Top 5 epics and why? - Progressive Rock Music Forum

Author

Message

Topic Search

Topic Options

EpicKeyboardist View Drop Down

Forum Newbie

Joined: May 10 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 11

Posted: May 10 2007 at 14:46

Hard choice!

1. Genesis - Supper's Ready

2. Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence

3. Symphony X - The Odyssey

4. Rush - 2112

5. Marillion - Grendel

Would have liked to put one of Yes' in but you know...

Edited by EpicKeyboardist - May 10 2007 at 14:49

Hrvat

Forum Groupie

Joined: November 09 2006
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 51

Posted: May 07 2007 at 09:23

Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons

Green Carnation - Light of Day, Light of Darkness

Fates Warning - The Ivory Gates of Dream

Genesis - Supper's Ready

Marillion - Grendel

Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick

Rush - Hemispheres

EinTon

Forum Newbie

Joined: March 31 2007
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 25

Posted: May 06 2007 at 10:45

I could also add John Coltrane's Ascension and Frank Zappa's "The Grand Wazoo". Embarrassed

Edited by EinTon - May 06 2007 at 10:45

THE_POLE

Forum Senior Member

Joined: June 29 2006
Location: New Zealand
Status: Offline
Points: 198

Posted: May 06 2007 at 04:17

Opeth - Ghost Of Perdition
The Mars Volta - Cassandra Gemini
Porcupine Tree - Anesthetize
Jethro Tull - Thick As A Brick
The Tangent - A Place In The Queue

Honourable Mentions:
And Then There Was Silence by Blind Guardian
Tetragrammaton by TMV
The Sky Moves Sideways by PT
Reflection by Tool

Abstrakt

Forum Senior Member

Joined: August 18 2005
Location: Soundgarden
Status: Offline
Points: 18292

Posted: May 06 2007 at 04:15

I forgot some other great ones!

Caravan - Nine Feet Underground
Mike Oldfield - Amarok
Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Transatlantic - Stranger in your Soul
Jethro Tull - Baker St. Muse
Camel - Lady Fantasy

Edited by Abstrakt - May 06 2007 at 04:16

Rocktopus

Forum Senior Member

Joined: March 02 2006
Location: Norway
Status: Offline
Points: 4202

Posted: May 06 2007 at 04:06

EinTon wrote:

Rocktopus wrote:

Tangerine Dream: Fly And Collision Of Comas Sola (16:27)
Klaus Schulze: Voices of Syn (22:27)

Oh, If you like long "electronicals" I could recommend these:

ftp://ftp.scene.org/pub/music/groups/thinner/%5Bthn005%5D-02-spaces_in_spaces.mp3

ftp://ftp.scene.org/pub/music/groups/thinner/%5Bthn005%5D-05-a_walk_on_deep_snow.mp3

and also the other tracks of the album:

http://www.autoplate.org/releases.php?r=thn005

You mustn't be generally allergic against 4-to-the-floor Bassdrums, although.

Thanks. I'm slightly allergic to 4-to-the-floor bassdrums and, predictably I preferred the Spaces in Spaces track to Walk on Deep.

Your other post reminded me that I should have included an Univers Zero track.

La Faulx 25:18 or The Funeral Plain 20:22. Can't decide.
Vangelis: The Dragon (15:17). Vangelis' easternsounding, thundering krautflirt from '71. All these now boring, old folks creating the dullest music on earth, were just so cool in the 70's. Its scary.

Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me

Negru Voda View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: April 20 2006
Status: Offline
Points: 192

Posted: May 06 2007 at 03:28

Lizard by King Crimson because .... it's KC Big%20smile

The Gates of Delirium by Yes because of the incredible instrumental part in the middle
Echoes by Pink Floyd because it's the first one I've listened to
Atom Heart Mother by Pink Floyd because it's soo trippy
Halleluwah by Can because I can Wink

Honourable mention: Magma's Riah Sahiltaak because it's different from all the rest.

Dim

Prog Reviewer

Joined: April 17 2007
Location: Austin TX
Status: Offline
Points: 6890

Posted: May 06 2007 at 01:00

Endless Wire wrote:

1. Supper's Ready by Genesis

2. Gates of Delirium by Yes

3. Shine on You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd

4. Close to the Edge by Yes

5. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence by Dream Theater

Yes is the king of the epic in my opinion. Oddly enough I've always felt Gates of Delirium was far superior to CTTE...Am I the only one?

