Good stuff you aren't listening to

[Random Axe]

I've made some really cool discoveries the past couple of months that get pretty much no attention outside of me. I thought I'd share some unknown prog and metal youbshould check out yourselves.

Vass/Katsionis/Ethical Dilemma - So far, by a wide margin, my favorite of this year. Bob Katsionis is a Greek musician producer mostly know for the power metal scene. On this one he teams with American vocalist Billy Vass on a purely melodic prog offering. Musically, this leans heavily towards FW Inside Out but does its own thing too. Vocals are super clear and has the dramatic delivery of Mike Baker. It's a rather short album but makes up in quality.

https://youtu.be/i4R4sY-nGYk



Subfire/Define the Sinner - A Katsionis production, this album is straight up melodic power very similar to Innerwish. I think this is a 21 release so it won't be on my list this year but would've been last year.

https://youtu.be/kf-8claDxGo



Taliesin/Faceless - Great Australian heavy prog that could easily be rock or metal. A cool mixed bag of styles that literally has something for everyone. There's a lot of these hybrid bands now with major crossover appeal.

https://youtu.be/fWmgj3SRpbA



Preincarnation/Incarnation - This is another band that goes multiple directions, and all of them are great. The singer is really, really good and shows amazing versatility. Some cool proggy guitar licks too.

https://youtu.be/doSXAHvOhqo



Star.Gate/Unbroken Diamond - Yet another difficult to define band that makes lush, melodic prog. Closest I can compare is Ascension Theory with a little Artension mixed in. Singer def has a John West quality.


https://youtu.be/WeQY5Nb2JAY



Forbidden Seed/On Blackest Wings - Anyone aside from me miss the old Iced Earth sound from the Something Wicked era? These guys certainly do. The album is a concept following the Crow film. The vocals may be a bit low in the mix, but are still strong.


https://youtu.be/toftGnpEZNk

[introclaus]

I've made some really cool discoveries the past couple of months that get pretty much no attention outside of me. I thought I'd share some unknown prog and metal you should check out yourselves.

Thanks - lots of great stuff here, and I had to purchase a few of them ...

Vass/Katsionis/Ethical Dilemma - So far, by a wide margin, my favorite of this year. Bob Katsionis is a Greek musician producer mostly know for the power metal scene. On this one he teams with American vocalist Billy Vass on a purely melodic prog offering. Musically, this leans heavily towards FW Inside Out but does its own thing too. Vocals are super clear and has the dramatic delivery of Mike Baker. It's a rather short album but makes up in quality.
https://youtu.be/i4R4sY-nGYk

This is truly a great find. Yes, I agree with both Fates Warning and Shadow Gallery. Also a bit of Conception to it.

Subfire/Define the Sinner - A Katsionis production, this album is straight up melodic power very similar to Innerwish. I think this is a 21 release so it won't be on my list this year but would've been last year.
https://youtu.be/kf-8claDxGo

I can understand why you (and Guillaume) would be into this. Definitely get an Innerwish vibe from it.

Taliesin/Faceless - Great Australian heavy prog that could easily be rock or metal. A cool mixed bag of styles that literally has something for everyone. There's a lot of these hybrid bands now with major crossover appeal.
https://youtu.be/fWmgj3SRpbA

These guys have been around forever but never really gotten anywhere. I remember a few demos and perhaps one or two albums? There's a certain "alternative" vibe to it that I'm not really digging, but not bad.

Preincarnation/Incarnation - This is another band that goes multiple directions, and all of them are great. The singer is really, really good and shows amazing versatility. Some cool proggy guitar licks too.
https://youtu.be/doSXAHvOhqo

I like this a lot! It's quite laid back in parts (similar to softer moments of Poverty's No Crime or even Subsignal, but has more punch in other sections. Great vocalist, especially when he uses his gritty voice.

Star.Gate/Unbroken Diamond - Yet another difficult to define band that makes lush, melodic prog. Closest I can compare is Ascension Theory with a little Artension mixed in. Singer def has a John West quality.
https://youtu.be/WeQY5Nb2JAY

Yes, I can hear the John West parts (and a bit of Royal Hunt style) in places, but he has a tendency to go for some really odd notes that aren't always pleasant to listen to. Besides Ascension Theory and Royal Hunt, I actually also hear a bit of Manigance (the French band) in it. Not bad, but don't think I would ever revisit the album.

Forbidden Seed/On Blackest Wings - Anyone aside from me miss the old Iced Earth sound from the Something Wicked era? These guys certainly do. The album is a concept following the Crow film. The vocals may be a bit low in the mix, but are still strong.
https://youtu.be/toftGnpEZNk

Musically I think this is okay, but vocalist is really bad (for my taste at least). Pass.

