Author Topic: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50  (Read 48108 times)

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Offline Quadrochosis

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #70 on: May 07, 2010, 02:47:38 PM »
The list started out a bit iffy, but you seem to be pulling it together nicely Nick (by that I mean I disagreed with a lot of your picks in the beginning but now it's getting better) although Coheed and the Flower Kings would both be in my top 20 or higher.
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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #71 on: May 09, 2010, 11:12:35 AM »
Nick, are you committed to finishing this list?
     

Offline Nick

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #72 on: May 09, 2010, 11:54:11 AM »
Oh yeah, just had a busy last two days, will have another update this afternoon.
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Offline Nick

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #73 on: May 09, 2010, 01:23:25 PM »
29. Tesla
My favorite hard rock band on this list, Tesla should be remembered for their energetic live shows and albums that showed the hair bands of their early years how things should have been done. If you live in America, chances are Tesla is going to tour near you and that they will do it soon, as these guys tour constantly and they cover a LOT of ground and it's always worth paying to see them. I must also credit them for a great blend of classics, fan favorites, and rarities in their live show. And a short story about how cool these guys are. Many years ago I saw them at a local club here in Allentown, and two friends of mine had meet and greets after the show, so we went out to the parking lot to wait for them to finish up with that. Well, JK happened by us in the parking lot and we asked him for a quick autograph, saying it was really cool to catch him outside since our friends were inside waiting for him. He signed our stuff, introduced us to his wife, and then told us to stick with him and he took the three of us inside and downstairs with him for the entire meet and greet with the rest of the band, all of whom were just as nice.

Favorite Albums: Into the Now, Mechanical Resonance

Favorite Songs: EZ Come EZ Go, Modern Day Cowboy, Changes, Hang Tough, Heaven's Trail, Freedom Slaves, Shine Away, Into the Now, Miles Away, Forever More

28. Labyrinth
There's a chance of few of you here have heard me talk about these guys, but most likely you have no clue who they are. They are an Italian prog/power hybrid that were (then shortly weren't) and are now again led by guitarist Olaf Thorsen who people here might know from Vision Divine. They are on record as making my favorite power-metal song of all time, Save Me (Timeless Crime arrangement), and they have a ton of great tracks. All their albums except Six Days to Nowhere are worth getting, and they range from a debut that had techno influences, to more traditional power metal with their self titled release, to the progtastic album that is Freeman. The band is currently working on a follow up to their most well received album, Return to Heaven Denied.

Favorite Albums: Freeman, Return to Heaven Denied

Favorite Songs: Piece of Time, In the Shade, Moonlight, Lady Lost in Time, Save Me, Sons of Thunder, The Prophet, L.Y.A.F.H., Dive in Open Waters, Freeman, Crossroads

27. Threshold
Check out a Threshold song or three. Did you like them? If you did, you'll like Threshold. For better of worse I've never experienced a band that has such a trademark sound. It's everything from the style, to the arrangement, to the nearly identical production of so many of the albums. Listening to the Critical Energy live DVD one might think they start the show playing a new album from start to finish due to the material all sounding like it had been written at one time, but that is not the case! Although samey for sure the music is fantastic, and they are a band that's very easy to get into. Many will know original (and once again current) vocalist Damien Wilson from his work with Ayreon/Star One, but the bulk of the band's material, and most of its great material was written and performed with the amazing voice of Andrew Macdermont. Muse fans would do well to check out the band's cover of Supermassive Black Hole.

Favorite Albums: Clone, Hypothetical, Dead Reckoning

Favorite Songs: Paradox, The Latent Gene, Sunrise on Mars, Turn On Tune In, Long Way Home, Phenomenon, Fragmentation, Ground Control, The Art of Reason, Slipstream, Pilot on the Sky of Dreams
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Offline Zantera

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #74 on: May 09, 2010, 01:52:21 PM »
Really happy to see Threshold, like them myself, but i'm kinda surprised i rarely see/hear their name here. (this being a progressive forum)
They're pretty sweet. :)

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #75 on: May 09, 2010, 07:21:57 PM »
Will be stalking this thread.  :tup

Offline SoundscapeMN

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #76 on: May 09, 2010, 10:46:00 PM »
Even though it would look like just me following a trend, I really should do 1 of these, especially considering I made a top 50 artists list for the Sound Opinions forum, I recall last Summer (or it may have been 2008). So my list is pretty close to done, just the blurbing, albums and songs haven't been picked out.

Offline Dr. DTVT

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #77 on: May 10, 2010, 09:47:21 AM »
Big Threshold fan here as well, although Dead Reckoning is possibly my least favorite Threshold albums, and Clone might be 3rd or 4th.

Also, you got to love any band who tells the audience to "Shut up" before a song, and has the nards to leave it on their live CD.
     

Offline Nick

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #78 on: May 10, 2010, 11:41:50 AM »
Heh, the live DVD also marks one of the smallest audiences at a DVD taping I've ever seen.
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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #79 on: May 10, 2010, 12:30:58 PM »
Heh, the live DVD also marks one of the smallest audiences at a DVD taping I've ever seen.

