Whirlpool

Alright ladies and gents, put aside your inhibitions and rejoice at the last bastion of innovation in music. Progressive - whatever genre; rock, electronica, you name it.

What are some good bands worth getting into? I don't care about the details as long as they're melodic, well written songs with good dynamics. I don't mind experimentation as long as the songcraft is still good. I'm open minded enough to consider metal stuff, as long as it's melodic.

I don't know the genre too well but my favourites are
- The Mars Volta
- Radiohead
- Aphex Twin
- King Crimson

Any suggestions/reccomendations?
And just remember, the P word is banned in this thread ;P

Dream Theater
Fates Warning
Rush
Nevermore
Into Eternity www.myspace.com/officialintoeternity

Mine would have to be:

Dream Theater
Rush
Porcupine Tree (I think they're classified as prog rock or metal?)

I would consider Porcupine Tree prog rock, but they do have some rather heavy moments.

With the bands listed, I assume everyone knows Tool already... but just in case.. there it is

my large list of suggestions, including a fair amount of heavier stuff (key suggestions bolded)
{Miocene}
65daysofstatic
Age Of Silence - Acceleration
Anathema
Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors
Battles - Mirrored
Clann Zu
Decoder Ring
Eluveitie
Gerling can be experimental at times. Just listen to Birdbath
Hollenthon
HORSE The Band
Jesu
Juno Reactor
Lanterna
M83
Man Man
Orphaned Land - Mabool
Pain Of Salvation
Riverside
Shiner
The Album Leaf

Also, P word? Poser?

Alpha Down writes...

Battles - Mirrored

Oh yes, should have mentioned them. I love Mirrored and I'm pissed off I couldn't get tix for them at BDO
Also, P word? Poser?
"Pretentious"

Some of my favourites would have to be

- Porcupine Tree
- Dream Theater
- Pain of Salvation
- Andromeda
- Ayreon
- Angra
- Freak Kitchen
- Gordion Knot
- Spastic Ink
- Meshuggah
- Oceansize
- Opeth
- Planet X
- Riverside
- Sikth
- Spocks Beard
- Symphony X

Atheist - "Unquestionable Presence"
Cynic - "Focus"
Demilich - "Nespithe"
Gorguts - "Obscura"
Spawn of Possession - "Noctambulant"

All of these albums display an incredible amount of experimentation and are probably the most innovative releases from the genre of Metal. Good luck finding better displays of musicianship.
Start with "Focus" first, as this is a more gentle album.

Sonic Youth :)

Alpha Down writes...

Clann Zu

brilliant band to bad they're not around anymore

Kreator writes...

Start with "Focus" first, as this is a more gentle album.

Cynic are back together now, I watched a recent live concert of them on their myspace. Awesome.

AgainstTheGrain writes...

brilliant band to bad they're not around anymore

Yeah, I discovered them too late.

Is your name taken from Agalloch's album Ashes Against the Grain?

Frank Zappa. Helllllllooooooo?

Shpongle!

It's an intense mix of electronica, acid, and Brazilian :)

Check out a track called Levitation Nation (I think it's on Youtube).

choC. writes...

Shpongle! +1

+

My Bloody Valentine
Mogwai
Múm
Sigur Rós
Broadcast
Euphone
Tortoise
Four Tet
Tim Hecker
Bola

Radiohead
Aphex Twin
Bjork
Anything on the Border Community record label
Battles
Sigur Ros
Nightmare on Wax

My favourite prog music is:

Porcupine Tree: Great sounding prog rock. Standout albums: Stupid Dream, Deadwing, In Absentia, Fear of a Blank Planet. A lot of the songs take on many directions and are unpredictable in structure and form when you first listen to them, and this is why I appreciate this great British band.

Opeth: progressive death metal. It's mostly a mix of your double-bass drum kicks with cookie monster singing, and some very nice clean acoustic works in the songs too. The whole of the 'Damnation' album is their softer music, while it's counterpart 'Deliverance' is for the majority the death metal style they have come to master. Other standout Opeth albums: Blackwater Park, Orchid.

