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Its interesting to me that you included My Dying Brides last two record cos for me they have lost their way on those recent releases, the return to their more original sound hasnt worked, I still think Like Gods of the Sun is a brilliant album. However they are the best band at getting across the emotion of pure and total sorrow and despair. Anaethema are still the better band of their generation.
I totally love Gamma Ray every album for me is a classic.
I also disagree with you In Flames opinions I dont think STYE and RTR are that bad although I agree the earlier stuff is better, but they at least have tried to experiment and change their sound.
Although I can understand why we would have differences of opinion as I find the American prog metal of Dream Theatre and Symphony X a total turn off have never go into them.
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To each their own when it comes to genre preferences. Gotta listen to what makes you happy [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I still like My Dying Bride's latest material the most though. The better production mixed with the complete sense of melancholy just appeals to me, I guess. Other bands that have a good sense of conveying this emotion are Agalloch and Cryptal Darkness (now defunct).
"Reroute to Remain" has its moments. I don't dislike every song on that album, but I felt like the experimentation didn't do a whole lot of benefit to their sound.
"Soundtrack to Your Escape," to me, was way too influenced by modern hard rock/nu-metal. I dislike the way Anders Friden sounds on this album, and he overdoes the quality of his clean, 'angsty' vocals. He cleaned up his scream and clean vocals a bit on "Come Clarity," which is why I like it much better. Also, STYE had barely any twin guitar, and the guitar tone (and production overall) was almost vacuum-cleaner-like. Very fuzzy. That, and I just didn't enjoy the flow of the songs, overly simple and superficial IMO (uninspired chord progressions, overly anthemic choruses, etc). That was my beef with STYE anyway.
I'm used to Dream Theater and Symphony X being love/hate bands for most people. Once again, more preference than anything else.
As for another power metal band album I enjoy, I really dig Edguy's "Hellfire Club." I've also listened to some of "Vain Glory Opera," but "Hellfire Club" has a thrashy, crunchy guitar tone and awesome riffs. I hear tinges of Iron Maiden throughout the album. 'Mysteria' really has an awesome chorus.
Nice to know there are some metal fans on 2+2 though. And, if you haven't checked out
http://www.metal-archives.com/ yet, it would be a good idea to do so. Great metal archival site.