What are some good famous instrumental rock/metal bands?

Liquid Tension Experiment, perhaps? I don’t know about famous but they are good. Mike Portnoy started it as a side project from Dream Theater. Check them out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_Tension_Experiment

Explosions in the Sky

Early Apocalyptica is great.

Mannheim Steamroller

Mogwai is mostly instrumental if I remember correctly. I saw them in a club several years ago and they were awesome. Er, they would’ve been if I didn’t have the flu. :) But they’re very passionate and very loud, but not at all metal.

One of my favorite bands is Pelican. They are completely instrumental, and amazing.
Here are a couple of songs:
Aurora Borealis
My favorite – Wind With Hands

@SuperMouse I had a ticket to see Explosions in the Sky and couldn’t make it to the show :(

Um, he’s neither famous (afaik) nor especially “metal”, but Casey LaLonde does some fun stuff. (You can listen to each album listed along the side of the page.)

Also Ratatat. (Not exactly Rock or Metal either, but lots of fun, with some “talking” but no lyrics; also, the songs lose something online because they’re compressed. Much cooler on cd.)

And, um, Daft Punk. (Again, not exactly metal or rock. More like…techno, but not really.)

Deastro is fun (and sounds somewhat nautical!).

Sorry. I know these don’t exactly fit your criteria!

Booker T and the MGs.

The Ventures.

@row4food that is a bummer, I would love to see one of their shows!

ELO – Electric Light Orchestra

I also recommend Liquid Tension Experiment.

Check out the King Crimson album Larks Tongues in Aspic

dinosour jr

I forgot to mention Can. They are harder to find, but they make the coolest music I have ever heard.

Trans Siberian Orchestra, I know it’s not Christmas, but I still like it

Some Thievery Corporation could be described as nearly instrumental, either way you’ll be hooked!

JT Bruce, their music is royalty free and it’s outstanding!

How about Jeff Beck

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
The Ventures
and previously mentioned Liquid Tension

Russian Circles (instrumental metal)
God is an Astronaut (most amazing instrumental band I have ever heard).
Isis (mostly instrumental with some yelling, but if you like that you might like Mastodon’s first album)

maybeshewill and 65daysofstatic are also good.

@jeffgoldblumsprivatefacilities Pelican is awesome, I saw them live a few months ago with Isis

I found this one on Pandora. It’s Pine Woods by Korpiklaani It’s new to me, and what I’ve heard, I like.