Euro/power/melodic metal, who else here is into it?

[Red_Label]

Been a big fan of the stuff for a long time now. Favorite has always been Kamelot. But also dig Nightwish, Within Temptation, Nocturnal Rites, Circus Maximus, Primal Fear, Avantasia, etc.

So last night I was going through my library, looking for something to light my fire and discovered 10 CDs from the band Dark Moor (dating from 1999 - 2009). Must've inherited them from my brother and didn't see them before. Good stuff! Always nice to find some great "new" music that speaks to me -- especially in this day and age of screamo, cookie-monster vocals, and just generally bland, boring American metal that seeks to be darker or more shocking than the next band instead of more MUSICAL. Granted, there are plenty of black metal bands from Europe that I don't care for at all (Scandanavia seems to generate a lot of great melodic metal and weird dark metal). But at least the music scene over there is more interesting than the homogenous, lack-luster metal scene over here.

 

[JimmyDoomsday]

my power metal days are behind me (but i have soft spots for some stratovarius and blind guardian material), but i still loves me some scandinavian melodic death metal (old in flames, at the gates, arch enemy, etc).

 

[guitarmike]

Dark Moor is great! Helloween, Gamma Ray, Pyramaze, the list goes on. I never got into Nu metal or detuned stuff, the power/symphonic metal scene kicks butt! It picked up where music was left in 1994 as far as I am concerned. To bad it is virtually unknown in the US.

 

[xzyryabx]

IMHO, most of the "musical" metal bands are coming out of Europe, especially Scandinavia, and are ignored/unappreciated here in the US.....not sure why that is, really baffles me. I see no value in all the "whatever-core" that the US seems to love..

Never heard of Dark Moor but will give them a listen...once I get throught the 30-40 other albums I have waiting in line first!

Good to see fellow RT'ers appreciating good metal!!

 

[Red_Label]

Dark Moor is great! Helloween, Gamma Ray, Pyramaze, the list goes on. I never got into Nu metal or detuned stuff, the power/symphonic metal scene kicks butt! It picked up where music was left in 1994 as far as I am concerned. To bad it is virtually unknown in the US.

Amen to that! The U.S. metal scene has been depressing to me for SO long. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part it bores me to tears and I really don't know exactly what factor(s) have promoted the flourishment of such unmelodic/lame/boring/cookie-cutter metal. Commercial (WHORE), unimaginitave American record industry? Young band members too influenced by grunge, etc? I dunno. All I know is that since the early days of Queensryche and Dream Theater most metal that's come out of this country hasn't even registered on my radar.

Conversely, what are the factors that make the Euro scene so rich? Rich classical history that still permeates everyday life there? (I suspect that's a major factor.) Fans who are MUCH more inclinded to LOVE the music (versus shallow American fans who embrace the image as much as anything)?

I dunno. All I know is that I'm as patriotic as they come. But when it comes to music, I think the American music scene is truly pathetic (at least if you like hard rock/metal).

 

[Progbusters]

I used to like Galneryus until they got a new singer. oh yeah i used to like "power metal" back in the 90s and early 2000's

 

[JimmyDoomsday]

Dark Moor is great! Helloween, Gamma Ray, Pyramaze, the list goes on. I never got into Nu metal or detuned stuff, the power/symphonic metal scene kicks butt! It picked up where music was left in 1994 as far as I am concerned. To bad it is virtually unknown in the US.

Amen to that! The U.S. metal scene has been depressing to me for SO long. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part it bores me to tears and I really don't know exactly what factor(s) have promoted the flourishment of such unmelodic/lame/boring/cookie-cutter metal. Commercial (WHORE), unimaginitave American record industry? Young band members too influenced by grunge, etc? I dunno. All I know is that since the early days of Queensryche and Dream Theater most metal that's come out of this country hasn't even registered on my radar.

Conversely, what are the factors that make the Euro scene so rich? Rich classical history that still permeates everyday life there? (I suspect that's a major factor.) Fans who are MUCH more inclinded to LOVE the music (versus shallow American fans who embrace the image as much as anything)?

