Dream Theater

"They had the great merit of making progressive metal popular, which before them was only for the use and enjoyment of certain categories of musicians. D.T. have managed to skillfully blend technical flair and mastery of their instruments with melody, sometimes chart-worthy and other times more sophisticated in nature. They have created high-level technical progressions as well as absolutely incredible pop melodies, not in a pejorative sense." (Bill Kelliher, Mastodon)