Poll: Sing, damn you! Sing!

[Lord Beautiful]

If there's another topic like this, my apologies. I'm a little strapped for time and didn't feel like going through the tedium of searching for a similar topic.

Common to much of today's rock, "rock," and metal is the vocal styling of ripping your own throat to shreds via the production of uncomfortable noises. I'm talking about screaming. And growling, for that matter. When it comes down to it, I can't stand either, except in extremely particular circumstances. In fact, I can only enjoy them when they're done for comedic effect.

It's also a shame to hear how some of the singers who do this crap have exceptional singing voices. For example, Howard Jones of Killswitch Engage has a marvelous singing voice. If he didn't scream and growl like he did for their songs, I'd immensely enjoy that band's music. However, those noises just kill it for me.

So what do you think of growling and screaming in music?

 

[Cabisco]

Yeah, I personally don't like the screamo (i think thats the name) part of metal/rock. I personally find it just annoying, shit and ruins an otherwise good song instrumentally.

Thats the big shame in some circumstances, the song might sound good but the singer will just fucking ruin it. This is actually true for most music though.

 

[omega 616]

I don't think rock has anything to do with this. I am not up to date on the latest who falls in what category (lets not get into that) but I think of rock like nickleback and such and they definitely don't scream.

Interesting you said Killswitch 'cos I completely agree, end of heartache (I think) is a good song when he isn't screaming/growling.

Another example is kitty (I think) as soon as they start this shit I just have to turn it off.

Bands like cannibal corpse I have to wonder what is the point of the singer being there, he could easily be substituted by a dog.

Weirdly though I love slipknot although they don't do it to this degree.

I do like this though, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GepZ5hM3nTw

I don't know how to embed.

 

[MorsePacific]

Well, I used to be fond of the whole death metal scene, so I was used to the screaming, however my interests in music shifted radically.

I can barely stand hearing people growl incoherently into a microphone, now.

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED

 

[Housebroken Lunatic]

So what do you think of growling and screaming in music?

I like it, and I'd hate it if those who do growl and scream started to sing instead just because they have "great singing voices". Im so sick and tired of the idea that singing and music has to be "beautiful" or "clean" or "pretty sounding".

All art shouldn't be "pretty". Some art needs to be harsh, violent and even ugly to get the message across. If that's not your cup of tea, then don't listen to it.

 

[UnmotivatedSlacker]

I like both when they are done well.

 

[TheGreatDirectorWatanbe]

Both to a point, if it gets to they're just going AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! through the entire thing I'll kindly have to recommend some Ritalin.

All art shouldn't be "pretty". Some art needs to be harsh, violent and even ugly to get the message across. If that's not your cup of tea, then don't listen to it.

Totally Agree, The more gritty something is, the more emotional it can be.

 

[Housebroken Lunatic]

Totally Agree, The more gritty something is, the more emotional it can be.

Check out some of Tom Waits' stuff if you haven't. Now that guy has one of the most harshest voices on the planet. It's hard to say what type of music he does because he doesn't really belong into a particular genre but you could say that the songs blend from between blues, rock and roll, jazz and semi-country.

 

[Frequen-Z]

Both are good if they're done right and it fits the song. Which is rare. I'm not into metal much any more, I used to love them both. Not so much now.

 

[Slash Dementia]

I love death metal and black metal, so I'm used to hearing those growling voices. It fits the music.
If the singer sang normally it wouldn't give that aggressive effect (at least not to me).

Like this - this is awesome.

As for screaming... like in screamo bands... eh. It sounds to whinny for my tastes.
It's all opinion, though, so to each their own.

 

[latenightapplepie]

Can't stand it. I prefer a poor singing voice to a good screaming voice, if that makes any sense. I also don't like a lot of the music that screaming vocals usually accompany anyway, so it's no great tragedy.

 

[AvsJoe]

Screaming, if done well, can vastly improve a song. However I have yet to hear a song made better by growling. I just dislike it.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

No screaming. Unless you're The Who...and going YEEEEEEEEEAH!

 

[Azaradel]

If done well, I'm all for it.

It makes the music so much more deliciously aggressive (which I, for some reason, find oddly calming)

 

[Housebroken Lunatic]

I love death metal and black metal, so I'm used to hearing those growling voices. It fits the music.
If the singer sang normally it wouldn't give that aggressive effect (at least not to me).

Like this - this is awesome.

As for screaming... like in screamo bands... eh. It sounds to whinny for my tastes.
It's all opinion, though, so to each their own.

Mmm, Vader. My favourite death metal band! \m/

 

[Wardnath]

I'm indifferent, really.

Mainly because I mainly listen to black metal, death metal and doom metal, and I can pull off death metal vocals of my own (though they're likely not that good).

That said, I do like well done cleans in extreme metal.

Like this: