Symphonic in the 00's, an advantage or a handicap?

I just also want to say that GALAHAD's album EMPIRES NEVER LAST could very well been the best Neo prog album of 2007. I think it's close to a 5 star album. It's a very good showing how symphonic prog has grown on a heavier scale. Essential to a prog metal collection?? I think so. You may be sorry to be missing that album in your stack of CDs.

richardh wrote: ... You might find it quite amusing that I had a conversation with my 16 year old Nephew recently and he was bemoaning the lack of good current music and how everything is the same now. He likes the Foo Fighters but also has a taste for classic seventies rock. I feel a bit sorry for him really. I couldn't suggest anything much other than Muse's latest album. He likes them but its not a lot to go on really.

I'm surprised that you didn't suggest anything but Muse.

progbethyname wrote: richardh wrote: ^ never really liked Pallas. Saw them play live about 10 years ago at a prog festival and there were a group of fans in front of the stage going absolutely bananas for them while the rest wondered why. One of those bands that divide opinion I presume. I only recently bought my first Galahad album (the live double). Still digesting it. They seem a bit 'second division' compared to IQ and Marillion (and Arena) imo. GALAHAD. their sound maybe hit or miss if you are a hardcore fan of Neo prog in general. They boarder along Dream Theater sound territory sometimes and that may discourage some people because too many bands today, especially in prog metal try to take after DT. I am a huge fan of dt, but I don't want to hear traces of their musical style in everything I listen to in the prog metal/Neo prog genres. No thanks. Galahad is a quality prog band that has an evolutionized symphonic prog sound. I do give them respect. EMPIRES, YEAR ZERO and BATTLE SCARS are quite good. As for Pallas. Again. These guys a huge enigma. They have some brilliant albums and some terrible ones. Their latest effort was not as wonderful sounding as their previous effort DREAMS OF MEN, which in my opinion is a masterpiece and a truly remarkable showing of how symphonic prog has really evolved. Great example. They even include some choir orchestrations in the music as well. Very nice touch. Give that a spin in you can ASAP. I don't think you will be Dissapointed

richardh wrote: ^ never really liked Pallas. Saw them play live about 10 years ago at a prog festival and there were a group of fans in front of the stage going absolutely bananas for them while the rest wondered why. One of those bands that divide opinion I presume. I only recently bought my first Galahad album (the live double). Still digesting it. They seem a bit 'second division' compared to IQ and Marillion (and Arena) imo.

GALAHAD. their sound maybe hit or miss if you are a hardcore fan of Neo prog in general. They boarder along Dream Theater sound territory sometimes and that may discourage some people because too many bands today, especially in prog metal try to take after DT. I am a huge fan of dt, but I don't want to hear traces of their musical style in everything I listen to in the prog metal/Neo prog genres. No thanks. Galahad is a quality prog band that has an evolutionized symphonic prog sound. I do give them respect. EMPIRES, YEAR ZERO and BATTLE SCARS are quite good.

As for Pallas. Again. These guys a huge enigma. They have some brilliant albums and some terrible ones. Their latest effort was not as wonderful sounding as their previous effort DREAMS OF MEN, which in my opinion is a masterpiece and a truly remarkable showing of how symphonic prog has really evolved. Great example. They even include some choir orchestrations in the music as well. Very nice touch. Give that a spin in you can ASAP. I don't think you will be Dissapointed

Yep, fashions come and go, but good music can never be a thing of the past.

M27Barney wrote: Aye, Pendragon & Pallas - most excellent (especially the latest Pallas XXV - thats a marvellous effort)...Par Lindh - Gothic Impressions - absolutely superb CD - but a lot of people will be put off by the Priestly singer - it has some magnificent Church Organ - very Hard to place that CD though - it's not neo-prog thats for certain...... My copy of GI , is signed by PL.....probably coz I bought his entire back catologue from his web-site in a manic burst of CD buying....

