That is true, Trane. That is probably due to the fact that Marillion was one of the few neo bands signed to a major label.
That is true, Trane. That is probably due to the fact that Marillion was one of the few neo bands signed to a major label.
Wow, if ever there was a no brainer:
Fugazi and Script
Ok, I was just testing you. You passed!Originally Posted by Trane
Welcome to the He-Man Neo-Prog Lovers Club.
I prefer "a Midsummer NIght's Dream" but both are greatThanks to ItalProgRules for the subject line!I thought it was a good idea for a thread.
Here are my top three non-obvious Neo Prog albums:
Red Jasper - The Winter's Tale
Chandelier - Pure
Mad Puppet - King Laurin & His Rosegarden
There are ones better than these, but I like these and have a soft spot for them. The Red Jasper one is excellent actually.
I agree with some of the ones that have been mentioned especially IQ's "ever" and Chandelier's "Pure." Crucible's "tall tales" was good although it was way overly hyped at the time. Also, Marillion's "misplaced childhood" and "clutching at straws" are obvious choices for me.
[Apart from the obvious.]
Leviathan Bee Yourself
Great, great album. I love the almost twenty minute title track. What an under rated gem.
Illuvatar - Children
This is a really great one too. I believe it's now out of print unfortunately.
Aragon - Don't bring the Rain
I personally really like this one. Obviously the main attraction is the totally killer fifteen minute "The crucifixion." I almost hate to say it but that track blows "harvest of souls" out of the water and trust me that's saying something. However, this album is very under rated and almost unheard of these days.
Collage - Basnie
I like "moonshine" but I don't know this one.
Asgard - Arkana
Don't know it
Aufklärung - De' La' Tempesta ... L'Oscuro Piacere
Don't know it.
Deyss - Visions in the Dark
Don't know it but I thought "at king" was pretty decent even though it seems to be a running joke amongst most prog fans.
Animator- Gallery
I remember hearing about it when it came out. It was mentioned along with Echolyn's first album. However, Echolyn blew up big(well in prog circles anyway)while this band seemed to languish in obscurity. If it's still in print I'll have to check it out at some point.
I really wanted to come up with something no one else thought of, so I'd look all cool. But no.
Misplaced Childhood and Clutching at Straws. I doubt I could pick between them if my life depended on it.
How is "old neo" defined BTW?
Certainly all of the early Marillion albums are at the top for me. IQ's Ever rightly deserves its praise here but I never really got into The Wake or Tales from a Lush Attic.
Arena's Song From A Lion's Cage is terrific.
Also agree on Collage's Moonshine.
Another very "neo" album that I have a soft spot for is Grey Lady Down's Forces.
How is "old neo" defined BTW?
My guess would be anything from the 80's or 90's. There really was no neo in the seventies unless you count Starcastle or Saga.
Collage - Basnie
Different vocalist as Moonshine and sung in native tongue and by far less produced and rather rough and full of energy neo prog.
Asgard - Arkana
Totally overlooked Italians with really good lead singer (sung in English)
Aufklärung
Different band but same lead singer as Asgard. Maybe a bit to eclectic to be pure "Neo". This was just rereleased!
Deyss - Visions in the Dark
Much much better as "At King" with very good vocalist. 3 sided 2LP with very cliche "Neo Prog". A love or hate affair.
Animator- Gallery
Something like a blue print (pun intended) for Enchant first Album (or Enchant in general).
Yeah, itserik, GLD's "Forces" is great. Forgot that one.
I don't consider Starcastle neo prog, but Saga is another story.How is "old neo" defined BTW?
My guess would be anything from the 80's or 90's. There really was no neo in the seventies unless you count Starcastle or Saga.
I think Shingetsu (JP) from 1979 are Neo.How is "old neo" defined BTW?
My guess would be anything from the 80's or 90's. There really was no neo in the seventies unless you count Starcastle or Saga.
Pendragon -The World
Arena -Moviedrome
Roine Stolt - The Flowerking
Isn't Moviedrome just the name of a song? I forget the name of the album. Or am I wrong?
The album in question is called Immortal. That was the first Arena CD that I bought, and I bought it at Tower Records. Bought it because of the cover(a baby drinking baby bottles like they were beers).
Your right, it's from "Immortal ?" and is almost 20 minutes long. I like this album a lot as well.
"The wind is slowly tearing her apart"
Sad Rain
Anekdoten
I'd go with The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.
Come to think of it, that does sound like a neo-prog album, cause Tony overkilled on the synths. Plus, most of songs are fairly short. The Lamb is a classic anyway.
I wouldn't say Tony overkilled on synths. IMO.
Awwww, thanks for the love for 'Forces'. Hopefully we'll be back with the new album before the end of the year!
Yes it is, still my favourite Arena album. However, Arena is a new Neo band not an old Neo band their debut Lion's Cage came out in 95. For me old Neo started early 80s with the first IQ, Marillion, Pallas and Pendragon albums. And I always think of old Neo ending in 89 with the emergence of dance and indie.
I actually think of "The Crime" as the beginning of the second wave of Neo-Prog, as it was the first Cyclops release.
A funny note: the first time I became aware of the existence of any neo-prog bands beyond Marillion was listening to a picture-disk (vinyl) I had that was a radio interview that Fish did. Fish mentioned the band Pendragon as being another band that he felt held some promise (like Marillion). I tried looking for something by this band when I was next doing some CD shopping, but I mis-remembered the bands name and ended up buying a Pentangle CD by mistake. I got it home, and was disgusted by it as I right away realized my mistake. Wha-wha-wha-whaaaaaaa...
As a previous poster mentioned, this is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, in part because of the dreadfully mispronounced English (“Ho-nee here, and more walks up there...”), in part because of the corny concept. But this is really one of the more musically sophisticated “neo-prog” albums that I have heard. A real Italian flair to this, possibly the bridge between out-and-out Marillion clones like Arcansiel and the “retro-prog” of Ezra Winston and the like.
I never really warmed to them. I just found their stuff to be mediocre and bland. A Story Two Days Wide was rather nice, especially “Indian Rain,” but it still wasn’t enough. I used to have all of their albums and wound up selling them all.Illuvatar - Children
This is a really great one too. I believe it's now out of print unfortunately.
I remember when they were a big deal (i.e.: early 90s) but I remember little about them. Hard rock-ish Marillion clone from Italy, IIRC.Asgard - Arkana
Don't know it
Sort of a more neo-friendly take on the Änglagård sound. I never really warmed up to it the way some have but it’s...OK. The reviews over at RYM are absolutely insane; reviews are either five-star or one-star and neither one is correct.Aufklärung - De' La' Tempesta ... L'Oscuro Piacere
Don't know it.
I test-listened this at CD Warehouse once upon a time and decided it was not for me. Not as hilariously cheesy as At-King, by this time they were just garden variety bland neo-prog, thus of no interest to me. Plus the cover art has to be some of the most hideous of the neo-prog era.Deyss - Visions in the Dark
Don't know it but I thought "at king" was pretty decent even though it seems to be a running joke amongst most prog fans.
I disagree, far too 70s-sounding for neo in my book. In fact, I don’t think that any of those 80s prog revival bands from Japan could be classified as “neo” (except maybe Ataraxia, arguably the suckiest band on the Made in Japan label, anyway).
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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")
"That's my purse! I don't know you!" --Bobby Hill
N.P.:“Talk to the Man in the Sky”-Fusion Orchestra/Skeleton in Armour
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