The following is a list of 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 album
A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
s.
Later on, many
extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal, and visual tran ...
bands began to experiment and developed an array of progressive metal fusions with other genres, including
death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
,
black metal
Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...
avant-garde metal
Avant-garde metal (also known as avant-metal, experimental metal, and experimental) is a subgenre of heavy metal music loosely defined by use of experimentation and innovative, avant-garde elements, including non-standard and unconventional soun ...
10 Years
10 Years or Ten Years may refer to:
*Decade, a period of ten years
Film
* ''10 Years'' (2011 film), a film starring Channing Tatum
* ''Ten Years'' (2015 film), a Hong Kong film
Music
*10 Years (band), an American alternative metal band
* ''10 Ye ...
Age of Nemesis
Age of Nemesis is a Hungarian progressive metal band that formed in 1997 as Nemesis and later changed their name to Age of Nemesis in 2005. They are heavily influenced by Dream Theater and Symphony X. They released their albums in English and in ...
Akercocke
Akercocke are an English extreme metal band from London, formed in 1997 by Jason Mendonça and David Gray. The band also features Paul Scanlan and Nathanael Underwood.
History
Akercocke's first album, ''Rape of the Bastard Nazarene'', was self ...
Alchemist
Alchemy (from Arabic: ''al-kīmiyā''; from Ancient Greek: χυμεία, ''khumeía'') is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscience, protoscientific tradition that was historically practiced in Chinese alchemy, C ...
Angband Angband may refer to:
*Angband (Middle-earth), the fortress of Morgoth in Tolkien's fiction
* ''Angband'' (video game), a roguelike game named after the fortress
*Angband (band)
Angband is a Persian power metal/progressive musical group, formed ...
Atheist
Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...
* Balance of Power
* BaronessExclaim.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
Believer(s) or The Believer(s) may refer to:
Religion
* Believer, a person who holds a particular belief
** Believer, a person who holds a particular religious belief
*** Believers, Christians with a religious faith in the divine Christ
*** Bel ...
*
Benevolent
Benevolence or Benevolent may refer to:
* Benevolent (band)
* Benevolence (phrenology), a faculty in the discredited theory of phrenology
* "Benevolent" (song), a song by Tory Lanez
* Benevolence (tax), a forced loan imposed by English kings fr ...
Beyond Twilight
Beyond Twilight is a progressive metal band from Denmark.
History
The band was originally formed by Finn Zierler in 1992 under the name "Twilight". Twilight attracted international attention releasing the debut album ''Eye For An Eye'' selling ...
Blind Illusion
Blind Illusion is an American progressive thrash metal band from Richmond, California. Formed in 1978 by lead guitarist and main songwriter Mark Biedermann, the band has had several lineup changes, with Biedermann being the only constant membe ...
Communic
Communic is a Norwegian progressive metal band from Kristiansand. The band was founded in 2003 and has released six albums. The first two have received positive reviews from magazines and critics.
History Beginning (March 2003–April 2004 ...
Coroner
A coroner is a government or judicial official who is empowered to conduct or order an inquest into Manner of death, the manner or cause of death, and to investigate or confirm the identity of an unknown person who has been found dead within th ...
Cronian
Cronian is a progressive/avant-garde metal band from Norway and Sweden founded in 2004 by Øystein Brun and Andreas Hedlund, also known as Vintersorg.Cynic
D
*
Dark Suns
Dark Suns is a German progressive metal band formed in 1997. It is currently composed of guitarists Maik Knappe and Torsten Wenzel, with Maik's brother Niko performing the vocals and drums. The band has released one demo, one EP, and five studi ...
Deus Invictus
Deus Invictus is an extreme metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, started in 2005 by former drummer of The Chariot, Jeff Carter. The band's current line-up consists of Nicholas Shacklette ( Guitar/Vocals), Bradley Wood (Bass), and Jeff Carter (Drums/ ...
Distorted Harmony
Distorted Harmony is an Israeli progressive metal band from Tel Aviv, Israel, formed in 2009.
History Early years (2009–2011)
The band was formed in 2009, when composer and keyboardist Yoav Efron met drummer Yogev Gabay (also a member of Israe ...
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of the ...
Echoes of Eternity
Echoes of Eternity is an American progressive metal band based in Los Angeles, California, United States. Their debut album ''The Forgotten Goddess'', was released in February 2007 on Nuclear Blast records. The band's follow up album, ''As Sha ...
Fates Warning
Fates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman. There have been numerous lineup ...
*
Frameshift
Ribosomal frameshifting, also known as translational frameshifting or translational recoding, is a biological phenomenon that occurs during translation that results in the production of multiple, unique proteins from a single mRNA. The process c ...
Gojira Gojira (ゴジラ) is the original Japanese name for Godzilla, a giant monster at the center of a media franchise.
It may also refer to:
Films
* ''Godzilla'' franchise, known as ''ゴジラ'' (''Gojira'') in Japan
** ''Godzilla'' (1954 film), rele ...
Henceforth
Henceforth is a Brazilian progressive metal band. Formed in 1993, they released their first album in Brazil in December 2005 via Voice Music (label owned by Silvio Golfetti, guitar player in the Brazilian thrash metal band Korzus). The current l ...
I
* Iced Earth
* Iron Maiden
* IsisThe paper reports that the article's featured band "have admirers in world-class progressive-metal outfits like Isis, Mastodon, and Tool
J
*
Job for a Cowboy
Job for a Cowboy is an American death metal band from Glendale, Arizona. Formed in 2003, the band's debut album ''Genesis'' was released in 2007, peaking at No. 54 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and selling 13,000 copies in its first we ...
