I don't "get" metal. Like I enjoy some of it, but it's typically on the more 'melodic' side - I can get down to some Sabbath, 'Tallica, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and a few other bands, but when it comes to stuff like Cannibal Corpse, Cradle of Filth, or anything speedy / grindy / abrasive voice-wise, I just kind of go cross-eyed at it all.
Are You a Metal Head? What should non-fans look for in Medal to perhaps appreciate it more?
I enjoy Power Metal too, for the record. Otherwise...yeah, just not my thing.
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Blog Otter Award: BuckDiddy for the quality Whitney Houston shout out.
Are You a Metal Head? What should non-fans look for in Medal to perhaps appreciate it more?
I enjoy Power Metal too, for the record. Otherwise...yeah, just not my thing.
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Blog Otter Award: BuckDiddy for the quality Whitney Houston shout out.
For me I've given up on trying to convert non-metalheads to any music I listen to. You either you get it or you think it's just noise. Although some of the stuff you mentioned above I can't get into either (Cannibal Corpse to be exact)....
ReplyDeleteNot that anyone asked but my favorite metal release in the last couple months is Ramming Speed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W-v1P-ixhs
I grew up with grunge, appreciated a lot of hair metal and the big four stuff later on in life though (and i still do), then like any kid my age growing up in the late 90's early 00's, it was all about the nu metal and pop punk (greenday, blink) with the whole skateboarding culture then later on it all just evolved into stuff like dream theater, opeth, lost paradise or early prog rock like king crimson, then i sort of trailed off into hip hop, where my music tastes have been very comfortable. I don't know if it's age or just the product right now, but metal really doesn't translate well...I can tell theres some beauty behind the noise, but I just can't see it. It just feels very very fake to me, almost as fake as the manufactured pop machine that their subcultures all despise. I mean how much does metal have to evolve before it stops becoming about the grisly and grim nature of things. It's almost comedic.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.musiccrowns.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Metal-Periodic-Table.jpg
ReplyDeletehttp://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/what-genre-of-metal-are-you-listening-to.jpg
Presented without comment.
I am years and years out of the loop, but I was a proud metalhead/stoner for many moons, and while much of the lyrics and posturing embarrasses me in retrospect, I can still enjoy the music in limited doses.
ReplyDeleteMegadeth is probably the band that has fallen most from the lofty heights to which I held them in my foolish teens, although "Holy Wars" remains a masterpiece.
I hated hated hated Metallica throughout the '90s for being such gutless sellouts, but then I grew up, ceased caring about such things, and noticed their music has gotten progressively more interesting throughout the years.
i also used to LOVE Suicidal Tendencies.
If I wanted to persuade someone that metal was worth a listen, I'd have them listen to Danzig iI: Lucifuge. Like Dracula, it understands that darkness should be seductive, not accosting.
Incidentally, Black Sabbath's recent track "God is Dead" is pretty great.
I find Slayer to be the most unintentionally hilarious band ever.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.popmatters.com/column/128844-less-is-more-satanic-a-prescription-of-restraint-and-subtlety-for-sl/
not to crap on your sensibilities, but i just don't see anything new in this, nor different, and your name is King Diamond which i've always found to be highly listenable. I just don't see the appeal to most of it though. Guess I went a different route.
ReplyDeleteI've always been a picky SOB when it comes to just about anything I like, and the metal I listened to during my teen years is no exception. Rush still is my favorite band, though I don't think you could call them metal. Up til about the 2112 album, one could use that label with them.
ReplyDeleteIron Maiden with Twisted Sister opening in 1986 was my first concert. I still dig both bands, though I have no appreciation for Maiden without Bruce Dickinson. I've gone back and listened to a lot of TS' stuff recently, and most of it still holds up for me. They have a live album that was recorded just before Stay Hungry was released, and I *love* it. So much energy, and Dee is such a great front man.
Still like some other stuff from that period...some Judas Priest, Dokken, Great White was one of my favorite bands for a long time...their new album without Jack Russell is just fucking garbage though. Really kind of broke my heart. Dio was great. Like some of Sabbath's stuff, and some of Ozzy's solo work.
I also like a lot of classic rock that predates metal...Led Zep, CCR...stuff like that. I just recently began to appreciate Queen a whole lot more, and I think Paul Rodgers has a brilliant voice. John Fogerty can sing just about any style and make it work.
Never cared for Motley Crue, Poison, or Ratt, or much else from that era that I didn't mention, but I'm probably forgetting a few at both ends of the spectrum.
