* Songs are strictly fifteen minutes in length or more. Will accept 14:59.
* Progressive Electronic epics are not allowed, even songs from the other genre that sounds
like Progressive Electronic.However, if one particular track has that kind of part, but, has many things going on it, t's included.
* No sung lyrics. Even though the song contained fourteen minutes of instrumentation then one minute or thirty seconds of vocals, it's still not counted. A good example of this is Moving Gelatine Plates's Last Song
* No spoken lyrics either. Just pure instrumentation action.
* However, vocal melodies are allowed. (ooooooh and aaaaaahs)
* It's okay if the band/s you've chosen is/are purely instrumental, but your list shouldn't contain five or more tracks by them.
* Suites with many different parts are OK, but a suite made up of entirely different songs from that album is not allowed. For example, Ciccada's Finest of Miracles Suite
* Albums that classify as a single track are not allowed...
* Suites that consider a fraction of a single track as a separate one e.g. Guapo's Five Suns is also not allowed.
* You can put as many songs from a same sub-genre as you like, but no repeating bands like let's say, five times or three times, with a minimum of two times, and a song from that same sub-genre should not exceed at least five times.
* Put the track length if you must.
Without further redo, here are mine:
1. Bubu’s El Cortejo De Un Día Amarillo (19:25) - to commemorate Bubu's newest release, I should definitely start with this genuine masterpiece! A true highly recommended track from the Eclectic Prog sub-genre and definitely one of my most favorite South American (from Argentina by the way) tracks of all time.
Best Bit/s: The slicing violin about six minutes followed by the barrage of drums; the saxophone solo; and finally, when the guitar starts to solo.
2. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez's Jacob van Lennapkade II (18:25) - A high energy Mars Volta-ish song without Cedric. Of course, if he's here then, this won't be included anyway! Right where it rockets to that riff, only to end with that creepy-ish noise. The saxohpone and the electric guitars are the main highlight and pretty much makes this one alive, or a better word: intense. However, the keyboard solo on the track is underrated too.
Best Bit/s:The saxophone freak-out in the middle part of the track right until it ends. Then the guitar solo that follows afterward.
3. Kant Freud Kafka's Antitesis (16:02) - not as bombastic as let's say, several instrumentals here or others in general, but this still has that variety going on which is one of the major aspects that made me love such kind of music compared to some soulless bombast. Based from its name, it's the complete antithesis of the pompous progressive rock elements; however, little hints of ‘grandiosity’ are present in this one too. To conclude, every instrumental is great if done right.
Best Bit/s: Whenever the guitar starts to solo; when the slow and fast 'violin' sound occurs; and the keyboard solo.
4. Herbie Hancock's Sleeping Giant (24:48) - all I can say about this one is, yes, there is something big approaching, hence the name of the track. Pretty understandable since this starts with explosive percussion, but I don't get the funky thing until the end.
Best Bit/s: The percussion in the beginning of course - it's just so crazy good!
5. Colosseum's Valentyne Suite (16:50) - Another one in the Jazz/Rock Fusion category. It may be made from 'separate' tracks, but I'll make an exception, as one, this is just so good, and two, which is the more reasonable one - the database disagrees with this.
Best Bit/s:The funky saxophone and keyboard dance-a-thon part of the track which obviously gets me groovin'...and repeats; the saxophone and drum combo that can be heard about in the middle too...and repeats...more than once. I also enjoy the sole guitar light show.
6. Estradasphere's Hunger Strike (19:30) - This one's from the RIO/Avant-Prog category! Not sure why. Sounds like Heavy Jazz/Rock Fusion for me in the vein of Avant Garden's Path Of The Farwind, but infinitely better. My theory is, no offense, is that other bands are busy ripping each other up, making this fall into the Avant category. However, this one positively rips. I really love heavy tracks induced with saxophone and violin especially if the result is this. And finally, this is what a hunger strike sounds like!
Best Bit/s: The soft guitar solos whether it's acoustic or electric; when all hell breaks loose...twice; and the swing thing near the end.
