Metal music today: what's wrong with it?

[spawnofthesith]

I agree, I think genres in the way that most people view them is idiotic. I am into denoting genres simply because I have an OCD thing about classifying stuff, but I never use genres to exclude myself from music as so many people do.

 

[Ventura]

This thread reflects exactly what I dislike about genres.

Sure, you can classify music and style all you want, but good music goes beyond a genre....

Well said. Pioneers and their craft are ageless, timeless, and always fresh. I am not a floor licking fan of Page, but a decent one nonetheless, and what gets me about his music with Zep is that what I heard when I listened to it 'back then' is different than the nuances and the cool little details he put into it that I hear 'today'. The music is the same - it hasn't changed, just my appreciation for how it was designed and crafted has changed. Same goes for Zappa - ya ya, the guy was a maniac nuisance when it came to impossible time signatures - but - the detail in his music when I hear it today? Holy shit man, I don't think anything compares...it was, perfect!! Then I look at Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Ministry, Helmet, Priest, Ozzy, man - I hear their oldies today and the playing was tight, it was bang-yer-head material, and to this day, most of it still feels fresh in a old-new kinda way.

Sorry for the tangent. I just think there's way too much commercialism in today's metal. And further to that, a lot of bullshit post production fine tuning - timing, vox, everything. If it weren't for the videos, would this stuff still sell? Metal/Thrash is the 'most popular music listened to world wide' out of all genres (Dr. D. Levitin, Berkley) but is it because of talent or is it because they've pin pointed the timbre in most of the newer stuff which attracts the budding testosterone fueled pre-teen and teen lads to loving it before understanding it??

"This Is Your Brain On Music" - talks a lot about the sound of 'metal' and 'thrash' and what it is that actually attracts people to it at the neurological level... Awesome read, written by D. Levitin.

Peace,
V.

 

[Spaceboy]

Yeah that's more or less the problem with the music, then young guys buy into like it's cool. "Hey I know everyone expects a song to have melody, well we're going to make songs with no melody" That doesn't even make any sense.

There's melody, it's just not your traditional idea of what melody should be.

 

[Motorpud]

Yeah that's more or less the problem with the music, then young guys buy into like it's cool. "Hey I know everyone expects a song to have melody, well we're going to make songs with no melody" That doesn't even make any sense.

There's melody, it's just not your traditional idea of what melody should be.

Maybe, but that's not what he said. I was just responding to his quote in general.

Some of my favorite bands would probably say "fuck melody" because its such an expected factor in a song.

 

[rupe]

My favorite "modern metal" band is Insomnium

The music isn't bad, but those vocals Is that the real Cookie Monster? Sounds EXACTLY like him

 

[spawnofthesith]

My favorite "modern metal" band is Insomnium

The music isn't bad, but those vocals Is that the real Cookie Monster? Sounds EXACTLY like him

Yes Insomnium is definitely one of those bands whose vocalist truly lives up to the name "cookie monster vocals". But hey, I like 'em, but I know they are definitely not everyone's cup o' tea. To each his own. Especially when it comes to art (such as music).

 

[some dude]

my random thoughts:
Boris is awesome, but I don't consider it "metal". It's more like "sludgey post-rock with vocals."

Even though the "sludgy post-rock with vocals" is the minority of their work, it's the majority of the stuff most people have been exposed to as it is the most easily digestible by the mainstream.

Dive into them deeper and you'll find a lot of doom metal, sludge, drone, stoner, psychedelic, experimental, noise and ambient stuff. Unless you have a taste for real drone metal and/or ambient noise (or a really open mind) you probably won't like much outside of the Heavy Rocks and Pink albums.

 

[BSRIAudio]

You shouldn't have to try to "digest" music. You also shouldn't need a 14 year old kid in skinny jeans with his hair combed over his face to interpret the lyrics for you either.

Wouldn't want to try expanding your horizons with new things. Nope.

I don't care for clearly understanding the words in a metal song. If I wanted to know what they were I would read the liner notes. Music as a whole coaxes an emotional response and that is what I enjoy most. If I could forget all the worthless shallow lyrics in classic metal songs I would be way better off for it.

