Prog Metal Albums for People Who Hate Metal

Do you have friends who can't get into metal? Don't we all? Most of the time it's probably because they haven't heard something they like yet. If they don't like any of the ten albums I've listed in this video, maybe reconsider the friendship. How did you first get into metal? Post down below the album that turned you into a metalhead, and maybe I'll use some in the next video!

[apologies in advance for any missing clips due to copyright]

Instagram: @moremeditations

[allanf_]

Dead end kings is one of my favorites albums ever. Great video!

[kongu]

I got into metal because I love Rush and I heard Dream Theater were like Rush but cranked to 11. I put on Images and Words and it was definitely good, but then I heard Scenes From a Memory. Scenes changed my mind about metal, and then going back to Images and Words solidified that.

Love Haken, Katatonia, and Aviations. So glad to see the Light Years on here, it's one of my favorite albums and definitely something I throw on around regular people. The Mountain is one of the only albums that I've suggested to my indie pop loving sister that she actually loves - she even went with me to see Haken last month and they were phenomenal. I'd almost say that In Absentia by Porcupine Tree could ease someone into prog metal; although the album isn't metal as a whole, there are definitely heavy riffs and complex instrumentation combined with so much more, yet all easily accessible.

[MaartenBlij]

When a collegue asked what "real metal" sounded like I mentioned Leprous and put on From The Flames. He was surprised and was curious for more.
I get The Mountain by Haken as a choice. Personally, it took a long time for Haken to click with me and Leprous was more appealing to me for some reason. Just wanted to say this to give Leprous some love. Great list. I don't know Sokoninaru and Seventh Wonder yet, so thanks for the tips.

[AngryCalvin]

My mom is a classical pianist. She has liked quite a few of my Prog albums through the years. I thought Dream Theater would be too heavy for her but she actually loving what she heard.

[panoptikum]

Since you mentioned country in the beginning: Devin Townsend's album with Casualties of Cool is SO SO good.

[tonythehorse]

Liked your video!
Suggestions for part II (based on personal taste):
- Dream Theatre's 'When Dream and Day Unite' or 'Octavarium'
- Leprous 'Aphelion'
- Circus Maximus 'Nine'
- A.C.T. 'Falling'
- Rendezvous Point 'Solar Storm'
And what about the Australian Eurovision '23 stars Voyager with 'Element V' for instance?

[pdwilsen]

Great vid - both familiar and unfamiliar artists here, so it's great to have new things to check out! Having dived deep into Japanese rock the last few years, it's also nice to see some love for the amazing Sokoninaru whose latest EP, 啓蒙して、尋常に, might even be easier to digest for newcomers. I'd also recommend Voyager from Australia whose mix of 80s synth-pop and modern djent-prog is highly enjoyable, particularly their "Ghost Mile" album.

[SuperBlazeomatic]

So many great ones you could throw into this category. Off the top of my head I would add Above The Earth, Chaos Divine (particularly their 2015 album Colliding Skies), Disperse, Sky Harbor, To-Mera (Richard Henshall's old band), Vola, Aeon Zen, Anubis Gate, etc etc good lord i could go on for days lol.

[netyzen]

I wish 3 ( Three) All that remains should be in list

[analogpark]

Great list! Looking forward to checking out the ones i don't know. And i think you're totally right about metal being a gradually acquired taste. I'm surprised you didn't include any Ayreon albums, though. Nerdy as that whole concept is, it is super accessible prog music. Also, I think what turns a lot of ppl off about metal is a (sometimes fairly) perceived lack of vocal melody, which is much less the case with the European vocalists on those albums (including a couple who appear here). Electric Castle, Human Equation, 0101--all very listenable for the prog layperson.

[cleanandsoberstoner]

Excellent work, dude. Sorry I didn't catch this before. Instant sub!

[derekd.]

Rishloo: feathergun. You won’t be disappointed

[MontagTheMagician]

Should be called prog metal for people who hate prog metal. It's mostly just pop rock with more beats pm and percussion. Change the production on these and Ed SHeeran could record most of these songs. It's just like pop country that are really just pop songs with a southern twang and fiddle.

[CloudMountainJuror]

Great and handy list! Strong agree on Seventh Wonder as well. Tommy's voice is a gateway itself. (Sucks that he's no longer in the band, but I think the band can still work given a talented replacement.)

[Kraze]

I think it’s worth noting that “ReTraced” the remixed version of “Traced In Air” took out the harsh vocals.

[ArrowtheACL]

Your guide to Prog Metal videos are the best videos on YT. I have learned a lot of great bands from it I would have never heard. I know most of these. Some I like and some I dislike, but they all have something people can sink their teeth into for a gateway into heavier prog. Agreed on The Mountain. I would add The Dear Hunter on the list.

[siloagrain]

Van den plas is the only group i could hear during ours and hours, without boring . Absolutly good on live

[srenette]

Great video again!
Although I have to disagree with these choices. Getting people into metal too often gets boiled down to "harsh vocals", but I think it has equally as much to do with the incredible density, fast pace, and "chaotic" sounding wall of sound, which takes getting used to for it to not just sound as noise. Lots of albums on your list here (especially the first three) are very dense floods of sounds that are just too busy and overwhelming for anyone not used to it, regardless of whether they have clean vocals or not. In that sense, I agree a lot more with a band like Katatonia being on this list, even if their darkness might be off putting. I'd add Soen, and eventually Tool as great gateway bands. And, of course, Opeth has brought more people into metal between 2000-2010 than any other band. The key here, I think, is the melodic aspect, the moments of rest, that allow people to take the more overwhelming aspects of metal to seep in in lower doses.

[ashutoshgoit]

Traced in Air and The Mountain are my go to recommendations for people starting out with Progressive Metal.

That said, do you listen to Pain of Salvation, mate? If you do, you really should make a video on them - considering the lack of traffic the band gets on Youtube.

[woeku]

did not expect to see Sokoninaru. LOVE that band