Does anyone have any suggestions and recommendations for progressive bands similar to Spheric Universe Experience. It's progressive metal with keyboards that aren't too overbearing, crunchy guitar riffs like Dream Theater and Symphony X. Having some great choruses and enjoyable songs. Having great vocals are essential as well.

Having songs that aren't too long and drawn out with middle sections too boring and stuff like that.

Any suggestions?

Circus Maximus is one of the hottest bands on the scene right now. Also, maybe check out Lemur Voice and Sun Caged.

I will check the last two. I've already heard of Circus Maximus, Anubis Gate, Pagan's Mind, Adagio, Ayreon, Outworld, Riverside etc..

So maybe less popular bands then. Thanks guys!

Lemur Voice? What the fuck?

I will check those out too. I need to try this Spherical Universe whatsit too.

I'm listening to Sun Caged now, they're decent. Almost exactly what I'm looking for, though some songs are more rock-oriented or less heavy but from what I'm hearing on their myspace I like it. Downloading now...

I recommend Spheric Universe Experience, they're good. I really like heavier progressive metal with crunchy guitars, nothing overwhelming with keys and nothing overly drawn out. So I hope that helps as well.

You should also try Angel Dust's Enlighten the Darkness, which I plan on reviewing sometime soon. Very fluid, emotional music that still packs a heavy punch to it, too.

For some reason, I haven't given Angel Dust the time of day. I remember hearing their song "Black Rain" on a Century Media sampler years ago and enjoying it.

Their later stuff, barring their last album, is very involving and layered, takes a while to get into.

Let's see, more recommendations: Akashic, Vanishing Point, Throne of Chaos's last album Loss Angeles, Conception, Vanden Plas, Abydos, etc.

Thanks for the recs guys, shall be checking 'em out soon.

Also I've been meaning to check Angel Dust out, it's 'one of those bands' everyone knows but I haven't actually heard for some reason.

Just got directed here, so here's a request.

"My favourite sub-genre of metal is progressive metal, no doubt about it. My favourite band is Opeth, I love Pain of Salvation, Katatonia, Tool, Dream Theater, Ayreon and many many others.

However, as of late, one of my favourite bands has been Nahemah (the Spanish band), who released an album last year; The Second Philosophy. What makes it so special to me is the avant-garde and electronic touches they add to a progressive death metal base. So that is what I'm looking for - progressive metal with avant-garde aspects.

I already have a couple of albums by Arcturus, and really enjoy them, so if you put down some straight avant-garde bands, that works for me too.

I also listen to Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, and I have one album by Kekal. I am also currently listening to Bath by maudlin of the Well

Thank you in advance"

Try Empyrean Sky for Death Prog.


Devil Doll comes to mind if you want something twisted and weird.

All right, might as well get a post in this.

I'm looking for recommendations for progressive metal bands with lots of horns / woodwinds / brass instruments, and/or strings. Possible jazz influence is a plus, as is good keyboard ambience and soundscapes.

Do NOT recommend me anything remotely power or oldschool, eg. Symphony X, Queensrÿche, old Fates Warning, Adagio, Pagan's Mind, Vanden Plas etc. I can't stand that shit.

I already love Subterranean Masquerade, maudlin of the Well / Kayo Dot, and Sculptured.
And I know of Devil Doll, Ephel Duath and Diablo Swing Orchestra. That's about all I can think of worth mentioning.

I don't think you really want anything metal.

Yeah, avant-garde is closer to what you're looking for (and the bands you exposed as "worth mentioning" are all avant-garde, no less). You might try A Forest of Stars and Thy Catafalque. Both are remotely metal, with lots of weird instrumentations (both electronic and string wise) and ambient passages.

Man, I really don't like the term avant-garde, and would rather not use it on any metal bands. But then again, I wouldn't call Devil Doll metal either.

Less complaining about genre terminology, more recommendations.

Less acting entitled, more looking for bands on your own.

I'm sorry, I thought this was a help thread.

Yes, a help thread. Not a "come in and demand things from people" thread.

sleepytime gorilla museum is not really metal in so much as they were post rock/math rock mixed in with some avant garde stuff. they are made up or former Idiot flesh members.

also should check out Gordian Knot

a band from Spain called Asgaroth does s ome cool mixes of style using industrial, opeth like metal and death metal for something a bit different.I think they did an album in 2001 or so and then sort of disappeared.

I had no problem with anything you said, demanding or otherwise. And I actually prefer it when people post what they don't want recommended in these threads. It helps. I suggest giving Unexpect a try if you haven't already. The violin may work for you. But yeah, if there's an "Avant-Garde" help thread you may want to look there. Not sure if there is...I can't keep up with them.

