But in looking at it a little more in depth, a couple of things stand out.
There is a lot of depth good-very good (3-3.5 stars) albums. And even the albums better than those are not at a shortage.
There's quite a lot of prog metal, neoprog, and modern progressive rock. I remember 1999 maybe being the peak or at least plateau of the underground progressive metal scene. 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002 I suppose also fit in there to a point. A ton of bands influenced by Dream Theater were coming out, and oddly enough, many of them pretty good, even as short-lived as they were.
Of course it was the year Dream Theater's Scenes from a Memory came out. A comeback of sorts, and an unexpected one for me, as I wasn't even all that clued into that much of their online activity in 1998 and 1999. Those were the days of dialups and going to the library for the internet of course.
And much the same with Marillion. The album came out and was unaware of it for a few weeks, etc.
SFAM was 1999's top disc as it had a ton of staying power for me. I listened to it for months. James LaBrie admittedly sounded maybe better than he ever had, etc.
1. Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt 2: Scenes from a Memory
2, Marillion - marillion.com
3. Mahavishnu Orchestra - The Lost Trident Sessions
4. Spock's Beard - Day for Night
5. Liquid Tension Experiment - Liquid Tension Experiment 2
6. Dream Theater - Christmas CD 1999: Cleaning Out the Closet
7. maudlin of the Well - My Fruit Psychobells... A Seed Combustible
8. Opeth - Still Life
9, Sigur Rós - Ágætis byrjun
10. sElf - Breakfast with Girls
11. uneXpect - Utopia
12. Tiles - Presents of Mind
13. Fish - Raingods with Zippos
14. Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream
15. Owsley - Owsley
16. Little Hans - Wunderkind
17. Mullmuzzler - Keep it to Yourself
18. 3 - Paint by Number
19. Muse - Showbiz
20, Francesca Gagnon - Au Dela Des Couleurs
21. Live - The Distance to Here
22. Mr. Bungle - California
23. Yes - The Ladder
24. Nexus - Detrás del umbral
25. I Mother Earth - Blue Green Orange
26. The Tea Party - Triptych
27. Xen - 84.000 Dharma Doors
28. Conditioned Response -In Flagranté Delecto
30. Jim Matheos - Away with Words
31. Pepe Deluxé - Super Sound
32. Zero Hour - Zero Hour
33. The Flower Kings - Flower Power: A Journey to the Hidden Corners of Your Mind
34. Evil Wings - Colors of the New World
35. Queensryche - Q2K
1. Giraffe - Giraffe
![AfroCeltVolume2Release.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0a/AfroCeltVolume2Release.jpg/220px-AfroCeltVolume2Release.jpg)
Afro Celt Sound System - Volume 2: Release
rel January 25, 1999
![Moontower.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/Moontower.jpg/220px-Moontower.jpg)
Dan Swanö - Moontower
rel January 26, 1999
![Apple Venus.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a7/Apple_Venus.jpg/220px-Apple_Venus.jpg)
XTC - Apple Venus Volume 1
rel February 17, 1999
![Untitled](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/770x0/44c936458be468671efbdf581fb5b3df.jpg#44c936458be468671efbdf581fb5b3df)
Tiles - Presents of Mind
rel February 22, 1999
![Can You Still Feel.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/ce/Can_You_Still_Feel.jpg/220px-Can_You_Still_Feel.jpg)
Jason Falkner - Can You Still Feel?
