Any love for these guys here on the board?

As a rule, I'm not a huge fan of the "cookie monster" vocal thing (a few exceptions, though ...), but I finally "got" these guys when I heard their version of the hymn "How Great Thou Art" - powerful, powerful stuff (and [interestingly] produced by Devin Townsend! Would've like to have been a "fly on the wall" for those sessions ...)

peace,
rob

Do you mean Becoming the Archetype? If so, I do really like that band. Cookie-Monsterish vocals is something I have grown like over the years. With that being said, I'm very picky about screaming vocals. I like for them to be semi-understandable (meaning I don't want to have to run to look up the lyrics for every song). For this genre, he has a very solid and unique voice. It almost seems to be partially progressive with the way they add strings and have such unique instrumentation. For this genre, Becoming the Archetype has become one of the more popular bands.

OK, THAT was embarrassing. Yes - Becoming the Archetype (ever since the warranty expired at 40 years, the memory has been a bit hit-and-miss).

Yes, I would count BtA as "extreme prog." As the growl-n-scream vocals go (besides BtA), I listen to Opeth, Demon Hunter, and Devin Townsend. Other than these, I've never been a fan. For me, it helps when bands juxtapose actual singing with the more guttural stuff ...

I can't get into the cookie monster vocals, so this is just one of the many bands out there today that I just ignore.

I totally get that. Most of the time, I listen to extreme prog in fairly small doses. My bandmates have no use for the genre at all, and for the most part I'm right there with them.

But there's just something about what BtA does that (for me) transcends the details and works on several levels - including the spiritual.

Kinda weird for an old guy like me, but ...

peace,
rob

I'm another one who isn't a big fan of the growly vocals. Seems like the younger crowd at this board can handle them, but most of us old-timers don't seem to dig them so much.

Guess you are the exception Rob. But it would be really boring around here if we were all the same.

I can handle BTA on their bolder lyrics. Like the prog elements. IIRC, Dichotomy had more understandable vox.

Oooo it's a rare topshot siting.
Good to see you around brother.