I bought Gothic Impressions in 1995 at the 25th ELP anniversary convention in Birmingham. The artwork looked beautifull and it had a little sign next to it 'is this Brain Salad Surgery for the 90's?'. It wasn't but still very lovely symphonic prog. Not 'neo' but part of the retro prog revival of the time that was coming from Scandanavia. The singer was Par Lindh although Magda Berg featured on one of the songs and then became the full time singer for the next 2 albums.

infocat wrote: HackettFan wrote: Gerinski wrote: progbethyname wrote: I love the holy trinity of the Neo prog fab 3....ARENA, Marillion(fish era) and IQ. I could maybe through GALAHAD and PALLAS in their for a quintet. :) Pendragon should be in the list before Galahad and Pallas imo. I have one Pendragon album, The World. I listened to it once quite awhile ago and I didn't like it. I found it boring. The guitar work didn't seem all that interesting. Should I give it another chance, or are there other Pendragon albums I'd be better off looking into? Pure and Passion, their latest two, are their best IMO.  Highly recommended, even if you don't care for their earlier work.

Thanks! I'll definitely check it out.
I'll give The World another listen too. I'm mindful that one listen isn't often enough to make judgements on Prog albums.

infocat wrote: Pure and Passion, their latest two, are their best IMO.  Highly recommended, even if you don't care for their earlier work.

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote: Gallifrey wrote: I personally think symphonic prog is a thing of the past and bands should move on. But then again, it has its place, because many fans just want to hear new versions of an old style without much 'progression'. I think it's evident in the top album lists of recent years that many of the top albums haven't been symphonic. Even the most recent one, Echolyn's newest, is still a decent move forward. There was a thread a few months ago about Steve Wilson commenting (a few years ago, still), about how bands should stop trying to emulate bands from the past, and move forward with their music. I agree with him, although it could be argued that some of his music is hardly moving forward. I strongly disagree We listen prog, we shouldn't fall in the mistake of Pop stablished fashioon sense. A healthy genre doesn't have to last 2 or 3 years, that's what the  producers and labels sold us in order to create ephemerous artists who create for a couple of years, sell a,lot and vanish as fast as they appeared. In Classical music, genres lasted centuries,  - Blues Based Rock is at least 60 years old,  - Hard Rock has 50 years (at least) - Metal is about 30 something years old,  - Pop has at least 50 years  Why should Symphonic had to vanish after 1978? Punk tried to destroy it and has almost vanished. Now...All Symphonic sounds as in the 70's?,  Please 99% of bands are not clones of the 70's pioneers, Symphonic is richer than ever, when it appeared it was mainly Rock with Classical arrangements and some pieces taken fgriom Grieg, Bach or Mussorgsky, today we have - Eastern Europe Symphonic that conbines delicate ethnic music from their countries - Latin American bands like Bacamarte that are simply unique. - USA who have added Heavy Prog and even Avant Garde to the sound. A 40 something years old genre is young, and musicians have a lot to offer, of course some artists will remind us of Yes and Genesis, because all play the same genre called symphonic, with many common characteristins in the 70's and today It's the case of any Prog Metal band that will remind of the pioneers of the genre, because all of them play METAL. A few minutes ago I added SoulengineE from Italy, who have nothing in common with Banco or PFM, to the point that they were not accepted in RPI, they are unique, fresh, Symphonic hasn't grown dated, by the contrary, is fresher with the new influences that have been added. Iván

Gerinski wrote: progbethyname wrote: I love the holy trinity of the Neo prog fab 3....ARENA, Marillion(fish era) and IQ. I could maybe through GALAHAD and PALLAS in their for a quintet. :) Pendragon should be in the list before Galahad and Pallas imo.

I have one Pendragon album, The World. I listened to it once quite awhile ago and I didn't like it. I found it boring. The guitar work didn't seem all that interesting. Should I give it another chance, or are there other Pendragon albums I'd be better off looking into?