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 Shroomism
Space Ninja (DBK)
 
Registered: 02/13/00
Posts: 37,408
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 Shroomism's Metal Guide
#3475452 - 12/10/04 10:18 AM (4 years, 30 days ago) |
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This is a work in progress..
Feel free to suggest any bands I might have missed...
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Progressive Metal
A subgenre of metal incorporating elements from progressive rock. The earliest bands to fuse these two genres together were Dream Theater, Watchtower, Psychotic Waltz, and Fates Warning. (Although some argue King Crimson were ahead of their time doing this with 21st Century Schizoid Man.)
Keyboards/synths, and other instruments not seen as often in the metal genre are more commonly used in progressive metal.
It's common for progressive metal acts to have very long song lengths with plenty of complex instrumental sections which give the musicians a lot of room to show off. Odd-time signatures are also are commonly implemented.
Progressive metal lyrics tend to be very cerebral, with elements of fantasy, psychology, and science fiction thrown into the mix. (The sort of lyrics you'd expect from Stephen Hawking or Sigmund Freud if they ever formed a heavy metal band.)
In other words: An awesome type of metal for intelligent people that is extremely creative
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Mastodon
Mastodon is a Grammy-nominated[1] band from Atlanta, Georgia. They are usually classified as a heavy metal group, with clear hardcore influences on the band.
Mastodon's style includes heavy (and sometimes quite complex and technical) guitar riffs, complex, jazz-influenced drumming, odd time signatures, and long, melodic instrumental interludes, which are all common aspects of the progressive metal genre. The band's fans have humorously dubbed the genre 'whalecore', in reference to their 2004 album Leviathan.
Favorite Mastodon Album: Blood Mountain
Dream Theater
Definitely in my top 5 bands of all time. American progressive metal band formed by three students at the Berklee College of Music in the mid 1980s under the name Majesty. They gained a cult following with a successful fusion of progressive rock, heavy metal and melodic rock, topped with the virtuosity of each member on their respective instruments. These guys are simply amazing.
Favorite Dream Theater Albums: When Dream and Day Unite; (!)Images and Words; Awake; (!)Scenes from a Memory, A Change of Seasons; Falling Into Infinity; Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence; Train of Thought
Opeth
Also in my top 5. Opeth is considered a progressive death metal band, making them one a kind. From Stockholm, Sweden... Opeth adds some progressive elements to their music, with acoustic guitar, clean vocals and influences from jazz and progressive rock. Due to this mix between death metal and melodic elements, Opeth do not entirely fit the death metal genre, and are also described as melodic death metal, or sometimes forest metal, but they can be said to not conform to any particular genre. Another factor that separates Opeth from the death metal genre are their lyrics, which are often not as brutal and gorey as those typically associated with the genre.. although the screaming can be intense as any death metal band. The name was taken from the book Sunbird (1972) by author Wilbur Smith, and was originally spelled Opet. In the book, Opet is the city of the moon.
Favorite Opeth Albums: (!)Orchid; (!)Morningrise; (!)My Arms, Your Hearse; (!)Still Life; (!)Blackwater Park; (!)Deliverance; (!)Damnation (yes.. all of them)
Maudlin of the Well
From Boston... Maudlin play ambient death metal mixed with some elements of black and doom. While they don't sound like any band in particular, there are elements of bands like Neurosis, Opeth, Green Carnation, and others. A myriad of influences could be cited.. such as jazz... but you truly have to hear this band to get a feel for them. Those who are into slowly-developed layered soundscapes will find much to enjoy here. And while that is the focus, there are times of intense, aggressive death metal. At times, you even hear some hardcore elements. Truly an interesting and diverse group. The band departed from darker music and reformed as Kayo Dot to persue a more "avant-garde" approach to metal.
Favorite Maudlin of the Well Albums My Fruit Psychobells...A Seed Combustible; Bath; Leaving Your Body Map
Spiral Architect
Spiral Architect is a Norwegian band who sets the standard for technical metal. There are few who really play technical metal, and fewer still who can mix dizzying musicianship while keeping the songs as songs, rather than disjointed jam sessions.
Favorite Spiral Architect Album: A Septics Universe
Devin Townsend Band
Here is a hard band to categorize. Devin Townsend is a Canadian musician whose recordings have won rave reviews for its epic, lush, prog-hard-rock-ambient compositions. Later works have been described as "speed metal pop songs".. the 'Devin Townsend Band? is a collection of futuristic pop metal that is not afraid to be sensitive ? emphasis on heavy. Each album has a different style to it, but follows a certain theme inspired by life. This is certainly one of the more unique, innovative, and prolific musicians in the music genre.
Favorite Devin Townsend & Band Albums: Infinity; Physicist; Terria; (!)Accelerated Evolution
Symphony X
The music from Symphony X tends to be epic and powerful, with touches of opera choirs and classical music. A representative sample of their music is the 20-minutes long track The Divine Wings Of Tragedy which combines a gothic motet chorus with fast guitar riff and clean vocals
Favorite Symphony X Albums: Symphony X; The Divine Wings of Tragedy; Prelude to the Millennium; (!)V: The New Mythology Suite; The Odyssey
Therion
Therion is a Swedish symphonic/death metal band. Its name originates from Greek, where therion means beast; the name refers to the beast of the Christian Book of Revelation. The music is sometimes thought to be unusual even by goth metal standards, often featuring classical solo vocalists, a choir and an orchestra. Members cite Richard Wagner as among their main musical influences.
Favorite Therion Albums: Of Darkness..; Beauty in Black; Siren of the Woods; Theli; A'arab Zaraq - Lucid Dreaming; Eye of Shiva; Deggial; Lemuria; (!)Sirius-B
Tool
Their music includes elements of heavy metal, progressive rock, psychedelia and art rock. Indicative of their various influences (King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Rush among them), Tool's music features a firm grasp of musical structure, unconventional time signatures, and borderline New Age subject matter.
Favorite Tool Albums: Opiate; Undertow; ?nima; (!)Lateralus
Control Denied
Chuck Schuldners (of Death) side project - European power metal meets death metal band.
Favorite Control Denied Album - The Fragile Art of Existence
King Diamond
King Diamond (as Kim Bendix Petersen) was born on June 14, 1956 in Denmark. His first band was Black Rose. In 1980, he formed Mercyful Fate, a group that to a large extent pioneered the genre of black metal because of the group's stage presence and lyrics, although its musical style is somewhere around heavy metal, power metal, and progressive. In 1984, Mercyful Fate split up due to artistic differences and King Diamond began a solo career.. his vocals are very high pitched..
Favorite King Diamond Albums: Fatal Portrait; (!)Abigail; Conspiracy; The Eye; Voodoo
Helstar
This band is probably what can only be called "Transylvanian Speed Metal". Combining elements of progressive thrash metal and insane technical solos with opera-like vocals focusing mainly on vampires... you have to hear these guys.
Favorite Helstar Albums: Burning Star; A Distant Thunder; (!)Nosferatu
Fates Warning
Fates Warning are an influential heavy metal band from Connecticut, USA. Their early works are more traditional heavy metal, best known for lead singer John Arch's unusual vocal approach. The later works (Perfect Symmetry and after) go more in a progressive metal and progressive rock direction.
Favorite Fates Warning Albums: The Spectre Within; Awaken the Guardian; No Exit; Perfect Symmetry; Parallels; Inside Out; Disconnected
Skultamaphon
Formed in 1996.. a symphonic assault of progressive thrash metal from Northern Virgina/Washington DC. My band  www.skultamaphon.com
Favorite Skultamaphon Albums: Illustrious Omniscience (not yet released)
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Heavy Metal & Influential Hard Rock
Yeah, it all started with Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden,
Deep Purple, etc etc. Heavy metal is a form of rock music characterized by aggressive, driving rhythms and highly amplified and distorted guitars, and the themes explored in heavy metal lyrics are often described as dark, depressing or angry.. but there are always exceptions. These artists tend to fit under the generic "heavy metal" category better than any other sub-genre.
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Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin was a British band formed in 1968... noted for their innovative, influential approach to heavy blues-rock and as one of the most popular and influential bands of all time. They both helped define and transcended the then-emerging heavy metal sub-genre. These guys paved the way for heavy metal.
Favorite Led Zeppelin Albums: Led Zeppelin; II; III; (!)IV; Houses of the Holy
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden is a heavy metal band from east London, England, which was formed in 1975. They are considered to be one of the most influential bands in the heavy metal music genre, having sold more than 100 million albums world-wide. They have also inspired other sub-genres of heavy metal music, including power metal and speed metal.
Favorite Iron Maiden Albums: Killers; The Number of the Beast; Piece of Mind; Powerslave; (!)Seventh Son of a Seventh Son; Fear of the Dark;
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath formed in Birmingham, England in the late 1960s under the name Polka Tulk Blues Band (soon shortened to "Polka Tulk"), and later Earth, and then to Black Sabbath when they discovered another local band named Earth. The newly-named Black Sabbath adopted darker lyrical themes and a slower, ominous style, and became one of the definitive classic heavy metal bands. Some have gone so far as to argue that Black Sabbath "invented" heavy metal. While this may be overstating the case, there is little argument that Black Sabbath were a profoundly important group in the music's development. A versatile group with many signature sounds, Black Sabbath are regarded as a primary source for many subgenres of heavy metal music, including doom metal, death metal, and stoner metal.
Favorite Black Sabbath Albums: Black Sabbath; Paranoid; Master of Reality; Vol. 4; (!)Sabbath Bloody Sabbath; Sabotage; We Sold Our Souls For Rock 'n' Roll; Technical Ecstasy
Ozzy Osbourne
What metal list would be complete without the godfather of metal
himself? Not much needs to be said about this man, as it's all been
said before. I'm just going to recommend my favorite Ozzy albums -
from the general time of Randy Rhoads.. one of the greatest guitarists
of all time (R.I.P brother)
Favorite Ozzy Albums:(!)Blizzard of Oz; Diary of a Madman; Bark at the Moon
Motorhead
Motorhead is a canonical speed metal band. Their name derives from a slang term for an amphetamine user. Their lyrics generally cover topics such as war, abuse of power, substance abuse and "life on the road". An "us against the world" mentality is evident in many of their songs. While the band are typically classified as heavy metal or speed metal, Lemmy has refused such labels, preferring to describe Motorhead's style as "rock and roll." Their sound tends to be "half metal, half punk, and half rock 'n roll" - purposefully adding up to three-halves of a band!
