Overlooked melodic powerprog

[Random Axe]

I've made some discoveries and re-discoveries recently that really check all the boxes for me. Some have been on my shelf for a bit, some are new to me. I'm really starting to appreciate this genre again.

Vanish/Insanity Abstract - This is exactly a Brainstorm/Symphorce mixture. They really have that vibe, and I'd say this singer is actually better that Andy, at least at this point in career. I also purchased their previous album and it's no nearly as melodic as this one.

Lyra's Legacy/Prisoner - Very similar to Vanish in that there is a Brainstorm influence but these guys incorporate some more keys and symphonic elements.

Prime Creation/Tears of Rage - Maybe the best of the bunch for me. They are a pretty standard Swedish melodic metal band that has the obvious influences, but they may have some Savatage in their arrangements at times, and the singer reminds me a bit of Zack. To me they're most similar to Tad Morose.

Within Silence/Return from Shadows - Melodic symphonic metal from...Slovakia??? Yes! And it's fantastic. It's a bit like mixing Ascendia and Theocracy together. The singer has great projection and does well in a lower register. They occasionally throw in some folk arrangements into the mix, this is really super solid stuff.

Echosoul/End of Darkness - THIS is great stuff. Melodic and perhaps Christian metal from Ft Wayne, Indiana that just punches you in the face. This will most likely end up in my top fiver this year. There's nothing that isn't classy about this release.

[Guillaume]

I've made some discoveries and re-discoveries recently that really check all the boxes for me. Some have been on my shelf for a bit, some are new to me. I'm really starting to appreciate this genre again.

Vanish/Insanity Abstract - This is exactly a Brainstorm/Symphorce mixture. They really have that vibe, and I'd say this singer is actually better that Andy, at least at this point in career. I also purchased their previous album and it's no nearly as melodic as this one.

Lyra's Legacy/Prisoner - Very similar to Vanish in that there is a Brainstorm influence but these guys incorporate some more keys and symphonic elements.

Prime Creation/Tears of Rage - Maybe the best of the bunch for me. They are a pretty standard Swedish melodic metal band that has the obvious influences, but they may have some Savatage in their arrangements at times, and the singer reminds me a bit of Zack. To me they're most similar to Tad Morose.

Within Silence/Return from Shadows - Melodic symphonic metal from...Slovakia??? Yes! And it's fantastic. It's a bit like mixing Ascendia and Theocracy together. The singer has great projection and does well in a lower register. They occasionally throw in some folk arrangements into the mix, this is really super solid stuff.

Echosoul/End of Darkness - THIS is great stuff. Melodic and perhaps Christian metal from Ft Wayne, Indiana that just punches you in the face. This will most likely end up in my top fiver this year. There's nothing that isn't classy about this release.

Loved the Vanish but the previous one, 2014's Come To Wither, is maybe even better for me.

Lyra's Legacy was fine but didn't blow me away, same for Prime Creation. I heard comparisons about Nocturnal Rites for PC, I love NR but have a hard time to get into PC.

Thanks for the tip about Echosoul, the couple songs I played on YT were damn nice.

[Random Axe]

Here's another older one that I paid zero attention to at the time but sounds pretty damn good to my ears now.

Centaur - The God Complex

It's got elements of the first Conception album especially the singer. The rest is kind of a mashup of Hollow and Tad Morose. I have zero clue why I ignored this before. IT's not earth shattering stuff but I'd have enjoyed this over the last couple of decades as this was released in 1998.

[LarryD]

Here's another older one that I paid zero attention to at the time but sounds pretty damn good to my ears now.

Centaur - The God Complex

It's got elements of the first Conception album especially the singer. The rest is kind of a mashup of Hollow and Tad Morose. I have zero clue why I ignored this before. IT's not earth shattering stuff but I'd have enjoyed this over the last couple of decades as this was released in 1998.

****Yes this is a gem indeed...... belongs in the "prog metal heroes" thread as this band was pretty popular in the underground back in the day ........I have a cool story about this disc I'll save for another day - but their previous disc " Perception " is equally as good and probably more melodic than The God Complex. It's never too late to discover and enjoy these bands now ...... kudos !!!!

[Psychotic Symphony]

I found another one for this year as you mentioned Symphorce.
Imperial Child https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uqFJQZVMyw
Some of this truly reminds me of Symphorce - Truth To Promises which is my favourite album by them. Singer even sounds like Franck at times. Also it has some dashes of theatrics. I would not call this release groundbreaking but certainly enjoyable.

[Locust0311]

Here's another older one that I paid zero attention to at the time but sounds pretty damn good to my ears now.

Centaur - The God Complex

It's got elements of the first Conception album especially the singer. The rest is kind of a mashup of Hollow and Tad Morose. I have zero clue why I ignored this before. IT's not earth shattering stuff but I'd have enjoyed this over the last couple of decades as this was released in 1998.

If we're going way back for deep cuts like Centaur let me put forth the Dutch band Profound. Their album Deep and Sincere from 2003 has perhaps the best collection of song intros ever. Singer might not be everyone's cup of tea but I like him.

Unfortunately this looks like the only track that's on YouTube but its a pretty good one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL1UfjNW6b0

[Random Axe]

Here's another older one that I paid zero attention to at the time but sounds pretty damn good to my ears now.

