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Topic ClosedThe most musically complex prog band(s)?
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NecronCommander View Drop Down
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Points: 16122 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 09 2010 at 16:42
I would say probably Kayo Dot.  maudlin of the Well was incredibly experimental in their composition and total elements (and I still prefer them over Kayo Dot), but Toby Driver's latest project has an even more incredible amount of unique substance and different elements that are all excellently coordinated.
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Points: 16122 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 09 2010 at 16:41
EDIT: Double Post, sorry


Edited by NecronCommander - March 09 2010 at 16:44
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Points: 14 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 09 2010 at 15:09
I'd say King Crimson for the shifting time sigs, polyrhythms, use of the whole tone scale... there's even a tone row with retrograde inversion on VROOOM. The great thing about KC is that while they are complex Fripps playing is extremely economical.
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Points: 31313 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 09 2010 at 14:56
Originally posted by progressive progressive wrote:

I am very very sad :(
I read this whole thread and found only few new bands: A Triggering Myth (though I've heard of it - sounds very promising), It's a Beautiful Day, Protest the Hero (lol, metalcore mentioned here???), and Raymond Scott... does anyone know his 30's material? (maybe this: http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/metropole_orchestra_and_the_beau_hunks_saxtette/raymond_scott__chesterfield_arrangements_1937_1938/ )

Of course, I haven't listened enough to all bands mentioned here, for example even Al Di Meola... or those other jazz fusion mentioned.. but anyway it depends much on what album you have picked. And many of those mentioned here doesn't seem to be much complex to me. But sometimes the curiosity just dies. Luckily, it moves to another things, so it doesn't die entirely :P And I think it's maybe better to move on if you don't like some album. And maybe coming back later is more comfortable.

Anyway, I'm not even giving examples here. Well, I say just some bands that aren't mentioned here: 
Thinking Plague
U Totem
Arrigo Barnabé
Höyry-Kone
Mezquita
Watchtower
Gunesh Ensemble
Hermann Szobel
Continuo Renacer
Blotted Science
Dün
Ruins (their album Symphonica)
Orchestra Njervudarov
Il Berlione
Abus Dangereux
Emmanuel Booz
5uu's
Conlon Nancarrow (modern classical)
Esperanto
Et Cetera (see Gentle Giant)
Maneige
Normal Love
Myrbein
Pochakaite Malko
Rational Diet
Sotos
Vortex (not the metal band)
Absolute Zero
Ahvak
Cartoon
Doctor Nerve
Rational Diet
Sloche
Olive Mess
Alexander Kostarev Group

Of course there's a lot symphonic and eclectic prog bands but.. those are what I mentioned and that's it, many of them are avant-prog. Maybe I should add genres and album recommendations for them.

Ha, the list just became bigger, but still, it's JUST SOME bands. Though, I think there isn't enough complex music in the world, so I'm quite disappointed.

 

 
Amazingly complex list there! ClapClap
 
 
RIO/AVANT/ZEUHL - The best thing you can get with yer pants on!
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Points: 5154 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 09 2010 at 14:22
I'm a bit surprised that Shawn Lane is not listed in PA even as Prog-related, while even for example Steve Vai is. In my opinion Shawn was much closer to prog and jazz-fussion than Vai or many other musicians and bands listed in PA. He was pretty complex too, if admittedly more in the area of interpretation virtuosism than in the composition itself. A sad loss for the musical world.

Edited by Gerinski - March 09 2010 at 14:31
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Points: 34055 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 09 2010 at 14:18
well as many have said Planet X is SICK, mindboggeling complex, so is Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Yes and EL&P.
also i think Pat Metheney Group play some complex Jazz Fusion, Mastodon are extremly complex and so is Gojira just listen to the song Rememberance and that SICK drum part at the end Wacko YOU HAVE TOO Angry
the most complex Neo Prog band is to my ears Pallas hust listen to the hole the Dreams of Men  nough said
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Points: 366 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 09 2010 at 12:32
I am very very sad :(
I read this whole thread and found only few new bands: A Triggering Myth (though I've heard of it - sounds very promising), It's a Beautiful Day, Protest the Hero (lol, metalcore mentioned here???), and Raymond Scott... does anyone know his 30's material? (maybe this: http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/metropole_orchestra_and_the_beau_hunks_saxtette/raymond_scott__chesterfield_arrangements_1937_1938/ )

Of course, I haven't listened enough to all bands mentioned here, for example even Al Di Meola... or those other jazz fusion mentioned.. but anyway it depends much on what album you have picked. And many of those mentioned here doesn't seem to be much complex to me. But sometimes the curiosity just dies. Luckily, it moves to another things, so it doesn't die entirely :P And I think it's maybe better to move on if you don't like some album. And maybe coming back later is more comfortable.

Anyway, I'm not even giving examples here. Well, I say just some bands that aren't mentioned here: 
Thinking Plague
U Totem
Arrigo Barnabé
Höyry-Kone
Mezquita
Watchtower
Gunesh Ensemble
Hermann Szobel
Continuo Renacer
Blotted Science
Dün
Ruins (their album Symphonica)
Orchestra Njervudarov
Il Berlione
Abus Dangereux
Emmanuel Booz
5uu's
Conlon Nancarrow (modern classical)
Esperanto
Et Cetera (see Gentle Giant)
Maneige
Normal Love
Myrbein
Pochakaite Malko
Rational Diet
Sotos
Vortex (not the metal band)
Absolute Zero
Ahvak
Cartoon
Doctor Nerve
Rational Diet
Sloche
Olive Mess
Alexander Kostarev Group

Of course there's a lot symphonic and eclectic prog bands but.. those are what I mentioned and that's it, many of them are avant-prog. Maybe I should add genres and album recommendations for them.

