Well you could check out their best-selling album, Empire, where they added a lot of hooks and simplified their songwriting to 4/4 time; or you could check out their most beloved album, Operation: Mindcrime, a prog metal masterpiece with a massive concept all done in… 4/4 time… huh…
I’m still confused as to why they get lumped in with prog bands so often.
It's because a lot of their albums have odd song structures and some odd timing (just not their most popular ones), and probably partially because none of their albums sound the same. But I agree, they've never really been prog, they've just had some proggy elements here and there.
Goodness, I didn't even vote for it.Match 25 - Symphony X
First of all, here's a huge middle finger to European Spotify whom I've been paying to only look at the cover of The New Mythology Suite (they only have last two Symphony X album, while Deezer has only first two. Odd choices). Second, if it was "I Wanna Rock" I might even vote for it. Twisted Sister never did it for me. Furthermore, pulling opinions out of my ass - TS never struck me as an "alternative" band, as in alternative to popular music. It's like, alternative music for people who don't want to be alternative. Imagine a 12-year old kid from wealthy family and he's going through his rebelious phase so his parents buy him a poster of Dee Snider holding a plastic brain. The kid doesn't have any feelings towards it, but he's an obedient well-manner kid, so his going to listen to his parents and respect his parents' decision. 30 years later, the kid is a successful lawyer or fund manager or something and is probably dabbling in associations who mostly oppress other people's opinions and lifestyles. But, once or twice a year, he buys wine or beer of coffee or whatever Dee Snider is probably making, just so he can prove to himself he's not prude with stick in his ass.
Match 26 - Queensryche
Second of all, here's a huge middle finger to Bruce Dickinson. Listening to "Eyes of the Stranger" I remembered that Bruce interview where he sad how devastated he felt when he heard "Operation: Mindcrime" because he thought "Seventh Son" could've been something like that. And now he had the opportunity, but decided to ditch it, again, halfway through. I should also listen to Queensryche more. They haven't clicked so far, but I've heard the potential. This Faith No More song isn't epic. I mean, I know it's not "Epic" but it also isn't epic. If you have an 8-minute album title track, it should be standing out. This one isn't.
Match 27 - Opeth
Third of all, I've been listening to Blackwater Park recently and I must admit that I'm amazed by the level of musicianships that is coming from bunch of guys who can't even grow a proper mustache. Also, although Opeth seems losing, there are a lot of wild cards in that division, wouldn't be surprised if it comes down to votes differential.
Match 28 - Savatage
I've wrote my thoughts about this Slipknot culinary masterpiece (and already voted for it). On the other hand, I don't think I ever heard this Savatage song and I must admit I found it OK. Not as good as putting fingers into my pies, but still getting a vote.
Match 29 - Metallica
Metallica sell-out can be traced to their earlier days and this song is evident that the band sold out before it even sold in. I mean, making songs about long-lasting batteries who are here to stay. How much did Duracell payed you Lars?! Still better than its opponent.
FTFY
I know I’ve wondered the same thing in the past. Best explanation I got was that before Dream Theater et al arrived on the scene, “prog metal” meant something different than it does nowadays. Queensrÿche definitely had the scope to fit the bill, but the song structures are way straighter than the bands that followed.
The title track to Empire has odd time signatures. Mindcrime (the album) has stuff too. Either way, it's not all about odd time signatures, I think Dream Theater's popularity makes that seem more essential than it really is. It also comes down to song structures that go outside conventional pop structures, more conceptual lyrical content, etc. Think about Metal bands in the 80s, especially in the USA, compared to what Queensryche was doing and it's pretty obvious how they could be considered progressive.
I'm only kidding anyway. Operation: Mindcrime is a great album from beginning to end and Empire has great songs as well.
| Group Stage - Round 1 |
| The Evil That Men Do Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Judas Priest - Breaking the Law | vs. | Celtic Frost - Procreation (of the Wicked) | |
| Popoff 500, Rolling Stone 100, DigitalDreamDoor 100, Radio EHS 100, Rate Your Music 100, VH1 40, Best Music Art 100 | Nominators | Rolling Stone 100 | |
| 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | Record | 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Group Stage - Round 1 |
| Dream of Mirrors Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dream Theater - Octavarium | vs. | Linkin Park - Numb | |
| @Shmoolikipod, @Spambot, @JudasMyGuide | Nominators | Youtube 50 | |
| 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | Record | 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Group Stage - Round 1 |
| Dennis Wilcock Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghost - Square Hammer | vs. | Dio - King of Rock and Roll | |
| @MindRuler, @MrKnickerbocker, @LooseCannon | Nominators | Best Music Art 100 | |
| 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | Record | 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Group Stage - Round 1 |
| Paul Di'Anno Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faith No More - Epic | vs. | Yngwie Malmsteen - I'll See the Light Tonight | |
| Popoff 500, Radio EHS 100, VH1 40 | Nominators | Popoff 500 | |
| 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | Record | 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Group Stage - Round 1 |
| Michael Kenney Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candlemass - Solitude | vs. | Rush - Tom Sawyer | |
| DigitalDreamDoor 100, Rate Your Music 100 @MindRuler, @Magnus | Nominators | Popoff 500 | |
| 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | Record | 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
| Group Stage - Round 1 |
| Dave Lights Division | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train | vs. | Demon - Night of the Demon | |
| Popoff 500, Rolling Stone 100, DigitalDreamDoor 100, Rate Your Music 100, VH1 40, Best Music Art 100 @Jer, @The Sentient, @DJMayes | Nominators | ||
| 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | Record | 0-0-0, 0 pts, +0 | |
| Youtube | Spotify | Amazon | Links |
Yeah, it was a mistake.
Night of the Demon is great, but Crazy Train is Crazy Train - if Demon somehow wins that would surely be the biggest upset of the game so far.
