Another one of my "problems" with Metalcore (my Metalcore series volume 2).
I have a real problem with a lot of the metalcore bands and fans. It seems that there's this attitude that they can distill a certain element of earlier heavy metal, put a metalcore "sheen" on it, and call it something new. And I'm not really speaking of the more progressive metalcore bands, or the bands that just would rather leave Metalcore behind to some extent.
3 Inches of Blood for example, is mainly accepted in America because of their "semi-ironic" take on traditional metal in which they add in a bit of "metalcore" vocals. At least initially that is why they gained a following in a lot of ways. While true traditional bands such as Slough Feg and others get (relatively) ignored. And the part that bothers me is that many metalcore fans think there is something "new" from these bands, and that the influence "skips" straight from Iron Maiden to bands such as 3IOB.
There is, and has always been a HUGE Power and Traditional Metal scene in Europe and all around the World. Helloween, Blind Guardian and others have storied careers going back to the mid-eighties. And its not that Power Metal hasn't evolved or advanced. While I am not a big fan, I will acknowledge that Dragonforce has had some impact on Power Metal. But even they are just a faster version of Power Metal sounds that had their roots in mid-nineties albums such as Gamma Ray's Somewhere Out In Space. Rhapsody (of Fire), and other bands first started trying to push the threshold of faster Power Metal on albums such as Power of the Dragonflame (and also foreshadowed the cheesiness that would permeate bands like Dragonforce as well). And as far as the more extreme and dark end, bands like Nevermore, and newer bands like Biomechanical had an extreme metal/darker twist on the Power Metal sound.
So the purpose of this blog is to educate. Its not about Metal Elitism. Its just about the fact that a band that puts a little bit of an "accepted" modern influence and image seems to have more sway nowadays than bands that were progenitors of the genre that the said bands are trying to imitate.
So educate yourself, Metalcore fans! Check out bands that don't have that little influence in the music that gets them MTV play, or radio play. A start is by checking out the bands that invented "Melodeath" (one of the main influences on modern Metalcore); In Flames the Jester Race, At The Gates Slaughter of the Soul, Dark Tranquility's the Gallery, etc.
I just am dumbfounded at the ignorance of some of the fans regarding the history. Yes there is only a certain amount of time during the day, but you gotta admit that some of the originators (in many cases) are better than the later bands. Its not evolution if someone refines something, its more imitation (and imitation can be good, but often it is bad).
So by all means- check out some of the more extreme power metal bands, and some of the original melodic death metal bands. A good place to start is Carcass and the aforementioned Swedish bands, and a good place to start for the more extreme end of power metal is Biomechanical. As far as 3 Inches of Blood, Blind Guardian and Stormwarrior (more on them later) are good bands to check out.
So, some recommended listenings:
3 Inches of Blood for example, is mainly accepted in America because of their "semi-ironic" take on traditional metal in which they add in a bit of "metalcore" vocals. At least initially that is why they gained a following in a lot of ways. While true traditional bands such as Slough Feg and others get (relatively) ignored. And the part that bothers me is that many metalcore fans think there is something "new" from these bands, and that the influence "skips" straight from Iron Maiden to bands such as 3IOB.
There is, and has always been a HUGE Power and Traditional Metal scene in Europe and all around the World. Helloween, Blind Guardian and others have storied careers going back to the mid-eighties. And its not that Power Metal hasn't evolved or advanced. While I am not a big fan, I will acknowledge that Dragonforce has had some impact on Power Metal. But even they are just a faster version of Power Metal sounds that had their roots in mid-nineties albums such as Gamma Ray's Somewhere Out In Space. Rhapsody (of Fire), and other bands first started trying to push the threshold of faster Power Metal on albums such as Power of the Dragonflame (and also foreshadowed the cheesiness that would permeate bands like Dragonforce as well). And as far as the more extreme and dark end, bands like Nevermore, and newer bands like Biomechanical had an extreme metal/darker twist on the Power Metal sound.
So the purpose of this blog is to educate. Its not about Metal Elitism. Its just about the fact that a band that puts a little bit of an "accepted" modern influence and image seems to have more sway nowadays than bands that were progenitors of the genre that the said bands are trying to imitate.
So educate yourself, Metalcore fans! Check out bands that don't have that little influence in the music that gets them MTV play, or radio play. A start is by checking out the bands that invented "Melodeath" (one of the main influences on modern Metalcore); In Flames the Jester Race, At The Gates Slaughter of the Soul, Dark Tranquility's the Gallery, etc.
I just am dumbfounded at the ignorance of some of the fans regarding the history. Yes there is only a certain amount of time during the day, but you gotta admit that some of the originators (in many cases) are better than the later bands. Its not evolution if someone refines something, its more imitation (and imitation can be good, but often it is bad).
So by all means- check out some of the more extreme power metal bands, and some of the original melodic death metal bands. A good place to start is Carcass and the aforementioned Swedish bands, and a good place to start for the more extreme end of power metal is Biomechanical. As far as 3 Inches of Blood, Blind Guardian and Stormwarrior (more on them later) are good bands to check out.
So, some recommended listenings:
Comments
At least IMHO.