Suggested Sub-Genre: New Prog

Upon browsing the Prog Archivse I've discovered a lot of my favourite bands, but not all of them in the genre I'd expect. Many of these bands are lumped in with Prog-Related, which to be honest could be virtually anything that escapes the constrains of pop structure. Others are labelled in Crossover Prog; one example I saw on this sub-forum recently is Dead Letter Circus - an inherently New Prog band, or alternative rock band with progressive tendencies, that come from a tradition of bands such as Radiohead rather than Rush. The Australian rock scene in particular are spawning a lot of these 'alternative' bands that may take influence from as far as post-rock to nu metal e.g. Karnivool, Cog, The Butterfly Effect and so on.

In fact a good portion of what I'd listen to is a sub-genre that's emerged in recent years could be called New Prog. A good description would be thus:

New Prog is not to be confused with 80s Neo-Prog, which is strongly influenced by Symphonic Rock. New Prog is a relatively new sub-genre of Progressive Rock, which combines elements of traditional Progressive Rock with more recent styles of music such as Alternative Rock, Post-Hardcore, and Post-Rock. This list includes New Prog bands, a few modern Art Rock bands with similar influences, as well as a few bordline bands that may be enjoyed by fans of New Prog. This list does not include new bands that play purely 70s Progressive Rock, it also does not include bands that are purely Progressive Metal.

In a personal sense, bands today that are just making 20 minute songs about hobbits with extended overblown guitar solos don't tend to interest me. Progressive music has evolved, and in terms of the mainstream, very much disappeared over the course of the 80s and 90s. However a new wave of progressive bands have been gaining more mainstream attention, influenced more by the likes of Radiohead, Tool and Sigur Rós than the likes of Genesis and Yes. These bands tend to be bracketed as alternative rock bands because the length of their songs might not be long, they do focus on a good pop melody and in many cases seem to have songs that sound not dissimilar to the mainstream rock bands of today.

However these bands become so popular for a reason. Some focus highly on dynamics (Biffy Clyro), others on time signatures (Oceansize) etc.

Many may confuse this genre with "Neo-Prog", the genre from the 80s, and many may just use the term to describe any modern progressive band. However I think it's important to define this is a term to describe alternative rock/post-rock bands that have a progressive aspect to their music/part of their musical DNA. Take a band like Muse, there's a definite progressive slant to what they do, and yet to call them prog-related makes them sound like they make vague passing references to it (Their latest symphony suggests this isn't the case). On the other hand we can't call them a full blown prog band like Genesis or Yes. Solution? New Prog. It's a term that's become more and more popular on messageboards and I reckon it'd be a useful addition to the site, particular for listeners of this style of music such as myself.

Of course, this is just a suggestion. I'd be interested to hear what the mods or whatever would make of this and whether others on here reckon this is just a load of needless rubbish.

Anyway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_prog

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/WiiAreRabbid/new_prog__progressive_rock_with_a_modern_twist/

This is a list of bands whose fanbases are labelling New Prog (I'm not this user btw but I doubt he'll be too bothered. ):

