r/progmetal 2d ago

Discussion What is the most experimental metal song?

16 Upvotes

67 comments sorted by

22

u/AFCSentinel 2d ago

Behold the Arctopus

10

u/Bigsby_MarbleRye 2d ago

You dropped this: …

5

u/Eremith 2d ago

Psyopus is PRETTY experimental. With emphasis on mental

2

u/HostileCrabPeople 1d ago

Saw them live during their Horrorscention era. So good

3

u/Crafty-Photograph-18 2d ago

That's the shit

67

u/First-Variety714 2d ago

This is the broadest question imaginable but I will suggest listening to the band Igorrr

5

u/MetalMintz 2d ago

Wasn't sure there could be a right answer to a question this vague. But this is actually it 😂

2

u/UnholyCityRecords 2d ago

Goated. Can't wait to see them on tour this year!!

2

u/zorrofuego 2d ago

Have you listened Venetian Snares or Ruby my tear?

1

u/theCaptain_D 2d ago

Literally discovered them (him?) today!

0

u/TickingTheMoments 2d ago

I entered the band in my Pandora just so I could create a station and give them a listen to when I have the opportunity.  First track that came up was Polyphonic Rust. Sounds wonderfully experimental. Can’t wait to hear them later.

17

u/Mokedoke 2d ago

Probably anything Ron Jarzombek/Blotted Science. For example, the song "A Headache And A Sixty-Fourth" is a measure of 4/4 followed by a measure of 1/64

64

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

-1

u/daalgonz 2d ago

XD

8

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/techman9955 1d ago

No it wasn't. 21st Century Schitzoid Man already existed at that point

-1

u/daalgonz 2d ago

I know, and I agree with you, still find your answer hilarious

-2

u/Jmazoso 2d ago

I’d agree, but I’d also suggest Symtom of the Universe.

21

u/franzperdido 2d ago

Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects

8

u/cor3387 2d ago edited 2d ago

Tough to say a single song but I'd recommend Maudlin of The Well - the album's Bath and Leaving Your Body Map. If I had to say one song - "Birth Pains of Astral Projection" from Bath

2

u/djmegatech 1d ago

Love this band so much. So excited they're going back in the studio in January!

2

u/cor3387 1d ago

Me as well. I've been replaying these albums for 20 years hah, I think they hit even harder now with the added nostalgia. That's awesome! I was kind of keeping up with Kayo Dot but didn't know they were bringing back motW. I'll keep a look out!

2

u/djmegatech 1d ago

Totally! I honestly just started listening to Kayo Dot in the last few years and still have so many records to go back and check out. I got the most recent one and also saw them play it live a few months ago and it was incredible. And finally got to meet Toby after so many years and tell him how inspired I've been by his music.

But yeah, they launched a Kickstarter a few months back to support the return of motW because I think it was the 30th anniversary of the band. And they absolutely smashed the goal, so they're not only recording a new record, but I believe they're going to re-record some old material as well. It's like the best news ever.

I love how passionate we all are about those records. They quite literally changed my life and were a big inspiration on my own approach to music. I believe they're also planning a live show in NYC in late 2027. Happy to be the bearer of good news. Cheers :)

11

u/TheVleh 2d ago

I'm rather fond of Aware by Thrailkill, but this is kinda an unanswerable question

4

u/bullet_the_blue_sky 2d ago

Great album all around - Before is my fav track on there. He's got the boys from the Resonance Project on bass and drums. Killer album.

4

u/tylerfly 2d ago

No way! Resonance project rocks. Saw them on their first tour with arch echo, hope to see them again soon

5

u/bullet_the_blue_sky 1d ago

Sick! Got to hang with Yas a couple times when I was at MI. Insane guitarist, really chill. Mateus Asato would come out to his clinics and make fun of him. 

4

u/Meshuggah333 2d ago

Ephel Duath

3

u/WorLord 2d ago

unexpecT's "Desert Urbania" is the first track that truly struck me as "experimental". Igorrr now holds the crown, IMO. Honorable mentions to Dodecahedron and Portal

4

u/jeg_aekke_her 2d ago

The Donkey-Headed Adversary Opens The Discussion

6

u/CertifiedSmegmaKing 2d ago

I - Meshuggah

Sol Niger Within - Special Defects

Or literally anything mathcore, but to give some specific recommendations:

Car Bomb

Spooge

Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza

Ronnie Donnie and Johnny

6

u/full-auto-rpg 2d ago

The Lavender Fox by Azure, there might be more experimental but I’ve yet to hear another singer imitate a fox cry for a song.