I dunno. All I know is that I'm as patriotic as they come. But when it comes to music, I think the American music scene is truly pathetic (at least if you like hard rock/metal).

having been in a terrible deathcore band for a few years before quitting last year, i can say that the music scene in america is a joke. i am confident that myspace is 100% to blame for the rise and proliferation of shit -core music in this country. the accessibility of music is what people in america favor (not to mention the follow the leader mentality that, 'if a bunch of people like it, i have to like it too in order to be accepted'). after trying for literally a decade to make some sort of impact with traditional metal bands, i joined a deathcore band and within months, we were signed and out on tour. fans packed our shows, merch was flying off the shelves so to speak, and people ate up our bullshit music. after doing this for three years, i finally got so completely fed up with the idiotic toughguy fans that came to our shows (not to mention the fact that we were making ZERO money thanks to shitty management) that i quit and retired indefinitely from band situations.

there real reason that GOOD metal bands aren't popular in the US is that the majority of the music listening public just doesn't care. they don't care about talent, they don't care about song structure, they don't care about guitar solos. they're just happy listening to whatever flavor of the month band they're told they should be listening to and can't be bothered with anything 'too obscure' or 'too inaccessible.'

 

[Red_Label]

there real reason that GOOD metal bands aren't popular in the US is that the majority of the music listening public just doesn't care. they don't care about talent, they don't care about song structure, they don't care about guitar solos. they're just happy listening to whatever flavor of the month band they're told they should be listening to and can't be bothered with anything 'too obscure' or 'too inaccessible.'

WORD!!! Preach it man!

Luckily, I have a few friends who are into REAL metal and who share their new discoveries with me.

I was playing in a hard rock/metal band all of last year and got so sick of the BS that when we disbanded in January, I went the complete opposite direction and have been playing, recording and gigging my own "flamenco-jazz" originals. SO tired of divas with lead-singer's-disease, weird band members who are needy and chained to their girlfriends, low-paying gigs, clusterf#ck gigs, etc, etc. I still love to rock, but right now I'm just doing that at home and when I gig I only have myself and the club/customer to deal with.

 

[Red_Label]

BTW... I forgot to mention one of my favorite non-American prog metal bands... Angra. Those guys have so much talent. And for me, I find them WAY more musical than Dream Theater. Most American metal "fans" wouldn't have a clue what to do with a band that talented.

 

[Red_Label]

Oh... and I do have to give props to the guys in Alter Bridge. If I've got to listen to an American band, it's more lilkely to be them than anyone else. Kind of telling how they're bigger in Europe than in the States.

 

[sparkle**]

Primal Fear....Sinner...Silent Force.. Avantasia ...

 

[chunktone]

I can't get into any of the screamo crap that is considered metal these days. It takes no talent to be pissed off while holding a mic.

I also find it a bit odd that, the trend is moving toward having a greater range for guitarists. 7, and 8 strings or more. But the "singers" have no range! They offer nothing but anger. I find these guys to be just as big of posers as any hair metal band you could name. If they're really such badass, evil people, why are they wasting their time with music, when they could be out murdering innocent children etc...

As far as power/euro-metal goes, I really dig it! Most of the newer bands I like are coming out of Sweden, Norway and Germany. Too bad we don't support good metal in the USA.

 

[Red_Label]

I can't get into any of the screamo crap that is considered metal these days. It takes no talent to be pissed off while holding a mic.

I also find it a bit odd that, the trend is moving toward having a greater range for guitarists. 7, and 8 strings or more. But the "singers" have no range! They offer nothing but anger. I find these guys to be just as big of posers as any hair metal band you could name. If they're really such badass, evil people, why are they wasting their time with music, when they could be out murdering innocent children etc...

As far as power/euro-metal goes, I really dig it! Most of the newer bands I like are coming out of Sweden, Norway and Germany. Too bad we don't support good metal in the USA.

LOL! Could not agree more! I want to ask these screamers, growlers and garglers... what exactly is it that you're SO angry about that you feel the need to utter non-stop garble? Seriously... What's the deal??? You're internet too slow and it enraged you? Your McCafe chocolate shake too runny? The last duds your mommies bought you weren't "fly" enough? Based on the stupidity of these singers, you'd think that some poor, REALLY suffering sap from a war-torn middle-eastern country, or Africa would be SERIOUSLY "metal".

Bah... I guess I'm just gettin' too old. I don't get it AT ALL...

 

[killertone]

Huge power and prog metal fan here. Pagan's Mind, Fates Warning, Eidolon, Iced Earth, Primal Fear, Symphony X etc.

I also am a huge "garbled vocals", as you guys call it, metal fan. However, I think you miss the point entirely. It is not about being angry at all, it s a style no different than melodic singing like Nils K. Rue or gruff melodic singing of Russell from Symphony X. I understand if you don't like the style, but at least understand what it actually is.

 

[Red_Label]

Huge power and prog metal fan here. Pagan's Mind, Fates Warning, Eidolon, Iced Earth, Primal Fear, Symphony X etc.

I also am a huge "garbled vocals", as you guys call it, metal fan. However, I think you miss the point entirely. It is not about being angry at all, it s a style no different than melodic singing like Nils K. Rue or gruff melodic singing of Russell from Symphony X. I understand if you don't like the style, but at least understand what it actually is.

