Hidden Treasures - March Metal Madness (Progressive Metal)

[Scott]

March Metal Madness continues this week with a trip into the progressive side of Metal. We're going to span a lot of time in 4 tracks in the hopes that this week playlist captures one of Metals most interesting and best sub-genres. Progressive. First a little background courtesy of Wiki-Pedia and sponsored by Jons-mind-o-pedia...


Progressive metal blended elements of heavy metal and progressive rock music, taking the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar-driven sound of the former, with the more experimental, complex and "pseudo-classical" compositions of the latter. Progressive metal often utilises the conceptual themes associated with progressive rock. Throughout the years, progressive metal has borrowed influences from several other genres, including classical and jazz fusion music.


Whilst the genre emerged towards the late-1980s, it was not until the 1990s that progressive metal achieved commercial success. Dream Theater, Queensrÿche, Tool and Fates Warning are a few examples of progressive metal bands who achieved commercial success; additionally, heavy metal bands such as Megadeth incorporated elements of progressive music in their work. Progressive metal's popularity started to decline towards the end of the 1990s, but it remains a largely underground genre with a committed fan base.


Well, I'm not sure of that decline part. It sure hasn't declined in my view of things. I sure wish our sponsor would double check their facts! Onto this weeks playlist...


PLAYLIST --> http://www.podsnack.com/CA69EFD9E8C/avpm4nim

	Rush Fly By Night 1975 1 - By-Tor and the Snow Dog The songs "By-Tor & the Snow Dog" and "Rivendell" are examples of the inclusion of fantasy themes into Rush's music. "By-Tor & the Snow Dog" was inspired by Rush roadie Howard Ungerleider's story of him staying at Anthem records manager Ray Danniels' house, where Danniels' German Shepherd growled at him, and a tiny dog also owned by Danniels tried to jump on him. Ungerleider told Rush about it and they thought it was hilarious. This song at the end of side one of the original LP has a recording of jingle sounds which continues into the locked groove and thus plays indefinitely on manual record players - Very metal!!
	Iron Maiden Piece of Mind 1983 2 - To Tame a Land Nearly every song on the album was inspired by movies or literature, whether it's history, mythology, sci-fi, or fantasy; this approach got them tagged as a thinking-man's metal band. No less than four songs are about battles and warriors, and a couple are about flying, underscoring the heights of the drama that the band is aiming for. The album closes on a big, progressive note with "To Tame a Land," an epic retelling of Frank Herbert's Dune that evokes the desert planet via Middle Eastern guitar melodies. In the end, even if Piece of Mind is the most obviously inconsistent of the classic Maiden trilogy, its many high points are no less awe-inspiring, and it's no less essential for anyone with even the most basic interest in heavy metal.
	Dream Theater Metropolis, Pt.2: Scenes From a Memory 1999 3 - Scene Four: Beyond This Life Few bands subscribe to their dense blend of progressive rock and post-Halen metal, and those that do usually don't have major-label contracts, the way Dream Theater does. There was a point where they tried to straighten out their sound somewhat, as they flirted with straight-ahead, laid-back metal on 1997's Falling into Infinity, but with its 1999 studio sequel, Scenes from a Memory, Dream Theater delves straight into old-fashioned prog rock. Scenes from a Memory is an unabashed concept album, told in two acts, about the 1928 murder of a young woman and how a modern man is haunted by the crime. A convoluted, difficult tale is told in a convoluted, difficult fashion, with no less than four tracks clocking in at well over ten minutes and three others ranging from 6:30 to 8:50. Clearly, this is intended as some sort of masterwork, and what's remarkable is that Dream Theater comes close to creating a masterwork with Scenes from a Memory. The album plays more like a suite than a collection of individual songs.
	Porcupine Tree Deadwing 2005 4 - Shallow The album is based on a screenplay written by Steven Wilson and Mike Bennion, and is essentially a ghost story. Wilson had expressed the intention to eventually have this film script made into a movie. Porcupine Tree have always been pigeonholed with the modern prog movement, but the reality is that they're both a riff-addicted metal band and a troupe obsessed with rich harmonies and memorable refrains. Take the grinding guitar work of "Shallow" which dukes it out with frontman Steve Wilson's undeniably melodic chorus before easing into the delicate, beautifully crafted "Lazarus." Few bands exhibit this kind of depth. The album includes collaborations with King Crimson's Adrian Belew, who plays guitar solos on the title track "Deadwing" and "Halo", and Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Nope.  I sure don't.  

