Top Favorite Old-school Prog Metal Albums ... rank them

[introclaus]

Limited to:

• 15 albums only (no "floaters")

• One per artist only

• The "classic" style of prog metal only - this isn't where you put in all your power metal hits, progressive thrash, tech death, avantgarde metal or your djent albums

• ...and the really tough part: Rank them

Have fun!


Here's mine as it stands today:

1. Dream Theater - Images & Words
2. Eternity X - The Edge
3. Psychotic Waltz - Into the Everflow
4. Fates Warning - Parallels
5. Time Machine - Act II
6. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
7. Shadow Gallery - Tyranny
8. Beyond Twilight - The Devils Hall of Fame
9. Lord Bane - Age of Elegance
10. Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
11. Conception - Flow
12. Symphony X - The Divine Wings of Tragedy
13. Ark - Burn the Sun
14. Spiral Architect - A Sceptic's Universe
15. Adagio - Sanctus Ignis


Edit: A few notes as to why I decided on this post ... it comes out of a few talks I've had with people over the past few weeks, including some from this board about various discs on the list and how I'd rank them.
I've mentioned several times to Larry and Glenn that I would rate the two first Adagio albums just as high as any Symphony X album, but forcing myself to do this list I realize I actually don't *lol*
This weeks posts about albums you could always go back to got me thinking ... and while I do rank all of these albums here as my favorite 15 prog metal discs, there are several of these that I wouldn't be able to put on as "background noise".
Also, I've chosen to stay clear of a lot of those "modern prog" albums, that people would characterize as classics (I've said many times that Leprous' "Coal" and Port Noir's "New Routine" are the best examples of prog metal these days, but those have very little to do with the classic old-school style of prog, so I just didn't include them here - that's for another thread )
And finally, the reason I chose 15 and not 20, 25 or even 30 albums, is that once you get above 10 it's really becoming interchangably with each day. My #16 could easily be my #25 the next day, whereas the ones here in top 15 are pretty much set in stone.

[Sir Exar Kun]

1. Dream Theater - Images & Words
2. Eternity X - The Edge
3. Psychotic Waltz - Into the Everflow
4. Fates Warning - Parallels
5. Time Machine - Act II
6. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
7. Shadow Gallery - Tyranny
8. Beyond Twilight - The Devils Hall of Fame
9. Lord Bane - Age of Elegance
10. Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
11. Conception - Flow
12. Symphony X - The Divine Wings of Tragedy
13. Ark - Burn the Sun
14. Spiral Architect - A Sceptic's Universe
15. Adagio - Sanctus Ignis

That's a hell of a list. I like every single one you have on there. Might not always be my picks for the bands, but conceptually..... Excellent choices!

[devomeister]

Hmm, tough one, because not many of these have stayed with me over the years. Let's see if I can come up with 15 (it's probably gonna look like a weird list to most, hahaha). We're talking classic "style" here, because I think a few of these are gonna be from the 2010s. Also, I don't want this to devolve into a genre discussion. My approach is "I know it when I hear it". So these will be classic-style prog metal "IMO", but I'll do my best to pick stuff that I think would have fit right in circa 1998. Lastly, we definitely have some crossover, Claus.

1. Riverside "ADHD"
2. Jolly 'Audio Guide pt 1"
3. PoS 'Remedy Lane'
4. Fates Warning 'APSoG"
5. The Shadow Theory 'Behind the Black Veil'
6. Souljourners 'Mind Control'
7. Alpha Galates 'A Stimulus for Reason'
8. Ark 'Burn the Sun'
9. Vangough 'Between the Madness"
10. Beyond Twilight 'TDHoF'
11. Headspace 'I Am Anonymous'
12. Leprous 'Bilateral'
13. Madsword 'A Global Mind'
14. Speaking to Stones 'self titled'
15. Lord of Mushrooms 'Perspectives'

That was...harder than I thought it would be. In addition to making some cuts based on genre borders (OSI and KIngcrow stand out here), I had to cut some great albums because they frankly don't get as much play as the ones I ended up choosing. For example Symphony X "V" would easily have made the top 20, and is arguably a better album than a few I chose, but I just don't reach for it as often. I could have easily done a top-20, probably have made a comfortable top-25, but a top-30 would probably have stretched the number of these that have come up or stuck with me over the years.

[LarryD]

I cheated - period. I didn't rank them, and this should have been a Top 25 due to the amount of discs we have....... I didn't rank mine due to lack of brain power at the moment, but I chose mine based on discs that kept me listening to prog metal on a regular basis and the type of prog metal I love to listen to ....... in no order:

Also, if Crimson Glory is considered prog metal, then they would be on this list... I didn't because I'm thinking most people don't. You won't see any Fates Warning on hereo only because I listen to these discs more ..... Perfect Symmetry would make the Top 25 list for sure. Here goes in no order:

1) Ayreon / The Final Experiment
2) Wolverine / Communication Lost
3) Beyond Twilight / The Devil's Hall of Fame
4) Carisma / 1825
5) Dream Theater / Scenes from a Memory
6) Haken / Visions
7) Kingcrow / any - pick one for me
Beyond the Bridge / The Old Man and the Spirit
9) Pain of Salvation / The Perfect Element - Pt. 1
10 ) Riverside / Second Life Syndrome
11) Seventh Wonder / Mercy Falls
12) Shadow Gallery / Tyranny
13) Symphony X / V
14) Queensryche / Operation : Mindcrime
15) Superior / Behind

[introclaus]

Hmm, tough one, because not many of these have stayed with me over the years. Let's see if I can come up with 15 (it's probably gonna look like a weird list to most, hahaha). We're talking classic "style" here, because I think a few of these are gonna be from the 2010s. Also, I don't want this to devolve into a genre discussion. My approach is "I know it when I hear it". So these will be classic-style prog metal "IMO", but I'll do my best to pick stuff that I think would have fit right in circa 1998. Lastly, we definitely have some crossover, Claus.

1. Riverside "ADHD"
2. Jolly 'Audio Guide pt 1"
3. PoS 'Remedy Lane'
4. Fates Warning 'APSoG"
5. The Shadow Theory 'Behind the Black Veil'
6. Souljourners 'Mind Control'
7. Alpha Galates 'A Stimulus for Reason'
8. Ark 'Burn the Sun'
9. Vangough 'Between the Madness"
10. Beyond Twilight 'TDHoF'
11. Headspace 'I Am Anonymous'
12. Leprous 'Bilateral'
13. Madsword 'A Global Mind'
14. Speaking to Stones 'self titled'
15. Lord of Mushrooms 'Perspectives'

That was...harder than I thought it would be. In addition to making some cuts based on genre borders (OSI and KIngcrow stand out here), I had to cut some great albums because they frankly don't get as much play as the ones I ended up choosing. For example Symphony X "V" would easily have made the top 20, and is arguably a better album than a few I chose, but I just don't reach for it as often. I could have easily done a top-20, probably have made a comfortable top-25, but a top-30 would probably have stretched the number of these that have come up or stuck with me over the years.

That is a great list - I can get on board with a lot of these for sure.
We have 2 directly in common, and then another 2 bands where we just picked different ones.
I really like / love 5 of the other ones.
There's 1 I don't think fits this list (but I LOVE the album).
And then the rest:
- Alpha Gawho? Checking out now!!!
- Souljourners: I really haven't listened enough to them to have an opinion.
- Speaking to Stones: we've discussed those before, and I can't get past the computer drum sound and the fact they just come across as "anonymous" to me at least
- Vangough: interesting choice - I would have picked a different one of theirs for sure (Manikin Parade or Kingdom of Ruin) - but wouldn't make a top 50.
- Lord of Mushrooms: I would have picked Seven Deadly Songs, but it's nowhere near a favorite of the genre for me.

[introclaus]

I cheated - period. I didn't rank them, and this should have been a Top 25 due to the amount of discs we have....... I didn't rank mine due to lack of brain power at the moment, but I chose mine based on discs that kept me listening to prog metal on a regular basis and the type of prog metal I love to listen to ....... in no order:

Also, if Crimson Glory is considered prog metal, then they would be on this list... I didn't because I'm thinking most people don't. You won't see any Fates Warning on hereo only because I listen to these discs more ..... Perfect Symmetry would make the Top 25 list for sure. Here goes in no order:

1) Ayreon / The Final Experiment
2) Wolverine / Communication Lost
3) Beyond Twilight / The Devil's Hall of Fame
4) Carisma / 1825
5) Dream Theater / Scenes from a Memory
6) Haken / Visions
7) Kingcrow / any - pick one for me
Beyond the Bridge / The Old Man and the Spirit
9) Pain of Salvation / The Perfect Element - Pt. 1
10 ) Riverside / Second Life Syndrome
11) Seventh Wonder / Mercy Falls
12) Shadow Gallery / Tyranny
13) Symphony X / V
14) Queensryche / Operation : Mindcrime
15) Superior / Behind

I knew I could count on you to keep it old-school

Yeah, I definitely agree on those bands to be somewhere in top 30-40 (with the exception of Haken obviously, and Beyond the Bridge which just bores me ...).
Totally agree on Kingcrow; their albums (at least the last 4 - not the first 3) are interchangably great.
I would think Crimson Glory counts as prog metal - if Qryche does, then so does CG.

[devomeister]

That is a great list - I can get on board with a lot of these for sure.
We have 2 directly in common, and then another 2 bands where we just picked different ones.

Thanks man. I really had to think about it. We actually have 3 if I'm reading right...Beyond Twilight (a 3-way crossover so far), PoS and Ark.

- Alpha Gawho? Checking out now!!!

Pretty sure I discovered this one here, actually. It's stuck with me all these years. They have a unique sound, but undeniably prog metal. It sounds as fresh today as it did when it came out in 2008. Sadly the singer/drummer took his own life a couple of yeas ago.

- Souljourners: I really haven't listened enough to them to have an opinion
- Speaking to Stones: we've discussed those before, and I can't get past the computer drum sound and the fact they just come across as "anonymous" to me at least

These fall into the category of the rare combination of Dream Theater-ish prog metal with 90s alternative-style singers. It's a mix that never really caught on, but really works for me. I think Souljourners is a genuinely excellent album.

StS is admittedly kind of generic, but man, for me, Richard Fink elevates the shit out of this album, and turns this into kind of exactly what I want it to be. This is one of the ones I was referring to when I mentioned that SymX "V" is probably an objectively better album than, but I don't want to listen to it as often as I do StS for some reason. Some music is like that; it just speaks to you, and that StS album just hits all of my buttons just right.

- Vangough: interesting choice - I would have picked a different one of theirs for sure (Manikin Parade or Kingdom of Ruin) - but wouldn't make a top 50.

