The Metal / Rock Music Discussion Thread

[seablock]

Anybody who liked that Korpiklaani song needs to check out Ensiferum! I'm not a huge folk metal fan (I respect the genre, just never got too much into it) but Ensiferum is my second favorite band of all time, they're easily one of the best folk metal acts out there. The usage of folk elements is a bit more restrained compared to most folk metal bands, but they use those elements when they need to and they pull it off quite well. Enough talking, get to listening;

Also I bought a few CDs while on vacation:
Volbeat - Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie deluxe edition
Amorphis - Under the Red Cloud (the artwork for this album is just beautiful)
Deftones - White Pony
Sabaton - Primo Victoria

[Tritnew]

A few months ago I got lucky and bought The Downward Spiral on vinyl, but sadly though, when I went to play it the second time the song "Hurt" skips when "And you could have it all" plays.

Luckily I'll be a cheap bastard and use the penny weight trick with it whenever it goes to that song.

[Tracer]

In my car I have a USB port that I leave a micro USB drive plugged into at all times. On that drive is most of my music collection. I typically just leave it on shuffle when I'm driving so I get a nice variety. But yesterday while running errands, I needed to hear the godlike pipes of Dio and I needed them to be blaring. So I selected Black Sabbath's Dehumanizer album. That album is without a doubt my favorite post-Ozzy Black Sabbath release.

But over the years, as with most albums, there are only three or four tracks that become regular listens for me. While I still love the other tracks, they are often forgotten until I hear them again. The one exception to this rule is Metallica's Ride The Lightning. That album is flawless. But I digress.

My favorite tracks on Dehumanizer have always been After All (The Dead), Buried Alive, Letters From Earth, and Sins of the Father. But yesterday while listening to the album, a track came on that I had forgotten about.

That track is "Too Late".

Spoiler

This is now my favorite track on the album. I don't know how or why I neglected this song so much before yesterday. If I had to guess, I'd say that it's because when I first got the album I was too obsessed with only songs that were heavy all throughout, and "Too Late" probably never caught my ear because it starts softly. It wasn't until recent years that I started appreciating good music instead of just heavy stuff.

But back to the song...at 3:14, the most amazing set of lyrics I have ever listened to begin.


Ooohhhh save me
I believe in your name
Oh oh I've fallen down
But now I've found
Nobody to take the blame

Misery
It's come to drag me away
And when the hunter cries
No alibis
Get ready for judgement day

Those lyrics paired with the perfection that is Tony Iommi's guitar playing is truly, in my honest opinion, the musical equivalent to the Sistine Chapel. But if you ask me, that can be said about any Dio Sabbath album.

[Tritnew]

Heh, my parents sadly don't like the Dio Sabbath much. But I curtainly love "After All (The Dead)", I think it sounds best when sped up a bit though. But I like it both ways.

[Tracer]

Let your parents listen to this. Don't tell them it's Dio Sabbath. It technically is, but under a different name. This album is so good. My favorite tracks are Bible Black, Fear, Follow The Tears, and Atom and Evil.

Spoiler

[Tritnew]

Probably will when it's later in the day on my stereo.

[RUSH]

When it comes to Dio I feel he was at his best in Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow in the 1970's. Their debut along with "Rising" and "Long Live Rock And Roll" are his crowning achievements, in my opinion. His voice sounds so alive and inspired.

No offence but I thought Dio was absolute shit on that "comeback" Heaven & Hell album from 2009. He was on the verge of death and it shows. His voice sounds strained and whiny. "RaAAaAinbows!" The same goes for Ozzy too, who is pretty mediocre these days. But hey, I'm glad he's still alive.

Regardless, I love Dio and Ozzy and their classic careers are immortal. They will forever be rock/metal legends. RIP Dio!

Rainbow song clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKSJNnbHiOQ

[Tracer]

^I will agree to those statements. While I still LOVE The Devil You Know all around, I wish it were possible to hear how those songs would have sounded during the Dehumanizer years. (Creams at the thought)

I saw Sabbath back in January in Chicago...Ozzy was horrible. Don't get me wrong, I'd pay to see them again, they're Black fucking Sabbath! But damn...you can really see what the years have done to the Ozzman.

[Tritnew]

Broken and the Fixed remix album, I recommend wholeheartly.