Favorite Mot?rhead Albums: Motorhead; Overkill; Bomber; Ace of Spades; Iron Fist; Orgasmatron; March or Die; Snake Bite Love
Black Label Society
Black Label Society is a heavy metal band and the brainchild of guitarist/vocalist/pianist/songwriter Zakk Wylde of Ozzy Osbourne's band. During Osbourne's absence from the hard rock scene during the late 1990s, Wylde went on to produce albums with a new band for which he writes the lyrics, guitar, and bass parts. Mixing and producing each of the six albums himself, Wylde and his band-mates now often tour on Ozzfest.
Favorite Black Label Society Albums: Sonic Brew; Stronger Than Death; Alcohol Fueled Brewtality; 1919*Eteral; The Blessed Hellride; Hangover Music Vol. VI
AC/DC
AC/DC is an Australian rock band and considered pioneers of hard rock and heavy metal music. The group was formed in Sydney, Australia in December, 1973. Their albums have sold in colossal numbers ? the total is now estimated to be around 100 million copies worldwide.
Favorite AC/DC albms: T.N.T; High Voltage; Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap; Powerage; Highway to Hell; Back in Black; For Those About to Rock; Blow up Your Video; Ballbreaker; Stiff Upper Lip
Judas Priest
Judas Priest is a hugely influential heavy metal band formed in 1969 in Birmingham, England. Often called the Priest, or just Priest. One of the originators of heavy metal and the godfathers of speed metal & pop metal, with Rob Halford's lead vocals notable for their high-pitched screams, they also feature an innovative two-lead-guitar sound and are particularly noted for their complex guitar duets.
Favorite Judas Priest Albums: Sad Wings of Destiny; Sin After Sin; Hell Bent for Leather; British Steel; Point of Entry; Screaming for Vengeance; Defenders of the Faith; Turbo; Painkiller; Jugulator, Demolition
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd is a British psychedelic rock band famous for its songwriting, harmonic classical rock compositions, bombastic style and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd is one of rock's most successful acts, ranking seventh in number of albums sold worldwide.
Favorite Pink Floyd Albums: The Piper at the Gates of Dawn; A Saucerful of Secrets; Ummagumma; Atom Heart Mother; Obscured By Clouds; Dark Side of the Moon; Wish You Were Here; Animals; The Wall; A Momentary Lapse of Reason
Def Leppard
Def Leppard is a band from Sheffield, England, that emerged in the late 1970s as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM). Def Leppard, in many ways, was the definitive hard rock band of the '80s. There were many bands that rocked harder, and were more dangerous, than the Sheffield quintet, but few others captured the spirit of the times quite as well.
Favorite Def Leppard Albums: On through the Night; Pyromania; Hysteria; Adrenalize; Retro Active; Slang; Euphoria
The Doors
The Doors started in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, when UCLA film school graduates Morrison and Manzarek shared some of their poetry and song lyrics. To fans of the Doors, the music included socially and politically charged lyrics mostly written by Jim Morrison. The jazz drumming of John Densmore, the swirling keyboards of Ray Manzarek, whose left hand played the parts typically associated with bass guitar, and Robby Krieger's guitar playing, which showed the influence of flamenco, Indian, the blues and classical music, combined to form a distinctive sound.
Favorite The Doors Albums: The Doors; Strange Days; Waiting for the Sun; Morrison Hotel; L.A. Woman; Full Circle
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948), is a heavy metal singer, musician, and composer. He is best known for his stage performances, which are often theatrical and violent, utilizing make-up, electric chairs, guillotines, decapitated human heads, fake blood, and boa constrictors.
Favorite Alice Cooper Albums: Welcome to my Nightmare; Flush The Fashion; Constrictor; Raise Your Fist; Trash; Hey Stoopid; The Last Temptation; Brutal Planet
Kiss
KISS is a New York City-based heavy metal band that became famous in the mid- to late 1970s. Although "Heavy Metal" didn't exist when the band was formed in 1972 it can be said that they invented a big part of the sound and style which now belong to Heavy Metal. The band was known for its elaborate costumes and stage sets, and the fact that the band never appeared in public except in heavy make-up which disguised their real identities. The band stopped wearing their make-up in 1983, and put it back on by the mid 1990s when they began touring as a 1970s nostalgia act.
Favorite Kiss Albums: Kiss; Dressed to Kill; Destroyer; Dynasty; Killers; Creatures of the Night; Animalize; Asylum; Revenge; Kiss My Ass; Psycho Circus
Gwar
Gwar is a novelty rock/heavy metal/punk band that was formed in 1985-1986 in Richmond, Virginia. Gwar are probably best known for their elaborate fantasy and horror inspired stage shows which have sometimes run afoul of obscenity statutes. Their gimmick is to dress up as alien warriors - their costumes are generally made of foam latex - and they further the gimmick by dousing the audience in fake blood and gore at their live shows. Gwar were banned from performing in their home city due to their raucous stage performances; since then they have appeared under the pseudonym Rawg. Gwar was/is primarily a band of former art students, and this is reflected in the obscure references made in some of their songs. Gwar fans are known as Bohabs.
Favorite Gwar Albums: Scumdogs of the Universe; America Must Be Destroyed; This Toilet Earth; RagNaRok; Carnival of Chaos; We Kill Everything; Violence Has Arrived
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Thrash Metal
A Sub-Genre of Metal made popular during the 80's originally by bands such as Motorhead and Venom. Metallica then took the style and made it into a more popular and prominent style. Other bands through the Thrash ages are Overkill, Exodus, Testament, Megadeth, Sepultura, Vio-Lence, Dark Angel, Death Angel, Kreator and so forth.
Stylistically expanding from speed metal, thrash was harsher, heavier and in some cases even faster than its predecessor. The lyrics, as before, were associated with the more negative aspects as life, as well as the darker. A good amount of thrash also dealt with political or social subjects not dissimilar to punk. Vocals were less sung and more shouted, and drums were often rapid fire. Solos, as you might imagine, were at times prominent throughout nearly an entire song. It was at this point in metal that music would only become heavier and more aggressive. Thrash was menacing, crushing and often disliked by the mainstream community for its heaviness. The music form would die down in the 1990's, and be replaced by the likes of black and death metal. Thrash was most likely named as such because many fans of the music often thrash (or "mosh") one another around at concerts. Common examples of thrash include Bathory, Dark Angel, D.R.I., Exodus, Kreator, Metal Church, Slayer, Testament, Venom, Violence, and countless others
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Slayer
Credited with creating the thrash metal style, as well as heavily influencing death metal.. Slayer has been pumping out the agressive metal insanity since their first album in 1983 and still going strong to this day. Their 1986 album Reign in Blood was described by the magazine Kerrang! as "the heaviest album of all time". Enough said.
Favorite Slayer Albums: Show No Mercy; (!)Reign in Blood; South of Heaven; Seasons in the Abyss; Divine Intervention; Diabolus in Musica; God Hates Us All
Megadeth
An acquired taste for sure. You either love Dave Mustaine or hate him.
He was in the original line-up of Metallica but was kicked out of the
band before they recorded their first album, where he went and formed
Megadeth. His high-pitched vocals grow on you after a while. Megadeth
was a very fast paced, technical metal band, with complex riffs and
blazing solos. Their newer stuff went in a different, more mellow
direction, which I personally didn't like very much, but many still
do.
Favorite Megadeth Albums: Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!; Peace Sells but who's Buying?; So
Far, So Good, So What?; (!)Rust in Peace; Hidden Treasures, Countdown to
Extinction; Youthanasia; The System has Failed
Metallica
Metallica is the American thrash metal band from The San Fransisco Bay Area who formed in 1981. You've heard them before. These guys built a loyal following of dedicated fans in the underground thrash scene and helped pave the way for future metal bands. They didn't reach commercial success until almost their third album, Master of Puppets (a metal masterpiece by the way). Tragically, they lost one of the main driving forces behind the band in a bus accident in 1987.. bass player Cliff Burton. (R.I.P brother). They went on to continue producing albums, but I am of the opinion that after Cliff died, it all went downhill from there. Some think Metallica "sold out", post-Black album, and I agree. Still, this band remains one of the major icons of heavy metal and a major influence to bands worldwide. I know I grew up listening to these guys. They are what got me into metal in the first place.
Favorite Metallica Albums: Kill 'em all; Ride the Lightning;
(!)Master of Puppets; ...and Justice for All; The Black Album
Nevermore
Nevermore is a power/thrash/speed metal band that was formed in 1992 in Seattle. They have a very unique sound and I am personally very fond of them. They continue to release amazing albums that never fail to dissapoint. The lyrics are passionate and often politically (anti-government) oriented.
Favorite Nevermore Albums: Nevermore; (!)Politics of Ecstasy; (!)Dreaming Neon Black; Dead Heart in a Dead World; Enemies of Reality
Pantera
From glam rock in their early days to good old southern style heavy
metal. You haven't lived until you've heard Cowboys from Hell. How do
you describe Pantera? Gritty.. thrashing.. jamming metal band. Dimebag
was a legendary guitarist. R.I.P Dimebag Darrel 12/8/04 
Favorite Pantera Albums: (!)Cowboys from Hell; Far Beyond Driven;
Vulgar Display of Power; The Great Southern Trendkill
Sabbat
A great, and style-wise pretty unique Thrash Metal band from the UK...arguably Britain's best thrash band ever, Sabbat had quite an original style, owing much to Martin Walkyier's venomous, rapid-fire vocal delivery, and tight, precise, and often-changing riffing.