7. Taal's Barbituricus (15:16) - this one starts like a party, and what a party it is once it goes to the main event! Very King Crimson-like, since this is the only accurate band that enters my mind every time I listen to this. It also has vocal harmonies, and we all know they're allowed here. Wait, I just realized that its name comes from a drug named Barbituriates or something. So basically, this is an aural representation of it?
Best Bit/s: The wild sections.
8. Harmonium's Histoires Sans Paroles (17:12) - different from most (maybe all) tracks here, since there are no aggressive sections present in this. This is all soft: a recommendation if you want to sit back and relax. There are no drums either, and lets the flute, guitars (acoustic), and mellotron do much of the talking...er...musicing? The only primary rock instrument here is the bass.
Best Bit/s: The Le Grand Bal section, in which the bass and flute really shine since this is the only part where these two instruments show up. I also imagine, yes, there's this ‘people slow dancing scene’ and there's this romance crap all over the place. I also need to waltz too everytime I hear this section but alas, with no partners present.
9. Focus's Eruption (23:04) - out of Focus's lengthy instrumentals that I know of, mainly the superb Anonymous Two, and the somewhat underrated Hamburger Concerto, this is my pick as it lives up to its name starting from a calm track then bursts into exotic energy. Keyboards and guitars dominate but the drums do a good job too. This also has vocal harmonies.
Best Bit/s: The fiery guitar solos. The head-spinning keyboard jams. The drums. Finally, a finite feature of flute.
10. MIA's Cornonstipicum (17:34) - Another South American track and yet another one from its same symphonic sub-genre. In shorter words, it's a majestic mix of energetic fast-paced parts and deeply relaxing lullet out segments. To tell the truth, I was about to cross this one out and add Änglågård's Snårdom as it fits the criteria in both ways as it has the required length and the same beauty of this track. It was simply because I thought that it had some lyrically sung sections but boy was I wrong. It contained some harmonies you can find in at least three different tracks from this list.
Best Bit/s: Similar to the previous track, the guitar solos especially the first
frantic one, the pounding drums, and the keyboards, precisely that part in which I think I
get transported to space or somewhere in that matter.If you're asking for the notable single
highlight, then it's that guitar solo and keyboard duo. And, it's happening just right the
beginning.
11. Egg's Symphony No. 2 (22:26) - Pretty good Canterbury Scene track even though during the middle, it kinda drags out. This is still good nonetheless. The keyboards are an essential ingredient in this sunny side-upped omelet, and is the one that really adds the spice for the track. As a lover of the instrument myself, I really agree.
Best Bit/s: Everytime the wild keyboard appears and becomes the main man, he kinda screws up, and just turns into noise but redeems himself soon enough. The best demonstration of this performance is when it elevates up to the first minute mark.
12. Gryphon's Ein Klein Heldenleben (16:03) - Might be the only Prog Folk track that falls to this category that I've liked and much better, adored. If you have the time for other suggestions, let me know. For me, this sounds pretty much like some Focus, the folksy side of Focus. I know that Focus uses flute, but I can't remember any medieval sounding flute from their long compositions. Maybe this sounds like Anonymous Two?
Best Bit/s: The medieval flute solo and the sounds that accompany it until it finishes. The "build-up" to that "phaser" sound.
13. Herbie Hancock's Chameleon (15:41) - third Jazz/Rock fusion track, and another Herbie Hancock one! Funky is the keyword here. Every instrument keeps up with the groove. Once it opens with that infectious bassline. One thing, just what the hell were they thinking in choosing that as the cover of their album?!
Best Bit/s: The infectious bassline and saxophone that follows it afterward. The keyboard solos. The drum solos. Also when it suddenly thinks that it's enough for today, or party's over and decides to be a lullaby. It doesn't put me to sleep though, it just yes, relaxes me.
14. Liquid Tension Experiment's When The Water Breaks (16:58) - Now this is an instrumental right here! If I were to do a countdown, this would end up being in the first place. Every second is great, every musician is marvelous at their corresponding instrument, although the only jarring section for me is the beginning, the crying baby, but I get it's a reference to childbirth, Petrucci's wife to be exact. I never knew that such a milestone for him gave birth to such a masterpiece as this. I think if you're masters such as this band, there's no doubt that it'll come to life.
