Math Metal , Math Rock , Prog Metal : Search & Destroy/Classic Or Dud?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT8mSZBJzJA

Confessor rules hope that's ok with you

In fact I kinda wonder if Meshuggah were fans of Condemned, the guitars-as-percussives, proggy weird time signature thing wasn't exactly common at the time.

My wife has started listening to music again. After being in a long phase of "just whatever's on the radio", she has emerged as a fan of the more progressive and melodic strains of metal. Mostly a lot of progressive metalcore - stuff like Northlane and Erra.

Today she asked me to find something similar to Ne Obliviscaris, so I guess progressive metal with a violin or other strings. Any thoughts?

Also, she's interested in newer metal and can always suss out when I try to slip her some album I thought was cool for a month 15 years ago or something.

I know I've pushed them in a couple places, but maybe the last Caligula's Horse album? Very melodic, melancholic prog metal with some djenty bits.

Totally different from most of these bands but I can't quite fit them on the Power Metal thread: Fate's Warning. Been listening to Awaken The Guardian and I like some songs a lot so far. I'm not sure it goes especially far in any direction, mostly sounds like 80s metal to me before I can think of a subgenre. There was a brilliant prog list on youtube years ago that featured their album No Exit, so maybe that is their prog highlight?

"Guardian" is an absolutely stunning song, the rest I'm still chewing on but that song is a justified classic.

Love the shonky cover art of their first album.
https://www.discogs.com/Fates-Warning-Night-On-Br%C3%B6cken/master/150629

"Karen's been asleep forever I know she hears me
She has so much to say, the machine sparks
Her eggshell mind a tear streams from her face
Into my hand, to my heart"

It's a fun album. Anyone got Fate's Warning experiences?

Mike Portnoy in the sleeve notes regards them as the first true prog metal band.

Really enjoying Watchtower's Control And Resistance. Feels more substantially prog than a lot of bands tagged as prog metal. Crazy vocals are great.

A shame they didn't do more stuff. Anyone like the reunion stuff? Are there any related bands worth checking out? One of them is called Retarded Elf.

Confessor seems promising but I don't think there's an original member connection there

Confessor are GREAT.

Seems like Watchtower vocalist Alan Tecchio has been in the most bands of all the members

I might have a look at his other bands someday, I really like him and the way he says "reason" as "REASAHAAAWWWN". Sleeve notes say he was tiring of the super high vocals so maybe he sings very differently in other bands.

My common complaint about prog metal and modern prog in general is that they don't bring much prog but Watchtower really deserve the label

Tecchio is back with Watchtower, wonder what his voice sounds like now?