Symphonic/Melodic/Progressive - Metal.

Imperial · « **on:** 9 Jun 2008, 09:10 pm »

One of the many musical treats I like to indulge in is Heavy Metal.
I have a very specific liking under this genre:

It must have a melody, a good vocalist and be grand and propulsive!!
Male/female is the same really by I do have my favourites of course!

Norway has played a very large role in metal over the last 15 years or so, Finland and the Netherlands also!
So It is no surprise that one will find many very good bands that hail from these shores...

First and foremost I love the human voice, so when it comes to heavy metal... a trained and powerfull voice is what
I like to hear. Just guttural growling is not what I think of firstly when I listen to metal!

Favourite vocalist? Roy Kahn of Kamelot (Yeah, he's from Norway...) - He really does have a vast vocal capacity (He's a Opera singer by training) Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEJ9tCdQVwE&feature=related

So, them good metal bands with good vocal, melodic qualities and symphonic sound... I'm always on the lookout for new
music... enlighten me!

Let's share the music here dudes!

Imperial

BobM · « **Reply #1 on:** 9 Jun 2008, 09:21 pm »

A good place to ask this question would certainly be at www.progressiveears.com

Here's a few that come to mind and can be classified as (at different times) melodic, symphonic, metal:

Porcuipine Tree
Riverside
Savatage
King Crimson (in their newer phases)
Ozric Tentacles (spacy metal)
Ayreon
Discipline
Sylvan

Enjoy,
Bob

rms · « **Reply #2 on:** 9 Jun 2008, 10:03 pm »

In addition to Bob's recommendo's also check out Symphony X. Russell Allen is an excellent lead vocalist with an incredible range. Michael Lepond is one of the best guitarists around and the rest of the band are also phenomenal. Their song writing and production is some of the best I have heard in the prog/metal genre and their albums take you on a journey - they're not just a bunch of songs thrown together. My favorites are The Odyssey, V, and Live on the Edge of Forever. It always impresses me when a band has written and recorded complex difficult music which is fun to listen to on their studio recordings, but then can absolutely tear it up live. And that is exactly what these guys do - Live on the Edge of Forever is amazing!

JoshK · « **Reply #3 on:** 9 Jun 2008, 10:03 pm »

Tool!!!!!

Second the Porcupine Tree & Riverside
Dream Theater comes to mind

satfrat · « **Reply #4 on:** 9 Jun 2008, 10:28 pm »

Ayreon: Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer (2000)

satfrat · « **Reply #5 on:** 9 Jun 2008, 10:36 pm »

Econoline Crush: Ignite (2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrQZlzZc11E

Cheers,
Robin

nathanm · « **Reply #6 on:** 9 Jun 2008, 10:59 pm »

Two cool covers in a row!

Putting Aunt Helen's label maker gift to good use I see.

mjosef · « **Reply #7 on:** 9 Jun 2008, 11:01 pm »

Nice...hope I can glean some choice picks from this thread too.
I don't favor the constant wall of sound type of heavy metal, so I guess its the symphonic style that captures my inner ear.

Two bands that recently (in the last year) captured my attention are:
Warhorse, a British prog. rock band from the early 70's, seems like they made just two albums...a self titled 'Warhorse' and 'Red Sea'.
Bergraven , a guy from Sweden. He has just one album that I picked up by chance, 'Dodsvisioner', released last year 2007. This album really does it for me, love it. He is a one member band by the way, does it all himself.

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #8 on:** 10 Jun 2008, 12:48 am »

Oh, let's see....there's Nightwish and Stratovarius and Iced Earth...and....uh....let me think about it some more.

Imperial · « **Reply #9 on:** 10 Jun 2008, 10:39 am »

I don't care much for the text's of Iced Earth ... but they groove nicely and have a most superb vocalist!
(Nightwish under Tarja Turunen's reign...) and Stratovarius I have listen to and do listen to a LOT!!!

Imperial

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #10 on:** 10 Jun 2008, 11:37 am »

Yeah, on second thought Iced Earth is neither progressive or symphonic....sorry.

Have you heard Cynic or Opeth? Both have growl vocals but the music is ever-changing and progressive in their own ways. Wintersun is also very symphonic/virtuostic but again with growl vocals. It's hard to find heavy stuff without that style of vocalizing.

Canyoneagle · « **Reply #11 on:** 10 Jun 2008, 01:11 pm »

Queensryche

Second the tips for Dream Theater (brilliant musicians) and Tool, along with Keenen's sidelight band, A Perfect Circle.

