Modern prog

Is there anyone else here who prefers the modern wave of prog music (say, 1989-present->) to the so-called "classic" era of the 70s? The music of bands like Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree and Spock's Beard just does more for me than Yes, Genesis, ELP et al. Maybe it's because I wasn't around during that era, but still, I am proud to have a progressive era of MY time, to call my own, and I firmly believe we are in a new Golden Age of progressive rock.

I like both old and new prog but right now I am trying to listen to as much new prog as possible.
The reason why I became interested in prog in the first place was because I was really disillusioned with the commercial music.

I agree with the original post, and I'm glad I'm not the only one who speaks this opinion. I do think we are in a golden age of not only progressive music but of music production in general, so much music is being made and released each day. Modern bands have always done more for me than the "classics", and while I appreciate Foxtrot and Pawn Hearts as much as the next guy (or maybe... the normal prog fan..)I much rather listen to amazing music from the likes of The Mars Volta and whatnot.

I may not be the biggest fan of the bands like Dream Theater and Spocks Beard but overall I agree with your statements and am glad you posted this

Although I disagree about Spock's Beard, and all of those modern symph bands. They just sound as if they're trying to exist in the 70's and that does nothing for me. Transatlantic are mind-blowingly awful.

My love of the modern is probably equal to the classic era. The number of great avant bands continues to grow and I find I buy as much new as old stuff. It's a balance with me. Amongst my favorite modern bands are 

It's a totally even split for me. I don't care in what year an album is made or a particular band is active. If it's good, I'll love it. My top 3 albums are Red, Godbluff, and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, but an album could come out tomorrow, or next year, or ten years from now that could easily replace any of them. And I'm totally okay with that. I won't stop liking them by any stretch of the imagination. They'll just be joined by a new classic made several decades later.

To strengthen the point, my current 4th and 5th place albums are Ghost Reveries by Opeth (2005) and Unfolded Like Staircase by Discipline (1997), and I champion those albums in a most annoying fashion every chance I get 

^Nice inclusion of that iamthemorning track. I love that one, and the album as a whole 

I can't say that I prefer the new prog over the old prog but I'll take the new prog over the newer pop stuff any day. Being a teen in the eighties I was caught between two worlds. I suppose many folks my age have never discovered the new prog because they somehow weren't exposed to the old prog so I suppose most prog fans are either over 50 or under 30. I'm not sure but sometimes it seems that way. I was fortunate to be able to discover prog at a time when it was very underground and not active in a commercial way or a way where people could easily discover it. I still favor the bands who got me into the genre in the first place such as YES, King Crimson, ELP, Genesis, Pink Floyd, RUSH etc.

Errmm there is absolutely nothing around now that can get close to an album like Aphrodite's Child 666 that was initially even rejected by the record company as too 'out there'. 1969-1972 was a massive time for experimentation. 1972 to the present day represents the settled prog era as far as I'm concerned as the style and ideas in use (the 'genre') was pretty much set from that point on and the only innovation since has been the morphing of metal bands into prog bands by playing longer tracks rather than radio fodder. Neo Prog is just a less adventurous form of symph prog. Nowadays I think there is more taste for heavy prog as best represented by Porcupine Tree. Is it better? No but its different. I would consider Deadwing to be the only modern classic prog album. Beyond that there is not so much for me that can butt heads with the ELP/Genesis/ Yes classic era although Anathema have produced a couple of very nice albums recently that are not far off.

I too, am currently indulging in lots of modern Prog, simply put, the production values lift the music to incredible heights. When I re-visit old 'classics', as incredible as they are, they are sounding 'old' - still very dear to me, but I can really appreciate the freshness and vibrancy of modern Prog.