Give Some Recommendations to a Prog Dabbler!
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=69130
Printed Date: November 23 2024 at 02:13
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Give Some Recommendations to a Prog Dabbler!
Posted By: 40footwolf
Subject: Give Some Recommendations to a Prog Dabbler!
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 03:19
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Hey guys. I'm pretty new here, and while I know a lot more about prog than the average guy on the street, my knowledge probably pales in comparison to most of you guys. So I was wondering if you guys could help me out with some recommendations based on my tastes! I come here every so often and look at the lists and who's trending in the top 40 for some good recs, but I feel like something more focused might work well, too. First, here are my 10 favorite progressive rock and metal albums, to get an idea: 1. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway-Genesis 2. Red-King Crimson 3. Traced in Air-Cynic 4. Lateralus-Tool 5. Wish You Were Here-Pink Floyd 6. Melt-Peter Gabriel 7. Crack the Skye-Mastodon 8. Still Life-Opeth 9. Fragile-Yes 10. 666-Aphrodite's Child Some other prog albums I like are: Milliontown-Frost* Hall of the Mountain Grill-Hawkwind Brain Salad Surgery-Emerson, Lake and Palmer The Bedlam in Goliath-The Mars Volta Tubular Bells-Mike Oldfield Deadwing-Porcupine Tree Breakfast in America-Supertramp Nothingface-Voivod Awake-Dream Theater The Sound of Perseverance-Death Death Walks Behind You-Atomic Rooster Some prog albums I've been thinking of checking out: Ocean-Eloy Phantasmagoria-Curved Air Ashes are Burning-Renaissance Osiris-Osiris With all that in mind, I'd really like to know what you think I should go for next. (Keep in mind that I don't actually like Rush and am generally not a fan of Dream Theater-sorry!) Thanks so much for your help.
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Replies:
Posted By: Takeshi Kovacs
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 04:13
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Why not try checking out the top few albums in each of the prog sub-genres on here. It might give you a wider perspective on things, as I notice you haven't mentioned any Italian bands, or any jazz rock / fusion for example. I do this occasionally, and sometimes unearth some gems. Another idea might be to nip onto LastFM.com, and try starting up a radio station with the name of one of the bands you like, and then it will automatically play music of a similar nature for you, and you might pick up something useful that way. Specific recommendations: Si Partie 1 - Nemo Unfolded Like Staircase - Discipline Conquest of the Pacific - Oaksenham Doomsday Afternoon - Phideaux 4th - D.F.A. Starborn, Tome I - The Chronicles Of Israfel -------------  Open the gates of the city wide....
Check out my music taste: http://www.last.fm/user/TakeshiKovacs/ |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 06:57
How about quit dabbling and become a full fledged prog freak?  The Discipline and Phideaux albums are excellent recommendations. In fact Phideaux visits the forum on occasion and was the one who recommended Discipline to me. Some off the beaten path: Talisma - Chromium Shadowfax - Watercourse Way The Reasoning - Dark Angel ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: J-Man
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 08:49
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First off, if you like Opeth you NEED to check out Edge of Sanity. If you like the heavier (yet still melodic) side of Opeth, Edge of Sanity should appeal to you. There aren't as many acoustic sections, but their music is firmly rooted in Swedish melodic death metal mixed with prog influences (like Opeth). They are led by Dan Swanö (who produced the first 2 Opeth albums). I recommend starting with Crimson, and if you like that get the other Edge of Sanity albums and explore the rest of Swanö's extensive bands and projects (Nightingale, Pan.Thy.Monium, Unicorn, Second Sky, Bloodbath, Infestdead, etc.). If you like Cynic and Death, also check out Atheist and Pestilence, both of which play a death metal/prog fusion similar to Cynic. From Atheist start with Unquestionable Presence and Pestilence start with Spheres. Also on the metal side of the equation, you need to check out Pain of Salvation. They mostly lead toward the prog rock side, and have created some of the most beautiful (and best) music I have ever heard. All of their albums are fantastic, but The Perfect Element and Be are the two best IMO. However, you can't really go wrong with any of their albums. Of course, there's also bands like Fates Warning, Symphony X, Queensr˙che, Dream Theater, Ayreon, Riverside, and Shadow Gallery that every prog metal fan should hear as well. As for the more symphonic stuff (Yes and Genesis), there are plenty of modern bands that play in a similar style that are worth checking out as well. I recommend checking out Spock's Beard, which plays in a retro prog style with an original feel. Their first 6 albums with Neal Morse are all fantastic, and their newest album, X, is pretty great as well. The solo Neal Morse albums are also worth checking out. Hope this helps! Jeff ------------- 
Check out my YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/user/demiseoftime |
Posted By: PhideauxFan
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 09:21
Very good albums!  I add Astray by Matthew Parmenter. |
Slartibartfast wrote:Posted By: Takeshi Kovacs
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 10:01
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Yes, Astray is excellent, in particular the opener, Now. I like it a lot more than Horror Express.