rel February 23, 1999
![Untitled](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/770x0/0b594ed0121a4fb4cfe0c510e590a475.jpg)
Francesca Gagnon - Au Dela Des Couleurs
rel March 2, 1999
![Gordian Knot.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/04/Gordian_Knot.jpg)
Gordian Knot - Gordian Knot
rel March 5, 1999
![KulaShaker PPP.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/54/KulaShaker_PPP.jpg)
Kula Shaker - Peasants, Pigs and Astronauts
rel March 8, 1999
![Silverchair - Neon Ballroom.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/00/Silverchair_-_Neon_Ballroom.jpg/220px-Silverchair_-_Neon_Ballroom.jpg)
Silverchair - Neon Ballroom
rel March 8, 1999
![DEUS-The Ideal Crash.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1c/DEUS-The_Ideal_Crash.jpg/220px-DEUS-The_Ideal_Crash.jpg)
dEUS - The Ideal Crash
rel March 16, 1999
![Porcupine tree stupid dream.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Porcupine_tree_stupid_dream.jpg/220px-Porcupine_tree_stupid_dream.jpg)
Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream
rel March 22, 1999
![Olivia Tremor Control - Black Foliage.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2a/Olivia_Tremor_Control_-_Black_Foliage.jpg/220px-Olivia_Tremor_Control_-_Black_Foliage.jpg)
The Olivia Tremor Control - Black Foliage: Animation Music Volume One
rel March 23, 1999
![Owsley album.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/81/Owsley_album.jpg/220px-Owsley_album.jpg)
Owsley - Owsley
rel March 23, 1999
![SpocksBeardDayForNight.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e0/SpocksBeardDayForNight.jpg/220px-SpocksBeardDayForNight.jpg)
Spock's Beard - Day for Night
rel March 23, 1999
![Tuonela.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8f/Tuonela.jpg/220px-Tuonela.jpg)
Amorphis - Tuonela
rel March 29, 1999
![Utopia parkway cover.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ad/Utopia_parkway_cover.jpg/220px-Utopia_parkway_cover.jpg)
Fountains of Wayne - Utopia Parkway
rel April 6, 1999
![Fish raingods.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/45/Fish_raingods.jpg/220px-Fish_raingods.jpg)
Fish - Raingods with Zippos
rel April 19, 1999
![Another Spin Around the Sun Cover.png](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7c/Another_Spin_Around_the_Sun_Cover.png/220px-Another_Spin_Around_the_Sun_Cover.png)
Edwin - Another Spin Around the Sun
rel April 27, 1999
![Hood-Cycle.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/55/Hood-Cycle.jpg)
Hood - The Cycle of Days and Seasons
rel April 1999
![No-man - speak.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/be/No-man_-_speak.jpg)
No-Man - ((Speak))
rel April 1999
![Steve Hackett Dark Town.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2d/Steve_Hackett_Dark_Town.jpg)
Steve Hackett - Darktown
rel May 4, 1999
![S-D-T.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b5/S-D-T.jpg/220px-S-D-T.jpg)
Evergrey - Solitude Dominance Tragedy
rel May 17, 1999
![Untitled](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/770x0/1e3c21735675486cc8a69d6fdd62159f.jpg)
Pepe Deluxé - Super Sound
rel May 1999
![TGreatDivide album cover.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b0/TGreatDivide_album_cover.jpg)
Ice Age - The Great Divide
rel June 1, 1999
![Her wallpaper reverie cover.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/23/Her_wallpaper_reverie_cover.jpg/220px-Her_wallpaper_reverie_cover.jpg)
The Apples in Stereo - Her Wallpaper Reverie
rel June 8, 1999
![Triptych (album cover).jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Triptych_%28album_cover%29.jpg/220px-Triptych_%28album_cover%29.jpg)
The Tea Party - Triptych
rel June 8, 1999
Sigur Rós - Ágætis byrjun
rel June 12, 1999
![MrBungle-California.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/08/MrBungle-California.jpg/220px-MrBungle-California.jpg)
Mr. Bungle - California
rel June 13, 1999
![Derek Sherinian - 1999 - Planet X.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/39/Derek_Sherinian_-_1999_-_Planet_X.jpg/220px-Derek_Sherinian_-_1999_-_Planet_X.jpg)
Derek Sherinian - Planet X
rel July 13, 1999
![LiquidTensionExp2.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/04/LiquidTensionExp2.jpg/220px-LiquidTensionExp2.jpg)
Liquid Tension Experiment - Liquid Tension Experiment 2
rel June 15, 1999
![Cardiacsgunsalbumcover.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/13/Cardiacsgunsalbumcover.jpg/220px-Cardiacsgunsalbumcover.jpg)
Cardiacs - Guns
rel June 21, 1999
![Anathema-Judgement.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/11/Anathema-Judgement.jpg/220px-Anathema-Judgement.jpg)
Anathema - Judgement
rel June 25, 1999
![Dancethedevil.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d7/Dancethedevil.jpg)
The Frames - Dance the Devil...