I don't have the DVD, is it possible it was a special show for fan club members that they just happened to record?  Although seeing the lack of acknowledgement they get even at a site like DTF, I guess we shouldn't expect to see them pack a stadium like they do in South America.
     

Offline Nick

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #80 on: May 10, 2010, 01:05:57 PM »
They pack stadiums in South America?
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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #81 on: May 10, 2010, 02:31:07 PM »
Threshold, I don't know if they toured SA.  I was talking about other bands in general, and phrased it poorly.
     

Offline Nick

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #82 on: May 11, 2010, 12:27:42 PM »
26. Dredg
Tough to know what to say about these guys. I have the feeling most here will either love them, or pretty much dismiss them. They are an odd combo of prog meets alternative meets poppy meets artsy-fartsy. If I had to pick a few words to describe them, they would be creative, interesting, thought-provoking and strange.

Favorite Albums: Catch Without Arms, The Pariah The Parrot The Delusion

Favorite Songs: Same Ol' Road, Sanzen, Of the Room, Ode to the Sun, Bug Eyes, Catch Without Arms, The Tanbark is Hot Lava, Sang Real, Ireland, Gathering Pebbles, Information, Savior, I Don't Know

25. Dominici
Anyone who skips over this band because they simply prefers LaBrie in Dream Theater is doing themselves a disservice. Anyone who thinks these albums are just attempts to live off of Dream Theater's fame is both wrong, and also doing themselves a disservice. Dominici's first album is just acoustic guitar, harmonica, and vocals and just displays some great songwriting and a lot of great melodies. The other two albums are some of the best progressive metal releases of the last 10 years. Charlie's voice has not only improved since the days of When Dream and Day Unite, but these albums are actually written to suite his voice, and he really shines on them. The rest of the band is amazing as well, especially the brothers that together handle guitars and drums.

Favorite Albums: O3 A Trilogy - Part Two, O3 A Trilogy - Part Three

Favorite Songs: My New Land, I Will Return, The Hand of God, Nowhere to Hide, Greed the Evil Seed, School of Pain, A New Hope, King of Terror, Enemies of God, Revelation, Genesis

24. OSI
Jim Matheos + Kevin Moore = eargasm. The formula is that simple. Although I've not been huge on Kevin's solo stuff that I've checked out I love OSI, and I suspect it's mainly because of how well Jim manages to balance Kevin. The combination produced the greatest possible albums of prog meets metal meets electronic. Between the sometimes dry vocals of Kevin and the weirdness of the music at times many people are not going to like OSI at all, but to those who dig it there are few things better.

Favorite Albums: Free, OSI

Favorite Songs: The New Math, Hello Helicopter, ShutDOWN, Standby, Sure You Will, Free, Bigger Wave, Kicking, Once, False Start, Radiologue
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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #83 on: May 11, 2010, 04:32:13 PM »
It didn't take me long to separate Dominici from DT.  They are really underappriciated albums - PARTICULARLY the first one.  I never thought I would enjoy that one as much as I do, and for the most part the stripped down sound fits the album perfectly - up until the point in halfway point in "The Plan" where the main character gets caught by the police.  If the full band came in at that point, it would be absolutely perfect.  I really hope he keeps making music.
     

Offline Nick

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #84 on: May 12, 2010, 12:51:21 PM »
Well, I'm personally torn. On one hand having another full band album like 2 and 3 would be nice, but that first one is special being what it is. I think it hurt from a starting standpoint though because people who know who Charlie Dominici is would have expected prog-metal from the start, so I think he lost a few people when the first album was so different.
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Offline skydivingninja

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #85 on: May 12, 2010, 01:50:10 PM »
I was not expecting fail on that level.

Offline Nick

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #86 on: May 12, 2010, 02:00:56 PM »
What are you referring to?
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Offline antigoon

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #87 on: May 12, 2010, 02:01:52 PM »
You'll learn to love Coheed's second album some day, Nick :p

Offline skydivingninja

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #88 on: May 12, 2010, 02:03:02 PM »
What are you referring to?

Placing Dominici higher than dredge and Coheed.  Or placing Dominici on the list at all.
« Last Edit: May 12, 2010, 03:29:14 PM by Nick »

Offline Nick

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #89 on: May 12, 2010, 02:07:41 PM »
Says the man who spells Dredg wrong. :p
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Offline Dr. DTVT

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #90 on: May 12, 2010, 03:28:14 PM »

Placing Dominici higher than dredg and Coheed.  Or placing Dominici on the list at all.

Sorry SDN, but Nick is right.  Dominici deserves more credit, and I would also put him over dredg and Coheed.  Dredg is ok, but its real mood dependent.  Coheed has never really clicked with me.
     

Offline skydivingninja

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #91 on: May 12, 2010, 03:34:23 PM »
Charlie's cool and all, but making generic "prog" metal does not entitle him to credit of any sort.

