Who was the first to play metal-prog ?

MikeEnRegalia wrote: I still believe that prog metal started in the mid-80s. For me, Progressive Metal is riff oriented, with occasional double bass, tapping solos etc. Sea Shanties is nice, but it lacks all qualities that I associate with Progressive Metal. The only common quality is the heavy distortion, but that's hardly a progressive quality ...

Certainly, IMO, prog metal as it is now known started with Metallica's "Master Of Puppets" - although I would argue for "Ride The Lightning". "RTL" has the sound and attitude (if on the aggressive side!) as well as most of the building blocks for prog metal.

However, before Metallica, Diamond Head were known as the first progressive metal band - the phrase was pretty much coined for them by the media at the time, even though most people recognise that Rush's music constitutes prog metal after a fashion. Diamond Head's is more riff-based; at the time, they were hailed as the new Led Zeppelin - but their music was very different to Zeppelin's.

Every other candidate in the metal world before "Master..." can be seen as a prototype for prog metal, however - classics such as Riot's "Narita", much Blue Oyster Cult, Budgie, Queensryche, Judas Priest, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Led Zep, Black Sabbath Spooky Tooth, etc... none really made it into the prog genre, as most concentrated more on the metal path, with Spooky Tooth an obvious exception.

Black Sabbath - who were the first heavy metal band proper, despite the metal aspects of earlier bands - even Blue Cheer - were also first with the sound and produciton that seems to underpin prog metal, IMO - indeed, almost all metal, from the moment they released "Heaven and Hell".

That single album transformed 1970s HM into 1980s HM, and I would suggest is the very first prototype for prog metal as it is now known.

Unless anyone knows of an earlier example of that sound.

Edited by Certif1ed

I still believe that prog metal started in the mid-80s. For me, Progressive Metal is riff oriented, with occasional double bass, tapping solos etc. Sea Shanties is nice, but it lacks all qualities that I associate with Progressive Metal. The only common quality is the heavy distortion, but that's hardly a progressive quality ...

BaldJean wrote: BaldJean wrote: This was the first prog metal album. Oh, and it was from 1969

Almost agreed. I only have some doubts with Iron Butterfly - Heavy, from 1968. Not sure about the prog in this album, but it's certainly the very beginning of heavy sound.

I agree with the Blue Cheer but even though i love Blue Oyster cult i dont think theyre too proggish. Well you guys said pretty much everyone I could think of. When was Blues Image out? But they'ye not too proggish though. Are Vanilla Fudge metal????

I would say Lark's Tongues In Aspic

mmm maybe the major influences of prog metal is the sound of led zeppellin, but a band who really is prog metal is queensryche...

i think...

Iron Maiden

Certif1ed wrote: Spooky Tooth - "Spooky Two", particularly the track "Evil Woman" (once you've got over the crap vocals). "In-A-Gadda..." is heavy psychedelia - it's not really metal. Just because Slayer once covered it... No metal track worth it's salt would talk about taking anyone by the hand - unless it was to a satanic ritual  The name "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" is reportedly from a rather stoned person attempting to say "In the Garden of Eden". Blue Cheer were the first true metal band, IMO - but I'd accept the argument that they were the first grunge band too. You can quite clearly hear the influence they had on Zeppelin, Sabbath, Purple et al on Vincebus Eruptum.

Some nameless, grunting slope-browed caveman, just at the end of the stone age....

                                                        

Edited by Peter

king crimson circa 1973-4