progressive rock recordings / bands

[Richland123]

Absolute Elsewhere

 

[Les Fret]

I was a big prog fan around my 20s. But nowadays I only still like the big prog bands that originated in the 70s: Mostly Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, and Rush. I have listened to many other newer prog bands from the 80s until now but they can’t hold up to these older prog giants. I hardly come by anything of the newer stuff that I like and most is of putting me.

Later around my 30s or so I was heavily into Dream Theater and played in such bands but I don’t like that kind of prog metal anymore. I just keep coming back to the classic prog bands. To me it doesn’t get better than that and it never has despite all the efforts of bands that came after. These older bands have something, some extra layer or depth and soul and originality or however you want to call it that most later bands lack.

Same goes for the classic jazz rock bands of the 70s. Mahavishnu, Weather Report, Brand X and such. Never really got better after that.

What do think are more modern bands (or even older bands) that can stand up or really compete with the (mentioned) 70s prog giants?
I know of course it is a matter of taste. But would be nice to have some input. Maybe there are some bands I don't know yet or missed.

 

[Vinny_G]

Mandalaband

 

[Richland123]

Australian band Spectrum

 

[s_wood]

What do think are more modern bands (or even older bands) that can stand up or really compete with the (mentioned) 70s prog giants?
I know of course it is a matter of taste. But would be nice to have some input. Maybe there are some bands I don't know yet or missed.

A few years ago I asked myself the same question... and I’ve since learned there are quite a few great prog bands that are relatively new-ish and still active. A few suggestions: The Flower Kings (with the great Jonas Reingold on bass), The Tangent (and, as a bonus, Jonas Reingold plays on their most recent album called “Auto Reconnaissance”), Izz, Big Big Train, Kaipa, Anglagatd,, Glass Hammer.... Doubtless there are more, but to my ears all of those bands are excellent. Maybe they are creating a new genre like Yes, King Crimson and ELP but they are certainly keeping the the genre alive and vital.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I'm sure I've posted these somewhere way back in this thread, but regardless, another modern band that, to me, fits the mold in a modern vein, is Riverside.

 

[Les Fret]

A few years ago I asked myself the same question... and I’ve since learned there are quite a few great prog bands that are relatively new-ish and still active. A few suggestions: The Flower Kings (with the great Jonas Reingold on bass), The Tangent (and, as a bonus, Jonas Reingold plays on their most recent album called “Auto Reconnaissance”), Izz, Big Big Train, Kaipa, Anglagatd,, Glass Hammer.... Doubtless there are more, but to my ears all of those bands are excellent. Maybe they are creating a new genre like Yes, King Crimson and ELP but they are certainly keeping the the genre alive and vital.

Thanks for the suggestions! Appreciate the input. I checked out some of these bands you mention and also Riverside. While they are all good bands it’s not my cup a tea. For me personally I feel like I heard it all before and I hear nothing that inspires me. I don’t hear too much progression in the genre. I don’t know what it is. Guess I have moved on or something. I was a big prog fan twenty years ago or so but the only prog I still like are the classic 70s bands and most projects that are King Crimson related. Of course this is highly personal and don’t want to step on someone’s toes.

 

[biguglyman]

What do think are more modern bands (or even older bands) that can stand up or really compete with the (mentioned) 70s prog giants?

Transatlantic?

 

[12bass]

What do think are more modern bands (or even older bands) that can stand up or really compete with the (mentioned) 70s prog giants?

 

[Yonni]

What do think are more modern bands (or even older bands) that can stand up or really compete with the (mentioned) 70s prog giants?
I know of course it is a matter of taste. But would be nice to have some input. Maybe there are some bands I don't know yet or missed.

Airbag is the only one I listen to. To me, and it is a matter of taste, a lot of newer bands rely on shredding and distortion way too much. It’s like they think “We need an instrumental section here. I know! Loud guitars!!”. The greats of prog were always more melodic. Tull had amazing melodies and rarely relied on solos. Genesis would alternate between keyboards, experimental guitar sounds, solos and drums. Yes had melodic bass, guitar and orchestral keyboards. Too many bands since just copy Rick Wakeman’s keyboard sound or resort to thrash guitar. To me, most newer bands either sound like poor imitations or can’t decide whether they want to be VanHalen or Hawkwind. I really wanted to like Dream Theatre, but even Metropolis is too much fiddly fiddly guitar for me. Some come close. Porcupine Tree will stand the test of time but their output is quite “samey” whereas the great bands would vary a lot from album to album. Look at Floyd or Genesis and how each album is distinct. If there is a modern band out there that can put out great albums but be different every time, I’ve yet to find them. I love Muse, for example, but you can tell within 15 seconds of listening that it’s a Muse album.

