my kinda thread

corner stone of 90's progressive rock, without a single possible doubt:

Marillion - Brave

it simply can't be topped in depth of the story (it's not just about the girl y'know), the musical performance, the emotion. this is how it's done people.

Dream Theater - Scenes From a Memory is ofcourse a modern progressive-metal masterpiece. second to (pretty much) none in musicianship. story is intriguing (sp?) enough and rather well told.

Arena - The Visitor. nuff said for those who know. for the other: get it!

Camel - Nude. more for the music than the story, but the music is up there!

and I second everything david mentioned. those are all classics.

Hi,Everybody
Thanks all for the answers...you know, my first thread, I'm so excited (blush)......blah, blah, blah... no, realy I mean it.......
Now, O.K. people - I understand *10 Best* might be too much pressure on the upper balcony... O.K...*9*... *8*... *7*... *6*... O.K - Give me *5 Best* - 5 Best "concept" albums and/or 5 Best "greatest albums" of Prog.rock/metal ... You Know what? - It doesn't necesarilly has to be *THE* Best - let's say *AMONG* the best will be fine... ...something like this:-

"CONCEPT" ALBUMS

jethro tull-thick as a brick-you have to watch the story/lyrics!!!
jethro tull-the passion play
the who-tommy(that's history...)
blind guardian-a night at the opera
symphony_x-the divine wings of tragedy
rick wakeman-the six wives of henry the 8-th
emerson lake and palmer-pictures at an exhibition(based on musorsgsky-there are people who hate it...)
genesis-selling england by the pound(concept?)


"CONCEPT" ALBUMS - already mentioned

genesis-the lamb lies down on broadway(yes,yes,yes AMcT-you're deffinitely NOT a prog.dropout )
yes-tales from topographic oceans(AMcT-Dropin )
pink floyd-the wall(AMcT-still here? )
therion-the secret of the runes(yes,DA - I think I like it best of all therions-the story doubles the pleasure...)
opeth-blackwater park(KR-where is COF?)
queensryche-operation mindcrime( their best-did you hear "live evolution?-a live "best-of" show...)
dream theater-metropolisII(clasical clasic clasicismus)




"GREAT" ALBUMS (not "concept")

emerson lake and palmer-emerson lake and palmer
king crimson-in the court of the crimson king
tool-lateralus,undertow,aenima
jethro tull-aqualung
yes-close to the edge,fragile
dream theater-immages and words(includes metropolis_I),awake
my dying bride-turn loose the swans,angel and the dark river,the dreadfull hours
the gathering-if_then_else
black sabbath-black sabbath,paranoid,master of reality


sorry I had no patience for capital letters, but even so it takes ages to primitives like me to type...

I see that Jethro Tull's Thick As A Brick, A Passion Play, Songs From the Wood and Aqualung are mentioned. But, you forgot to include Warchild, Heavy Horses and Stormwatch - all very concept oriented. Curiously enough, Ian Anderson, in an interview I heard, denied that ANY of his albums were concept albums. Which is, of course, utter crap. Perhaps he was fooling with the interviewer.

Also, don't forget Genesis' first album (From Genesis to Revelation). And Aphrodite's Child (featuring Vangelis) put out a album in 1970 called 666, a concept album about the Book of Revelation. Pretty interesting stuff.

King Crimson's In the Wake of Poseidon is also definitely a concept album, with a recurring musical theme and lyrics. A strong case could also be made for Yes' Relayer.

Pink Floyd has a number of concept albums: Wish You Were here (about Syd Barrett), Animals(about human nature), and the Final Cut (about war and its effects on one man, and mankind in general).

ALL of Alan Parson's albums are concept albums.

Lastly, you may disagree, but I strongly feel that the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever is very much a concept album.

Roger Waters' stuff after he ditched Pink Floyd is pretty good. Especially "Pros and Cons of Hitchiking". A great concept album about a guy having a nightmare.

John Acton;

Do you know the album Keats.
It is produced by Allan Parsons.

Real nice album.

Peter.

No, I haven't, which is odd, as I'm a huge Parsons fan (I even have Freudiana by Eric Woolfsons - had to order that one from Europe at high price).

Keats, you say? I'll have to look for that one.

Thanks, Peter!!!

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Oh yeah, They only had one concept album, and it is extremely well done and is base on Countess Elizabeth Bathory.

[size=small]Cradle of Filth - Cruelty of the Beast [/size]


Other extreme Metal concept albums :

Mayhem – Wolf’s Lair Abyss (part 1)
Mayhem – The Grand Declaration of War (parts 2 and 3)

Both German and Italy produced many great Prog groups during the early seventies which went largely overlooked in English speaking countries but fans of prog should seek out a number of these. Musicianship was incredible.

May I recommend

ALPHATAURUS- Heavy keyboard group their one album is a concept piece ala Tarkus.

Le Orme - Felona and Serona - This was available in English on the Manticore label. Again a Keyboard based band, this album is about the meeting of two planets. Excellent and highly accessable.

Dalton-RIFLESSIONI: IDEA D'INFINITO - for fans of Jethro Tull a must have album. Some great Flute playing.

Nektar - a great UK band that never broke big. But for fans of the Prog movement their "A Tab in the Ocean" is indispensable, a much better record than "Remember the Future"

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I cann't believe I'm reading this... Nektar-1972 - Journey to The Center of the Eye - their first album - "conceptual" album by the way, dealing with introspection into one's self... I didn't think somebody would remember them today - and what a good band they were...and of course the albums you mentioned - great works.

...and speaking about Italian groups - P.F.M(Standing for Premiata Forneria Marconi were also a great prog. rock group of the seventies - E.L.P. style, and signed to the Manticore label - their best albums 1972- Per un Amico, 1972-Storia di un Minuto,
1973- Photos of Ghosts are "fresh" today as they were 30 !!! years ago...

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The Italian Prog movement contained some the most techically accomplished players. However unlike many of the eastern european fans who would accept english speaking bands with open arms even if they couldn't understand the words. US and UK audiences missed some incredible music because of the unwillingness to enjoy the music but disregard the words.

Rush 2112
PF The Wall

I see Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Jethro Tull, Genesis, Tool and Opeth are already mentioned, along with most of the progressive metal concept albums I'm familiar with.

I don't know if it fits into this genre (progressive rock?), but dredg's El Cielo is a very solid concept album.

Everyone missed the elephants in the room:

Deloused in the Comatorium - Mars Volta
Frances the Mute - Mars Volta

Ayreon - The Human Equation
Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory
Queensrÿche - Operation Mindcrime
Avantasia - The Metal Opera, The Metal Opera Pt II

And more on the Metal side of the house:
Devin Townsend - Ziltoid
Between the Buried and Me - Colors
Edge of Sanity - Crimson