Here are 11 pre-2000s prog metal bands that deserved to be way bigger!Progressive metal has evolved into an incredibly popular and diverse subgenre over the past 40 years, with countless bands putting their own spin on the core concept of combining vintage prog rock trickiness with heavy metal toughness.In that time, dozens of acts – such as Fates Warning, Queensrÿche, Opeth, Dream Theater, Between the Buried and Me, Mastodon and Tool – have become household names for fans of the style. In fact, even people who’ve never heard of the term “progressive metal” have probably heard of those artists.READ MORE: The Most Underrated Album by 10 Big Prog Metal BandsUnfortunately, that also means that there’s an equal amount of significantly underappreciated prog metal groups that should be more widely known and revered, especially if they came onto the scene in the ’80s or ‘90s.Take the following 11 bands, for example.Sure, some of them are bigger than others – and some of them are still active – but they’ve nonetheless flown under the radar far too often and failed to get the love they deserve.Chances are you aren’t familiar with them, either, and if that’s the case, you should definitely keep reading to see why you should be!11 Pre-2000s Prog Metal Bands That Deserved to Be Way BiggerThese prog metal artists arrived in the ’80s or ’90s, yet they’ve NEVER gotten the love they deserved.Gallery Credit: Jordan BlumThe 12 Best Prog Metal Albums of the ’90s (Ranked)Keep scrolling to see which of these 12 top-tier 1990s prog metal LPs are the absolute best!Gallery Credit: Jordan Blum11 Best Prog Metal Debut AlbumsKeep scrolling to see 11 prog metal debut albums that proved how great their creators were from the get-go!Gallery Credit: Jordan BlumVisit the Loudwire merch store.