The Direction of Modern Metal

[Shoden]

8 String guitar? son of a bitch man, that's some insane stuff.
That style is pushing things forward and I don't mean to come off with the attitude of "only play 3 chord 3 minute wonders 80's style" even back in these days I prefer the more different stuff from the norm, the standouts you wouldn't see on top of the pops lol.

as much as I like difference I really don't see the point of multiple string basses though, 5 and 6 stringers... (More strings makes you more skilled, that's what some of my friends say. Nah)

First 3 Metallica albums, first 3 Helloween albums, Dio era Black Sabbath, Rush's Moving Pictures, Judas Priest's British Steel, Screaming for Vengeance, Defenders of the Faith albums, Iron Maiden's Somewhere In Time, Powerslave and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album. That was the 80's for me as well as the NWOBHM standouts like Saxon

Then came the 90's with Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, Symphony X and Grave Digger who all last to this day evolving.

I am bitter yeah, and good reason, bands who conform their image and music to what the scene demands are taken higher in the scale of recognition than the bands who put their heart and soul into playing music for the sake of music, art.

As soon as you start playing for the sake of the needs of someone else, you've done what most people would call "selling out" and what that means, to me, is selling your soul musically.

I like how some of the bands from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal era such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Saxon have evolved the sound that they helped create, they've changed their sound to experiment and Maiden and Priest more so, have changed to compensate for the increasing age of their frontmen too resulting in a thicker, heavier and more modern sound while probably not intentional it serves as a fitting example that in this modern world the ideals, the heart and soul of the prime time of metal can be transposed into today.

A darker, progressive, more atmospheric style that maybe a bit more technical and advanced than their old stuff but its still fantastic.

Some power metal bands such as Blind Guardian and Symphony X have picked up on this and evolved their own sounds while others like Gamma Ray just keep changing anyways as they keep experimenting and playing around, enjoying.

The best bands have a mix. A mix between progression, variation, dedication, Intelligence, Skill, Speed and respect of all instruments in their band allowing even the drums, bass and keys to take a more avant garde approach.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

I'm serious guys. If you DO like that, check out Periphery, and Tesseract that I mentioned in my above posts. I don't think you'll be disappointed, and they deserve the new fans.

I mean Tesseract is another term for a "hypercube" that can only be seen in the 4th dimension or above. It's a polytope. While I'm not an expert I think it might be a nod at their frequent use of polyrhythms in their song structures. With a name like that you know they're trying new things.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

Do me a favor. It'll take a minute, but I'd appreciate it. Listen to this song.
Now try this one.
Try to listen to both ENTIRELY. Even if you don't like the sound, can you really say it's not trying new things? Is it not pushing things forward? They're talented, intelligent song writers.

It has many other aspects you asked for. They play fast, they play slow, one song uses a keyboard, the songs are over 5 minutes, they have a classic powermetal solo near the end of one song, and no one is screaming or wearing eyeliner. They use odd time signatures, and many other jazz/blues stylings in their music. There's no scene kids, they play the music because they love it.

Okay, both of those songs are awesome. I'm definitely checking out more of that guy's work.

His name is Tosin Abasi, if that helps.

Shoden, thanks for giving it a listen. Even if you don't like the sound, I think you can agree they're real musicians. I agree that a lot of those band you mention ARE changing. But they're changing within their genre. You hear them and you know what it is. Perhaps that's just not enough to bring them back to the heyday of when the sound was completely fresh and new. Eventually most of the uncreative bands of this new wave of metal will fade away, and the bigger more original that started the newer genres will keep their loyal fan base. The other fans will move on to the next big sound. That's just the way things are. I have bands from each genre that I listen to. Almost all metal has something valid it brings to the table.

On a lighter note, and for those who haven't seen it, I give you death metal rooster.

[NorthernChaosGod]

I actually saw his name already, but thanks. I'm listening to Animals as Leader's album right now and I have to say, it's really smurfing good.

[Jiro]

I shouldn't be in here but I can't help but be reminded of the opening scenes from Brutal Legend.

[Shoden]

I shouldn't be in here but I can't help but be reminded of the opening scenes from Brutal Legend.

Yeah I would love for a huge gaping metal monster to rise and destroy all these poser bands

[spirit]

I started listening to metal music this year, actually last year, I searched out several several bands. To be honest, a lot of it seems very generic and flat to me, once you take in the whole picture...it seems to lack depth, feeling, soul, because it all sounds like another band before or after it.

My favorite band is still Within Temptation, and shoot me but I still enjoy some of Evanescence as it was the first band of that type of sound I heard and since then it still some how stands out for me.

The fan base of metal, at first I was looking for something with force and power and that music exhilarated me and fueled me then I began to realize how positively charged metal heads had become so closed minded and judgmental of others. Now, I still enjoy a few bands, but I'm not so big and full on the music itself...it is what it is and I happen to enjoy some of it...