As for what would appeal to non fans, I couldn't tell you. You either like something or you don't, and even then, maybe it's more about connecting with a few bands or artists in particular. I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a fan of the genre on the whole, and I'm not familiar with any new bands of any style, really. I'm 44 and much closer to being the old guy sitting on his porch with a shotgun who screams at the kids to stay off his damn lawn than I am to being someone who keeps up with the music scene.
In fact, if you pressed me, I couldn't tell you who my favorite artist is right now. My default answer for the last 10 years or so was Guy Davis, Todd Snider, and Chris Smither in no particular order, but I don't listen to them much anymore. I put my iPod on random when I listen, and I probably skip more stuff than I don't. I mentioned being into Queen lately; same with Tom Petty. I really like Chickenfoot's two albums, but I like Sammy Hagar quite a bit.
Ok. Done rambling.
For the record Volbeat is probably my favorite Metal Band.
ReplyDeleteLike pop, there are definitely some rare exceptions where these genres can excel lyrically, but the majority have always been so very terrible. Metal lyrics in particular seem to be a mish mash of "sinister and dark sounding words" in order to fill whatever meaning the listener wants. Metal has always been a gutteral and visceral experience for me, being more about the riffs and the adrenaline pumping crunching sounds....kinda like the appeal i get from house or electro music (that would be techno to americans)
ReplyDeleteNice. I particularly like the 2nd one.
ReplyDeleteI never could really get into Metallica. I liked Ride The Lightening well enough, but that's about it. They just didn't make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoy older metal: Maiden, Metallica, Priest, Sabbath (Ozzy and Dio) and the like. Maiden is my favourite by far. I love their deliberate, in-your-face corniness.
ReplyDeleteI also dislike "stuff like Cannibal Corpse, Cradle of Filth, or anything speedy / grindy / abrasive voice-wise."
Generally I have less respect for any songwriter that doesn't bother to try to create a vocal melody with rare exceptions (for instance, I admire several rap artists for their great skill when it comes to rhythm.)
Hah! No biggie man.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I don't stay up on all the new metal bands these days but for some reason their album stuck with me.
I used to be almost all metal all the time. Now I'll drift away for a bit and then come back around.
I mentioned I still like Iron Maiden, and part of what brought me back to them (and even their new material) was the documentary/concert film they did not too long ago called Flight 666. Just seeing the effect they had on people of so many different ages moved me on a really deep level. Not everything they do is great, but revisiting their stuff reminded me that a lot of it is. I actually find them uplifting. Very genuine.
ReplyDeleteIf you enjoy power metal and the bands you mentioned, I'd say you like metal. You might not be a connoisseur, but if you've ever frequented a metal forum you probably wouldn't want to be one anyway. Besides, a lot of metalheads don't like Cannibal Corpse or Cradle Of Filth either.
ReplyDeleteThe trick to acquaint someone with harsher styles of metal is to progress them from what they're already familiar with and up the ante.
If someone likes Nirvana then they might already know Alice In Chains, which is heavy enough, and that's already a Black Sabbath-influenced band. Plenty of bands worshiped them, just look for doom metal bands.
If you like '80s Metallica, then there are plenty of other bands you might like. To get more extreme, you'd take a bit of a step further with Slayer who are not dissimilar to say, Kreator or Sepultura, and now you're only a few steps away from late '80s/early '90s death metal.
As you say, you like power metal which is all derived from Priest and Maiden anyway, and that's one extreme side of metal from that perspective.
Anyway, I used to consider myself a metalhead, but I stopped for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, according to www.metal-archives.com, there are over 90,000 metal bands that are known, which would mean that the vast majority of it is pure shite. Considering I have particular tastes, I don't even like bands that are touted as good (and a lot of it is derivative anyway) so I probably genuinely hate 99.6% of metal, really.
Secondly, metalheads are annoying in person. Without irony, they wear denim sleeveless jackets with black band shirts underneath, belts with too many studs, have shitty tattoos and have awful long hair which I suspect has been straightened... and this is at a house party, and these reprobates still live with their parents and only 1/3 of them bothered to even get their drivers' license.
Look, I like metal, but I can dress and groom myself without having to follow a trend.