Best Bit/s: There are simply too many. I guess every section is the best. But, I'll take notes of the ones that pretty much got me. The soulful symphonic serenade at the start; its immediate shift to being energetic; the drumming at the fifth minute mark; the gliding guitar solos that closely follow after it; the synth solo succeded by it; the piano solo that follows and simpy ends that section; that jumping bass section close to the eleventh minute mark; another synth solo appears; the concluding riffing part; and finally, that upbeat piano section that closes one of this or the band's magnum opus.
15. Avant Garden's Path of the Farwind (18:25) - My final song! Yet another "jazzy" track! This is considerably good, but an underrated track nonetheless. The pace picks up in the middle part, and boy, what an amazing section that is. The woodwind instruments steal the show, but the guitar itself can pretty manage itself to be the second star.
Best Bit/s: The terrific threesome (I know, such a bad name) of - flute, saxophone, and guitars. In other words, the consecutive solos. You can hear that entire section in one of my lists of favorite prog songs. By the way, that screaming guitar note during the solo leaves me breathless. Wait, there's this screaming saxophone solo soon!
Now for some honorable mentions:
* Ash Ra Tempel's Amboss (19:40) - Between Freak 'N' Roll and this, it might have been a tough choice, but in the end, it was this that came to my liking. The guitar is simply great! Heavy as an anvil like its name suggests.
Best Bit/s: The guitar solos.
* Ephemeral Sun's Harvest Aorta (41:55) - The longest song in this list! I'll admit, I can't believe that such of a gargantuan of a track like this end up in the honorable mentions.
Best Bit/s: The longer the track, the numerous the notable notes of music there are. Such of the case, the more, the merrier. With that, they're too many to take in here.
* Lizards Exist's Annukaki Dance (17:10) - Simply a spacey and psychedelic track that builds up until to that explosive finish. But don't let this short description fool you, it's exceptionally good. As its name suggested, it seems to be based from some sort of reptilian creature.
Best Bit/s: The slow build-up in the beginning. The arranging array of instruments there is simply superb but it kinda drags down when we reach the electronic-ish section. There's also the short bit towards the end in which we hear that the aliens are invading wherever they are.
* Naikaku's Shell (16:28) - Heavy Japanese progressive rock. It's pretty much evident when you look at the name of the band. Abundant with meaty riffs, also laced with a lashing guitar solo, this track right here is a treat. Let's not forget that there's also a flute that provides the perfect atmosphere and balance of heaviness and softness in this, and gives it a more of an oriental vibe. This track thoroughly depicts the see-sawing states of the hollow "human shell", in whic they are stoic at the start, but there's hints of anger every now and then.
Best Bit/s: The only "oriental" guitar solo; and the consecutive flurry of sections from that aforementioned guttural guitar solo to the point where we get a reprise of that riffage but it's followed by some xylophone or triangle or whatever.
* Morte Macabre's Symphonic Holocaust (17:51) - I for one, don't like the horror genre that much, particularly the movies. There's something specific there that makes me hate and loathe it. However, I love some of the themed tracks such as Univers Zero's La Faulx (which unfortunately has spoken vocals), and Fantomas's Delìrivm Còrdia. Maybe because the sounds speak much to me rather than viewing it? Anyway, going back to the track, this sounds much like Anekdoten, which is not surprising since this band has two members of them (the other two are from Landberk). This one however,
sounds darker.
* Best Bit/s:The 'guitar soloing' in the middle of the track; the waves of mellotron near the end.
Pandora Snail's James Pont (16:36) - I might be underestimating this one right here for excluding it from the entire list. It's truly exceptionally eclectic. It yet again reminds me of King Crimson with several tempo changes. If you're a fan of that legendary band, then this one is for you. And it also efinitely depicts the discords between wars.
Best Bit/s: The crunchy guitar riffs that inquire you that the battle is boiling; the
the out-of-control organs and the electric solo after one particular section; the "violin riffage" that resumes every once in a while; that quiet piano and violin swapping; and the merry marching keyboard solo that reminds me of some certain video game in the end. It's a happy ending then, isn't it?
I know there's many more out there, but these are the ones that ended up appearing in my list.
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15 15 minuter (or more) instrumentals
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