The following is a list of notable progressive metal artists, bands and groups. This list contains some bands that at least at some point during their career played progressive metal. Rooted in the early 1980s, the genre fused mellow progressive rock with a heavy metal aesthetic. Characteristics may include complex song structures, unusual time signatures, lengthy songs and often using concept albums.
Later on, many extreme metal bands began to experiment and developed an array of progressive metal fusions with other genres, including death metal, black metal, thrash metal and avant-garde metal.
0–9 3 10 Years
A
An Abstract IllusionAN ABSTRACT ILLUSION Presents The ‘Woe’ Pre-Release Album StreamAn Abstract Illusion To Release Highly Anticipated New Album, ‘The Sleeping City,’ in October! Adagio Aeon Zen After Forever Agalloch Age of Nemesis Aghora Akercocke AletheianThe review asks "A Christian progressive death metal band? Is there really such a thing? ...there sure is." Alchemist Alter Bridge Amorphis Amoral Anacrusis Angband Angra Animals as Leaders Anubis Gate Anubis Gate is a Progressive Metal band from Denmark Arch Echo Atheist August Burns Red Avenged Sevenfold Ayreon Azusa
B
Balance of Power Baroness Exclaim.ca refers to Baroness as "potential successors to the progressive metal throne" and to Between the Buried and Me as "North Carolina's premier progressive metal export". Becoming the Archetype Believer Benevolent Benea Reach Between the Buried and Me Beyond Twilight Bigelf Biomechanical The Black Mages Blind IllusionChriste (2003), pg. 208 Borknagar Born of Osiris Burst
C
Cacophony Caligula's Horse Candiria Cattle Decapitation CarbonizedThe editor writes "the LP delved ever deeper into psychedelics and progressive metal experiments..." Cellar Darling Circus Maximus Communic Coheed and Cambria Conception Confessor Coroner Crimson Glory CronianThe AMG editor describes the sound of their album Terra as "symphonically adorned progressive metal". Cynic
D
Dark SunsIn the text of the review, AMG notes that they "were being described as full-fledged progressive metal" and later that "...this 58-minute CD is essentially progressive metal..." DBC Death (later)The AMG editor notes that "[T]he astounding musicianship and increasingly sophisticated songwriting found on their later-day efforts may have influenced even more groups exploring the limits of extreme metal's progressive outposts." The Dillinger Escape Plan Deus Invictus Devin Townsend Dir En Grey (later) Distorted Harmony "Distorted Harmony is everything Progressive Metal is, but with a style that is all their own." "...relatively new band that seems hell bent on becoming one of the best progressive bands going." Dog Fashion Disco Dream Theater Dysrhythmia The article refers to Dysrhythmia as "Philadelphia instrumental prog-metal jazz freaks..."
E
Echoes of Eternity Edge of Sanity Enchant Enslaved Epica Evergrey Extol The allmusic editor remarks that the album "...only enhanced the group's progressive/death metal reputation."
F
The Faceless Fates Warning
G
Galactic Cowboys Gojira
H
Haken Review states they are a "full fledged modern progressive rock band". Review calls it "the hands-down strongest prog rock debut yet to emerge in the 2010s".
I
Intervals IsisThe paper reports that the article's featured band "have admirers in world-class progressive-metal outfits like Isis, Mastodon, and Tool
J
Jinjer Job for a Cowboy John Petrucci
K
Kalijuge Kamelot Katatonia Karnivool Katagory V Kekal Khallice King's X
L
Leah Lye by Mistake Leprous Lethal Liquid Graveyard Liquid Tension Experiment Loathe Lotus Eater
M
Manticora Mastodon Mekong Delta Meshuggah Moonsorrow Mudvayne MullMuzzler Mutiny WithinDream Theater, renowned Prog Rockers, review Mutiny Within . Retrieved December 8, 2010.Mutiny Within bio , at one point it says they are "modern progressive." Retrieved December 8, 2010. Myrath
N
Narnia Ne Obliviscaris Necrophagist Negură Bunget[] Nerverek Nevermore Nodes of Ranvier Northlane No Sin Evades His Gaze
O
Obscura Oficina G3 Opeth Orphaned Land
P
Pain of Salvation Pathosray PeripheryRoadrunner Records Bio saying that Periphery is a Progressive Metal band. Retrieved December 8, 2010 Persefone Persefone is a Progressive Death Metal band from Andorra Pestilence Planet XThe article briefly mentions "Derek Sherinian's L.A. prog metal group Planet X." Platypus Porcupine Tree Primus Prospect Protest the Hero Prototype Proyecto Eskhata Puya Pyramaze
Q
Queensrÿche Quo Vadis
R
Redemption Rhapsody of Fire[ AllMusic Rhapsody Overview] Rivers of Nihil Riverside Riverside is a Progressive Metal band from Poland Royal Hunt Rusty Eye
S
SavatageChriste (2003), pg. 230 Scale the Summit Sculptured Schaliach Seventh Wonder Shadow Gallery Derek Sherinian Sikth Sithu Aye Sky Architect Sleepytime Gorilla Museum Soen Sons of Apollo Spheric Universe Experience Spiral Architect Spiritbox Spock's Beard Star One Stolen Babies Stormy Atmosphere Stratovarius Symphony X System of a Down
T
Tangerine Circus Tesseract The Contortionist The Human Abstract The Mars Volta The Ocean Therion Threshold Tool Tourniquet Toxicon Trivium Týr
V
Vanden Plas Vardøger Vektor Vision Divine Vildhjarta Voivod VOLA Voyager
W
Watchtower Whom Gods Destroy Winger Without Face Wuthering Heights
Z
Zero Hour
See also
Progressive metal Progressive rock List of progressive rock artists List of heavy metal bands
Notes
References
Christe, Ian (2003). Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal. HarperCollins. ^ The Harvard Crimson "Bassist Chris Wolstenholme pens and sings a pair of tracks late in the game, and while they are fine pieces of progressive metal, his admittedly pleasing smooth voice lacks Bellamy's intense vibrato"