 

[Motorpud]

You shouldn't have to try to "digest" music. You also shouldn't need a 14 year old kid in skinny jeans with his hair combed over his face to interpret the lyrics for you either.

Wouldn't want to try expanding your horizons with new things. Nope.

I don't care for clearly understanding the words in a metal song. If I wanted to know what they were I would read the liner notes. Music as a whole coaxes an emotional response and that is what I enjoy most. If I could forget all the worthless shallow lyrics in classic metal songs I would be way better off for it.

So are you trying to say that someone who hates the smell of a turd should go out of their way to smell them every day anyway in an attempt to "broaden their horizons"? Go for it. And you admittedly don't understand the lyrics of the music you listen to? Sounds like I'm missing out big time

 

[Mailman1971]

You shouldn't have to try to "digest" music. You also shouldn't need a 14 year old kid in skinny jeans with his hair combed over his face to interpret the lyrics for you either.

Wouldn't want to try expanding your horizons with new things. Nope.

I don't care for clearly understanding the words in a metal song. If I wanted to know what they were I would read the liner notes. Music as a whole coaxes an emotional response and that is what I enjoy most. If I could forget all the worthless shallow lyrics in classic metal songs I would be way better off for it.

So are you trying to say that someone who hates the smell of a turd should go out of their way to smell them every day anyway in an attempt to "broaden their horizons"? Go for it. And you admittedly don't understand the lyrics of the music you listen to? Sounds like I'm missing out big time

 

[EXPcustom]

How about we agree on just this one thing, if you are going to play shitty metal can you please play it on shitty gear so us cool guys can have all the good stuff for ourselves.

 

[OldSkoolNJ]

So are you trying to say that someone who hates the smell of a turd should go out of their way to smell them every day anyway in an attempt to "broaden their horizons"?

Is that what these people are doing broadening their horizons?

 

[EXPcustom]

I broaden my horizons by drinking cat poop coffee.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/articl ... offee.html

 

[Mailman1971]

So are you trying to say that someone who hates the smell of a turd should go out of their way to smell them every day anyway in an attempt to "broaden their horizons"?

Is that what these people are doing broadening their horizons?

I feel SMARTER already from just seeing this picture!

 

[Motorpud]

So are you trying to say that someone who hates the smell of a turd should go out of their way to smell them every day anyway in an attempt to "broaden their horizons"?

Is that what these people are doing broadening their horizons?

That picture sums up this whole thread

 

[some dude]

And you admittedly don't understand the lyrics of the music you listen to? Sounds like I'm missing out big time

There's a lot of people like this, myself included. I almost never hear the words; when I listen to music the vocals come across as a melodic instrument rather than a spoken (sung) verse. There's very few songs I know the words to unless the chorus really stands out.

On the plus side, it means I'm unaffected by shitty lyrics. On the negative side, shitty vocals are really distracting.

I really wish someone would start releasing songs on technology that'd let me mute the vocal tracks.

 

[axemeaquestion]

I really wish someone would start releasing songs on technology that'd let me mute the vocal tracks.

Simply turn the volume off and the vocals will be muted. Problem solved.

I'm now going to start a thread about how much I hate the blues.

 

[Spaceboy]

I really have no idea what many of the bands I listen to are saying. I listen to a lot of brutal/slam death metal, where the lyrics are typically gore and horror themed, which isn't anything I really give a fuck about. I'm there for the rhythm and the riffs.

Another thing to consider about metal is that in the 80s, music like Ozzy was new and exciting during that period, because it was heavier and darker than what came before it. Well, my generation has grown up hearing Pantera, Ozzy, Metallica, whatever else as common radio music. It's now the standard for heavy metal, and therefore it has become tame. It's music our parents listen to. So, when we make music, it's going to be heavier and darker than what came before it, just as Ozzy and the rest were during their day.

Anyways, if you don't like it, don't listen. I sure won't be putting on any Ozzy records anytime soon.

 

[Ventura]

Well, one thing's for sure - this thread has been the most popular and active one in a long, long time on the main RT forum. So it's obvious there are a lot of people who feel strong either one way or the other...

Great debate, awesome thread!

G'Night...
V.

PS - that photo above made my day!!

 

[steve_k]

Pseudo-Christian metal bands. Why bother?