Favorite Sabbat Albums: History of a Time to Come; Dreamweaver; Mourning Has Broken
Metal Church
These guys emerged from Seattle and formed as early as 1981. Don't know too much about them except that it was a group of musicians who lived together and put together a legendary first album. If you like some of the other bands in this category then definitely check these guys out.
Favorite Metal Church Albums: Masterpeace
Sepultura
Good old Sepultura. Ahh. This metal band emerged from the depths of
crime-ridden corrupt Brazil in the late 80s with a primal thrash metal
style and evolved over the years until Max Cavalera left the band
sometime around 1999 to form Soulfly. Lots of Screaming/Death metal
style vocals. The album "Roots" went in a different direction and much of it was recorded with a tribe in Brazil, lots of drums and chanting.
Favorite Sepultura Albums: Schizophrenia; (!)Beneath the Remains;
Arise; Chaos A.D; Roots
Testament
Some people call this the anti-Metallica. They formed in the San Fransisco bay area in 1983. They started out as purely awesome fucking thrash metal, but their later albums moved more towards a brutal death metal.
Favorite Testament Albums: The Legacy; (!)Practice What You Preach; The New Order; Souls Of Black; The Ritual; Low; Demonic; The Gathering; First Strike Still Deadly
Voivod
Originally from Quebec, Voidod formed in 1982 heavily influenced by the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) and the Cold War.. they began as thrash metal but delved into more progressive rock elements later.. and then came charging back with the heaviness and picking up Jason Newstead in 2001.. they returned to thrash roots and produced a powerful and unique album with their powerful and unique style: Voivod.
Favorite Voivod Albums: Killing Technology; Dimension Hatross; Nothingface; The Outer Limits; Negatron; Phobos; Kronik; Voivod
Anthrax
Spreading the disease.. this New York city based band was one the most popular bands on the thrash metal scene in the 80s, and possibly the biggest to come out of the east coast. Scott Ian, the guitarist, also launched a side project called Stormtroopers of Death.
Favorite Anthrax Albums: Fistful of Metal; (!)Spreading the Disease; Among the Living; I'm the Man; State of Euphoria; Persistence of Time; Sound of White Noise
Dark Angel
Dark Angel is a thrash metal band from Los Angeles. Their over-the-top style earned them the nickname "the L.A. Caffeine Machine" and the motto "too fast, my ass". Their album 'Darkness Descends' is one of the more underrated thrash albums.. also one of the heaviest and fastest.
Favorite Dark Angel Albums: We have arrived; (!)Darkness Descends; Leave Scars; Time does not Heal
Kreator
Kreator is a German Thrash Metal band, probably one of the four pioneers of the genre together with Slayer, Metallica and Overkill. Kreator also had trimmings of Death Metal.
Favorite Kreator Albums: Endless Pain; (!)Pleasure To Kill; Extreme Agressions; Coma Of Souls; Cause of Conflict; Violent Revolution
Overkill
One of the first thrash metal bands.. formed in New Jersey in 1980. These guys have been around the block and back again, with a heavy punk influence.. morphing over the years to further define their thrash metal style.
Favorite Overkill Albums: Taking Over; Under The Influence; (!)Years of Decay; I Hear Black; Fuck You & Then Some; Necroshine
Exodus
Exodus is a thrash metal band formed in 1982 in San Francisco, California, by Kirk Hammett, Tom Hunting, Paul Baloff and Gary Holt. In 1983 Kirk Hammett leaves to join Metallica and is replaced with Rick Hunolt, Rob McKillop is recruited as a bassist
Favorite Exodus Albums: (!)Bonded By Blood; Pleasures of the Flesh; Fabulous Disaster; Impact Is Imminent; Lessons In Violence, Force of Habit; Tempo of the Damned
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Death Metal
An extreme form of metal which evolved from thrash metal of the 80s.. chracterized by blast beats, insane double bass, growling vocals and fast complex distorted guitars tuned low.. most songs focus on the darkside of life.. usually associated with death and satan and disgusting things.. but often containing philisophical insights and political statements.. a very misunderstood and underappreciated genre altogether .
But death metal was never meant to be popular..it's not marketable as a trend..and that is part of it's success in not being whored and tainted by the music industry. So it remains largely underground.. with a loyal and dedicated following.
"Grinding dark, brutal sounding music that shatters windows and makes ears bleed. This music has very fast solos, insane drumming, demonic vocals, and heartpounding bass"
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Death
This is the band that started it all. Death metal spawned from this
one band. They created and defined the genre... the originators of Death Metal. It all started in Tampa
Florida in 1985. Death is probably one of my favorite metal bands of
all time... as their lyrics are deep and meaningful, and their
musicianship and song construction is absolutely amazing. While their
music is very fast tempo and heavy, you can hear a very heavy jazz
influence. They are notorious for tempo changes, intricate riffs,
brilliant flowing solos in every song. The drumming is absolutely
perfect, may I also mention they had a jazz drummer. Unfortunately,
the main presence behind Death (Chuck Schuldner) died from a brain
tumor in 2001 at the age of 34.. May he rest in peace. This band had
strictly death metal style vocals, you will never hear clean vocals.
But just read the lyrics.. www.emptywords.org
Favorite Death Albums:Scream Bloody Gore; Spiritual Healing;
Leprosy; (!)Human; (!)Individual Thought Patterns; (!)The Sound of
Perseverance; Live in LA
Suffocation
Suffocation, easily the most plagiarised death metal band, fused the predominant rhythmic styles of death and speed metal with grindcore song constructions to start a new subgenre of music, that of Death-Grind (death metal + grindcore). Suffocation is placed amongst peers Immolation, Incantation, and Morpheus (Descends) as being part of a genetic fragment of death metal known as "New York Death Metal" or "NYDM" in the short.
Favorite Suffocation Albums: Human Waste; Effigy of the Forgotten; Breeding the Spawn; Pierced from Within
Carcass
This British death metal band is also considered "goregrind". It was
formed by the guitarist from Napalm Death. They focused mainly on
topics relating to human anatomy and the medical field.. it is
believed that they used the band to push vegetarian beliefs. Very
groove-oriented stuff.. awesome band all around.
Favorite Carcass Albums: Symphonies of Sickness; (!)Heartwork; Swansong
Morbid Angel
Morbid Angel is a Florida-based band considered to be the "godfather" of death metal along with Death, Obituary, and Cannibal Corpse. If you enjoy this genre, they are a must have. Songs are quite complex in arrangement, owing to the considerable skill of guitarist Trey Azagthoth and drummer Pete Sandoval.
Favorite Morbid Angel albums: Altars of Madness, Blessed are
the Sick; Entangled in Chaos; (!)Gateways to Annihilation; Heretic
Immolation
Veteran New Yorkers Immolation deal exclusively in old-school, heads-down, twisted death metal. Nary a melody or a subtlety to be found, but uncompromisingly brutal and intense, both musically and lyrically. The band has scarcely changed over the years, as the style is pretty much the same from one album to the next.
Favorite Immolation Albums: Unholy Cult; Close to a World Below; Failures for Gods; Dawn of Possession
Decapitated
Decapitated are a brutal death metal band from Poland. Their albums combine speed and power with brilliant results. Acclaimed not just by the media and their expanding hordes of fans but by their peers as well (such as fellow Poles Vader). The band also have one other advantage in their age, the eldest member (Vogg, Guitars) is 22 and the youngest (Vitek, Drums) is only 18, this has given them a major boost in their popularity amongst the younger death metal fans and has given them a worthy live reputation for high velocity performances. Surgical precision and technicality define their sound.
Favorite Decapitated Albums: Winds of Creation; Nihility; The Negation
Obituary
Obituary play unadulterated brutal Death-gore Metal. The band started out in Florida in 1985 as school band Xecutioner. They combined hyper-speed guitar riffing, complex arrangements and guttural screams to create a bleak and violent soundscape that defined a genre. Unlike their peers though, Obituary avoided the more common trappings of this style of music shunning the Satanic bent of the lyrics and the breakneck pace of the dual guitar assault.
Favorite Obituary Albums: Slowly We Rot; Cause of Death; The End Complete; World Demise; Back From the Dead; Anthology
Monstrosity
As one of the front runners in the Florida death metal scene, Monstrosity began their course in late 1990. Underground tape trading and strong international networking made Monstrosity a viable entity in the metal realm with their infamous ?Horror Infinity? demo and the band was signed by Nuclear Blast Records Germany. They have since produced 5 albums of death metal precision.
Favorite Monstrosity Albums: Imperial Doom; Millenium; In Dark Purity; Enslaving The Masses; Rise to Power
Deicide
One of the most evil bands to ever exist. Yes, even more evil than
Slayer. Their riffs are primarily in Harmonic minor, and as you
guessed it.. deicide means 'the killing of god'.. their lyrics are
primarily anti-Christianity. All American death metal.
Favorite Deicide Albums: Legion; Once Upon the Cross; (!)Serpents
of the Light; Insineratehymn; Scars of the Crucifix
Cannibal Corpse
Fast, aggressive, complex, with violent lyrics. Their albums are
banned in several countries, including Germany. What more could you
ask for?
Favorite Cannibal Corpse Albums: Butchered at Birth; (!)Gallery of
Suicide; Bloodthirst; Vile
Nile
A very brutal death metal band from South Carolina, USA. Their music and lyrics are inspired by Ancient Egyptian mysticism, history, religion and art. It combines traditional death metal with elements of Middle Eastern music, incorporating traditional Egyptian instruments into some of the songs. Nile's music is also characterized by its extreme complexity and speed.
Favorite Nile Albums: (!)Amongst The Catacombs Of Nephren-Ka; Black Seeds Of Vengeance; In Their Darkened Shrines
Bloodbath
A Mikael Akerfeldt (of Opeth) death metal side-project. Straight up
Death Metal with no strings attached.