This is the first album of theirs that really blew me away. Manakin Parade caught my attention briefly, but faded quickly. I honestly wasn't expecting much when I gave this a listen, but I found myself completely enthralled with it, and it's really had staying power for me. This gets very regular listens, and still impresses me every time I hear it.

- Lord of Mushrooms: I would have picked Seven Deadly Songs, but it's nowhere near a favorite of the genre for me.

Another one that I can't really explain, but I just love Perspectives. I liked Seven Deadly Songs well enough, but it didn't stick with me long (I'm not even sure I have the disc anymore). But Perspectives just works for me. It's heavy, wanky in just the right way, catchy as hell...it's as if they said "we need to write album for this Devo guy", and then did so, hahaha.

[devomeister]

Here's mine as it stands today:

1. Dream Theater - Images & Words
2. Eternity X - The Edge
3. Psychotic Waltz - Into the Everflow
4. Fates Warning - Parallels
5. Time Machine - Act II
6. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime
7. Shadow Gallery - Tyranny
8. Beyond Twilight - The Devils Hall of Fame
9. Lord Bane - Age of Elegance
10. Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
11. Conception - Flow
12. Symphony X - The Divine Wings of Tragedy
13. Ark - Burn the Sun
14. Spiral Architect - A Sceptic's Universe
15. Adagio - Sanctus Ignis

I always liked Awake better than I&W, but I just don't listen to DT much anymore. Labrie was always a singer I tolerated more than enjoyed, and I kind of just can't tolerate him much anymore. I do still dig into Train of Thought now and again. DT did a really good Metallica homage with that one.

I still love QR-O:M and Conception "Flow" , and I still enjoy SX-DWoT, though i prefer V.

I like FW Parallels, but don't love it.

SG- Tyranny kind of faded over the years. Similar to LaBrie, Baker was always a singer I merely tolerated rather than enjoyed, so as time went by my tolerance receded.

1) Ayreon / The Final Experiment
2) Wolverine / Communication Lost
3) Beyond Twilight / The Devil's Hall of Fame
4) Carisma / 1825
5) Dream Theater / Scenes from a Memory
6) Haken / Visions
7) Kingcrow / any - pick one for me
Beyond the Bridge / The Old Man and the Spirit
9) Pain of Salvation / The Perfect Element - Pt. 1
10 ) Riverside / Second Life Syndrome
11) Seventh Wonder / Mercy Falls
12) Shadow Gallery / Tyranny
13) Symphony X / V
14) Queensryche / Operation : Mindcrime
15) Superior / Behind

Kingcrow slays, and I had Eidos on my list for a while.
SX- V is my favorite from them. Just a great album
As I commented above, QR 'O:M' is just an amazing album
Riverside is among my favorite few bands. I honestly chose ADHD because it's the most "prog metal-ish", but as far as I'm concerned, they can do no wrong.
I can't connect with Haken, except for "Virus" for some reason. They needed to strip the noodly wankery back for me to dig into them.
I never really connected with Seventh Wonder, either.
Carisma is a solid album, as is Superior.

Nice lists fellas.

[Mardoch]

Limited to:

• 15 albums only (no "floaters")

• One per artist only

• The "classic" style of prog metal only - this isn't where you put in all your power metal hits, progressive thrash, tech death, avantgarde metal or your djent albums

• ...and the really tough part: Rank them

Have fun!

cough, yes...I see.... No fear though. I've still got plenty of OG love left.

First off, the final ranked list:

1. Ayreon - Into the Electric Castle
2. Dream Theater - Awake
3. Symphony X - The Odyssey
4. Conception - Flow
5. Circus Maximus - Isolate
6. Haken - The Mountain (does this push into too modern by then? if so, bubble everything else up and make Age of Nemesis #15)
7. Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
8. Andromeda - II = I
9. Savatage - Hall of the Mountain King
10. Quensryche - Operation Mindcrime
11. Ark - Burn the Sun
12. Pagan's Mind - Celestial Entrance
13. Darkwater - Calling the Earth to Witness
14. Lalu - Oniric Metal
15. Redemption - The Fullness of Time


If it weren't down to one per artist these would've been in the running:
Dream Theater - Images and Words
Circus Maximus - The First Chapter
Pain of Salvation - One Hour by the Concrete Lake
Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element Pt 1
Pagan's Mind - God's Equation
Symphony X - V
Redemption - Origins (edit: forgot this one here since I pre-filtered it when building the top 15)


After that I had to really ponder on who wins in the top 15, because it's hard and honestly could swap given the time/day/season/mood. Ergo, these sorted out of the unassailable positions, but are still dearly beloved:
Spheric Universe Experience - Unreal
Universe Effects - In the Haze That Surrounds Us
Age of Nemesis - Terra Incognita
Tomorrow's Eve - Mirror of Creation 2
Stride - Imagine
Riverside - Out of Myself
Dreamscape - End of Silence

[Random Axe]

Well, this was a hard, soul-searching assignment. So many that could've slipped into this list, which is off-center as usual with my oddball picks and questionable taste. This list is in descending order...

DT/Images and Words - I'll never hear it's equal...EVER

Fates/APSoG - This just spoke to me, still does

Lethal/Programmed - local guys, loved since junior year of HS when I bought the demo tape from Dell.