Loathe Loathing or loathe may refer to:
* Loathing (emotion), a feeling of disgust or hatred
* Loathe (band)
Loathe are an English heavy metal band from Liverpool. Formed in 2014, the group consists of lead vocalist Kadeem France, guitarist and seco ...
*
Lotus Eater
Lotus Eater (formerly As Daylight Fades) were a Scottish heavy metal band from Glasgow. Playing a style that puts a heavy emphasis on rhythm and downtuning, they have been cited by publications such as NME and Metal Hammer as helping to lead the ...
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta ( vi, Đồng bằng Sông Cửu Long, lit=Nine Dragon River Delta or simply vi, Đồng Bằng Sông Mê Kông, lit=Mekong River Delta, label=none), also known as the Western Region ( vi, Miền Tây, links=no) or South-weste ...
Myrath
Myrath ( ar, ميراث ''mīrāth'', "Legacy") is a Tunisian progressive metal band formed in 2001 by guitarist Malek Ben Arbia and currently based in Tunisia. The band has been noted for its mix of Arabic and Middle Eastern instrumentation w ...
Nerverek
Nerverek is an Indian progressive metal band formed in Chennai, India. The band won Campus Rock Idols '07, becoming the first South Indian band to win the national inter-college contest. They performed recently as the opening act for internation ...
No Sin Evades His Gaze
No Sin Evades His Gaze are a British heavy metal band, formed in 2013 by former Ravenface vocalist James Denton.
Career
The band released their debut album titled "Age of Sedation" in July 2014, alongside a music video for the eponymous tr ...
O
*
Obliveon
Obliveon is a Canadian progressive death/thrash metal band from Quebec.
History
The band was formed in 1987 as Oblivion, but changed the spelling after discovering a band of the same name in the United States. Obliveon's second album, the self-rel ...
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal/rock band from Stockholm, formed in 1990 by lead vocalist David Isberg. The group has been through several personnel changes, including the replacement of every original member; notably Isberg in 1992. Mikael ...
Pathosray
Pathosray is a progressive metal band based in Italy that formed in 2000. The band has released two demos and two full-length studio album as of 2009.
History
Pathosray is an Italian progressive metal band founded in 2000, originally called ''N.D ...
Prospect
Prospect may refer to:
General
* Prospect (marketing), a marketing term describing a potential customer
* Prospect (sports), any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team
* Prospect (mining ...
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and Software prototyping, software programming. A prototyp ...
*
Proyecto Eskhata
Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral ...
Quo Vadis
''Quō vādis?'' (, ) is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you marching?". It is also commonly translated as "Where are you going?" or, poetically, "Whither goest thou?"
The phrase originates from the Christian tradition regarding Saint Pet ...
R
*
Rage
Rage may refer to:
* Rage (emotion), an intense form of anger
Games
* Rage (collectible card game), a collectible card game
* Rage (trick-taking card game), a commercial variant of the card game Oh Hell
* ''Rage'' (video game), a 2011 first-per ...
*
Realm
A realm is a community or territory over which a sovereign rules. The term is commonly used to describe a monarchical or dynastic state. A realm may also be a subdivision within an empire, if it has its own monarch, e.g. the German Empire.
Etym ...
*
Redemption
Redemption may refer to:
Religion
* Redemption (theology), an element of salvation to express deliverance from sin
* Redemptive suffering, a Roman Catholic belief that suffering can partially remit punishment for sins if offered to Jesus
* Pi ...
*
Rhapsody of Fire
Rhapsody of Fire (formerly known as Rhapsody) is an Italian symphonic power metal band formed by Luca Turilli and Alex Staropoli, widely seen as a pioneer of the symphonic power metal subgenre.
Since forming in 1993 as Thundercross, the band h ...
Scale the Summit
Scale the Summit is an American instrumental progressive metal band based out of Houston, Texas. It formed in 2004 and signed to Prosthetic Records.
The band is influenced by other progressive acts such as Cynic and Dream Theater. The band gaine ...
Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian (born August 25, 1966) is an American keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, and Joe Bonamassa, among others. He was also a member of Dream Theater from 1994 to 1999, is the founder of Planet X and ...
Stolen Babies
Stolen Babies are an American experimental rock band consisting of vocalist/accordionist Dominique Lenore Persi, bassist/guitarist Rani Sharone, and drummer Gil Sharone.
History
Stolen Babies formed from a 12+ member high school performance tr ...
Threshold
Threshold may refer to:
Architecture
* Threshold (door), the sill of a door
Media
* ''Threshold'' (1981 film)
* ''Threshold'' (TV series), an American science fiction drama series produced during 2005-2006
* "Threshold" (''Stargate SG-1''), ...
Uriah Heep Uriah Heep may refer to:
* Uriah Heep (character), a character in the Charles Dickens novel ''David Copperfield''
*Uriah Heep (band), a British rock band active since 1969
*''Uriah Heep Live
''Uriah Heep Live'' is a double live album by Britis ...
Vision Divine
Vision Divine is an Italian power/ progressive metal band formed in 1998.
History
Originally a solo project from Olaf Thörsen (born Carlo Andrea Magnani). Soon, Fabio Lione rejoined him after the first Labyrinth period ("No Limits"), and t ...
Warmen
Warmen is a Finnish heavy metal band assembled by keyboardist Janne "Warman" Wirman. Wirman has played with Children of Bodom from 1997 until their disbandment in 2019, and in 2000 created a musical project focused on instrumental work, which ...
Zero Hour
Zero Hour may refer to:
* Midnight, or 00:00
* Zero hour (1945), the capitulation of the Nazi government at midnight May 8, 1945
* Zero Hour (military designation), the scheduled time for the start of some event, especially a military operation
...
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and jazz improvisation, improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, ...
*
*
* 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"