Prog Metal: Organizing the categories

Progzilla wrote: Then to the fusion section... This is not a strong area for me but I'd like to comment. After some contemplation, I find it fits quite nicely with the bands in extremely technical metal section. But what bands should be there? Planet X - yes, Marty Friedman - hmmm..., Niacin - no. I don't see any metal relation in Niacin. How can a band be prog metal without a guitarist?

I removed Niacin ... they are also discussed on metal websites, but I see your point about the guitars. But Metal is also a drums and songwriting thing ... I do believe that Metal is possible without guitats, but Niacin are not a strong case for that.

 

MikeEnRegalia wrote: Progzilla wrote: Then to the fusion section... This is not a strong area for me but I'd like to comment. After some contemplation, I find it fits quite nicely with the bands in extremely technical metal section. But what bands should be there? Planet X - yes, Marty Friedman - hmmm..., Niacin - no. I don't see any metal relation in Niacin. How can a band be prog metal without a guitarist? I removed Niacin ... they are also discussed on metal websites, but I see your point about the guitars. But Metal is also a drums and songwriting thing ... I do believe that Metal is possible without guitats, but Niacin are not a strong case for that.

Just because a band doesn't have a guitarist doesn't mean they aren't prog metal.

But removing Niacin is a good choice Mike,while they are a great band(especially drum GOD Dennis Chambers),they are more straight forward jazz-fusion and not really metal at all.

TheProgtologist wrote: Mike..Space Odyssey is a Richard Andersson project and is very similar to Time Requiem.

Thanks for reminding me ... added to Power.

MikeEnRegalia wrote: About Leviathan: Are you sure they're neo? There are two different bands named Leviathan ...

Sry, I didn't know it, there are actually 3 bands called leviathan and 1 black metal band also called Leviathan


Edited by W.Chuck

This has to be the biggest thread ever in the prog music lounge

Progzilla wrote: Ok, I'll move it. I don't think it fits in either, but if we look at the earlier albums it's definately black. Thanks.

Aspera Hiems Symfonia is a black metal album, and some of the influences are definitely there on their prog albums as well.

Mike iv just seen the list, it looks great and i thoughroly agree with the new recagorizing of symphonic with the three sub sections. Im also happy with were Dream Theater are now although i still think that they are closer to symphonic than neo but it dosent matter now.

BTW: dident you say that you wanted to keep it to only three sub genres.

Also id like to point out to those that claim that prog metal should get its own site,  it says Prog Archives at the top not Prog Rock Archives, although the motto coulddo with changing, any tackers?

MikeEnRegalia wrote: sleeper: I think that 3 genres may not be enough - however with my current concept we could still put Epic, Experimental and Extreme together in one genre. It would just be a little "crammed", with huge differences between the bands. We can wait until the last moment with that decision ...   I will definitely not introduce any more main categories - these 5 are as good as it gets IMO. The splits I made at the next level show that too many questions arise - is a band fusion or experimental, gothic or doom, orchestral or power ... Tonight I will also publish a chart with only the bands which are currently in the archives. I will continue to maintain the table with many additional bands too, and in the development of the categories these additional artist were also helpful, because they showed how flexible the categories are.

Oh Thank God! i was about to suggest that you start weeding out the bands that arent in the archives and those that never will, Cradle Of Filth for instance. 

MikeEnRegalia wrote: sleeper: I think that 3 genres may not be enough - however with my current concept we could still put Epic, Experimental and Extreme together in one genre. It would just be a little "crammed", with huge differences between the bands. We can wait until the last moment with that decision ...   I will definitely not introduce any more main categories - these 5 are as good as it gets IMO. The splits I made at the next level show that too many questions arise - is a band fusion or experimental, gothic or doom, orchestral or power ...

I've also been thinking about ways to combine the categories into 3 or 4. I would definitely keep the extreme category, because the black and death infuences are quite prominent and make them very different from symphonic and power metal bands. For example, the epic and experimental categories could be dissolved by broadening the power metal into heavy (adding epic/space, technical, and avant-garde) and broadening the extreme category with more traditional metal like doom/dark and gothic. But it helps to categorize the details to see the big picture. And I agree, there's no rush what so ever!


Edited by Progzilla

sleeper wrote: I do have one question Mike, When are you thinking of implementing this restructuring of Prog metal?

It depends on several things:

• The categories should be stable ... not perfect, but there should not be major inconsistencies.
• Most of the bands should be properly categorised ... this also doesn't have to be perfect.
• We have to decide how many new categories we use.
• The genre descriptions have to be written ...
• The admins have to give their feedback, which might take some time.

I think that we need another week or two until the categories and bands are stable ... right now there are some bands which need a little more thinking. If so, I guess it will take at least one more week for the admins to create new genres, and then I'll move the bands.

But I will announce any definite decisions or deadlines, don't worry.