I use Prog and Progressive to describe different sounds. Prog for the more technical (Spiral Architect), and progressive for the more, uh, progressive (later Amorphis, later Enslaved). Similar to how I use Goth and Gothic to describe different sounds.

I really like the album Very by Dreamscape. The crunchy yet melodic guitar tone coupled with the light-toned "dreamy" sounding keys and some solid, interesting drums make for a great instrumental section. The vocals really do it for me though, as I love the high pitched, strained sound of the lead singer. Can't think of a band that sounds similar to this.

Thorgrim, just about every rec I've gotten from you has been golden. Dreamscape, Shadow Gallery, Outworld (I think), and Circus Maximus. Got any more??

So far, I haven't been able to get into Shadow Gallery. I tried to like Room V, but I found it too soft and kinda boring.

Why try to like something? You either do or you don't.

Okay, let me rephrase it. I listened to it and was pulled both in the directions of not liking it and liking it, but the not liking it part pulled harder in the end. Sometimes you have ambiguous feelings about albums.

Dreamscape is awesome. I highly, highly recommend their "End of Silence" album, and you might like Threshold as well.

I'd recommend Wounded Land (Threshold's first album). Damian Wilson is really a unique singer. I will warn you, though, Threshold's rhythm section isn't very proggy - it's the long songs and the guitar playing that make the band progressive.

I've heard "End of Silence", but I'll give it another listen because it didn't leave as much of an impression on me as "Very" did. I did like the song Silent Maze though..definitely one of my favorite Dreamscape songs.

I'll be sure to check out Threshold as well. Damn they have a large discography!

That's a very interesting approach towards this genre and I like it. I think I've done relatively similar things in naming this.. so I might start doing this now.

Looking for some ENJOYABLE prog metal. Similar to how Maiden did it in A Matter of Life and Death

The only thing that stands out for me on Opeth's "Watershed" are the last three minutes of "The Lotus Eater"? That was an awesome three minutes, but the rest of the album was just been-there-heard-that-boring...

I think Room V almost sucks, but Tyranny is pretty good. Especially the song New World Order - this is very dark and epic. Other songs aren't dark like that one, but still mostly good. And there are extremely catchy choruses.

I dont know if classifying Devil doll as progressive metal is justified or not, but does anyone here know of a band that incorporates such diversified styles and genres of music in one album as Devil doll? I first listened to this band 4 or 5 months ago, i liked it and then completely forgot about it.Just rediscovered it to realise what a brilliant piece of art Dies Irae is!!!

PS - Please, dont recommend weird sounding or highly technical bands, I just want stuffs similar to this.If you have heard it, you must be knowing what exactly i am lookign for.

Arcturus's album La Masquerade Infernale has been compared to Devil Doll. It seems like Enslavement of Beauty has been compared to them. Also, a lot of the symphonic gothic metal bands( like Angtoria and Elend) and darker progressive rock bands might sound similar. The thing is, it's really difficult to find any musician or band that sounds remotely like Devil Doll. They truly are revolutionaries. You might want to check out a lot of old classical music from Wagner and some of the more grandiose operas. Damn, I wish Devil Doll would get back together. Truthfully, though, I don't think it's going to happen and I wish this website would just go ahead and declare them split up. I mean, it's been over a decade. We're all being tantalized unto torture here.

Thanks man, I have heard arcturus, IMO, that album doesn't sound like Dies Irae. I will look into the classical stuffs you told.I checked up last fm in the similar artists list too. All they mention is stuffs like Maudlin of the well, Arcturus, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. I have heard them and they too DONT sound like them.
Damn, i didnt know they split up.

I haven't heard anything that really sounds like Devil Doll within metal (and I've been looking for ages). Sure some bands have some influences, but that's about it.

You may want to look in the prog rock & RIO genre (I have to explore more of that myself, to be honest). Univers Zero's "Heresie" and Present's "Triskaidekaphobie" and "Le Poison Qui Rend Fou" bear some fundamental similarities to Devil Doll (I can see both bands actually being an influence). However, both differ considerably in many areas though, so don't go in expecting "Dies Irae pt 2" or anything. UZ and Present are both mostly instrumental, very dark and psychotic (more so than DD, IMO), nowhere near as melodic, theatric, etc. Great albums though, highly recommended.

I don't know where to put this, and the search is broken, so I'm putting it here.

What Borknagar album should I start with?

My favorite so far is The Archaic Course. Empiricism is also really good, but I was not too impressed with Quintessence. I can't really comment on their other stuff. Borknagar is actually progressive in a sense, though.