Favorite Bloodbath Albums: Resurrection Through Carnage;
Nightmares Made Flesh
Cryptopsy
Cryptopsy is a brutal death metal quintet from Montreal, Quebec. The band's 1996 release, "None So Vile", is considered to be landmark technical death/grind album. Cryptopsy drew some criticism for their change of singers and gravitation towards a more jazz influenced style with later albums.
Favorite Cryptopsy Albums: Blasphemy Made Flesh; None So Vile; Whisper Supremacy; ...And Then You'll Beg
Six Feet Under
Six Feet Under was formed initially as a side project of lead singer Chris Barnes, but later became his full-time band. Six Feet Under lyrics are apocalyptic and brutal, though Chris Barnes' lyrics are somewhat less brutal than that of his past. Many Six Feet Under songs are politcally keen and advocate among other things legalization of marijuana, overthrow of capitalism, and even anti-war sentiments. Many believe that his newer lyrical material are metaphors for the state of humanity.
Favorite Six Feet Under Albums: Haunted; Alive And Dead; Warpath; Maximum Violence; True Carnage; Bringer Of Blood
Possessed
Possessed are often credited as paving the way for death metal. They released their landmark debut album Seven Churches in 1985, predating Morbid Angel and Death. The record combined black and thrash metal, and added the first known growled vocals, although not as guttural as the death metal growls of today. After releasing a couple lesser known albums, Possessed disbanded. Possessed will always be remembered as a legendary band in eyes of any hardcore death metalhead.
Favorite Possessed Albums: (!)Seven Churches; Beyond the Gates; The Eyes of Horror
Lamb of God
Lamb Of God is a five-piece progressive death metal band from Richmond, Virginia, USA. (some argue the band is "nu-metal", but they have all the elements of death metal.) The band was formed in 1994. Lamb of God combines the raw energy and speed of thrash metal with the hellish vocals of the death metal genre and the dextrous, melodic riffs of European melodic death metal.
Favorite Lamb of God Albums: Burn The Priest; New American Gospel; As The Palaces Burn; Ashes of the Wake
Dying Fetus
Dying Fetus is a metal band formed in 1991 in Maryland, United States. Their music is a hybrid of death metal, grindcore and hardcore, characterized by extremely fast blastbeats, complex riffing and slow breakdowns. Lyrics-wise, the band dabbled with the usual gory death metal subject matter on their early albums, but by 2000?s Destroy The Opposition they had practically completely shifted to political (left-wing) lyrics, mostly consisting of aggressive critique addressed towards things such as religion, corporations, consumerism, racism and war.
Favorite Dying Fetus Albums: Infatuation With Malevolence; Purification Through Violence; Killing On Adrenaline; Destroy The Opposition; Stop At Nothing
Exhumed
I couldn't decide where to put this so I put it here. Exhumed is a perfect fusion of death metal and grindcore from the San Fransisco Bay Area.
Favorite Exhumed Albums: Gore Metal, Slaughtercult, Anatomy is Destiny, Platters of Splatter, Garbage Daze Re-Regurgitated
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Melodic Death Metal
One of many sub-genres to spawn from death metal. This type of metal focuses more on harmonies and melodies much more present in the guitarwork.. and is usually associated with Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Also called Scandinavian Death Metal.
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In Flames
Another one of my favorite bands. This melodic death metal band from Sweden? has amazing guitar work, and plenty of double solos. Absolutely wonderful stuff.
Favorite In Flames Albums: Lunar Strain; The Jester Race; (!)Whoracle; Colony; Reroute to Remain
Dark Tranquility
One of the pioneers of melodic death metal, also from Sweden. These guys rock.
Favorite Dark Tranquility Albums: Skydancer; The Gallery; The Mind's I; Projector; (!)Haven; Damage Done
At the Gates
These guys practically defined the genre. Combining elements of Thrash metal and Death metal to form their own unique style.. they hail from Gothenburg, Sweden.
Favorite At the Gates Albums: The Red Sky is Ours; Terminal Spirit Disease; (!)Slaughter of the Soul
Amon Amarth
Amon Amarth is a melodic death metal band with 'viking metal' lyrics from Sweden founded in 1988, named after a location in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. The name means "Mount Doom" in Sindarin. Formed under the name Scum, they switched to the name Amon Amarth in 1992 and released a demo recording, The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter, in 1994, selling all 1000 demo discs in less than 12 hours. With the release of the album Once Sent From the Golden Hall in 1998 their popularity rose on an international level and since has brought fourth multiple U.S. tours, two music videos and appearences in over 100 metal magazines.
Their latest album, Fate Of Norns, was released on September 6, 2004.
Favorite Amon Amarth albums: Arrival of the Fimbul Winter, Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds, Once Sent From the Golden Hall, The Avenger, The Crusher, (!)Versus the World, Fate of Norns
Soilwork
The Swedish metal sextet Soilwork formed in early 1997, fusing the country's signature ultra-heavy death metal sound with the power-groove riffs of late-'70s, early-'80s British and European metal. This sound was mostly technical stuff in the vein of Machine Head and Pantera.
Favorite Soilwork Albums: Steelbath Suicide; The Chainheart Machine; A Predator's Portrait; Natural Born Chaos; Figure Number Five
Arch Enemy
Yet another Swedish Melodic Death Metal band. They hold the distinction of being one of the very few bands in the genre to have a female vocalist.
Favorite Arch Enemy Albums: (!)Stigmata; Burning Bridges; Wages of Sin; Anthems of Rebellion
Children of Bodom
A Finnish band founded in 1993 in the town of Espoo. This group is characterized mainly by their relentless guitar rhythms and blazing solos. This is one of the fastest and most technical melodic death metal bands you will find.
Favorite Children of Bodom Albums: Something Wild; (!)Hatebreeder; Follow the Reaper; Hate Crew Deathroll
Strapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad is a Canadian metal band, started by Devin Townsend in the mid-1990's. Their sound is generally described as melodic death metal with industrial influences.
Favorite Strapping Young Lad Albums: Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing; City; (!)Strapping Young Lad
Dragonlord
A somewhat obscure melodic death metal band from the US. Very good stuff if you can get ahold of it.
Favorite Dragonlord Album: Rapture
Black Dahlia Murder
The Black Dahlia Murder is a melodic death metal band formed in 2001 in Detroit, Michigan. They released a four track E.P. titled A Cold-Blooded Epitaph on their own Lovelost Records before signing with Metal Blade in 2003 and releasing their debut album Unhallowed
Favorite Black Dahlia Murder Album: Unhallowed
Mastodon
Mastodon formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000. This band is a monster in the disguise of 4 musicians. These guys are paving the way for the future of metal with a new flavor of unbridled creativity.. a brilliant eclectic mix of grind, death metal, and whatever else. Mastodon is an explosive, unbridled force. Possessing an uncanny songwriting sense, fearless innovation, unparalleled technical ability and a bottomless pool of raw talent and creativity, MASTODON is inarguably one of the most exciting new bands to form in the last 10 years.
Favorite Mastodon Albums: Lifesblood; Remission; Leviathan;
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Technical Death Metal
'Technical' death metal is a narrow, but influential subgenre where musical complexity and skill is the main focus. (The band Death would also fall under this category)
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Atheist
A highly technical death metal band from Florida, sometimes reminiscent of jazz. They combined brutal riffs with subtle latin music arrangements.
Favorite Atheist Albums: Piece of Time; Unquestionable Presence; (!)Elements
Cynic
Also from Florida, this death metal band was formed in 1987. They began with a traditional death metal sound, but evolved into a highly complex, experimental, and extremely technical form of metal after several demos. Many influences from jazz and fusion can be heard in their first and only album, which is fairly hard to find. Highly recommended.
Favorite Cynic Album: Focus
Theory in Practice
Swedish technical monsters incorporating classical music influenced arrangements and a somewhat more melodic however more straight forward approach.
Favorite Theory in Practice Albums: Third Eye Function; The Armageddon Theories; Colonizing The Sun
Meshuggah
(named after the Yiddish word for "crazy") is a five-piece extreme metal band from Ume?, Sweden who use extended polyrhythmic passages, complex drum patterns, odd time signatures, smooth, melodic lead guitar solos, and harsh, atonal vocals.
Favorite Meshuggah Albums: Contradictions Collapse; Destroy Erase Improve; (!)Chaosphere; Nothing; /
Vomitron
I found some recordings of these guys on mp3.com several years back and I was blown away. I guess you could call them Progressive/Technical Death Metal. They had a couple cover songs.. including one epic metal-ized version of the Contra song from Nintendo (the entire song.. it's a full 12 minutes) and one of ghostbusters. They never produced an album but if you can find their recordings online then I recommend it!
Favorite Vomitron Album: Unknown
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Black Metal
Black metal has been called the punk music of metal. Some characteristics of black metal include: heavy distortion, fast, repetitive guitar playing and riffs, high-pitched screeching vocals, swift percussion, repetition, technical simplicity, overtly anti-religious lyrics, often taking the form of Satanic themes which blaspheme Christianity, and other occult themes
An abraded, very low fidelity recording style is common to the early albums associated with the genre. Modern black metal has incorporated atmospheric elements using ambient guitar and keyboard passages such as organ sounds or other miscellaneous instruments.
A distinct feature of the early bands' image was the use of corpse paint, a special kind of black and white make-up which was used to make the wearer look like a decomposing plague victim, also hiding their identity. To some, black metal is just as much about image and show as it is the music.
(I do not particularly care for black metal myself, except for the occassional Dimmu Borgir and Diabolical Masquerade.. but I have listed the more notorious black metal bands here for various reasons)
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Borknagar
Borknagar is a melodic, progressive black metal-influenced band from Bergen, Norway founded in 1995 by ?ystein Garnes Brun. The band's style combines symphonic metal and black metal with viking, medieval, and traditional folk elements. Borknagar's lyrics often deal with philosophy, paganism, nature, and the cosmos. The name Borknagar is a variant form of a character's name from a novel, and has no clear literal meaning.
