Let's Get Progressive! Il Balletto di Bronzo

[Fischman]

Haken - The Mountain
Subgenre(s): Progressive Metal
Score: 85
Year: 2013
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 6th

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We've got us a masterpiece of progressive metal here. These are impressive compositions, well delivered. There is a fantastic combination of fluid time signatures a la the more complex side of Dream Theater mixed with the pop metal melodicism of Threshold, and the mix is dynamite. So why isn't this an all time favorite? I have to say the vocals hold it back a bit for me. To be clear, one of the elevating elements of this album is the excellent use of vocal harmonies; it's the lead that I find not quite up to the level of the rest of the album. Too light and airy, there were times I was thinking "this song would so kick ass with a vocal more like Andrew McDermott (Threshold) or James LaBrie (Dream Theater). A slightly stronger lead would make this an all time elite prog metal album rather than merely outstanding.


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[Fischman]

Royal Hunt - Moving Target
Subgenre(s): Progressive Metal
Score: 75
Year: 1995
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 19th

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This was less progressive than my expectations. I guess this gets labeled as progressive metal because there's a few songs with some time signature changes. But this is more like an attempt at arty but commercial friendly brand of symphonic metal, more akin to the harder side of Styx than anything else. The music is very well crafted, but sometimes comes across as a collection of musical genre cliches. In addition to the musical elements, the lyrics are sometimes good but at times embarrassingly cliche. Trying to put the album in time context, I probably would have taken to it a lot more had I first heard it upon release almost three decades ago. Not a bad album at all, and it does have some exciting moments,, but I don't quite get some of the accolades.

[Fischman]

Pagan's Mind- Infinity Divine
Subgenre(s): Progressive Metal
Score: 80
Year: 2000
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 15th

Here's another prog metal album that's more prog than metal. Instead of a few time signature changes, Pagan's Mind draws the prog label more due to deftly executed tempo changes, frequently sending things a little off kilter, but in a good way. Instead of the more artsy approach of the Danish Royal Hunt, the Norwegian Pagan's Mind goes with a more straightforward power metal approach. You get a lot of rapid fire double bass drum topped with a slightly overbearing snare. There's a solid Queensryche vibe, mostly due to vocalist Nils K. Rue sounding very much like Geoff Tate, a less operatic, more generic power metal version. There is strong riffage throughout this album, and prog or no prog, this is likely to appeal to a lot of headbangers. The guitar is strong enough to hold my interest in conjunction with some solid compositions. They occasionally seem to take their pagan schtick a little too seriously, and by the year 2000 it's hard not to recycle some power metal melodies, but the group deftly avoid becoming a caricature, which is itself impressive.

[Fischman]

Pendragon - The World
Subgenre(s): Neo Prog
Score: 85
Year: 1991
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 7th

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I really try to listen to new-to-me music with a fresh ear, trying to hear each artist on their own terms. But I often hear influences, overt or unintentional, and can't quite shake them. Now the presence of influence (sound like a Kansas album title) need not be a bad thing and this album is a perfect example. This album had a very strong transitional-period-Genesis vibe, with serious Marillion overtones, plus some seemingly deliberate Gilmour-esque guitar.... and I positively loved it! Running a full hour, this thing held my interest throughout, with never even a hint of desire to skip to the next song or speed anything up. I just sat there and reveled in all its neo-prog glory.


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[Repo]

[Fischman]

Dregs - Unsung Heroes
Subgenre(s): Jazz Rock Fusion, Progressive Jazz
Score: 85
Year: 1981
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 7th

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A quick x-post from my jazz diary, where listening to an album called "Unsung Heroes" by jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton inspired me to also listen to the same titled album by the Dixie Dregs, a group that defies categorization, but fits prog as well as anything else.

The Dregs's Unsung Heroes isn't spoken among their best albums, but I think it should be; it provides textbook examples of everything that makes the Dregs what they are; virtuoso musicians who cam put everything from straight rock, to fusion, to bluegrass, to baroque counterpoint all on one album and do it all brilliantly.

Cruise Control

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I'll Just Pick

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[Fischman]

[Repo]

[Fischman]

[Fischman]

Alphataurus - Alphataurus
Subgenre(s): Rock Progressivo Italiano
Score: 85
Year: 1973
My Rank in Year as of this listen: 10th

Top shelf Rock Progressivo Italiano here from yet another of those short-lived groups from the golden age. Alphataurus excels particularly in the areas of composition and orchestration. There are strong classical and theatrical elements that make this more than a mere piece of music, but almost a sort of mixed media arts sort of expression. Excellent vocals to boot. This is a soundtrack to great RPI.

I dig. Big time.