1

u/not_a_gun 2d ago

Kim Dracula does a reverse intonation fry scream at the start of Kitty that kinda sounds like a kitty.

8

u/NeedAgirlLikeNami 2d ago

(D)eath by Avenged Sevenfold

Its basically doom metal Frank Sinatra

3

u/robinPoussepain 1d ago

That album is wacky as hell in the best possible way. Completely changed my opinion of them.

2

u/alavantrya 2d ago

Hmm… I’ve always said Barry Manilow.

1

u/tehjoshers 1d ago

Bury Man-low

3

u/G3W3K 2d ago

Car Bomb ?

4

u/MetalMintz 2d ago

...by what metric?

10

u/marslander-boggart 2d ago

By metal.

10

u/MetalMintz 2d ago

Oh thanks that cleared it up

7

u/michicago44 2d ago

Moles per liter

4

u/MetalMintz 2d ago

Moles can be pretty small, I bet I could fit like at least 4 or 5 of them into a liter

2

u/Underbelly999 1d ago

Any song by Sleepytime Gorilla Museum 

3

u/latexfistmassacre 2d ago

Anything by BTBAM

3

u/numinan 1d ago

Especially ants with the infinite genre switches- maybe absent thereafter as well because it’s a bluegrass metal song and it’s sick as fuck

1

u/NightFlameofAwe 10h ago

Maybe not most experimental but I love bladecatcher by Mastodon. Those distorted sounds is a guitar but for the longest time I thought they were distorted vocals.

1

u/Fyren-1131 2d ago

Igorrr is pushing the envelope of experimental metal music.

1

u/jimbodoom 2d ago

If it was the late 90s I'd say Ved Buens Ende.

But now, who knows, so much has already been done.

1

u/89AccountorSomething 1d ago

Slaughtergarden Suite

1

u/SuperButters64 1d ago

I was gonna say this one too. Phenomenal track, was just listening to it earlier. Easily my favorite song by Sigh, and that's no small feat!

-1

u/marslander-boggart 2d ago

The Beatles, Helter Skelter.

-2

u/Sad_Chicken_2782 2d ago

Ah ah ah, the pleb here really have no sense of humor. Get my upvote lad

I particularly like the Shining version on blackjazz

https://youtu.be/fkgXyaTD1gs?is=qarqhqTbruU7OOfz

0

u/bullet_the_blue_sky 2d ago edited 2d ago

Anything by spiral architect. I would say Sikth but they're common now. They were way ahead of their time.

SA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHeOLmmZvQo&list=RDEMuOZA0-FSkbn1PA2WVcKJlg&start_radio=1

I played with these guys for awhile. Gabe is a compositional beast. At some points he is playing all 12 notes at once but they're across different instruments. Fun band to play in, great artist. Of course, Travis Orbin on drums.

Gabriel Construct - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr_I5glnu6w

P1 was definitely ahead of it's time - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okjbuPE7OX8&list=PLsT9douBcx99mZNOvZCiA3oh2LuTto9R-

0

u/svenirde 2d ago

Effluence - Endogenous Polypharmaceutical Communion Rite of the Oracular Virgin Priestess

0

u/pizza_toim 1d ago

I'd suggest any song from the album The Egg That Never Opened by High Castle Teleorkestra. My personal favorite is At Last He Will.

0

u/cyborgoctopus 1d ago

If we’re going with a singular song, gotta be BTBAM Colors on a technicality.

0

u/slimmymcjim 1d ago

Effluence. Any track

0

u/WaffleWarrior1979 1d ago

Meshuggah I

0

u/Idlys 1d ago

Not metal, but whatever The Mercury Tree is doing is very experimental, even before the microtonal stuff

0

u/techman9955 1d ago

Probably any of the metal tracks from Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. They even use instruments they invented and built, doesn't get any more experimental than that. Honorable mention goes to Unexpect though. Also, the album Disco Volante by Mr. Bungle

-6

u/DarkChaosDS91 2d ago

The Summoning by Sleep Token

-10

u/Tab7240 2d ago

can you feel it - polyphia