Thrashy metal is just racket to me. In my teens, I couldn't listen to it. But I was a hair metal guy, and had stuff from Aerosmith, Poison, White Lion, Warrant, Cinderella, etc. I was the proud owner of one of those Monster Ballads cd's they used to run infomercials for. When I was a kid, I wouldn't even give Judas Priest or Iron Maiden a chance. Metallica grew on me later on. Metallica were waaaay ahead of their time with their early-mid 80's stuff. In the 90's, it was Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, STP, pretty much the entire grunge scene, which eventually evolved into exclusive alternative listening for me. Now, the alternative genre has changed drastically, as it has taken on a more indie pop sound, like The Neighborhood, Fitz & The Tantrums, Grouplove, Imagine Dragons....it no longer resembles rock.
ReplyDeleteAs an addendum to this: Rock album of the year has to be "...Like Clockwork" by Queens of the Stone Age.
Huge metalhead here. I like too many bands to even possibly list. I get real annoyed about all the sub genres metal gets classified into it. Either it's metal or it's not. I've found most people can't handle the vocals and that as the reason for not "getting" metal. Press on, although they are clearly an acquired taste, you will be treated to the greatest music on earth once you do "get" it.
ReplyDeleteOh, and say what you will, but Spinal Tap actually had some great songs. I know, I know...they were sending up the genre, but c'mon now:
ReplyDeleteThe bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin'
That's what I said
The looser the waistband, the deeper the quicksand
Or so I have read
My baby fits me like a flesh tuxedo
I'd like to sink her with my pink torpedo
Big bottom, big bottom
Talk about bum cakes, my girl's got 'em
Big bottom drive me out of my mind
How could I leave this behind?
I met her on Monday, 'twas my lucky bun day
You know what I mean
I love her each weekday, each velvety cheek day
You know what I mean
My love gun's loaded and she's in my sights
Big game is waiting there inside her tights, yeah
Big bottom, big bottom
Talk about mud flaps, my girl's got 'em
Big bottom drive me out of my mind
How could I leave this behind?
My baby fits me like a flesh tuxedo
I'd like to sink her with my pink torpedo
Big bottom, big bottom
Talk about bum cakes, my girl's got 'em
Big bottom drive me out of my mind
How could I leave this behind?
Fuck Shakespeare. That's poetry.
I enjoy older metal like Metallica, ACDC, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Guns and Roses, Sabbath, etc but anything past the 80s I'm not a fan of. I've tried listening and getting into newer metal but it just did nothing for me. I may be in the minority here but I hate it when I can't understand the lyrics because their either growling the music or going way too fast. I don't know if that's just me who can't understand what their saying though.
ReplyDeleteI stick mostly with classic rock, mixed with some older country and some big band music.
That's one thing I never did was dress like a metalhead. I'll be in my car with a Ralph Lauren shirt on listening to Carcass. I literally have like 2 metal band shirts that I wear to concerts only.
ReplyDeleteOh, fuck. I totally forgot AC/DC. Shame on me. I love all the stuff from the Bon Scott era; not so high on Brian Johnson. Like some of the stuff with him; I just highly prefer Bon Scott.
ReplyDeleteEh, we don't say 'Tallica. Huge metalhead. Pantera is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI've recently determined I like Load much more than the Black Album.
ReplyDeleteYeah I prefer Bon Scott too but I think Johnson's good too and I think he was the best choice to replace Scott.
ReplyDeleteThat's ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteHah. I know. It's probably that I'm sick of the Black Album in general.
ReplyDeleteThat's a tough thing, man. Replacing a member because of a death is rough, never mind finding a new front man.
ReplyDeleteOff topic (slightly, as this movie is very "metal") but the movie "Freaks" is about to come on TCM. Awesome movie, if you haven't seen in check it out. I'm always amazed at the torso guy rolling the cigarette.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite pre-metal band, who never gets any love, is Blue Oyster Cult.
ReplyDeleteSomewhat on topic...remember Ozzy's "reality" show? I always thought that was the best anti-drug PSA ever.
ReplyDeleteYeah I've always liked Maiden, but the love was reignited back when i saw them live in 07, just felt like for a second that i was living in the 80's.
ReplyDeleteVolbeat is their own genre in my eyes. I do love them though.
ReplyDeleteI am a big QotSA fan, but I feel like Deer Tick, Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, Deerhunter, and Pearl Jam all put out better records this year than ...Like Clockwork. The newest Vampire Weekend album is great too, but not sure if it would be classified as 'rock' necessarily.
ReplyDeleteCan't say I'm a fan. No dislike or anything, just not into them.
ReplyDeleteLove me some BOC.
ReplyDeleteI can see that. At this point, they feel kind of timeless to me.
