There are tons of melodic metal bands out there. Have you heard Iron Maiden, surely? Almost all progressive metal bands use a lot of melody and then there is a subgenre called melodic metal, which is sort of almost the AOR of metal. Plenty of bands there. If you need introducing let me know; melody is definitely my thing too. I can't listen to music that has no melody.

Yep, I would be thankful.

I used to have strong opinions against heavy metal,as well as prog and I don't know even why. Maybe it was some kind of pretentiousness, I dunno.

But after all, the only one you're causing harm when you are doing that, is yourself. There's no use to put down a whole genre without even listening to it.
That just means that I'm probably unable to get deeply into those bands (like I got into the Beatles), there's too much good music out there, so I simply have no time to do that. Whether that is good thing or not,I don't know, but usually I prefer that rather so something about everything than everything about something so I guess there's no problems.

But yes,I would like to get some heave metal recommendations,as well as prog rock ones. I'm an amateur I know, but ain't it a good thing since it means there's more pleasures that are unknown for me?

Though I'm an amateur too, I'd like to second Trollheart's recommendation of Iron Maiden, that's a great band. Also check out Helloween's Keeper of the Seven Keys, part I and II. Those albums blew me away.

But surely Taxman already knows some of Iron Maiden's material:confused:

Okay, I'll start with Iron Maiden then. Which particular album would you recommend? I don't like greatest hits collections that much, though.

Ok you don't know them. I'd go with the following three to get started The Number of the Beast, Piece of Mind and Powerslave to get started and then follow them up with Somewhere in Time and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. This is the cream of the Bruce Dickinson era.

The reason I do not is that I spent many years thinking that all the heavy music sucks...but I dunno anymore. Different music serves different situations.

I have been pretty conservative and I have had some very strong opinions without any reason to have them so outside pop rock and basic rock n roll most of music is completely new for me. It was the Ramones which finally opened my eyes. After discovering punk is a genre with something to offer, same happened with prog and now it is heavy metals turn, I think. Also being relatively young and growing up with my dad collection that included only fifties acts and that stuff, then discovering sixties and spending many years with only sixties music. It was only one and half year ago or so when I decided there have to be good music made after the sixties too. Silly me.
Of course I know Iron Maiden. And some of their hits. But I have never listened to them with a open mind because reasons listed above.

I'm not in any way an expert on the topic, but I think Powerslave is really good and that you should hear it as soon as possible.

I'll check it tonight when I get home. I'll send my first reactions.

I'm halfway through that Powerslave album. Surely it is melodic, and surely it is good. It is a bit samey sounding and undiverse, though, but good anyway. I expect it to kick more ass, but now I'm sure, nothing kicks more ass than Ramones' debut, so there.

Anyway it is good. I'll surely check their other albums out, too.