Favorite Borknagar Albums: Borknagar; (!)The Olden Domain; (!)The Archaic Course; Quintessence; Empiricism; Epic
Venom
Venom is a metal band formed in Newcastle in England in 1979 by Cronos (vocals, bass), Mantas (guitar) and Abaddon (drums), names gleaned from The Satanic Bible. They are often regarded as an important early influence on death metal and black metal. Their first album, Welcome To Hell (1981), was a remarkable tour de force at the time, when the only group that dared mention the name of Satan was Black Sabbath. Their second album, Black Metal (1982) is often cited as important in the development of black metal and death metal. Many elements of those genres are found in the music, the lyrics and even the song titles.
Favorite Venom Albums: Welcome To Hell; Black Metal; At War With Satan; Possessed; Calm Before the Storm; Prime Evil; Temples of Ice
Bathory
Bathory must be considered a major influence, either directly or indirectly, on virtually every black metal band in the last decade. It was Bathory, along with Venom, who helped pioneered the raw death/black style and gutteral vocals that are now standard in the genres. Basically a one-man band (with a scattered few early-career exceptions), Bathory's work have run the gamut from more simplistic Venom-ish fare (first two albums, the debut in particular) to a more epic, Manowar-ish style, steeped in Norse mythology, on much of the middle and later albums, to a more thrash-based style on releases such as Octagon. Quorthon (the man himself) has also recorded apart from the Bathory name, releasing two albums under the name Quorthon, said to be very un-Bathory-like. The latest releases is the two part Nordland effort, with part one released in 2002 and its followup released earlier in 2003. A new album was expected to be recorded in 2004, but with Quorthon's unfortunate and unexpected passing, this would appear not to happen.
Favorite Bathory Albums: Bathory; The Return; Under The Sign Of The Black Mark; Blood Fire Death; Hammerheart; Twilight Of The Gods; Requiem; Octagon; Blood On Ice; Destroyer Of Worlds
Diabolical Masquerade
Diabolical Masquerade was originally a side project by Katatonia's Anders Nystr?m (Blackheim) that turned into a full time project. It was essentially a one-man band, being a prime symphonic horror-laced black metal outfit, sometimes called "Avant-Garde Metal". The album Nightwork is a grandiose, accomplished album, clearly black metal in structure but with rich orchestrations and numerous nods to thrash and traditional metal. Nystr?m played virtually all the instruments as well as the suitably extreme vocals. Death's Design, the fourth album, was a true horror movie soundtrack with 20 movements each broken down into several shorter interludes that overall comprise the 61 tracks listed. Certainly one of the most ambitious extreme metal releases in some time.
Favorite Diabolical Masquerade Albums: Ravendusk In My Heart; The Phantom Lodge; (!)Nightwork; Death's Design
Samael
Samael are black metal wizards from Switzerland. They moved from a traditional black metal in early albums to a more progressive, electronic approach in later recordings.. Passage being the breakthrough.
Favorite Samael Albums: Blood Ritual; Ceremony of Opposites; Rebellion; Passage; Eternal; Reign of Light
Emperor
Emperor is a seminal and infamous Norwegian black metal band that was formed in 1991. They have a vivid history complete with murders and church burnings among the Norwegian black metal inner circle including Mayhem and Samoth.
Favorite Emperor Albums: In The Nightside Eclipse; Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk; IX Equilibrium
Enslaved
Enslaved was formed in 1992 in Haugesund, Norway, with an earlier incarnation of the band featuring none other than Hein Frode Hansen, who left to form Theatre Of Tragedy. Eventually they attracted the attention of Euronymous (of Mayhem) who signed the band to his Deathlike Silence label. That label was set to release the debut album, Vikingligr Veldi, but the chaos that ensued following Euronymous' death prevented that, and Voices Of Wonder eventually released that album, with the band later signing to Osmose, the band staying on that label for several years before a recent switch to Tabu. Though the band prefers the label "Viking Metal", Enslaved is very much a black metal band in musical style, if not in spirit. Enslaved is somewhat of a paradox -- a listen to any of their earlier albums (such as personal favorite Frost) reveals all the classic trademarks of early black metal -- the vocal stylings, the insane blast beats, that distinctive black metal guitar style -- and yet Enslaved somehow makes it original and distinctive enough so that only Enslaved could perform it.
Favorite Enslaved Albums: Hordanes Land; Vikingligr Veldi; Frost; Eld; Blodhemn; Mardraum - Beyond The Within; Monumension; (!)Below The Lights; Isa
Burzum
Burzum is a prominent Norwegian black metal band which was formed in 1987 by Count Grishnackh (Varg Vikernes, born Kristian Vikernes). Grishnackh, who was the sole member of Burzum during its existence, is currently serving a 21 year sentence for murder and arson in Trondheim, Norway. Grishnackh and his project were instrumental in the crystallization of early black metal, and Grishnackh later gained great infamy when he murdered Euronymous, the guitarist of another Norwegian black metal band, Mayhem.
Favorite Burzum Albums: Burzum; Det Som Engang Var; Hvis Lyset Tar Oss; Filosofem; Dau?i Baldrs
Mayhem
Mayhem is a Norwegian black metal band which was originally formed in 1983. The first band members were two schoolmates, Manheim on drums and Necrobutcher on bass. The name "Mayhem" was taken from the title of the Venom song "Mayhem With Mercy". Much controversy has surrounded the band regarding various murders, suicides, and other forms of violence. Mayhem has moved through a variety of black metal styles, even going so far as delving into the areas of dark avant-garde industrial and electronica. The group (at least in its earliest incarnation; 1983-1993) is widely considered one of the cornerstone bands in the Norwegian black metal movement.
Favorite Mayhem Albums: De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas; Wolf's Lair Abyss; Grand Declaration Of War; Chimera
Darkthrone
Darkthrone is a highly influential Norwegian black metal band. They began their existence as a technical, jazz-influenced death metal outfit under the name Black Death. The band later adopted the stylings of the black metal scene, using corpsepaint and working under pseudonyms. Their early black metal albums explored the themes of a corrosive sound, extremely low fidelity recording quality, and musical simplicity and minimalism. Darkthrone to this day remain a powerful force in the black metal genre, though they have experimented with their influences throughout time.
Favorite Darkthrone Albums: Soulside Journey; A Blaze In The Northern Sky; Transylvanian Hunger; Under A Funeral Moon; Panzerfaust
Immortal
Immortal is a well-known black metal band from Bergen, Norway. The group was formed in 1989 under the name "Amputation"; they originally played death metal music. Immortal broke up in 2003.
Favorite Immortal Albums: Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism; Pure Holocaust; Battles In The North; Blizzard Beasts; At The Heart Of Winter; Sons Of Northern Darkness
Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir is a famous Norwegian melodic black metal band founded in 1993, whose music has been in the charts in several Scandinavian countries and Germany. One of the few black metal acts to achieve commercial success. "Dimmu Borgir" means "Dark Castle" or "Dark Citadel" in Icelandic.
Favorite Dimmu Borgir Albums: For All Tid; Stormbl?st; Enthrone Darkness Triumphant; Spiritual Black Dimensions; Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia; Death Cult Armageddon.
Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth is a British melodic black metal band formed in 1991. The group has progressed from a rawer, more traditional black metal sound to a fully orchestrated symphonic metal feel. Their music has often touched on gothic metal overtones, and has been both ridiculed and praised by critics. Most black metal fans criticise the group as coverage by Kerrang and MTV have brought them a much more mainstream and commercial image. Thus some black metal fans deem them "sell outs", while hardcore fans of them remain.
Favorite Cradle of Filth Albums: The Principle of Evil Made Flesh; Dusk and Her Embrace; Cruelty and the Beast; Midian; Damnation and a Day; Nymphetamine
Tristania
Tristania is a goth/black metal band from Norway, formed in 1996. Their music can be classified "scandinavian goth metal". Also described as black metal combined with opera, gregorian chants and medieval gothic music.. Tristania puts a lot of focus around operatic female vocals, haunting choruses and classical instruments such as pipe organ, flutes and violins. Those gothic elements enrich their fast-paced heavy black metal riffing and giving it a new depth. On the side of metal Tristania uses heavy black metal riffs with dominant eerie keyboard and powerful drums.
Favorite Tristania Albums: Widow's Weeds; Beyond the Veil; World of Glass; Ashes
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Shroomism
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 Re: Shroomism's Metal Guide [Re: Shroomism]
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Power Metal
Power metal was developed in the mid-1980s primarily by the German band Helloween, who were influenced by bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Power metal borrows from 1970s metal styles, but adds important elements of speed and melody. Whereas most genres of rock focus largely on personal experience, historical incidents, social commentary, or other aspects of "real life", power metal often treats cosmological or metaphysical themes. As such, lyrics draw heavily from science-fiction, mythology, and fantasy; Tolkien-esque imagery is especially common in the latter.
Power metal vocals are generally clean (as opposed to the growling vocals that characterize Death Metal) and delivered by a trained vocalist; singing power metal involves more than a few high notes. Often power metal vocals have multi-layer vocals similar to Queen. Typical power metal bands consist of a vocalist, two guitarists, a bassist, and a drummer. Many bands also play with a keyboardist and a few, such as the Italian band Rhapsody, have been known to record with more symphonic elements.
This style is most popular in Europe, Japan and some countries of South America. Note: power metal can be considered 'cheesy' at times depending on your tastes
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Helloween
Helloween is a German power metal/heavy metal band founded in the early '80s by members of the two bands Ironfist and Powerfool. As mentioned previously, Helloween is mostly credited with first developing the power metal genre. By taking the hard riffing and minor key melodies handed down from metal masters like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, then infusing them with the speed and energy introduced by the burgeoning thrash metal movement, Helloween crystallized the sonic ingredients of what is now known as power metal.