Just gut punching anger, man. This and The Downward Spiral are pretty much what made me love NIN, despite me listening to Pretty Hate Machine first (a more synth-pop album). So, if you're a big heavy metal fan and wanna check out NIN, I recommend Broken or The Downward Spiral first of all.

I'll put it out there too, I'm a huge fan of Heavy Metal too.

[Kontra Kommando]

[Tritnew]

^ It's pretty rocking, but holy shit it's so hilarious.

[Kontra Kommando]

Here's another good one

[RUSH]

TraceOfSpades said:

I love that folkrock sound. Dropkick Murphys is a good band for that sound.

If you guys are looking for some heavy fantasy/folk themed metal that kicks ass definitely check out Sabbat and Skyclad. Here are some listening links:

Sabbat full album: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUU0WMze1W8

Skyclad full album: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEEoAaJO7Rs

[RUSH]

It's also worth noting that Skyclad invented folk metal. There was no band with this kind of style prior to 1991. At least not that I know of.

On their second album they also incorporated violin which was a stroke of genius. Although I slightly prefer the debut overall.

[MrDeAD1313]

Tritnew said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iprm5f78CA0

Broken and the Fixed remix album, I recommend wholeheartly.

Just gut punching anger, man. This and The Downward Spiral are pretty much what made me love NIN, despite me listening to Pretty Hate Machine first (a more synth-pop album). So, if you're a big heavy metal fan and wanna check out NIN, I recommend Broken or The Downward Spiral first of all.

I'll put it out there too, I'm a huge fan of Heavy Metal too.

Honestly if I were to suggest NIN to a more metal oriented person I'd say broken then spiral. Just my two cents ;)

[Doomkid]

A bit out of left field, and I'm sure a good chunk of you will agree, but the speed of a song / solo / whatever else has never been impressive to me beyond the initial "woah" when you first hear it. I remember a couple years ago a group of friends having a debate over which guitarist was the "best" and the whole thing seemed to be focused on speed. I like interesting melodies, and sometimes speed can help to accentuate an already cool progression of notes, but the speed on it's own is not and has never been what I love Metal for. I'll take a solo that dares to slow down and let the soul flow over "note crammers" any day - Hearing such solos in heavy music is always a pleasure to my ears.

The thought of Pete Sandoval or perhaps Chris Adler drumming while say, Zappa or Hendrix shred away - My ears have never heard anything quite like that, but I can only imagine my head would explode due it it being literally perfect for my ears. Which leads me to another thought: For genres with such a closely linked heritage, you don't hear a lot of bands who "mix" the sounds of Rock and Metal, short of Metallica-like stuff. You never seem to hear "nice" melodies over "intense" drumming and vice versa. There's so much unmapped turf, despite the addage that rock and metal "has been fully explored".

If anyone can think of a band that is 1/3rd rock, 1/3rd jazz and 1/3rd metal, let me in on that shit.

[Tracer]

^Ever heard of Black Sabbath? Haha

That's the nearest I can think of.

[RUSH]

Doomkid said:

There's so much unmapped turf, despite the addage that rock and metal "has been fully explored".

If anyone can think of a band that is 1/3rd rock, 1/3rd jazz and 1/3rd metal, let me in on that shit.

Unmapped turf? More like avoided garbage. A jazz/rock/metal band sounds like a cheesy cringe worthy disaster. The closest I know is something like Cynic "Focus" or Atheist "Elements."

Focus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHA8JyIzaBE

Elements: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2KZczLu3dI

These albums have elements of jazz which is pretty damn rare for metal. And if you're looking for melody with high speed drumming you should try more Power Metal, which is exactly that.

[Doomkid]

I love me some Black Sabbath, they're in an interesting position of being one of the first bands to popularize metal, and I think that explains their sound perfectly - Rock was "becoming metal" right before our eyes and ears. Now that it's been a few decades, it would be nice to see more of a fusion of the styles, but done differently. Why not have death metal vocals over a song that has a rock sound? Why not get a few brass instruments involved in your death metal band? Why not mix up the sound a little more?

Every time I see someone going on about how metal and rock have been "pretty much fully explored" it just strikes me as closed minded because there's so many sounds I'd love to hear but currently don't have a means of producing music myself and am not aware of many bands daring enough to experiment with fusing genres.

