10 best obscure prog/power CDs you own

[Fire breath]

Look at your CD collection and name what you consider to be the 10 best obscure CDs that you have that are either prog, power, melodic rock, classic, trad etc - no death black thrash. Of course people will have heard of many of them but in general I am looking for some older albums or albums from any era that people know little about but you reckon are gems.

Here is mine:

Elwing - War. Greek Grave Digger/Running Wild worship
Bailey's Comet - Judgement day. A Thin Lizzy worship album.
Custard - For My King. Strong cheesefest power.
Kenziner - Timescape. Neoclassical masterpiece IMO.
Nation - Without Remorse. Neoclassical Royal Hunt type melodic metal.
Seven - Break The Chains. Swedish melodic hymnic metal
Stormwind - Resurrection. Melodic metal from ex Swedish Karate champ and Thomas Vikstrom
Thunder Rider - Tales of Darkness and Light Chapter 2. One of my favourite and most obscure albums of all time.
Tragedy Divine - Visions of Power. Pre Sacred Steel power metal band.
Warning SF - Aftermath. Heavy and melodic midpaced US styled metal.

 

[dgn4369]

here's my 10:

1. Eniac Reqiuem - Space Eternal Void. Formed with members of Crimeny and Haji's Kitchen. Only made this one album before disappearing. I absolutely love this album. I think it would have gotten a bigger vibe if not for the shitty electronic drum sound. Spacy prog metal.
2. Montany - New Born Day. Power metal band from Denmark, only released this one album before calling it a day. If you took Angel Dust Bleed and mixed it with some Iron Savior, it give you some idea what they sound like.
3. Mercury Rising - Upon Deaf Ears. Kind of early Fates Warning worship. Singer can be a chore but the song Minute Man makes his screech tolerable.
4. N8 - Reality...Fate - Yet another one and done album band. Power metal from Italy. Like a mix of Brainstorm and Radakka.
5. Polimetro - Metropolis. Dream Theater worship but very well done. They only sing in Spanish. From Chile.
6. Kyrie Eleison - ...In the Arms of Decadence. I don't know how obsure this band is since they have only been around few years. Total Angra worship from Argentina.
7. Ax 'n Sex - Victim of Time. Yeah stupid name, band thought so too, they changed their name to Ivory Tower after this album.
8. Fallin' Time - Point of No Return. Prog metal from Italy. I don't know why I love it like I do. Another one and done band.
9. Heads or Tales - Eternity Becomes a Lie. Prog metal from Sweden. One the first prog bands in the mid 90's that I discovered that didn't either worship at the alter of Dream Theater or Fates Warning. Yet another one and done band.
10. Siam - Prayer. While not that obscure, its getting harder and harder to find. Tony Mills led band, formed the first time he left TNT. Much heavier than TNT.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

I don't think I have a whole lot of "obscure" stuff from that era.

Probably the best thing that I own that's obscure that's not death/thrash/doom/black is Cerebus - Too Late to Pray.

And two underrated prog-thrash CDs in the vein of the almighty Toxik: Realm - Endless War and Suiciety.

 

[Justin G]

I started going through my list, but it's hard to say what qualifies as obscure. The first album that came to mind when I saw this thread topic was Mercury Rising: Upon Deaf Ears, and someone already listed that one.

 

[Pelata]

Siam was formed when Mills left Shy...not TNT...

And 'Prayer' is a great CD...

 

[dgn4369]

Siam was formed when Mills left Shy...not TNT...

And 'Prayer' is a great CD...

you're right, need to pull my head out of my ass for that, DUH

 

[Pelata]

All good...

 

[Harvester]

Vauxdvihl- To Dimension Logic
Payne's Gray- Kaddath Decoded
Digital Ruin- Listen
Veni Domine- Fall Babylon Fall
Siam- Prayer
House of Spirits- Turn of the Tide
Sanvoisen- Exotic Ways
The Quiet Room- Introspect
Psycho Drama- The Illusion
Cea Serin- Where Memories Combine
Letter X- Time of the Gathering

 

[mattbrood]

Digital Ruin- Listen

It's so cool seeing DR on your list because the lead guitarist Dave Souza is one of my oldest friends since high school and I was in my first band with him called Syrinx.

P.S. I can work on a Digital Ruin reunion show for a future ProgPower

 

[Harvester]

P.S. I can work on a Digital Ruin reunion show for a future ProgPower

I'd be hesitant because Matt may stubb his toe four months before the show and be unable to perform.

 

[mattbrood]

I'd be hesitant because Matt may stubb his toe four months before the show and be unable to perform.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!


I always hated that two faced prick and his shit eating grin! Last anyone heard of him he was trying to be an Eminem clone called "Mizzy the White Devil"..newsflash, you're Portuguese and your last name is Pacheco!

 

[Locust0311]

Gosh, where to start, this is way more than 10 but here foes...

of those mentioned so far I have:

Vauxdvihl - To Dimension Logic (and VOG)
Payne's Gray - Kaddath Decoded
Digital Ruin - Listen (and Dwelling in the Out)
Siam - Prayer (also Language of Menace)
Sanvoisen - Exotic Ways (also Soul Seasons)
The Quiet Room - Introspect
Psycho Drama - The Illusion
Cea Serin - Where Memories Combine
Eniac Reqiuem - Space Eternal Void
Montany - New Born Day
Mercury Rising - Upon Deaf Ears
N8 - Reality...Fate
Kenziner - Timescape (also Prophecies)

