[moogoob]

Quote:

Originally Posted by asmox /img/forum/go_quote.gif One of my favorite things about metal is the extreme amount of musical divergence that exists within the parent genre. Metal is at the point, now, where genre classifications are nigh useless and more of a headache than an accurate representation of any kind of reality - and I think that's absolutely awesome. The multitudes of differing musical elements and styles that have been brought together under the metal aesthetic, and the many wonderful bands worldwide that continue to push such amalgamations are among the top qualities which make metal so good, in my eyes. The only genre that even comes close (or maybe even exceeds, in some ways) is electronic music. More so than that, the great thing about metal is its broad implementation of contrast and its pervasive sense of energy. Regardless of how heavy it is; regardless of how technical you get with time signatures and polyrhythms; regardless of how sophisticated you get with arrangements; regardless of what abstract methods a metal band comes up with to break down rhythm/melody/harmony; regardless of what kind of non-metal elements bands choose to bring into their sound - it's all brought together with contrast and energy. Contrast in light and darkness; beauty and ugliness; fear and hope; soft and loud; simple and intricate; austerity and warmth - whatever the case, metal extends a sense of pathos that many other musical styles simply lack. The sky is the limit for the world of metal. There are no formulas which have not been broken, or are not currently being broken. There are no combinations or stylistic deviations which are taboo. There are no limits on instrumental or compositional complexity; no limits on emotional appeal or lack thereof; no limits on thematic content. At one point on the spectrum or another, metal has it all - and that's what's so good about it.

THIS

 

[Calexico]

Quote:

Originally Posted by forsberg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Tool is one of the bands I cannot listen to. Their songs are too long and repetitive.

I thought Tool was progressive... Which may mean long, but NEVER repetitive! Try out Dream Theater. They're an excellent progressive metal band. John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy are both AMAZING at their respective instruments.
YouTube - Dream Theater - Images and Words - Track 5 - Metropolis pt.1

I also recommend Ayreon. I'm not a huge fan of them, but they are pretty good.
YouTube - Ayreon - Day eighteen: Realization

Personally, I don't like Opeth though. They DO sound repetitive to me, and their lyrical content is so... emo. I'm sure I'll get some comments on deeper meanings or whatever, but honestly, my friend tried showing me 5 different songs. They all ended up sounding the same and talking about the same stuff. There was one song that was slightly more exciting, but it still didn't meet my standards.

 

[ezkcdude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calexico /img/forum/go_quote.gif Personally, I don't like Opeth though. They DO sound repetitive to me, and their lyrical content is so... emo. I'm sure I'll get some comments on deeper meanings or whatever, but honestly, my friend tried showing me 5 different songs. They all ended up sounding the same and talking about the same stuff. There was one song that was slightly more exciting, but it still didn't meet my standards.

Hmm...Seems to me you'd like this thread.

 

[Calexico]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ezkcdude /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm...Seems to me you'd like this thread.

I actually like progressive metal though. I just don't think Opeth IS progressive. Because I don't sense any PROGRESS in any of their songs. Maybe they're more of an album experience, but of the 5 songs I tried, only one of them got me excited/interested. And that's because it used death growls, which I don't like, but hey, at least it got me listening. Too slow, too repetitive. Listening to the song Burden, which my friend sent me, I think the single word I would use to describe them is corny. =\

 

[Tridacnid]

Man, there are some excellent responses here. Especially from Asmox. I think I might have to quote you on that excellent explanation of metal.

Anyways, as you begin to listen to metal, and delve deeper into it, you'll begin to realize what you like and don't like in the genre, and that will help you to define your taste. I started off listening to hard rock, then prog metal, then power metal, then symphonic, then folk, then post-hardcore (sort of), then who knows what, and the sky is the limit for where my appreciation of this genre will take me. The idea is to find a place to start, then enjoy that. Once you feel a craving for a certain something, then find another band in maybe another sub-genre that takes you to another perspective of this wonderful sphere of music.

Metal is as much about the music as it is about the experience and the knowledge that comes with new stuff.

 

[forsberg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calexico /img/forum/go_quote.gif I thought Tool was progressive... Which may mean long, but NEVER repetitive! Try out Dream Theater. They're an excellent progressive metal band. John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy are both AMAZING at their respective instruments. YouTube - Dream Theater - Images and Words - Track 5 - Metropolis pt.1

Wow. One day from not knowing anything about metal and I already have a metal subgenre I don't like! Progressive Metal.

Dream Theater is also another band I need to change songs after a minute. I don't know what it is about that "Progressive Metal" style that I don't like. When I think progressive, I think about songs that start off with at a slow pace and builds up louder and faster, like White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane. And I like songs like that. But Tool + Dream Theater, I don't really find a change of pace or anything. Take Tool's first track on 10000 days for instance. Is that progressive? The first 10 seconds of the song is basically what you hear for the entire 7 or 8 minutes of the entire thing. Same thing with Dream Theater. I tried it, but like Tool, it's sorta repetitive and doesn't go anywhere. Dunno. Perhaps I just can't stand songs over 6 minutes!

