newer bands like fates warning, early queensryche, etc?
Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2011 7:08 am
For years, I steered away from any band branded as "progressive metal" because of my dislike of Symphony X, Evergrey, Pagans Mind, Dream Theater, Communic, etc. Consequently, I didn't bother checking out Fates Warning until a year or so ago, which I'm rather resentful about, considering that "Awaken The Guardian" is probably now my favorite album. Since then, I haven't get enough of this style. To my ears, Fates Warning, early Queensryche (EP and "The Warning" specifically), Crimson Glory, Zions Abyss, Lethal, Slauter Xstroyes, Heir Apparent, Adramelch, etc, have little musical similarity to anything that's commonly termed "progressive metal" today. Quite the opposite, it fits in nicely with Maiden, early Blind Guardian, early Solitude Aeternus (when they were less doomy), Metal Church, Sanctuary, Helstar, early Iced Earth, etc. "Fata Morgana" could be played immediately after "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due" and "Powerslave" and the common theme would be pretty obvious, but if Symphony X's "Divine Wings of Tragedy" were played next, it would stick out like a sore thumb. Fates Warning obviously more progressive than something like Agent Steel, in that it's less simplistic -- there are a greater variety of riffs/leads, timing changes, and other things that I cannot describe due to a lack of familiarity with musical theory -- but the two still sound more similar to me than either do to Dream Theater. The 80s "progressive/power" subgenre actually been a great find for me, as it's provided me with more music akin to the 80s and 90s power metal and proto-power metal that I was already listening to.
Anyway, onto the main question: Are there any newer bands that play the old "progressive/power" style of Fates Warning and Crimson Glory? Basically, I'm looking for aggressive and melodic metal with soaring vocals that's "progressive", but with understated keyboards (or none), no lame riffs that attempt to mimic an orchestral string section, no unnecessary wankery. Does anybody play this style anymore or have all bands unanimously decided to follow the path of Pagan's Mind? 95 percent of modern power metal bands decided to follow the path of "Keepers of the Seven Keys" instead of "Walls of Jericho", but I have found that roughly 5 percent that play the old power metal style that I like -- Twisted Tower Dire, Battleroar, Wolf, Cage (only two albums), Crescent Shield, Metal Inquisitor, etc. Does the progressive metal genre have an equivalent 5 percent that don't suck? I've spent the last hour on YouTube listening to songs by the most popular progressive power metal bands from the last 20 years from their most highly rated albums on rateyourmusic.com, and I think these bands are completely unlistenable. Are there any needles in the haystack?
Anyway, onto the main question: Are there any newer bands that play the old "progressive/power" style of Fates Warning and Crimson Glory? Basically, I'm looking for aggressive and melodic metal with soaring vocals that's "progressive", but with understated keyboards (or none), no lame riffs that attempt to mimic an orchestral string section, no unnecessary wankery. Does anybody play this style anymore or have all bands unanimously decided to follow the path of Pagan's Mind? 95 percent of modern power metal bands decided to follow the path of "Keepers of the Seven Keys" instead of "Walls of Jericho", but I have found that roughly 5 percent that play the old power metal style that I like -- Twisted Tower Dire, Battleroar, Wolf, Cage (only two albums), Crescent Shield, Metal Inquisitor, etc. Does the progressive metal genre have an equivalent 5 percent that don't suck? I've spent the last hour on YouTube listening to songs by the most popular progressive power metal bands from the last 20 years from their most highly rated albums on rateyourmusic.com, and I think these bands are completely unlistenable. Are there any needles in the haystack?
