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JJ's Bizarre Blog #55 - Infinite Progression Continuum
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Hey, everyone! Grand Bizarre Series, entry No. 55 is up and ready to get your noggins joggin'! Among many things, I feel this blog series is a celebration of the creativity and breadth of variety within the musical sphere and how we can discover all these things within the greater Spotify catalogue. In light of that, allow me to introduce you to a genre that was a catalyst for peerless evolution in the sphere of metal and music as a whole, ushering in new eras of musical excellence and a more open perspective on how we can even approach the art of songwriting. Let me show you the final gemstone needed to complete my metal infinity gauntlet. Prepare to have your brains melted by odd time signatures, lengthy compositions and philosophical lyricism as we delve into the vast esoteric landscapes of progressive metal!
Progressive metal is a varied subgenre most defined by its elevated approach to musicianship and songwriting. Tracks are commonly very long, often going on more than 10, 15 or even 20 minutes. Song structures are also quite varied and dynamic, being much more experimental and avant-garde in nature and integrating fast and slow sections into each other, as well as sections of wildly varying tone and vibe. Instrumentation is highly advanced, featuring the most advanced techniques possible on the respective instruments and often integrates unorthodox elements like odd time signatures, frequent tempo changes and advanced syncopation. Many ideas are also taken from the realms of classical music, jazz and many more. Thanks to all this, instrumental sections are often quite lengthy, contributing to the duration of the tracks. While these are the most common elements, none of this is mandatory and prog metal with shorter tracks or more simplistic musicianship also exists. One of the key aspects of the genre is its versatility, with the styles being as numerous as the bands in it, each offering a vastly different approach. Prog metal also mixes with absolutely any other subgenre to form hybrid styles and mixing all kinds of different genres together in unexpected ways is another hallmark. So, without further ado, let's begin the progression!
The roots of progressive metal can naturally be found in progressive rock, most notably the massive movement in the UK during the late 60s and early 70s. Iconic bands like King Crimson, Yes and many more pioneered the style, offering much longer compositions than was acceptable for any radio friendly rock and also diversifying their lyrics, going for a much more philosophical, metaphorical and esoteric approach, replacing simple themes like love and partying with deeper ideas like the human psyche, inner and outer conflict, literature, science fiction, fantasy and more, something that remains a hallmark of prog rock and prog metal alike. Add in more experimental bands like Jethro Tull that introduced folk elements to the mix or Emerson, Lake and Palmer that harnessed pure creative freedom to craft beautifully chaotic madness and you have the recipe for musical evolution!
Among all, one band stood above the rest - the iconic Pink Floyd! With their absolutely gorgeous musicianship, long flowing songs and deep lyrics about the woes of society and man within it, they took the world by storm and to this day remain not only a cultural institution, but a massive inspiration for generations of musicians. They also greatly helped popularize concept albums, another favourite of the prog scene.
Throughout the years and to this day, the English prog rock scene remains strong and is a potent hotbed for musical innovation and exploration!
Naturally, such an outburst of creativity stretched far and wide and already during the 70s, many bands across Europe and North America joined in and contributed to this grand musical evolution, becoming titans of the genre in their own rights!
As heavy metal took hold during the decade, it would mix back up with prog once again and first began to change during the early 80s. Many European and North American bands took the lengthy and diverse approach of prog rock and sought to add to it the intensity, heaviness and darker themes of the blossoming heavy metal scene. Representing one of the earliest evolutions of the genre, prog metal provided its technical edge and allowed the use of metaphorical lyricism and concept albums to explore vast and engaging topics, showing that this new aggressive sound could be sophisticated too. It also solidified metal as a true musician's genre, where mastery of your craft is tantamount and pushing the envelope is encouraged. After all, metal is the genre of freedom and nonconformity. That includes making your song ten minutes longer than your producer wishes it was.