I'm really feeling Megadeth, but not so much Metallica. What does Thrash Metal mean?

 

[forsberg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calexico /img/forum/go_quote.gif I actually like progressive metal though. I just don't think Opeth IS progressive. Because I don't sense any PROGRESS in any of their songs. Maybe they're more of an album experience, but of the 5 songs I tried, only one of them got me excited/interested. And that's because it used death growls, which I don't like, but hey, at least it got me listening. Too slow, too repetitive. Listening to the song Burden, which my friend sent me, I think the single word I would use to describe them is corny. =\

Yeah I just listened to Opeth's Blackwater Park. Haha, I think it is something I need to slowly work up to.

Is there a metal glossary? Something that just lists out all the subgenres and their different styles and maybe ONE signature band from each.

 

[scytheavatar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by forsberg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow. One day from not knowing anything about metal and I already have a metal subgenre I don't like! Progressive Metal. Dream Theater is also another band I need to change songs after a minute. I don't know what it is about that "Progressive Metal" style that I don't like. When I think progressive, I think about songs that start off with at a slow pace and builds up louder and faster, like White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane. And I like songs like that. But Tool + Dream Theater, I don't really find a change of pace or anything. Take Tool's first track on 10000 days for instance. Is that progressive? The first 10 seconds of the song is basically what you hear for the entire 7 or 8 minutes of the entire thing. Same thing with Dream Theater. I tried it, but like Tool, it's sorta repetitive and doesn't go anywhere. Dunno. Perhaps I just can't stand songs over 6 minutes!

Congratulations, I feel the exact same way about Dream Theater and Tool. All the circle wankery from them gets really tiring, and Labrie is an absolutely failure as a metal vocalist. Have you tried Symphony X? They'll be what I call a progressive metal band that has a direction and doesn't suck.

Anyway, you should check out wikipedia, it's the best glossary of metal that I have ever seen. Although it isn't 100% accurate.

 

[Calexico]

I will have to check out Symphony X. Honestly though, I don't understand this "wankery" thing. For all my means, it keeps things interesting to hear people really excel at their instruments. Listening to Mike Portnoy is fantastic.

 

[scytheavatar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calexico /img/forum/go_quote.gif I will have to check out Symphony X. Honestly though, I don't understand this "wankery" thing. For all my means, it keeps things interesting to hear people really excel at their instruments. Listening to Mike Portnoy is fantastic.

Really excel at their instruments =/= good. That at the end of the day will be just showing off your skills if the music you play isn't good enough. To me Dream Theater is guilty of being more interested in showing off their skills than in making good music, with direction, with meaning.

 

[Ub3rMario]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scytheavatar To me Dream Theater is guilty of being more interested in showing off their skills than in making good music, with direction, with meaning.

Ouch that hurts me lol. Being a huge fan I guess i'm biased, but I honestly think they have a lot of diversity in their music...not just all fast crazy displays of technical difficulty (doesn't have to be fast either ha). I hear and feel a lot of meaning but hey maybe that's just me.

Also, "good music" is subjective, so to you maybe technical skill isn't important, but to some it may be. I like a nice balance personally and I feel like DT excels many ways.

 

[Cousin Patty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by asmox /img/forum/go_quote.gif One of my favorite things about metal is the extreme amount of musical divergence that exists within the parent genre. Metal is at the point, now, where genre classifications are nigh useless and more of a headache than an accurate representation of any kind of reality - and I think that's absolutely awesome. The multitudes of differing musical elements and styles that have been brought together under the metal aesthetic, and the many wonderful bands worldwide that continue to push such amalgamations are among the top qualities which make metal so good, in my eyes. The only genre that even comes close (or maybe even exceeds, in some ways) is electronic music. More so than that, the great thing about metal is its broad implementation of contrast and its pervasive sense of energy. Regardless of how heavy it is; regardless of how technical you get with time signatures and polyrhythms; regardless of how sophisticated you get with arrangements; regardless of what abstract methods a metal band comes up with to break down rhythm/melody/harmony; regardless of what kind of non-metal elements bands choose to bring into their sound - it's all brought together with contrast and energy. Contrast in light and darkness; beauty and ugliness; fear and hope; soft and loud; simple and intricate; austerity and warmth - whatever the case, metal extends a sense of pathos that many other musical styles simply lack. The sky is the limit for the world of metal. There are no formulas which have not been broken, or are not currently being broken. There are no combinations or stylistic deviations which are taboo. There are no limits on instrumental or compositional complexity; no limits on emotional appeal or lack thereof; no limits on thematic content. At one point on the spectrum or another, metal has it all - and that's what's so good about it.

this is it. do you write professionally?

 

[grawk]

Good metal is cathartic. Bad metal is nervewracking.

 

[chadbang]

I've been on headfi about eight years and followed dozens of recommendations from Tool to DreamTheater to Opeth - never warmed to any of it. I just find Metal unpleasant to listen to. I go the other direction completely - give me some nice, lazy trippy Pink Floyd.

 

[moogoob]

Rather than focus on the bands we all collectively dislike, how about focusing on the fact that metal's got something for almost everyone? Nobody's music tastes are going to align completely.