House of Spirits/Turn of Tide - can play this all the way through anytime, all the time. It's that effin good

Zero Hour - s/t - the first album I ever purchased online. Shitty 30 second wav files sold me. Still a monster

QR/Mindcrime - best concept album alltime, and its not even close

Redemption/Origins - Fullness pulled me in, this one finished me off.


Power of Omens/Eyes of Oracle - another beginner internet purchase between Zero Hour and Mag9.

Vox Tempus/Eye of Time - checks all my boxes. DeYoung styled vocals with prog metalish leanings? Yes, please.

Lillian Axe/Psychoscizophrenia - sorry, this is prog metal to my ears and waaay more complex than anything they'd done

Ascendia/Lion and Jester - my late wife's favorite album, and I'm pretty much right there with her

Need/Orvam - FW Disconnected/FWX style guitars with Ray's Engine vocals mixed with ethnic keys and drum elements.

Conception/Flow - my introduction to Khan. What a first impression he made

Speaking to Stones/Elements - Andy's absolute best vocal performance, no doubts.

Magnitude9/Chaos to Control - my second or third(can't recall) internet purchase. The Massacre records remaster really improved this too.

Lots of others I could've thrown in but may not be considered prog metal in the classical sense.

[John Frank]

1. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime (1988)
2. Watchtower - Control and Resistance (1989)
3. Spiral Architect - A Sceptic's Universe (2000)
4. Dream Theater - When Dream and Day Unite (1989)
5. Thought Industry - Songs for Insects (1992)
6. Power of Omens - Rooms of Anguish (2003)
7. GracePoint - Science of Discontent (2000)
8. Redemption - The Fullness of Time (2005)
9. Fates Warning - Parallels (1991)
10. Symphony X - Paradise Lost (2007)
11. Ark - Burn the Sun (2001)
12. Catharsis - Pathways to Wholeness (1995)
13. Malpractice - Triangular (2008)
14. Mystic-Force - Eternal Quest (1993)
15. Zero Hour - The Towers of Avarice (2001)

Since you had Spiral Architect on your list, I thought Watchtower would be okay to add. I assume you think of them as prog thrash?

For Thought Industry, I like Mods Carve the Pig: Assassins, Toads and God's Flesh (1993) a bit more than Songs for Insects, but I assume the vocals on some of the Mods songs exclude it.

You mentioned that Crimson Glory would qualify for the list. I don't consider them prog metal, but if I did, Transcendence would be #5 for me.

[AllMediaReviews]

1. Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Gray
2. Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element I
3. Dream Theater - Awake
4. John Arch - A Twist of Fate
5. Soundscape - Discovery
6. Zero Hour - The Towers of Avarice
7. Savatage - Handful of Rain
8. Shadow Gallery - Shadow Gallery
9. Green Carnation - Light of Day, Day of Darkness
10. Queensryche - Promised Land
11. Superior - Younique
12. Spiral Architect - A Skeptic's Universe
13. Royal Hunt - Paradox
14. Metropolis - Behind Mysterious Walls
15. Without Warning - Believe

So, apparently none of these really qualify. If they did, this exercise would have been a fair amount easier.

Angra - Holy Land
Between the Buried and Me - Colors
Burst - Lazarus Bird
Crimson Glory - Transcendence
Cynic - Focus
Disillusion - Back to Times of Splendor
East of the Wall - The Apologist
The Faceless - Akeldama
Faith No More - The Real Thing
Galactic Cowboys - Space in Your Face
In Vain - The Latter Rain
Journal - Unlorja
Long Distance Calling - Avoid the Light
Martyr - Feeding the Abscess
maudlin of the Well - Bath/Leaving Your Body Map
Native Construct - Quiet World
Ne Obliviscaris - The Aurora Veil
Opeth - Ghost Reveries
Orphaned Land - Mabool
Painted in Exile - Revitalized
Protest the Hero - Kezia
Russian Circles - Enter
Sculptured - Embodiment
Shaman - Ritual
SikTh - Death of a Dead Day
Spawn of Possession - Incurso
Subterranean Masquerade - Suspended Animation Dreams
Thurisaz - Circadian Rhythm
uneXpect - In a Flesh Aquarium
Vektor - Outer Isolation

[Sir Exar Kun]

OK, so many GREAT lists coming out that I can't begin to comment on all of it..... But one name jumped out that I just HAVE to salute!!!

Lillian Axe/Psychoscizophrenia - sorry, this is prog metal to my ears and waaay more complex than anything they'd done

This is a GREAT left field pick, but I won't quite get on the "prog metal" bandwagon for it. I WILL solidly say this is the best under-the-radar hard rock band of that era, and can't wait to hear the new album later this month. Psycho is a FANTASTIC album start to finish.

OK, did some noodling last night, and here's my list for the moment. This could completely change and order is pretty arbitrary, aside from the top two.

1 - Pain of Salvation "Remedy Lane" (As of even a year ago, this would have been top five with "Awake" a solid number one, but at some point something just clicked even harder, and this sits as my favorite album of all time.....)
2 - Dream Theater "Awake"
3 - Queensryche "Rage of Order"
4 - Redemption "Fullness of Time" (the first four tracks alone would put this at #1 ahead of even PoS.... They are THAT strong.)
5 - Haken "Aquarius"
6 - Vanden Plas "Christ0"
7 - Symphony X "Divine Wings of Tragedy"
8 - Eternity X "The Edge"
9 - Royal Hunt "Paradox"
10 - Ayreon "Human Equation"
11 - Crimson Glory "Transcendence" (part of me REALLY wants to put "Astonomicon" here instead, but will go classic today....)
12 - Kingcrow "Phlegethon" (could put ANY of the three albums in here, as they are all perfection, but again..... going most classic today....)
13 - Threshold "Dead Reckoning" (another band where I could put almost any of their albums on the list, but this is the one I grab the most often)
14 - Circus Maximus "1st Chapter"
15 - Fates Warning "Perfect Symmetry"

For albums that fringed the genre, but just weren't quite the "old-school prog" boundaries....

