Neo Prog Bands in the 21st Century
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Polls
Forum Description: Create polls on topics related to progressive music
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=127570
Printed Date: August 08 2025 at 10:03
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Topic: Neo Prog Bands in the 21st Century
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Subject: Neo Prog Bands in the 21st Century
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:17
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As I work to familiarize myself more deeply within the Neo Prog subgenre (a sub to which I found myself quite resistant for some time) I'm getting to know these bands and their output. Though I find that none of them are perfect, there are some who's quality tends to rise above the ridiculous quantity of others. P.S. If I've left any out that you think should be added, let me know and I'll stick them into one of the final five spots. Multiple Votes Allowed! ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Replies:
Posted By: Gentle and Giant
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:22
Frost* could be added too.  ------------- Oh, for the wings of any bird, other than a battery hen |
Posted By: Shadowyzard
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:25
| Lots of good and great ones. But, IQ stands out for me. |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:26
is it quality of production or quality of songwriting? I did not understand.  There is music that is well produced that does nothing for me and I have heard music not so well produced but that had great songwriting.
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Posted By: Shadowyzard
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:27
| Anubis can be added. |
Posted By: Shadowyzard
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:28
| Also Arena. |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:35
I have a list of 75 Neo Prog bands in my Artists & Albums database, although not everyone (or hardly anyone) may agree with my definition of Neo Prog.  Anyway, after that preamble, I'm voting for Pallas, and seeing as multiple votes are allowed. I'll vote for IQ and Magenta too.
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Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:37
| It could be IQ, Magenta or Pendragon for me, but I've gone for the latter, their last few albums especially Love Over Fear eclipse the others for me. |
Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:39
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IQ, without doubt (although I don't know many of these) No Marillion? Hm. I guess this is referring to bands that still sound like neo-prog then, rather than all those around from the start and still going? Frost* aren't neo in my book. They're just new and different! And aren't TFK Symphonic? I don't know, we all just like what we like....
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Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:40
| Of this list, The Flower Kings, though I’ve always thought they were symphonic prog. |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:41
Cristi will be upset about Marillion not being here.
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essexboyinwales wrote:Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:43
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The Seventh House - Dark Matter - Frequency - The Road Of Bones - Resistance How can anyone have topped that?!
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Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:44
Hardly anyone, apart from Mostly Autumn.
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Posted By: Mormegil
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:47
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IQ and The Flower Kings from this list. ------------- Welcome to the middle of the film. |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 06:49
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Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 07:09
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Somehow I've gone from this thread to reading about Kompendium and realising I must listen to Beneath The Waves..... |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 07:31
The subgenre seems to have great engineering/sound production; the songwriting is, IMHO, too often bathed in stereotypes and "expected" forms and sounds. There is often so much music, but little of new or interesting quality. ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: VianaProghead
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 07:32
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I voted in several, but IQ stands out for me due to its high consistency all over the years.
------------- "PROG IS MY FERRARI". Jem Godfrey (Frost*) |
Posted By: wiz_d_kidd
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 07:33
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I'm not a fan of neo-prog, but I did pick The Psychedelic Ensemble because he is NOT neo-prog. After his first album (or two) during which this classical composer and professor of composition was feeling his way around prog territory and got mistakenly branded neo-prog in PA, his music grew into some of the best prog symphonic compositions there is. |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 07:33
again, you misunderstood. I do not understand what are we discussing in the thread. Is it the production values or the songwriting quality?
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Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 07:36
Marillion's 21st Century production has received such poor reception (other than Marbles) that I decided to not include them. Plus, I was worried that people would vote for them based upon their entire discography, not just their 21st Century production--which I'm trying to avoid. Agree RE Frost*: since their debut, Milliontown, they've left the Neo fold and gone techno-compression … at least, until this year's Peter Gabriel-sounding Day and Age. If TFK doesn't sound like 70s prog--no matter who they're imitating--then I've totally missed the "Neo Prog" definition. ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 07:45
Long-time fan of the band. As with Thomas Thelen, I don't hear the Neo Prog in their music so much as their own originality--maybe Crossover. P.S. I struggled with the decision of whether or not to add Sylvan and Believe as I do not hear the same Neo Prog features in their music that I do with Marillion, IQ, Pendragon, Mystery, Pallas, and others. Same for Arena. To me their 21st Century production is more akin to Jem Godfrey's techno-concise, edited/rapid-fire prog, not as lush and sprawling as what I've come to feel are the main defining features of Neo Prog (something The Flower Kings have in spades). ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 07:47
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Apparently, once you've posted a poll, you can no longer fill more slots, only replace or edit the ones you've already committed to. Sorry! ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 07:49
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isn't |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 07:57
------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 09:58
Sanguine Hum, not discussed enough, consistently has great sounding albums so all my multiple votes go to them. As much as I love TPE the mixes are bad. Lifesigns are missing from the list. They release quality ear nirvana. |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 10:02
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Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 11:17
I agree but aren't they too recent to be neo-prog?
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Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 11:22
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Yes I am voting in a neo poll! My vote goes to Sanguine Hum. IQ in second. ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 11:44
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My first vote is for Nine Stones Close, the only band in this selection that reached the top of one of my AotY lists (although that album, Leaves, is closer to Heavy than to Neo). The second is for IQ, always been a great band, the third I grant to the Psychedelic Ensemble. ------------- 
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Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 12:07
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IQ ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 12:56
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IQ > Magenta > Airbag ------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 14:48
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Are y'all voting for the band with the best audio quality, as the topic states, or your favorite neo band? Wouldn't be the first time we didn't read the OP.