Look, I agree about the solo on Regret 9.  It's fantastic.  I also agree that the drumming is quite good. It's not that I think it's a bad album, I just don't think Mr. Wilson is God's gift to musical artistry.  Talented, yes.  But I prefer something I can sing along to in my car.  And this ain't it.

But that's also why I think the title track is the best song here.  And as brilliant as that solo is, Vinnie Moore's work all over the UFO album is just as brilliant.

[Scott]

Moore is impressive on this album, the more I play the more I think its better than Seven Deadly...

[Niels (Mod)]

Then it's stricktly a matter of personal taste. If you prefer songs, that you can sing along to in your car, obviously not every kind of album is for you.

I love a great concept-album, and this is among the finest. I've heard the album around 10 times now, and it's just getting better and better. Not one weak spot, where Raven had a few weak spots imo. I like, that this one is not as jazzy, as the last couple of Wilson-albums. This one is the most "Porcupine Tree"-sounding solo-album from him, even though it doesn't really sound like PT. Again imo, it's better sounding.

A modern day Quadrophenia, if you ask me.

You can't just say, that it's headless worshipping. I never-ever say, something is great, unless I mean it. I'm a Zeppelin-fan, but I think that Precence is mostly rubbish. If Wilson makes some crap, I'll let you know.

And again: it would be very boring, if we all had the same taste in music (but some have a better taste than others ;-))

[RJhog (Admin)]

I don't at all disagree that he's a fine musician.  But I don't think this is the best album of the year, even to this point.  Not for me.  

I wish Rush would release a brand new album this year.  It would be funny to see folks have to choose between Rush and SW.  We know it won't happen, but it would be entertaining for me.

Hopefully by the end of the year we will have enough people to vote in the awards (like we are having for the HOF) and SW will not prevail.  Left up to everyone that normally votes, he is a shoe in.

[Jon]

There should be two separate top 10 lists.

[Niels (Mod)]

Well, personally I don't give a rat's ass (is it okay to "say" that), which album ends up as CRB's album of the year. I never "followed the mases", and prefer to know by myself, that my taste in music, is the right one. Sometimes a no. 1 is the right one, like last year, but usually it's not.

But I am glad to see, that Scott and Jon agrees with me regarding this release.

I like the latest RUSH-album, but still I did not have it as my no. 1 in 2013, or whenever it was.

I hope, there will be a better album released this year, but I strongly doubt it. If it was released last year, imo it would had been a better release ( and it is) than Ghost and North Atlantic Oscilliation ( my no. 1 of 2014).

[RJhog (Admin)]

I'm gonna petition Wilson, the constantly evolving and growing artist, to write an album about a flea that keeps biting a dude on the nuts and see if he can make a number one concept album out of that.

[Niels (Mod)]

The next time, wilson releases an album, you will claim, that this one was much better. Do we really have to go through this each and every time?

A couple of years ago, you couldn't even spell to R-a-v-e-n, without dozing off, and suddently you say that Raven is actually a fine album 

Do you sing it in your car?

[RJhog (Admin)]

Good one Niels

[RJhog (Admin)]

Just maybe one of those bands will make an appearance later this week.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Let's see what we've got here:

Rush - An epic track here that seems to be a Rush fanatic favorite.  But honestly, it doesn't do that much for me.  I do prefer the second half of the song to the first half.  Maybe it just doesn't resonate with me because it never snows around here and nobody here has a snow dog.

Maiden - I like this one.  Maiden is one of those bands that I didn't give the time of day in the 80's.  But I do regret that. They are a band that I wish I had spent more time with during my formative years (along with UFO and Blue Oyster Cult).  This song is just terrific all around.

Dream Theater - Killer song.  One of the better overall tracks that I've heard by DT.  I have this but have never listened to it.

Porcupine Tree - Best song here, hands down.  Not just because it's the shortest either.  Just a cool song.  If his solo output was this heavy I bet I'd like it more.  Just sayin'.

I own three of the four you featured.  If I ranked the songs:

1. PT

2. Maiden

3. DT

4. Rush

[RJhog (Admin)]

Oh, now listen to Opeth and the Cookie Monster (with an open mind).