Hello fellow symphomaniacs.

Here is my list of interesting new progrock bands, I have some questions for you when you have read this extensive list:

Chili: Jaime Rosas Cuartetto/Angulart/Mar De Robles

Argentina: Amagrama/Nexus/Bauer

USA: Salem Hill/Presto Ballet/Echolyn/Glass Hammer

Canada: Red Sand

UK: Willowglass/Pallas/Magenta/Mind Sky/Pendragon

The Netherlands: Ayreon/Flamborough Head/Like Wendy/Plackband/Ice/Lady Lake/Mangrove

Belgium: Mindgames

Italy: Doracor/Aries/La Maschera Di Cera/Finisterre/Ubi Maior/Mangala Vallis/PFM/Banco/Le Orme/Randone

France: Nemo/Maldoror

Norway: Mikromidas/Flagship/Magic Pie/Wobbler

Sweden: Anekdoten/Simon Says/Liquid Scarlet/Moon Safari/Violent Silence

Finland: Overhead

Spain: Senogul/Zaguan/Unoma/PI2/Bijou

Portugal: Sonic Pulsar

Poland: Riverside/Indukti/Collage

Hungary: D-Sound/Solaris

Russia: Little Tragedies

Japan: Gerard/Ars Nova/Interpose

My questions:

Which bands do you like? Which bands are overlooked? Have you listened to their MP3's? Should new prog rock bands get more attention on this site? Can you buy/order these bands easily in your country/on Internet? Is Prog Archives your main source for prog rock? Which bands are not mentioned in my list? Do you have recommendations?

Many thanks in advance!

haven't listened to any yet

don't know

no

maybe

probably

yes

don't know

no

Hope this helps!

Note to self: buy red sand, start saving disposable income, win the lottery, get buying...

Jaime Rosas Cuarteto, Glass Hammer, Ayreon, Finisterre, Magic Pie, Wobbler,Riverside Gerard and Ars Nova are the bands that i like...

I have listened to mp3 of all of this above mentioned

Yes, new bands should get more attention ( i prefer old bands, but theres a lot o excellent new ones)

In Mexico is not that easy to find this albums, if i want to order one, then i have to go to sites in the USA

Progarchives is my main source of prog

And of course i have a few recommendations:

From Mexico this 3 excellent bands : Toccata, Elfonia and the best IMO Cabezas de Cera

and i recommend Stream of Passion (multi national? )

erik neuteboom wrote: USA: Salem Hill/Presto Ballet/Echolyn/Glass Hammer

You are forgetting Djam Karet one of the finest US prog acts - kind of space rock meets King Crimson. Izz and Little Atlas are also excellent bands. Their latest offerings are higly recommended. "Deafening Silence" of Izz's "My River Flows" is simply one of the best songs I have heard for years.

Adding Gerard (and Ars Nova) was a Freudian slip, I love these bands since the early Nineties, indeed, not really new bands ... ..

By the way, this list is very subjective, it's my personal taste! And thanks for the reactions !

CaincelaOreinim wrote: I recently stumbled upon in my playlist (I get albums daily and upload them into my itunes list; too many one might say, to the point where I can't possibly listen to all coming in) a band called The Grand Silent System.  I'm not sure how to classify them, but I think - le sigh, labels - they'd fall under the Art-Rock category, and I think they're an Australian band...pretty decent song-orientated slightly world-music vibed stuff.  Fans of Dredg and other bands of their ilk (drawing a black at 4 in the morning U.S. Time) should look into them.

I listened to a MP3 of The Grand Silent System on their website. A very good recommendation indeed. Will do a reach for their cd's for sure.

I own three mp3 of UBI MAIOR:

1. Messia (9.19 mns)
2. Terra Madre (6.31 mns)
3. Vendetta (8.42)

Very good tracks!

Bump!

Keep this alive! (Erik, lets try to prolong this like the Spanish prog thread)

Of those listed I will admit to listening to, even liking;

Salem Hill, Glass Hammer (Brilliant, simply Brilliant, especially The Inconsolable Secret), Pallas (their new CD is very good, Echolyn, Pendragon, Ayreon (very good stuff), Like Wendy, Anekdoten, Magenta (I especially like Revolutions), Solaris, Gerard & Ars Nova.

Here is the US you can get pretty much anything that is gettable. All deserve more attention.

