Overview of Heavy Music Styles (part 2)

Progressive Metal is the most intelligent metal genre, a direct descendant of Art Rock. “Progressors” went even further in terms of “inaudibility”, which entailed the commercial failure of the style. Still, not everyone can adequately perceive 20-30-minute songs with a complex rhythmic pattern, constant tempo changes, deep conceptual verses, crazy vocal passages and long guitar and keyboard solos! The first group that tried to combine all this with heavy riffs was the Rush Canadians, but their music is more suitable for the definition of “heavy art rock” than Progressive Metal. The real “progressive” appeared in the early 80s through the efforts of such bands as Mercyful Fate, Fates Warning and Watchtower (this group along with Mekong Delta played techno-thrash, even more technical and sophisticated music). Continue reading →