Why all the negativity about Prog-Metal?

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   Why all the animosity over Prog-Metal?  I see a consistent style of negative prog-metal review for virtually any prog-metal recording that is popular.  There are always reviews by non-metal fans who can't get beyond the early to middle 1970's.  In their opinion if it doesn't sound like Yes, Genesis, or Gentle Giant than the music is absolutely worthless.  Now I love Genesis and Gentle Giant, so I hope people don't misinterpret what I'm saying.  The whole purpose of Progressive Rock music is that it evolves and explores musical themes beyond everyday pop music.  Prog-Metal is just as viable a sub-genre as Electronica, Space Rock, or RiO.

I've always felt that if you don't like a certain style of music, why on earth would you want to review it?  I'm not a fan of Progressive Electronica; therefore I'm not compelled to review any of it.  I don't buy it, I don't listen to it, and I don't understand it.  For me, it's off my radar and I leave those ratings and reviews to people that actually like that form of music.  My observations suggest that most of these detractors of Prog-Metal are just people that like to see their words in print.  They're the equivalent of those people that love to hear the sound of their own voices almost as much as they like knowing someone can hear them.  Think of it as a sad cry for help because their remarks offer absolutely nothing valuable to the discussion of a particular recording.  In other circles, these people would be called Trolls.

I've also seen many Prog fans question the legitimacy of Prog-Metal.  Here though, I believe some of those concerns are justified.  The one thing Prog fans have to realize is that there are far greater numbers of metal fans than there are Prog Rock fans.  Actually, make that significantly more.  Metal fans tend to be very loyal if not fanatical in their support of an artist.  Prog-Metal fans often comprise younger individuals who did not grow up in the heady days of the 1970's Prog scene.  Similarly these younger fans don't have the breadth of knowledge within the Prog genre that fans of say the Symphonic genre have.  They tend to review and rate more on a basis of being a fan than taking a critical approach to their evaluations.  The record industry knows this to an extent which is why there are far greater numbers of prog-metal bands out there.  Just look at the top rated releases of 2006.

I think Prog-Metal fans and non-Prog-Metal fans need to find a happy middle ground where they can co-exist.  Prog-Metal is indeed a valid sub-genre of Prog music.  Whether you like the music or not, there are very distinctive progressive elements in the music of artists like Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, Threshold, Ark, and Fates Warning.  At the same time, bands like Symphorce do not belong in the prog archives.  While I really enjoyed their last album, they are most definitely not progressive.  They're just good power metal.