Heavy Prog ... huh ?

While at first confusing to those used to the old"Art Rock", the new genres will give people who are reading about the band without ever hearing the band a much better idea of the group's sound and style.  I am in full support of the changes.

BaldJean wrote: High Tide are the perfect example for "heavy prog"

100% agreed.. and they are there indeed. There was talk of moving them to Proto, but I would've keenly disagreed with such a move. "Sea Shanties"in particular is a real blueprint for all things heavy in prog.

I only got to listen to the Shakhti albums from the whole Indo/Raga, but they're great and an excellent addition to the site. 

No, Uriah Heep were in Art-Rock before. 

Not that I know of... Proto-Prog means before 1969, and UH released their most important prog albums after that date.

Heavy Prog

Heavy Prog defines progressive rock music that draws as much influence from hard rock as it does from classic progressive rock. In simple terms, it is a marriage of the guitar-based heavy blues of the late 1960s and 1970s - artists such as Cream, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath - and the progressive/symphonic movement represented by King Crimson, Yes and Genesis.

The electric guitar, amplified to produce distortion (or 'overdrive') is a crucial element, providing the 'heavy' tone required for this aggressive style, and later for the British and North American heavy metal of the late 1970s and 80s. The primary rock format of drums, bass and guitar with keys and/or vocals on top is represented strongly in heavy prog. The presence of the Hammond organ with its deep, intense rumble was also common among harder progressive groups such as ATOMIC ROOSTER. Although certain other acts, such as King Crimson and Jethro Tull, utilize a heavy guitar, bass and keyboard sound, the bulk of their work over the years puts them in a different category.

Bands that represent Heavy Prog would include ATOMIC ROOSTER, URIAH HEEP, TEMPEST, BLACK WIDOW, DR. Z, RUSH, WARHORSE, PAATOS, BIRTH CONTROL, TILES.





Edited by Atavachron - September 23 2007 at 03:19

This is confusing me, too. There are some artists that I've always considered as symphonic prog, who are now labeled something else. And what is heavy prog, anyway?

In response to the genres:
Krautrock: Anybody who says that that Kraut should not be a category on the site has not heard any krautrock.  The genre contains some of the most unique music on the site, and nearly every band in the genre would not remotely fit into any of the other genres on the site.

Canterbury: Though Canterbury could feasibly fit in Fusion, bands like GonG and Caravan would be poor fits with Area, Mahavishnu, and the like.

Italian Sympho: I can't agree more with anybody who says this just belongs in regular sympho.  I don't care if the technical term is IPS or whatever, it's simply symphonic prog that happens to come from Italy.  Japan has an equally unique RIO scene, but nobody wants to see it split from the rest of RIO. 

Zeuhl: I think that Zeuhl is different enough from the rest of the Avant/RIO category to deserve its own group.  Zeuhl is a very unique sound, and putting them in with RIO would make it very much harder for fans who discover Magma to also discover other French Zeuhlers like Eskaton and Dun and also the Japanese scene, with bands like Ruins and Bondage Fruit. 

Indo-Prog: I don't think anybody really cares. 


Edited by rileydog22 - September 22 2007 at 22:46

micky wrote: somes thoughts on some points raised... first off the one closest to my heart.. hahah.. . ISP is not a symphonic genre... it is a genre for the Italian Progressive Rock movement. otherwise known as RPI.  It has not been renamed yet on the main page.. .so all can rest your minds a bit easier. DB breathes easy - Woo, I thought RPI might be RIP for a while ... Canterbury is a historical genre of sorts..  a well known scene centered around it..... could it be merged in Jazz-Rock...  the better question is ....why would we want to.  DB - Historical, yes, kinda funny smelling, too ... No thoughts on Indo Prog... could care less and apparantly most posters could either. DB asks - Indo what ? (many nod their heads going WHA ? As far as Krautrock... why would German's be offended by it...  I figure most of them have enough sense... unlike some.. to realize an insult from a  label.   DB suggests - QProg - Quebec prog, it seems to share a basic set of musical values, is an insular scene, or was ; and considering that they (Quebecers) like to separate themselves from just about everything, why not pander to them & say RPI, RPQ, then.

Sckxyss wrote: Slartibartfast wrote: I would like to take this opportunity to rant about some of the other sub-genres.   Canterbury Scene?  Do the British really need a scene of their own? Agree DB's two cents - CAN'T we BURY this genre Indo-Prog/Raga Rock,  fairly self explanitory, but how come the Chinese don't get their own category? meh DB adds - how about canuckprog or idiot-prog/raggy prog Italian Symphonic Prog?  Get back in with the rest of Symphonic Prog. Agree 1000% Krautrock?  Are there any Germans offended by that term?  And what is it doing here really? It's a very unique sound that many enjoy.. let it be DB says - SYmphonic all together in one, as many groups have many sounds , Italian or not Prog Metal?  Aren't those two terms contradictory? haha.. can't say I agree there DB resents the innuendo, recognises the snobbishness And Zeuhl, Zeuhl? Zeuhl?  Whaaaaaaaaaa? Love it, but it could be thrown in with avant easily enough DB - why bother, it's not that big a deal to begin with   Hey, I'm a wise guy and some folks might consider me a bit of a fungi. Fungi Indeed.... ? DB - Are you williing to Backter Ya words up

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"in quotes" "in Quotes"


Edited by debrewguy - September 22 2007 at 13:13