Progressive metal (sometimes known as
prog metal or
prog-metal) is a subgenre of
heavy metal, originating in the United Kingdom and the United States In the 1970s. Progressive metal blended elements of heavy metal and progressive rock, taking the loud "aggression" and amplified
electric guitar-driven sound of the former, with the more experimental, complex and "pseudo-classical" compositions of the latter. Whilst the genre emerged towards the late-1980s, it was not until the 1990s that progressive metal achieved commercial success.
Dream Theater,
Queensrÿche,
Tool and
Fates Warning are a few examples of progressive metal bands who achieved commercial success; additionally, Heavy metal bands such as
Megadeth incorporated elements of progressive music in their work. Progressive metal's popularity started to decline towards the end of the 1990s, but it remains a largely underground genre with a committed fan base.