.
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Remedy Lane is my favorite album of all time, in any genre. I love the album to no end.

Anyway, I don't listen to a ton of Prog Bands, but I adore the ones I do listen to frequently which are

Pain of Salvation
Porcupine Tree
Opeth
Dream Theater
Liquid Tension Experiment
 
Pretty much most modern prog metal has decended into triteness and bad songwriting (PoS and DT). Last year's Sun Caged - Artemesia, on the other hand, was phenomenal.
 
Oh -- also -- Elyrion -- if you don't mind a bit of operatic symphonic metal with a totally progressive angle, get this MUST HAVE release by Therion from last year:

GothicKaballah.jpg


Don't argue, don't discuss, just download it and then hopefully buy it. This album absolutely blew my mind because it's like the best parts of symphonic metal, none of the worst, and tons of prog influence. Also for the guys who love Remedy Lane, this occupies the same respect space in my brain.

And if you like it, then we can start talking about the Therion headspace. Which is a totally different headspace.
 
I would go with the usual early Crimson stuff, something by Yes (too bad those guys had the potential to write unbelievable songs, and render them unlistenable) ELP.

And throw in a couple no one has mentioned yet.

Nice have done lots of good stuff, mostly thanks to Emerson.

Soft Machine,

And you really have to listen to Caravan. Start with "the land of grey and pink"
 
ohh, stop the press, look what i found


Caravan - Winter Wine (not a huge fan of the vocals, but the instrumental bits are some of the best ever)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7BrL-Qta6s

Caravan - 9 feet underground (20 min masterpiece)
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2Qw8YxOg28&feature=related
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1k9WYgngqc&feature=related

this was recorded live in 1990, i can't listen to it because youtube is slow as fuck today, so i don't know how it compares to the original studio version (1973 iirc)
 
If you REALLY wanna get zany with PT, try their "off-albums" Wilson tossed out while recording the main albums. Yellow Hedgerow Dreamscape, Voyage 34, Metanoia...much freer compositions with generous helpings of Guitar Trance and such.

Endow said:
In all fairness apart from Hocus Pocus (which is genius) I never digged the rest of their stuff that much.
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Focus was too eclectic to stay in Prog; medieval, jazz, baroque mix and twirl so imperceptibly in their work. This may be what threw you.

It's the same reason I didn't list Wishbone Ash on my previous post, as well.
 
You can (legitimately) get a sizable chunk of what's in this thread over at Emusic--which is where I initially discovered Spock's Beard, incidentally (though they only have post-Neal stuff up there right now.) In fact, I just added the Therion album to my list of stuff to check out later. I found Frost there just a month or two ago. Ayreon and Star One stuff, too.

If anyone does choose to sign up, and wants to toss me a few free tracks for being a referral, PM me. You don't get anything for doing so but it'd be nice for me :)
 
SatelliteOfLove said:
If you REALLY wanna get zany with PT, try their "off-albums" Wilson tossed out while recording the main albums. Yellow Hedgerow Dreamscape, Voyage 34, Metanoia...much freer compositions with generous helpings of Guitar Trance and such.



Focus was too eclectic to stay in Prog; medieval, jazz, baroque mix and twirl so imperceptibly in their work. This may be what threw you.
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I don't particularly have a problem with those styles (as far as jazz goes I like quite a bit of fusion btw) I just think that back in the day (I guess a lot still do) bands tended to be a bit too self indulgent and experimental. I think structure is very important and some bands seem to want to be eclectic, first and foremost They seem content enough with being different.
 
So I've never really understood what "prog rock" was supposed to be. I know Rush and Pink Floyd get thrown around as the quintessentials... but stylistically I don't see how they are similar. Also what's the real difference between prog rock and math rock?
 
Ryujin said:
Uhh would Kansas and Styx be considered Prog Rock? I think both are great and seem to fit the descriptive bill.
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A lot of people consider Styx to be "art" rock; having the aesthetic of prog rock without the actual progression, technicality, or forward-thinking mentality.
 
Endow said:
If Trains is your favorite IA song then you aren't getting the point =P It's all about the rawness of songs like "Strip the Soul" and "The Creator Has a Masterpiece" being side by side with something like "Lips of Ashes" or "Gravity Eyelids".Well when it comes to PT everytime a new album is released it seems like their best yet (and it is in many ways) so at one point Deadwing was my favorite. What can I say, it's subjective :lol .

Actually two of my favorite Deadwing-era songs are "So Called Friend" and "Mother & Child Divided" which didn't make into the album. Which doesn't mean Deadwing isn't one of my favorite albums ever. Just not one of my preferred PT ones.
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I mentioned Trains because it seems to be what most PT fans like; it's nice but as Wilson has said, there's no reason for which it should be their most wanted song. If you want to know what songs I like, then it's stuff such as Deadwing, Sound of Muzak, Normal (from their latest EP) and most specially Arriving Somewhere But Not Here (BRILLIANT song).

Porcupine Tree - Deadwing

If you can't get into that, may god have mercy on your soul.
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Glad we agree :D Anyway it's all about tastes and In Absentia is obviously an amazing album as well. I guess I love the metal-ish sound Deadwing has that distinguishes itself from the others.

SatelliteOfLove said:
If you REALLY wanna get zany with PT, try their "off-albums" Wilson tossed out while recording the main albums. Yellow Hedgerow Dreamscape, Voyage 34, Metanoia...much freer compositions with generous helpings of Guitar Trance and such.
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Metanoia is an awesome thing. And I agree, I thought Nil Recurring was much stronger than Fear of a Blank Planet EPs and such are really worth it when listening to PT.

Edit: Speaking about Opeth, I can't wait for the new album. A couple of tracks were leaked recently and it sounds amazing. They're in a really good moment, I really enjoyed Ghost Reveries.

Also, listen to Between the Buried and Me, specially their album from last year Colors. Awesome Death-ish-prog metal. I could listen to that album nonstop for days, it was one of my favorite releases from last year for sure, glad I discovered them. Their other albums are brilliant as well.
 
from these threads i always get the impression people like to show their musical tastes but very rarely take other posters' advice into consideration.

on a related note, that live version of 9 feet underground is friggin' brilliant, too bad for the synth not sounding too much like the original used for the studio recording, but damn, those guys still rock.
 
Rahul said:
Oh -- also -- Elyrion -- if you don't mind a bit of operatic symphonic metal with a totally progressive angle, get this MUST HAVE release by Therion from last year:

http://www.mystic.pl/upload/Image/Banery/newsy/GothicKaballah.jpg

Don't argue, don't discuss, just download it and then hopefully buy it. This album absolutely blew my mind because it's like the best parts of symphonic metal, none of the worst, and tons of prog influence. Also for the guys who love Remedy Lane, this occupies the same respect space in my brain.

And if you like it, then we can start talking about the Therion headspace. Which is a totally different headspace.
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I already have that, in fact. Found it cheap so I picked it up.

It's pretty good actually and I've been getting into it recently. I even mentioned it in the other metal thread.
 
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