Tool: alternative/prog metal at it's best. Doesn't really need an introduction to progressive fans. Pretty much all of the Tool albums are winners. I don't think their new cd as a whole is at the same level as some of the others like Lateralus or Aenima, but has some standout tracks.

Radiohead: I guess one day they were prog rock, but I am not sure if the new album is very prog (any comments?). Standout albums: The Bends, OK Computer

Dream Theater: Outstanding prog metal, very talented musicians in this band. Some great solos and very interesting song-writing. Standout albums: Metropolis part 2, Images and Words.

Meshuggah: Progressive math metal with weird timings and beats. Very brutal and scouring without going over the top. Standout album: Chaosphere

Alpha Down writes...

Is your name taken from Agalloch's album Ashes Against the Grain?

nope . from the bad religion album

Not sure if it's really 'experimental' or not, but Boards of Canada

Adumb writes...

Frank Zappa. Helllllllooooooo?

I agree, most of these bands mentioned are all younger than a few years and i wouldnt call them prog rock.

Dream Theatre and Cocteau Twins are probably the only recent ones on the last 10 years worth mentioning.

apart from Zappa.. who is the epitome of prog rock..

King Crimson
Rober Fripp
Brian Eno
David Bowie - early
Pink Floyd - early
Adrian Belew - worlds best Guitarist IMO
Steve Hillage
Gong
Jethro Tull
Genesis - early
Camel
Vangelis
Yes
Utopia
Todd Rundgren
Steve Howe
Leo Kottke
John McLuaghlin
Budgie
Mike Oldfield!
Emerson Lake & Palmer!

and a bunch of others i cant think of right now....

go sifting through those artists , then you will know what prog rock is and appreciate it in the altruistic sense of the genre..
I would suggest getting to know at least half of the bands i have mentioned before considering anything recorded in the last 10 years.

:)

horse the band
the locust
the fantomas

Jethro Tull
Yes - The album Fragile is awesome
King Crimson

ShruÐe writes...

most of these bands mentioned are all younger than a few years and i wouldnt call them prog rock.
...
then you will know what prog rock is and appreciate it in the altruistic sense of the genre
The OP isn't after "prog rock" only. Stop being so selective.

Edit:
Proof:

Dzerzhinsky writes...

Progressive - whatever genre; rock, electronica, you name it.

agalloch

dream theater

opeth

that there is all the prog metal you will ever need.

+1 for Shpongle. Awesome psybient electronica. Some of the best music ever.
Porcupine Tree and Tool are also great.

I just today discovered Liquid Tension Experiment, it is essentially an instrumental version of Dream Theater since they've got 4 guys and 3 are from DT. It has instantly hooked me. Don't get me wrong, I love Dream Theater (can't wait to see them live) but just the music without the vocals is awesome. It's as if the guitars are singing :)

Atheist - "Unquestionable Presence"
Cynic - "Focus"
Demilich - "Nespithe"
Gorguts - "Obscura"

+1

Though Focus is the worst album to get into with the vocals.

guflab writes...

agalloch

dream theater

opeth

that there is all the prog metal you will ever need.

Sounds like you need Orphaned Land

Alpha Down writes...

Sounds like you need Orphaned Land

what are they like?

Can't go past Aussie band Cog.

freezepop
dream theather

not really sure what else qualifies as progresive

My favourite band and I think definatly think needs a mention.

The Number Twelve Looks Like You - Indecipherable high pitched scream vocals (vocals because theres two vocalists and they work great together on tracks like 'Like A Cat')

Chaotic mathcore with very impressive drumming and musicianship. There new drummer who appears on there newest album Mongrel is fantastic.

Great band.

guflab writes...

what are they like?

Prog/death/folk metal from Israel, incorporating lots of middle eastern instruments and styles. They often get compared to Opeth, but are much more of the melodic prog side of things. Mabool is by far their best album to check out.

Boris
Sunn O)))
Between the Buried and Me

miCRO01 writes...