rel June 25, 1999
![Palefolklore.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/16/Palefolklore.jpg/220px-Palefolklore.jpg)
Agalloch - Pale Folklore
rel July 6, 1999
![Blue Green Orange.jpeg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/fe/Blue_Green_Orange.jpeg/220px-Blue_Green_Orange.jpeg)
I Mother Earth - Blue Green Orange
rel July 13, 1999
![Self breakfast with girls front.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/19/Self_breakfast_with_girls_front.jpg/220px-Self_breakfast_with_girls_front.jpg)
sElf - Breakfast with Girls
rel July 13, 1999
![Mullmuzzler keep it to yourself.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/51/Mullmuzzler_keep_it_to_yourself.jpg)
Mullmuzzler - Keep it to Yourself
rel August 24, 1999
![SonataArctica Ecliptica.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4f/SonataArctica_Ecliptica.jpg/220px-SonataArctica_Ecliptica.jpg)
Sonata Arctica - Ecliptica
rel September 4, 1999
![Museshowbizalbumcover.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9d/Museshowbizalbumcover.jpg/220px-Museshowbizalbumcover.jpg)
Muse - Showbiz
rel September 7, 1999
![Necrophagist onset of putrefaction original.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e4/Necrophagist_onset_of_putrefaction_original.jpg/220px-Necrophagist_onset_of_putrefaction_original.jpg)
Necrophagist - Onset of Putrefaction
rel September 14, 1999
![Queensryche - Q2K cover.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/20/Queensryche_-_Q2K_cover.jpg/220px-Queensryche_-_Q2K_cover.jpg)
Queensryche - Q2K
rel September 14, 1999
![Far Off Grace cover.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3b/Far_Off_Grace_cover.jpg/220px-Far_Off_Grace_cover.jpg)
Vanden Plas - Far Off Grace
rel September 16, 1999
![Yes The Ladder.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Yes_The_Ladder.jpg/220px-Yes_The_Ladder.jpg)
Yes - The Ladder
rel September 20, 1999
![Trid.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3c/Trid.jpg/220px-Trid.jpg)
Mahavishnu Orchestra - The Lost Trident Sessions
rel September 21, 1999
![John Paul Jones - Zooma.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/83/John_Paul_Jones_-_Zooma.jpg/220px-John_Paul_Jones_-_Zooma.jpg)
John Paul Jones - Zooma
rel September 1999
![Untitled](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/770x0/c9a97fdd539b4099952486ab0de90079.jpg)
D.F.A. - Duty Free Area
rel October 1, 1999
![Livedistance.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/ca/Livedistance.jpg/220px-Livedistance.jpg)
Live - The Distance to Here
rel October 5, 1999
![Calla-cover.gif](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3f/Calla-cover.gif)
Calla - Calla
rel October 11, 1999
![Royal Hunt - Fear (Front).jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2b/Royal_Hunt_-_Fear_%28Front%29.jpg/220px-Royal_Hunt_-_Fear_%28Front%29.jpg)
Royal Hunt - Fear
rel October 15, 1999
![Marrilliondotcom.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1c/Marrilliondotcom.jpg/220px-Marrilliondotcom.jpg)
Marillion - marillion.com
rel October 18, 1999
![Opeth stilllife.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d7/Opeth_stilllife.jpg/220px-Opeth_stilllife.jpg)
Opeth - Still Life
rel October 18, 1999
![Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2- Scenes from a Memory.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/55/Dream_Theater_-_Metropolis_Pt._2-_Scenes_from_a_Memory.jpg/220px-Dream_Theater_-_Metropolis_Pt._2-_Scenes_from_a_Memory.jpg)
Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt 2: Scenes from a Memory
rel October 26, 1999
![Anekdoten From Within.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e0/Anekdoten_From_Within.jpg)
Anekdoten - From Within
rel October 1999
![A.Map.of.the.World.Pat.Metheny.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4b/A.Map.of.the.World.Pat.Metheny.jpg/220px-A.Map.of.the.World.Pat.Metheny.jpg)
Pat Metheny - A Map of the World
rel November 8, 1999
![Flower Power cover.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d6/Flower_Power_cover.jpg/220px-Flower_Power_cover.jpg)
The Flower Kings - Flower Power: A Journey to the Hidden Corners of Your Mind
rel November 16, 1999
![TheBand3-PaintbyNumber.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e1/TheBand3-PaintbyNumber.jpg/220px-TheBand3-PaintbyNumber.jpg)
3 - Paint by Number
rel November 30, 1999
![Bluenights.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/89/Bluenights.jpg/220px-Bluenights.jpg)
Bruford Levin Upper Extremities - B.L.U.E. Nights
rel December 17, 1999
![Untitled](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/770x0/4e31ba23bf2d47c1aa0e9a7d261551d5.jpg)
Dream Theater - Christmas CD 1999: Cleaning Out the Closet
rel December 1999
![Conditioned Response: In Flagranté Delecto (CD) - Image 1](https://www.musik-sammler.de/cover/62500/62339_300.jpg)
Conditioned Response -In Flagranté Delecto
rel 1999
![Untitled](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/770x0/cc7361999477407c85c473f8c93be527.jpg)
Giraffe - Giraffe
rel 1999
![Untitled](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/770x0/5e0168138bce606fd26775b64266602c.jpg)
Evil Wings - Colors of the New World
rel 1999
Lemur Voice - Divided
rel 1999
Little Hans - Wunderkind
rel 1999
![Untitled](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/770x0/1c7514702238443ec4b931d5cdde77f0.jpg)
Jim Matheos - Away with Words
rel 1999
![Maudlin of the well My Fruit Psychobells A Seed Combustible.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/51/Maudlin_of_the_well_My_Fruit_Psychobells_A_Seed_Combustible.jpg/220px-Maudlin_of_the_well_My_Fruit_Psychobells_A_Seed_Combustible.jpg)
maudlin of the Well - My Fruit Psychobells... A Seed Combustible
rel 1999
![Untitled](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/770x0/9e2927c5e0194d608222a9354e3b41bf.jpg#9e2927c5e0194d608222a9354e3b41bf)
Nexus - Detrás del umbral
rel 1999
![Untitled](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/770x0/1f2ad446fa7e42249694c529980d777a.jpg)
Ozric Tentacles - Waterfall Cities
rel 1999
![Untitled](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/770x0/7b9abf3a59654945a5295b757d7780f4.jpg)
Sinkadus - Cirkus
rel 1999
![Untitled](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/770x0/42c1ac2df28b483a994b5222614bdcd5.jpg)
uneXpect - Utopia
rel 1999
![Untitled](https://lastfm-img2.akamaized.net/i/u/770x0/1c377a8647784c638f442f96fed3ff6e.jpg)
Xen - 84.000 Dharma Doors
rel 1999
![Zero Hour (Zero Hour album).jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/39/Zero_Hour_%28Zero_Hour_album%29.jpg/220px-Zero_Hour_%28Zero_Hour_album%29.jpg)
Zero Hour - Zero Hour
rel 1999