"Prog Goes Metal" vs. "Metal Goes Prog"

Anthony H. wrote: While listening to various progressive metal bands, I've noticed two distinct sub-types within the genre: 1) Progressive rock meets metal (Dream Theater, Pain of Salvation, Ayreon, Riverside) 2) Metal meets progressive rock (Symphony X, Psychotic Waltz, Shadow Gallery, Pagan's Mind) I consider both equally progressive. Who else thinks this is a valid way of looking at the genre?

Edited by moshkito - August 23 2010 at 18:44

The way I look at it rather simple.

Prog/Tech/Experimental Metal bands/artists take progressive rock influences, and apply them to metal influences. The resulting music is a fusion of such styles. There's not one single true arbiter of influence, they are as varied as the base prog/experimental music itself.

Yeah, I think the "VS" in the name of the thread is bad. This is music, why there should be an antagonism or fight. Metalheads love prog metal, Progfreaks love prog metal... is always a win...

Triceratopsoil wrote: You've got it backwards; they're not less progressive, just more metal

Very much agreement.

Triceratopsoil wrote: Tsevir Leirbag wrote: Anthony H. wrote: 2) Metal meets progressive rock (Symphony X, Psychotic Waltz, Shadow Gallery, Pagan's Mind)   They all seem more progressive to me. Metal meets progressive rock would most likely be post-Human Death, Portal, Opeth, Edge of Sanity, Atheist, Negura Bunget or Cynic... Meshuggah, Gorguts

So just because these bands are more extreme than traditional prog metal acts, it means they aren't as progressive?

Therein lies the problem with this entire concept. The bands mentioned are progressive death metal. Because they are progressive death metal, does that make them any less "prog"? I don't think so.

With Death and Atheist this is somewhat true (they are first and foremost death/thrash bands), but the others are either pure progressive death metal or progressive black metal.

Anthony H. wrote: 2) Metal meets progressive rock (Symphony X, Psychotic Waltz, Shadow Gallery, Pagan's Mind)

 

Anthony H. wrote: While listening to various progressive metal bands, I've noticed two distinct sub-types within the genre: 1) Progressive rock meets metal (Dream Theater, Pain of Salvation, Ayreon, Riverside) 2) Metal meets progressive rock (Symphony X, Psychotic Waltz, Shadow Gallery, Pagan's Mind) I consider both equally progressive. Who else thinks this is a valid way of looking at the genre?

Well, it's somewhat valid, but very vague. Also keep in mind that you've only mentioned traditional prog metal bands there. You're completely forgetting about the prog incarnations of death metal, black metal, avant metal, industrial metal, doom metal, folk metal, goth metal, etc. etc. etc...

It's valid when you're saying something like "this band is first and foremost a metal band, but they have quite a few prog influences" or vice versa. Otherwise, it's a pretty poor way of describing a band IMO.

harmonium.ro wrote: There's also "extreme metal guys go avantgarde" or "black metal guys add folk instruments to their sh*t"

word

i find the first (prog meets metal) to be more prog, complex, fluent and balanced
while i find the second (metal meets prog) too metal-ish, with some prog influences

anyway, i really like both genres, and none is better than the other.

harmonium.ro wrote: There's also "extreme metal guys go avantgarde" or "black metal guys add folk instruments to their sh*t"

Maybe it's too late at night, but I found that hilarious!