Metal Reviews

i li'm not really looking for a genre in specific, although most things that would qualify will probably be kinda progressive. i just want something with interesting song structures, emotion, dramatic shifts, technical but still with melody, and just overall something good. It can be anywhere from Nevermore to The Mars Volta to Devin Townsend to Tool to Radiohead or whatever, I just want to hear something really cool and interesting (but not weird to the exclusion of all else).

I just realized everything I named was kinda prog but whatever.

Opeth (and a pre-emptive "Hush! Some people like it." to the hundred or so replies this particular recommendation has a tendency to garner).
Farmakon
...And Oceans
Porcupine Tree
Coprofago
Edge of Sanity
Green Carnation (especially Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness)
The Old Dead Tree

The genres are all over the place; ...And Oceans is death metal with industrial touches, Coprofago is jazzier death stuff, Porcupine Tree is softer and proggier, etc., so you shoud find something you'll like.

I just posted two threads on prog bands in the Heavy forum.

Opeth - heard them, love Still Life/My Arms Your Hearse, like all the other stuff
Farmakon - also heard them + like them
...And Oceans - i heard them a long time ago, didn't like them but i might check them out again
Porcupine Tree - heard + like them
Coprofago - heard them, very snazzy
Edge of Sanity - i have crimson and crimson II, and they're good, but they aren't really compelling to listen to them a lot
Green Carnation (especially Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness) - i liked light of day, the only other album i've heard by them is The Quiet Offspring and it was pretty lame
The Old Dead Tree - i'll check them out

i've heard too much music tt;;;;;

You can try The Project Hate with their last year album Armageddon March Eternal. It's my favourite progressive industrial melodic death gothic flavoured kinda band (actually it's my only progressive industrial etc. band ). Aaron was going to review it just before he quit and now it is passing by undetected. I think you're going to like what you hear.

Gli Atroci- italian manowar style metal. ridiculously funny. make sure you get the lyrics.
Nanovar- Metal parodies from Naples. The playing is pretty good and all the songs are portrayed as food odes (Master of Pizza, Emerald Fork), others are just plain ridiculous (our metal is so strong cuz our dick is so long).
John 5- the bastard can really play
can't think of anything else right now

Vital Tech Tones

cool, a victor wooten band. I've just been getting into Bela Fleck and the Flecktones =)

yeah, they're the awesomest fusion band ever.

Define Infinity recommended me some Golden Dawn in another thread and I think it's great, and it sounds like it might be fit into what you're looking for to an extent.

You also might like Spiral Architect, if you haven't already heard them.

Spiral Architect are impressively complex, but I never really got into them besides that, and I rememberhearing Golden Dawn but not liking the. :?

Try Skyfire. "Spectral" seems to be the most well-liked. I prefer "Timeless Departure" but the production is rough as hell and for music with like three guitars and two keyboards at once, that's tough to get through.

Arcturus - First three albums
Dimension F3H - Reaping The World Winds
Hades Almighty - The Pulse of Decay (re-issue)
Ved Buens Ende - Written In Waters
In The Woods... - Omnio
Absentia Lunae - Marching Upon Forgotten Ashes
Mirrorthrone - Carriers of Dust
Winds - All (they only have two albums)
Woods of Ypres - Pursuit of The Sun and Allure of The Earth

Not sure how far your tastes run, but try this chick (all this stuff was posted by me on another site, I'm just pasting it):

So, after a long delay with the manufacturer, Emilie released the Opheliac EP. It is VERY different than her other stuff, but no big deal since Enchant was different from her earlier EPs. This time around she kind of snarling on some songs, it's very odd. It's not what you'd expect coupled with the music. Still, it is very good and it's not like she's doing these crazy vocals for every song, or an entire song, just bits now and again. For instance:

I WANT MY INNOCENCE BACK (username: suffering, password: slitmeintwo)

You can hear it in this song (it's the complete song). Great song, too. If you pre-ordered the EP by a certain date you were supposed to get an autographed and a personalized letter, but since the EP was delayed every order got one. I'm not sure how unique my personal letter is, but it reads as follows:

My dear Ken,

The asylum has been ransacked...nothing remains of our happy memories...why love a lie...

From the asylum, with love,
Emilie

What the hell? Hahaha. She's definitely a trip. Haha. Very different. Here are some more samples from this new EP:

OPHELIAC
SWALLOW
LIAR
THE ART OF SUICIDE
MISERY LOVES COMPANY
MARRY ME

Anyway, for those interested in her older work, this is what I posted a long time ago:

EMILIE AUTUMN

I'll come right out and say it: Emilie Autumn is a weirdo. Haha. Maybe that's too much, but she is very different. I first heard her a few years ago when I found her Enchant CD in the used bin for $2. It reminded me of Imogen Heap at times, though with a lot more classical influence, mainly from the violin. The CD was a pleasant surprise. Her other EPs are much more classical than Enchant. At the time I discovered her she was a bit more low-key online, but now she's somehow reverted back to the 16th century. Embracing that classical side of her music, I guess. She's got a new CD coming out soon, I can't wait. She's definitely worth a listen.

From Enchant
HOW STRANGE (Clip)
CHAMBERMAID (Clip)
CASTLEDOWN (Clip)
EPILOGUE: WHAT IF (Clip...reminds me a lot of Tori's "Silent All These Years")

Website: http://www.emilieautumn.com

Hmm, listening to The Old Dead Tree right now and I could see myself really loving this after a few more listens.

And The Project Hate seems to kick major ass, I hope my estimation of it doesn't change on more listens (that seems to happen with death metal).

Has anyone said Sieges Even? I'm actually in love with their "The Art of Navigating By the Stars" album. Anything else remotely like this?

Sieges Even were ok except their heavy parts were kind of lacking. You might like Riverside, Redemption, Porcupine Tree or Zero Hour if you're looking for similar stuff.

You might try Labyrinth. They're pretty progressive and technical for a prog/power band.

Hey noodles, you ever heard of Pagan's Mind. If not, give them a try. Celestial Entrance and Enigmatic Calling are a must for any prog fan.

And did you checked The Project Hate ? Their last is my fav. but Hate, Dominate, Congregate, Eliminate is not far behind although a bit repetitive. Third album When We Are Done, Your Flesh Will Be Ours was a let-down. Their second album is more close to Hate, Dominate album but rawer. It still has some of their best songs though.

Try Green Carnation.

Or Vintersorg. Reviews are on this site.

Or Windir.