I would add Kino - yet another "Supergroup" - Pictures is pretty good but not all that prog IMO.

This & other sites do indeed supply me with a never-ending supply of new music to listen to. Only 24 hours in a day & one must work, eat & sleep part of that. Leaves precious little time to listen to all the Prog one would like to. Bummer!

erik neuteboom wrote: Memowakeman can you give a short description about Cabezas De Cera

Of course: It is a Trio , one member plays flute and wind intruments, another plays drums analogs and that kind of stuff and the other member plays string instruments basically Stick and guitars, Cabezas de Cera is a band which mixes various genres, its difficult to place them in one sub genre because here we can listen to some Space Progressive, some Folkish things and some Symphonic, its not that easy to dig them i think, but its a brilliant band.

Did you say Pig Farm On The Moon and Rain, Chamberry  ?

PIG FARM ON THE MOON Orbital
by http://www.progarchives.com/Collaborators.asp?id=3684 - erik neuteboom

This progrock band from Venezuela delivers very pleasant and alternating music on five compositions between 8 and 20 minutes, the running time from this CD is almost 70 minutes. We can enjoy lots of changing climates, accellarations, breaks and good soli on guitar (from sensitive to fiery) and keyboards (often bombastic). The instrumentation is varied (from Spanish guitar to classical orchestrations) so the style is, from folk and classical to psychedelic and metal. I notice traces from Pink Floyd, Genesis, King Crimson and Marillion but this band features such a varied progrock sound that this is not disturbing. CATEGORY: PLEASANT AND VARIED PROGROCK!

RAIN Cerulean Blue by http://www.progarchives.com/Collaborators.asp?id=3684 - erik neuteboom After reading the three previous, very positive reviews from this album on Prog Archives, I decided to order it because I felt that this should be something very special. YES, IT IS!! During the first session I was quickly touched by the breathtaking beauty of this CD, what an emotional experience: the one moment you feel fragile and alienated, the other moment you feel warm and safe, like in a whoom! All seven compositions (between 4 and 11 minutes) start with male narration (and often wailings violins), followed by atmospheric music, embellished with wonderful musical ideas: soaring keyboards, sensitive piano and dreamy vocals in “The lammas lands”, a Gaelic mood (female choir, strumming acoustic guitar and saxophone) and in the end a Floydian climate in “Parsifal”, some flamenco guitar runs, twanging guitars, bells and swelling drums in “Starcrossed”, compelling changing climates (from dreamy with soaring keyboards to bombastic in the vein of early Pink Floyd) in the highlight “The silver apples of the moon”, moving with a xylophone-like sound, ‘Jerusalem Pipes’, lush keyboards and dramatic vocals in “Jerusalem” and dark with melancholical vocals and wailing violins in “the titletrack, a bit sad end, an omen to the future of this earth? THIS IS PURE, MOVING AND VERY ORIGINAL PROGRESSIVE ROCK !!

Argentina: Can't wait to get hold of two Tanger's albums - it's going to happen by the end of this week. I heard their last before and it's very good - obviously influenced by KC, but no copy-cat, with lovely jazzy touches.

USA: Salem Hill - have two albums: BE (a bit poppish, but nice) and Mimi's Magic Moment - very good symphonic prog - much better and more complex than the previous one.

Presto Ballet - I gave their album away as present to my brother in law, this young lad is enjoying it no end, but I personally failed to find anything interesting in it.

Echolyn - great, have their Mey, Suffocating the Bloom, and As The World - wondefull - all of them

Glass Hammer - very good. Have only Shadowlands but look forward to get more of their works.

Can suggest very interesting band called Frogg Cafe - I have two of their albums (last one and one before last), and next week I'm getting their first to fulfill the collection.

Norway: Mikromidas - have two albums - not toobad, but not really excited

Flagship -  did not like their debut at all - too simple and naive

Magic Pie/Wobbler - on my wish list

Sweden: Anekdoten/Simon Says - are amongst favourites for comparatively long time already, although I have only one album by Simon Says (Paradise Square) - amazingly good.

Russia: Little Tragedies - I will get some by the end of this week, looking forward to receiving it.

