Quote Originally Posted by FarligOpptreden View Post
What makes metal "metal" is the style in which the music is written. I don't think metal can be graded as rock, or visa versa. Metal is primarily influenced by classical writing styles, whilst rocks stems from blues. You'll often hear prog metal bands incorporating elements of jazz into their writing, which I absolutely love!
That's exactly where my tastes become complicated.. I've always been drawn to the blues line of progression, blues -> rock -> hard rock -> metal, but then the "harder" genres of metal, like death metal, is simply too much for me. I don't listen to much classical music for the same reason, coincidentally.

But coming at prog from the more classic, mainstream rock side with The Mars Volta and Coheed and Cambria is opening the door to the types of prog sounds like you describe. I just like it all, dammit.