Criminally underrated and/or commonly unknown bands that you love!

The purpose of this thread is exactly as the title suggests.

I wanted to take the opportunity to not only share some of my favorite bands that I believe to be under appreciated or typically unknown,but also to see what other bands you guys & gals love and think deserve more recognition.

I will begin with a couple of my personal favorites - ( Most of the songs have the lyrics under the 'show more' description @ yt - I tried to find the best quality possible ie.with audio compression Loss in quality )

Riverside - The Same River

Riverside - The time I was Daydreaming

Riverside - Beyond the Eyelids

Riverside is a progressive rock/metal band from Warsaw, Poland. founded in 2001 - Best described as a stylistic blend of atmospheric/progressive rock/metal while still maintaining their own identity. For fans of Pink Floyd,Dream Theater,Opeth,Tool.King Crimson and Camel.-> [Those are pretty much applicable to every band I will post]


Porcupine Tree - Time Flies

Porcupine Tree - Buying new Soul

Porcupine tree - A Smart Kid

Porcupine Tree is a band with psychedelic and progressive rock associations but not limited to those two particular genres alone,showcasing a wide range of influences from the individual band members to create a sonic diversity all the while echoing similarities to the prog.rock greats of the 60's & 70's that ushered the way before them.

Opeth - Hope Leaves

Opeth - Burden

Opeth - Deliverance

Porcupine Tree criminally underrated?
Their last 2 records made the Top 50 in most european countries and their last one even made the US Top 50
They were nominated for several Grammys, the music media constantly call them one of the best Live Bands ever, they are featured constantly on the biggest Metal Festivals throughout Europe and basically everyone who's into metal knows at least a few songs.

Same with Opeth, they are huge and their last 3 albums have been bestsellers all throughout Europe.

If want to name underrated bands, stick to those that sell only a handful albums, get panned by critics, don't get the chance to play at big festivals and are overlooked by everyone.

One of the very first names for this is Uriah Heep. After 40 years, they only sold 20 million albums, they are the target of much ridicule from the "music press", often get called "Poor man's Deep Purple" and this despite being probably the first band to blend Hard Rock/Heavy Metal with Progressive Rock and Classical influences.
They deserve more attention than just that #ty Lady in Black on every Classic Rock station.

brilliant.

reply to post by ShadowAngel85


While you may be technically correct,there are still tons of people who have no clue who they are.Agreed? it has not been until the last couple of years that Either band has gotten any kind of "main stream" recognition. Porcupine Tree in particular.
( both P.T. and Opeth have been around since the early 90's,they have not really surfaced above "underground/widely unknown status" only in the last couple of years)

They were nominated for several Grammys, the music media constantly call them one of the best Live Bands ever, they are featured constantly on the biggest Metal Festivals throughout Europe and basically everyone who's into metal knows at least a few songs.

Metal is a lot bigger in Europe for one and two metal as a genre overall,at least the sub-genres and in America,is generally unpopular or disliked.When compared to radio rock,pop and rap (Sadly so)

When 99% of the people you ask who 'opeth' are or have you heard of "porcupine Tree" and their answer is no,IMO,that would equate to being under-appreciated and relatively unknown.

I still believe these bands fit that criteria - mainstream wise. where I live you do not hear either band on local radio etc. they are not multiple platinum selling bands in the vein of popular/mainstream artists.

If want to name underrated bands, stick to those that sell only a handful albums, get panned by critics, don't get the chance to play at big festivals and are overlooked by everyone.

Anathema and Riverside ( do not sell tons of albums,do play some festivals but still...widely unknown/under-appreciated.)

Ok,that is what I am talking about,I could of attempted to pull some really obscure bands out of my pocket (the thread title would then of been [ "really obscure bands that you've never heard of etc" ]but I want to hear what bands others have to share,thank you for the recommendation,I have heard of Uriah Keep,just never checked them out.

I see what you are saying though. They are just some of my fav. bands,that was more to the point of my posting those particular bands.

In America it is different I guess you could say. Music generally is a diff. beast and uphill struggle for bands to make it big.know what I mean? I imagine PT. and Opeth being successful is viewed differently over in Europe/U.K. but musical success is viewed/defined diff. in the states.A lot harder to get recognition.
( I wholeheartedly disagree with that but that's the nature of the beast here)

In American terms,they are still practically underground,even if they tend to have a cult following by loyal fans.

Riverside is the epitome of under appreciated and unknown. Anathema as well. As I said,it is personal perspective on their popularity and appreciation.

I wanted to see other members choices primarily & share my favorite bands

This band and song deserved being mentioned,I absolutely love this band.Particularly this song and it's lyrics. it's lyrical content is about love,existence,death. Facing realities, whatever they may be.
( My interpretation )

Anathema - Thin Air


Lyrics:

love is free
in time, in peace
and now is here
this life, this dream...

you know how it feels but... is it all in your mind?
when you know how it feels to be pushed and pulled through your life
and sometimes it seems like there is life in your eyes
and all that i know is i love you

yes i love you

and it feels like we're already flying
but the air is too thin and we're dying
the clouds all around take us higher
the world far below is on fire
i hold out my hand just to touch you
and all that i know is i love you
a vision a promise of heaven
a reason for being forever

you're just a whisper away

we've come too far to turn back
this is where we stand and face it
this is who we are, one step closer
into thin air we will go there

we've come too far to turn back
this is where we stand and face it
i feel you breathe
you're just a whisper away

we've come too far to turn back
this is where we stand and face it
this is who we are one step close
into thin air we will go there

we've come too far...

this is where we stand...

Did someone say "Metal"? Protest the Hero(Canadian band):

reply to post by intrepid


Protest the Hero is awesome! thank you for the contribution
That reminds me,for some reason your post made me think about another metal band.

