Prog. Metal, Folk Metal...Genre or Style?

AzhyDehAk · 05-06-2007, 01:53 AM

Hey guys
I always wonder if Progressive Metal and Folk Metal are Genre (like Power Metal or Death Metal) or they’re Styles (like Symphonic or Melodic).
We can hear Bolt Thrower as pure Death Metal, Immortal as pure Black Metal. Is there any band that we can call it pure Progressive Metal? (Not Progressive Heavy Metal).
I know Death Metal or Black Metal have strong roots in Heavy Metal, but they are totally different from WASP or Blue Oyster Cult.
I’ve listened Andromeda or Dream Theater and I think I’m listening to Heavy Metal + bands like King Crimson…Can I say, it is just Heavy Metal music that played accompanied by Progressive as style?
When I listen to Symphonic Black, Ambient Black or Raw Black, never mind to their styles, I find many similarities, they share same aesthetic, but I think Progressive Black, Progressive Death or Progressive Power Bands have completely different atmosphere and aesthetic!!!!

Seba · 05-06-2007, 02:34 AM

So...you don't think that there are bands that unify prog-rock w/ metal seemlessly?

http://www.myspace.com/ephelduath

AzhyDehAk · 05-06-2007, 03:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seba

So...you don't think that there are bands that unify prog-rock w/ metal seemlessly?

http://www.myspace.com/ephelduath

...These bands are another problem for me ..cos most of Metal communities, like Metal Archives consider them as Avant-Garde Metal, not Progressive Metal! :-S (bands like: Sigh, Solefald, or Anubi)
I mean, every Metal genre has specific characteristic element. Black Metal, Power Metal, Death Metal,...have their own riffs, vocal style, atmosphere, even distinct melodies and lyrics...

Wikipedia wrote:

Quote:

Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music which blends the powerful, guitar-driven sound of metal with the complex compositional structures, odd time signatures, and intricate instrumental playing of progressive rock. Some progressive metal bands are also influenced by jazz fusion music. Like progressive rock songs, progressive metal songs are usually much longer than standard rock songs, and songs are often thematically linked in concept albums.

I don't know if using odd time signature or making long song can create a definite genre or sub-genre?...in addition, Avant Garde Metal bands use these element in their music, they've mixed Metal music with Jazz...but they've never called progressive...

(

Seba · 05-06-2007, 03:21 AM

I think you're just getting too bogged down by semantics. These are just general labels, and I can't think of any artist that fits into only a single catagory. Especially in rock music, considering the rediculous amount of variation and influence involved. I think your time is worth more than to spend it worrying about whether a band is more avant-garde metal than progressive metal...chances are, both labels will fit, hell we can make it more complicated and decide it's "experimental metal", or "math metal" -- it's just another way to communicate the way a band sounds, roughly speaking.

Seba · 05-06-2007, 03:26 AM

Ultimately, someone, somewhere, up and decided to come up w/ a word or phrase to describe a band's sound and it stuck...there's no written or natural law that says this is the only way to describe it. Labels are really only useful for organizational purposes or to relate one artist to another.

Seba · 05-06-2007, 03:27 AM

Although, now that I'm re-reading your thread title, I think I know more at what you were getting at.

Personally, if I were organizing my collection, Progressive Metal would be a style under the genre of Rock, although I do have trouble sometimes deciding if I should lump prog-metal bands in w/ Prog-Rock or Metal proper...I generally decide on the latter, calling Prog-Metal a sub-style of Metal rather than a sub-style of Prog-Rock, but it could work either way.

AzhyDehAk · 05-06-2007, 04:16 AM

I see...thanx Seba :-*
I think you're right and I'm agree with you that it's better to consider Prog Metal as a Style.

I don't want to waste my time on definitions or categorizing bands, y'know! and never limit my taste to genres and names.
I just like to get more information about my favorite bands like Death, Opeth or Necrophagist.

chiron · 05-08-2007, 10:49 AM

Prog Metal? Shit like Aghora might fall into that category...

ShallowRed · 05-15-2007, 08:18 PM

I dislike genre names. But they do serve a purpose, I guess.

Prog is more of a style, a band can have progressive points, or lean progressive, but to be considered prog-metal you need to have a certain pizazz that makes you different than non-prog bands.

I don't know, the word is thrown around too much in any case, especially since it has no real meaning.