metalheads... I want your thoughts

cyclysm748 wrote:   Wow you bring up a lot of really interesting points.  I like you was a metalhead first and foremost, and then kind of converted into the prog rock genre.  I completely agree about the metal subgenre thing.  Where I live the biggest thing is all kinds of core music, which to me is all indistinguishable which type of core it is, though I don't listen to it much if at all.  I am definitely going to steal your who and zeppelin comparison to metal because it is awesome. Thank you.

*bump*

I don't know if I can call myself a 'pure metalhead' because at the time of writing this, I like prog rock more and that's how it's been for some time now but there was a time not so long ago when I couldn't be so sure where my preferences lay.  I certainly like prog rock much, much more than prog metal and that has been the case from the beginning.  There is a certain 'kick' that amazing metal music has for me, the uninhibited aggression and energy is something I like best in metal music than any other genre while prog rock is all about experimentation and nuanced emotions.  Prog metal, especially the melodic side, is neither so exciting in terms of musical adventures for me nor as wild as 'pure metal'. The delivery is too conscious and calculated in prog metal for my liking.   That being said, I like ACT's The Last Epic more than all but my favourite Sabbath and Judas Priest albums, so in the right hands, it is a sub genre with the potential to produce great music but, maybe it's me, but I haven't come across much of THAT so far in prog metal.  By the way, other than Cert1fied, I don't know anybody else who calls ACT prog metal!

As for extreme metal, I don't really have any problems with regarding it as music.  What I do have a problem with is the excessive repetition and unjustified spawning of sub genres whose distinction from each other is suspect.  As I like to say, The Who and Led Zeppelin are both hard rock bands but they are probably more unlike each other than a thrash metal band from a black metal band.  From the beginning, this has been a problem for me with metal, that the tolerance for repetition (as also intolerant indignation expressed to those who point out the repetition) is quite high in metal circles, I mean both fans and musicians, and must be a factor in my gradually drifting towards prog rock.  I'd really like that metal bands aspire more to express their own identity and individual musical vision rather than be content with living up to the identity of the sub genre, but sub genre 'pride' runs high in metal and it is difficult to disabuse the notion that as long as a band is *insert metal sub genre name*, it's all good.

Metal has changed and lucky it has or we would all be bored to death and not listening to it. A lot here complain that extreme is not for them anf fair enough but as what drives all forms of modern contempary music is the youngies. They are full of beans and they want to go where no man has gone before.( Star Trek). So they have gone extreme and created new music ( Noise if you prefer). One thing that I really like are the rythmns ( Check me Av) . Sepultura with Roots is one hell of an example. My son plays Thrash and Nu and so if I want to know anything I ask him.

Guys, this thread was started as a serious discussion, and any kind of sniping is completely out of place. Lucas, if you have anything to say to any of our members, please tell them directly, or by PM - don't undermine their judgment in a thread which they may well not visit. 

Raff wrote: Henry Plainview wrote: FusionKing wrote: Well, it's all in the name 'music', isn't it? I don't see the the point in all the morbid vocals and crunching guitar in newer metal. Why do that when traditional metal has the ability to soar high and low and make the hair on the back of listeners necks stand on end? I mean, ask yourself this... Korn or Metallica?  Cradle Of Filth or Iron Maiden? I know who I'd go for if I were stuck on a deserted island with nothing but a record player and two albums... Why do you listen to metal when Bach has the ability to soar high and low and make the hair on the back of the listener's neck stand on end? I would prefer silence to any of those artists. Then, if I may ask, what are you doing on a metal forum?

To support Max, and I do like some metal, I'm just not a fan of the non-prog metal. I'm also not a typical music fan in that I wouldn't find silence unbearable to endure. If you thought I was seriously saying people should only listen to Bach you misinterpreted my post.

Edited by Henry Plainview - 31 Mar 2010 at 7:27pm

I think you know the answer to that question already Raff!

FusionKing wrote: I disagree, I am but one of a reasonable number of young (16- 26) people who are purely traditionalist in terms of metal music. The most extreme genre that I'm willing to recognise as 'true' metal is Thrash. Once you get heavier than that, I feel it destroys the real artistry behind metal whereupon everyone sees it as noise as opposed to just rock in a raw and high powered format. It saddens me to see a lack of interest in old greats like Saxon, Ozzy and Van Halen in the rest of young listeners because this was the metal that made me feel empowered and took me on a journey through all rock music. Many extreme metal fans I've met often appear closed minded (obviously not all of you, plenty great guys on PA were into it) Often it is as if the harshness of the music matters more than how musical it actually is. I just don't get it.

What's wrong with noise? Merzbow rocks and the album in Henry's sig is incredible!

FusionKing wrote: Well, it's all in the name 'music', isn't it? I don't see the the point in all the morbid vocals and crunching guitar in newer metal. Why do that when traditional metal has the ability to soar high and low and make the hair on the back of listeners necks stand on end? I mean, ask yourself this... Korn or Metallica?  Cradle Of Filth or Iron Maiden? I know who I'd go for if I were stuck on a deserted island with nothing but a record player and two albums...

Why do you listen to metal when Bach has the ability to soar high and low and make the hair on the back of the listener's neck stand on end? I would prefer silence to any of those artists.

Balthamel wrote:  Lamb of God

FusionKing wrote: Often it is as if the harshness of the music matters more than how musical it actually is. I just don't get it.