[introclaus]

Vass/Katsionis/Ethical Dilemma - So far, by a wide margin, my favorite of this year. Bob Katsionis is a Greek musician producer mostly know for the power metal scene. On this one he teams with American vocalist Billy Vass on a purely melodic prog offering. Musically, this leans heavily towards FW Inside Out but does its own thing too. Vocals are super clear and has the dramatic delivery of Mike Baker. It's a rather short album but makes up in quality.
https://youtu.be/i4R4sY-nGYk

This is truly a great find. Yes, I agree with both Fates Warning and Shadow Gallery. Also a bit of Conception to it.

Preincarnation/Incarnation - This is another band that goes multiple directions, and all of them are great. The singer is really, really good and shows amazing versatility. Some cool proggy guitar licks too.
https://youtu.be/doSXAHvOhqo

I like this a lot! It's quite laid back in parts (similar to softer moments of Poverty's No Crime or even Subsignal, but has more punch in other sections. Great vocalist, especially when he uses his gritty voice.

Larry D should be going ape-shit over these two ... I can't believe he hasn't said anything yet!
PS: now I've jinxed it by saying he would like it. He is going to come back and tell us he doesn't

[LarryD]

Larry D should be going ape-shit over these two ... I can't believe he hasn't said anything yet!
PS: now I've jinxed it by saying he would like it. He is going to come back and tell us he doesn't

***Au contraire mon frere....... I liked the Preincarnation much better than the Vass / Katsiononis ......The Vass is what I'm getting away from these days .......that style doesn't appeal to me much anymore ........I'm still in on the Preincarnation style though ..... very much so ...... comments on the rest coming .......

[introclaus]

The Vass is what I'm getting away from these days .......that style doesn't appeal to me much anymore ........

Wait what??? This sounds like all the stuff you normally say that you like; Shadow Gallery, Conception, Khali, early Queensryche, mid-period Fates Warning. You're confusing me, make it stop!

[LarryD]

Wait what??? This sounds like all the stuff you normally say that you like; Shadow Gallery, Conception, Khali, early Queensryche, mid-period Fates Warning. You're confusing me, make it stop!

***I did not hear those mentioned bands in that one song clip ....... do we have the same band or is one of us mixing up the clips ? The Preincarnation band was the one that sounded a lot like Fates Warning correct ?

[Random Axe]

Vass has a distinct FW Inside Out vibe. Preincarnation is more on the prog rock side but with a fantastic vocalist. Think Enchant meets Conception meets a mellow PNC.

[introclaus]

Wait what??? This sounds like all the stuff you normally say that you like; Shadow Gallery, Conception, Khali, early Queensryche, mid-period Fates Warning. You're confusing me, make it stop!

***I did not hear those mentioned bands in that one song clip ....... do we have the same band or is one of us mixing up the clips ? The Preincarnation band was the one that sounded a lot like Fates Warning correct ?

Preincarnation is actually very diverse - there are parts that have a smooth almost neo-prog edge to it, but also parts that are very "German prog metal" sounding (Vanden Plas, Ivanhoe, Poverty's no Crime), and also something not too far from the Sons of Apollo albums. The singer has a bit of a Dio meets Soto vibe to him I feel.

Vass/Katsionis is way more in line with the Qryche, Khali, mid-FatesW and Shadow Gallery style.

I don't see why you wouldn't pick up AND LOVE both albums. Totally you written all over them Larry.

[Sir Exar Kun]

I must be in a funk or something..... I listened to all of these, and based on descriptions alone I assumed I would enjoy most of it..... But NONE of it clicked. I'll have to come back and retry at some point.

The Vass/Katsionis opened up SCREAMING Fates Warning, but then the singer started in and I was NOT a fan at all.

Preincarnation I just found.... Dull? I dunno! Again, great references to bands in this thread, but I'm not hearing any of them in these songs.

Stargate was probably my favorite of these; definitely pick up on the Ascension Theory vibe (less so on the John West comment), but I want to come back to this in a couple of days and see if it registers more though..... I see they have like five albums, going back 15 years!

Listen, keep these kind of posts coming, as its great to see some even deeper under the radar bands get a little talk here. I know eventually something will click for me.....

[LarryD]

Taliesin/Faceless - Great Australian heavy prog that could easily be rock or metal. A cool mixed bag of styles that literally has something for everyone. There's a lot of these hybrid bands now with major crossover appeal.

https://youtu.be/fWmgj3SRpbA

***This one I missed first time around ....... checked it out and my first reaction was WOW !!!!! Very tough listen through computer speakers, so I'm going in with headphones soon .......

First off - the video is crrepy. I know lots of bands are doing this these days for statement / shock factor ..... but man I'm getting tired of people putting animal heads on ....Sleepytime Gorilla Museum you are excused of course .......

That said - I heard exactly what Claus heard - some sort of Alternative Vibe which I NEVER go in for unless you are The Fixx. I couldn't tell what kind of music this was until that nice proggy chord break about 3/4 of the way through .......its definitely a hybrid and I do find the singer to be excellent. I guess this is the modern meaning of what Progressive music is these days - but I really enjoyed this song enough to check some more of these guys out ......