To me, power metal is defined by the "soaring" vocals and guitar lines that seem to be all over the place, but never really go anywhere. I hear it, and I think "what was the point of that?". Sure, they're impressive musicians, but if your songwriting is aimless, then it just seems like a waste. It's the same reason I don't care for most neo-classical virtuoso guitarists. It's all noodling. Impressive noodling, but boring.
The worst heavy metal songs
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Little Red Wagon Repairman
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Like masturbating without the courtesy of pulling the blinds in addition to never climaxing.
Exactly. A lot of the stuff requires you to be able to not take it super seriously. Stuff like Cannibal Corpse, GWAR, Venom, Mercyful Fate and most of the Norwegian black metal bands all should be taken with a grain of salt. Understand that part of it is theater, and that if you take it too seriously, you won't be able to enjoy it.
And Fred Durst has nothing to do with metal, no matter what anyone says.
I don't like neo-classical guitarists all that much either, but as a guitarist myself, I just sit in awe of Yngwie. A lot of his arpeggios and string skipping solos are very difficult to play. Ritchie Blackmore is the original neo-classical guitarist and his solos are a lot more tasteful although not as technical as Malmsteen and Michael Angelo.
Little Red Wagon Repairman
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Glad you mention GWAR. One of my favorite nights ever working security was for X-COPS.
Little Red Wagon Repairman
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Side-note: Black Sabbath are the Godfathers Of Metal. I don't know how many arguments from Ozzy fans I've dodged when they insinuate they shoulda pulled the plug after Never Say Die. They don't even acknowledge the greatness of Heaven & Hell and The Mob Rules. I keep my mouth shut about my fondness for Purple Sabbath and the Tony Martin era too. Glenn Hughes was a little weird and better on Iommi's solo material.
As a (talentless) guitar player myself, I've always been more fascinated with powerful riffs than sweep picking, tapping and other tricks of the virtuoso trade. That's not to say I scoff at them by any means, because they can be quite effective when implemented where I see fit. But when a guitarist can cut a heavy, bruising groove with much less technical effort, I find it much more satisfying. A great example would be Matt Pike from Sleep and High on Fire. That guy can make it sound like eternity is crumbling around him with little more than a Les Paul and a Green MatAmp. He's also a great metal vocalist.
Example:
And I agree, Sabbath are the fathers of all metal as we know it today, though I never really got into the Dio era of the band nearly as much. It was good and certainly valid, but it didn't do as much for me as the original lineup's direction.
As for "screaming", I take it purely on a case-specific basis. I guess the main thing for me is that it has to sound like the natural sound of the band, it can't sound like they're trying to sell me on how brutal they are, like they all figured out their parts and then the vocalist just said "yeah, and then I'll scream as hard as possible". And I hate those chug-a-lug bands that just go "dun-dun... dun-dun... dunnnnnn" while the singer just screams nonsense, and then they immediately go into the 'sensitive guy' chorus with arpeggios and the singer starts whining like the asswipe from Fall Out Boy. A great example of a band that gets it right IMO is Skeletonwitch. The guitars, bass and druns are a super tight and clear, but ridiculously heavy at the same time. It feels natural that Chance Garnette would be be screaming demonic lines about being "born of the light that does not shine" over the top of it, and it works because he doesn't force it. You can actually understand him most of the time, and he doesn't overdo it. It all makes for a perfect blackened-thrash sound that just doesn't get old, even if the formula doesn't change much from record to record.
Example:
Example:
And I agree, Sabbath are the fathers of all metal as we know it today, though I never really got into the Dio era of the band nearly as much. It was good and certainly valid, but it didn't do as much for me as the original lineup's direction.
As for "screaming", I take it purely on a case-specific basis. I guess the main thing for me is that it has to sound like the natural sound of the band, it can't sound like they're trying to sell me on how brutal they are, like they all figured out their parts and then the vocalist just said "yeah, and then I'll scream as hard as possible". And I hate those chug-a-lug bands that just go "dun-dun... dun-dun... dunnnnnn" while the singer just screams nonsense, and then they immediately go into the 'sensitive guy' chorus with arpeggios and the singer starts whining like the asswipe from Fall Out Boy. A great example of a band that gets it right IMO is Skeletonwitch. The guitars, bass and druns are a super tight and clear, but ridiculously heavy at the same time. It feels natural that Chance Garnette would be be screaming demonic lines about being "born of the light that does not shine" over the top of it, and it works because he doesn't force it. You can actually understand him most of the time, and he doesn't overdo it. It all makes for a perfect blackened-thrash sound that just doesn't get old, even if the formula doesn't change much from record to record.