Japan: Gerard/Ars Nova - same as with Anekdoted/SimonSays

And I can recommend, apart from already mentionned bands:

Taal (France)

4/3 De Trio (France)

Grand Stand (Sweden)

Akacia (USA)

Aside Beside (France)

Cafeine (France)

Cast (Mexico)

Deus Ex Machina (Italy)

Ensemble Nimbus (Sweden)

Floating State (Italy)

Hamadryad (Canada)

Ken's Novel (Belgium)

Kopecky (USA)

Kotebel (Spain)

Krakatoa (USA)

Kvazar (Norway)

Moongarden (Italy)

Par Lindh Project (Sweden)

Parallel Mind (USA)

Quaser (Japan)

RC2 (Venezuela)

Spaced Out (Canada)

Talisma (Canada)

Tempano (Venezuela)

Trespass (Israel)

Visible Wind (Canada)

XII Alfonso (France)

And:

Apogee

and

Versus X

both from Germany

and...........

........I think I'll recall some more as well later on...........

Well I love to know new bands I like the most you've mencioned.

Salem Hill: good symphonic band, I have one mp3 from the track "Blame"

Presto Ballet: Excellent band with an original style, I have some mp3 I downloaded from their official web site, High Recommednded!!!

Echolyn: I have only heard three mp3 from them "Make me sway", "How long have I waited" and "Mei Part 2", they really woth a listen. The only reason I do't have music from them is that it is so difficult to get in my country. Highly recommended especially the last release "The End is Beuatiful". Visit their web site there you can listen good material

Glass Hammer: Fascinating, technical, heterogenous and captive music. Highly recommended for every prog rock fan. Have 3 mp3 from them

Magenta: It's a good band but IMO it is not escencial, just fine. Sometimes their style gets bored.

Pendragon: Good but not my cup of tea... not very original.

Ayreon: Very innovative prog metal with a fusion of many influences from elements from every corner. I recommend "Human Equation". I don't lie by saying that this release changed my mind. So if you haven't heard it give it a try.

La mAschera di Cera: Good Italian band, you can download material from their official web site, traditional Italian Material with some dark infleunces. Defying sound!!!

Ubi Maior: EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT. Probably the most incredible Italian band from contemporary age. Finessey, eloquent, symphonic at its best!!!!

PFM, Le Orme and Banco: Legendary Symphinc. Their best material was in their first releases.

Nemo: Very promising band from France. Highly recommended!!! I have some tracks I have downloaded from their web site.

Solaris: I have listened very few from them but that was enough to realize I need them.

Gerard and Ars Nova. good but very overwhelming sound. Too many elements make their music chaotic. I don't mean thier bad but they are different. Recommended!!!

The rest of the bands are completly unknown to me

For those who want to expand their knowledge of this particular field you can do the following using PA.

Go to Switch Index in the main page and click on it until you see:

then you'll arrive here:

http://www.progarchives.com/top-prog-albums.asp - http://www.progarchives.com/top-prog-albums.asp

here you can choose to filter the list by subgenre.

Pick the Symphonic prog here:

http://www.progarchives.com/top-prog-albums.asp?style_id=4 - http://www.progarchives.com/top-prog-albums.asp?style_id=4

A page will be open with the 100 highest rated symphonic albums.

Then you can filter it by year with the scroll down menu to the right of the subgenres menu.

This is for example the list for 2005:

http://www.progarchives.com/top-prog-albums.asp?style_id=4&year=2005 - http://www.progarchives.com/top-prog-albums.asp?style_id=4&a mp;a mp;year=2005

You will see in the years 2000-2006 the majority of the albums discussed above.

A good way to start investigating bands. And when you get to know something and love it please come back here - How about this new prog rock? and here - I Recommend... and tell the rest of us about it, and publish a review.

I own a Progfest video featuring Ars Nova, Solaris and .. White Willow, great vintage keyboard drenched progrock!

I would like to thank everybody for again joining this thread and good to notice that the new Italian progrock is so appreciated !

Chamberry, I will check out http://www.menayeri.com/ - Menayeri  + http://www.grupoasisomos.com/ - Asi somos  !

Saludos, ciao, ayo, bey, salut, tot ziens ....  !

I really like White Willow, Anekdoten and Echolyn.

Bands /artists that are likely to get a promotion in my test-taste laboratory: Salem Hill, Tim Morse, Neal Morse (no relation I suppose) and Moon Safari.

Haven't heard music of a lot of bands mentioned.

