Welcome to the Music section of Chrutil's domain.

I enjoy a wide variety of music, but my current preferred selection is geared towards progressive metal and progressive rock. I have listed a few of my favorite bands below. If you're into the same stuff, and know of other unlisted bands, don't hesitate to drop me an email with some hints!

The absolute top:

Dream Theater - Dudes & dudettes, these guys rock. On my list of all time favorite albums you'll find Images & Words and Metropolis II - Scenes from a Memory.

Queensrÿche - Ouch! - Operation Mindcrime, Empire, Promised Land - Need I say more? I guess I should because I seem to be one of the few people out there that likes Promised Land. I talked to some other Queensrÿche minded buddies of mine and they're all MindCrime guys, but I have to say that Promised Land kicks total ass.

Spock's Beard - Imagine Genesis around 1973 in the "Selling England By The Pound" era. Now, think about someone that took that stuff into the new millennium. You'll end up with Spock's Beard. These guys just came out (late 2002) with a double concept album called "Snow" which is very cool, although it can take some getting used to for a non-spock's-beard-addict.

Fates Warning - To me these guys were an acquired taste. I knew I'd like it eventually since I normally like this kind of music, but it took me longer than usual to like it. Nevertheless - A Pleasant Shade of Gray is such a masterpiece that it pushed these guys up to the absolute top.

Pain of Salvation - Very cool Swedish band - "progressive as hell".

Symphony X - Why spank me this is good stuff! Check out their latest album "V" for a magnificent treat in progressive metal with classic symphonic themes. Sweet!!

Other cool stuff:

Ayreon - Progressive, symphonic, tight and, most of the time, really cool. Has many extremely talented guest musicians and singers on the albums..

B-Thong - "Damage" is the one to pick up from these guys. Kicks royal butt.

Carcass -  Their Heartwork album just rocks.

Clawfinger - Swedish gang that known how to pull a string.

Creed - Pretty damn good!

Depeche Mode - Coolness since day one.

Enchant - I hear obvious Rush influences and perhaps some Stewart Copeland hi-hats. Hell, I don't know. They took some getting used to, I had to learn the songs and since I bought all their albums in one batch it took me some time to get into it. Now I think they rule.

Eric Serra - The master musician behind the music to all the the Luc Besson movies (The Big Blue, La Femme Nikita, Subway, etc.)

Genesis - Nuff Said. The Lamb Lies down on Broadway is one of the best albums ever.

IQ - British guys that I got into with their "Ever" album a couple of years ago. A mean label would be sort of "lamely progressive", but I do like them.

Jean-Michel Jarre - Almost caught the Docklands concert live in the late 80's. This was supposed to the the biggest show in the world with around two million tickets sold. Had tickets, went to London, but the government bailed out at the last moment and postponed the concert for two weeks (so I missed it). Never been so pissed off in my whole life. My buddy Mic back home in Sweden poured salt in the wounds by recently going to Denmark to see him play and he gave me a call on his cellphone during the show, so I fired up my web browser and got to see the show 'live' over the internet on a big ass TV sitting in my couch. My friend Mic had to stand up somewhere in Denmark in pouring rain.

Korn - This is like... Wow!

Kraftwerk - The first and still the best.

Liquid Tension Experiment - 3/4 of Dream Theater plus Tony Levin. Could that go wrong?! Nope. It couldn't.

Machine Head - Kicks royal butt.

Marillion - In their "Fish" years they ruled the world. From the 'later' years, check out "Brave" - it's one of my top 10 albums of all times. As a matter of fact, I'm starting to really like Anorachnophobia too. 

Megadeth - Their latest album "Risk" is cool, but Cryptic Writings and Youthanasia rules. After announcing that they've put down their instruments for good this is all history now. May they "Rust in Peace". haha.

Meshuggah - A Swedish bunch of heavy heads.

Metallica - Very few albums can ever hope to equal Master of Puppets, but what can I say, they killed Napster, and Lars is ugly.

Pantera - Some seriously heavy stuff!

Pet Shop Boys - Hey I can have my own opinion can't I? Mellow and somewhat "commercially bland", but always put you in a good mood.

Rush - Maybe not so much anymore, but in the 'good old days' they were the undefeated masters.

Skintrade - Their first self titled album is a classic. Swedish guys that knows how to rock.

Transatlantic - A project with members from Dream Theater, Marillion, Spock's Beard and the Flower Kings. With members like this could it ever go wrong? Didn't think so.

Tool - Perhaps somewhat dark, but at times very heavy.

Yello - These two Swiss guys rule. Their "Baby" album is a masterpiece.