Top Ten Most Underrated Progressive Rock/Metal Bands

IronSabbathPriest

The Top Ten

1 Gentle Giant

Gentle Giant were a British progressive rock band active between 1970 and 1980. The band was known for the complexity and sophistication of its music and for the varied musical skills of its members.

Opeth and Yes (while both amazing bands) are far from underrated. Gentle Giant is one of the best, albeit unknown prog bands. - Brobusky

Believe it or not, I heard of Gentle Giant before. You can say that PROG in General is underrated. - Pony

Very awesome and unknown, they deserve way more attention. - IronSabbathPriest

The finest of the genre. Unique, innovative. Try Octopus for a true feel for their style. Three Friends works too.

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2 Porcupine Tree

Porcupine Tree were an English rock band formed by musician Steven Wilson in 1987. The band began essentially as a solo project for Wilson, who created all of the band's music.

I know Porcupine Tree are highly regarded within Prog circles, but to the average music listener, Porcupine Tree is just another weird obscurity. What a pity, because I honestly feel that they can hold their own against ANY classic band, prog or otherwise. Steven Wilson is Britain's finest songwriter; capable of writing music that is accessible yet extremely intricate and complex (no small feat! ). His growing success will I hope lead to mainstream media recognition.

I couldn't agree more, definitely had to be porcupine tree. These guys leave more talent sitting around in a dirty sock than all the rest of today's music put together. - Beatlesboy9

Musically and lyrically, PT are amazing. Steven Wilson is a genius, and one of the best songwriters in prog. Along with Mikael Akerfeldt. - IronSabbathPriest

(I keep on voting for the wrong thing it's so annoying. I actually voted for Ne Obliviscaris)

I really like Porcupine Tree's work, but still, I don't think their really underrated. - Metalfan2112

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3 Ne Obliviscaris

Ne Obliviscaris (Latin for "forget not") are an extreme progressive metal band from Melbourne, Australia, formed in 2003.

If you hear the songs by Ne OBliviscaris, you will regret why you never heard them before. The violin solos are so beautiful and moving, that it transports you to some another dimension. Try 'Forget Not'. Hell, listen to every album they've ever recorded and you will never hear music so beautiful. Totally underrated band.

I like them very much. I would say they are more unnoticed than underrated because they are a new band. They just need more attention. - Metal_Treasure

Really great band, I don't get why they're so underrated. So interesting, with such a diverse sound.

4 Disillusion

I've discovered this band recently, and it is some of the best prog metal I've ever heard! Listen to Back To The Times of Splendor (album). - IronSabbathPriest

If you listen the sleep of restless hours youll never stop listening to it. underrated band I wish people knew about it. the person who made this list got good taste in music.

5 The Alan Parsons Project

The Alan Parsons Project were a British progressive rock band, active between 1975 and 1990, consisting of Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson surrounded by a varying number of session musicians and some relatively consistent band members such as guitarist Ian Bairnson, bassist and vocalist David Paton, ...read more.

Best band ever!

Whom ever put this band as underrated unlike the top few,
I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You!

6 Van Der Graaf Generator

The level of complexity and meaningless in their music is unmatchable. A truly underrated band.

Just a great band.

Pawn. Hearts. enough said

7 Opeth Opeth

Opeth is a Swedish progressive death metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990 by David Isberg, who invited Mikael Akerfeldt into the band as a bassist. Isberg ended up leaving the band, which lead to Mikael becoming the band's vocalist, guitarist, principal songwriter, and driving force. Along with ...read more.

One of my all time favourite bands. They are able to mix death metal vocals with prog metal music so well. - IronSabbathPriest

They are actually really popular.

8 Fates Warning

Fates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman in Hartford, Connecticut.

Awesome band, have a lot of great stuff. - IronSabbathPriest

Everyone knows this group for '' Awaken The Guardian '', but all their albums are excellent!

9 King Crimson

King Crimson is a British progressive rock band that was formed in 1969. While the band had numerous band member changes, the head of the band has always been Robert Fripp (Guitar). ...read more.