Favorite Helloween Albums: Helloween; Walls of Jericho; Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part 1; Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part 2; Chameleon; Master Of The Rings; The Time Of The Oath
Iced Earth
Iced Earth is a heavy/power metal band from Tampa, Florida that was formed in 1985 as Purgatory. Iced Earth combines influences from thrash metal, power metal, NWOBHM with gothic touches, and claims to be one of the few modern bands still producing 'true heavy metal' and refusing to accede to trends. Some consider this band somewhat cheesy due to their lyrical content and the way it is delivered. I however, thoroughly enjoy them. The only way I can describe them as.. is Iron Maiden on speed. you can definitely hear the influence. Clean vocals for the most part.
Favorite Iced Earth albums: Iced Earth; (!)Night of the
Stormrider; Dark Saga; Burnt Offerings; Something Wicked This Way
Comes; (!)Horror Show
Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian is a power metal band started in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, Germany. Inspired by the fictional worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien and other fantasy authors, as well as traditional legends and epics. Over the years, a running theme has developed associating the band members with traveling bards. Their music is characterized by the classic fast guitars and double bass drumming of power metal, but is relatively unique in its use of overdubs to create an extremely dense, "epic" sound. This technique, especially notable in the guitar and vocal tracks, creates the impression of a vast army of musicians playing in unison and singing in harmony
Favorite Blind Guardian Albums: Tales From the Twilight World; Somewhere Far Beyond; (!)Imaginations From the Other Side; Nightfall in Middle-Earth; A Night at the Opera
Demons & Wizards
Demons & Wizards is a heavy metal recording project conceived as a side-project of the metal bands Blind Guardian and Iced Earth. It is made up of the vocalist for Blind Guardian, Hansi Kursch, and the guitarist of Iced Earth, Jon Schaffer. Schaffer writes the music and Kursch writes the lyrics.
They only produced one album so far.. the self-titled Demons and Wizards.
Sonata Arctica
Sonata Arctica is a Finnish power metal band from Kemi formed in 1996 under the name Tricky Beans, which later changed to Tricky Means. In 1999, the band changed again, to Sonata Arctica. The band's trademark sound of fast, melodic and keyboard oriented heavy metal with clear and high vocals is born.
Favorite Sonata Arctica Albums: Ecliptica; Silence; Winterheart's Guild; Reckoning Night
Rhapsody
Rhapsody is an italian power metal band, formerly known as Thundercross. Incorporating classical music and baroque sounds, they invented a completely new genre, "Hollywood metal? in which they blended the styles of such composers as Vivaldi, Bach and Paganini with melodic heavy metal of today and contents from the fantasy genre.
Favorite Rhapsody Albums: Legendary Tales; Symphony of Enchanted Lands; Dawn of Victory; Power of the Dragonflame
Luca Turilli
Formed in Italy in 1998.. Luca Turilli is one of the most brilliant figures on the current metal scene. As composer and guitarrist of the Italian Hollywood Metal formation RHAPSODY, he has thousands of adoring fans all over the world, who share his passion for epic, orchestrally influenced Melodic Metal. After four album and one EP releases RHAPSODY are amongst the best selling bands of the entire metal scene and are constantly seen in the international Charts.
Favorite Luca Turilli Albums: King Of The Nordic Twilight; The Ancient Forest Of Elves; Demonheart; Prophet Of The Last Eclipse
Stratovarius
Stratovarius is a Finnish power metal/progressive metal band that was formed in 1984 by drummer/vocalist Tuomo Lassila, bassist John Viherv? and guitarist Staffan Str?hlman. In 1985 Staffan left the band and was replaced by Timo Tolkki. Tolkki also took over the vocal duties in addition to playing the guitar. They released their first album, Fright Night, in 1989. Stratovarius has had a lot of success in Japan, Europe and South America.
Favorite Stratovarius Albums: Fright Night; Twilight Time; Dreamspace; Fourth Dimension; Episode; Visions; Destiny; Infinite; Elements Pt. 1&2
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish power metal band, formed in 1996. The musical style of Nightwish has been described as epic metal, opera metal, symphonic metal, and goth metal, amongst others. Tuomas Holopainen once described their music as "melodic heavy metal with a female voice". Their success is widely attributed to the vocals. These are performed by Tarja Turunen, who has studied classical singing in the Finnish Sibelius Academy, and currently studies opera singing in Germany.
Favorite Nightwish Albums: Angels Fall First; (!)Oceanborn; Wishmaster
Dragonforce
DragonForce is a power metal band based out of London, England. They are noted for combining progressive metal elements into traditional power metal while utilizing fast tempos at all times. Their latest album incorporates "blast beats" which were once only featured in more extreme styles of metal.
Favorite DragonForce Album: Valley of the Damned; Sonic Firestorm
Gamma Ray
Gamma Ray is a power metal band from Germany, founded by former Helloween guitarist and songwriter Kai Hansen. Powerful Heavy Metal consisting of accessible melodies, anthemic sometimes epic songstructures and the unmistakable voice of the guitarplayer. Gamma Ray put an emphasis on its well known strong points: smooth melodies and tremendous highspeed metalpower.
Favorite Gamma Ray Albums: Sigh No More; Insanity and Genius; Land of the Free; Somewhere Out In Space; (!)Powerplant; No World Order; Skeletons in the Closet
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Neo-Classical Metal
From Wikipedia:
Neo-classical metal is a subgenre of the heavy metal music heavily influenced by classical music.
The chord progressions, arpeggios, broken chords, and speedy scale runs of neo-classical metal are borrowed for the most part from Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, Niccolo Paganini, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. Most renowned neo-classical guitarists are classically trained virtuoso players and incorporate Harmonic Minor scale and the Phrygian scale. Such performers are sometimes dubbed "Guitar Gods"
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Jason Becker
An amazingly agile guitarist who achieved fame at 16 as a technical virtuoso and guitar prodigy, as part of the Mike Varney-produced duo Cacophony with Marty Friedman. He released two albums with Cacophony, Speed Metal Symphony (1987) and Go Off! (1988). He also released a solo album titled Perpetual Burn in 1988. At 20, he was asked to join David Lee Roth's band and while gearing up for a 1990 tour, he begin to feel weakness in his hands and legs. He was soon diagnosed with ALS (aka. Lou Gehrig's Disease) and had to depart from the tour.
Favorite Jason Becker Album: Perpetual Burn
Cacophony
Combining forces of Marty Friedman (who later joined Megadeth) with Jason Becker.. this band is often recognized for its technically challenging, neoclassical elements. They released their first album at the young age of 16. This stuff will blow your mind.
Favorite Cacophony Albums: (!)Speed Metal Symphony; Go Off!
Yngwie J Malmsteen
The cocky guitarist from Sweden who achieved widespread acclaim due to his technical proficiency and fusion of classical music elements with heavy rock guitar.
Favorite Yngwie Malmsteen Albums: (!)Rising Force; (!)Trilogy; Marching Out; Fire and Ice; Magnum Opus; Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra in Em, Opus 1; Attack!
Steve Vai
American virtuoso guitarist and composer. Vai is best known for his self-composed, performed and produced guitar instrumental music, but he has also played on the recordings of several other rock acts, including playing with Frank Zappa, Van Halen, Whitesnake, and continues to tour with friend Joe Satriani and G3.
Favorite Vai Albums: (!)Passion and Warfare; Sex and Religion; Fire Garden; The Ultra Zone
Adagio
Adagio is a French progressive/neo-classical metal band formed in 2000. Adagio's music is charactarized by technical precision, dark, dense orchestration, complex lead work, a driving rhythm section and clean, powerful vocals.
Favorite Adagio Albums Sanctus Ignis; Underworld; A Band In Upperworld
Winds
Winds came into existence in 1998 when four Norwegian musicians from different backgrounds happened to cross musical paths. This was a result of previous work some of them had done with each other and through mutual acquaintances who lead them together. These individuals were already renowned within their specialties: Lars Eric Si as a vocalist with a truly unique voice, Carl August Tidemann as a neo-classical guitar virtuoso, Jan Axel von Blomberg as the most highly regarded metal drummer of our time, and Andy Winter as a classically inspired pianist.
Favorite Winds Albums: Of Entity And Mind; Reflections Of The I; The Imaginary Direction Of Time
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Stoner Metal
Stoner rock and stoner metal are interchangeable terms describing sub-genres of rock and metal music. Stoner rock is typically slow-to-mid tempo, low-tuned, and bass-heavy. It combines elements of psychedelic rock, blues-rock and doom metal, often with melodic vocals and 'retro' production.[2] The genre emerged during the early 1990s and was pioneered foremost by the Californian bands Kyuss and Sleep.[3][4]
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Kyuss
Kyuss (pronounced /ˈkaɪəs/ KAI-us) was an influential stoner rock band, originally from Palm Desert, California. After forming in the late 1980s and releasing an EP under the name Sons of Kyuss in 1990, the band shortened its name to Kyuss. Over the next five years the band released four full-length albums before splitting up in 1995. Since then, members of Kyuss went on to form or feature in several notable bands including Queens of the Stone Age, Fu Manchu, Unida, Brant Bjork, Mondo Generator, Hermano and Slo Burn.
Favorite Kyuss Albums: Welcome to Sky Valley
Clutch
Formed in 1990 in Germantown, MD.. Clutch combined elements of funk, Led Zeppelin, and metal with vocals inspired by Faith No More.. creating a very unique and interesting sound. Each album is truly unique in and of itself and brings a very refreshing perspective on 'metal"
Favorite Clutch Albums: Transnational Speedway, Clutch, The Elephant Riders
Corrosion of Conformity
CoC is a classic metal band which in its earlier years, began as a hardcore punk band out of Raleigh, NC. Their recent sound leans more towards Stoner Metal, but they are currently on hiatus as Pepper Keenan, their guitarist.. tours with Down.
Favorite CoC Albums: Blind, Wiseblood
Down
Down is an American heavy metal band formed in 1991 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The band is a supergroup, comprising members and former members of Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, Eyehategod and Kingdom of Sorrow. Since its inception, Down has released three studio albums and has gone on hiatus twice to focus on the members' respective bands.