Eldritch - El Nino (far and away their best!)
Helloween - Chameleon (talk about a misunderstood album! I get why old school Helloween / power metal fans hated it, but for someone thirsting for the proggy side of things this was a huge surprise.....)
Leprous - Bilateral (Mind-BLOWN the first time I played it. Literal goosebumps with the volume about as high as the car could go..... On the way home from Atlanta for PP no less.)

[Mardoch]

Redemption/Origins - Fullness pulled me in, this one finished me off.

This one was so close for me. I think I have a slightly stronger emotional latch to Fullness than Origins, but it's not by much. Both are exceptional. I really like how different your list is in general from the other's we've gotten so far.

[Mardoch]

2. Watchtower - Control and Resistance (1989)
...
Since you had Spiral Architect on your list, I thought Watchtower would be okay to add. I assume you think of them as prog thrash?

They're probably on the edges of what one might consider classic powerprog, which I think is what we're mostly going for here, but I'll allow it. Always happy to see those crazy Jarzombek fellas get some love.

Protest the Hero - Kezia

Hell yeah to this outlier choice. I love this album so much.

2 - Dream Theater "Awake"
4 - Redemption "Fullness of Time" (the first four tracks alone would put this at #1 ahead of even PoS.... They are THAT strong.)

Hell yeah, I wasn't sure anyone else would slot Awake above Images and Words. Also another vote for Fullness!

Great lists folks.

[introclaus]

1. Ayreon - Into the Electric Castle
2. Dream Theater - Awake
3. Symphony X - The Odyssey
4. Conception - Flow
5. Circus Maximus - Isolate
6. Haken - The Mountain (does this push into too modern by then? if so, bubble everything else up and make Age of Nemesis #15)
7. Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
8. Andromeda - II = I
9. Savatage - Hall of the Mountain King
10. Quensryche - Operation Mindcrime
11. Ark - Burn the Sun
12. Pagan's Mind - Celestial Entrance
13. Darkwater - Calling the Earth to Witness
14. Lalu - Oniric Metal
15. Redemption - The Fullness of Time

I don't think Haken is too modern - but we're talking about quality music here, so it's misplaced LOL (sorry, couldn't help myself).
Savatage on the other hand I would put under US Metal / Power Metal - not progressive metal.
Great choices otherwise (I'm not a fan of Lalu or Darkwater, but I can see why people enjoy them).

[introclaus]

Well, this was a hard, soul-searching assignment. So many that could've slipped into this list, which is off-center as usual with my oddball picks and questionable taste. This list is in descending order...

DT/Images and Words - I'll never hear it's equal...EVER
Fates/APSoG - This just spoke to me, still does
Lethal/Programmed - local guys, loved since junior year of HS when I bought the demo tape from Dell.
House of Spirits/Turn of Tide - can play this all the way through anytime, all the time. It's that effin good
Zero Hour - s/t - the first album I ever purchased online. Shitty 30 second wav files sold me. Still a monster
QR/Mindcrime - best concept album alltime, and its not even close
Redemption/Origins - Fullness pulled me in, this one finished me off.
Power of Omens/Eyes of Oracle - another beginner internet purchase between Zero Hour and Mag9.
Vox Tempus/Eye of Time - checks all my boxes. DeYoung styled vocals with prog metalish leanings? Yes, please.
Lillian Axe/Psychoscizophrenia - sorry, this is prog metal to my ears and waaay more complex than anything they'd done
Ascendia/Lion and Jester - my late wife's favorite album, and I'm pretty much right there with her
Need/Orvam - FW Disconnected/FWX style guitars with Ray's Engine vocals mixed with ethnic keys and drum elements.
Conception/Flow - my introduction to Khan. What a first impression he made
Speaking to Stones/Elements - Andy's absolute best vocal performance, no doubts.
Magnitude9/Chaos to Control - my second or third(can't recall) internet purchase. The Massacre records remaster really improved this too.

Lots of others I could've thrown in but may not be considered prog metal in the classical sense.

Nice list here - great choice on Lillian Axe. Very cool to see that on here. Agreed that it's a different album from their other ones and judged by that alone, yes, that's prog metal. The rest of their albums, not so much.

I like how a lot of yours are "underdogs", rather than the big well-known names.

Lethal I would personally place under power but I guess it's proggy too

[introclaus]

1. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime (1988)
2. Watchtower - Control and Resistance (1989)
3. Spiral Architect - A Sceptic's Universe (2000)
4. Dream Theater - When Dream and Day Unite (1989)
5. Thought Industry - Songs for Insects (1992)
6. Power of Omens - Rooms of Anguish (2003)
7. GracePoint - Science of Discontent (2000)
8. Redemption - The Fullness of Time (2005)
9. Fates Warning - Parallels (1991)
10. Symphony X - Paradise Lost (2007)
11. Ark - Burn the Sun (2001)
12. Catharsis - Pathways to Wholeness (1995)
13. Malpractice - Triangular (2008)
14. Mystic-Force - Eternal Quest (1993)
15. Zero Hour - The Towers of Avarice (2001)

Since you had Spiral Architect on your list, I thought Watchtower would be okay to add. I assume you think of them as prog thrash?