PA has become my main source for prog. It used to be iO-Pages (Dutch prog magazine), but PA is interactive and helps me more in finding new music, these days.

erik neuteboom wrote: USA: Salem Hill/Presto Ballet/Echolyn/Glass Hammer

Received Presto Ballet's "Peace among the Ruins" today. My impression after listening to it only once is not entirely positive. It is a bit too hard/heavy to my liking. It borders to prog metal and is reminiscent of Dream Theater. But ok to me in smaller doses.

Thanks for starting interesting topics like this one, Erik!

I think the main problem when listening new prog bands is that we already know we are not going to find a new Genesis. They are not going to be as good as the old dinosaurs from the 70s, for sure. Of course, prog style has changed since then and, ironically, now it shows much more influences from different styles than ever (it is difficult to link certain bands to only one prog style). But perhaps we expect to find the old "pure-symphonic" style in the new bands... and that's when we get disappointed. Also, I think that when these new bands try to mimic the style from the 70s the result is a complete failure, since they don't sound the same... they sound too clean, too refined, maybe too harmless. And we find ourselves saying "There's nothing innovative here". So there's no way we can be satisfied!! 

At least this is what happens to me, it's difficult for me to find a band from this century that really moves me. I guess we must learn to enjoy what these people can offer, without trying to compare them to anyone. I know some of you are able to do it, I am on my way...

Finally, I can't let the opportunity go by, now we can listen to some mp3 samples from SENOGUL in Progarchives. Enjoy some new prog!

http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_BAND.asp?band_id=2349 - http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_BAN D.asp?band_id=2349

Hello Carakhallo, I remember you from the Spanish prog thread .

Well I feel in some way like you, but as you said, I am of the ones who are able to not compare the new to the old. But I agree on the originality factor issue and the heard it before problem. There are however some new bands worthwell listening to which are presenting novel approaches to prog and hace this fresh new sound and not only in the symphonic prog genre - the list of bands mentioned earlier consist some of those and there are more. But there are those bands which are as you said not innovative and only redo what has been done before (in a good way, it nust be said) and yet I still manage to love and get excited when I hear them.

I Love Senogul, BTW.

It's true, if you want Seventies sounding prog like Genesis, Yes, ELP, King Crimson and Yes you always will be disappointed is you expect the same level from new bands. Nonetheless, if they manage to play at a decent level, to make pleasant songs and perhaps add some elements of their own, these bands could sound like a 'warm bath': Ubi Maior, La Maschera Di Cera, Maldoror, Like Wendy and Nexus. And some are really interesting like Little Tragedies and Nemo because of their innovative sound.

Out Of Myself by Riverside is one of the most compelling albums from the last five years (in my opinion) because it blends several styles and it has emotion!

Presto Ballet is good but indeed sometimes a bit close to progmetal but I like their dynamic and bombastic approach.

What do people here think of Syzygy's album, The Allegory of Light? Sean Trane in his review said that while the music itself is good he did not enjoy it because it did not have even one minute of original music and everything on it was taken from somewhere else. I for one love that album very much, True I hear all the influences (and sometimes even more than mere influence) but I do think they have their own sound and that in the world of music today, this is a bright light shining through.

Speaking of Sean, where is he? I didn;t see him on this thread, or did I miss his post?

Or how about that US band LANDSEND??

Heard they were good

60+ mins of MP3s at http://www.transendland.net - www.transendland.net

At least then people can judge for themselves eh?

By the way, Discipline or Matthew Parmenter is my fave of the current crop of prog stuff..

But i also like: Flower kings, Cast, IQ, Mangala Vallis, Porcupine tree and DT

chopper wrote: I agree with you about the USA bands - all the ones you've mentioned are brilliant. I would also add Little Atlas and IZZ to that list.

Am I the only one who dislikes IZZ?  They are vapid prog group. 

Hi Prog-Jester,

Of your list I can say you should get Maldoror, Amagrama, Interpose and Overhead (others as well). I think you will appreciate those.

Geck0, I agree, Present is very good, enjoy it tremendously. Do you know if they will continue, or was it just that one effort?

BTW, don't remeber if anyone mentioned them, but in any case the French NIL are an excellent symphonic new prog. Their latest Nil Novo Sub Sole is an excellent effort, original album (female vocalist). Their previous effort Quarante Jours Sur Le Sinaï is a concept album with continuous play. Atmospheric, melancholic and beautiful harmonies.

Official Website

White Willow are excellent. I loev Erichsen's vocals (on Sacrament she does a fantastic job).