Centaur - The God Complex

It's got elements of the first Conception album especially the singer. The rest is kind of a mashup of Hollow and Tad Morose. I have zero clue why I ignored this before. IT's not earth shattering stuff but I'd have enjoyed this over the last couple of decades as this was released in 1998.

If we're going way back for deep cuts like Centaur let me put forth the Dutch band Profound. Their album Deep and Sincere from 2003 has perhaps the best collection of song intros ever. Singer might not be everyone's cup of tea but I like him.

Unfortunately this looks like the only track that's on YouTube but its a pretty good one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL1UfjNW6b0

Holy shit, I remember that god awful album cover. I may actually have that on my shelves. I think I got one in a trade lot. I'm now going to need to look for this when I get home.

[Random Axe]

Hey, I'll go back even further and deeper into the archives of forgotten and misfit prog metal.

Exises - Dutch prog metal band released their debut in 1989(?) kinda around the time QR and CRimson GLory were getting over. They have similarities but not many. Basic twin guitar wailing operatic singer formula. ThIs is some pretty darn good stuff and they really deserved to have been heard by more than the 23 people who know they even existed.

[introclaus]

Hey, I'll go back even further and deeper into the archives of forgotten and misfit prog metal.

Exises - Dutch prog metal band released their debut in 1989(?) kinda around the time QR and CRimson GLory were getting over. They have similarities but not many. Basic twin guitar wailing operatic singer formula. ThIs is some pretty darn good stuff and they really deserved to have been heard by more than the 23 people who know they even existed.

Heck yeah - put it in the “forgotten heroes” thread (that was the purpose of the thread in the first place)

[Locust0311]

Hey, I'll go back even further and deeper into the archives of forgotten and misfit prog metal.

Exises - Dutch prog metal band released their debut in 1989(?) kinda around the time QR and CRimson GLory were getting over. They have similarities but not many. Basic twin guitar wailing operatic singer formula. ThIs is some pretty darn good stuff and they really deserved to have been heard by more than the 23 people who know they even existed.

TRANSFORM! Rescue the species!!!

Yes, the Deep and Sincere album cover isn't particularly inspiring, but man oh man, do they know how to start a song on that album. The rest of each song isn't half bad either, but those intros are so stellar that I'm still talking about them 17 years later.

[Random Axe]

Well, it appears I'm a prog-snob, or some other kind of snob. I didn't set out to be, it just happened organically.

I just discovered a band called Iron Mask. I know pretty much everyone here knows them and probably likes them. I totally dismissed them years ago for the stupid-ass name that was, to me, obviously going to be a speedy, extra cheesy double bass, carbon copy band. How incorrect I was and am.

I'm listening to the Mark Boals albums on youtube while at work...this stuff is fantastic. It's far close to the Yngwie, Majestic, Adagio style that trad euro speed. I'm seriously digging this and I just now found their album with Diego. So yeah, this is a rabbit hole I'm really enjoying exploring.

Maybe there are other bands with questionable names that I was too much of an asshole to give a chance...

Any recs on non-speedy stuff like the above mentioned bands?

[introclaus]

Well, it appears I'm a prog-snob, or some other kind of snob. I didn't set out to be, it just happened organically.

I just discovered a band called Iron Mask. I know pretty much everyone here knows them and probably likes them. I totally dismissed them years ago for the stupid-ass name that was, to me, obviously going to be a speedy, extra cheesy double bass, carbon copy band. How incorrect I was and am.

I'm listening to the Mark Boals albums on youtube while at work...this stuff is fantastic. It's far close to the Yngwie, Majestic, Adagio style that trad euro speed. I'm seriously digging this and I just now found their album with Diego. So yeah, this is a rabbit hole I'm really enjoying exploring.

Maybe there are other bands with questionable names that I was too much of an asshole to give a chance...

Any recs on non-speedy stuff like the above mentioned bands?

Meduza (with Apollo) is is in the same style. Great stuff!

[Psychotic Symphony]

Well, it appears I'm a prog-snob, or some other kind of snob. I didn't set out to be, it just happened organically.

I just discovered a band called Iron Mask. I know pretty much everyone here knows them and probably likes them. I totally dismissed them years ago for the stupid-ass name that was, to me, obviously going to be a speedy, extra cheesy double bass, carbon copy band. How incorrect I was and am.

I'm listening to the Mark Boals albums on youtube while at work...this stuff is fantastic. It's far close to the Yngwie, Majestic, Adagio style that trad euro speed. I'm seriously digging this and I just now found their album with Diego. So yeah, this is a rabbit hole I'm really enjoying exploring.

Maybe there are other bands with questionable names that I was too much of an asshole to give a chance...

Any recs on non-speedy stuff like the above mentioned bands?

Mortanius! It's a recent discovery myself and reminds me of ye olde style Symphony X.

[introclaus]

Maybe there are other bands with questionable names that I was too much of an asshole to give a chance...
Any recs on non-speedy stuff like the above mentioned bands?

Here's another completely underrated (mostly unknown) band that I personally really like:
Rachel Mother Goose (get the album Tokiwa no Sai)
It's a Japanese band very much in that keyboard and guitar-shredding heavy metal style. I hear a lot of Alcatrazz, Malmsteen, Majestic in it - but less speedy and less power-metal than the other Japanese bands you'd typically expect. It really is an underrated disc. Check it out.