Prog Rock

[John Stones' Paint Trophy]

I'm really into The Mars Volta at the moment and I'm looking for bands that are similar. I know the two albums have quite different sounds so, I'm looking for either stuff in the style of De-Loused or more jazzy stuff like some of Frances the Mute.

Any suggestions will be most welcome.

[fineintent]

Try thisGirl, listen to the stuff they have on myspace.

[DFF]

I'd call MV more experimental than prog. Prog rock would be.. like... Yes, Asia, etc.

[Skummy]

Although "prog rock" to me conjures up images of men with beards you could hide a badger in playing a half-hour lute solo over haunting synths, it does just mean "progressive rock", which I'd assume The Mars Volta fall under. The difference between "experimental" and "prog rock" is just semantics, really.

The obvious bands to list as similar to The Mars Volta, though, would be Sparta and At The Drive-In.

I'd also recommend Built To Spill and Wolfmother, they have similar qualities.

[TheArsenal]

"Prog Rock" just makes me think of Scott Evil talking about Bananarama in the second Austin Powers film.

[Gongsun Zan]

Dream Theater would be the first thing that comes to mind, but you mentioned Mars Volta, which as other people have said, would be a more experimental type rock, though I guess they could be loosely considered prog in a sense.

[John Stones' Paint Trophy]

I've read lots of reviews and articles at different places that grouped them under Prog Rock so I just put them down as that.

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone.

EDIT: Oh, and I'm already heavily into Wolfmother and At The Drive-In but there were the only two bands that anyone recommended to me elsewhere. So, thanks again to everyone that recommended different bands. I'm liking what I've heard of thisGirl and I'll search out the other ones later.

Edited March 26, 2006 by Jordan Stiva

[Guest :shifty:]

Stiva, have you listened to Leeson or did you take my suggestion as a joke?

[YI]

Do you want stuff solely like The Mars Volta or just 'prog rock' in general? If it's the latter what bands are you already into and/or heard of?

[John Stones' Paint Trophy]

They don't have to be identical to Mars Volta but I would prefer something more rocky rather than a funk-jazz fusion with guitars thrown in.

I'll listen to whatever you suggest though.

[tristy]

Porcupine Tree, Dredg and Coheed & Cambria?

[YI]

Mew - Nowhere near as 'technical' as other prog-rock like bands. But they're definately awesome. "And The Glass Handed Kites" is their latest and greatest album...it's numerous songs put together to make 'one song' (Though 2 minutes of near silence between 2 tracks is too shifty for my liking)

I'm really struggling of thinking of stuff like The Mars Volta. I could tell you to listen to some "Don Ellis" but that's going very far down the 'jazz' route, which you said you didn't want to. Still, I suggest you try and get your hands on his 17 minute version of Indian Lady from "Autumn". It is quite possibly one of the greatest things I've ever heard in my life...but it's more prog-jazz/prog-bebop than anything else.

Oh yeah, Dredg are awesome. Spock's Beard? Ayreon?

Oh, Stream Of Passion : The bloke from Ayreon (Who's name escapes me...I'll call him Rudy...as it sounds Dutch enough)...anyways Rudy released an album (Embrace The Storm) in late 2005 with a new band called Stream Of Passion. It has a female vocalist who has a truly beautiful voice. Get your hands on some of their stuff. Kind of like Nightwish, but I prefer the vocals.

Edited March 26, 2006 by YI

[Bodom]

King Crimson

Kings X

Lord Wierd Slough Feg

Yes

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention

[John Stones' Paint Trophy]

I'm already a fan of Mew and Coheed so I just need to search out the other bands you've suggested.

Thanks a lot. I have plenty listening to do.

[Venom]

The Sound of Animals Fighting