You are right and I think we all know that. But unlike actual melodic singing, I find that with screamo/growling/etc, a little goes a LONG way and I find it quite "disturbing" that guys can make an entire career out of doing just that. With "normal" melodic singing you've got a lot of range and dynamics to make things different and interesting from song to song. I really don't hear that with a lot of this newer stuff. But I never got speed metal back in the 80s for the same reason. My favorite artists are capable of using many textures, tones, dynamics, tempos and even styles. That's what makes them interesting to me. Listening to some dood gargle incoherant, nonsensical ramblings song after song interests me probably even less than listening to some [C]rap "artist" talk slang about smacking up his bitches and ho's song after song.

Music, as an art form, is a very subjective, personal experience for each individual listener. But there's NO question in my mind that some actually is "better" and some "worse" than others. Maybe not in terms of impact on the listener. But CERTAINLY in terms of talent, work, and inspiration that went into its creation. To disagree with that would be to think that William Hung's rendition of "she bang" was every bit as valid as Bach's Brandenburg Concertos.

 

[chunktone]

Huge power and prog metal fan here. Pagan's Mind, Fates Warning, Eidolon, Iced Earth, Primal Fear, Symphony X etc.

I also am a huge "garbled vocals", as you guys call it, metal fan. However, I think you miss the point entirely. It is not about being angry at all, it s a style no different than melodic singing like Nils K. Rue or gruff melodic singing of Russell from Symphony X. I understand if you don't like the style, but at least understand what it actually is.

I understand what it is. You can call it what you like, but this type of "singing" is popular because it's much easier to do than be a real singer. Some of the bands with this type of singer are really good musically, but the "singing" ruins it for me.

 

[Red_Label]

I understand what it is. You can call it what you like, but this type of "singing" is popular because it's much easier to do than be a real singer. Some of the bands with this type of singer are really good musically, but the "singing" ruins it for me.

Same here. I remember first hearing Killswitch Engage's cover of "Holy Diver" and digging it... UNTIL the cookie monster got unleased. Having said that, if it just gets unleashed here and there I can respect that (even if I have little desire to listen to it). It's the bands where that's their entire schtick that I can't listen to, respect, or like. I just think that's completely lame. Those who would argue that I probably couldn't gargle/growl like that would be right. I can't. And I won't. It does take a certain "talent" to be able to do that all night and have any voice left at all. But it probably takes a certain "talent" to get your brains screwed-out by a donkey in Tijuana every day and I have no desire to see or do that either!

 

[guitarmike]

I can't get into any of the screamo crap that is considered metal these days. It takes no talent to be pissed off while holding a mic.

I also find it a bit odd that, the trend is moving toward having a greater range for guitarists. 7, and 8 strings or more. But the "singers" have no range! They offer nothing but anger. I find these guys to be just as big of posers as any hair metal band you could name. If they're really such badass, evil people, why are they wasting their time with music, when they could be out murdering innocent children etc...

As far as power/euro-metal goes, I really dig it! Most of the newer bands I like are coming out of Sweden, Norway and Germany. Too bad we don't support good metal in the USA.

LOL! Could not agree more! I want to ask these screamers, growlers and garglers... what exactly is it that you're SO angry about that you feel the need to utter non-stop garble? Seriously... What's the deal??? You're internet too slow and it enraged you? Your McCafe chocolate shake too runny? The last duds your mommies bought you weren't "fly" enough? Based on the stupidity of these singers, you'd think that some poor, REALLY suffering sap from a war-torn middle-eastern country, or Africa would be SERIOUSLY "metal".

Bah... I guess I'm just gettin' too old. I don't get it AT ALL...

I think the screamo singers are constipated....Think about it, makes sense.

 

[Michi]

Hey count me in!

Being from Europe I have to admit I'm not that big a fan of the American music scene either, I find the more melodical approach over here a lot more appealing, of course with the few exceptions already mentioned.

As for bands in the genre, I tend to stick with the ones I grew up with or followed later on, bands like Helloween and Gamma Ray, Stratovarius, Nightwish, may be some Nocturnal Rites (especially Nils Norberg era, man what a guitar player!). Edguy has great stuff as well.

Then there are the Finnish bands Sonata Arctica and perhaps Amoral, Thunderstone. Oh and take a listen to "the classic Helloween duo" Michael Kiske and Kai Hansen united again, their new project Unisonic shows some promise as well.

 

[JCDenton6]

I listen to it from time to time as well, I dig the bands mentioned above,
Gotta take a break from the heavier stuff every now and then.