Favorite "unknown" symphonic bands - Progressive Rock Music Forum

Greenslade
Gryphon (no idea why they are filed under "Prog Folk"; they clearly belong into "Symphonic". the use of unusual instruments like krumhorn or bassoon does not make a band "folky")
Hoelderlin (filed under "Prog Folk", but they belong into "Symphonic" too. only their first album has a folky attitude)
Khan

A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta

Not quite sure what the criteria should be for "unknown", but some of my favourites among the - shall we say - "lesser-known" bands are:

Druid

Flamborough Head

Rain

Fruupp

XII Alfonso

Mind Sky

Trion

"We did it....you and me! Put him right under the table!"

Maneige!!! "Les Porches" one the best symphonic albums of the 70's!

carefulwiththataxe

eugene wrote:

Maneige!!! "Les Porches" one the best symphonic albums of the 70's!

...and he took my words right from my mouth

also:

DISCIPLINE

PULSAR
FRUUPP
TAI PHONG
THE WATCH
LOCANDA DELLE FATE
early KAIPA
GNIDROLOG
SINKADUS
IL TRONO DEL RICORDI
CLEARLIGHT
...

1. Cressida.
Their flawless, mild and pleasant second and last album 'Asylum' sold only 800 ex. when it was released in '71. It makes me sad thinking about it. Please get this forgotten classic.

2. Schicke Führs & Fröhling.
Listen to these germans and out where Anglagard got their sound from.

3. Shylock
Not many people know this instrumental, spacey, symphonic french band. The title track 'Il de fievres' is one of my favorite instrumentals.

If Gnidrolog wasn't placed in art rock, I'd add them too. And then there's all the countless lesser known italianprog bands.

Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me

Orez17 wrote:

Ahvak

Ahvak is RIO/Avant-prog

Norm Cash wrote:

Rain

Good band

I'll add the Enid and Sky, many I know have already been mentioned.

"Art is not imitation, nor is it something manufactured according to the wishes of instinct or good taste. It is a process of expression."

-Merleau-Ponty

Just curious, is the sample of Proto-Kaw here on PA representative? It's not as rawky-awful as Kansas, but it's really more jammy than Symphonic.

cuncuna wrote:

This Heat, The camberwell now, Animal Collective, CONGRESO, News from Babel, The underground Railroad, Halloween, Pentwater (YES wannabes; still, more original than those horrible Starcastle), errr... so many... Disco Inferno, Miriodor...

This Heat and Camberwell Now, symphonic, I don't think so.... Confused

"Art is not imitation, nor is it something manufactured according to the wishes of instinct or good taste. It is a process of expression."

-Merleau-Ponty

Teaflax wrote:

Just curious, is the sample of Proto-Kaw here on PA representative? It's not as rawky-awful as Kansas, but it's really more jammy than Symphonic.

^ They vary from song to song but the main theme is Symphonic. I think no matter what style he goes into Kerry Livgren always comes back to symph. He writes songs mainly with piano so that pretty much dictates the style a lot of times. The guitar written songs like Carry On My Wayward Son from Kansas or from Proto-Kaw Melicus Galdiator tend to be on a heavier edge and simpler in nature. The jammy parts are really when they play live and it is that which really separates P-K from Kansas. They play Belexis and Death of Mother Nature Suite in their set but they are a lot different than the way Kansas would have played them. They extend almost every song they play. The bass player and keyboard player are incredible live. Their main influences are Jaco Pastorius and Brian Auger so it isn't your usual prog sounds that come from them. VDGG and Frank Zappa are also big influences on the rest of the group. They are also most definitely an American band as was Kansas so expect some of that in the music too.

"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?"