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Rush: Heaviest Prog Band of the 70s?


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Priest and Sabbath both had progressive elements in their metal in the 70's. Rush has never been quote unquote Metal imo but fused their early hard rock style with increasingly more progressive elements. Crimson had some metallic elements as far back as Schizoid Man, but were more experimental and albums like Lizard had no hard rock at all. VDGG had some incredibly complex heavy music but they were never a heavy rock group. In a lot of ways they were heavier than Rush but don't get name checked...ever.
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It's a difficult call to make and certainly there is a fine line, in my mind at least, between Progressive Rock and Rock that is progressive. I believe it is a state of mind above anythIng else and is why some early Rush albums were consciously Prog Rock whilst some heavy rock bands were consciously progressive in their time signatures and instrumentation. When you look at it, an album like Hemispheres is consciously Prog Rock, it mirrors the format of bands like Genesis and Yes through Led Zep's more ambitious albums ( IV onwards). I think there is a definite difference between Judas Priest exploring their technique and chops,and later what Iron Maiden were doing in some of their long form tracks, and what Rush was doing CoS through Hemispheres. Even Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures are more steadfastly Prog than those Maiden and especially Queensryche albums where Prog and Metal seem to fuse and inform bands like Dream Theater. Then again an argument could be made that Dream Theater were as much influenced by Metallica than they were by Rush.

Confused? You will be...

 

This is the problem with putting labels on popular music.

 

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I won't disagree. I think they are probably the founders of what is now called progressive metal, but by the time that phrase started its employment Rush had moved on from doing that music.
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never saw rush as a metal band at all. they barely have a foot in hard rock for me, actually. although obviously they can slip into a little harder stuff occasionally.
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Budgie was heavier. Rush was pretty heavy too, but neither of them are really metal. Then again, there's so many sub genres of metal that they might fit into one. Edited by jamie
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rush ain't metal but the roots of "progressive metal" start there. of course, KC's red, some of zappa's stuff, etc is heavier than anything rush did but you hear more rush influence in metal today than with any other 70s prog group. unless you look at sabbath/priest/budgie as prog but I never thought long songs/chops equaled prog, even though priest and sabbath were definitely doing "progressive" things with their music in the 70s. when I say prog I generally mean what tony was talking about, i.e. copying the prog "formula" that genesis/yes/etc created
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There is nothing metal about Rush.

 

And were they ever heavy? Loud, yes, but heavy? No.

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Goblin was mainly known for their horror film soundtracks, but they rarely get a mention ... I wish they would have done more on their own

 

They were a heavy inspiration for the new Lacuna Coil album.

 

An I knew them from Dario Argento movies. Decent stuff!

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heavy is subjective but yes, rush have plenty of heavy moments from 74-80. the necromancer, by-tor, working man are only not heavy if you're comparing them to cannibal corpse or something
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heavy is subjective but yes, rush have plenty of heavy moments from 74-80. the necromancer, by-tor, working man are only not heavy if you're comparing them to cannibal corpse or something

 

I must admit, I forgot about those early tracks.

 

And please tell me you don't like Cannibal Corpse! (Although I must admit, when I was about 15 I used to get a morbid chuckle from looking at those covers!).

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Budgie was heavier. Rush was pretty heavy too, but neither of them are really metal. Then again, there's so many sub genres of metal that they might fit into one.

 

Budgie and Rush ARE heavy metal. There's bands now that are so heavy that they make earlier bands seem tame. people forgot what heavy metal is..

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heavy is subjective but yes, rush have plenty of heavy moments from 74-80. the necromancer, by-tor, working man are only not heavy if you're comparing them to cannibal corpse or something

 

I must admit, I forgot about those early tracks.

 

And please tell me you don't like Cannibal Corpse! (Although I must admit, when I was about 15 I used to get a morbid chuckle from looking at those covers!).

 

their first 4 albums are a lot of fun. I like almost all death metal from the early 90s, but I'd take about 900 other death metal bands over CC.

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Budgie was heavier. Rush was pretty heavy too, but neither of them are really metal. Then again, there's so many sub genres of metal that they might fit into one.