One huge star that rose from the early prog metal realms are the pioneers and Gods of the genre, New York's virtuosos Dream Theater! Singer James LaBrie offered the approachable and melodic sound to make them commercially viable, while guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung, keyboardist Jordan Rudess and drummer Mike Portnoy, all unparalleled masters of their respective instruments, showcased a level of prowess and complexity unseen thus far in heavy metal. All while sprinkling in catchy hooks and riffs to keep even the layman invested. DT rose as the new generation's Pink Floyd and set a new paradigm for what can be expected of musicians truly dedicated to their craft.
To this day, DT continue to innovate, embracing modern technology and trends, making them their own. Every album is an experience like no other and especially their longer, sometimes 20+ minute long tracks, present an unparalleled majesty that sounds like the modern interpretation of what classic symphonies once were. It expands one's horizon of what is even possible in music. Almost 40 years strong, Dream Theater remain the pinnacle of progressive metal and like Vivaldi to the average violinist, they are the gold standard for those dedicated to absolute mastery!
Another similar, yet different success story was born in the 90s with eccentric geniuses Tool! This quartet of frontman Maynard James Keenan, guitarist Adam Jones, bassist Justin Chancellor and drummer Danny Carey were quite simply four of the greatest musicians in the world, gathered together and fueled by pure unfiltered creativity to craft some of the most unique music ever recorded (a description that befits a lot of prog bands actually). Straddling the line between prog rock and prog metal, Tool presented complex, yet catchy and memorable tracks with mathematically complex but shockingly enchanting song structures. MJK would use his unique, mesmerizing voice to hit us with deep and powerful lyrics about the darkest and most personal matters imaginable. It may not be clear from the first read what he means, but deep in your heart you feel what he's telling you. The vivid videos of guitarist and filmmaker Jones helped bring these visions to life. Tool are likewise an institution and an unparalleled force in the realms of rock all the way till today!
The classic mellow approach to prog continues to this day and countless bands from all over the world offer their own unique spin, each vastly different from the rest and yet seemingly fitting perfectly as the next building block of this construction. It's clear that our imagination is inexhaustible and there will always be fresh ideas for new generations to explore! If we can't conquer outer space, then inner space is just as scarcely explored.
A modern phenomenon of the oldschool variety are Swedish grandmasters Soen! What initially began as a supergroup from various established musicians in the prog metal sphere, playing a style very reminiscent of Tool, eventually evolved into a stable and serious group with a unique style unlike anything else. With Uruguayan drum virtuoso Martin Lopez steering the ship, they combine powerful and memorable riffage, infectious melody and varying sound to transport you to vast worlds and offer unique introspections never thought possible with the velvety smooth angelic voice of Joel Ekelöf guiding this journey. They mix acoustic gentleness with high intensity for a varied soundscape that never gets boring and they also stand as one of the best examples of prog metal that is unparalleled in songwriting while still keeping the tracks at reasonable lengths. A must listen if you ask me!
Now, let us dive into the expansion of progressive metal and how it blended with and evolved basically every subgenre out there! Progressive power metal is an early example of this fusion. Power metal already had pretty fast and advanced musicianship and loved telling grand epic tales as long as a Tolkien novel, so the blend came quite naturally. A lot of the bands in this genre also delved into the rock opera spheres, creating vast concept albums with multiple movements and plot threads, retelling massive sagas in vivid musical form.
A great specific example are the obscure Swedish phenomenon Lost Horizon. An apt name, as these knights and wizards united, dropped two phenomenal records and then transcended to a different plane, never to be seen again. Their music is truly spectacular and the vocals of their enigmatic frontman Daniel Heiman are otherworldly! I can't believe an actual human can sing like that, those high notes are nothing short of magical!
For a different kind of beast, progressive death metal is our first foray into the more extreme varieties of prog. First innovated by the Godfathers Death, it quickly became a staple of the greater death metal sphere. Blending absolute brutality with atmospheric acoustic guitar and keyboard passages and adding in mellower elements elevated the heaviest of the subgenres into something far greater. The blisteringly fast and technical musicianship was given an air of sophistication, elevating technical death metal (tech death) and progressive death metal (prog death) into some of the most difficult and demanding compositions to learn and play, absolute pinnacles of achievement. But these bands are far from just demonstrations of the skill of their members, as they bring a truly unique experience that blends the entire spectrum of metal into a coherent sound like no other!
