Let's all progress slowly and methodically into insanity by exploring the fantastical genre of Progressive Metal!
Feel free to post your favorite prog metal stuffs or shoot me PMs with band suggestions.
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The granddaddy of prog metal . . .
Dream Theater
Genre(s): Progressive Metal
Hell's Kitchen and Lines in the Sand from the album Falling Into Infinity (1997)
Blind Faith from the album Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (2001)
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Illumination Theory from the album Dream Theater (2013)
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Octavarium from the album Octavarium (2005)
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On to another one of my favorite prog metal supergroups, Planet X. Founding member (and former member of Dream Theater), Derek Sherinian's vision for this project was to "find musicians that played their instruments so fiercely, it would strike fear in the hearts of other musicians when they played". With the likes of Sherinian himself, Virgil Donati, Tony MacAlpine and Brett Garsed, this project has done just that and produced some awesome prog goodness. If only it was easier to find their stuff on YT!
Planet X
Genre(s): Progressive Metal, Shred, Fusion
Alien Hip Hop from the album Quantum (2007)
Ignotus Per Ignotium from the album Moonbabies (2002)
The Thinking Stone from the album Quantum (2007)
Kingdom of Dreams from the album Quantum (2007)
This supergroup was a side project from the Dream Theater folks and zany bass wizard, Tony Levin.
Liquid Tension Experiment
Genre(s): Technical/Progressive Rock/Metal
Kindred Spirits from the album Liquid Tension Experiment (1998)
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Universal Mind from the album Liquid Tension Experiment (1998)
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Acid Rain from the album Liquid Tension Experiment 2 (1999)
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When the Water Breaks from the album Liquid Tension Experiment 2 (1999)
Early technical/progressive metal legends . . .
Watchtower
Genre(s): Progressive/Technical Thrash Metal
Control and Resistance from the album Control And Resistance (1989)
Here's a fun side project from Tony MacAlpine, Virgil Donati and bass master Billy Sheehan.
Devil's Slingshot
Main Genre(s): progressive metal/rock, shred, fusion
Nederland from the album Clinophobia (2007)
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Hourglass from the album Clinophobia (2007)
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Injustice Line from the album Clinophobia (2007)
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Keyboard wizard and Planet X founder Derek Sherinian has helped assemble some of the craziest groups of musicians throughout his career.
Derek Sherinian
Genre(s): Progressive Metal/Rock
Atlantis Part 1 (Apocalypse 1470 B.C.) from the album Planet X (1999)
Seven Sins from the album Oceana (2011)
Primal Eleven from the album Molecular Heinosity (2009)
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Czar of Steel from the album Blood of the Snake (2006)
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The beard. The man.
John Petrucci
Genre(s): Progressive Metal, Shred
Animate-Inanimate from the album Suspended Animation (2005)
Glasgow Kiss from the album Suspended Animation (2005)
In The Moment from the album An Evening With John Petrucci & Jordan Rudess (2000)
:D
Paul Wardingham
Genre(s): Progressive Metal/Shred
Spiritual Machines from the album Spiritual Machines (release date Nov 21)
Futureshock from the album Assimilate Regenerate (2011)
Ghost In The Machine from the album Assimilate Regenerate (2011)
Mindwarp from the album Assimilate Regenerate (2011)
Jeff Loomis
Genre(s): Progressive Metal
Requiem For The Living from the album Plains Of Oblivion (2012)
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Opulent Maelstrom from the album Zero Order Phase (2008)
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Shouting At A Funeral from the album Zero Order Phase (2008)
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Devil Theory from the album Zero Order Phase (2008)
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Alejandro Silva
Genre(s): Progressive Metal/Shred
Artemis from the album Solo Caos (2014)
Eol Omega from the album Dios Eol (2002)
Neopangea from the album Dios Eol (2002)
BlackIron from the album Orden&Caos (2007)
The Sean Baker Orchestra
Genre(s): Progressive Metal, Shred
Neo-Classical Gas from the album Bakers Dozen (2009)
Vincennes Meth Lab from the album The Sean Baker Orchestra (2004)
Mike Varney's Mexican Vacation from the album Bakers Dozen (2009)
Monster Island from the album The Sean Baker Orchestra (2004)
Next up is my favorite techdeath guitarist, Ron Jarzombek. He's most known for his work with the tech/prog bands, Watchtower and Spastic Ink and the technical death metal supergroup, Blotted Science.
Ron Jarzombek
Genre(s): Technical Progressive Metal
Black - Tar from the album Beyond Life and Cosmic Kinetics
Razor Blade Babies
Two Thirds Of Satan from the album Solitarily Speaking Of Theoretical Confinement (2002)
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Dramatic Chromatic from the album Solitarily Speaking Of Theoretical Confinement (2002)
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Continuing with the Ron Jarzombek theme . . .
Blotted Science
Genre(s): Progressive Metal, Technical Death Metal
Bleeding in the Brain from the album The Machinations Of Dementia (2007)
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Ingesting Blattaria from the album The Animation Of Entomology (2011)
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Synaptic Plasticity from the album The Machinations Of Dementia (2007)
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E.E.G. Tracings from the album The Machinations Of Dementia (2007)
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Yet another Ron Jarzombek project
Spastic Ink
Genre(s): Technical Progressive Metal
Words For Nerds from the album Ink Compatible (2004)
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See, And It's Sharp from the album Ink Complete (1997)
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Multi-Masking from the album Ink Compatible (2004)
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Aquanet from the album Ink Compatible (2004)
Step in Fluid
Genre(s): Progressive Metal/Fusion/Jazz
Beat Hunter from the album One Step Beyond (2011)
Vicious Connection from the album One Step Beyond (2011)
Color from the album One Step Beyond (2011)
One Step Beyond from the album One Step Beyond (2011)
Exivious
Genre(s): Progressive Metal/Jazz Fusion
Deeply Woven from the album Liminal (2013)
Entrust from the album Liminal (2013)
An Elusive Need from the album Exivious (2009)
Asurim from the album Exivious (2009)
Gordian Knot
Genre(s): Progressive Metal/Rock
Singularity from the album Gordian Knot (1998)
Reflections from the album Gordian Knot (1998)
Some Brighter Thing from the album Emergent (2002)
Rivers Dancing from the album Gordian Knot (1998)
Haken
Genre(s): Progressive Metal
Darkest Light from the album Restoration EP
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The Architect from the album Affinity (2016)
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Premonition from the album Visions (2011)
Insomnia from the album Visions (2011)
Vanden Plas
Genre(s): Progressive Metal
Phoenix from the album Beyond Daylight (2001)
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Nightwalker from the album Beyond Daylight (2001)
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Postcard to God from the album Christ 0 (2006)
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Soul Survives from the album Colour Temple (1994)
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