History Main / ProgressiveMetal

* Music/{{Forbidden}} (mixed with ThrashMetal on ''Twisted into Form'' and GrooveMetal on ''Distortion'' and ''Green'')

A subset of HeavyMetal which combines the musical intricacies of ProgressiveRock with the heavy, guitar/drum-driven sound of metal. Progressive Metal may also include more overt flavorings of Classical music, such as operatic vocals or symphonic arrangements; bands with modern classical leanings usually skew more towards AvantGardeMetal. As with other forms of metal, the lyrical themes tend to be DarkerAndEdgier compared to traditional prog, with more sophistication than other forms of hard rock. A concrete definition of progressive metal is hard to pin down, so the status of many bands as progressive metal can be ambiguous. Its roots trace all the way back to hard rock and early heavy metal acts who dabbled in progressive rock (namely Music/LedZeppelin, Music/BlackSabbath, Music/DeepPurple, Music/{{Rainbow}}, and Music/{{Scorpions|Band}}[[note]]as well as Uli Jon Roth's post-Scorpions work with Electric Sun[[/note]]), as well as prog acts with heavier songs (particularly Music/KingCrimson, Music/{{Rush}}, Music/{{Hawkwind}}, Music/RogerWaters-era Music/PinkFloyd), and [[Music/KingDiamond Mercyful Fate]] and Music/IronMaiden were among the first acts to play traditional heavy metal with overt prog elements. Progressive metal itself is generally agreed to have solidified with Music/{{Queensryche}}, Music/{{Watchtower}}, Music/CrimsonGlory, Fates Warning, and Music/{{Voivod}}, while Music/{{Savatage}}'s burgeoning RockOpera-centric SignatureStyle and heavily showtune-influenced compositions also helped build the genre, though it is debatable whether they were a full example by the time that the others were making their mark.

** Music/{{Rush}}: "Music/TwentyOneTwelve" (1976) is a particularly relevant example here, being a twenty-minute, seven-part epic with several segments that nearly qualify as metal; Website/{{Wikipedia}} qualifies it as a progressive metal album. They moved even closer to progressive metal on some of their later material, especially their swan song, ''Music/ClockworkAngels'' (2012), a complex concept album rooted in hard rock and metal riffs.

%%** Many of the proggier HardRock / ArenaRock and heavier ProgressiveRock bands of the 70s count to some extent as well- good examples are Music/UriahHeep and Music/{{Budgie}} (heavy enough to practically count as Metal, but still very progressive), Music/{{Kansas}} and Music/{{Styx}} (hard-rocking, proggy ArenaRock bands) and the aforementioned Music/{{Rush}} and Music/KingCrimson (the latter of whom would come to fully embrace the genre in the late 90's), along with Music/JethroTull and more obscure bands like Music/{{Hawkwind}}, The Pink Fairies, Wishbone Ash, Atomic Rooster, High Tide, Epitaph and Blackwater Park (yup, the band Music/{{Opeth}} named their biggest album for). It helps that the boundaries between early HeavyMetal, HardRock, ProgressiveRock and ArenaRock were pretty fluid back then-- Metal as a whole was still an UnbuiltTrope at that point.

* Music/DirEnGrey (their music is such an extreme example of GenreBusting that there are often multi-page arguments over what exact genre they belong to, but many of their songs, such as "Vinushka", "Macabre", and "Diabolos", unambiguously qualify as progressive metal)