Among prog death, nothing compares to the early works of Swedish masters Opeth! Effortlessly blending brutal riffage, walls of sound and layered instrumentation with calm passages inspired by jazz and folk, with mastermind Mikael Åkerfeldt effortlessly switching between guttural growls and somber singing at the drop of a hat. The aforementioned Martin Lopez also first made a name for himself here on their finest albums, being one of the few drummers that had the speed and aggression, but also the rhythm and technique to handle both of Opeth's identities. Truly, no other band before or since has been able to blend heaviness and melody, violence and tenderness into a singular musical experience like they have!
From one extreme genre to another, progressive black metal formed almost at the same time as the second wave came about. Across various interviews I've seen that, while some were hesitant to admit it lest it harm their spooky image, many of the big pioneers of Norwegian black metal during the 90s were massive nerds for the same English prog rock I told you about at the start, so it's no surprise that they quickly sought to incorporate many of those elements into their own work. Black metal always loved long drawn out compositions and complex metaphorical lyrics. Incorporating keyboards and folk elements came naturally as well, so prog black quickly established itself and cultivated a large following. To this day, even the most vanilla black metal seems to carry a proggy aspect to it and the genre has diversified over the years, allowing for lots of free experimentation.
Of course, as stated many times before, one of the big pioneers of progressive black metal were my favourite band of all time - Norwegian Gods Enslaved! I won't go into unnecessary details here, I've blessed you with an entire blog about them already. The most important thing to know - nobody blends styles and evolves black metal quite like them and the genre wouldn't be the same without their contributions!
A different band I will talk about are their close friends at Borknagar! Starting out as a supergroup with even Enslaved's Ivar Bjørnson being a member, they quickly evolved a very unique spin on black metal. Featuring rich and varied vocals, multi-layered atmospheric riffs from mastermind Øystein G. Brun, bountiful acoustic and folk elements, vibrant keyboard melodies and a very open ended style, Borknagar are a powerhouse in their own right and have formed a sound unlike anything else. The way they use impactful tales of winter and Norse mythology to metaphorically explore the mind and soul is likewise just as fascinating. Explore this landscape and be amazed!
Even the pappy of the two previous styles, thrash metal, could be proggified! Although thrash metal was always built on speed, direct aggression and a cut down style, many bands have cultivated this raw energy into something more refined, expansive, yet still so chaotic. Canadian eccentrics Voivod were among the earliest innovators with their unconventional guitar work and lyrics about technological grimdark futures and they would go on to inspire many generations to follow them. It seems sci-fi prog thrash is a recurring theme, with many like the absolute masters at Vektor even taking the genre across the cosmos and different dimensions!
The prog influence has never waned and, if anything, has gotten even stronger in recent years. Metalcore and deathcore took the world by storm in the early 2010s and despite their relative simplicity, progressive metalcore and deathcore have cropped up and added more layers and complexity to the ordeal. They retained the heavy riffs and crushing breakdowns that made those genres popular in the first place, using the varied vocals and liberal keyboard use to the fullest, but added much more substance and subtext to the overall experience. To make sure your brain is working overtime while sloshing around in your cranium as you bang your head off! Fully embracing innovative new techniques and technologies, these mad lads seek to push the frontier of music into realms never even thought possible before.
One fantastic example are the Australian powerhouse Northlane! Taking all of the goodness of metalcore and mixing in a very varied and free-spirited approach to their song structures, mixing in anything and everything that tickles their fancy. With some rock solid riffs and synth melodies inspired by the greats of the industrial metal realm and an insanely cool sci-fi aesthetic to their albums and general artistry, Northlane are the best example, to me at least, of what the metal of the future sounds like! Proggy, yet approachable. Synthetic, but authentic. And just plain awesome!