Depends on who you talk too, if you want a heavier and more monstrous sound with a beautiful ending, you want Gates. If you want a completely unique, sprawling and deeper lyrical meening kind of song, you want ctte

EinTon

Forum Newbie

Joined: March 31 2007
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 25

Posted: May 05 2007 at 18:03

Rocktopus wrote:

Tangerine Dream: Fly And Collision Of Comas Sola (16:27)
Klaus Schulze: Voices of Syn (22:27)

sleeper

Prog Reviewer

Joined: October 09 2005
Location: Entropia
Status: Offline
Points: 16449

Posted: May 05 2007 at 17:30

Transatlantic- All Of The Above: Simply majestic, this goes on for half an hour, but it paradoxically feels like a 30 AND a 10 minute song at the same time. Brilliant lyrics and the msicianship is stunning.
Genesis- Suppers Ready: The archatypical prog epic that set the standard for decades, cleverly composed, with equally clever lyrics, musicianship and delivery.
Dream Theater- A Change Of Seasons: The epitomy of progressive metal in 25 minutes.
Pain Of Salvation- Beyond The Pale: Just short of 10 minutes but epic in every way, the highly charged culmination of a very emotional album.
Echolyn- Mei: Simply stunning.

Honorable mentions go to:

Dream Theater- In The Name Of God (no, I'm not jocking)
Symphony X- The Odyssey
Fates Warning- A Pleasent Shade Of Grey
Green Carnation- Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness
Kayo Dot- The Manifold Curiosity
Jethro Tull- Thick As A Brick
Pink Floyd- Dogs
Spocks Beard- The Great Nothing
Opeth- The Drapery Falls
King Crimson- Larks Tongues' In Aspic Pt1
Wobbler- Hinterland
Saens-Bable Lights

Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005

Endless Wire View Drop Down

Forum Senior Member

Joined: April 27 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 403

Posted: May 05 2007 at 16:26

1. Supper's Ready by Genesis

2. Gates of Delirium by Yes

3. Shine on You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd

4. Close to the Edge by Yes

5. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence by Dream Theater

Yes is the king of the epic in my opinion. Oddly enough I've always felt Gates of Delirium was far superior to CTTE...Am I the only one?

Abstrakt

Forum Senior Member

Joined: August 18 2005
Location: Soundgarden
Status: Offline
Points: 18292

Posted: May 05 2007 at 12:02

Yes - The Revealing Science of God (Because it's the essence of masterliness, and i don't know what to write)

Yes - The Remembering (Because it's the essence of masterliness, and because it has beautiful melodies and good, almost non-understandable lyrics)

Yes - The Ancient (Because it's the essence of masterliness, and because Steve Howes classical guitar solo is beautiful)

Yes - The Ritual (Because it's the essence of masterliness, and nothing more)

Yes - Close to the Edge (Because it's the essence of masterliness, and nothing more)

Yes - Gates of Delerium (Because it's the essence of masterliness, and has a wonderful ending section)

Yes is probably the best band when it comes to Epics.

No way i can make a top 5, but here's other honorable mentions:

Eloy - Land of no Body

Genesis - Suppers Ready

Dream Theater - Learning to Live

The Flower Kings - Big Puzzle

Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells

Pink Floyd - Echoes

Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother

Pink Floyd - Shine on You Crazy Diamond

Pink Floyd - Dogs

Edited by Abstrakt - May 05 2007 at 12:04

Freak

Forum Senior Member

Joined: July 12 2006
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 304

Posted: May 05 2007 at 11:46

No order:

"Supper's Ready" - Genesis

One of the greatest songs of all-time. The lyrics have a common theme, the band plays in perfect unison, and Gabriel just dazzles throughout. The ending is one of the best moments in music.

"This Strange Engine" - Marillion

It's even better live, with a fantastic bassline from Pete. The song swells and transitions and just rocks.

"Shine On You Crazy Diamond" - Pink Floyd

It's a tough choice between this and "Dogs", but this suite has a great atmosphere. The music is what drives the whole thing.