The Number Twelve Looks Like You

pretty sure the two words progessive and grindcore just dont work together.

admittedly, i haven't heard muc of the twelve's new stuff but nonetheless, grindcore is about 30 second songs of pure blasting hell, not slow drawn out "journey" pieces.

Alpha Down writes...

Prog/death/folk metal from Israel, incorporating lots of middle eastern instruments and styles. They often get compared to Opeth, but are much more of the melodic prog side of things. Mabool is by far their best album to check out.

will check it out man. cheers

the number twelve looks like you are a great band love mongrel and love their cover of 'my sharona'

Sikth writes...

- Planet X

Good man! Virgil Donati's own stuff is definitely worth a look;)

One band I discovered a little while ago which I reckon a lot of you guys might like is MCM. I've only got the Ritual Factory album, but it's well worth a listen - especially for you guys into prog metal.

www.that1guy.com/pages/video.html

Alpha Down writes...

Prog/death/folk metal from Israel, incorporating lots of middle eastern instruments and styles. They often get compared to Opeth, but are much more of the melodic prog side of things. Mabool is by far their best album to check out.

Thanks for that tip, I got Mabool and it's great. What other albums do they have that are good?

Dzerzhinsky writes...

Thanks for that tip, I got Mabool and it's great. What other albums do they have that are good?

Glad you liked it.

Their earlier stuff didn't seem as good as Mabool, but probably worth listening to if you are keen. I'd say Sahara is the better of two earlier albums. They have a new one in the works, produced by Steven Wilson from Porcupine Tree and it's supposedly coming out this year.

You might also like to try the band Hollenthon. They are less progressive, but have very wide-ranging world music influences (especially on Domus Mundi) and a lot of symphonic arrangements.

My suggestions:

Dream Theater
Symphony X
Opeth
An Endless Sporadic
Liquid Tension Experiment
Rush
Shadow Gallery
Warmen

Other than that, I'm not really sure. In Flames aren't progressive, but they're one of the most melodic metal bands I know.

It's funny that a lot of the prog bands recommended are part of the metal genre with their work. Bit of a co-incedence that metal artists are among the musicians skilled and talented enough to produce progressive work.

I'm A Torso! writes...

Bit of a co-incedence that metal artists are among the musicians skilled and talented enough to produce progressive work.

I say it all the time, yet I still get:

"Metal involves no musical skill... all you have to do is scream" - *Sigh*

Of course, there are elements of Metal that are completely separate to Progressive, but they often meld because of previous influences from both sides (Fast solos in Metal and grinding riffs in Progressive).

Loctorak writes...

"Metal involves no musical skill... all you have to do is scream" - *Sigh*

Yep, or 'involves no skill .. just write about killing people and necrophilia'

see:

youtube.com/watch?v=fc-V3NYckOI

it's true! lol

I'm A Torso! writes...

Bit of a co-incedence that metal artists are among the musicians skilled and talented enough to produce progressive work.

You don't have to be a musician to be progressive, composers can be progressive too, like Gyorgy Ligeti and Lowell Liebermann.

Yeah I mean you could play Meshuggah any day of the week.. hey?

Somehow no-one has mentioned my personal favourites:

- Queensryche
- Mr Bungle
- Nightwish

A wonderful genre full of invention, great lyrics and challenging listening. It's hard to even listen to the radio (unless the cricket is on :-)

CaptainTube writes...

- Mr Bungle +1

Les Claypool in all his incarnations:
- Primus
- Oysterhead
- Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains
- Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade
- Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel
- Sausage

I'm A Torso! writes...

