Your First Progressive Metal Album?

In The Spirit Of Uncle Saxon's first power metal thread. What was your first introduction to the world of progressive metal and your first album? Almost everyone has at least one, even Toho who a general distated for the genre .

My first taste was Dream Theater-Pull Me Under (1992) but it wasn't til a several years later (1995) I got:



That was my first follwed by Images & Words and When Dream And Day Unite. Apart from DT, I didn't listen to any other progressive metal band until 1999. I've since then collected quite a lot, still one of my favorite genres.

mine was Awake as well. 6 A.M. is still one of my favorite tunes

Celtic Frost - Into The Pandemonium (1987) - because it actually was progressive.

FATES WARNING - Awaken The Guardian

Fates Warning-Perfect Symmetry

I don't know, I suppose Fates Warning-The Spectre Within. Were they the first prog metal band? Where's the cutoff point where prog rock becomes prog metal? Does Queensryche count as prog metal? What about Rush? Maybe I need to view the rock/metal family tree and look under prog metal.

Operation: Mindcrime

I didn't like it that much at first. After first listen I had the feeling I had just wasted my money. But it then grew on me big time after a few spins.

Whichever one of Queensrÿche's EP and first 3 albums you think is the first to count. (For those who don't think any of them count, Voivod's "Nothingface".)

Hmm, I guess Mindcrime if that qualifies.

Fates Warning - Spectre Within, if that be considered progressive metal. I purchased it as a new release, and purchased Awaken the Guardian and each successive FW album as they were released.

I was into a lot of progressive rock earlier than the 80's. Genesis, Pink Floyd, Yes, ELP and Nektar were some I was into early on.

If Rush is going to be considered prog metal I'll have to go with Moving Pictures. If not, Fates Warning's Awaken The Guardian would be it.

Queensrÿche - The Warning

My first true progressive metal album would be Fates Warning's No Exit.

But, if we're considering Queensrÿche prog metal, it'd be Operation: Mindcrime.

If Rush counts...2112
If rush doesn't count but queensryche does... the first release ep...
Otherwise it would be dream theater...Images and Words

I never have considered Rush to be metal in any way, shape or form. Of course they influenced many progressive metal bands...but just because you are an influence doesn't mean you fit a category of music that came out a decade later.

That's the same issue I have with people calling Rainbow "power metal" and calling Black Sabbath "doom metal". It's a disservice to their influence and also in each of these cases the influencing bands are much more varied in style than the bands they influenced.

When I was a kid Rush was placed under the genre heavy metal, not just the usual suspects such as Hit Parader, so that is what I considered them and still do. I never saw metal music as just meaning one sound, one image or even one genre, that it could be a composite of many influences.

So my answer would be Rush-2112

Why let a crap rag like Hit Parader make up your mind for you? Listen to Grace Under Pressure and tell me that has anything to do with metal...at all. It doesn't, it's great, but it sure as hell ain't metal.

Bands like Rush defy categorization, so assigning them into any genre almost feels like an insult.

Dream Theater - Images and Words

Iron Maiden Piece Of Mind -feel free to disagree but it is full of progressive elements

If Queensryche is considered prog-metal then, their EP and Warning would be some of the earliest. Fates Warning was actually a year or two after QR.

I also agree that Rush were considered progressive in the 70's. Regardless of the metal or rock tag, they were one of the pioneers and influences of the genre.

Quote :

Why let a crap rag like Hit Parader make up your mind for you? Listen to Grace Under Pressure and tell me that has anything to do with metal...at all. It doesn't, it's great, but it sure as hell ain't metal.

Bands like Rush defy categorization, so assigning them into any genre almost feels like an insult.

This could be said about alot of bands. Def leppard is no longer nwobhm, Motley Crue is no longer a glam band and Guardian Blind seems to be going in a more power/prog direction. The real question on any genre question is when did the genre start, who started it and what is the current definition of the label. When I discuss genre with someone I generally throw out a few band names so people get the idea of my definition of the sound and genre.
Rush could very well be the first hard rock prog band...one who has changed styles through the years but always seems to return to the original prog leanings.

Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime

Naked City - Naked City (1990), then Dream Theater - Images & Words (1992)

prog was never a style i got into a whole lot, but the bands i do like, i really like. such as the two i listed.

S.D. wrote:

Why let a crap rag like Hit Parader make up your mind for you? Listen to Grace Under Pressure and tell me that has anything to do with metal...at all. It doesn't, it's great, but it sure as hell ain't metal.

Bands like Rush defy categorization, so assigning them into any genre almost feels like an insult.

Did I goddamn say that Hit Parader made up my mind for me? Plus when I first started to Rush in 1982 those albums did not exist, since you seem to know everything under the sun, why don't you tell me what is or isn't metal, prog or anything else you care to tell me I am wrong about

manny wrote:

S.D. wrote:

Why let a crap rag like Hit Parader make up your mind for you? Listen to Grace Under Pressure and tell me that has anything to do with metal...at all. It doesn't, it's great, but it sure as hell ain't metal.

Bands like Rush defy categorization, so assigning them into any genre almost feels like an insult.

Did I goddamn say that Hit Parader made up my mind for me? Plus when I first started to Rush in 1982 those albums did not exist, since you seem to know everything under the sun, why don't you tell me what is or isn't metal, prog or anything else you care to tell me I am wrong about

i'm eagerly waiting for the outcome of this argument.