EDIT: I'll check out those YT links once I get home RUSH, but I'm wondering what makes you say fusing genres would instantly result in "cringey cheese". Like, I'm not even grasping how that makes sense. The only way I would assume a shitty result would be if the music was poorly performed or done solely as a pathetic cash-grab.

[Tracer]

Doomkid, check these guys out. A buddy of mine just showed these guys to me three days ago. They're death metal, but on this album they had a real orchestra record with them. Not a synthesizer. A full on fucking orchestra.

Spoiler

[RUSH]

Doomkid said:

EDIT: I'll check out those YT links once I get home RUSH, but I'm wondering what makes you say fusing genres would instantly result in "cringey cheese". Like, I'm not even grasping how that makes sense. The only way I would assume a shitty result would be if the music was poorly performed or done solely as a pathetic cash-grab.

Because it would take a very high level of skill to pull off that kind of combination. There's a high likelihood for failure and becoming a laughing stock, which is probably why most bands are afraid to try. That being said, Cynic and Atheist did a damn good job. I highly recommend you check out those albums. They seem up your alley in terms of creativity.

Very different, if nothing else.

[Tracer]

Another interesting combination is this. The vocalist is a trained opera singer, but the music is doom metal.

Spoiler

[Tracer]

My last two posts taught me that dead trees are metal as fuck.

[RUSH]

^ Haha, speaking of dead trees and Doom Metal...

[Doomkid]

Trace and Rush, thanks a bunch for the suggestions - and now I see exactly where you were coming from Rush, pulling such a mix off well would be a tall order and is certainly easier said than done. I would love to see such a thing pulled off 'right', though. I'll be checking these videos out soon as I get home.

TheDevilzWork actually had the honour of opening for Ouroboros some 5 years ago. Those dudes were insane - The reminder of their existence is much appreciated!

EDIT: Holy shit, this Atheist album is currently melting my face in a great way. Other than people talking about D_STALKS being inspired by that one song Samba Briza, I've never even heard them. What a treat.

[Koko Ricky]

I agree on the subject of speed not being integral. What is ultimately important is the way rhythm, melody, timbre, production quality and scale (or lackthereof) all work together. There's also the abstract qualities of atmosphere, attitude and aesthetic, which directly affects the sound. I hear too much sterility, too many attempts to stick to what's worked without being adventurous, too much derivation and a completely unwillingness to experiment. I want to hear something new that doesn't make me think, "So the guitarist is just going to play the open seventh string on every single riff, huh?"

[RUSH]

Doomkid said:

EDIT: Holy shit, this Atheist album is currently melting my face in a great way. Other than people talking about D_STALKS being inspired by that one song Samba Briza, I've never even heard them. What a treat.

Definitely check out their other albums as well, especially "Unquestionable Presence." It's honestly one of the best, most creative albums of all Death Metal. These guys don't have a bad record.

Listening link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnUZ5xpcKHw

[seablock]

Doomkid, this isn't exactly what you're looking for, but it's the first thing that came to mind. Now I know most of the people here are probably gonna read this and think "eugh, Volbeat, aren't they some shitty radio metal band," but trust me, these are the guys you want to be representing metal on the radio. Their first 3 albums are brilliant mixtures of rockabilly, classic country, and heavy metal. I know that sounds like a train wreck on paper, but Volbeat executes it really well, in my opinion. I could just be biased since they are my favorite band, but I really do like what these guys do and I think they're the only good "radio metal" band (for lack of a better term) that has popped up over the last few years.

If you don't like Volbeat, you might like their founding frontman's previous band Dominus, which played a variety of genres. Their debut album, for example, was straight-up death metal, but the following release The First 9 was death 'n' roll.

Anyways, give this a shot if you feel like it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Also, Elvis Presley fans might notice something about the lyrics of that song. ;)

[Tritnew]

MrDeAD1313 said:

Honestly if I were to suggest NIN to a more metal oriented person I'd say broken then spiral. Just my two cents ;)

Well, that's what I was saying. I totally recommend Broken and The Downward Spiral for a huge Metal fan, but Broken is the more heavier side of NIN, TDS is heavy, but not as Metal as Broken.

[Doomkid]

God damn I love this video. Dime is deeply missed, here he explains so much about what I love about listening to music..