Avatar of Justice Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I'm looking for long epic works of rock (probably progressive) that tell a story. So far I'm aware of Rush - 2112 Rush - Hemispheres Symphony X - The Divine Wings of Tragedy The Protomen Anyone know of some good ones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitsuta Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Is Avantasia considered rock? It's more along the lines of metal... Also look into Blind Guardian's "Nightfall in Middle Earth". You should be able to guess what it's about from the title. EDIT: If I recall, Blind Guardian is quite similar to Symphony X. And Avantasia is pretty similar to BG. So you should like both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Majin GeoDooD Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I know little about Queensryche, but they have their Operation: Mindcrime and Operation: Mindcrime II. The first is supposed to be better from what I've read. Wikipedia says: Operation: Mindcrime is Queensrÿche's third full-length album, which was released on May 3, 1988. It is a concept album about a man becoming disillusioned with American society, and joining in a conspiratorial plot to assassinate its corrupt leaders, with spoken dialogue between songs that advances the story and ties the songs together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 This may not fit, but truly epic: Nightwish- Ghost Love Score Nightwish- Creek Mary's Blood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Starre Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Dream Theater - Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From a Memory (Part 1 can be found as a 10 minute track on their album "Images & Words") Spock's Beard - Snow Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (this is a headache to figure out, but has to be mentioned when you talk about concept albums) Trans-Siberian Orchestra, while primarily doing Christmas stuff, always does concept albums with storylines. They have 3 Christmas albums: Christmas Eve & Other Stories The Christmas Attic The Lost Christmas Eve Also 1 non-Christmas disc, called "Beethoven's Last Night." A bit melodramatic at times, but good stuff nonetheless. Probably more to come, but this was off the top of my head. Ayreon - The Human Equation - Prog album about a guy that gets into a car wreck. Different singers portray different characters while he's in a coma and the story comes out. Good music all around- features the singers from Dream Theater, Opeth, Saviour Machine (obscure band specializing in epic stuff), among others. Alice Cooper - The Last Temptation I don't know that I'd call it epic, but it is rock and does have a storyline. Oh, and also (done after this one...): Opeth - Ghost Reveries Apparently a concept album, though I haven't looked into the story of it yet. Only got it recently. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV, Vol I Also a recent purchase. Hope this doesn't get me branded as OMGEMOFGT. I do enjoy the album so far, though. Oddly enough, a lot of their lead guitar lines remind me of the Minibosses- I think it's something in the production. They draw comparisons to Rush particularly for the guys voice. Don't know what the hell the story is about, but there certainly seems to be one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Blind Guardian's "Nightfall in Middle Earth". You should be able to guess what it's about from the title. Nightwish- Ghost Love ScoreNightwish- Creek Mary's Blood Also, Iron Maiden - The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner (on the 'Powerslave' album - it may be fairly tough to get into on first listen, so I'd advise following along with the lyrics) Iron Maiden - The Clansman Helloween - Keeper Of The Seven Keys (on the 'Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part II' album, same deal with the Iron Maiden song) Ayreon - The Universal Migrator (album - just amazing) Ayreon - The Human Equation (album - a metal opera!) Angra - Temple of Shadows (album - this is a must-have album) Manowar - Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy In Eight Parts (from the 'Triumph of Steel' album) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Starre Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Ayreon - The Universal Migrator (album - just amazing) Is that the one that starts with some business about resurrecting backwards in time or something? "No one has ever ___ this far before..."? I only own Human Equation, and while I liked what I heard on Migrator musically the lyrics were tough to get by sometimes. Then again, Human Equation has that "Motion personified alpha" line so I guess one just makes peace with it, eh? EDIT: Want to emphasize in my previous post- the Dream Theater album is my own "must own" of that list- I think they're all worth the price of admission, but that is arguably the best album of their career, and I feel describing it as a masterpiece isn't an overstatement. There's a live DVD of the entire album available that is also worthwhile- if for nothing else than to see that they really can pull it off live (though Live at Budokan is a much better DVD production). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I like this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yangfeili Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Galneryus - The Flag of Punishment They ought to contribute to a Castlevania soundtrack some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Starre Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I like this thread. Me too, but I'm beginning to think that my wallet doesn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Xyco Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Pretty much anything by Blind Guardian. I'd also like to add that their new album is amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Is that the one that starts with some business about resurrecting backwards in time or something? "No one has ever ___ this far before..."?I only own Human Equation, and while I liked what I heard on Migrator musically the lyrics were tough to get by sometimes. Then again, Human Equation has that "Motion personified alpha" line so I guess one just makes peace with it, eh? EDIT: Want to emphasize in my previous post- the Dream Theater album is my own "must own" of that list- I think they're all worth the price of admission, but that is arguably the best album of their career, and I feel describing it as a masterpiece isn't an overstatement. There's a live DVD of the entire album available that is also worthwhile- if for nothing else than to see that they really can pull it off live (though Live at Budokan is a much better DVD production). I own all of the Ayreon albums - I'm a big Ayreon fan, and have friends who're even crazier about them than me. The split seems to be between those two albums though - personally I'm one that leans towards the Universal Migrator, since it captures more of that epic sound that I love. As for Dream Theater, I feel there're other better Dream Theater albums, especially Images & Words. Also, their new live DVD/CD "Score XX" is a great supplement. This thread is more about epic though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RamRod Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Television - Marquee Moon Van Halen - Van Halen Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here I kinda took from three different books there, but the Lamb Dies Down On Broadway by Genesis mentioned above is always a great selection and quite possibly the best one so far in this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OceansAndrew Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Symphony X - The Odyssey Opeth - Blackwater Park Any Rhapsody albums if you can stand the cheese Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cecilff2 Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 The Rick Wakeman "Journey to the Center of the Earth" album has about a 40 minute long story. Two songs in the entire thing. Parts of it are rock some are more orchestrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PriZm Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Symphony X - The Odyssey, as already mentioned Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons Dream Theater - Octavarium Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence Dream Theater - finally Free (part of Metropolis part II) Dream Theater - Learning to Live Evanescence - Your Star Christina Aguilera - The Right Man Andromeda - II=I Andromeda - Extension of the Wish Shadow Gallery - First Light Shadow Gallery - Cliffhanger Liquid Tension Experiment - When the Water Breaks Genesis - Selling England by the Pound Pink Floyd - Shine on your Crazy Diamond Steve Vai - Melissa's Garden Porcupine Tree - Arriving Somewhere but not Here and... well, as far as concept album are concerned Symphony X The Mythology Suite really did it for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parasoul Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 As far as albums go: Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory Ayreon - The Human Equation (my favorite album ever) Ayreon - Into the Electric Castle Ayreon - Universal Migrator Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime (only part 1, part 2 is worthless) Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle Earth Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve and Other Stories Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Beethoven's Last Night Not yet mentioned: Shadow Gallery - Tyranny/Room V...put together, it's a fantastic 2.5 hour prog metal story. Aina - Metal Opera (it's, like, a metal opera) Emperor - Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire and Demise (if you like black metal) Lots of good songs mentioned already, but also: Iced Earth - Gettysburg: The Devil to Pay, Hold at All Costs, & High Water Mark (classic/power metal, 3 parts, 30 minutes total, you will probably learn more about Gettysburg in this song than you did in history class) Nile - In Their Darkened Shrines (death metal, 4 parts) It's funny how about 7 of my favorite 10 albums are concept albums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiremanJoe Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I like this thread. Me too, but I'm beginning to think that my internet connection doesn't. Good thread. The Ayreon and other power metal albums are seconded. Also try out some Opeth; not everyone's into growling, but if you're ok with that, there are some epic songs in their catalogue. (Being a vgm site, how about some of the Dwelling of Duels entries? there are some damn epic Metroid guitar mixes there =D) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamburglar Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Man, everyone's beaten me at mentioning Dream Theater, but I'll just mention it again to emphasize how much they kick ass. Another good song is Glory of the Empire by the band Circus Maximus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunflare Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 More epic metal: Helloween - The Dark Ride Axel Rudy Pell - every single album Edguy - The Piper Never dies (on the Hellfire club album) Edguy - The Pharaoh (on the Mandrake album) Bruce Dickinson - Tears of a dragon Deep Purple - Child in time (can't go wrong with this one) Iron Maiden - Pashendale Gamma Ray - Rebellion in Dreamland Hammerfall - Glory to the brave Therion - To mega therion Therion - Ginnungagap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemophiliac Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Prophet of the Last Eclipse (album) by Luca Turrilli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitsuta Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 This thread rocks. *gets shot* More seriously though, I'm gonna need to check out some of these guys. I can't have only three(okay, four if you count Nightwish but so far I only like two of their songs) power/melodic/speed/whatever the fuck they call themselves metal bands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ifirit Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 If anyone hasn't checked out Avenged Sevenfold's last album City of Evil, I highly recommend it. Although, there is no definitive storyline to follow, the entire album as a whole unfolds like an epic. Subsequently, I learned about it by reading Akira Yamaoka's blog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Starre Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 You want to hear something awesome? Look up Babylon Mystery Orchestra. By way or warning, it's probably my least favorite in my nearly 1000 discs, just to emphasize how much I do not like it. I own it through only the blackest, most foul deed of trickery and deceit, but regardless, I am glad I do, in a terrible way. To be fair, it's really just the guys voice that makes it stand out. When I hear him, all I can think of is that "goth" sketch from SNL with the kid in his garage getting beat up by his jock brother. Seriously. If anyone hasn't checked out Avenged Sevenfold's last album City of Evil, I highly recommend it. Although, there is no definitive storyline to follow, the entire album as a whole unfolds like an epic. Subsequently, I learned about it by reading Akira Yamaoka's blog. Yeah, I like these guys. They aren't the best songwriters ever- that is, while they play very well and write good parts, sometimes I feel like the songs aren't the most distinctive and can tend to run together (but that's not really a problem when you're looking for something "epic" is it?). But, it's fun and very nice to hear good technical work in popular rock again. Couple others to point out: Echolyn - Mei The whole disc is one song, doesn't get much more epic than that. It's quite a listen, and while these guys seem to be little known, I really like what I've heard. Neal Morse - Testimony a note on this one, it's the primary songwriter/singer from Spock's Beard, who has gone solo since converting to Christianity and this album is about his conversion. If that subject matter would get to you, you won't enjoy the album- but, it really is a good album on its own merits. The same kind of prog/pop Spock's Beard put out, essentially. Also, Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater handled the drum duties so can't go wrong there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagda Mor Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 If power metal counts, then Kamelot's last two albums have been telling a faustian-esque story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.