For Thought Industry, I like Mods Carve the Pig: Assassins, Toads and God's Flesh (1993) a bit more than Songs for Insects, but I assume the vocals on some of the Mods songs exclude it.

You mentioned that Crimson Glory would qualify for the list. I don't consider them prog metal, but if I did, Transcendence would be #5 for me.

I love that list.

I think there's a difference between Watchtower and Spiral Architect. Same reason I wouldn't necessarily throw Sieges Even on this list, I also wouldn't put Watchtower here - they have their roots in "thrash" and not heavy metal. SA, while essentially stealing w arms and legs from Watchtower also has a lot of Psychotic Waltz and Fates Warning to their sound.

Mystic-Force is again one of those I see more like a US metal / power disc with prog tendencies. But yes, it's awesome!

[introclaus]

1. Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Gray
2. Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element I
3. Dream Theater - Awake
4. John Arch - A Twist of Fate
5. Soundscape - Discovery
6. Zero Hour - The Towers of Avarice
7. Savatage - Handful of Rain
8. Shadow Gallery - Shadow Gallery
9. Green Carnation - Light of Day, Day of Darkness
10. Queensryche - Promised Land
11. Superior - Younique
12. Spiral Architect - A Skeptic's Universe
13. Royal Hunt - Paradox
14. Metropolis - Behind Mysterious Walls
15. Without Warning - Believe

Nice choices - especially I like the idea of the John Arch EP. I personally wouldn't put an EP in my top list, but there's no denying how freaking awesome it is. Also interesting that you're picking out Shadow Gallery's debut for this list instead of basically any of their other ones.
There's a few I don't see as classic style / old school prog metal (Savatage and Green Carnation) but I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder.

[introclaus]

1 - Pain of Salvation "Remedy Lane" (As of even a year ago, this would have been top five with "Awake" a solid number one, but at some point something just clicked even harder, and this sits as my favorite album of all time.....)
2 - Dream Theater "Awake"
3 - Queensryche "Rage of Order"
4 - Redemption "Fullness of Time" (the first four tracks alone would put this at #1 ahead of even PoS.... They are THAT strong.)
5 - Haken "Aquarius"
6 - Vanden Plas "Christ0"
7 - Symphony X "Divine Wings of Tragedy"
8 - Eternity X "The Edge"
9 - Royal Hunt "Paradox"
10 - Ayreon "Human Equation"
11 - Crimson Glory "Transcendence" (part of me REALLY wants to put "Astonomicon" here instead, but will go classic today....)
12 - Kingcrow "Phlegethon" (could put ANY of the three albums in here, as they are all perfection, but again..... going most classic today....)
13 - Threshold "Dead Reckoning" (another band where I could put almost any of their albums on the list, but this is the one I grab the most often)
14 - Circus Maximus "1st Chapter"
15 - Fates Warning "Perfect Symmetry"

Sweet list - also excited to see I'm not the only one who loves "The Edge".

For albums that fringed the genre, but just weren't quite the "old-school prog" boundaries....
Helloween - Chameleon (talk about a misunderstood album! I get why old school Helloween / power metal fans hated it, but for someone thirsting for the proggy side of things this was a huge surprise.....)

THANK YOU - I have never understood all the hate for that album. It's like a long lost Qryche disc almost

[Sir Exar Kun]

1. Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Gray
2. Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element I
3. Dream Theater - Awake
4. John Arch - A Twist of Fate
5. Soundscape - Discovery
6. Zero Hour - The Towers of Avarice
7. Savatage - Handful of Rain
8. Shadow Gallery - Shadow Gallery
9. Green Carnation - Light of Day, Day of Darkness
10. Queensryche - Promised Land
11. Superior - Younique
12. Spiral Architect - A Skeptic's Universe
13. Royal Hunt - Paradox
14. Metropolis - Behind Mysterious Walls
15. Without Warning - Believe

Hats off on the Shadow Gallery pick! I almost put SG on my list, and it's a coin toss between the first two albums, with the first having the better songwriting, but the second having much better production.

John Arch.... Best two song EP EVER, and both tunes are better than the Arch/Matheos discs (although both of those are also fantastic)

Handful of Rain / Promised Land - Both bold choices. Love that! I wouldn't pick either of them, but I certainly wouldn't argue AGAINST them either.

Superior - Another ballsy call going with Younique over the other two! "Nothing" and "God's Funeral" are both tremendous though.

[Mardoch]

1. Ayreon - Into the Electric Castle
2. Dream Theater - Awake
3. Symphony X - The Odyssey
4. Conception - Flow
5. Circus Maximus - Isolate
6. Haken - The Mountain (does this push into too modern by then? if so, bubble everything else up and make Age of Nemesis #15)
7. Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
8. Andromeda - II = I
9. Savatage - Hall of the Mountain King
10. Quensryche - Operation Mindcrime
11. Ark - Burn the Sun
12. Pagan's Mind - Celestial Entrance
13. Darkwater - Calling the Earth to Witness
14. Lalu - Oniric Metal
15. Redemption - The Fullness of Time

I don't think Haken is too modern - but we're talking about quality music here, so it's misplaced LOL (sorry, couldn't help myself).
Savatage on the other hand I would put under US Metal / Power Metal - not progressive metal.
Great choices otherwise (I'm not a fan of Lalu or Darkwater, but I can see why people enjoy them).