A subset of HeavyMetal which combines the musical intricacies of ProgressiveRock with the heavy, guitar/drum-driven sound of metal. Progressive Metal may also include more overt flavorings of Classical music, such as operatic vocals or symphonic arrangements; bands with modern classical leanings usually skew more towards AvantGardeMetal. As with other forms of metal, the lyrical themes tend to be DarkerAndEdgier compared to traditional prog, with more sophistication than other forms of hard rock. A concrete definition of progressive metal is hard to pin down, so the status of many bands as progressive metal can be ambiguous. Its roots trace all the way back to hard rock and early heavy metal acts who dabbled in progressive rock (namely Music/LedZeppelin, Music/BlackSabbath, Music/DeepPurple, Music/{{Rainbow}}, and Music/{{Scorpions|Band}}[[note]]as well as Uli Jon Roth's post-Scorpions work with Electric Sun[[/note]]), as well as prog acts with heavier songs (particularly Music/KingCrimson, Music/{{Rush}}, Music/{{Hawkwind}}), Music/RogerWaters-era Music/PinkFloyd), and [[Music/KingDiamond Mercyful Fate]] and Music/IronMaiden were among the first acts to play traditional heavy metal with overt prog elements. Progressive metal itself is generally agreed to have solidified with Music/{{Queensryche}}, Music/{{Watchtower}}, Music/CrimsonGlory, Fates Warning, and Music/{{Voivod}}, while Music/{{Savatage}}'s burgeoning RockOpera-centric SignatureStyle and heavily showtune-influenced compositions also helped build the genre, though it is debatable whether they were a full example by the time that the others were making their mark.

A subset of HeavyMetal which combines the musical intricacies of ProgressiveRock with the heavy, guitar/drum-driven sound of metal. Progressive Metal may also include more overt flavorings of Classical music, such as operatic vocals or symphonic arrangements; bands with modern classical leanings usually skew more towards AvantGardeMetal. As with other forms of metal, the lyrical themes tend to be DarkerAndEdgier compared to traditional prog, with more sophistication than other forms of hard rock. A concrete definition of progressive metal is hard to pin down, so the status of many bands as progressive metal can be ambiguous. Its roots trace all the way back to hard rock and early heavy metal acts who dabbled in progressive rock (namely Music/LedZeppelin, Music/BlackSabbath, Music/DeepPurple, Music/{{Rainbow}}, and Music/{{Scorpions|Band}}[[note]]as well as Uli Jon Roth's post-Scorpions work with Electric Sun[[/note]]), as well as prog acts with heavier songs (particularly Music/KingCrimson, Music/{{Rush}} and Music/{{Hawkwind}}), and [[Music/KingDiamond Mercyful Fate]] and Music/IronMaiden were among the first acts to play traditional heavy metal with overt prog elements. Progressive metal itself is generally agreed to have solidified with Music/{{Queensryche}}, Music/{{Watchtower}}, Music/CrimsonGlory, Fates Warning, and Music/{{Voivod}}, while Music/{{Savatage}}'s burgeoning RockOpera-centric SignatureStyle and heavily showtune-influenced compositions also helped build the genre, though it is debatable whether they were a full example by the time that the others were making their mark.

* Music/{{Nevermore}}

* Music/{{Gojira}} (mixed with DeathMetal and GrooveMetal)

A subset of HeavyMetal which combines the musical intricacies of ProgressiveRock with the heavy, guitar/drum-driven sound of metal. Progressive Metal may also include more overt flavorings of Classical music, such as operatic vocals or symphonic arrangements; bands with modern classical leanings usually skew more towards AvantGardeMetal. As with other forms of metal, the lyrical themes tend to be DarkerAndEdgier compared to traditional prog, with more sophistication than other forms of hard rock. A concrete definition of progressive metal is hard to pin down, so the status of many bands as progressive metal can be ambiguous. Its roots trace all the way back to hard rock and early heavy metal acts who dabbled in progressive rock (namely Music/LedZeppelin, Music/BlackSabbath, Music/DeepPurple, Music/{{Rainbow}}, and Music/{{Scorpions|Band}}[[note]]as well as Uli Jon Roth's post-Scorpions work with Electric Sun[[/note]]), as well as prog acts with heavier songs (particularly Music/KingCrimson, Music/{{Rush}} and Music/{{Hawkwind}}), and [[Music/KingDiamond Mercyful Fate]] and Music/IronMaiden were among the first acts to play traditional heavy metal with overt prog elements. Progressive metal itself is generally agreed to have solidified with Music/{{Queensryche}}, Music/{{Watchtower}}, Music/CrimsonGlory, Fates Warning, and Voivod, while Music/{{Savatage}}'s burgeoning RockOpera-centric SignatureStyle and heavily showtune-influenced compositions also helped build the genre, though it is debatable whether they were a full example by the time that the others were making their mark.

