Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a genre of
heavy metal music which shares traits with
progressive rock including use of complex compositional structures, odd
time signatures, and intricate instrumental playing. The high level of musical proficiency is often combined with a lyrical counterpart in the form of epic textual concepts, resulting in lengthy songs and
concept albums. As a result of these factors, progressive metal is rarely heard on mainstream radio and video programs.
The origins of progressive metal can be traced back to
progressive rock acts of the
1960s and
1970s such as
Yes,
Queen ,
Pink Floyd,
Jethro Tull,
King Crimson,
Genesis and
Rush. However, progressive metal did not develop into a genre of its own until the mid-
1980s. Acts such as
Fates Warning,
Queensryche, and
Dream Theater took elements of these progressive rock groups â€" primarily the instrumentation and compositional structure of songs â€" and merged them with
heavy metal characteristics attributed to bands like
Metallica,
Deep Purple,
Black Sabbath,
Death,
Megadeth, and
Iron Maiden. The result could be described as a progressive rock mentality with heavy metal sounds.
The genre received mainstream exposure in the early
1990s when Queensrÿche's "Silent Lucidity" (from
1990's
Empire) became a
radio and
MTV hit. It was not a typical progressive metal song, but nonetheless it opened Queensrÿche's music to a whole new legion of fans, which in turn had an effect on the popularity of other progressive metal bands of the time. In
1993, Dream Theater's "Pull Me Under" (from
1992's
Images and Words) became popular on radio and MTV. It is a more typical progressive metal song than "Silent Lucidity", but still more accurately described as straight heavy metal.
Today progressive metal thrives and is at its most popular. Leading the way is Dream Theater who have gained in popularity over the years. They now sell out shows and have many instructional videos and side projects. They have influenced and helped the evolution of the genre. Much of the progressive metal that has come out in their wake has had a very similar sound (Vanden Plas, Threshold). On the other hand, in the true spirit of progressive music there have been some unique bands to emerge from the growth in popularity of the genre.
Emerging in the '90s bands like
Pain of Salvation,
Opeth,
Ayreon,
Tool, and
Symphony X each inadverently re-invented the wheel with their styles, straying from the typically traditional progmetal sounds of Dream Theater and 1990s Fates Warning into their own signature sound.
Also important to the development of progressive metal was the idea of "technical" metal that arose almost simultaneously in the 80's, having a big impact on bands to come. At the forefront were bands like
Watchtower,
Atheist and
Cynic showing of their technical skills in time signature and guitar playing. But these bands tended to be much more heavy metal based than focused in progressive metal, however this kind of playing style went on to become conducive to the progressive metal genre.
Currently progressive metal stands on the principle of using all the past traits associated with it. While many bands still look back to other rock bands for inspiration, main influences on bands of the progressive metal genre have belonged to its pioneers. Bands like
Sun Caged and
Circus Maximus show heavy influence of both traditional progressive metal and several of the 1990s bands. Bands like
Dark Suns or
Conscience look to the influences of
Opeth,
Pain of Salvation and
Anathema to find their own interesting sound.
Progressive metal can be broken down into countless sub-genres corresponding to certain other styles of music that have influenced progressive metal groups. For example, two bands that are commonly identified as progressive metal,
King's X and
Opeth, are at opposite ends of the sonic spectrum to one another. King's X are greatly influenced by softer mainstream rock and
grunge. Paradoxically,
Pearl Jam bassist
Jeff Ament once said, "King's X
invented grunge," meaning that they influenced a genre which had influenced them. Opeth's growling vocals and heavy guitars (liberally intermixed with gothic-evocative acoustic passages) often see them cited as
death metal, yet
Mikael Ã…kerfeldt refers to Yes as a major influence in the style of their music.
Classical and symphonic music have also had a significant impact on sections of the progressive metal genre, with bands such as
Symphony X and
Shadow Gallery fusing traditional progressive metal with a complexity and grandeur usually found in classical compositions. Similarly, bands such as
Liquid Tension Experiment and
Planet X have a
jazz influence, with extended solo sections that often feature "trading solos". Furthermore, Liquid Tension Experiment exhibits an improvisational element that is rare in heavy metal, usually a very structured genre. Another important band,
Cynic, fused progressive metal, death metal, and jazz/fusion in a very diverse and unique work known as
Focus.
See also: List of progressive metal artists*
Angra*
Ayreon*
Crimson Glory*
Dream Theater*
Devin Townsend*
Evergrey*
Fates Warning*
King's X*
Liquid Tension Experiment*
Novembre*
Opeth*
Pain of Salvation*
Psychotic Waltz*
Queensrÿche*
Savatage*
Shadow Gallery*
Spiral Architect*
Symphony X*
Therion*
Tool*
Vanden Plas*
Vintersorg*
Warmen*
Watchtower*
Progressive rock*
Heavy metal*
PerfectProg.Com Progressive Metal Guide *
The Progressive Pages*
Prog Archives*
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