Loopy metal label The End Records reports that Jeff Wagner, former Metal Maniacs editor and current staffer at The End, is set to release his book on the history of progressive metal. From the early experiments of Rush, to the ascent of prog-metal's "Big Three" (Fates Warning, Dream Theater & Queensrÿche) and on to later pioneers like Atheist, Opeth, Voivod, Ayreon and Ulver, this baby will cover pretty much every metal band that ever rocked an oddball time signature or jazzy ninth chord. It'll include interviews with musicians, label execs and fans, in addition to Wagner's own well-informed insights, honed over a lifetime of obsession with the stuff. The as-of-yet unnamed book will see the light of day in fall of '09 on Bazillion Points Publishing. And we're finding out about this a full year before publication? Talk about progressive.