I'll add to the list:
All That I Bleed - Dying to Remember
Arkhe - Arkhe
Atlantida - Painted Reality
Bride Adorned - Blessed Stilness
Carisma - 1825
Charsima - Karma
Crises - Broken Glass & Balance
Dividing Horizons - Seizure
Exises - Reternity
Gone - Weakness Within Living Memory
Greyhaven - Greyhaven
Helizer - Tales From a Damaged Mind
Helreid - Fingerprints of the Gods
Hydrotoxin - Oceans
In Solitude - Opus: Universe
Lie Tears - A Gate for Another Life
Madsword - The Global Village
Maeve of Connacht - Imaginary Tales
Mayadome - Paranormal Activity & Near Life Experience
Metal Jam - The Prayer
Mindscape - Mindscape
Moonlyght - Progressive Darkness
Music Station - Shaping
Mystere de Notre Dame - Mystere de Notre Dame
Nocet - N
Perfect Symmetry - The Human Machine
Profound - Deep and Sincere
Regicide - Viorus & Break the Silence
Rest in Peace - Stares on Reality & Evilution
Scenario - A Fearful Symmetry
Serum - See Through My Eyes
Silent Exile - Dancing With Death
Soul Cages - Soul Cages, Moments & Craft
Sunblaze - Illuminating Heights
Swan Christy - Today Died Yesterday
Symmetry - Watching the Unseen & A Soul's Roadmap
Timescape - Two Worlds & Strange
Timesphere - Tranquility to Tempest
Treasure Land - Questions & Gateway
Trivial Act - Mindscape
Tunnelvision - While the World Awaits & Tomorrow
Twilight Kingdom - Adze
Vox Tempus - In the Eye of Time
World of Silence - Mindscapes
Xen - 84000 Dharma Doors
Zen - Gaze into the Light
Zhorn - Z Comes First

I'm sure there's more but those should keep folks busy for a while

 

[eaeolian]

Vauxdvihl- To Dimension Logic
Payne's Gray- Kaddath Decoded
Digital Ruin- Listen
Veni Domine- Fall Babylon Fall
Siam- Prayer
House of Spirits- Turn of the Tide
Sanvoisen- Exotic Ways
The Quiet Room- Introspect
Psycho Drama- The Illusion
Cea Serin- Where Memories Combine
Letter X- Time of the Gathering

Hey! I think we shop the same places!

Seriously, of those I'd say I find these brilliant:

Vauxdvihl- To Dimension Logic
Payne's Gray- Kaddath Decoded
Digital Ruin- Listen
Veni Domine- Fall Babylon Fall
The Quiet Room- Introspect


...and I'd add these:

Athena - A New Religion?
Leviathan - Deepest Secrets Beneath
Mercury Rising - Upon Deaf Ears
Twilight - Eye For an Eye
Enertia - Flashpoint

 

[J-Man]

MAGIC PIE - The Suffering Joy(Probably the most under-rated CD ever released, it is my #1 for 2011 so far)
Time Machine - Evil
Cea Serin- Where Memories Combine
Tunnelvision - While the World Awaits & Tomorrow
Montany - New Born Day
Alogia - Secret Spheres
Seraphim - The Equal Spirit
Midnight Sun - Metal Machine
Everdome -Tales Beyond Oblivion
Arachnes - Apocalypse
Thessera- Fooled Eyes

 

[Fire breath]

Ok I'm liking Eniac Requiem so far. Might be a bit long winded for me though as I'm not known for patience when it comes to music. Montany I remember having a whiny singer who got on my nerves but they were merely average in my eyes.

Locust - I tried some of the others that I could find from your list. Some Ok stuff in there that I need to try some more though I did only ask for your 10 best to filter out the average stuff.

Any more trad power type releases? Plenty prog so far but how about some more unheralded power classic metal.

 

[AngraRULES]

Thessera- Fooled Eyes

One of the best progressive metal albums I've ever heard. I really wish this band would release another album, but I highly doubt it...

 

[Harvester]

Any more trad power type releases? Plenty prog so far but how about some more unheralded power classic metal.

Did you try this one?

 

[Fire breath]

I know Letter X a little Glenn though I haven't played any of it in a long time. Wasn't Michael Bormann in the band for an album? Now that I'm listening to this song I can see I need to try this album again. Cool band indeed.

 

[mitchgx]

"Obscure" is a relative term I suppose, as to most of the world that would apply to bands that are relative standards around these parts (in fact, Dream Theater is probably about the only prog/power band that isn't obscure in a mainstream sense). But leaving my pedantic nature aside, here's my list (and some have shown up multiple times already, so how obscure are they really? ). Plus, I'm going to cheat and have more than 10.

Vauxdvihl - To Dimension Logic
Siam - Prayer
Dali's Dilemna - Manifesto for Futurism
Atmosfear - Inside the Atmosphere
Black Symphony - Tears of Blood (a bit more on the traditional side, but a great album that deserves mention)
Urban Tales - Diary of a No
Treasure Land - Questions (the second, Gateway, is also good)
Time Machine - Eternity Ends
Sanvoisen - Soul Seasons
Chroming Rose - New World
Hollow - Modern Cathedral
Kenziner - Timescape
Mezarkabul - Unspoken (maybe not obscure, but always worth a mention)
Nation Beyond - The Aftermath Odyssey (I'm really surprised this one didn't get more attention)
Payne's Gray - Kadath Decoded
Raddaka - Malice and Tranquility

 

[DemonOfTheWoods]

I'm not home looking at my CD's, but off the top of my head, some are...

Gnidrolog- Lady Lake (Awesome early 70's prog. I have only met 1 person who knew who this band was)
Time Requiem- Inner Circle of Reality (Richard Andersson & Apollo Papathanasio)
Everwood- Mindgames
Digital Ruin- Dwelling in the Out
Arachnes- Goddess Temple, Primary Fear
The Quiet Room- Introspect

I know there's more. When I get home & have a look I'll add to the list