Top 15 Progressive Rock Bands | Teen Ink

Top 15 Progressive Rock Bands

February 13, 2015
By theheavymetalist ELITE, Winter Haven, Florida
theheavymetalist ELITE, Winter Haven, Florida
247 articles 0 photos 57 comments

Favorite Quote:
Take me As I Am - James Labrie of Dream Theater


Progressive rock is a genre that you know I love. It is what I would say to be pure genius and the very best of them all. This is the genre to learn what true music is. Bands of this nature tend to write inticate storys and make concept albums galore. They also tend to use odd and sometimes impossible time signatures like a 7/8, 6/16, 12/7, 5/4, 45/87, and 6/8 just to name a few. If you want to get smarter from the world of music, go here because they will be your best friend.

15, Riverside, a bit of a doosy here. You may not have heard of these guys but let me tell you, if you like Opeth or Porcupine Tree or anything along those lines you will love this band. The will also be releasing a new album this year but your going to have to wait untill September for that album. With albums like Second Life Syndrome and Rapid Eye Movement you will love this band.

14, Yes, this is one of those prog rock bands you need to know. With albums like Fragile and Closer to the Edge you can't go wrong with these guys. As for those of you who are wondering why it's so low, well maybe because I haven't really seen them with their full potential. Fragile and Closer to the Edge are the only albums I know, sorry.

13, Porcupine Tree, this was Steven Wilson's side project along with the popular Opeth in mind. Steven Wilson could also be stuck on here in this entry as well because he is in the band if I'm correct here. You really can't stress the fact of this band here. Steven Wilson himself will be releasing a new solo album this year as well as Riverside, the only difference, you don't need to eait as long.

12, Tool, arguably one of the most popular progressive rock and metal bands of all time tool sets the stage fo many other bands to come. Granted they've only released four albums(Undertow, Aenima, Lateralus, and 10,000 Days) they got more progressive as they went on. With songs like Aenima, 46 and 2, Lateralus, Vicarious, Schism, Parabol/Parabola, and Sober you can see what they tend to focus towards. Sometimes they go into politics, their hatred on Los Angalus, or on the science of genetics. Interesting indeed.

11, Iron Maiden, I know what your think, but Grim Reaper, Iron Maiden is power metal they have no place here. That is both true and false because one: alot of power metal bands made at least one 10 minute song in every album and two: Iron Maiden's recent four albums show that they are not power metal anymore. If you have seen my top 15 songs from this band, you would guess that Brave New World is my favorite album from them so far. Seventh Son is also a good contender because it's Iron Maiden's only concept album thus far. Yeah, their progressive metal.

10, Coheed and Cambria, the guys of sci-fi. As we fans here know, their albums are all a continuation of a sci-fi story that has lasted since the first album. Now with their last album being in 2013, you can see how far this story has come. As for the ones that aren't fans, see if Welcome home or Blood Red Summer sound familiar.

9, King Crimson, since the release of In the Court of the Crimson King back in 1969, this band is consitered to be one of the fathers of the 70's Proressive rock era. The still hold an impact today and have influenced many a future artist like Dream Theater and Opeth. They are wacky, cooky, and all around messed up, but you will enjoy what's to offer.

8, Queensyrche, Geoff Tate and the guys are back better than ever. Yes, with albums like Empire and Operation Mindcrime you know your in for something special. There was a conflict with the band and Geoff Tate but I hear it has been resolved so no need to worry about two Queensryches or Todd La Torre taking over any more. Good thing because that means that Geoff Tate doesn't suck anymore.

7, Symphony X, The American answer to Nightwish, these guts have been making new albums since the 90's and while it seems Iconoclast will be their last album for a while you always have the older stuff to enjoy. The Odyssey, Paradise Lost, Iconoclast, and Divine Wings of Tragady make for their best thus far. Now consitering their name you may also think the are a symphonic metal band which is partially true in a sense.

6, Pink Floyd, some may argue this shouldn't be here. Some may argue that it should be higher. Well whatever your case is, your bound to like this band. Roger Waters and the guys, at least until The Wall, are amongst the best of the bunch. Unlike many other prog rock bands of the 70's, they decided to use slowed down music in exchenge for the common odd times and sometimes uncontroled chaos. Now they haven't really reached new hights of fame until albums like Meddle and Dark Side of the Moon came out. Fun Fact: Dark Side of the Moon has been on the Billboard 100 for over 14 weeks consecutively proir to its release. Since then, it has been on the Billboard for at least 700 more weeks since.

5, Rush, the mighty band of the Canadian region. Geddy Lee, Neil Peart, and Alex Lifeson make up the band. This is the band that had made the popular albums Moving Pictures, Fly By Night, 2112, and Clockwork Angels to solidify their god-like status on the progressive rock community. Such a nice discography might I add. If you don't know this band, try Tom Sawyer or Limelight and tell me you aren't familiar with them.

4, Ayreon, the band of many philisophical quetions. Every one of their albums involes a story aor some question on the existance humanity. With albums like The Human Equation and The Theory of Everything it is easy to see why I say this. This band only consists of three main members but unlike Rush, they tend to consult other peaople to guest star in their albums. C'mon, tell me that the fact that the included Jordan Rudess from Dream Theater isn't awesome in the slightest.

3, Between the Buried and Me, now wait. Didn't I say this was my favorite band before? I did but my opinions tend to change quite a bit. This band is surely what you would you would called genius. The fact that they combined Metalcore and progressive rock is enough to land them a spot on this list. With albums like Alaska, Colors and The Parallax 2: Future Sequence you can see where their going with their music.

2, Dream Theater/James LaBrie, I put these two together because the frontman James LaBrie is with both of them. Dream Theater was a band since the 1980's and originally began with the title Majesty and still use that symbol today. Since then they have released 12 albums(I've Counted) and an EP(A Change of Seasons) with alot of time on their hands. So far they have only released two concept albums being Metropolis Part 2 and Octavarium and both are pretty good in their on right.

1, Opeth, the Swedish of the Swedes. They are even more Swedish than PewDiePie and Top10Memes combined. It is the one and only, Opeth! Opeth has always been a band to amaze their audience, for better for worse, and lately they've taken on a more progressive rock style(you know, paying Omage to the 70's) with albums Heritage and Pale Communion. As for the concept album count, there have only been two that I can name those being My Arms Your Hearse and Still Life which are the best in their discography. Be careful though, as they do have a Death Metal element to them that has been prevelent from Watershed and prior. Opeth is a band for the ages, and the number of influences they've spawn and their discography is a wonder to behold. Thank you all, this has been the Grim Reaper and I'll see you all next time.


The author's comments:

Progressive Rock is by far my favorite genre of all time. I thought to share to the world what it's like to love the genre. If you like any of the bands featured here or any that are progressive rock, I suggest you share them to your friends, neighbors and anyone else you can share it to. Thank you and Good Night.


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