Your opinion of metal...

[ICantBelieveItGoesBoom]

I used to like Metal a couple years ago. Then I grew up. Also all the sub-genres people made up and are so picky about really piss me off. Why is it that people can say they like "Rock" without people asking further question but when they say "Metal" it's all "Which sub-genre do you like? Groove, symphonic, Scandinavian?" Just because a few bands sound slightly different doesn't make them a whole new genre!


/tiredrant

 

[Lord George]

I've listened to Black Sabbath and quite liked them along with Motorhead but lots of metal just seems souless to me so I'll stick to punk for my heavy music.

 

[AvsJoe]

I'm an outspoken fan of the metal genre, especially Scandinavian bands and Disturbed. I've been listening to metal since the first time I watched The Matrix and heard Rob Zombie's Dragula during the club scene. Since metal is getting back into the mainstream for the first time since the 80s (thanks primarily to bands like Disturbed), I want to hear your opinion of the genre.

I disagree with your "Back into the mainstream... thanks to Disturbed" comment. Look up The Black Album, Nu-Metal and UK Xmas Number 1 2009. All examples of metal very prominent in the Mainstream since the 80's. Come to think of it I haven't seen Disturbed as real movers or shakers in Metal, especially with regards to getting it into the mainstream. Never really got into them though, think they're more of a US thing.

Sorry about that. I meant that metal was kinda dead where I lived. Every radio station was crammed with pop, "rock", and especially rap when I was a lad (I was born in '88 so I missed out on metal's glory years). Occasionally some classic hair metal or White Zombie would show up on a radio station but that was a rare event worth celebrating. But sometime in the late 90's bands like Korn, Slipknot, and Disturbed showed up pretty regularly on the radio and metal was kinda re-accepted by the mainstream populace in the US and Canada. I know that metal always had their die hard fans and I assume that it stayed popular over in the UK and Scandinavia but it was bands like the aforementioned trio that introduced a new generation into the culture (even if there is a heated debate over whether or not those 3 are even metal as opposed to some obscure hard rock sub-sub-genre).

 

[Purple Shrimp]

I dislike it.

 

[Hussmann54]

Steel for the win! It's the most reliable one.

you, sir, are a genius..

lol, but seriously, I cant stand it, there is much better music out there.
And yes this is the same opinion I have put in the 96782123741237619283756872(niner)785382 threads on this topic before this one and 96782123741237619283756872(niner)785382 threads later, nobody has changed my mind....

 

[Hussmann54]

it's a'ight. i used to be really into it but my musical tastes broadened.
a lot of people on here love it because they are at that sort of age.

I hope your not stereotyping that its teenager music.

Some of the bands seem like they are more aimed at teenagers, but some of the metal being produced has a very serious meaning behind it.

no I think he is looking at it the other way around. stereotyping the teens that flock to it.

 

[Garaw]

I'm a death metal fan, but even I don't like a majority of the bands in the genre. It's just that the ones I do like I REALLY like.

I also like things like Johnny Cash, Prince, and Creedence Clearwater, so it's not a steady diet.

 

[danosaurus]

Why the hell does everyone rate Disturbed so much? They're sophomore metal if anything.

I used to love metal heaps but now I only listen to what I consider high-quality metal (Yes I'm arrogant with my music selection), so bands like The Haunted, Opeth and Devin Townsend etc.

 

[ottenni]

No words can describe metal. Simply BANG YOUR HEAD!

Personally i like metal but i prefer things that have been influenced by it. For example Soundgarden and Alice in Chains. But then again, all hail Black Sabbath!

 

[AndyVale]

I'm an outspoken fan of the metal genre, especially Scandinavian bands and Disturbed. I've been listening to metal since the first time I watched The Matrix and heard Rob Zombie's Dragula during the club scene. Since metal is getting back into the mainstream for the first time since the 80s (thanks primarily to bands like Disturbed), I want to hear your opinion of the genre.

I disagree with your "Back into the mainstream... thanks to Disturbed" comment. Look up The Black Album, Nu-Metal and UK Xmas Number 1 2009. All examples of metal very prominent in the Mainstream since the 80's. Come to think of it I haven't seen Disturbed as real movers or shakers in Metal, especially with regards to getting it into the mainstream. Never really got into them though, think they're more of a US thing.

Sorry about that. I meant that metal was kinda dead where I lived. Every radio station was crammed with pop, "rock", and especially rap when I was a lad (I was born in '88 so I missed out on metal's glory years). Occasionally some classic hair metal or White Zombie would show up on a radio station but that was a rare event worth celebrating. But sometime in the late 90's bands like Korn, Slipknot, and Disturbed showed up pretty regularly on the radio and metal was kinda re-accepted by the mainstream populace in the US and Canada. I know that metal always had their die hard fans and I assume that it stayed popular over in the UK and Scandinavia but it was bands like the aforementioned trio that introduced a new generation into the culture (even if there is a heated debate over whether or not those 3 are even metal as opposed to some obscure hard rock sub-sub-genre).

I hate the sub-genre debates. It's alright when sipping a cold cider by a fire late at night, but some people take it really seriously, throw grammar out the window in vile rants and ultimately they serve the sole purpose of convincing me that my life is better than theirs.