Ha, the list just became bigger, but still, it's JUST SOME bands. Though, I think there isn't enough complex music in the world, so I'm quite disappointed.


Edited by progressive - March 09 2010 at 13:10

► rateyourmusic.com/~Fastro 2672 ratings ▲ last.fm/user/Fastro 5556 artists ▲ www.progarchives.com/Collaborators.asp?id=4933 266◄
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Points: 381 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 03 2008 at 11:46
I'd go with Planet X too.
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Points: 5319 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 01 2008 at 20:57
I don`t know
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Points: 10841 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 01 2008 at 20:04
Kraftwerk.
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Points: 177 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 01 2008 at 17:38

From what I have heard...

 
Anglagard
Gentle Giant
Meshuggah
Zappa
Spiral Architect
Yes
 
and tons of tech/extreme metal


Edited by Doomcifer - November 01 2008 at 17:41
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Points: 153 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 24 2008 at 03:33
Anglagard
Gentle Giant
A Triggiring Myth
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Points: 25210 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 22 2008 at 03:39
Originally posted by Vi0LaToR Vi0LaToR wrote:

not for more complexity you are the best... there are a lot of bands that their sound is ridiculous and they are very very complex.



This is the kinda of crap you find at Harmony central or SMMnews.

"OMG U R TEH BEST".
Grow the hell up man.

Your post hardly even makes sense.

"there are a lot of bands that their sound is ridiculous and they are very very complex."

WTH does that even mean?
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Points: 79 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 19 2008 at 11:11

not for more complexity you are the best... there are a lot of bands that their sound is ridiculous and they are very very complex.
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Points: 79 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 19 2008 at 11:05
Originally posted by The T The T wrote:

Originally posted by HughesJB4 HughesJB4 wrote:

Originally posted by Ghost Rider Ghost Rider wrote:

There may even be someone who finds, say, Celine Dion's music to be complexLOL...
 
Let that be the last time that's said here on PALOL
 
no... she's right... Try listening to a whole album by Celine.. how more complex can life get? LOL
 
I don't know what is the most complex prog I've heard. i can't add that much to this discussion other than I go with what I like. For example, I don't like DT for being "complex" (actually, they're not), but because I love to hear their music. The same with more complex bands like Genesis. VDGG is more complex but I don't enjoy it that much, and Timberlake's songs are not complex at all and I enjoy them even less... So, for me, complexity is but just a little element in music.
 
ClapClapClapClapClap
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Points: 37 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 18 2008 at 06:17
Disapprove
"The Box. You opened it. We came."
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Points: 213 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 18 2008 at 05:48
Complex often = cheesy.

I love winding everybody up!!!!

How about

Overcomplex = Incomprehensible

Yee-hah - let the anger roll...............woo
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Points: 730 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 14 2008 at 21:40
Originally posted by Tapfret Tapfret wrote:

DT has complex moments, but for the most part they have become very formulaic.  When speaking in prog- metal terms, there are several bands that are far more complex. Unexpect uses multiple vocalists, keys and RIO textures. In fact, I would call it "Metal in Oposition". Martyr, especially their last album, Feeding the Abscess, makes DT sound like Journey. Chile's Coprofago was extremely complex with Unorthodox Creative Createria, throwing in Holdsworth style jazz sections. And of course, Ron Jarzombek and Spastic Ink. The cool thing about RJ's projects is he explains the meanings behind the complexity and does it w/o inflated ego or condescension.  Someone also mentioned Behold...the Arctopus, a fine choice indeed.

The RIO/Avaunt Gard sub-genre has the greatest abundance of complex bands.  For pure complexity Zappa is the most consistent. Even when a song has an overall "straight ahead" texture, you can hear underlying complexity. e.g. One Size Fits All, Roxy and Elsewhere.  Mr. Bungle, with their "flick of the switch" style changes are also pretty out there. In this sub-genre complexity is very much in the ear of the beholder. Bands like Universe Zero, Captain Beefheart, and The Flying Luttenbachers are outrageously complex, but might lean to far into the dissonant side for many listeners. Even Zappa goes to those places with some of his work, particularly his orchestral pieces like LSO I & II, Yellow Shark. 

Jazz/Fusion also has tons of complex bands like Brand X, Return to Forever. Jazz is of course founded on complexity. Even in the 1930's, Raymond Scott was doing some very complex music. (He might fit well in PA)

For Zeuhl I would have to go with (I know some Magma zealot is going to shoot me) KoenjiHyakkei.
 
Amongst other sub-genres, Giant Giant is exceptionally complex, nobody has more vocal complexity. And of course King Crimson, lots of instrumental "talkback" and flighty finger on guitar.  

I see people in this thread answering with the more "accessible" bands. Dig deeper if you like complexity. The most complex stuff is not mass produced. For pre-1990, go with bands in the Jazz/Fusion or RIO/Avant genres. Post-1990, Tech/Extreme Metal seems to the best bet if want to hear complexity.


this is exactly, exactly what I would have typed!  well done.  thread over! Clap

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Points: 279 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 13 2008 at 10:59
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Points: 10387 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 13 2008 at 05:12
Originally posted by Louison79 Louison79 wrote:

Anyway, Gente Giant (King of Counterpoint), Henry Cow, and Zappa come to mind. Have you heared the WAZOO cd, by Zappa + his big band live in 72? wow, how can THAT come out from a human (guitarist ) brain....?

sorry for having to disagree, but the king of counterpoint in prog is Peter Hammill. what he does in his opera "The Fall of the House of Usher" makes Gentle Giant appear simple in comparison


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