I'll give them a listen. I've tried to listen to a few things like Marillion and Dream Theater before, but it didn't seem to me that they get anywhere close to something like Yes' Close to the Edge. I'd be happy to find some other band that maybe does, especially if they are even newer.
My entire late 80's high school days were pretty much just listening to Marillion over and over again until my Walkman would wear out the cassette and I'd have to get another copy. Just something about Fish's brooding bitter anger appealed to my angsty teenage mind. Once Fish left though, they quickly moved away from what I was interest in listening to.
These days the one prog album I seem to keep going back to is "Tales From the Lush Attic" by IQ, although "Relayer" by Yes has been getting some good play lately.
I am in the beginning of a personal re-awakening with Marillion. I largely stopped following the band after _Seasons_End_ (despite liking that album). Much like Pink Floyd, I felt that the Whole was greater than the Sum of the parts: without his band to keep him grounded, Fish went into the weeds. Without their jester, the band seemed lessened lyrically.
But: I recently started exploring what they've done in the decades hence, and I am gaining a new appreciation of Hogarth's vocal expression. I find the studio/album version of the song "When I Meet God" to be particularly haunting.
P.S. On Youtube there is a 2-person band named Fleesh that has done spectacular covers of songs like /SFaJT and /Season's End/. Highly recommended.
I keep going back to them occasionally to see what they're up to. I agree, Hogarth has some great vocal skills. "Memory of Water" on "This Strange Engine" is stand out, and much of the album "Brave" is really good. But they still have never really clicked for me. Definitely agree on Fish going into the weeds. I really, really wanted to like his solo stuff, and I do go back to "Vigil" occasionally, but most of his stuff is just rambling and doesn't have the backing band to make it work.
ETA: Oh my goodness, that lady in Fleesh has a beautiful voice. Their version of "Sugar Mice" is stunningly great.
I’ve found that Fish solo is much more satisfying than Fishless Marillion. Steve Hogarth’s vocals seem completely without character to me, especially compared to Fish.
You might like Spock’s Beard. The first 6 albums with Neal Morse have kind of a Yes meets Gentle Giant vibe to them. I like the later stuff as well, but I remember introducing a prog-loving friend to them with a post-Neal show and it was interesting how he managed to pick out the Neal Morse–era songs (and only those) they did as his favorites.