Example:
Little Red Wagon Repairman
MFOMBSoPGA
Good post. Here Rick Rubin talks about taking things back to the beginning and simplifying to get the sound right.
Great vid. It's awesome to see a band that's been around for so long and been through so much shit that still makes records that way. They don't care about image, or attracting new fans while pleasing the old ones, they just wanna make the record that they wanna make. That's admirable and is a perfectly example of what makes good music good music. Shame Bill's not there and that they cropped him out of all the old pictures though.
xfire
New Twitter/X @cxffreeman
All of the Satanic imagery used in the early days was just that, theatrics and the bands took for granted that their audience was smart enough to understand, like comic books, that it wasn't intended to be real.
Fred Durst is an embarrassment and really personifies the state of dissonance that defines when that era of music was popular.
Yeah. Fred Durst and all that chug a lug shit is gay. Hey, what's wrong with cocaine motorcycles and blow jobs?! Maybe not all at the same time. That's pretty dangerous.
I agree that Metallica is overrated. Nuclear Assault and early Exodus own them. I love Kill em' All though. It had those speed metal elements that I was talkin' about. I think that producer they took on board for the Black album was their downfall.
I don't know how people can like Motorhead and not Venom. It's genius! They're an evil Motorhead! I for one, am a huge fan of both bands.
I agree that Metallica is overrated. Nuclear Assault and early Exodus own them. I love Kill em' All though. It had those speed metal elements that I was talkin' about. I think that producer they took on board for the Black album was their downfall.
I don't know how people can like Motorhead and not Venom. It's genius! They're an evil Motorhead! I for one, am a huge fan of both bands.
Little Red Wagon Repairman
MFOMBSoPGA
I try, I try, but no matter how hard I try Venom comes off as flea market Motorhead. Maybe it's just Cronos. I like many of the bands inspired by Venom better than Venom.
There ARE real Satanists and Magicians though so for some people those lyrics are meaningful. I hate when people say they grew out of it. I say if it ain't broke don't fix it. I do think it's good to be able to laugh at yourself though. Venom are Laveyan Satanists so they get my respect for that. I don't think Laveyan Satanism and Spiritual Satanism are really at odds. They're just two different interpretations but I digress.
Fair enough. It does seem like Venom lacks something that Motorhead has. I'm not sure what. Perhaps there's more going on with Lemmy's bass playing. I don't know.
No love for Megadeth? I honestly like them better than Metallica. I still listen to Youthanasia regularly.
I had an album back in the 80's called Metal Massacre. It was a Mike Varney production. It had early Ratt, Venom and Metallica on the album. I wish I could find it. I also have Motley Crue Too Fast For Love on their own label Leathur Records before they were picked up by Elektra.Some dude offered me 300 bucks for it. I consider Crue metal even if they got caught up in the hairspray and makeup. W.A.S.P also. Love those fuckers
I had an album back in the 80's called Metal Massacre. It was a Mike Varney production. It had early Ratt, Venom and Metallica on the album. I wish I could find it. I also have Motley Crue Too Fast For Love on their own label Leathur Records before they were picked up by Elektra.Some dude offered me 300 bucks for it. I consider Crue metal even if they got caught up in the hairspray and makeup. W.A.S.P also. Love those fuckers
I fucking want these pickups. The tone is awesome, but I'd need a better amp first
Little Red Wagon Repairman
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Lemmy's bass playing, his insane singing voice sounding like a pirate on meth, and just good ole Lemmy himself.
Also, I like Venom, and I love Motörhead, but I've never really seen the connection. Venom is classic black metal, Motörhead's.....well Motörhead.
I have 3 San Dimas early 80's Charvels. All of them have Seymour Duncan pickups. JB (Jeff Beck) models. On my Les Paul Custom I have DiMarzio Super Distortion and PAF. I also have a 1984 Jackson Randy Rhoads that I bought from Guitar Center in Santa Ana California when I was out there. The Rhoads also has Duncans. I prefer the DiMarzios.