Favorite Down Albums: NOLA
Monster Magnet
Monster Magnet is an American hard rock band. Hailing from Red Bank, New Jersey, the group was founded by Dave Wyndorf (vocals and guitar), John McBain (guitar), Tom Diello (drums), and Tim Cronin (vocals and bass). The band first went under the name "Dog of Mystery" and later "Airport 75" before finally settling on "Monster Magnet," taken from the name of a 1960s toy made by Wham-O, which Wyndorf liked when he was a child.
Favorite Monster Magnet Albums: Powertrip
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Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme form of heavy metal related to death metal, but historically formed by combining elements of early thrash metal (which predated the advent of death metal) and the music and attitude of hardcore punk.
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Dillinger Escape Plan
Twisted, insane, complex, unpredictable -- all are words that describe the hardcore/metal entity known as The Dillinger Escape Plan. They are a hardcore band that combines the grindcore style of metal with a hardcore punk attitude. They are known for the intensity of their live shows, and are rumored to choose their music's time signatures with the aid of dice.
Favorite Dillinger Albums: The Dillinger Escape Plan; Calculating Infinity; Irony is a Dead Scene
Napalm Death
One of the founding fathers of grindcore, from Birmingham, England originally formed in 1981 but has been through several lineup changes over the years.. in fact none of the original members are in the band currently, but that hasn't stopped them from creating brutal grindcore and setting the standard.
Favorite Napalm Death Albums: Scum; From Enslavement To Obliteration; Harmony Corruption; Utopia Banished; Nazi Punks Fuck Off; Diatribes; Inside the Torn Apart; Leaders Not Followers; Enemy of the Music Business
Bolt Thrower
Formed in the UK originally in 1986.. they are a spicy combination of grindcore and death metal. Probably one of the major early influences of the 'grindcore' genre.
Favorite Bolt Thrower Albums: In Battle there is No Law; Realm
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Doom Metal
Doom metal is a form of heavy metal that emerged as a recognized genre in the mid 1980s. The sound is slow and heavy and intended to evoke an atmosphere of darkness, despair, tension and doom. It is influenced particularly by the early work of Black Sabbath, generally considered the genre's progenitors. Closely related are "Stoner metal" and "Sludge metal".
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Candlemass
Candlemass is a Swedish Doom metal band established in the 1980s by Leif Edling (bass), main leader and songwriter. Candlemass is widely acknowledged as one of the founders of the modern doom metal movement..
Favorite Candlemass Albums: Epicus Doomicus Metallicus; Nightfall; Ancient Dreams; Tales of Creation; Chapter VI; Dactylis Glomerata; From The 13th Sun
Katatonia
Katatonia is a Swedish Doom metal band that was formed in 1988. The music of Katatonia is never easy to rationalize. How does one describe something so equivocal? Well they are undoubtedly heavy. This heaviness does not come from an obvious place. Their heaviness is more from the structure of the songs & the arduous but reassuring vocal. Think of the darkness generated by the likes of Nick Drake, Will Oldham or PJ Harvey. Katatonia sound nothing like these artists but they do share a similar vision, an effortless flow & simple but personal lyrics.
Favorite Katatonia Albums: Dance of December Souls; For Funerals to Come; Brave Murder Day; Sounds of Decay; Saw You Drown; Discouraged Ones; Tonight's Decision; Last Fair Deal Gone Down; Tonight's Music; Viva Emptiness
Acid Bath
Formed in Louisiana in 1991, Acid Bath were part of the NOLA movement that also included Eyehategod and Crowbar.. sludgy, bottom-feeding doom with hardcore vocals. They became synonymous with the NOLA brand of metal -- sludgy, angry, and intense.. and garnished a cult following in the underground. In '97 the bassist Pitre died and the band called it quits.
Favorite Acid Bath Albums: When the Kite String Pops; Pagan Terrorism Tactics
Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost is a heavy metal/goth metal band from Yorkshire, UK, founded in 1989. Though often credited with pioneering goth metal, throughout their career the band have also confounded fans and critics alike with their perpetual taste for reinvention and experimentation, a desire to work with producers from other musical genres, and an oft-stated refusal to repeat themselves for fear of stagnation. Despite criticism from traditionalists, this bold approach has also garnered them many new fans along the way, and cemented the loyalty of progressive "old-timers."
Favorite Paradise Lost Albums: Lost Paradise; Gothic; Shades of God; Icon; Draconian Times; One Second; Reflection; Host; Believe in Nothing; Symbol of Life
Esoteric
Founded in Birmingham England in ~1992...the emphasis is on dreary, torturous, dissonant feedback-laden riffs, with practically no standard song structure to be found, with harrowing death growls added to the mix. Slow, sick and weird doom metal. Only for fans of extreme doom metal.
Favorite Esoteric Albums: Epistemological Despondency; The Pernicious Enigma; Metamorphogenesis
Amorphis
Amorphis is a Finnish metal band started by Jan Rechberger and Esa Holopainen in 1990. Initially, the band was a death metal act, but in later albums they have evolved into making songs that are more classifiable as mainstream but nevertheless with increasingly complex arrangements. Amorphis is well known for their use of (the English translation of) the Finnish national epic, Kalevala, as a source for their lyrics.
Favorite Amorphis Albums: The Karelian Isthmus; Tales from the Thousand Lakes; Elegy; Tuonela; Am Universum; Far from the Sun
Agalloch
The essence of Agalloch?s music is a combination of cold, dark sorrow and natural aesthetic beauty. The foundation of the band began in late 1995 when a doom/death project called Aeolachrymae. The primary goal in the beginning was to create majestic and epic dark metal.
Favorite Agalloch Albums: Pale Folklore; Of Stone, Wind And Pillor; The Mantle; Tomorrow Will Never Come; The Grey
My Dying Bride
My Dying Bride are a British doom metal band (more precisely, a doom/death hybrid) from Cleckheaton, Yorkshire, UK. They were formed in 1990. During the '90s they were part of what was known as the doom metal "Big Three" with Paradise Lost and Anathema. Their music is characterised by intelligent, sensual lyrics and an obsessive attention to atmospheric detail. Early albums were death metal in a traditional sense, but much slower than most and with the addition of violins. With the standout Like Gods of the Sun album the band crafted an entirely unique sound, utilising melodic as well as death vocals, and, unusually, lead violin on several tracks.
Favorite My Dying Bride Albums: Symphonaire Infernus et Spera Empyrium; As the Flower Withers; The Thrash of Naked Limbs; Turn Loose the Swans; I am the Bloody Earth; Trinity; The Angel and the Dark River; Like Gods of the Sun; The Light at the End of the World; Meisterwerk 1
Anathema
Anathema are a doom metal band from Liverpool, England signed to Peaceville Records.
Favorite Anathema Albums: The Crestfallen; Serenades; Pentecost III; The Silent Enigma; Eternity; Alternative 4; Resonance
Theatre of Tragedy
The Sins of Thy Beloved
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Alternative Metal
Alternative metal is a branch of heavy metal music, characterized by some heavy metal trappings, but usually a pronounced experimental edge, including unconventional lyrics, odd tempi, unusual musical instruments or extended techniques.
As with most rock music genres, Alternative metal has proved somewhat difficult to define. Some fans and musicians have firm ideas of genre and sub-genre, while others reject such notions as useless or limiting. Influence from many other genres is common in Alternative metal.
The term is very loosely defined, but is usually used to describe artists playing a style of metal which is considered either unique or difficult to define
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Faith No More
Faith No More was a rock group formed in San Fransisco in 1982, disbanding in 1998. Their music is difficult to categorize neatly, but is rooted in heavy metal, and in some ways they anticipated the nu metal of the late 1990s, as it combined angular, distorted guitars with big pop choruses, and heavy doses of rap-style vocals. Faith No More have been classified as alternative metal, demonstrating their talent for incorporating elements of funk, rap, soul and even country into their sound.
Favorite Faith No More Albums: Introduce Yourself; The Real Thing; (!)Angel Dust
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine (also Rage or RATM) was a rock band, formed in 1990. They were known for their radical anarchical views, which infused their music as well as being expressed through written pieces on album sleeves, in magazines, and on the band's website, and by their participation in political protests. The band's musical signatures were de la Rocha's distinctive, rap-influenced vocal style and Morello's experimentation with guitar sounds.
Favorite Rage Albums: Rage Against the Machine; (!)Evil Empire; The Battle of Los Angeles; Renegades
Fantamas
Fantamas is an Alternative Metalband formed by singer Mike Patton, guitarist King Buzzo (Buzz Osbourne), bass guitarist Trevor Dunn and drummer Dave Lombardo.Fant?mas are unique in several ways: Patton rarely sings conventional lyrics with the group, preferring his own bizarre style of voice music or scat singing. They have also recorded an album of motion picture theme music.
Favorite Fant?mas Albums: (!)Fant?mas; The Director's Cut; Millennium Monsterwork
Nirvana
Nirvana was a band founded in 1987 in Aberdeen, Washington. Their music was an offshoot of punk and alternative rock and was labeled grunge rock by the mainstream press and media of the time. The group disbanded in 1994 upon the death of its leader, Kurt Cobain. Many critics and historians hail Nirvana as the "flagship band" of "Generation X."
Favorite Nirvana Albums: Bleach; (!)Nevermind; Incesticide; (!)In Utero
Soundgarden
Formed in 1984, Soundgarden were instrumental in creating the sound that came to be called grunge. The band was named after an outdoor art/sound installation called "The Sound Garden" located in Seattle's Magnuson Park.
Favorite Soundgarden Albums: Ultramega OK; Badmotorfinger; (!)Superunknown
White Zombie
White Zombie is a metal band named after a 1933 film about zombies. They were best known for combining heavy-metal music with driving lead guitar riffs (as on Super-Charger Heaven), overlayed with lyrics heavily influenced by horror films, with sometimes non-sensical imagery. Unlike other metal bands of the 1990s, White Zombie was exclusively a "fantasy" band, one that wrote songs not about real life, but simply about surreal horror fantasies, backed by whimsical live tours.