They may be underrated in the world of normal music, but in the world of Progressive rock they are not - Rushfan2112

In The Court of The Crimson King is often considered the first progressive rock album. This is a band that is willing to experiment, and almost aways succeeds. - IronSabbathPriest

10 Jethro Tull

Jethro Tull were a British rock group, formed in Luton, Bedfordshire, in December 1967. Initially playing blues rock, the band soon developed its sound to incorporate elements of British folk music and hard rock to forge a progressive rock signature.

Whoever added this is thick as a brick, they're not underrated. I guess. I now look at how stupid I was when I made this list. - IronSabbathPriest

The Contenders

11 Ambrosia

Their self title may be one of the single best prog albums I've ever heard, highly recommended!

12 Supertramp

13 Yes Yes

Yes are an English rock band formed in 1968 by bassist Chris Squire and singer Jon Anderson. They first achieved success in the 1970s with a progressive, art and symphonic style of rock music.

They helped create progressive rock. - IronSabbathPriest

14 Riverside

Riverside is a progressive rock/metal band from Warsaw, Poland. It was founded in 2001 by friends Mariusz Duda, Piotr Grudziński, Piotr Kozieradzki and Jacek Melnicki, who shared a love for progressive rock and heavy metal.

Yep, a very good band. - Metal_Treasure

Love this band.
Under the Pillow, the Depth of Self Delusion, Second Life Syndrome, #Addicted, We Got Used to Us. - IronSabbathPriest

15 Earthside

16 Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Emerson, Lake & Palmer were an English progressive rock supergroup formed in London in 1970. The band consisted of keyboardist Keith Emerson, singer, bassist, and producer Greg Lake, and drummer and percussionist Carl Palmer.

A progressive rock supergroup. Very good. - IronSabbathPriest

17 Hawkwind

Lemmy was in this band? So what? The band started with Lemmy as member. Before Hawkwind he was in Sam Gopal and his first group was the Rocking vickers.

Can't you believe that Lemmy was in this band? - Pony

18 Camel Camel

Camel deserves to be higher. They released such classics like Mirage and Moonmadness, 2 of the highest-rated progressive rock albums ever.

19 Pain of Salvation

Pain of Salvation is a Swedish progressive rock band led by Daniel Gildenlöw, who is the band's main songwriter, lyricist, guitarist, and vocalist.

Next to Porcupine Tree, their the best Prog Rock/Metal band to arise from the early 2000s although both were recording music way before then. - cjWriter1997

The two best songs are Undertow and Iter Impius. - IronSabbathPriest

20 Anubis Gate

Anubis Gate is a progressive metal band from Denmark. Despite having formed Anubis Gate only in 2003, the members have regularly worked together since 1984. They have released six studio albums and two singles/EP's.

21 Savatage

Savatage is an American heavy metal band founded by the brothers Jon and Criss Oliva in 1978 at Astro Skate in Tarpon Springs, Florida.

22 Moody Blues

The Moody Blues are an English rock band. They first came to prominence playing rhythm and blues music, but their second album, Days of Future Passed, which was released in 1967, was a fusion of rock with classical music and established them as pioneers in the development of art rock and progressive ...read more.

In search of the lost chord

23 Deligma

24 Pagan's Mind

25 Orphaned Land

26 Procol Harum

Procol Harum are an English rock band formed in 1967. They contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock.

27 Threshold

One of the best sounding, technically perfect bands I know. Also great live.

28 Mastodon

Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in early 2000 and composed of bassist Troy Sanders, guitarists Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher and drummer Brann Dailor.

Some amazing songs and albums. - IronSabbathPriest

Actually Mastodon are overrated.

29 Genesis Genesis

Genesis are an English rock band formed at Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey in 1967. The most commercially successful and long-lasting line-up includes keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist/guitarist Mike Rutherford and drummer/singer Phil Collins.

