Progressive Metal "Starter Pack"

[aeproberts]

Hi,

As you can see I am new to this forum. I am not however new to metal. I have been a huge fan of metal for a number of years. Recently (as I have gotten older and better at guitar) I have found my interests changing from the more hardcore metal towards more progressive and symphonic metal. I was wondering if there is any good "starter packs" available for this kind of music. A good compilation box set, or a great download pack that has the best songs by many different bands so I can get a sample of each to help decide which bands to explore further. I like the heavy end of those e genres but am looking for some ways to experiment with a lot of the bands quickly.

A few months ago I downloaded a great power metal pack. From there I bought albums from many of the bands that I first heard in that pack. I am looking for something similar.

Thanks

 

[AchrisK]

I don't know of anything like that. Maybe if you name bands you like, keeping in mind what you're asking for, we can make some recommendations.

 

[nissan]

Yea, I don't know of such a thing. But be more specific about what you're looking for and we'll chuck some recommendations your way.

 

[aeproberts]

Thanks guys. I was just hoping there was some box set that had a good selection of different kinds of progressive metal bands.

I am looking for guitar heavy, melodic, pretty heavy stuff (double bass, riffing) in this general genre. I am a guitarist and I really love the technical guitar shredding, especially when the guitar has some melody to it. While all these bands do not necessarily fall in to progressive metal genre, I like some of the in-flames stuff, the heavier side of Dream Theater, technical songs from Metallica (Master of Puppets not black album), the little of DGM I have heard I have liked. I like it when the guitar riffs are technical, fast, but also play some semblance of melody.

I have found myself drifting away from the growling vocals, but a little is fine. Some artistic interludes are cool too.

Does that help?

 

[aeproberts]

This is the kind of thing I was looking for...this has streaming selections from about 200 prog metal bands. I would still love your suggestions though!

http://www.progarchives.com/subgenre.asp?style=19#mp3

 

[AchrisK]

That list seems heavy on the less extreme bands. I prefer technical/progressive death metal and thrash myself.

Let us know what you end up liking.

 

[R'lyeh]

Like everyone else has said, I don't know of anything like that. But that list you posted had some good bands that I recognize. If you like progressive/symphonic metal, check out Adagio. I suggest their first two albums, Sanctus Ignis and Underworld.

Edit: Totally forgot, also check out Beyond Twilight as well.

 

[nissan]

Okay, try:

Scholomance - extreme prog metal, with harsh vocals, piano. Excellent stuff.
Pain of Salvation - anything
Disillusion - Back To Times of Splender. Fantastic album...
Symbyosis - Prog melodic death
Canvas Solaris - Really good instrumental prog metal
Cynic - Prog/tech dm
Meshuggah - not much soloing though
Symphony X - Prog/power metal
Winds - Should be exactly what you're looking for
You may like Ihsahn
You may also like Edge of Sanity

Death - The Sound of Perseverance is great and is a little proggy
Opeth - proggy
Orphaned Land - Middle eastern and proggy

 

[Black Core]

Opeth - Blackwater Park
Daath - the hinderes
Mouth of the Architect - the ties that bind

 

[Matt]

Threshold - Dead Reckoning

 

[King Richard]

How about some Dream Theater - Images and Words, you hacks.

Also check out some Ayreon.

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

Okay, try:

Scholomance - extreme prog metal, with harsh vocals, piano. Excellent stuff.
Pain of Salvation - anything
Disillusion - Back To Times of Splender. Fantastic album...
Symbyosis - Prog melodic death
Canvas Solaris - Really good instrumental prog metal
Cynic - Prog/tech dm
Meshuggah - not much soloing though
Symphony X - Prog/power metal
Winds - Should be exactly what you're looking for
You may like Ihsahn
You may also like Edge of Sanity

Death - The Sound of Perseverance is great and is a little proggy
Opeth - proggy
Orphaned Land - Middle eastern and proggy

Very good list with a good combination of styles. I would also include:

Sun Caged - s/t and Artemisia (emotive prog metal)

 

[nissan]

^Thanks, I'm going to check out Sun Caged.

 

[Matt]

How about some Dream Theater - Images and Words, you hacks.

Great, but Scenes From a Memory is better

 

[unknown]

Add Zero Hour to Nissan & V5's list

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

^Thanks, I'm going to check out Sun Caged.

Good call dude.

 

[Punk Vic]

Spiral Architect - "A Sceptic's Universe"
Psychotic Waltz - "Into the Everflow"
Opeth - "Morningrise"
Edge of Sanity - "Crimson" (I and II)
Diabolical Masquerade - "Death's Design"

 

[challenge_everything]

Great, but Scenes From a Memory is better

You have got to fucking kidding me.

 

[Triton]

There's something called "Metal Museum", which have different editions for each metal sub-genre, including progressive metal. I think it's only obtainable through download though.

 

[nissan]

Add Zero Hour to Nissan & V5's list

Thanks man, I'll check it out. Clean or dirty vocals?