modern bands and clean vocals?

[VitaminG]

Nobody mentioned Nevermore

check the first post in this thread.....

[Nuclear Vampire]

[Newc]

I don't believe I've heard them. Can you recommend a couple of tracks to download?

Try Googling for "Blowing The Devil" and "Satan Packs My Fudge"

[slash]

Did I mention Kamelot?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WErVlIzm8Dk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6waMVBYa2g

[TreeFitty]

"Olaf Bergermeister's Post-Apocalytpic Ragtime Rennaisance Bagpipe Jug Band"
Didn't they have a christmas special a few years back?

[Adam]

"Olaf Bergermeister's Post-Apocalytpic Ragtime Rennaisance Bagpipe Jug Band"
Didn't they have a christmas special a few years back?

Yeah. Then they porked miss piggy.

Seriously though - a question:

When you guys say "cookie monster vocals" - and I've heard the term used before - do you mean specifically the typical death metal super-deep "oooooooooooooooh!!!" kind, or are you referring to all screaming vocal styles in general?

I personally can still enjoy some well-executed death metal bellows (like when M.A. of Opeth does it) but I'm seriously tiring of the higher-pitched super-forced screaming styles of hardcore/metalcore (basically anything with a "core" attached to it).

I get the death metal stuff - it's supposed to sound like a demon - ok no sweat, I can hang with that. The hardcore screams, though... I think it's supposed to sound really heartfealt and sincere, like the guy is so emotional about what he's saying that he's just got to scream... it seems trite. I bought into it when I was a kid, but anymore I'd just rather listen to someone who can really sing.

Strangely, I'm really drawn to Mastodon's vocals. They have a lot of hollering and screaming mixed in with the singing, but for some reason it sounds to fresh and different in the context of their band that I really love it. I'm currently all about Mastodon right now though, so I can't really analyze what they do.

[RacerX]

Post Mortem,

I was going to name my band this...


Course, it was a Slayer tribute

[wulfe13]

Power Metal Rules!!!

I wish there were more Iron Maidenesque bands, not clones or copies just the clean vocals and killer guitar riffs!

[Fragle]

well....i got to admit that i'm not the biggest iron maiden fan. i always prefered judas priest. i prefer halford's voice over dickinson's (although halford has his gay moments ), and the riff oriented heavyness just appeals more to me than the harmonized melodies that form the iron maiden trademark sound. a matter of taste, really.

regarding evergrey....i can't get past the heavy keyboard usage. it suits bands like dream theater or whitesnake, but for anything else than background chords to add atmosphere keyboards just suck in a heavy metal environment....once again imho.

and as for the band name thing....seriously, i don't care. sure, there are some *really* ridiculous band names like anal cunt (but then again, we're talking porngrind here ), but if e.g. death angel is a goofy name you could also say that the scorpions or steppenwolf are just that, so go figure

btw, another great band that blends heavy guitars with great vocals is iced earth. well, WAS iced earth. IE without barlow is like a girl without tits. it's just not right plus they had a very strict songwriting formula...clean intro, heavy riff, verse, heavy riff, verse, chorus, clean breakdown, solo, verse, chorus, heavy riff. that's 90% of all iced earth songs.

[RacerX]

Cookie Haters! Here is your band!

Grim Reaper - Fear No Evil

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5_YbnaTB8A



This vid has it all! Leather, pulsating falsetto, cowbell!, the Scythe guitar, Grimmet calling out the jackyl god and whacking him with "STONE TABLET OF THE REAPER". On top of this they save the opressed headbangers Wheeeeeeeeee!

[Reverend Timmy]

Try Dream Evil and Bloodbound.Also Fireball Ministry.I have been in a Powermetal rut for about a year and have found several bands that the vocals are amazing........

[horns666]

I thought Joe was talking about 80s singers, not 80s guitarists. I can't see too many of the old shredders seriously hanging with guys like Jeff Loomis, Olaf Lenk, Magnus Karlsson, Gus G, et al. Not to belittle their amazing playing back then, but there are a bunch of new guys who've picked up that ball and RUN with it.

All you guys pissing and moaning about how there aren't any good singers any more, but aren't interested in modern power metal (plenty of damn good singers there) and wish modern thrash had good singers like 80s thrash bands......which 80s thrash bands had good singers? Overkill, Megadeth, Metallica, Exodus, Anthrax? They were all gruff, abrasive, not particularly good singers, but that was okay because it fit the style they were playing. But I can't recall any Halfords or Dickinsons singing in thrash bands.

Or are you all hoping to find a modern Vince Neil (mediocre 80s singer) fronts Laaz Rockit (decent thrash band) type group?

I'll let G handle this one..he's got this under control..

My name wasn't brought up ...so.

too bad...

Bill Z Bub..

I'll be busy listening to a bunch of new metal bands with great singers now...C'Ya!!

[Fragle]

sure, there are some outstanding new players, jeff loomis being one of them (and btw, i absolutely LOVE jeff loomis as well as anything nevermore has done so far), but most of the modern bands have only mediocre lead guitar players as far as i am concerned. most new thrash bands are heavily slayer influenced in their lead work, and while e.g. the power metal crowd knows how to play decent leads, it's still nothing groundbreaking like jeff loomis' stuff. on the other hand, you rarely see any young guitar players doing all the flashy 80s tricks, except dive bombs....i thought that shit was awesome. just search youtube for some jake e lee live videos, it's not only a pleasure to listen to, but also to watch it!

regarding the 80s thrash metal singers, i got to agree to some extent. yes, most of them couldn't sing too well, but i thought especially chuck billy and james hetfield are/used to be pretty good vocalists. they don't have the range and skills of lets say coverdale, but their style fit the music well.
i got to say though, i'd love to hear a thrash band with a high class vocalist. maybe that's why i enjoyed iced earth so much, they've got some pretty heavy stuff, and barlow is arguably a kickass vocalist, imho one of the best heavy metal singers (emphasis on heavy)

[VitaminG]

Mediocre players? Have you heard any of the bands I mentioned earlier? Guys like Gus G from Firewind (also of Dream Evil, mentioned by someone else here) has all those 80s tricks down, and is damn entertaining to watch play too! Jorn Viggo Lofstad from Pagan's Mind (and Jorn's solo gig) plays exciting, interesting solos, has technique to burn and you can actual remember the solos after he finishes, as does Tore Ostby from Ark (another Jorn project).

Iced Earth are a great band with great songs, but then....no outstanding solos. Not that it's a deal breaker for me, but since we're now talking about guitar solos too......

I like Barlow's voice, but I don't consider him a great singer. I think Marco Hietala from Nightwish/Sinergy/Tarot is better (and heavier) and of course, nobody is better than Jorn Lande.

Plus Jorn has played in so many bands, if one isn't to your liking, another may be. Check out Masterplan. Or Ark.

[levantin]

Ark is good. I'm not sure if someone mentioned them but try Primal Fear as well. Oh and Angra.