 

Budgie and Rush ARE heavy metal. There's bands now that are so heavy that they make earlier bands seem tame. people forgot what heavy metal is..

 

I've talked to an old guy who tried to tell me foghat were heavy metal.

 

it seems like the 70s definition of heavy metal is too loose - you talk to a 50 year old and he'll tell you that anything louder than the bee gees is metal! and then some of the youngsters of today won't call it metal if it's softer than slayer. it gets weird and confusing

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heavy is subjective but yes, rush have plenty of heavy moments from 74-80. the necromancer, by-tor, working man are only not heavy if you're comparing them to cannibal corpse or something

 

I must admit, I forgot about those early tracks.

 

And please tell me you don't like Cannibal Corpse! (Although I must admit, when I was about 15 I used to get a morbid chuckle from looking at those covers!).

 

their first 4 albums are a lot of fun. I like almost all death metal from the early 90s, but I'd take about 900 other death metal bands over CC.

 

I like early In Flames, Opeth, some Carcass and thats about it.

 

I always love the guitarwork of these bands!

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heavy is subjective but yes, rush have plenty of heavy moments from 74-80. the necromancer, by-tor, working man are only not heavy if you're comparing them to cannibal corpse or something

 

I must admit, I forgot about those early tracks.

 

And please tell me you don't like Cannibal Corpse! (Although I must admit, when I was about 15 I used to get a morbid chuckle from looking at those covers!).

 

their first 4 albums are a lot of fun. I like almost all death metal from the early 90s, but I'd take about 900 other death metal bands over CC.

 

I like early In Flames, Opeth, some Carcass and thats about it.

 

I always love the guitarwork of these bands!

 

you might like dark tranquility's the gallery, it's got the same singer as the first in flames album if I remember correctly.

 

have you tried death, cynic, atheist? those are "smart" DM bands, cynic's focus and atheist's elements are probably closer to jazz albums than death metal

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Budgie was heavier. Rush was pretty heavy too, but neither of them are really metal. Then again, there's so many sub genres of metal that they might fit into one.

 

Budgie and Rush ARE heavy metal. There's bands now that are so heavy that they make earlier bands seem tame. people forgot what heavy metal is..

 

I've talked to an old guy who tried to tell me foghat were heavy metal.

 

you talk to a 50 year old and he'll tell you that anything louder than the bee gees is metal!

Not this old guy... :LOL:
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heavy is subjective but yes, rush have plenty of heavy moments from 74-80. the necromancer, by-tor, working man are only not heavy if you're comparing them to cannibal corpse or something

 

I must admit, I forgot about those early tracks.

 

And please tell me you don't like Cannibal Corpse! (Although I must admit, when I was about 15 I used to get a morbid chuckle from looking at those covers!).

 

their first 4 albums are a lot of fun. I like almost all death metal from the early 90s, but I'd take about 900 other death metal bands over CC.

 

I like early In Flames, Opeth, some Carcass and thats about it.

 

I always love the guitarwork of these bands!

 

you might like dark tranquility's the gallery, it's got the same singer as the first in flames album if I remember correctly.

 

have you tried death, cynic, atheist? those are "smart" DM bands, cynic's focus and atheist's elements are probably closer to jazz albums than death metal

 

I have! Not really a fan of any of them but I admire all that explosive talent. Dark Tranquility are quite brilliant, but I sort of find nothing to make them stand out from the rest of the pack. Atheist have some interesting stuff, not sure I could be a fan but every now and then I dip my toe into that side of metal (less and less as time goes by, it seems. I will declaring Status Quo the best band ever soon (o my, I really hope that day never comes)).

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Budgie was heavier. Rush was pretty heavy too, but neither of them are really metal. Then again, there's so many sub genres of metal that they might fit into one.

 

Budgie and Rush ARE heavy metal. There's bands now that are so heavy that they make earlier bands seem tame. people forgot what heavy metal is..

 

I've talked to an old guy who tried to tell me foghat were heavy metal.

 

you talk to a 50 year old and he'll tell you that anything louder than the bee gees is metal!

Not this old guy... :LOL:

 

yeah, the person I had in mind when I wrote that post is a friend of my dad's. for him, heavy metal is any band he liked in the 70s, and pretty much everything after 1980 he calls "anger music." he's a nice dude though, he saw the 2112 tour!