* Music/AlterBridge (Creed minus Scott Stapp = this)

* Music/{{Voivod}} (though their earlier albums were ThrashMetal)

** ''Music/TheStage'' (2016)

** Recently, Wikipedia also considers ''Death Magnetic'' (2008) as prog metal, given its similar-to-AJFA structure combined with Load/Reload's experimentation.

* ThreeChordsAndTheTruth: Subverted, averted ''and'' downplayed, ''all'' at the same time, given the genre is ususally a total inversion to the trope.

* ThreeChordsAndTheTruth: Subverted, aveted ''and'' downplayed, ''all'' at the same time, given the genre is ususally a total inversion to the trope.

* Spiritbox (SpiritualSuccessor to iwrestledabearonce, also metalcore)

A subset of HeavyMetal which combines the musical intricacies of ProgressiveRock with the heavy, guitar/drum-driven sound of metal. Progressive Metal may also include more overt flavorings of Classical music, such as operatic vocals or symphonic arrangements; bands with modern classical leanings usually skew more towards AvantGardeMetal. As with other forms of metal, the lyrical themes tend to be DarkerAndEdgier compared to traditional prog, with more sophistication than other forms of hard rock. A concrete definition of progressive metal is hard to pin down, so the status of many bands as progressive metal can be ambiguous. Its roots trace all the way back to hard rock and early heavy metal acts who dabbled in progressive rock (namely Music/BlackSabbath, Music/DeepPurple, Music/{{Rainbow}}, and Music/{{Scorpions|Band}}[[note]]as well as Uli Jon Roth's post-Scorpions work with Electric Sun[[/note]]), as well as prog acts with heavier songs (particularly Music/KingCrimson, Music/{{Rush}} and Music/{{Hawkwind}}), and [[Music/KingDiamond Mercyful Fate]] and Music/IronMaiden were among the first acts to play traditional heavy metal with overt prog elements. Progressive metal itself is generally agreed to have solidified with Music/{{Queensryche}}, Music/{{Watchtower}}, Music/CrimsonGlory, Fates Warning, and Voivod, while Music/{{Savatage}}'s burgeoning RockOpera-centric SignatureStyle and heavily showtune-influenced compositions also helped build the genre, though it is debatable whether they were a full example by the time that the others were making their mark.

A subset of HeavyMetal which combines the musical intricacies of ProgressiveRock with the heavy, guitar/drum-driven sound of metal. Progressive Metal may also include more overt flavorings of Classical music, such as operatic vocals or symphonic arrangements; bands with modern classical leanings usually skew more towards AvantGardeMetal. A concrete definition of progressive metal is hard to pin down, so the status of many bands as progressive metal can be ambiguous. Its roots trace all the way back to hard rock and early heavy metal acts who dabbled in progressive rock (namely Music/BlackSabbath, Music/DeepPurple, Music/{{Rainbow}}, and Music/{{Scorpions|Band}}[[note]]as well as Uli Jon Roth's post-Scorpions work with Electric Sun[[/note]]), as well as prog acts with heavier songs (particularly Music/KingCrimson, Music/{{Rush}} and Music/{{Hawkwind}}), and [[Music/KingDiamond Mercyful Fate]] and Music/IronMaiden were among the first acts to play traditional heavy metal with overt prog elements. Progressive metal itself is generally agreed to have solidified with Music/{{Queensryche}}, Music/{{Watchtower}}, Music/CrimsonGlory, Fates Warning, and Voivod, while Music/{{Savatage}}'s burgeoning RockOpera-centric SignatureStyle and heavily showtune-influenced compositions also helped build the genre, though it is debatable whether they were a full example by the time that the others were making their mark.