------------- Open the gates of the city wide....
Check out my music taste: http://www.last.fm/user/TakeshiKovacs/ |
Posted By: PhideauxFan
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 10:08
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In prog metal: Shadow Gallery-Room V and Vanden Plas: The God Thing. Prog rock opera: Ayreon-Into The Electric Castle and The Dream Sequencer. |
Posted By: Proletariat
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 10:25
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I would recomend trying the post-rock side of things. because you love Tool I would recomend starting with Isis, in particular start with In The Absence Of Truth.
If you have not tried Van Der Graff Generator I suggest you do as well, especially because you rate Red so highly. My personal favorite of theirs is Pawn Hearts
I also think you might enjoy Between the Buried and Me. To me they seem to be in the same corner as Mastadon though I think many might disagree. For them start with Colors.
For somthing a little Mars Volta sounding try Theres No 666 In Outer Space by Hella. Try to start with that album in particular or else their music may come as a bit of a shock to you. ------------- who hiccuped endlessly trying to giggle but wound up with a sob |
Posted By: The Monodrone
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 10:33
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I recommend the first two albums by the Mars Volta, since you enjoy The Bedlam in Goliath. Their first two albums, chronologically, are De-loused in the Comatorium and Frances the Mute. Two extremely great albums.
As for Porcupine Tree, definitely make sure you check out The Sky Moves Sideways, Lightbulb Sun, In Absentia and Fear of a Blank Planet.
Opeth: I absolutely love their newest album, Watershed. It's a bit more accessible than their past albums, yet highly enjoyable. I'd give it a 4.25 out of 5.
I'm not sure about your feelings on the band Van der Graaf Generator, but Godbluff is a masterpiece of music, and a must if you like the band. I haven't heard Pawn Hearts, but, based on reviews, I also suggest this album (I also need to get it soon). -------------  
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Posted By: lazland
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 14:15
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I'd repeat an earlier suggestion by going to the top albums in each sub genre and going through reviews and choose from there. From the look of your opening post, you seem to have a wide range of tastes, so this should be the starting point. On a specific artist, if you like Oldfield' Tubular Bells, definitely check out TB II & III, Crises, Anarok, and move on from there. ------------- Enhance your life. Get down to www.lazland.org Now also broadcasting on www.progzilla.com Every Saturday, 4.00 p.m. UK time! |
Posted By: VanVanVan
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 14:30
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I'll duplicate a few suggestions and add some of my own: Amarok-Mike Oldfield Number 7-Phideaux Colors-Between the Buried and Me- If you like complex death metal with some softer sections you should LOVE this. The Human Equation-Ayreon And if you don't have Opeth's Blackwater Park then that is another stellar album to get. ------------- "The meaning of life is to give life meaning."-Arjen Lucassen |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 18:19
 I need to check Parmenter and Discipline out further since I liked The Unfolded one so much. By the way, I'm by no means an expert in this genre, but in post rock, try Maserati before Explosions. Another really good instrumental album, if you want to try something different, is Jonas Hellborg's Art Metal. Knifeworld's Tales Of Crushing Defeat is really good and might work for you, I'm the only one to review it so far, so you'll have only my opinion to go on. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: The Truth
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 18:33
If you like The Lamb, you'd probably like Peter Gabriel's solo output. Also, as VanVanVan said, Number Seven by Phideaux. It's a masterpiece.  ------------- http://blindpoetrecords.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: Triceratopsoil
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 19:34
           That should just about do you. |
Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 20:23
^ You forgot to base your recommendations on his tastes. We don't want to scare him off yet with all the good stuff, do we? 
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 20:42
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Posted By: The Truth
Date Posted: July 12 2010 at 21:43
Pablo has pretty much got you covered he's like a prog insurence company  (Sadly, they have that)------------- http://blindpoetrecords.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: July 13 2010 at 01:51
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I'm pleased to see Aphrodites Child 666 on your list (although the rest are not bad!)
Other albums from that period featuring Vangelis include Earth and The Dragon both of which are worth a go.Beyond that I can recommend other Vangelis albums that are more electronic based: Albedo 0.39 and Spiral.
If you are thinking of checking out Eloy then great! Everything they did up to about Performance is worth getting although I tend to think Ocean is a bit overated. As a starter I would recommend Eloy Live which is a good chunky album extremely well recorded and features quite a bit of the Ocean album.
If you like ELP and symphonic prog then I strongly recommend Par Lindh Project. Anything you can get hold of by them is good. Ideally start with Gothic Impressions.
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Posted By: PhideauxFan
Date Posted: July 13 2010 at 04:30
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Par Lindh Project: Mundus Incompertus. Anekdoten: From Within. Anglagard: Hybris and Epilog. |
Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: July 13 2010 at 15:19
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