True metal vs trends

[åron]

So far, the trend examples have varied mediocre music (the proggy bits not too complicated, the groovey bits kinda stiff, the catchy bits... not that memorable). Definitely one thing in common they all have is seemingly non-musician dbag vocalists with the worst rhythmic sense or the worst melodic sense, take your pick. Still as bad as they are, I think they mostly still fall under the metal umbrella, as I understand it. These bands cited didn't just follow trends, they ruined them, ran them into the fuggen ground. Still...

This reminds me of seeing Carcass last Friday at the Grand Ballroom, and hearing people debating their metal worthiness. I don't think I have to tell you how good and how fuckingheavymetal those lads are. Simply devastating. If you missed it, you really missed out. They got the chops, they got the riffs. Go if you can.
Let's use the openers for that show as a case study.
Aborted - They opened and definitely seemed to be in the ballpark. Kinda trendy, but not terrible. Open for meaningless internet debate.
1349 - Black metal. Trend? Still metal? Seemed metal enough. Guitar and bass tone weren't my taste. Vocalist was.
Suffocation - Metal, no doubt. Always anti-trend.

[thetroy]

TREND..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-4VOLeKBOw

No way dude, The Darkness "Permission To Land" is a GREAT rock and roll album. Not metal by any means, but good music nonetheless. I think their lead singer/guitarist got Axl Rose syndrome or something, otherwise they'd still be going strong.

[khabibissell]

Since we are having this discussion, what exactly makes a band "metal"? I'd like to know... When is a band that considered "metal" at one time turned into a trend? Like it or not "Nu - Metal" is the combining of two words: new+metal. Neat huh?

Also, every form of music we listen to know evolved from something else, so to say Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, or Judas Priest wasn't metal isn't really correct is it? Though you can look back and say the first couple of albums are bluesy, or whatever, the fact is that for the time period that was some pretty heavy shit. You can't really look back with modern eyes and discount the old stuff. Sure it is classic rock now, but back then, it wasn't.

[metalchurch79]

Primal Fear, they're one of my fav bands ever! I love em!!

[thetroy]

Holst = Metal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0bcRCCg01I

Even Michael Romeo thinks so!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-mr9TAKMzU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6ydmtTb5Z4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IDZ87fP6OI

[SEEGERMANY]

Now Bill, don't make too much fun of me, but I do own one CD that will make you want to have sex with the tailpipe on a Suburban. Matter of fact, it was a gift from one of my son's friends. It's The Haunted - The Haunted Made Me Do It. I'm not sure how you would categorize this CD.

[joelayres]

what exactly makes a band "metal"? I'd like to know...

Metal is an attitude.
And Black Sabbath are without a doubt the Godfathers of Metal.

[Spivonious]

If he says Soilwork are metal, then the Haunted have to be.

And man, I never realized how much John Williams ripped off Holst for the Star Wars music.

[horns666]

You guys keep talkin'..I'm gonna keep doing what I'm doin' . I have lots of trends and metal ground to cover. This is going to be a very long thread..its my gift to you!

The Darkness..yeah, I just happened to come by that. They were huge for a year then poofed. My singer loved them..I took them as a gifted novelty.

I'm havin' fun..

Bye..its pizza time!

[khabibissell]

Metal is an attitude.
And Black Sabbath are without a doubt the Godfathers of Metal.

Wouldn't bands like AC/DC and Motorhead be considered metal then? They have (or had) alot of attitude in their day.

[horns666]

If he says Soilwork are metal, then the Haunted have to be.

Of course..both are part of a HUGE continuum of At The Gates. Unfortunately trendy Emo-Screamo-Core wouldn't exist without those bands, including KSE..who openly admit that many times!

[Spivonious]

Wouldn't bands like AC/DC and Motorhead be considered metal then? They have (or had) alot of attitude in their day.

See, that's why I add in the "focus on guitar and drum skills" to my definition of metal. Attitude can only take you so far.

[Ben...]

Hmm... I'll create a list of bands I'm currently listening to that I consider to be metal:

Blind Guardian: Only got to listen to "And Then There was Silence" so far. Seems like metal to me.

Blotted Science: Technical instrumental mumbo-jumbo that's crazy good.

Conception: Pretty sweet from what I've heard so far. Plus it's got Roy from Kamelot so that's a bonus.

Crystal Eyes: Power metal but metal in my books. Early stuffs great and the later stuff has Daniel Heiman on vocals.

Ensiferum: *Ahem* PREEEEEEEOOOOOOOWWWW!!! Great band. Viking metal with power metal influences. The album "Iron" is a masterpiece in my mind. And they had Jari Maenpaa (sorry I can't do umlauts) who also did Wintersun!

Eternal Tears of Sorrow: Recently recommended to me by Bill. Pretty amazing band from the one album I've heard. I especially like the song "Autumn Grief".

Hammerfall: Only listened to wee-little bit of these dudes so far. They seem pretty okay.

Heed: Another Bill-recommended band. The guitars and all that are decent but Daniel Heiman takes the cake for vocals.

Kalmah: The first melodeath band I got into. I quite like the album "The Black Waltz" along with their new album "For The Revolution".

Kamelot: Oh, Roy Khan, can you do any wrong? Truly awesome band with some amazing vocals.

Korpiklaani: I can only listen to these guys a bit. Only when I'm in the mood, otherwise they're just strange.

Lost Horizon: (See: Greatest Band of All Time) My current favourite band. Daniel Heiman on vocals and 5 pages of thank-you's in the booklet for "Awakening the World".

Masterplan: Listened to them a little. Jorn's a beast.

Nevermore: good band to say the least...

Outworld: They're okay. The vocals are meh but the guitar's good.

Rhapsody(Of Fire): Take Dragonforce, subtract the suck, add sweet symphonic stuff and add heavy Italian accents and you get these guys.

Skyfire: Another Bill recommended band. the vocals are rubbish but everything else is good.

Sonata Arctica: A good band so far. I really like Ecliptica.

Tarot: Only heard "Suffer Our Pleasures". Really high quality band.

Therion: Amazing band recommended by Bill. Tuna 1613 is possibly the best song ever though all of them are awesome. "The Wings of The Hydra" also sticks out as a favourite.

Wintersun: Jari at his finest. The whole album is amazing. 'Winter Madness" and "Death and the Healing" are a couple of my favourite songs.

[horns666]

Actually most formulas remained the same in metal..just the timing and production changed. Take a song like "Holy Diver" and add double kicks and blast beats..and if you wanna get real crazy..death vox. There, that's metal then and now.

[horns666]

Ben..you go boyeeeee.....