If you've been getting into gentler stuff more recently...might I interest you in Progressive too? It's kind of a blend of genres, with many many many influences, like classical and electronica; but still with a hearty dose of rock and metal...The songs tend to be more complex than most. I find a lot of progressive rock to be quite mind-expanding and usually just what I need to stir certain emotions. Some songs are heavy and full of american hard-rock distortion, others have a calm, solumn acoustic tone...

A few good prog bands:

Porcupine Tree - British Prog group with psychadelic/trippy soundscapes, but more recently have got a little heavier... Good songs to check out: Fear of a Blank Planet, Sound of Muzak, Piano Lessons, Trains.

Rush - Canadian Power rock/progressive group, with a typically 70s/80s feel, but their music has moved with the times. Good tracks: YYZ, Tom Sawyer, Far Cry, Jacob's Ladder.

Muse - British Neo-progressive group (more radio friendly than other bands). Fantastic range of songs. Good tracks: Hysteria, Knights of Cydonia, Bliss, Unintended, Sunburn, Supermassive Black Hole.

Dream Theater - American progressive metal band with some of the world's best musicians on board. Lengthy songs with some serious bite and some unconventional timings and structures. Good tracks: The Glass Prison, Dark Eternal Night, Pull Me Under.

Hope you enjoy them ^^ Let me know what you think....

Thanks! I'll check em out!

I already have Muse's two later albums which I found to be friggin' awsome. 'Take a bow' was particularly epic. an' I <3 knights of cydonia! They've come on leaps an bounds these last few years. Always impressive to see live, Dispite the fact I've never seen them live, just the live recordings looked awsome.

To be honest, I think they were better live back in 2001...but they still rock now ^_^