I had been introduced to Amazon.ca as a good source for finding older CDs.   One day I decided to follow a recommendation Amazon made and bought an album by a band called "Symphony X" (The New Mythology Suite).   About a year later I decided I really liked this band and should see what else was in their discography.   Again, Amazon made some recommendations and again I decided to take their advice and purchased music by two other bands called "Dream Theater" and "Kamelot".   Wow!   This was modern music - and its good!   Where was all this stuff coming from?   A little more searching around the now familiar Amazon web site shows this material to have a genre of its own called "Progressive".   And look at that, my old favourites also fall under this category!   So, it seems, there is still good music being made - a LOT of it.   Its just not the crap you hear on the radio - go figure.  

Although I still buy the albums (CDs), once I get them I immediately rip them to my workstation both as a 320k MP3 and now also as an Apple Lossless.  They are then imported into iTunes where I add my own cover art from a scan of the CD insert.  Bonus tracks are separated from the original material and given their own artwork (often the back of the album).  Double albums have the tracks renumbered and are listed as a single recording.  The CDs then join the others in a huge stack in the basement of my house (should take a pic of that some day).

Anyway, since I'm enjoying myself so much, I've decided to post my collection.   At the bottom of this page are links to alphabetical listings including album art and track listings.   Here are some highlights of my favourites.   (Note that I'm a technician and not a musician so I'm afraid I'll not be able to put into words what makes them so great):

	Ayreon - Into The Electric Castle This double disc set is, in my opinion, probably the greatest album of all time.   I like (and own) all of Arjen Lucassen's material but this one is at the very top of my list.
	Decemberists - The Hazards of Love My favorite release for 2009, this rock opera has a touch of everything.
	Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory Choosing my favourite from this band was difficult - its all good!
	Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian A genre-defining classic, this 1986 release marks the creation of "Progressive Metal". While the production is a little rough, I love the unexpected tempo changes.
	Genesis - Selling England by the Pound This was actually my first progressive album that I originally acquired on vinyl back in 1981 (I remember because Alice Cooper's "Special Forces" had just came out).   On it is my all time favourite song: "Fifth of Firth"
	Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death I'd never gave Iron Maiden much of a chance before this album.   Sadly (for me), I'd lumped them in with all the headbanger crap from the 80s (i.e. Twisted Sister, Quiet Riot, etc).   Once I'd heard this album I started listening to their older material as well.   I'd been missing out on some good stuff!
	Opeth - Ghost Reveries Wow!  It wasn't that long ago that if you'd told me I'd like death metal, I would of told you that you are out of your mind.  BUT.... these guys are freaking amazing!  Their music transitions from "lullaby" to "nightmare" so smoothly it gives me the shivers!
	Savatage - The Wake of Magellan An outstanding late-nineties release from hard rockers Savatage (an early incarnation of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
	Symphony X - Divine Wings of Tragedy These guys are now my favourite artists and this album is, IMO, their finest work.
	Tool - Lateralus That band that started my interest in modern music!   Although the first album of theirs I had was Aenima, I think this one is really the best.

I'll stop there before this page gets too long but check out the alphabetical links below.   Lots of great tunes!

Note: I have now made the album track listings clickable for a 600x600 copy of the album art (opens in new window).
 
 
[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z]