3
2		Aereogramme
3		Abigail's Ghost
4		Amplifier
5		Anathallo
6		Anathema
7		...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
8		Battles
9		Blackfield
10		Brazil
11		Canon Description: If Thom Yorke was in a traditional Progressive Rock band. Style: Traditional Progressive Rock w/Alternative Rock influences Similar Artists: Pending Website: http://www.myspace.com/canon
12		Circle
13		Cog
14		Coheed and Cambria
15		Crime in Choir Instrumental + Math Rock + Jazz Fusion + Progressive Rock + 2 former members of At the Drive-In. Are you interested yet?
16		The Dear Hunter
17		The Decemberists Description: Indie, Prog, Folk, & Chamber/Baroque Pop all thrown in a blender in different proportions depending on the album.
18		Demians
19		Doves
20		dredg
21		Dungen
22		Fair to Midland
23		The Fall of Troy If you like this artist you may also enjoy: The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Mars Volta, Protest the Hero, ...
24		The Fiery Furnaces
25		The Gathering Description: Pending Style: Doom/Goth/Progressive Metal (1995-1997), Dark Progressive Rock (1998-Present) If you like this artist you may enjoy: Anathema, ...
26		Gazpacho
27		Gospel
28		Homesick for Space
29		Indukti
30		Kaddisfly
31		Karnivool
32		The Mars Volta
33		Mew
34		Minus the Bear
35		Muse
36		Mute Math
37		Mystery Jets
38		Nosound
39		Oceansize
40		Opeth I'm sure most people reading this list have at least heard of Opeth, they play a mixture of Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, and Death Metal. What you may not know is that they released an album called Damnation that has no death growls, no Death Metal influences, or Metal really at all. It's actually a fairly mellow Progressive Rock album that may remind some people  a bit of Porcupine Tree. Even if you hate the rest of Opeth's discography and/or metal, you should give Damnation a try. Note: To call Damnation New Prog would probably be inaccurate. The reason I added it was that it’s not Traditional Prog as well as I think most New Prog fans would enjoy it.
41		OSI
42		Paatos
43		The Pineapple Thief
44		Porcupine Tree
45		Pure Reason Revolution
46		Radiohead Even though not everyone considers them to be a part of the New Prog genre, enough do to warrant their inclusion. Besides, like Tool I believe they deserve a spot on this list for their influence alone.
47		The Receiving End of Sirens
48		Rishloo
49		Riverside
50		RPWL

51		The Mayan Factor
52		The New Up Added 8/20/09
53		The Samuel Jackson Five
54		The Sound of Animals Fighting
55		The Third Ending
56		Thrice
57		Tool I decided that Tool deserved a spot on this list, even if just purely for being one of the most influential bands on the "New Prog" genre. However, when you consider that Tool combine Progressive Rock with Alternative Rock/Metal, perhaps they deserve a place on this list regardless.

Search and ye shall find...

Yeah. I noticed that afterwards.

Sorry Mr Admin.

I think New Prog is interesting I have only heard of those bands Porcupine Tree, Mew, Muse, Tool and Opeth (which I dont concidder to be New-prog but Progressive Metal)

I think Porcupine Tree, Tool and Opeth will be hard to remove from where they are placed now (heavy prog, Experimental metal and Tech/Extreme metal)

but i think this sub-genre diserves to be here since it is a  NEW movement in Progressive rock (they use the curent genres of 90s and 00s and expand it bounderies which also the 70s prog bands did in there time by fusing psychadelic rock /beat music with classical music, Jazz, folk, avant garde and 20th century classic and minimalistic music while todays New-prog scene blends alternative rock/hardcore punk /post rock with Noise rock, shoegazing, grunge, prog, metal and electronica.

Feel free to merge or whatever. I just hope it doesn't get lost hehe. 

progkidjoel wrote: I don't think its a bad idea, but it doesn't seem to be categorising bands musically, but rather by time of formation. I mean, Blackfield, The Mars Volta and Anathema couldn't be more different.

Yup.  I think the name is problematic.   What are some alternate names you could propose for such a category?

progkidjoel wrote: I don't think its a bad idea, but it doesn't seem to be categorising bands musically, but rather by time of formation. I mean, Blackfield, The Mars Volta and Anathema couldn't be more different.

I think that is the show stopper.

aginor wrote: but i think this sub-genre diserves to be here since it is a  NEW movement in Progressive rock (they use the curent genres of 90s and 00s and expand it bounderies which also the 70s prog bands did in there time by fusing psychadelic rock /beat music with classical music, Jazz, folk, avant garde and 20th century classic and minimalistic music while todays New-prog scene blends alternative rock/hardcore punk /post rock with Noise rock, shoegazing, grunge, prog, metal and electronica.

Edited by Henry Plainview - November 30 2009 at 23:02

I agree with Henry, I think it's completely unnecessary. 

It's hard to deny that there's a (not so) small share of truth in his arguments and list he made up.