One of the biggest names and pioneers that helped usher in a new age of metal music are the unstoppable US maestros Periphery! They have a completely fresh approach to progressive metal, using highly advanced techniques that are borderline unfathomable to most, unbelievable polyrhythms, eclectic tempo changes and a general soundscape that is a mishmash from all kinds of metal and electronic influences. They're also early adopters of the so called djent movement, with riff demon Misha Mansoor popularizing the use of seven and eight string guitars for a low, punchy, all-powerful sound, setting in stone the new age style for the next generation! The result is music that is heavy and chaotic, but is also full of substance and heart. For they also know when to pull back on their insanity and inject some infectious melodies and brilliant songwriting to really get you hooked. The fact that singer Spencer Sotelo has seemingly mastered every vocal style possible only adds to this incredible variety of sound. Perfectly controlled beautiful madness. Periphery are an unmatched example of complex yet catchy modern prog and they have become the new standard bearers for skill that new bands seek to match.
Speaking of djent, that whole movement is itself a product of progressive metal and is definitely worth exploring. Swedish musical divinities Meshuggah pioneered the style in the late 90s, pioneering the use of higher-stringed guitars and a percussive, syncopated riff style meshed with wild and chaotic songwriting and peerless experimentation. The rest, as they say, is history, for countless young musicians have taken to this methodology instantly and it has gone on to define the sound of an entire generation of metal. Whether djent is a genre or not is a debate for another time, but there's a solid case to be made that the birth of djent has been the most significant innovation metal has gotten in the last decade or so, pushing the technical prowess and sophistication of the genre as a whole even further and adding countless new techniques to the arsenal of aspiring musicians. Metal's evolution has always been tied to new approaches to the sound itself and new ways of playing it, so djent proves there is a lot more to do with enough ingenuity and curiosity! And the diligence to learn these insane tracks of course!
Somewhat related but also kind of not are the French metal phenomenon Gojira! Forgoing any traditional genre definitions, these four innovators have used their instantly recognizable and brain-churning riff style, incredible rhythmic precision and tight songwriting to quickly become one of the most iconic names of modern metal and the biggest metal export of their homeland! Their deep lyrics about environmentalism, esotericism and the downfall of mankind have likewise left a profound impact on many. Gojira have changed the game and no matter how many try, nobody sounds like them. These four are one of one and when they flow as one, they create pure magic!
So there, only sliver of what there is to find in the realms of progressive metal. This is all without diving deep into the many bands that, like Gojira, cannot neatly fit into any specific subgenre! Like my favourites Amorphis, who pack tons of variety, experimentation and evolution into compact, digestible songs. The many projects of the eccentric Canadian legend Devin Townsend, who can make you laugh and contemplate life all in one epic concept record. The riff lords Mastodon, who seemingly change genre every album, while still sounding so definitively like themselves. Or the extreme progressive magicians of Ne Obliviscaris, whose lengthy and epic compositions are like portals to realms never before seen by the human eye. There is so much more to explore!
But regardless of how long a prog song is, it ends eventually, so let's end our own progression here too. With this blog, I have completed a personal progression of mine and now I've introduced you to all major metal subgenres! Not saying there isn't more to find, far from it, but the big names have been paid their due respects. It feels poetic to end on prog too, as it's the one that has influenced every other in some way and pushed them all to evolve and grow. For you see, the "progressive" nature is twofold - because of the long intricate progressions in the songs, but also because it progressed the genre as a whole forward. Prog metal musicians are true masters of their craft and their contribution to the creation of new sounds cannot be understated. If you want the most advanced songwriting, the most impressive musicianship and the most insane concepts ever, look no further. If you're wondering where the Beethovens and Mozarts of today are, here's your answer. Anyone who knows me, knows that I absolutely love progressive metal, it has been a huge influence on me and has completely changed my entire perspective on what music as a whole can be. And it's probably what inspired me to actually start listening to albums cover to cover. Hopefully, it will for you now too. In this age of fast paced consumption and bite-sized content, slow down, contemplate and give progressive metal your time. Show some patience and you will be taken on journeys you've never thought possible! Life will never be the same again! So keep exploring, keep evolving! Take care and see you again soon!
spotify:playlist:75w6sCyT1tH9ePJWUz8Tyq