Other Female fronted from the top of my head (I am forgetting some I am sure, so apologies in advance) - Argentina's AGNUS, Dreams Of Sanity (prog metal but light, not listed here), BACAMARTE from Brazil, NIL which I already mentioned. There are more, but I have a memory failure right now .

^^^

IMHO, their best and most progressive.

^^^

Sandrose are very good. One the forum members here recommended them and I a mhappy I listened to it.

Another French great album is the debut by longtime playing together band - Maldoror which released L'arbre Cimtierre.

Once again, Erik comes out with some fantastic recommendations. I learned to trust Mr Neuteboom's judgement, as he's put me on to some VERY good music in the 10 months I've been a member of Prog Archives.

Of the bands listed this time, I checked out Willowglass. My opinion? WOW!!

If you are into the whole pastoral 12-string guitar/mellotron thing, you've got to give this album a listen. There's a stream of the track "Garden" on Willowglass' Prog Archives page. You can also listen to short clips of all the tracks on the album by going to the Willowglass web page ( http://www.willowglass.net - www.willowglass.net ).

Keep the great recommendations coming, Erik!!

avestin wrote: What do people here think of Syzygy's album, The Allegory of Light? Sean Trane in his review said that while the music itself is good he did not enjoy it because it did not have even one minute of original music and everything on it was taken from somewhere else. I for one love that album very much, True I hear all the influences (and sometimes even more than mere influence) but I do think they have their own sound and that in the world of music today, this is a bright light shining through.

Syzygy "THe Allegory of Light" is great! some of the best new prog I have heard for years. It falls into a category I label as "prog'n'roll". Don't understand why it's not original - where is taken from? Which influences do you hear? Yes, Kansas perhaps? Their debut album was under the name "Witsend" and is also one I would recommend. They will have a new one out in early 2007 - one I have very high hopes for.

Asyte2c00 wrote: Am I the only one who dislikes IZZ?  They are vapid prog group.

Their songs typically start out seemingly as pop songs (some very beatlesque in my ears) but end up as prog. This may unhook progheads at first but certainly hook someone not so much into prog. Listen to the entire song instead of skipping after the poppish intro. Also, have you heard the epic "Deafening Silence"? If that's not prog....

earlyprog wrote: avestin wrote: What do people here think of Syzygy's album, The Allegory of Light? Sean Trane in his review said that while the music itself is good he did not enjoy it because it did not have even one minute of original music and everything on it was taken from somewhere else. I for one love that album very much, True I hear all the influences (and sometimes even more than mere influence) but I do think they have their own sound and that in the world of music today, this is a bright light shining through. Syzygy "THe Allegory of Light" is great! some of the best new prog I have heard for years. It falls into a category I label as "prog'n'roll". Don't understand why it's not original - where is taken from? Which influences do you hear? Yes, Kansas perhaps? Their debut album was under the name "Witsend" and is also one I would recommend. They will have a new one out in early 2007 - one I have very high hopes for.

I said " I for one love that album very much, True I hear all the influences (and sometimes even more than mere influence) but I do think they have their own sound"  so we agree, earlyprog. There are elelments from past bands (ELP, Kansas, Rush, GG and there are probably more) but most bands today have it too.

In conclusion, A great album!

Here is the review by Sean: http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=24856 - http://www.progarchives.com/Review.asp?id=24856

I respect his opinion, but I don't agree with it.

WOW, this thread lives, thanks, also for the compliments  !

It's good to notice that we progheads exchange good ideas and recommendations, that was also my starting point with this thread.

My ultimate recommendations at this moment:

French Nemo/Russian Little Tragedies/Odyssey 3-CD - see my reviews  .

I have been listening to Umphrey's McGee Anchor Drops from 2004 lately and have been thus far positively impressed with them.

What do you think?

Have you heard their new release Safety In Numbers? How is it?

How are their previous releases?

No Avestin, I don't know them  ... I will check them out soon.

I just listened to the new Ars Nova CD featuring a harder-edged playing guitarist, very dynamic and bombastic prog!

And the new CD by Argentine band Atempo (entitled Simple) is also worth listening, I will write a review this week.

Yesterday I played Sursum Corda by USA band Quil, outstanding vintage keyboards, very pleasant prog !

from Presto Ballet I recommend the track 'Find the time', excellent....