Poser this, poser that...I love this, I hate that...good for you, good for all of you. Music is what it is. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, no one is in control of how others must express their selves in their music and what I can and can not enjoy...

This all happened in just one year. Wow, this is one of the most organic posts I've had here in a while.

[Shoden]

There's stuff like that all around though, if you're passionate about certain styles, where people have a natural talent for creating various forms of atmospheres and see generic screamo getting hailed as the new frontier its all bollocks really, standing up and saying. "why do they get recognition for being uncreative and generic and the passionate skilled band get nothing?" Its a game of conformity. If you don't conform to the scene you're not doing enough to push the genre forward.

If you conform to the scene you're a sellout, a poser, scum.

Here are bands who know what an atmosphere is and how to make atmospheric and deep music. With examples.

Avantasia: YouTube - Avantasia-The Scarecrow full song

Symphony X: YouTube - Symphony X - Communion and the Oracle

Blind Guardian: YouTube - Blind Guardian - Sacred Worlds [lyrics] - HQ Audio

Manowar: YouTube - MANOWAR: Gods of War (Live Germany 2007)


This is what people would call cheesy, unoriginal, unpopular, Yet what there is in these songs are elements any good songwriter needs. Passion, Atmosphere, variation, knowledge of wtf you're doing.

[spirit]

I may also percieve that a lof of metal is generic and bland. Though, not every one is what you may consider a purist. Though they may be considered what they considere a purist. Some people may not care at all about "the historical context of a musical genre".

You may be in danger of being considered a poser yourself if you go around beliving that you have to make a effort to be a true "metalhead". After all if you have the same standards for music, what may set you apart from all those "posers" who are trying to be what they percieve true "metalheads"?

What may set you apart could be percieved as simple or complex. Simply, taste, complex, it could be philosphy if you would, or simply waves of time.

I admit the more I listen to metal bands the more I percieve that I percieve they are similar.

There happens to be many many forms of metal music...it's really suprising.

[Shoden]

That's just it, its a vicious cycle and conflict of fanbases. Some kids want to give the 2 finger salute to history and be modern and fashionable, conformists.

Some people want to glorify the past to create a future where care and passion, respect and knowledge for the music you're trying to create are the lowdowns.

Its a game of who's right and who's wrong, sub genres have sprouted in conflict against the other. Thrash Metal came to be as a direct rejection of the glam rock and glam metal image.

Power Metal came to be in the desire to play fast without having be a bunch of angsty teenagers pissed off at the world.

You've always had people who try to turn music into a fashion show and push that ideal forward. The mod movement was like that but you also had the punk movement which was a direct result of the rise of progressive rock.

People wanted to be able to play music without having to be technically advanced theorists.

But that's just it, why should people who don't give a toss about the music be considered and rated more highly than the people who live and breathe for it?

I reject the reality that you have to be a marketable, commercial, fashionable and dumbed down, thick as pig band to get success. Simple as, if that makes me a conformist to anti conformity, well so be it. I have respect for people who don't play music to "pick up chicks" to "look good" because "its cools" without all the poser bollocks.

People who live, breathe and die for the sake of their art. Music is an art and the more seriously and passionate you take it the more respect you deserve.

And that is what metal is in some forms, a desire to take what rock music was and kick it up a notch, to dedicate, study and melt some faces. Simples.

[spirit]

Do you listen to Dragonland?

[Shoden]

I don't no but reading up on them I MIGHT just like them. Never heard of them til you mentioned them there.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

On the subject of metal being alive and well with different genres pushing the sound in a thousand different directions..........some you'll love, some you'll hate. I think all this stuff is freaking awesome. Shrug.

LunarSea-Beside the Driver Power Metal with melo-death overtones

Nightwish-Planet Hell Operatic/Symphonic Metal The woman's vocals are pretty awesome.

Paeredoks-La Cerveza Mas Fina ambient trance/djent All songs instrumental.

Cynic-Evolutionary Sleeper Very jazz inspired jam metal.

Arsis-Face of My Innocence Melodic Death Metal

Textures-Awake 90's rock grunge with djent. Great combo!

Scale the Summit-Age of Tides Trance/Math Metal Progressive. All songs instrumental.

Born of Osiris-Now Arise Math Metal/Djent core. Tosin Abasi of Animals As Leaders was their guitarist on tour

Eluveitie-Calling the Rain Melodic Folk Death. Just plain awesome!

iwrestledabearonce-Tastes Like Kevin Bacon Grindcore combined with everything from jazz, to pop, to bluegrass, to lounge music. This song, for example, has an interlude that sounds like something The Cranberries would have written. Seriuosly. How do you classify a band like this? This girl's voice is also amazing.

So there ya go. All metal, all good, all different.

[escobert]

you would probably hate the one metal band I listen to

[sharkythesharkdogg]

Slipknot? ICP? I hesitate to call them metal, but the suspense is killing me. lol