Can ANYONE actually sing in metal anymore?

[demeyes]

Finding the right singer is really hard to do. We're onto our 4th singer in my band now - all of them were singers to some extent but only now have we got someone with a great voice and presence. He's got that rock voice with some grit in it. The rest of us in the band can do a bit of singing but that shit can be hard to keep playing along with. We do use some growls in our music too, why? Because most of the music we listen has it, the music we love. Also it really fits with the style of some music - death metal would sound cack with clean singing on it, the growling just fits.
Also people say that growling takes no effort and is a cop out. Thats totally wrong. To get those deep tones and get projection with it takes a lot of effort and practice. I've met many people who claim to be able to do the guttural vocals and what most actually do is a quiet imitation that lacks the balls.

[Carbuff]

+1

Cemetary Gates, This Love and Hollow...still send shivers up my spine when he belts it out on those tunes. It did kinda seem like as the years went by the more tattoos he got and the "harder" he became he started to yelp and growl more than sing,but he's really got a voice on him, that's for sure.

The dude from Killswitch Engage can belt it out too.

So can the drummer from Atreyu, they should just have him sing IMO.

Interesting, is he the guy who sings when theyre not growling? My daughter was listening to music on her computer the other day and I heard some metal. I thought it was ok. I asked who it was and she said Atreyu. It was growling and all but the guitars sounded good. A minute later and I hear this whiney emo, waiting for my balls to drop, california boy, voice, you know the one, the same one that all those emo power pop bands have. I said to her, this is a different song right? She says no this is just what the singer sounds like when he sings. I then knew why so many on this board dont like Atreyu. They really need a singer with some balls.

[zeegler]

Regardless of how much effort it takes, it's not good. Don't get me wrong here, there are certain bands I like that have lots of screamed vocals, or even stuff like Carcass which is little more than grunting. I think what a lot of people are saying, is that a lot of the new stuff has these type of vocals and nothing else. It's boring. Besides, I don't care how much "technique" it takes to do it, it's nowhere near as difficult as proper singing.

[metallicats]

You know, I think what we're seeing is more to do with what music the kids are listening to these days. None of them try to sing properly, because all the crap they listen to is screaming and grunting. The younger generation needs to discover Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Deep Purple, Dio, Journey, Queen, or basically anything with good vocals. It's not that there aren't any decent singers around, it's just that they aren't as "popular" with the kids.

you may not think so...but all of my friends and basically anyone i know that listen to this "new" "popular" metal...also idolize all these bands like maiden and priest, and all those you mentioned...
and people also dont think that theres any technique in screaming but there is or else they would compete shoot their vocal chords...its not just mindless screaming...

[VitaminG]

If you're having trouble finding good metal singers then you're obviously not looking that hard. Look into the "power metal" and "prog metal" genres.

Absolutely.

Bands like Angra, Eyefear, Dungeon, Pagan's Mind, Prototype, etc have great clean lead singers.

Also, check Tarot, Cage, Beautiful Sin, Chastain for more straight-ahead metal singer. Not soaring vocals, but no cookie monster either.

[horns666]

I thought the same thing when I heard Reb Beach's solo cd, Masquerade. I mean, the dude's been singing back to Kip for years, but he can actually hang as a lead singer too. And better than most dedicated "leads"

You got that right G..ummm he's not Uli Roth..who plays flawlessy, but insist on singing..Uli sound like Kermit the Frog with down syndrome..only downier.

[VitaminG]

I was blown away when I bought "Fever Dream" when it came out. He didn't sound like a guitarist trying to sing..he sang as good as he plays..

It actually took me back to Frank Marino..but even better.

He's better than the majority of "singers" out there..IMO

I thought the same thing when I heard Reb Beach's solo cd, Masquerade. I mean, the dude's been singing back to Kip for years, but he can actually hang as a lead singer too. And better than most dedicated "leads"

[horns666]

yep Bill, he and John Sykes are better singers than most of the lead singers... by far.

Fever Dream is awsome!!!!1

btw. Richie is awsome... he is multi/instrumentalist.... he can play pretty much everything

Dude, I was thinkin' the same exact fucking thing when I was typing the prior post. When Sykes left Whitesnake and heard he was going to give singing a try. I thought , you were in a band with Coverdale..WTF..this is got to be a joke. When the first Blue Muder came out..I was like WTF???!!!

Godddam..my expectations was waaaay off..I still play Blue Murder all the time..that shit is timeless!

Ya Know E..I gotta say..you know you're music man..and I mean that!! We always seem to be on the same fuggin' page ..and not just music!!!!

[Endrik]

I was blown away when I bought "Fever Dream" when it came out. He didn't sound like a guitarist trying to sing..he sang as good as he plays..

It actually took me back to Frank Marino..but even better.

He's better than the majority of "singers" out there..IMO

yep Bill, he and John Sykes are better singers than most of the lead singers... by far.

Fever Dream is awsome!!!!1

btw. Richie is awsome... he is multi/instrumentalist.... he can play pretty much everything

[horns666]

not metal... but I think Richie Kotzen is actually one of the best singers out there.... very soulful and powerfull voice... kinda similar to Chris Cornell's

I was blown away when I bought "Fever Dream" when it came out. He didn't sound like a guitarist trying to sing..he sang as good as he plays..

It actually took me back to Frank Marino..but even better.

He's better than the majority of "singers" out there..IMO

[Bengal]

not metal... but I think Richie Kotzen is actually one of the best singers out there.... very soulful and powerfull voice... kinda similar to Chris Cornell's

Yeah, too bad he'll fuck your girlfriend in a heartbeat...

Sorry, couldn't resist...

[Endrik]

not metal... but I think Richie Kotzen is actually one of the best singers out there.... very soulful and powerfull voice... kinda similar to Chris Cornell's

[Inearthed]

If you're having trouble finding good metal singers then you're obviously not looking that hard. Look into the "power metal" and "prog metal" genres.

[horns666]

Hand in hand? Wouldn't that be dick in hand???

Sorry, couldn't resist. But try to spare the monitor, OK? You wouldn't like it either...

I had a windshield wiper mounted to my monitor..

[zeegler]

I'll probably get flamed for this one but Tom Queefer from Cinderella I thought sucked balls too...

I agree. I always loathed Cinderella, mostly because of Tom Queefer. :ROTF:

Tom Queefer. I love it.