Meshuggah: Progressive math metal with weird timings and beats. Very brutal and scouring without going over the top. Standout album: Chaosphere

New album out soon too :)

I'm A Torso! writes...

ee:

youtube.com/watch?v=fc-V3NYckOI

it's true! lol

Haha! That was awesome!
What a performance

THE TUSS ie aphex twin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­ !!!!!!

venetian snares - Rossz Csillag Allat Szuletett <--- only album iv heard from them, you should like it if you like aphex twin..(i think, well i do. its not like aphex twin, nothing is, if someone knows then post it!)

autechre. as above, if you like aphex twin you may like autechre. they are very different though.

not electronic.......
anything by THE MELVINS cos every album is different...and fun!

sleepytime gorilla museum - ANYTHING BY THEM seriously...check them out..do it! do it..now. i even think they are classified as progressive too!

deathspell omega - black metal that dont suck man ass!!!

yeah ok another meshuggah vote from me!
(for those meshuggah fans do yourself a favour and find an album called OBSCURA by gorguts...absolute masterpiece if you like complex music)

another MR BUNGLE vote...just get disco volante. flap the rest.

wolf eyes :)

Kreator writes...

Gorguts - "Obscura"

WTF..awsome just noticed this.
excellent album.

Cynic - "Focus"

i really hate this album. i bought this blind based on recommendations and probably my worst blind purchase ever..its crap. too much wanky solos for my liking.

theone333 writes...

deathspell omega - black metal that dont suck man ass!!!
Hell yes. "SMRC" is IMO one of the most stylish albums of the genre - the way it pulls together such variety and depth (both in concept and sound) to form a cohesive whole is incredible. While I wouldn't exactly call it progressive or experimental, it certainly is a masterpiece and a must listen for those into complex music.

i really hate this album. i bought this blind based on recommendations and probably my worst blind purchase ever..its crap. too much wanky solos for my liking.
It's not for everybody - it takes a fair amount of listening to 'get'. If you're put off by the vocals or the song structure, you're never going to get it.
Just like that Gorguts album, I guess.

theone333 writes...

another MR BUNGLE vote...just get disco volante. flap the rest.

WHAT???????

The first Bungle CD is the ultimate example of Experimental Music. You should all check it out.

BT - This Binary Universe...

Amazing album....and in 5.1 too! Nothing based solely on 4/4 and crazy rhythms, instruments and all the like...

Reviews:

"But this is something else entirely. Labels such as “ambient” or “modern classical” fit for a few seconds, then the next passage in the song blows away the last, taking any attempt to classify along with it." - Stephen Fortner in Keyboard Magazine

"This Binary Universe taps into BT's classical side, with expansive arrangements and intricate, albeit minimalist, thematic development. From the opening of "All That Makes Us Human Continues," BT reveals himself as a master of Eno-esque melancholy, as simple melodies evolve through an electro-orchestral instrumental palette. Lounge jazz with solos in the key of abstract, plaintive arpeggiated guitars, electro marches, minimalist hymns, and pastoral dreamscapes drive an album that seeks out joy and redemption, but not without traveling through the dark. The last track, "Good Morning Kaia," is a paean to his newborn daughter, and the most purely anthemic track on the disc.

BT creates an immersive space that's less sonic pinball and more audio sculpture, often revealing different aspects of his music than in the stereo mix. Each song on the DVD has a unique video that includes antique robots, surreal landscape drawings, live action fantasies, and abstract designs." - John Diliberto in Amazon.com

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Binary_Universe

^ that sounds interesting.. have to listen for myself though

I just listened to an album by The Dear Hunter, it's like an prog-indie/folk version of Pain Of Salvation... pretty good.

Ruge (in Pog form) writes...

BT - This Binary Universe...

Amazing album....and in 5.1 too! Nothing based solely on 4/4 and crazy rhythms, instruments and all the like...

I've had this bookmarked for over a month now, never grabbed it because I never knew exactly what it was. All I kept hearing was that it is really good.

Shall listen to it asap. Thanks for posting a review.

Just throwing it out there - check out www.screamingsymphony.com (prog/power radio - located in Melbourne but the shows are available online too). We're on Thursday nights on 106.7 PBS-FM from 10pm.

We're been on-air for 9 years now playing progressive and power metal (no death vocals though - only the clean stuff; there's enough programmes out there playing the heavier side of metal).

Interviews with Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon), Tobi Sammet (Avantastia/Edguy) and Michael Weikath (Helloween) coming up.