Back to metal, it's never really been at the forefront of the mainstream and probably never will do. But at the same time it's always going to be popular. It's never been as desperately uncool as Disco, it's never got completely left behind and it's always attracted enormous numbers of people. In a way it doesn't need the mainstream too much, just a couple of bands to get some moderate cross-over success to get people into it and then it has its can run itself quite nicely.

 

[brtshstel]

I'm a big fan of old metal and hard rock. Stuff today just doesn't have that same feeling the old stuff does. Old stuff gets my blood pumping and my spirits burning, but today's stuff just doesn't have the same heart. I don't like Disturbed or Rage Against the Machine or whatever.

 

[Gildan Bladeborn]

Also, I need a new favourite band. I grow tired of Children of Bodom and Nightwish et al and I am looking for suggestions. Does anyone have any? I'm desperate here; listening to my MP3 player is almost a chore these days.

Huzzah, I love it when people ask me to do that!

Spoiler: A big list of Metal bands I enjoy that are not Children of Bodom or Nightwish (though I do love me some Nightwish).

Agathodaimon
Alestorm
Amberian Dawn
Angra
Angtoria
At Vance
Apocalyptica
Arjen Lucassen's Star One
Artrosis
Ava Inferi
Avantasia
Axel Rudi Pell
Axenstar
Ayreon
Battlelore
Beautiful Sin
Beyond Twilight
Blind Guardian
Celesty
Communic
Coronatus
Dark Moor
Darkwell
Delain
Demons & Wizards
DragonForce
Dream Evil
Dreamland
Edenbridge
Edguy
Elis
Ensiferum
Epica
Excalion
Eyes Of Eden
Falconer
Falkenbach
Fatal Force
Freedom Call
Gamma Ray
H.I.M.
Hammerfall
Heavenly
Hydrogyn
In Tenebris
Kamelot
Karelia
Katra
Korpiklaani
Kotipelto
Krypteria
Lacrimas Profundere
Lacuna Coil
La-Ventura
Leaves' Eyes
Luca Turilli
Luca Turilli's Dreamquest
Lunatica
Manticora
Maroon
Masterplan
Mercenary
Mob Rules
Mortal Love
Nocturnal Rites
Nuclear Blast Allstars [small](not a band, but a project featuring vocalists from a bunch of Nuclear Blast's power metal acts)[/small]
Octavia Sperati
Operatika
Pagan's Mind
Pain
Paradise Lost
Passionworks
Primal Fear
Rhapsody/ Rhapsody Of Fire [small](they changed their name to the latter relatively recently, so a lot of their older albums are under the name Rhapsody)[/small]
Ride The Sky
Royal Hunt
Russell Allen & Jorn Lande [small](may be listed as just Allen/Lande)[/small]
Satyrian
Scar Symmetry
Serenity
Silent Force
Silentium
Sirenia
Sonata Arctica
Steel Attack
Stratovarius
Stream Of Passion
Suidakra
Suspyre
Symphony X
Tarja
Tarot
Theatre Of Tragedy
The Gathering
Therion
Threshold
Thunderstone
Todesbonden
Tristania
Turisas
Twilightning
Unsun
Urn
Virgin Black
Within Temptation
Xandria

You've doubtless heard of some of those before, but I will be flabbergasted if you knew about all of them. Happy (potential) listening!

 

[Red Right Hand]

Depends on what metal, bands like Disturbed, Opeth and stuff I cannot stand! However, show me some Stoner metal or doom metal and I fucking love you! For example, Electric Wizard, Orange Goblin and Kyuss are three of my favourite bands. In fact my avatar is the bassist, Scott Reeder from Kyuss and he is one cool ************! Stoner/Doom metal is probably my favourite genre, however I quite like some thrash bands as well.

Orange Goblin:


Kyuss:


Electric Wizard:

 

[MiracleOfSound]

I try to get into metal and every time it just doesn't grab me. Not sure why. One possibility that I have considered recently is that most metal is very emotionally one-dimensional. Anger is interesting only if there is contrast and context as well as at least some attempt at subtlety occasionally. Also, although many musicians in the genre are extremely gifted, just because something is technically difficult it doesn't automatically become good, nor is speed always a virtue. Most shredding is either just so many accentless notes that I tune out or shameless guitar wankery (IMHO of course). I can respect the musicianship of the genre but I just can't bring myself to really embrace it.

EDIT: Also, when the vocals are nearly indistinguishable from white noise such that the words are impossible to distinguish or the mix is so muddy that it becomes white noise... it really makes me want to hit the mute button.

It's a feeling that you either get or don't get, usually.

When you get it, there is no music that makes you feel as good.

I can be having an utterly shitty day, throw on some Lamb of God, let it energise me and immediately feel on top of the world.

Y'know the rushing, blood pumping feeling you get when you listen to the intro to 'Eternal Life?'

Imagine that but doubled. that's kinda what it's like.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

I love most metal, but I'm in no way limited to it. Gotta love that ska too.

 

[thylasos]

From its beginnings around 1969-1970 up to when the singers began incomprehensibly growling, love it. Most of what metal people listen to now, not so much.

 

[The DSM]

Fucking awesome.

I like power and fantasy metal so I listen to HammerFall, Dragon force, Blind guardian ect.