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 14:58
I asked the same question.
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Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: October 19 2021 at 16:42
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This is one of my favourite genres (really just modern symphonic prog). IQ have made some brilliant albums in the 2000s, but I just can't get into Resistance at all. Pendragon made their best albums in the 1990s, but Love Over Fear is a huge return to form and, to be fair, Not of This World is great. The ones in between were all decent too. Pallas made some lovely music, but their best album (The Sentinel) was released long before the 2000s. But Alan Reed is a magical vocalist. The big omission is Arena, a band which is indisputably neo-prog and which I've overlooked for too long, but am now discovering. And they are fantastic. Marillion have done some fine things in the 2000s: not up to Fugazi or Seasons End, but still very good. And the hip-journalist, Oasis and Nirvana worshipping morons still hate them, which is more reason for me to love them. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 03:29
I read that as just quality, not quality of sound.....
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 03:34
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I chose three bands here Airbag Believe Edison's Children
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Posted By: b_olariu
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 03:41
| Antony Kalugin and IQ |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 03:46
I confess I didn't read it, but now that I have I'm not sure what we're voting for. Quality of album production and, if so, overall quality or one particular album or quality of music production?
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Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 03:54
Isn't it simply whose output you have enjoyed the most (this century)?! It doesn't seem too complicated.....
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Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 05:24
| The question of the poll is...Which of these Neo Prog bands' 21st Cent. production is your favorite? Seems clear to me. |
Posted By: essexboyinwales
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 05:46
OK, agreed, there may be some confusion over what we're voting over  Perhaps the OP can enlighten us a little more, although he has been asked to do so already. I still think, from the question asked and his first post, that he's asking us who's output we have enjoyed most this century. But I may well be wrong....
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Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 06:13
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Here's a list of the 75 Neo Prog artists I know of, although there may be one or two bands missing from the list as I haven't updated it since 2016. Abel Ganz; Amon Ra; Anathema; Abubis; Arena; Astra; Balloon Astronomy Big Big Train; Bobel; Bruce Soord & Jonas Renske Colin Masson; Credo; Crippled Black Phoenix; Crystal Palace Daal Earthstone; Echolyn; Eurhybia; Explorers Club Final Conflict; Fish; Five-O-One AM; The Flower Kings; Flying Colors; Frost* Galahad; Gazpacho; Grace Homesick for Space; Hostsonaten IQ; Islands; It Bites; Izz Jadis; John Wesley Karmakanic Light; Like Wendy Magenta; Marillion; The Mars Volta; The Mick Pointer Band Nad Sylvan (not Ned Sylvan ); NaryanOceansize; The Opium Cartel Pallas; Panic Room; Pendragon; The Pineapple Thief; Porcupine Tree; Presto Ballet Quasar; Quidam Red Sand; Riverside; Roine Stolt Saga; Sean Filkins; Solstice; Spock's Beard; Steve Thorne; Steve Walsh; Steven Wilson; Sunchild; Sylvan The Tangent; Thalassa; Third Quadrant; Tiles; Transatlantic; Twelfth Night Umphrey's McGee; Utopian Fields
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 06:18
^ so who's gonna tell him? 
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Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 06:34
I know. At least half the bands in the poll aren't included in my list, but like I said, I haven't updated it since 2016. That's my excuse anyway.
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 06:38
that's not it. so who's gonna tell him? |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 06:43
Okay, let me guess. You're going to tell me that Porcupine Tree is not Neo Prog again.
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 06:45
I'm not telling you anything, I'm hoping others will do.
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Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 06:54
I already voted in the poll if that's what you're hinting at. I voted for Pallas, IQ & Magenta in no particular order.
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Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 06:56
Don't ask me. My definition of neo-prog is probably a lot narrower than most.
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Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 07:00
again, not what I hinted at. I'm not telling you anything, I'm hoping others will do.
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Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 07:02
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^ Well, at least I got Nad Sylvan's name right this time.
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Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 08:10
   ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 08:24
Porcupine Tree is not neo prog, just like the planets aren't in orbit around a giant clothes hamper and the Atlantic Ocean isn't made out of baked beans and pie crust. ------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 09:07
At least my cranky Neo Prog list gave you a good laugh at my expense, even if I've destroyed any remaining credibility I had left here.
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 09:56
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Porcupine Tree is more Nu-Prog than Neo-Prog. As for the poll, I'm not knowledgeable enough to feel comfortable voting. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Shadowyzard
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 14:02
| Saens and Collage are also great, who are in the archives. Though they were not prolific. Besides, Saens sounds more symph prog than neo. |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 15:21
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Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 15:38
It sounds like we're all in the same leaky boat then. I was on shaky ground to begin with though, when I've never even listened to most of the so-called "Neo-Prog" bands in my much-ridiculed list.
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Posted By: Natty Naggart
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 15:56
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Hi all How can anybody be "neo prog"? Either you are with us, or you is agin us ( cue Bbmaj7+11 chord). |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: October 20 2021 at 16:03
 what?! |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: October 21 2021 at 00:46
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IQ Magenta Pallas The Flower Kings |