Best Prog album of 2012 so far?
 

Guys, we have an emergency! Doctor Anteater to the OR! STAT! This sub-forum is DYING! We need a fresh injection of interest, or this is going to fade into total obscurity, which would certainly not be fair. The last time anyone posted in a thread other than "Favourite 70s prog bands" was August 19! We have to perform some CPR on this forum!

So, how about your favourite prog album this year to date? There have certainly been a few, though in fairness not that much as normal mainstream. I'm off to look at my list and have a listen to a few, will return with a decision when I have one. Anyone else feels like naming theirs, or even starting another thread or post in some others here, feel free.

Don't let heavy metal die? Sod that, what about prog rock? Stand up and, er, speak very loudly! :D

There hasn't been a whole lot of releases this year for prog, but one that I have enjoyed time and time again is Theocracy's As The World Bleeds. Some of the best Christian Prog Metal I've heard in a long time.

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Well, at least we're being favoured with some fine new prog albums this year!

Pineapple Thief's "All the wars" is just out, as is the long-awaited "English electric (part one)" from Big Big Train. Add in Marillion's latest, "Sounds that can't be made", released only today, and that's a pretty impressive haul so far. Lots to listen to; and that's not even including Neal Morse's new one and the also long-awaited new Mystery album. More to come too, I shouldn't wonder. September could end up being prog month over here! :)

The best I've heard so far is a brand new Flower Kings. All that can be said is Roine Stolt does it again!

The album flows. Even their epic, Numbers, flows so well it doesn't FEEL like 25 or so minutes.



Albums called Banks of Eden. Really strong album throughout. Besides Numbers, I really like For Those About to Drown.

Neal Morse, Marillion, Beardfish, The Flower Kings, Rush... They all delivered pretty good albums.

Marillion, Rush, Beardfish, TFK... They all delivered good albums. Gonna be tough.

Forgot a few: Haken, Alias Eye, Gazpacho, It Bites, Mostly Autumn, RPWL. Also, does anyone know if Fish is planning a new one? Seems like years since "Thirteenth star". Oh wait: it is!

BTW @ Mrd00d, you'll be glad to know I have a Buckethead (not literally, of course) in my stack for listening/review. His new one, something about an electric sea, I think? I'll let you know what I think --- well, I'll probably let everyone know, by reviewing it...

2012 seems to be a particularly strong year for crossover prog rock methinks: It Bites, Big Big Train and Squackett have delivered some truly infectious records that supersede what you expect and all sound miraculous from a production standpoint too. :p:

Lot of good progressive metal has some out this year too, with particular nods to Suspyre's self-titled, Threshold's March Of Progress and Ne Obliviscaris's Portal Of I. Each sounds completely different, but they stand out vividly in a genre that most people will agree is a tad overcrowded and samey. :)

And on a final note, who can forget the psychedelic, swirling folkish side of the progressive rock spectrum....:afro:

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Yes, well done! Can't believe I forgot to mention Rush's new album!

Looking forward to it!

Aha! You are right! Both excellent albums, although I enjoyed Astra's The Weirding more... I am happy to have more from them as always.

Still need to get Storm Corrosion but I've heard most of not all of it.

Wo Fat - The Black Code
Sigh - In Somniphobia
Buckethead - The Shores of Molokai
Sula Bassana - Dark Days
Devin Townsend Project - Epicloud
Diablo Swing Orchestra - Pandora's Pinata

Well, they all have prog elements. They're all prog related.

Here are the Progressive Albums that I've picked up this year. Rush and The Mars Volta win for me.

Rush- Clockwork Angels
The Mars Volta- Noctorniquet
Storm Corrosion- Storm Corrosion
Ian Anderson- Thick As A Brick 2
Anathema- Weather Systems
Coheed and Cambria- The Afterman: Ascension
Godspeed You! Black Emperor- 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!

Coheed & Cambria - The Afterman: Ascension

i've been meaning to spin the new Astra and Angagard, too.

Retrospective - Lost In Perception

I have been away from prog for most of this year, so I've only listened to a couple of albums. Luckily one of them is pretty interesting, namely Storm Corrosion's s/t. The Rush album was a big disappointment to me, and the production certainly doesn't help.

Most of the feedback people have been giving that album has been pretty good, I thought it was fantastic as well. I'm curious as to what you mean by the production.

Probably Steven Wilson - Catalogue / Preserve / Amass for me, but I haven't listened to many.

Yeah, the majority seems to like it. By production I mean that I think it lacks dynamics (as in, it's bloody loud, though maybe mastering is to blame, not production) and it's also very dense, resulting in a lack of clarity. The lack of dynamic range is my main issue, though, production/mastering-wise. I know not too many people care much about such things, of course, why, you never see any music magazine mention this kind of stuff.

In comparison to their entire discog, I will admit that it's pretty bland. To me, it feels more like an AOR album and not a prog album.

Well, you like it anyhow, so it's not as if it matters what genre it belongs in. :)