Well Haken started pretty traditional but by The Mountain a lot of the djenty influence was well underway. I also wondered if folks would quibble about Savatage being prog. I can go either way depending on the day.

[gazinwales]

Even after 34 years I still don't know why Mindcrime is labelled prog

[introclaus]

Even after 34 years I still don't know why Mindcrime is labelled prog

Let's be honest, 99% of the bands listed here aren't PROGRESSIVE at all. It's just a genre description, and as such Queensryche were one of the first (if not the first) big ones of the genre, and have had enormous influence on all those that followed in the genre. How many times have we not on this board talked about QR-clones and labelled those as prog metal?

[gazinwales]

Thanks Claus I am glad it's not just me
In other words prog metal is a brand rather than an actual genre!

[Alberto]

Fun thread!

My picks:

1 - Dream Theater / Live At The Marquee (odd choice for DT, I know; this was actually the first thing I heard from them!)
2 - Queensryche / Operation: Mindcrime
3 - Payne's Gray / Kadath Decoded
4 - Symphony X / V (Divine Wings is almost on par)
5 - Fates Warning / A Pleasant Shade Of Gray (Awaken is almost on par)
6 - Dreams Of Sanity / Komödia (many would consider this "gothic", but to me it's progmetal at the core; following albums are almost on par and got more and more prog-styled)
7 - Pain Of Salvation / One Hour By The Concrete Lake
8 - Vauxdvihl / To Dimension Logic
9 - Divine Regale / Horizons
10 - Redemption / Redemption (another oddity... their only album I really got into)
11 - Shadow Gallery / Tyranny
12 - Eternity X / The Edge
13 - Sunblaze / Illuminating Heights
14 - Threshold / Psychedelicatessen
15 - Madsword / The Global Village

Most painful exclusions: Empty Tremor, Helreið, Lemur Voice.

[introclaus]

3 - Payne's Gray / Kadath Decoded
8 - Vauxdvihl / To Dimension Logic
9 - Divine Regale / Horizons
12 - Eternity X / The Edge
13 - Sunblaze / Illuminating Heights
14 - Threshold / Psychedelicatessen

These albums are so super underrated in the genre it's not even funny. I really think these albums (and bands) should all have been much bigger than they were.

[Random Axe]

Even after 34 years I still don't know why Mindcrime is labelled prog

They easily and perfectly fit with both Priest/Maiden or DT/Fates so it's a fielder's choice. They kinda transcend genrescand labels so we individually label based on perspective.

[GaetanL]

1. Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime
2. Dream Theater - Images And Words
3. Fates Warning - Perfect Symmetry
4. Redemption - The Fullness Of Time
5. Wolverine - Communication Lost
6. Psychotic Waltz - A Social Grace
7. Madsword - The Global Village
8. Ayreon - Actual Fantasy
9. Power Of Omens - Eyes Of The Oracle
10, Symphony X - The Divine Wings Of Tragedy
11. Evergrey - In Search Of Truth
12. Circus Maximus - Isolate
13. Tad Morose - Sender Of Thoughts
14. Anathema - Judgement
15. Spiral Architect - A Sceptic's Universe

[introclaus]

1. Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime
2. Dream Theater - Images And Words
3. Fates Warning - Perfect Symmetry
4. Redemption - The Fullness Of Time
5. Wolverine - Communication Lost
6. Psychotic Waltz - A Social Grace
7. Madsword - The Global Village
8. Ayreon - Actual Fantasy
9. Power Of Omens - Eyes Of The Oracle
10, Symphony X - The Divine Wings Of Tragedy
11. Evergrey - In Search Of Truth
12. Circus Maximus - Isolate
13. Tad Morose - Sender Of Thoughts
14. Anathema - Judgement
15. Spiral Architect - A Sceptic's Universe

14 amazingly strong albums!!!!

[brendontowle]

Hey -- decades long lurker here, coming out of the shadows and way late to this discussion.

Like others have said, this was a really interesting exercise. Some of my choices might not be "old-school prog", but I have no idea where else I'd put them. There's some significant overlap with others' lists, but also a few that I haven't seen on anybody's list so far. Without further ado:

1. Braindance - Redemption
2. Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Gray
3. Dream Theater - Scenes From a Memory
4. Threshold - March of Progress
5. Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element
6. Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime
7. Redemption - The Fullness of Time
8. Greyhaven - S/T
9. Reading Zero - Satellite Sessions
10. Royal Hunt - Eye Witness
11. Chain - Reconstruct
12. Vauxdvihl - To Dimension Logic
13. Myrath - Desert Call
14. Conception - Flow
15. Digital Ruin - Dwelling in the Out

[introclaus]

Hey -- decades long lurker here, coming out of the shadows and way late to this discussion.

So happy to see more people coming out and posting - otherwise we end up with a forum where only very few contributes, and that limits the discussions way too much.

Like others have said, this was a really interesting exercise. Some of my choices might not be "old-school prog", but I have no idea where else I'd put them. There's some significant overlap with others' lists, but also a few that I haven't seen on anybody's list so far.

That's great - I think all of them do fit into the "old school prog" genre label for sure.

