Big 3 of prog metal

I’ve seen people refer to Queensrÿche, Fates Warning, and Dream Theater as the big 3 of progressive metal. So, just for kicks and giggles, which of these three is your favorite?

For me, it’s between the Rÿche and Fates. Love both bands. I enjoy a song here and there from DT, but overall they leave me cold.

I've seen that but I don't really consider QR to be that progressive, modern Maiden is more progressive than the ryche but of the three they are my favorite. I don't like everything by DT but I&W, Awake, Train of Thought and Systematic Chaos are all really good.

I don't know enough secular music to know which bands are the big 3. To me the big 3 of heavy metal would be Megadeth, Metallica and ????.

My big 3 of progressive metal would be DT, Neal Morse and ???. I don't really care for Neal Morse's secular bands like Transatlantic or Spock's beard.

So, in the end, it looks like I'm a fan of the Big 2's.

(My) Big FOUR of Prog Metal bands from the 80s:

Savatage
Dream Theater
Fates Warning 
Queensryche

I love all four bands, but Savatage and Dream Theater are both amazing. 

Savatage don't seem to get enough credit in prog metal circles for some reason. Even though in my opinion they're one of the very best out of the original movement in the 80s/early 90s. 
Even though DT hasn't been the same since Portnoy left, they still rank pretty high for me due to their 1989-2009 output.

I love me some Savatage.

I was just going by the ones I’ve heard being referred to as the big 3. Obviously, there are other cool prog bands out there.

I agree with BR the Rÿche is less “proggy” overall. But they wear that label. Can’t really choose between them and Fates.

Savatage is awesome and they definitely moved more proggy, starting about Hall.
Shadow Gallery is another good one.

Somehow I only have limited time for 'true' prog metal. Some albums by the American genre greats are really enjoyable but I prefer later bands like Orphaned Land or the more progressively oriented power metal bands. And even then, only in limited quantities.

Orphaned Land is interesting, I appreciate their tackling deeper subject matter like the writings of Plato. Bedhead should appreciate their use of symphonics too.
It's a weird genre with bands like DT to Tool to Disillusion all included and yet they don't really sound alike.

I’d prefer them to sing about Play-Doh over Plato. 

You still chained in the cave?

I don't listen to enough straight-up prog metal to have any idea (none of the bands in the op). Progressive is more often a modifier on the Death or Black Metal I listen to like Opeth, Borknagar, and Vintersorg.

I don't listen to prog regularly but among those bands considered prog my favorites would be:

Crimson Glory
Vanden Plas
Queensryche
Gojira
Amorphis
Katatonia
Dream Theater
Rush
King's X 
Mekong Delta

Honorable mention:

Voi Vod
Cynic
Riverside

Rush is my favorite prog band by far and one of my favorite bands ever.

Good call on King’s X. Those first 5 albums are killer.

I love all the Big Three and have done deep dives on them at one time or another.  Queensryche was pushing the envelope from the start and always experimenting.  Heck, Rage For Order might be one of the first industrial metal albums due to all the electronics used in it.  They don't have the virtuoso musicianship as much as Dream Theater, but unlike DT, I'm actually interested in their modern output.  Geoff Tate defined the progressive metal vocal attack and Chris DeGarmo may have been the greatest prog metal song writer of all-time.  They are the originators and they are the kings.  

Fates Warning started out with a much more raw sound with than Q with John Arch at the helm, but they had richer compositions with Awaken the Guardian that are sometimes downright impenetrable.  I actually prefer the Ray Alder era when they got Terry Brown of Rush fame to smooth out their sound.  Still Life is my all time favorite live album and all the songs are better than the studio versions other than "Point of View."  Jim Matheos is an underrated genius of a guitar player and Mark Zonder, to me, is the greatest prog metal drummer of all time.

DT really rounded out the genre with Images & Words, which came to define the sound of the genre, progressive metal.  When people refer to prog metal they are usually talking about their style and sound.  They've made several classic albums and many a' great song, tons of which are over 10 minutes long, which is tough to do.  They've lost their edge these days, but you can't take away their accomplishes with Mike Portnoy.

Other prog points of discussion:

Threshold is the best prog metal band of the 2000's.

Dark Water - Human is the best prog metal release of the past 10 years.

Somehow I just couldn't get into Threshold, I'd take Shadow Gallery over them. Do like Dark Water though.

I think my favorite 90s-era prog metal bands are Royal Hunt, Symphony X and Artension. I love bands that have that melodic/neoclassical blend.

Royal Huny with DC Cooper is awesome. Have you heard Silent Force?

Black Rider wrote:Royal Huny with DC Cooper is awesome. Have you heard Silent Force?

You can’t convince me that Silent Force isn’t a reference to flatulence.

Black Rider wrote:Royal Huny with DC Cooper is awesome. Have you heard Silent Force?

Yes Silent Force are great.

DC's solo album is pretty good too.

How about Firewind?

Black Rider wrote:How about Firewind?

Only after enough Taco Bell.