"Viðrar vel til loftárása" - Sigur Rós

Growing from a simple but beautiful piano part, the song steadily builds beneath Jonsi's haunting vocals. The string work in the very end is glorious. The track is the highlight of the album and just pulls everything together.

"Storm" - Godspeed You! Black Emperor

The fifth choice could have been any of the four epics on Lift Your Skinny Fists, but I picked this one because it opens the album with a bang and has some really stunning transitionary moments.

"Fool's Overture" - Supertramp

How has this not been mentioned yet? It's painstakingly beautiful, and one of the best moments on the entire album. What a song!

Non-Prog (As Defined By This Site) Epics That Rock:

"Cowgirl In The Sand" - Neil Young & Crazy Horse

"Achilles Last Stand" - Led Zeppelin

"Terrapin Station" - Grateful Dead

"East-West" - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band

"Bros" - Panda Bear

"Won't Get Fooled Again" - The Who

Yito

Forum Senior Member

Joined: November 28 2005
Location: Mexico
Status: Offline
Points: 145

Posted: May 05 2007 at 10:32

Yes - Close To The Edge

Dream Theater - Octavarium

Genesis - Supper's Ready

Neal Morse - The Conclusion

Trasatlantic - Duel With The Devil

why? just listen this songs

Edited by Yito - May 05 2007 at 10:52

Psalm 96
1 Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.

Chris S

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: June 09 2004
Location: Front Range
Status: Offline
Points: 7028

Posted: May 05 2007 at 06:42

PF - Wish You were Here - Accoustically celestial

Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn part 1 - dimensional skipping!

Genesis - Dancing with the Moonlit Knight.....need I say more

Yes - Awaken......gentle mass....touching....

Bo Hansson - Born of the Gentle South....unbeknown musical sculpture.

<font color=Brown>Music - The Sound Librarian

...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR]

Chris S

Special Collaborator

Honorary Collaborator

Joined: June 09 2004
Location: Front Range
Status: Offline
Points: 7028

Posted: May 05 2007 at 06:35

raindance wrote:

CloseTo The Edge - YES. This was my introduction to prog and so I owe a great debt to this album for discovering the prog rock genre.
Singring & The Glass Guitar - UTOPIA. An epic of epic proportions. It has everything from individual solo's, melodies by the score and of course Todd Rundgren's voice. Oh, it's also a fairy tale.
Tarkus - ELP. Three musicians at the top of their game. I always prefer the live versions though as Emerson improvises like only Emerson can.
Song of Seven - Jon Anderson. This choice might raise a few eyebrows but I love this song from his album of the same name. Makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up every time I listen to it.
Six Degree's of Inner Turbulance - Dream Theater. Those who dismiss this band as being merely shredders on their instruments should listen to this epic track. They can write and perform beautiful music as good as anyone else when the mood takes them.

I just realised that four of my choices are actual album titles as well as individual songs. So remember this is asking for your top five epics and not albums.

I do know what you mean about the " Song Of Seven" by Jon Anderson.....a pearl of epic proportions in between a multitude of ironic songs. I think on this song alone he was " in the moment"

Edited by Chris Stacey - May 05 2007 at 06:38

<font color=Brown>Music - The Sound Librarian

...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR]

Rocktopus

Forum Senior Member

Joined: March 02 2006
Location: Norway
Status: Offline
Points: 4202

Posted: May 05 2007 at 01:32

I'm not sure what qualifies as an epic, so I'll just make a list with my favorite very long tracks (like everyone else). 10, 15 minutes+ :

Wapassou: La Messe En Ré (39:57)
Vortex: Les Cycles De Thanatos (25:16)
Dashiell Hedayat: Cielo Drive 17 (21:09)
Tangerine Dream: Fly And Collision Of Comas Sola (16:27)
Klaus Schulze: Voices of Syn (22:27)

Magma: Die Futura (17:40)
VdGG: A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers (23:12)
Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso: Canto Nomade Per Un Prigioniero Politico (15:46)
Maneige: Le Rafiot (21:22)
Can: Halleluhwah (18:28)

Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me

Dim

Prog Reviewer

Joined: April 17 2007
Location: Austin TX
Status: Offline
Points: 6890

Posted: May 04 2007 at 23:50

I believe I should put in some more...

Tarkus- ELP- I've only heard this once and loved it

Wings for mary/10000 days-tool- Beautifully creepy that make my spine shiver every time