Planet X
Symphony X
Dream Theater
Virgil Donati - On the Virg

Tool =]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Mogwai
M83
Battles
Isis

Though most of the above would probably be pigeon-holed as "post-rock", prog-rocks half brother :)

A bit late on the topic, but I love some of the bands already posted on here, especially the musical grandmasters Tool, Nevermore, Dream Theater and Opeth.

Others, a bit more rock than metal, but awesome bands imho are:
- Three: certainly there new album 'the end has begun' is incredible
- Riverside: all albums really, but Second Life Syndrome tops it
- Sylvan: a german band, a mix of pink floyd and anathema with great vocals and melodies - the albums 'Posthumous Silence' and 'Presets' are full of instant classics

Not progressive rock at all but some good old classic hard rock: Alter Bridge. Awesome new album.

Cheers!

I'm a big fan of Dream Theater and Opeth, as apparently 80% of other people are in this thread. If you don't mind a bit of metalcore influence, you should also listen to Between the Buried and Me - Colors.

A couple of maybe less known ones:
Agalloch - genre is according to wikipedia:"Folk metal, Black metal, Doom metal, Neofolk, Post-Rock", so you can tell they're something different.

Ikuinen Kaamos: Really great but unpopular Finnish prog death metal with a bit of black influence, Opeth influenced but still really different. Listen to their songs on www.myspace.com/ikuinenkaamos . I really recommend these guys, they're great.

Also can't beat prog rock, bands like Porcupine Tree, Pink Floyd (obviously), Jethro Tull, Oldfield's Tubular Bells (probably more experimental than prog).

thread needs more RUSH

timeless writes...

thread needs more RUSH

Very good band, that. I'm not sure about you (and maybe I've just not listened to enough Rush), but I don't feel their music is quite as accessible as some other bands.

Not sure why that is - they are a brilliant band and I acknowledge that, but I'd listen to Dream Theater or Opeth other Rush any day.

Loctorak writes...

but I'd listen to Dream Theater or Opeth other Rush any day.

as would i for the first half :-)

i guess it depends which rush you talk about. their albums have been quite different over the years, and some of the more run of the mill rock stuff hasn't ever grabbed me, but some of it has. albums like Grace Under Pressure are quite accessible, and they've always had a stable of extremely popular and successful tracks which i would say are quite accessible (Spirit of Radio, Tom Sawyer, Distant Early Warning, Closer to the Heart)

however certainly stuff like 2112, Cygnus X-1 Book I&II, Jacob's Ladder, By-Tor and the Snow Dog, and The Camera Eye are a bit less accessible. i would say geddy's vocals have a bit to do with that, they really turn off a lot of people i know

but after their very experimental stage which probably ended with Moving Pictures, their style changed pretty drastically

not that i don't like opeth. i love ghost reveries and am getting into them a bit, i just love Rush more :)

timeless writes...

i would say geddy's vocals have a bit to do with that, they really turn off a lot of people i know

I think that's what it is. I only really listen to their instrumental stuff (I'm a sucker for YYZ). Not too interested in the vocal part.

I guess it's the same with LaBrie and people not liking Dream Theater so much. :)

I dunno how you can not mind LaBrie's vocals but not like Geddy's - they're just as poxy as each other, however Rush are simply awesome and Geddy's early singing was actually pretty good. 2112.

Without Rush and Zappa there'd be no Dream Theater, without Zappa Opeth would be just another boring metal band all the time instead of only 3/4 of the time.

Oh and Tool and Cog are prog-lite.

considering that they sound very different, i can completely understand why you would like one but not the other.

nudge writes...

Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Mogwai
M83
Battles
Isis

Though most of the above would probably be pigeon-holed as "post-rock", prog-rocks half brother :)

GY!BE and Isis are both excellent bands.

Dzerzhinsky writes...

- Aphex Twin

Good choice. Have you heard the Windowlicker stuff? Best song.

Arab on Radar is pretty cool progressive/alternative rock.

There's some pretty cool Avant-garde metal/rock out there, I don't know any band names off the top of my head though.