Of course, Metallica has done a number of symphonic collaborations and acoustic sets that are memorable. For metallica fans, there is also the cello and viola-based group, Apocalyptica, who do Metallica redux with classical instruments.

rms · « **Reply #12 on:** 10 Jun 2008, 01:17 pm »

Ericus post reminded me of another great band - Aghora. Sean Malone, the bass player from Cynic (graduate of U. of Miami's music program), was the original bassist in Aghora. They have an operatic lead vocalist, metal guitarist, jazz bassist. They mix it up nicely between melodic and metal, all great musicians. Sean Malone's other band - Gordian Knot - is also amazing, well worth a listen. And for all you bass players out there Sean has written several great books including transciptions of some of Jaco's more obscure tunes.

http://www.myspace.com/aghora

http://www.aghora.org/

http://www.seanmalone.net/

(Addendum to my previous post - the guitarist for Symphony X is Michael Romeo, Michael Lepond is the bassist.)

JoshK · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Jun 2008, 01:18 pm »

Quote from: Ericus Rex on 10 Jun 2008, 11:37 am

Yeah, on second thought Iced Earth is neither progressive or symphonic....sorry.

Have you heard Cynic or Opeth? Both have growl vocals but the music is ever-changing and progressive in their own ways. Wintersun is also very symphonic/virtuostic but again with growl vocals. It's hard to find heavy stuff without that style of vocalizing.

I have Opeth Damnation which is the album that doesn't have growls and is accessible to a wider audience. Its not very progressive though (that album) IMO. Its a bit more of a somber layered sound.

A Perfect Circle I really like but its not progressive/symphonic, unlike a few of Tool's albums, like Lateralus and 10,000 Days.

I had one of Nightwish's albums, and it is ok. Its a bit like a slightly harder/more progressive version of Evanescence. I think I traded it out though on lala as I didn't see myself really getting into it.

mcullinan · « **Reply #14 on:** 10 Jun 2008, 01:50 pm »

How about Meshuggah obZen? Thats metally metal!
Mike

nathanm · « **Reply #15 on:** 10 Jun 2008, 04:22 pm »

Alan Tecchio on vocals:
Watchtower "Control And Resistance"
Non-Fiction "Preface", "In The Know"
Then if you want to follow the math metal line then follow guitarist Ron Jarzombek's "Spastic Ink" who has a total boner for music theory.

Blind Guardian They've got a few stinkers in the catalog, but "Nightfall in Middle Earth" is awesome, as are their earlier works. Vocals are taken right to the edge of screaming without going over. (Hollaring?) Plenty of complex layering and arrangements. "Night At The Opera" is a hunk 'o shit IMHO. Hmph.

Confessor
Doom metal, but with clean, wailing vocals which you will either love or hate. But the drumming is a big attraction too.

Fates Warning "Awaken The Guardian"
I dunno about you, but for my power metal dollar this is as good as it gets. It even has that panel van airbrushed cover art! Heh!

Sanctuary "Refuge Denied"
I think I was given this tape in my high school metal orientation period, but I only learned to love it recently. "Battle Angels" is one of the top metal anthems ever, in my book. I haven't followed Warrell Dane's Nevermore, though.

Tragedy Divine
Gerrit Philipp Mutz is totally cool. Nobody sounds quite like him.

Realm "Endless War", "Suiciety" (Milwaukee's own. Yay for locals!)
Yes, on second thought I would move Realm to the head of the recommendation line. Might be hard to get, though. Not sure.

Wait, did you say "new"? Oops...

I dunno from new bands, crushed overly loud recordings have got me spooked.

Brad · « **Reply #16 on:** 10 Jun 2008, 07:34 pm »

Quote from: mcullinan on 10 Jun 2008, 01:50 pm

How about Meshuggah obZen? Thats metally metal!
Mike

I just got this one a couple of weeks ago. LOVE the music, but the vocals are so bad I can't listen to it.
They should sell an instrumental version.

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #17 on:** 10 Jun 2008, 08:50 pm »

Quote from: nathanm on 10 Jun 2008, 04:22 pm

Fates Warning "Awaken The Guardian"
I dunno about you, but for my power metal dollar this is as good as it gets. It even has that panel van airbrushed cover art! Heh!

YES, YES, YES, YES, YES!!!!

mcullinan · « **Reply #18 on:** 12 Jun 2008, 10:27 pm »

Opeth has a new album, 1st song right out of the pages of Led Zepplin. An eerie quality to it. Some songs are the growly type hehe.
Its pretty good though.
Mike

Imperial · « **Reply #19 on:** 14 Jun 2008, 09:05 pm »

Opeth's "Window Payne" is a blissfull event of sound! That is a good song!!! One of their slow musings/ballad like songs.

Imperial