Make a recommendation to a fellow member of The Infinite

If you think one of your clan-mates might really dig something you can make a recommendation to them here.

There are many awesome progressive metal bands but here are a few I would recommend to fellow Infinite members, listed below. If you haven't listened to them yet, you should. But if you already listen to them, well done!

Ayreon

Dream Theater

Persefone

Angra (since 2003)

Between the Buried and Me (since 2003)

Cynic (Focus and Traced in Air)

The Infinite - the fun out there clan. Progressive is great, but there is also Avant-Garde and Post-Metal here so...

Diablo Swing Quartet - it's legit Polka Metal, but man is it fun avant-garde metal

Sigh - Originally were more straight Black metal (fun fact originally signed to Euronymous of Mayhem's label and released first album on that label shortly after his death) but have since toned that down and have even added a bit of Japanese Folk metal. Still odd fun avant-garde metal too.

Alcest - The legends of Post-Metal.  Recently released Spiritual Instinct, only listened to it once but it still has their sound and will be going back to it. 

Les Discrets - same as Alcest in the post-metal scene, also french so there are some definitely similar influences if you like one you should like the other as well.

For progressive metal you can't go wrong with Opeth. Watershed (2008) and before are definitely the more metal of their discographies, but afterwards it still can be good just tame it down quite a bit and more just prog rock.

Also if you're not as much of a death metal and more heavy metal Queensryche and Operation Mindcrime is essential Progressive Metal from the 80's.

Queensrÿche - "Operation:LIVEcrime" (1991)

Shezma & saxystephens, I recommend that you check out this live album of you haven't already. I think you'll really dig it.

Voivod - "Nothingface'" (1989)

Shezma, saxystephens & Xephyr, have you checked out this high quality piece of Canadian progressive rock before? I highly recommend you do.

maudlin of the Well - "Bath" (2001)

Shezma, saxy, Xephyr & Andi, you guys should get onto this quality piece of avant-garde progressive metal if you haven't already.

This is gonna be one hail of an interesting ride through Wildhoney-inspired experimental progressive metal. I’ll listen to and review that motW album tomorrow...

Andi & Saxy, I'd recommend Cult Of Luna's "Somewhere Along The Highway" as a premium example of the post-metal sound.

Xephyr & saxy, please report directly to this double live album pronto. I repeat... your presence is required here immediately.... over.

You've already rated it Andi!

Not going to lie, before this I normally shunned live albums. I never really understood the appeal personally, but Leprous's is definitely something special. With the style that Leprous has their studio albums can sound a bit sterile and lacking in a bit of energy regardless of what you think of Coal, Bilateral, or The Congregation. I personally love Leprous and even I can admit that they fall into the Progressive Metal trap of sounding dull and unenthusiastic sometimes in the midst of being technically impressive. This live set solves that problem though since there is so much feeling put into this entire setlist that it's kind of mind-blowing. 

This recording is simply immaculate for being a live set. Their sound is completely intact but has an extra punch with sharper drums and an insane vocal performance that outdoes the studio version on almost all accounts, which is the exact boost that Leprous needed to go from a strange-ish, somewhat thinking-man's Prog Metal act to something that absolutely crushes the stage. 

I find it really interesting that this album is so highly regarded by the niche base that has rated it and they ended up playing almost all of The Congregation, which is the album where the vocal minority seems to say that Leprous goes downhill. While I do agree that The Congregation is a bit stale compared to their previous 3 releases, I still really enjoy it, but this performance puts that album in such a different light. It's just so well done. You'd think that a highly regarded live album from Leprous would include a ton of tracks from Tall Poppy Syndrome and Bilateral, but it's almost the opposite, with most of the tracks coming from The Congregation or Coal. I really do wonder if Leprous no longer plays anything off of Tall Poppy Syndrome just because Einar isn't able to do the harsher vocals he did in the past. 

Great find Daniel, and it gave me an excuse to go back and actually rate all the Leprous albums I listened to long ago but never jotted down. My heart says to agree with you on the 5/5 just because it's such an outlier for a live album, so that's what it's gonna be for now. 

You'd think that a highly regarded live album from Leprous would include a ton of tracks from Tall Poppy Syndrome and Bilateral, but it's almost the opposite, with most of the tracks coming from The Congregation or Coal. I really do wonder if Leprous no longer plays anything off of Tall Poppy Syndrome just because Einar isn't able to do the harsher vocals he did in the past.

Yeah they really should've played some tracks from Aeolia, Tall Poppy Syndrome and Bilateral as a more proper farewell to their early metal style, but the only songs from that earlier era that were played were two of the weaker and more forced tracks from their third album (including the demo). I guess if they were to play songs from their earlier albums, Ihsahn would have to help Einar with some of the harsh vocals.

This one's for you Andi.

Another excellent album! 5/5. Cheers for the rec, Daniel!

Andi, Xephyr & saxy, I'd highly recommend you give Voivod's "Dimension Hatröss" a few spins if you haven't already. It's a quality piece of avant-garde progressive metal & is probably my favourite Voivod release these days but it's definitely not suited to a casual one-off listen. It's far too complex for that.

Not gonna lie, Okyr's Premorbid Intelligence is definitely gonna change the future of classic progressive metal, and I recommend it to many progressive metal listeners and fans including fellow Metal Academy members Ben, Daniel, Shezma, saxystephens & Xephyr. New guy in the site, the band's bassist Jean Elias would absolutely appreciate your support. Okyr's album is a practically unknown masterpiece that deserves to be heard worldwide!

Thanks Andi. I'll give it a few spins over the next few days.