1. Braindance - Redemption
2. Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Gray
3. Dream Theater - Scenes From a Memory
4. Threshold - March of Progress
5. Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element
6. Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime
7. Redemption - The Fullness of Time
8. Greyhaven - S/T
9. Reading Zero - Satellite Sessions
10. Royal Hunt - Eye Witness
11. Chain - Reconstruct
12. Vauxdvihl - To Dimension Logic
13. Myrath - Desert Call
14. Conception - Flow
15. Digital Ruin - Dwelling in the Out

Of these I REALLY like/love 9-10 of them.
Fates W, Dream T, Threshold, PoS, QRyche, Redemption, Vauxdvihl, Conception, Myrath, Digital Ruin
- "Desert Call" is a great album, but again down the list when it comes to Myrath
- Interesting choice on the Threshold disc. Not saying it's bad, as I actually really enjoy that album a lot

A few are good, but not what I personally think of as amazing.
- I appreciate Reading Zero, but not a HUGE fan although I own both albums and the demo
- "Eye Witness" is far from my first pick when it comes to Royal Hunt
- Greyhaven is a band I just never was able to get into

And there are only 2 I just don't like at all.
- Chain: I always felt Henning Pauly was a poor songwriter, and the two Frameshift albums (as well as Chain) was "annoying" at best.
- Braindance: This one I've tried so many times, but the whole "gothic meets progressive meets industrial" never worked for me (except on Saviour Machine's "Legend" albums) - and couple that with stupid pictures looking like a mixture between Misfits and some Hulk Hogan wannabe with spiked hair ... I've tried multiple times, and something just bugs me to no end.

[brendontowle]

So happy to see more people coming out and posting - otherwise we end up with a forum where only very few contributes, and that limits the discussions way too much.

Thanks -- I might be here more often.

1. Braindance - Redemption
2. Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Gray
3. Dream Theater - Scenes From a Memory
4. Threshold - March of Progress
5. Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element
6. Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime
7. Redemption - The Fullness of Time
8. Greyhaven - S/T
9. Reading Zero - Satellite Sessions
10. Royal Hunt - Eye Witness
11. Chain - Reconstruct
12. Vauxdvihl - To Dimension Logic
13. Myrath - Desert Call
14. Conception - Flow
15. Digital Ruin - Dwelling in the Out

Of these I REALLY like/love 9-10 of them.
Fates W, Dream T, Threshold, PoS, QRyche, Redemption, Vauxdvihl, Conception, Myrath, Digital Ruin
- "Desert Call" is a great album, but again down the list when it comes to Myrath
- Interesting choice on the Threshold disc. Not saying it's bad, as I actually really enjoy that album a lot

Re: Myrath: "Desert Call" is the only Myrath I've been able to get into -- I'm wondering what you'd recommend over it?
Re: Threshold: I debated for a while between "March of Progress" and "Wounded Land"; in the end, "The Hours" and "Divinity" pushed MoP over the top.

And there are only 2 I just don't like at all.
- Chain: I always felt Henning Pauly was a poor songwriter, and the two Frameshift albums (as well as Chain) was "annoying" at best.
- Braindance: This one I've tried so many times, but the whole "gothic meets progressive meets industrial" never worked for me (except on Saviour Machine's "Legend" albums) - and couple that with stupid pictures looking like a mixture between Misfits and some Hulk Hogan wannabe with spiked hair ... I've tried multiple times, and something just bugs me to no end.

I think of Braindance as "Put Threshold and Type O Negative in a small apartment for a year with nothing to listen to except Euro dance music and nothing to watch except bad SF movies and 1950s documentaries, and then have them write an album." I agree that the pictures are ... questionable, but for me music is an auditory thing.

[giedrius]

Great lists!! It is so fun to read them and remember all those great albums. I have also learned some new names to check out - Souljourners, Alpha Galates, Lord of Mushrooms, Ascendia, Vox Tempus, and Lilian Axe.

My list:
1. Dream Theater - Images and Word
2. Fates Warning - Perfect Symmetry
3. Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
4. Psychotic Waltz - A Social Grace
5. Spiral Architect - Sceptic's Universe
6. Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
7. Seventh Wonder - The Great Escape
8. Heavens Cry - Food for Thought Substitute
9. Vauxdvihl - To Dimension Logic
10. Secrecy - Art in Motion
11. Circus Maximus - Nine
12. Vanden Plas - The Seraphic Clockwork
13. Ivanhoe - Symbols of Time
14. Eldritch - El Nino
15. Lethal - Programmed

Giedrius

[Sir Exar Kun]

My list:
1. Dream Theater - Images and Word
2. Fates Warning - Perfect Symmetry
3. Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime
4. Psychotic Waltz - A Social Grace
5. Spiral Architect - Sceptic's Universe
6. Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane
7. Seventh Wonder - The Great Escape
8. Heavens Cry - Food for Thought Substitute
9. Vauxdvihl - To Dimension Logic
10. Secrecy - Art in Motion
11. Circus Maximus - Nine
12. Vanden Plas - The Seraphic Clockwork
13. Ivanhoe - Symbols of Time
14. Eldritch - El Nino
15. Lethal - Programmed

Excellent list! Secrecy is the only one on here I'm not familiar with, and man.... Back in the day, all of these were high on the radar. I must ask though..... Circus Maximus I get, but "Nine"? That's surprises me! I would have gone either of the first two.....