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Topic ClosedIs Symphonic Prog dead??

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desistindo View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Is Symphonic Prog dead??
    Posted: April 15 2015 at 13:42
I would say my favorite genre in music is Symphonic Prog. So you must understand how sad is to discover the genre is kind of "dead". I mean, we have some very good saviors, such as Transatlantic, The Flower Kings, Neal Morse, Moon Safari, Magic Pie, Anglagard. But, besides the forementioned, would you quote any other artist relevant in the genre?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 14:02
I can't, but its not that surpirising. Symphonic Prog is probably one of the most dated sounding sub genres of Prog rock. People are moving past Symphonic Prog, and it just sounds to old to some prog fans especially newcomers. And you got to admit that the bands that are doing the symphonic prog revival, there pretty corny and fake sounding, not authentic.

And I'm not saying I don't like Symph Prog, its probably my favorite sub genre too.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 14:02
It may be heresy for me to say this but I kind agree with you. Even the bands you mentioned have been around for quite a while now. The last one that really knocked my socks off was Deluge Grander (there is another relevant one for you Wink). 

I don't really think Symphonic is dead but it is definitely in decline. We get very few suggestions anymore and even then quite a few of those get sent to other sub-genres. It also kind of makes sense. Music has to evolve. That's why Rio/Avant and Eclectic are so vibrant. These are the artists pushing boundaries. That does happen in Symphonic too, just not as often. Most of the time you see new artists that want to make music like the masters who inspired them. It can be very good but not necessarily innovative.

I don't think Symphonic will ever completely die. It's just in remission right now.




Edited by bhikkhu - April 15 2015 at 14:06
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 14:04
Originally posted by desistindo desistindo wrote:

(...) besides the forementioned, would you quote any other artist relevant in the genre?
Of course. For example, Spanish artist Greyfield, already in Prog Archives due to my suggestion.


Edited by Svetonio - April 15 2015 at 14:07
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 14:05
P.S.

You should also add Discipline to your list.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 14:43
About bloody time, next up neo.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 14:56
No.
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Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 15:02
No.  Are the Beatles irrelevant?  Elvis?  Beethoven?  Miles Davis?  As long as people listen to the music, it is relevant.  As long as Symphonic artists keep releasing material and/or performing, and people buy/attend, it is still alive.  It may not be in the top 40 and the fans may not be teenagers, but both of those are beside the point.  I consider it a fallacy, perpetuated by record executives and others, that the only pertinent music on the planet is what they are promoting and what hits the top of the charts.  Don't succumb to their dictates.  Nor does it matter how old the artists are.  Yes, for example, is still alive, if not particularly well (but at least they are still striving to do something different). 
The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty"
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 15:24
Originally posted by Svetonio Svetonio wrote:

Originally posted by desistindo desistindo wrote:

(...) besides the forementioned, would you quote any other artist relevant in the genre?
Of course. For example, Spanish artist Greyfield, already in Prog Archives due to my suggestion.


Hey, I really enjoyed that band! Thx
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 15:37
No, absolutely not. At least no more than Jazz or Blues music is. They have an audience so they will always be relevant in that respect. Are they the most popular bands to be heard nowadays, of course not. That honour belongs to the crappy bands pushed by an industry that focuses on who has buying power (ie: the young crowd) since that is where their revenues come from. It's sad because Symph is some of my favourite music. It cover a lot of range, more so than a lot of the other genres IMHO.
Thank you for supporting independently produced music
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 16:03
Originally posted by desistindo desistindo wrote:

I would say my favorite genre in music is Symphonic Prog. So you must understand how sad is to discover the genre is kind of "dead". I mean, we have some very good saviors, such as Transatlantic, The Flower Kings, Neal Morse, Moon Safari, Magic Pie, Anglagard. But, besides the forementioned, would you quote any other artist relevant in the genre?
 
Those are bands with vocalis but there's plenty going on in the instrumental side of the court, too. Motoi Sakuraba's bread and butter is soundtracks but he keeps recording the erstwhile keyboard-orgy album (which I always buy). Wakey hasn't retired yet, and I doubt he will. Rocket Scientists (songs and instrumentals) have a new album, too.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 16:21
Hey, ironically, Ive just discover this wonderful album today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8iTR5admcs




A must listen.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 16:21
Originally posted by bhikkhu bhikkhu wrote:

I don't really think Symphonic is dead but it is definitely in decline. We get very few suggestions anymore and even then quite a few of those get sent to other sub-genres. It also kind of makes sense. Music has to evolve. That's why Rio/Avant and Eclectic are so vibrant. These are the artists pushing boundaries. That does happen in Symphonic too, just not as often. Most of the time you see new artists that want to make music like the masters who inspired them. It can be very good but not necessarily innovative.
I can't help but wonder if the lack of innovation is merely due to an excess of purity in the classification.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 16:29
Prog in general has been receding in popularity for quite some time, obviously so since the heyday of the 7 or 8 big bands in the 70s (and the dozens more that eked out nice careers on their coattails). Certainly, it has had a resurgence thanks in no small part to the Internet, but generally speaking it is an outlier on the edge of popular music.
 
But then again, one shouldn't expect a big payday as a classical, jazz or blues musician either (as a poster above inferred). These forms are nowhere near dead because they still have avid, one might say even rabid, followings from a global perspective, just not from a Billboard perspective. Symph prog is really no different. If the music is good someone is bound to listen, just don't expect any real music industry involvement or advertising.
 
P.S. By the way, add Big Big Train to your list. Very symph prog in the Genesis/Yes vein. I've really enjoyed their last three albums.
 
 


Edited by The Dark Elf - April 15 2015 at 16:32
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 17:59
Maybe very heavy symph prog is not alive much now, but I suppose I can hear traces of symph prog in a lot of newer music....It will continue even if just in influence mode.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 18:04
Are groups like Transatlantic and Spock's' Beard (which you yourself stated) dead? The last time I looked they seemed to be breathing alright. I'm not sure what your point is here.

Edited by SteveG - April 15 2015 at 18:06
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 18:11
Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

Are groups like Transatlantic and Spock's' Beard (which you yourself stated) dead? The last time I looked they seemed to be breathing alright. I'm not sure what your point is here.
 
I think he is calling those bands "good saviors" of symph prog. Maybe it is tough to quantify "dead"...
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 18:17
^Oh, well...never mind then. Embarrassed
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 18:23
Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

^Oh, well...never mind then. Embarrassed
 
ahhh...no worries my friend!! Hope you are well sir
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2015 at 21:14
Originally posted by HackettFan HackettFan wrote:

Originally posted by bhikkhu bhikkhu wrote:

I don't really think Symphonic is dead but it is definitely in decline. We get very few suggestions anymore and even then quite a few of those get sent to other sub-genres. It also kind of makes sense. Music has to evolve. That's why Rio/Avant and Eclectic are so vibrant. These are the artists pushing boundaries. That does happen in Symphonic too, just not as often. Most of the time you see new artists that want to make music like the masters who inspired them. It can be very good but not necessarily innovative.
I can't help but wonder if the lack of innovation is merely due to an excess of purity in the classification.

I wonder that as well. I do think some artists get put in other sub-genres because they stray too far from what we would naturally consider being Symphonic. I tend to champion the "oddballs" for inclusion. If my compatriots still vote it down, so be it. I have had a few victories though and even the ones that don't make it still spark healthy discussion.


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