Prog for the 21st Century

I am always on the lookout for decent rock bands so will give the Amplifiers a go, my preference is towards heavy rock but prog has its place in my collection too.

Have you heard Paradise lost, symbol of life? It is a brilliant album from a band who started off doing death metal but have now become a heavy rock band, highly recommended.

I have 3 Paradise Lost albums form the early/mid 90's quite like "Draconian Times". Will give a listen to their new one on your recommendation.

If you like Octupus, you should check out their earlier works particularly "The Astronaut Dismantle's Hal" very heavy but articulate. I love heavy rock but not too much metal.

Let me know how you find it .

Gerry

I bought the Amplifiers album recently on a friend's recommendation ("it's a bit of a cross between Porcupine Tree and Pineapple Thief" he told me), and at £6.99 on Amazon for a double it was hard to resist.

I've given it a couple of runs through, and it's good, but can't help feeling that if they'd stripped it back to one single album it'd have been a bit of a killer. However, like most music of this sort, more plays often opens the music up so it may have more to give.

It's on Spotify, so give it a whirl.

I'm listening on Spotify to Octopus, and agree with you Gary, it would make a great  single disc album.

It is a fine album, even so, as you say Porcupine Thief or Pineapple Tree. 

Check out Touchstone, quite proggy and are pretty good. 

Gerry,

Thanks for the heads up! I just bought Insider and it revived my interest in prog rock. A few days later, I bought the triple live album "Whirld Tour 2010" by Transatlantic, which I had previously bought on DVD. Highly recommended in case you've never heard of them. Both excellent stuff anyway

Check out Airbag's last album,soon to be out on vinyl.

Its called identity and also has a great cover.

G.

All Prog lovers should own this album on cd or vinyl imo.

This is also one to have on vinyl and cd as are their other two albums.

All the vinyl is under £10 inc free post at hmv at the mo.

All three Black Mountain albums are top notch, though I'd describe them as having more in common with 70s hard rock than prog (apart from having quite a lot of mellotron on it). Bits are especially reminiscent of Patti Smith.

I also have all 3 black mountain albums and agree that they are excellent. As you note they are closer to hard rock than Prog.

For a more proggy album Dream Theatre - Black Clouds & Silver Linings is great.

The last Muse album remains the best Prog album I have ever heard
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Thanks all for the suggestions! I guess I might add the following album to the list:

The Ocean: Heliocentric

Nu metal, progressive metal, post metal... Whatever it's called, this is an excellent album which mixes typical metal instrumentation with cello, viola, vibraphone, trumpet, trombone and few others.

Can I add, any Mars Volta album (all excellent,) Opeth albums starting from Blackwater Park to the present Watershed album, the last Mastodon album 'Crack the Skye' is very proggy, Muse from Absolution onwards and controversially the last couple of Dillinger Escaple Plan albums (Ire Works and Option Paralysis) both amazing hardcore albums but very progressive by nature also. No harm to aqny of them but for my money you still can't beat 2112 and The Yes Album for Prog heaven!

The one outstanding prog album from this century for me is 'Lateralus' by Tool. Very influenced by King Crimson, but more song orientated, or perhaps anthem is a better word. A bit of Rush in there too.

Like several others who love this album, past or present members of the forum, I owned it for about 18 months occasionally giving it a try and wondering what the fuss that Tool fans made about was all about, then one day it just clicked. That seems to be the way to get into the album, it usually take that long, unless you were into 'Aenima' before it of course. If it does click you will then become one of those Tool fans who badger others, and go on endlessly about how great it is.

It is right up there with my other favourite prog albums, VDGG 'Pawn Hearts', Yes 'Close to the Edge', King Crimson 'Red', Rush 'Permanent Waves', Genesis 'Wind and Wuthering' etc.

Although a big fan of traditional progressive rock especially Emerson Lake Palmer and King Crimson and Gentle Giant and Colosseum and Greenslade and Curved Air and Jethro Tull and Atomic Rooster and Barclay James Harvest and, of course, the Moody Blues and Electric Light Orchestra and a lover of all records Deep Purple/Rainbow, I have found it difficult to sit down and listen to modern progressive rock groups. My favourite records with a progressive slant from this century are 

• The Hidden Step 
• Swirly Termination
• Spirals in Hyperspace
• The Floor's Too Far Away
• The Yumyum Tree 

Perhaps they are a bit more psych than prog, but not as psych as the wonderful E&TC. 

I have tried PT and Tool and Opeth, but it has not quite worked for me. I do like Nightwish though so perhaps there's hope. 

All the best, Guy

Porcupine Tree have covered quite a wide spread of styles over the years. Their recent material, and most popular in terms of sames,has been quite heavy, but going back to the 90's they were much lighter, and more influenced by Pink Floyd. If you don't like the later albums, some of the early ones might still appeal, then again, you might not like any of it.

Next month I am going to see the 30th anniversary gig of a band I once considered new prog. IQ (who were contemporaries of Marillion) are now 30 years old, and have just got a new keyboard player who is the brother of an old friend. Should be a fun, and very nostalgic night out. I can't say they would match up to other bands mentioned above though.

Amplifier are doing gigs in Manchester & London in June and will have Pineapple Thief for support, should be excellent.

Incidentally for those who find their Octupus album a bit too long, check out  "The Astronaut dismantles Hal" which is far too short but immensely heavy.

It is also the best album I know for testing the room interaction with the bass content.

If you're after new Prog with a feel of old Prog then try Diagonal. There'sa track on Spotify, and one here on Prog Archives

The Dead Weather?

Or too Goth to be Prog?

Probably more Prog in the sounds/instruments used. Goth by style.

Goth Prog (not Prog Goth!).

Seconded. Pure genius. But as you say, it was a bit of work over an extended period to really "get it".

Tool has only great albums but I'd say that their newest album (10000 Days) is easily the best one. 

The new Amplifier album is awesome. If you like it, you should definitely check out their earlier albums also. 

Can't believe Dream Theater have only been mentioned once. Check out Octavarium.

OK. I think Dream  Theater are desperately dull  . And Marillion too. I'm a bit meh about Flower Kings and Spock's Beard also.

Which makes it all the odder that I really like Transatlantic, who are a super-group featuring Neal Morse (Spock's Beard), Roine Stolt (Flower Kings), Pete Trewavas (Marillion) and Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater). There are three studio albums all based around melody (albeit somewhat anthemic) rather than heaviosity or uber-widdliness and are all the better off for it. All three recommended.

The first album (SMPTe) features a stonking 17 minute interpretation of Procol Harum's In Held Twas In I (almost certainly the only one there'll ever be), and the bonus disc of their latest Whirlwind includes excellent versions of The Return Of The Giant Hogweed, A Salty Dog, and Soul Sacrifice, which tells you something of their mutual inspirations.