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BY WILLIAM RESTREPO | |
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 HISTORY OF PROGRESSIVE METAL | ||
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 Progressive
Metal blends the attack, volume, and aggression of metal with the
grandiose, pseudo-classical ambitions of prog-rock. Of course,
certain bands emphasize one influence over the other — Dream
Theater, for instance, leaned toward prog more than some of
their peers — but they all shared this one basic ambition.
Progressive metal first surfaced in the late '80s, led by such bands
as the Pink Floydian Queensryche. At the time,
prog-metal was fairly underground (although such Metallica
albums as And Justice for All were as dense and
layered as prog albums), and it remained that way throughout the
'90s. However, it was popular enough to produce a handful of
crossover hits, most notably Queensryche's "Silent
Lucidity." But even though it never became a huge
seller in the '90s, progressive metal always had a dedicated
following, and bands like Queensryche and Dream Theater stayed on
major labels throughout the decade. By the end of the '90s, however,
it was firmly the province of hardcore fans. |
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