** Music/KingCrimson: "[[Music/InTheCourtOfTheCrimsonKing 21st Century Schizoid Man]]" (1969) is a particularly strong argument, between the MetalScream Greg Lake employed, the incredibly heavy (for the time) guitars, and the incredibly complex instrumentation. Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} notes in its article on progressive metal that King Crimson "maintained their musical innovation while incorporating a harder approach, using dissonance and experimental tones, yet still maintaining a relationship to the power chords of hard rock."[[note]]Also, from the Wikipedia article on "21st Century Schizoid Man" itself: "The song encompasses the {{heavy metal}}, {{jazz}}-rock and {{progressive rock}} genres, and is considered to be an influence on the development of progressive metal."[[/note]] King Crimson have several other tracks that can qualify as Ur-Examples, but parts one and two of "Larks' Tongues in Aspic" (both 1973) and "Red" (1974) stand out in particular.

** Music/LedZeppelin: Although not typically considered a prog rock band, they did dabble in the genre occasionally, most famously with their SignatureSong "Stairway to Heaven" from their [[Music/LedZeppelinIV officially untitled fourth album]] (1971), which even Wiki/ThatOtherWiki lists as a progressive rock song. Other songs that could be considered to bolster their prog credentials are "[[Music/HousesOfTheHoly The Rain Song]]" (1973), "[[Music/HousesOfTheHoly No Quarter]]" (1973), "[[Music/PhysicalGraffiti Kashmir]]" (1975), and "Achilles Last Stand" (1977). Not all of these songs could be considered metal, but it's difficult to deny Led Zeppelin's influence on progressive metal.

** Music/{{Rush}}: "Music/TwentyOneTwelve" (1976) is a particularly relevant example here, being a twenty-minute, seven-part epic with several segments that nearly qualify as metal; Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} qualifies it as a progressive metal album. They moved even closer to progressive metal on some of their later material, especially their swan song, ''Music/ClockworkAngels'' (2012), a complex concept album rooted in hard rock and metal riffs.

* Music/{{Rush}} Started out as a hard rock band, turned Into a progressive metal band on Fly By Night and kept that style up until A Farewell to Kings were they arguably turned into standard progressive rock again.

* Music/{{Savatage}}

A subset of HeavyMetal which combines the musical intricacies of ProgressiveRock with the heavy, guitar/drum-driven sound of metal. Progressive Metal may also include more overt flavorings of Classical music, such as operatic vocals or symphonic arrangements; bands with modern classical leanings usually skew more towards AvantGardeMetal. A concrete definition of progressive metal is hard to pin down, so the status of many bands as progressive metal can be ambiguous. Its roots trace all the way back to hard rock and early heavy metal acts who dabbled in progressive rock (namely Music/BlackSabbath, Music/DeepPurple, Music/{{Rainbow}}, and Music/{{Scorpions|Band}}), as well as prog acts with heavier songs (particularly Music/KingCrimson, Music/{{Rush}} and Music/{{Hawkwind}}), and [[Music/KingDiamond Mercyful Fate]] and Music/IronMaiden were among the first acts to play traditional heavy metal with overt prog elements. Progressive metal itself is generally agreed to have solidified with Music/{{Queensryche}}, Music/{{Watchtower}}, Music/CrimsonGlory, Fates Warning, and Voivod, while Music/{{Savatage}}'s burgeoning RockOpera-centric SignatureStyle and heavily showtune-influenced compositions also helped build the genre, though it is debatable whether they were a full example by the time that the others were making their mark.

* Music/TheDaliThunderingConcept (also Music/{{Deathcore}})