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heavy is subjective but yes, rush have plenty of heavy moments from 74-80. the necromancer, by-tor, working man are only not heavy if you're comparing them to cannibal corpse or something

 

I must admit, I forgot about those early tracks.

 

And please tell me you don't like Cannibal Corpse! (Although I must admit, when I was about 15 I used to get a morbid chuckle from looking at those covers!).

 

their first 4 albums are a lot of fun. I like almost all death metal from the early 90s, but I'd take about 900 other death metal bands over CC.

 

I like early In Flames, Opeth, some Carcass and thats about it.

 

I always love the guitarwork of these bands!

 

you might like dark tranquility's the gallery, it's got the same singer as the first in flames album if I remember correctly.

 

have you tried death, cynic, atheist? those are "smart" DM bands, cynic's focus and atheist's elements are probably closer to jazz albums than death metal

 

I have! Not really a fan of any of them but I admire all that explosive talent. Dark Tranquility are quite brilliant, but I sort of find nothing to make them stand out from the rest of the pack. Atheist have some interesting stuff, not sure I could be a fan but every now and then I dip my toe into that side of metal (less and less as time goes by, it seems. I will declaring Status Quo the best band ever soon (o my, I really hope that day never comes)).

 

I appreciate that you've at least given the shit a chance. most people assume ALL death metal sounds like cannibal corpse

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heavy is subjective but yes, rush have plenty of heavy moments from 74-80. the necromancer, by-tor, working man are only not heavy if you're comparing them to cannibal corpse or something

 

I must admit, I forgot about those early tracks.

 

And please tell me you don't like Cannibal Corpse! (Although I must admit, when I was about 15 I used to get a morbid chuckle from looking at those covers!).

 

their first 4 albums are a lot of fun. I like almost all death metal from the early 90s, but I'd take about 900 other death metal bands over CC.

 

I like early In Flames, Opeth, some Carcass and thats about it.

 

I always love the guitarwork of these bands!

 

you might like dark tranquility's the gallery, it's got the same singer as the first in flames album if I remember correctly.

 

have you tried death, cynic, atheist? those are "smart" DM bands, cynic's focus and atheist's elements are probably closer to jazz albums than death metal

 

I have! Not really a fan of any of them but I admire all that explosive talent. Dark Tranquility are quite brilliant, but I sort of find nothing to make them stand out from the rest of the pack. Atheist have some interesting stuff, not sure I could be a fan but every now and then I dip my toe into that side of metal (less and less as time goes by, it seems. I will declaring Status Quo the best band ever soon (o my, I really hope that day never comes)).

 

I appreciate that you've at least given the shit a chance. most people assume ALL death metal sounds like cannibal corpse

 

I appreciate all forms of music to a degree. I do find death metal one of those genres that fit a certain mood, but to be honest Jester Race is enough for me most days!

 

I do have one guilty pleasure: All That Remains album The Fall Of Ideals...crazy vocals, I always think it sounds like Carcass and In Flames covering Backstreet Boys lol.

 

I remember really digging Celtic Frost for like five mins back in the day, Monotheist I thought was especially impressive considering how old the band were at that point.

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Budgie was heavier. Rush was pretty heavy too, but neither of them are really metal. Then again, there's so many sub genres of metal that they might fit into one.

 

Budgie and Rush ARE heavy metal. There's bands now that are so heavy that they make earlier bands seem tame. people forgot what heavy metal is..

 

I've talked to an old guy who tried to tell me foghat were heavy metal.

 

you talk to a 50 year old and he'll tell you that anything louder than the bee gees is metal!

Not this old guy... :LOL:

 

yeah, the person I had in mind when I wrote that post is a friend of my dad's. for him, heavy metal is any band he liked in the 70s, and pretty much everything after 1980 he calls "anger music." he's a nice dude though, he saw the 2112 tour!

Wow he must be older than me or saw the 2112 tour in diapers :LOL: . I am quite the opposite. I consider very little of what I listened to in the 70's to be heavy metal...
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Heavy Metal.

 

Think about it, what does it even mean?

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