Sure, Genesis may not be very underrated in terms of progressive rock and its fans, but in general, not enough people know about this band. Even it's 80's music (which is FANTASTIC by the way, give it a chance even though it's not as long and complex as the 70's stuff) doesn't have enough followers, even though it may seem like it compared to the more progressive music of early Genesis. Fans of the 80's music should know more about the 70's music with Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett, and ALL of Genesis's music should be more appreciated! Progressive rock fans may commonly mention Genesis, but for a band this good, not nearly enough people know about and listen to their music.

Genesis is hardly underrated, if at all.
That being said,The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is definitely worth checking out if you haven't already.

30 Obscura Obscura

Obscura is a German technical death metal band from Landshut, Germany, founded in 2002. The band became prominent when members of Necrophagist and Pestilence joined Steffen Kummerer to release the critically acclaimed second full-length album, Cosmogenesis. The band was named after the Gorguts album ...read more.

Currently one of my most favorite metal bands. But they are much heavier than the ordinary prog metal. - Metal_Treasure

31 Marillion

Marillion are a British rock band, formed in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England, in 1979. They emerged from the post-punk music scene in Britain and existed as a bridge between the styles of punk rock and classic progressive rock, becoming the most commercially successful neo-progressive rock band ...read more.

Unfortunately for Marillion being a progressive rock band in the 80's wasn't the same as the first mid 70's, with all the glam rock and punk movement, progressive rock was considered pretentious and didn't share the same light as other simple structured bands. But for us who know Marillion, regardless of Fish or Hogarth, are very fortunate.

32 Artcell Artcell

Artcell is a Bangladeshi progressive metal band formed in October 1999. According to The Daily Star, a leading English national daily, Artcell is "one of the leading bands of the country".

Artcell isn't really underrated. They aren't famous because of the different region. - zxm

33 To-Mera

34 Haken

35 Coroner Coroner

Coroner is a Swiss thrash metal band from Zürich, formed in the early 80s. They have been called "the Rush of thrash metal" for their increasingly complex style of progressive rock-infused thrash. They garnered relatively little attention outside Europe .

36 Devin Townsend

Devin Garret Townsend is a Canadian musician, songwriter and record producer. He was the founder, songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist in extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad from 1994 to 2007 and has an extensive career as a solo artist.

37 Tool Tool

Tool is an American progressive metal/alternative metal band, that was formed in 1990. ...read more.

38 Ayreon Ayreon

39 OSI

40 Coheed and Cambria

Coheed and Cambria is an American progressive rock band from Nyack, New York, formed in 1995. The band consists of Claudio Sanchez, Travis Stever, Josh Eppard, and Zach Cooper.

Listen to “The Willing Well II: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness” and tell me they aren’t prodigious in their own right.

41 Gojira Gojira

Gojira is a progressive metal band from Bayonne, France. The band was known as Godzilla until 2001. Gojira is composed of Joe Duplantier on vocals and rhythm guitar, his brother Mario Duplantier on drums, Christian Andreu on lead guitar, and Jean-Michel Labadie on bass.

Not anymore, Magma doubled their recognition. - IronSabbathPriest

42 Vanden Plas

43 Seventh Wonder

Seventh Wonder is a progressive metal band from Stockholm, Sweden formed in 2000. They are currently working on their 5th studio album, which is planned for a 2017 release.

44 Between the Buried and Me

Between the Buried and Me is an American progressive metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina. Formed in 2000, the band consists of Tommy Giles Rogers, Jr.

45 Rishloo

46 Magma

47 Eloy

A great German prog band, one of the most underrated, too. They should definitely be in the top ten but gentle giant should be number 1. I don't think porcupine tree is underrated at all, and if anything, overrated as a prog group

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48 Anathema

49 The Pineapple Thief

50 Strapping Young Lad

Strapping Young Lad was a Canadian extreme metal band formed by Devin Townsend in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1994. The band started as a one-man studio project; Townsend played most of the instruments on the 1995 debut album, Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing.

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