The Big 3

Voivod would be my #1 choice if we're looking at bands who started in the 80s.

candlemass wrote:

Theocracy!

Good choice Candlemass! Theocracy are great!

Fates. Love pretty much everythging they released.
Ryche had good streak that ended after Promised Land; Dream Theater is imo garbage, with only their first and sophomore albums being great and worth a listen.

Thrasher73 wrote:

This song made me a fan of FW. That Lead intro and the chorus just nail it!

My personal favorite from AtG, I believe they're talking about the glam scene here. That chorus and those vocal melodies are insane.

I still don't think Queensryche were ever a prog-metal band. A bit more innovative and unique, maybe, but not what I'd call prog.

candlemass wrote:

Theocracy!

Not prog. At all.

Eyesore wrote:

I still don't think Queensryche were ever a prog-metal band. A bit more innovative and unique, maybe, but not what I'd call prog.

Yeah, I think it comes down to the difference between "progressive" and "prog". I'd say that Queensryche were definitely progressive because, as you said, they were innovative, and they certainly weren't singing about cars, girls, Hell or how much they rocked, unlike their contemporaries.

But musically, for the most part they stuck to standard verse/chorus structures, so whether the other stuff they did was enough to classify them as prog is up for debate. I'm inclined to say that if you just judge it by the 80s then they may have done enough to make it into the prog bracket as the output of other prog bands around at the time (e.g. Rush and Marillion) was really that much more adventurous than Queensryche's. But if you extend your viewpoint beyond that then their prog credentials are a lot shakier.

And if we're throwing in write-in votes, I'll cast one for Threshold (who were formed in the 80s, even if they didn't actually release anything in that decade).