Offline Nick

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #92 on: May 12, 2010, 03:41:11 PM »
I don't give him credit for making prog-metal, I give him credit for making awesome albums.
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Offline SoundscapeMN

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #93 on: May 12, 2010, 05:33:45 PM »
the 1st all-acoustic Dominici album I kind of liked in some ways. But uh, I guess seeing Nick placing Dominici as high up as he is, we know how much Nick digs them (and perhaps why Charlie comes here from time to time to promote his music? or vice-versa: why Nick digs his music so much).

Offline Nick

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #94 on: May 12, 2010, 05:43:10 PM »
Charlie coming here is completely independent of me. I have always digged his music, and he has always been happy to try and promote his stuff wherever he can. :)
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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #95 on: May 12, 2010, 05:58:22 PM »
23. Karmakanic
If you are a fan of The Flower Kings, or any band that sounds anything like them, and you have not checked out Karmakanic you absolutely must. The band is headed by Jonas Reingold, and frankly I'd describe them as everything I love about The Flower Kings minus all the things I don't. The only reason they aren't top 15 is because they only have three albums. The song Send a Message From the Heart is one of the most beautiful and stunning 20 minutes of music I've ever heard. Even if you go no further in checking out this band you must at least do yourself a favor and listen to that track.

Favorite Albums: Who's the Boss in the Factory, Entering the Spectra

Favorite Tracks: The Spirit Remains the Same, Cyberdust From Mars, Welcome to Paradise, Do U Tango, Send a Message From the Heart, Let in Hollywood, Who's the Boss in the Factory, Two Blocks From the Edge

22. Beardfish
I don't want to say that Dream Theater are influential when it comes to anything prog, but it's stunning how much publicity these guys got by simply *almost* touring with Progressive Nation. Being a fan of theirs prior to the announcement they'd be on the bill (before later being dropped with Pain of Salvation due to label troubles) I was really looking forward to seeing them on the tour. Although I personally disagree with the label, many call them a modern Genesis, and while there are certainly elements of that present I'd say they offer a lot more, and that frankly they are better than the band they are being compared to.

Favorite Albums: Sleeping in Traffic Pt. 2, Sleeping in Traffic Pt. 1

Favorite Songs: The Gooberville Ballroom Dancer, Mystique of the Beauty Queen, Sunrise, Roulette, Harmony, Into the Night, The Hunter, South of the Border, In Real Life There is No Algebra, Abigail's Questions

21. Firewind
The good: Seeing these guys from front row. The bad: Not really being a fan at the time. I saw them open for Sonata Arctica and was very pleased and have been getting more into them ever since.  They do shorter melodic power metal songs better than pretty much anyone else, and they've managed to thrive under three different vocalists. While the two biggest Firewind fans I know are quite loyal to an era of the band, either old or new, whereas I am a fan of all of it pretty equally.

Favorite Albums: Between Heaven and Hell, The Premonition

Favorite Songs: Mercenary Man, Tyranny, Destination Forever, Brother's Keeper, Breaking the Silence, I Am the Anger, Firewind Raging, Till the End of Time, Into the Fire, Between Heaven and Hell
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Offline Birch Boy

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #96 on: May 12, 2010, 06:05:14 PM »
I'll be checking all three out.  :tup

Offline skydivingninja

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #97 on: May 12, 2010, 07:51:34 PM »
Genesis (under Gabriel or Collins/Hackett) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Beardfish.

And I think its safe to say DT are pretty influential when it comes to several things prog. :D

Offline Quadrochosis

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #98 on: May 12, 2010, 07:57:12 PM »
This list contains too many obscure bands that I don't yet know to further tell if its fail or an awesome list.

I'll check out Karmakanic though.
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Offline glaurung

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #99 on: May 12, 2010, 08:18:33 PM »
You mentioned South of the Border under your favorite Beardfish songs. :tup

You didn't mention Sleeping in Traffic as one of them.  :tdwn
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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #100 on: May 12, 2010, 08:25:17 PM »
I don't recall Beardfish being described exactly like Genesis. I recall them getting more comparisons to Gentle Giant and especially Zappa.

Offline Quadrochosis

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #101 on: May 12, 2010, 08:35:05 PM »
Genesis (under Gabriel or Collins/Hackett) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Beardfish.

And I think its safe to say DT are pretty influential when it comes to several things prog. :D

All of this.
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Offline Nick

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #102 on: May 12, 2010, 08:40:09 PM »
Oh, I was trying to demonstrate that DT are influential, just came across poorly on the internet.

Think of a friend saying to you, "I don't want to say that woman's a slut, but she's slept with every other guy in here."
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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #103 on: May 12, 2010, 08:42:53 PM »
Jonas Reingold has the best bass sound hands down.  Wheel of Life got me started.  If it wasn't for the internet, I would have never heard a great band like this.
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Offline Nic35

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Re: Nick's Favorite Artists Top 50
« Reply #104 on: May 12, 2010, 09:06:09 PM »
I have Who's The Boss In The Factory....very good choice :tup
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