I fear the glory days of prog are gone. I’m still looking, but nothing has come close for me.

 

[Les Fret]

I fear the glory days of prog are gone. I’m still looking, but nothing has come close for me.

I agree. Also with the rest of your post. I miss really good compositions and melodies that can stand the test of time and an original band sound like the old 70s giants had. Doesn't matter though. I still have my old records.

 

[Yonni]

I agree. Also with the rest of your post. I miss really good compositions and melodies that can stand the test of time and an original band sound like the old 70s giants had. Doesn't matter though. I still have my old records.

I guess part of it depends on your definition of prog. A lot of folk will include more rock oriented bands than I would. If Proto Prog includes the Yardbirds and Floyd and Neo Prog started with Marillion [Wikipedia], perhaps we need a new term for the more rock/ guitar based bands?

 

[Bob_Ross]

a lot of newer bands rely on shredding and distortion way too much. It’s like they think “We need an instrumental section here. I know! Loud guitars!!”.

I hear ya. As I wrote elsewhere on TB a while back:

...I wondered aloud “Where would prog-rock be in the 21st century if heavy metal had never happened?”

There are some really good bands around that are clearly still carrying the torch that was lit in prog’s 1970s heyday...and yet ALL of them seem to incorporate a healthy dose of head-banging triple-rectified down-tuned crunch riffage, a sound/style that would have been unthinkable prior to the MTV hair band era of heavy metal.

In small doses I kinda dig it. But it doesn’t take a lot for me to write it off as a cheap shortcut, an easy out, a cliché.

So I often long for a hypothetical Rip Van Winkle prog band to come out of their 40+ year coma and start making music like they had NEVER heard Whitesnake.

 

[Les Fret]

perhaps we need a new term for the more rock/ guitar based bands?

That's what's called prog metal I guess. But lot of these bands don't bring anything new so maybe call it regressive metal?

I liked Dream Theater for the first three albums but then they kinda started repeating themselves to my ears.

 

[N4860]

I hear ya. As I wrote elsewhere on TB a while back:

I understand where you're coming from, but I don't entirely agree. 70's prog was very much influenced by the hard rock music that was popular at the time in the late 60's and early 70's. It's not much different from how more modern prog, starting in the 80's and 90's was very influenced by hair metal. In terms of "rock" music from the last 30 years that you wouldn't consider metal, what would you come up with that is not more leaning to the metal side? I think of bands like Pearl Jam, STP, and other grunge artists as mostly associated with classic rock but it's been a while since that was mainstream. Since then, "rock" became a lot more tame, commercialized, poppy. Stuff like Simple Plan, Blink 182, etc. Then in the early 2000's you had stuff like linkin park and limp bizkit dominating the mainstream for rock. Not a lot of great mainstream inspiration for musicians growing up in those years. I'm not really sure where I'm going with all of this, but I think if someone has been aspiring to be a prog musician in the last 30 years, I can see why a lot of the music has headed in the direction of being heavy riff based music.

Have you listened to Pain of Salvation much? To me, they have been very progressive, at least in terms of their output. Each album is very distinct. Their most recent album has some very cool rhythms going on.

To me, progressive music is going to be somewhat relative to what is currently "popular" and is going to be hard to compare fairly over different generations of musicians.

 

[N4860]

Here are a couple songs from their most recent album. They are clearly influenced by the electronic elements of modern music but apply it in a somewhat progressive way that is more complex than what you would hear on the radio:

 

[Les Fret]

Here are a couple songs from their most recent album. They are clearly influenced by the electronic elements of modern music but apply it in a somewhat progressive way that is more complex than what you would hear on the radio:

They sure do some complex rhythmic stuff. The production is also really good and it is played really well. The heavy riff based parts are not my thing but I can hear they are trying to do something new. I think there is more innovation in this more metal/djent type prog (Animals as Leaders and such) than in the more symphonic prog. But to me most prog metal is too much based on riffs and shredding. And it feels to me as if they are creating the songs with a calculator in hand. Just connecting several complex riffs. I feel I have to count all the time because I want to know what they are doing.

 

[Ric5]

Transatlantic?

YES

 

[N4860]

How about Devin Townsend? Certainly on the heavier side, but without the riffing and shredding. I'd say he's one of the most creative artists out there right now.

 

[Yogi Bear]

Transatlantic?

I would add The Flower Kings to the list. Their latest is a concept with shorter songs but still a double-album worth of music. However, their earlier works definitely contain some longer 30+ minute epic songs. They're not a heavy band like a host of other "prog" bands these days. Progressive these days seems to be more associated with metal-ish bands - which is why I like bands like the Flower Kings.

Another gem of a modern progressive band is Big Big Train. Definitely in the vein of early Genesis.