Favorite White Zombie Albums: La Sexorcisto; Astrocreep
Danzig
Danzig is a rock band formed in 1987, whose style combines heavy metal music and alternative metal. Glenn Danzig formed The Misfits (1977); Samhain (1983) and then Danzig (1987).
Favorite Danzig Albums: Danzig I; Danzig II: Lucifuge; Danzig III: How the Gods Kill; Black Aria; Danzig 4; Blackacidevil; 6:66 Satan's Child
Primus
Primus is a popular rock band. They have been called everything from "thrash funk" to "alternative rock" to "the Freak Brothers set to music." Les Claypool himself once described their music as "psychedelic polka." They are characterized by their unconventional songs and irreverent approach to music
Favorite Primus Albums: Frizzle Fry; Tales from the Punchbowl; (!)Pork Soda; Sailing the Seas of Cheese
Rush
While not exactly metal, Rush is an award-winning Canadian progressive rock band that has no doubt been a major influence to many, many metal bands. They have been recording albums since 1973, and still continue to this day. The drummer Neil Peart is considered by many to be one of the greatest drummers in rock music.
Favorite Rush Albums: Fly by Night; Caress of Steel; (!)2112; A Farewell to Kings; (!)Hemispheres; Permanent Waves; Signals; Vapor Trails
King Crimson
King Crimson is a musical group founded by guitarist Robert Fripp and drummer Michael Giles in 1968. Their musical style has typically been categorized as rock and roll or progressive rock. The name King Crimson was coined by Peter Sinfield as a synonym for Beelzebub, prince of demons
Favorite King Crimson Albums: In the Court of the Crimson King; In the Wake of Poseidon; Lizard; Islands; (!)Larks' Tongues in Aspic; Red; Discipline; The ConstruKction of Light
Nine Inch Nails
Credited with being one of the first bands to lead the "Industrial Rock wave".. Nine Inch Nails pioneered this genre relying heavily on the use of synthesizers. Trent Reznor, the founder.. is also the principle member and does most of the work on all the NIN albums.
Favorite Nine Inch Nails Albums: Pretty Hate Machine; (!)The Downward Spiral; The Fragile; Into the Void
Fear Factory
Fear Factory was formed in 1990 in Los Angeles, California. Characterised by a mix of hardcore guitar riffs, roaring vocals, pulse driving drum beats, and powerful basslines.. this band was among the first to combine death metal with and industrial edge.
Favorite Fear Factory Albums: Soul of a New Machine; Demanufacture; Remanufacture - Cloning Technology; Digimortal
Refused
The excellent band Refused were the leading hardcoreband in Scandinavia when they were around. They were well known for following the uncompromising lifestyle "Straight edge" and for fighting for the animal rights. But mostly, they were known for being the revolutionary socialist hardworking band from Ume?, Sweden that always had something important to say. It was all about fighting against the capitalism, to overthrow the class system and to fight opression of all kinds. Their thoughts and opinions were spread through their lyrics, manifestos, interviews and on their many intense and powerful liveshows. And by releasing albums such as "This just might be...", "Everlasting", "Songs to fan..." and the excellent "The shape of punk to come" they have most definitely put their names in the history book...
Favorite Refused Albums: (!)The Shape of Punk to Come; Songs to Fan The Flames of Discontent
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"Nu-metal"
Nu metal (or aggro metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically combines aggressive, hip hop influenced, angst-ridden vocals, samples, rap-style beats and drum set patterns, and/or DJ techniques.
Some heavy metal fans do not consider nu metal a form of heavy metal music at all, arguing the genre is too diluted from what they consider "true" heavy metal, further noting that nu metal guitarists typically forgo traditional metal guitar technique, including both soloing and the riff style most associated with the older styles of metal. Other heavy metal fans, however, reject these arguments, citing rock music's long history of incorporating disparate elements--including jazz, experimental music and world music--out of curiosity or genuine appreciation for other musical genres.
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Korn
Korn (usually written as "KoЯn") is a 'heavy' metal band from Bakersfield, California, United States. Davis' distinctive singing--often a series of grunts, whines and bizarre scats--and his lyrics, are inspired in part by his alleged abuse by an unnamed party. The group's music is a blend of pounding, tribal drums and loud, distorted seven-string guitars, and has gained the band a great deal of popularity throughout the years. Korn are often cited as inspiring the wave of so-called nu metal bands in the late 1990's and early 2000's
Favorite Korn Albums: Korn; Life is Peachy; Follow the Leader; Issues
Mudvayne
Mudvayne is a Peoria, Illinois, USA based "Math Metal" quartet strongly influnced by funk stylings and jazz song structures. They have become relatively well known for their previous incarnations which involved elaborate stage makeup and pseudonyms. The band often showcases Ryan Martinie's jazzy bass playing, and sports emotionally and philosophically in-depth lyrics.
Favorite Mudvayne Albums: Kill, I Oughtta; L.D. 50; The End Of All Things To Come
Mushroomhead
Mushroomhead is an eight person metal band from Cleveland, Ohio.. formed in 1993. Their music can be described as a blend of nu-metal, industrial and hardcore, with some hip-hop and dub influences. The band members characterize themselves by wearing masks on stage (except for singers J Mann and Jeffrey Nothing), which occasionally results to accusations for "jumping on the bandwagon" of Slipknot, but the band members insist that they were the first to use this gimmick as is.
Favorite Mushroomhead Albums: Mushroomhead; Superbuick; Remix; M3; XX; XIII
Slipknot
Slipknot is a nine-piece metal group from Des Moines, Iowa, formed in 1995. Using different styles throughout their career, Slipknot have become one of the most popular Nu metal bands in the world. The band is noted for its onstage image: the members wear matching boiler suits--sometimes with UPC barcodes printed on the suits--and each has a distictive mask. On their first major label album, each band member was referred to by first name and number only; the band members are far from secretive about their identities, however, and their full names were present on their second major label album.
Favorite Slipknot Albums: Mate.Feed.Kill.Repeat; Slipknot; Iowa; Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses)
One Minute Silence
One Minute Silence were a four-piece band that combined influences from metal, hardcore punk and rap. The band announced its split after eight years in a press release dated October 21, 2003. Although they claimed not to be a "political band" -- they are simply "political people" who are also musicians, they say -- the group's lyrics have a political message which can be interpreted as generally anti-capitalist and anarchist.
Favorite One Minute Silence Albums: Available in All Colours; Buy Now... Saved Later; Revolution EP; One Lie Fits All
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is a Metalcore band from Massachusetts, formed in 1999. They combine hardcore, heavy, crushing riffs, double bass drum patterns, and furious screaming-growling vocals. They were set to open for In Flames during their tour. This and their debut album got them an extreme amount of reviews. They have performed at 2003 Ozzfest and the MTV2 Headbangers Ball Tour.
Favorite Killswitch Engage Albums: Killswitch Engage; Alive or Just Breathing; The End of Heartache
Disturbed
Disturbed is a 4-piece band that formed when the guitarist, drummer, and bassist who routinely played together met the singer Dave Draiman in Chicago, IL. Draiman had grown up in a religious family from which he rebelled, being expelled from five boarding schools in his adolescence. His anger found an outlet in the thrashing sound of Disturbed, and the band built up a following on Chicago's South Side before a demo tape led to their signing to Giant Records, which released their debut album, The Sickness, in March 2000.
Favored Disturbed Albums: The Sickness; Believe
Static-X
Static-X is another band who got thier start in Chicago. Known for thier high-energy music and shows, Wayne Static (singer) usually stands out for his unusual hair which looks like a cartoon character who has been electricuted. The title of thier debut album "Wisconsin Death Trip" comes from a morbid book the band found at a flea market, detailing a the murders and mental hospitals of a small wisconsin town.
Favored Static-X Albums: Wisconsin Death Trip; Machine; Shadow Zone
System of a Down
System of a Down formed in Los Angeles in the mid-90s. Their diverse instrumentals range from baritone electric guitars, electric mandolins, sitars, 12-string classical guitars to many other East Asian instruments. Their main influence is noticeably the heavy metal veterans Black Sabbath and Slayer, but they have many other musical influences such as jazz, fusion, Armenian folk music, classic rock, blues and industrial metal.
Favorite System of a Down Albums: System of a Down; Toxicity; Steal This Album!
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Shroomism
Space Ninja (DBK)
Registered: 02/13/00
Posts: 37,408
Loc: Now with 20% more awesome
Last seen: 7 seconds
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Re: Shroomism's Metal Guide [Re: Shroomism]
#3475470 - 12/10/04 10:23 AM (4 years, 30 days ago) |
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~ (just in case)
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Light, Love, Life, Kinky Sex
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 Harbinger
The Power of theRiff Compels Me
Registered: 08/12/03
Posts: 2,059
Loc: Far Away
Last seen: 3 months, 22 days
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Re: Shroomism's Metal Guide [Re: Shroomism]
#3476391 - 12/10/04 01:38 PM (4 years, 30 days ago) |
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Great fucking list! 
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Click the pic to hear some songs I've recorded.
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lemon_lw
Registered: 10/17/04
Posts: 3,622
Loc: That Way
Last seen: 1 year, 3 months
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Re: Shroomism's Metal Guide [Re: Harbinger]
#3476442 - 12/10/04 01:49 PM (4 years, 30 days ago) |
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what about static-x in Numetal? i like them or do you not see them fit or did i just miss them somewhere.
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In the belly of the Leviathan, one can either despair and perish, or be cheerful and persevere.-Dean Koontz
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Harbinger
The Power of theRiff Compels Me
Registered: 08/12/03
Posts: 2,059
Loc: Far Away
Last seen: 3 months, 22 days
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Re: Shroomism's Metal Guide [Re: Harbinger]
#3476479 - 12/10/04 01:57 PM (4 years, 30 days ago) |
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