Animals As Leaders,an instrumental metal group with "progressive" aspects,meshuggah-esque 7 string guitar virtuosity and odd time signatures,the groups founder and guitarist/song writer is a guy Tosin Abasi,this dude is a shredder! Check it out.


Animals As Leaders - On Impulse


You seriously gotta check this one out,if anyone digs metal,especially some of the newer sub-genre stuff,low end bulldozer to the face heavy!

EMG - Tosin Abasi - Wave of Babies


Animals As Leaders - Tempting Time

I was listening to bands like this one back in high school.
This was my favorite song by this band Blood Rock...

hahaha, it's funny how everyone so far has named mostly metal.

Anyways, I like listening to a band called The Dreaming from California, the singer is Christopher Hall (Stabbing Westward) and their drummer is Johnny Haro (Econoline Crush, Depeche Mode, Stabbing Westward's first album; Ungod). That would sound pretty stellar to most hard rock fans from the 90's, but sadly they are still very under appreciated and relatively unknown.

My personal favourite band is The Mars Volta, although they have been gaining a lot of steam lately, more and more people seem to know them these days, but I was a hardcore fan from the day that their first album was released. No one knew them back then.

I don't know the "known" status of the Raconteurs (one of Jack White's bands), but I have talked to many people who don't know who they are, but they're pretty cool too. I personally think they're better than the White Stripes.

There's another band which plays music very reminiscent of the 1980's style electro-punk bands but with a lyrical content more reminiscent of Led Zeppelin (fantasy inspired), and they're called the Cruxshadows. They have quite the plethora of music too, and I like many of their songs... kind of a nerdy band if you ask me.

I like this thread... I think it's a great way to find new music. I think there should be one about good bands or songs that people have forgotten about... that's always my inspiration when I learn new songs to play on guitar. People always sing along with me and then say, "I haven't heard that song in such a long time!"

reply to post by theMat


You guys have put mostly metal.
and does it have to be recent

I always loved this band but their following in the US wasn't all that big.
The Mighty Lemon Drops - Where do we go from Heaven

And I have to put Basement Jaxx - Red Alert
this video is perfect for ATS - aliens

The Free Design, a delightfully hipster band. They share some similarities with the Carpenters, whom I also like but are not as criminally underrated.

Thanks for the all the replies

Let it be known, I love just about all genres of rock/metal and their sub-genre counterparts. I even listen to some electronic music. (afraid rap/hip hop is my least favorite,but even that genre has it's stand outs in the underground if you can find them. )

A lot of the bands posted could be considered "metal" but not solely fitting that mold. Porcupine Tree is not metal.Neither is Riverside,they both have some metal/hard rock elements mixed into their overall sound but not limited to metal Per se. ( Witnessed in the above tracks in the opening post.)

Here is another band that I love to bits and feel have not gotten the recognition that they deserve.
( particularly genres,depending on the country,has a lot to do with success. IMO )



Katatonia - The Longest Year - Album: "Night is the New Day"

Katatonia - Sleeper - Album: "Viva Emptiness"

Katatonia - Unfurl - Album: "July single CD "

Katatonia - Omerta - Album: " Viva Emptiness"


Katatonia is a Swedish metal/Dark rock band formed in Stockholm in 1991 by Jonas Renkse (formerly known as Lord Seth) and Anders Nyström (formerly known as Blakkheim). Their sound has evolved over the years from the doom/death metal genre they started off with into what could be best described as a softer,melancholic 'dark' rock sound,Losing some of the heaviness but not the dark,haunting vibe they emanate and have always been known for. ( For fans of Tool and Dark melancholic hard rock )



My hope is to introduce you to new music and bands.To discover new bands in the process,to broaden our horizons in music. I will check out the bands you guys/gals have posted.

reply to post by PerfectPerception


Mostly American bands.

1) The Velvet Underground

2) The Stooges

3) MC5

4) New York Dolls

5) Pere Ubu

6) Television

7) Richard Hell & The Voidoids

8) The No Wave groups of the late '70s - early '80s.

9) Kleenex/Liliput

10) The great Hardcore bands of the early-'80s.

11) ESG

12) Our Lady Peace

Originally posted by socialist
The Free Design, a delightfully hipster band. They share some similarities with the Carpenters, whom I also like but are not as criminally underrated.

Nice that you mentioned them. "Kites are Fun" is one of finest lightweight Pop tracks from the '60s.

Nightwish

Before and after Tarja

www.youtube.com...

Sorry again for having embedding issues. Trying to learn.

Oh, I thought of another.

Lacuna Coil



www.youtube.com...

Two links in case my embedding doesn't work, I'm still trying to do it properly.

reply to post by Beldy


Hello there,

I am familiar with Nightwish,I do not know their songs by name.
I can try to teach you how to embed.

Here is the full link to your song - www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaWPduHl_j8
what you need to do is copy/paste the #'s and letters that comes after the = symbol ,like this AaWPduHl_j8 (click vid:youtube ,insert AaWPduHl_j8 ,hit ok. there you are,it is that simple,once you get the hang of it.

( if it the video was like this for instance,with code after and in-between = symbols -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg76nbn56f=k57fdyt-feature ,you would merely pick the code in-between both = signs. like this: hg76nbn56f

I hope that helped,not the best at explaining things haha.

Here is your video:

Rap isn't my favorite genre, but for the ignorant ones that think rap is just garbage like lil wayne, i think this guy would appeal to a lot of ATS:





Another genre i think has been largely ignored due to bad mainstream examples is electronica. (and no i don't mean garbage dubstep)





And on to one of my favorite bands ever. (Yes, they're music goes much further than the single "Clint Eastwood' from years ago.)

Thank you for your help. I'll try again.

Here are 2 more videos from Nightwish:




One more from Lacuna Coil: