Good Time to be a metal fan with a turntable

but the limitations of the genre do limit the range of the musical ideas to be expressed by an artist.

Limitations of the genre??? You are showing your ignorance of the entire genre. I would say it is one of the most dynamic types of music in terms of artists going beyond the bounds of the norm. Going further outside the box than the last guy to create sounds that have not been explored. Totally the opposite of your statement IMHO...

Zigonht,
Would you like to give a few examples maybe? I'd like to hear " artists going beyond the bounds of the norm. Going further outside the box than the last guy to create sounds that have not been explored"
Go4vinyl,
I do understand the genre, I've been listening to rock/metal (among other styles) for close to 35 years- that's why I'm saying what I'm saying about the limitations of the genre. Comes with age, I guess.
BTW, got "Nostradamus"- not very impressed.
If I may to suggest, when you have a chance, listen to Backdoor Slam- very fresh and nicely done, just one example.

Is Back Door Slam the three piece blues band, ala Cream, Hendrix, SRV, that is currently on tour?

If so, I played a performance of theirs from the Jimmy Kimmel show. Good performance, but "been-there-heard-that" many times before by better artists. Nothing fresh from my my point of view.

MARIL555,

Dream Theater, Pantera. Each started out as a different type of band and both progressed to a musical style that was not present in the market at the time. Pantera was an avg 80's glam band when they started out. A quality band but definately wrapped up in the Sunset Strip scene. They pushed their music to a style that not only seperated them from the scene but pushed the envelope to be one of the major influences of the mid 90's nu metal, hard core scene. Dream Theater- they brought Prog. metal to a whole new level. Their musicianship is one of the, if not the most talented bands around. Again, just my opinion.

I listen to alot of different types of music. Jazz, classical, classic rock, not just metal. I don't think lumping the entire metal genre into a statement like that is ridiculous...IMHO

Tvad,
Yes, that's the one- it's not anything new stylistically, but they do sound "fresh" in a sense of attitude and lack of commercialism. Very spontaneous and honest and not calculated, as opposed to Judas Priest "Nostradamus", and IMHO Dream Theater, which to me sounds 100% calculated, artificial and forced. They are good technically, but as many times, as I tried to listen to DT, couldn't get pass through 10-15 min. Same goes for Porcupine Tree. Sorry.
BTW, I can hardly place Dream Theater in metal category.
When I say metal, I really mean Pantera, Anthrax, Motorhead Slayer, etc.