For the longest time, Muse was my favorite band due to their awesome music and classical influences. Well, I believe I have a found not only a new favorite band, but also a new favorite genre.
Progressive metal mixes the awesome guitars and beats of metal with the complexity and demanding musicianship of classical/jazz. Symphony X is a great band with incredibly talented musicians and very awesome music. One thing I love about progressive music is the fact that the songs aren't always the same generic verse/chorus/verse/chorus format. A progressive song does what it wants to do. Sometimes it can end up being twenty minutes long! An awesome song by Symphony X is The Odyssey, which is a twenty-minute musical retelling of the story by the same name, complete with orchestral arrangement.
So be sure to check out Symphony X or even Dream Theater (who are probably the most well-known of the progressive metal genre)!
I LOVE Dream Theater! GREAT band!!! =D