ReplyDeleteYou won't catch me at one of their shows, or any arena rock show, for that matter. I got spoiled when I developed a love for solo artists on the acoustic scene, and seeing them in rather small venues.
The last arena show I saw was Rush on the Snakes and Arrows tour, and the lack of intimacy was appalling. It was a good show, but there was no real connection with the audience; at least not on the level to which I had grown accustomed. Plus, I've really grown to dislike large groups of people.
Yeah, I pretty much *am* the old man I mentioned in this thread.
I've pretty much stuck to Sabbath, Metallica, and bands in the NWOBHM, like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Motorhead. Generally, if I can't understand the lyrics, I'm not going to go out of my way to listen, and I never dug hair metal because of the combination of macho posturing and fake-I'm-a-sensitive-guy-so-sleep-with-me vibe.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the Deer Tick album is pretty strong. Lightning Bolt is pretty good also. Do yourself a favor and find "Essential Tremors" by J. Roddy Walston & The Business. It's like Kings of Leon hooked up with The Black Keys and had a pretty awesome kid.
ReplyDeleteAfter listening to two albums from Volbeat, I think they need to change up the melodies and riffs, or else everything sounds the same.
ReplyDeleteLove that movie... "Styrofoam cup..."
ReplyDeleteCheers. They damn near invented the genre.
ReplyDeleteACDC, gnr, vh and def lep are mostly not metal. They're mostly hard rock.
ReplyDeleteHaha, love that flow chart.
ReplyDeleteGood call. Awesome record. They are in town on Thurs, and if things work out like they should I'm gonna check em out.
ReplyDeleteAnd anti-bubble PSA.
ReplyDeleteI'm a metalhead, but I've grown out of a lot of it. I still have a lot of Pantera, Slayer, Megadeth, Machine Head, Fear Factory, and a few others in my rotation though.
ReplyDeleteTruthfully, most metal is awful.
And you should punch yourself in the giggleberries for saying 'Tallica.
Wait...."giggleberries"?????
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
As for some new-ish stuff. I'm bigs fans of He is Legend as well as The Dillinger Escape Plan.
ReplyDeleteDEP is an absolute acquired taste... if I didn't see them live, I'm still not sure if I'd like them.
Pantera is metal right?
ReplyDeleteCuz I like Pantera.
I wont lie, all the rock music I know is from Headbangers ball and Alternative Nation.
But I like Pantera.
"Cemetary Gates" is my alarm
The lead singer Phil Anselmo also had/has a band called Down. Give them a listen as well.
ReplyDeleteMy current alarm, Lifer by Down. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTDWAMUcNDc
Bleeding Me and Outlaw Torn are fantastic songs.
ReplyDeleteWell, yeah, people listen to Slayer for that feeling of adrenaline and aggression the same way people listen to dance and techno once they've taken ecstasy and amyl nitrates.
ReplyDeleteThe lyrics and vocals are merely there to compliment the music. Slayer in particular is a band whose lyrics are certainly not to be taken seriously; their brightest moments in writing are those when you can't help but yell along with them, "bastard sons begat your cunting daughters" because the feeling and timing is so right.
Similarly, Iron Maiden's lyrics aren't really meaningful, but they certainly enhance the feeling of the music.
In all genres, though, there are truly only a few lyricists who actually wrote anything of note, I think. And in those instances, either they're idolized or they're widely thought to be overrated.
It's so funny how people think they sold out with Cowboys From Hell by disregarding anything prior to that and dressing normally, as if teasing up dyed hair, wearing makeup and basically being a KISS tribute band was "keeping it real".
ReplyDeleteIt has to be said, though: Pantera is the best band that inspired some of the worst music ever.
Now I want to listen to Load.
ReplyDeleteI'm just going to throw in that metal artists write all their own songs and lyrics.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of anyone calling Pantera sellouts with their transition (as most would be unaware of the transition), but hearing such nonsense would be grounds for punching.
ReplyDeleteMetal forums...
ReplyDeleteWell...so do I. Though I did do a collection of covers.
ReplyDeleteDepends on who you ask and when. All of them have been called heavy metal at one point in their careers.
ReplyDeleteEveryone owes it to themselves to give Opeth a try at least once in their life.
ReplyDeleteThat should be all the attempts needed.
Suicidal is still one of my five favorite bands ever. Good on ya, mate.
ReplyDeletei love the power metal album
ReplyDeletedef lep especially, since they were very prominently considered part of NWOBHM, even if they themselves disagreed
ReplyDelete