The tech metal plague

[Grim]

Has anyone noticed a few new trends in metal in 09/10 that are growing at a hazardous rate?

First we had Deathcore. Mind you, we still have it. I think I've heard so many 7 string breakdowns that even whole note open drones wouldn't be original.

And now we have Tech metal! It started with Meshuggah. Polyrythyms, extended-range guitars and the occasional jazzy break. Now we have bands like Periphery and Animals as Leaders on the tech metal scene. Not to mention the TechDeathCore like Veil of Maya (To think those guys have the same name as a Cynic song! *shudder*)

It's getting a bit excessive. And until now, I found myself slowly going with the trend. Now, I was weaned on too much Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull and Rush to forget my prog upbringing entirely, but I have decided to take my band in a new direction.

The mission statement: To make the purest, trend-resistant black metal. Now, I have no intention to be "Tr00 kvlt" in any way. However, It's time we stop embracing the metal trends... Tech metal has become as lifeless as death metal. There is no originality anymore, even in a genre apparently limitless.

Who's with me? Fuck the trends!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqmmC4hwl9s

Pure fucking armageddon!

[javert]

Ah, the new fuck-the-trends trend What's next, no guitar solos?

[loki: god of chaos]

im with you grim.. and the more mainstream metal bands riffs all sound the fucking same..boring as shit when i go into a music atore and head the same boring bullet for my valentine-esque riff.. god.. be original for christs sake

[TVTiZtiK]

I'm a huge fan of prog and tech metal myself, but I agree with you for the most part. It's been pretty shitty lately. It kind of happens with any genre though. As soon as it catches on and becomes a trend it goes downhill. All you have to do nowadays is throw a keyboardist in your band and have him play synthesized sounds that give your band that "atmospheric" sound, or play in odd time signatures, and all the prog fanboys will jerk off to your band. As far as I'm concerned; All Shall Perish was the only quality deathcore band, but only because their guitar player Chris Storey is ridiculously good. The dude is a monster at such a young age. Chris left the band last year, so they're fucked as far as I am concerned. I don't see how you can hate on Animals as Leaders though. I don't see anybody else putting out stuff as musically interesting as the stuff he's putting out. One of things I like about AAL is that their stuff doesn't sound like all of the other shit that is being played in the tech/prog scene. EDIT: No idea why, but the forum won't let me break my text up. Sorry for the wall of text.

[DonP]

Instead of black metal, why not white metal, or black and white metal?

"Look to the Cookie!"

Peace out.

[toejam]

Instead of black metal, why not white metal, or black and white metal?

"Look to the Cookie!"

Peace out.

Oreo metal? C is for cookie... it's good enough for me!

[Grim]

Ah, the new fuck-the-trends trend What's next, no guitar solos?

I can't do that. Guitar solos are hardwired into my brain.

[Grim]

I'm a huge fan of prog and tech metal myself, but I agree with you for the most part. It's been pretty shitty lately. It kind of happens with any genre though. As soon as it catches on and becomes a trend it goes downhill. All you have to do nowadays is throw a keyboardist in your band and have him play synthesized sounds that give your band that "atmospheric" sound, or play in odd time signatures, and all the prog fanboys will jerk off to your band. As far as I'm concerned; All Shall Perish was the only quality deathcore band, but only because their guitar player Chris Storey is ridiculously good. The dude is a monster at such a young age. Chris left the band last year, so they're fucked as far as I am concerned. I don't see how you can hate on Animals as Leaders though. I don't see anybody else putting out stuff as musically interesting as the stuff he's putting out. One of things I like about AAL is that their stuff doesn't sound like all of the other shit that is being played in the tech/prog scene. EDIT: No idea why, but the forum won't let me break my text up. Sorry for the wall of text.

I don't mean to hate on Tosin Abasi, the guy is an absolute monster. It's just that the music he's writing puts him into the Tech Metal grouping, where he isn't following a trend. Point being, he wouldn't be so well known now if it wasn't for tech metal becoming popular, hence the grouping.

[Grim]

im with you grim.. and the more mainstream metal bands riffs all sound the fucking same..boring as shit when i go into a music atore and head the same boring bullet for my valentine-esque riff.. god.. be original for christs sake

I've been listening to black metal for a very long time now, and one thing I keep noticing is how much uncharted territory there is with the genre. The "tr00" black metal sound caught on and then the genre faded into nothingness. Death metal has been done to death, so I'm changing my focus to a genre with plenty of uncharted territory.

[toejam]

I really like Necrophagist and The Red Chord, been listening to them a lot lately.

[Annah]

Personally, I agree on the "shit's been done do death" theme, but it seems true across most genres. While there's not much in terms of guitars or "metal factor" in dubstep or rave genres, what I'm after is a blend of those with metal. I think ebomb is on our way to achieving a new thing.

Picture some of this, mixed with down-tuned, heavy-ass stuff. Eeeeeya!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVUlBfymUtA

[Grim]

I've been a long-time fan of Dub, Drum and Bass and Breakcore.

[Grim]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcg06WppwyI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQmxsxIvvNA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5meue1C6o7U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZspN9-E326U (This guy is one of my favourite breakcore artists.)

[Endrik]

I play in a live DnB, Jungle, Breakbeat, Trip Hop, Dubstep, House blahblahblah band. A lot of fun. Just three guys... drums, bass and a guitar. No keyboards or samples. It's pretty challenging making the guitar sound like a synth or a sampler without any MIDI devices and hi-tech processors... and it's technically insane... mostly for the drummer.... specially when I make up beats in 29/16 and in super high tempos. But it's great as it makes you look at the music from a totally different perspective while the DJs are amazed at this concept because playing with instruments there's lot more room for improvisation and the sound overall is much more organic. We use very little metal elements but there's a lot of 60's and 70's prog and psychedelic vibe naturally coming out of us (and a bunch of other stuff from jazz and Hindustani music to reggae and funk) and right now we are in the middle of recording this Prodigy type of tune for which we tracked a huge old school John Bonham type of drum sound. The possibilities are endless but chances that someone is going to sound really original these days is impossible. Everything has been made already. The important thing is to have fun and trying to create the best art you can.

[Annah]

I loooooove Datsik! Great stuff. Heavified would = ULTRAWICKED!!!

ENDRIK: Where's some of your stuff we could listen to?