Recommendations for Phil!

The Flower Kings

The Spacious Mind!

http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_BAN D.asp?band_id=1076

Ok, some bands that are 'modern'.

Well, if you are looking for somethng heavy, I highly recomend the new Opeth album Ghost Reveries.  It is probably their best album yet.  It won't hit stores for another week or two (I got a promo copy from Roadrunner Records, thats why I have it.)  Now, I must warn you, Opeth is a Progressive Death Metal band, so if you have never heard them, or real death metal, it might be a shock at first.  But like all prog, you need to keep listening.  The death metal vocals come on really strong in the begining, but after two minutes Mikael Åkerfeldt begins to use his melodic, softer voice to sing with.  Just remember, back in the 1960's & 1970's hearing some of the music from Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd was shocking.  If you like it, I recomend their albums Blackwater Park, Deliverance, and Damnation (a soft album with no death metal).

If you want another interesting and fresh sound, Evergrey, another Swedish Progressive Metal band might have what you want.  I see them as the new Queensryche.  Their interesting mix of power metal style guitars and progressive song writing with darker thought provoking lyrics and strong albums make them one of the top acts in modern progressive metal.  A personal favorite band of mine.

Now another Sweedish Progressive Metal band that are more along the lines of King Crimson is Pain Of Salvation.  Daniel Gildenlow is one of the top musical minds in the world right now.  Their special blend of progressive art rock/metal has changed the face of prog metal.  With each album being a differnt sound and feeling, it is hard to pick a favorite album, let alone a best production, but the albums Remedy Lane and The Perfect Element pt.1 are highly recomend, but their boldest album is 2004's BE.

The Fourth, and final band I suggest is Ayreon.  Arjen Anthony Lucassen is a Dutch genius when it comes to music.  His albums are concept rock opera's filled with an onslaught of musical talent.  His most recient album The Human Equation is probably the best, with the vocal talents of James LaBrie (Dream Theater/solo), Devon Graves (Dead Soul Tribe/Psycotic Waltz), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad/solo), Eric Clayton (Savior Machine), Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth/Bloodbath), Magnus Ekwall (The Quills), Heather Findlay (Mostly Autaum), Irene Jansen (Karma/Star One), Marcela Bovio (Stream Of Passion), and Mike Baker (Shadow Gallery).  Plus he has had such names as Bruce Dickenson (Iron Maiden/solo), Neal Morse (Spock's Beard/TransAtlantic) and Fish (Marrilion/solo).