Heavy metal

Give us an example of "the best heavy metal produced by bands not specialising in heavy metal" then.

The best example I can give is King Crimson from the 1973-74. Also, to a minor extent Pink Floyd (Post-Barrett, pre-DSOTM period) like the Nile Song and Careful With that Axe, Eugene. Many songs Pink Floyd did wouldn't be considered metal because they don't sound like prog metal or death metal bands of today.

I'm not trying to sl*g off prog metal; I like Tool, Dream Theater and Opeth. The problem is, probably stemming from the fact they specialise in metal, riffs and phrases from their songs could fit equally well into lots of other songs equally well. Because they play, Opeth in particular, symphonically and improvisationally, each song does not sound distinct enough.

When you hear Red, Fracture and Lark's Tongue, you know instantly which song it is and why phrases from one wouldn't fit in another. That's why they are greats.

Prog metal has a huge amount of potential, it's a shame to see it hampered by stylistic cliches like gratuitously dark and over long lyrics.

I don't think so. There are enough bands out there who manage to invent themselves new with every record.

Non-Metal bands can sometimes sound very heavy ... then they're sometimes referred to as Metal by people who don't normally like the genre - as an example of how metal *should* sound like.

Best example: High Tide. Many people claim that they're the first prog metal band ... IMO that's *very* far fetched.

So: I vote for "No" ... leave metal to the metal bands.

I disagree: COLDPLAY produce the best heavy metal!   

judas priest

best heavy metal  Iron MaIDEN

chopper wrote: Give us an example of "the best heavy metal produced by bands not specialising in heavy metal" then.

Dee Dee Ramone wrote: chopper wrote: Give us an example of "the best heavy metal produced by bands not specialising in heavy metal" then. T. Rex - 20th Century Boy Sex Pistols - Satellite (most of the rest too)Generation X - 1st Album King Crimson - the loud bits of Larks Tongues, Starless & Bible Black, Red, Thrak etc. Ramones - Go Mental, Bad Brain and most stuff onwards from Subterranean JungleI love 'em all.

    

None of this is really heavy metal, though.

Punk influenced the NWOBHM sound through its aggression and energy, so that effectively rules out the Pistols, the Ramones and Gen X. "Satellite" is all about winding up a girl from the suburbs - not a metal lyric theme at all.

"King Crimson took sonic metal influences and incorporated them into their ever-changing Prog Rock, and neither "Twentieth Century Boy" or "Careful With That Axe Eugene" are related to metal in any way other than the former's riffs and the latter's distortion and screaming. "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks is much closer to metal than either, as are the first two Blue Cheer albums.

Metal isn't simply a bunch of repeating riffs, or a particular sound, it's essentially what used to be known as heavy blues or heavy rock, but with an attitude and stylisation that makes the distinction clearer.

This attitude comprises a prentension to being able to play almost at a Prog Rock level, with "virtuosic" displays, normally of guitar soloing that often alludes to classical music - but equally often reverts to a stylised form of Rock and Roll.

There is also a predisposition for lyrics that address matters pertaining either to the culture immediately around the music, including a highly misogynistic attitude to women or esoteric matters, usually of a "dark" nature.

The stylisation aspect of Metal vs Heavy Rock or Punk Rock is the almost complete absence of "swing" or "bounce" in the dominant riff-based style of the music.

Of course, Metallica absorbed far more Punk energy than previous metal bands, with the possible exception of Motorhead, from whom I would argue Punk got its energy in the first place, and the "bounce" of punk is especially noticeable on "Kill 'Em All", an album that you could choose to headbang or pogo to, depending on the track.

Judas Priest pretty much define what metal is all about - and their style constantly evolved. The Scorpions are another great example, and both underline what I've often said: Metal is Prog Rock's less educated and refined, rather more instinctive and rebellious brother.
    
    

Edited by Certif1ed - July 28 2006 at 08:16

Open-Mind wrote: ivansfr0st wrote: Non-Metal bands perform Metal music laughably bad, to my experience, so I would say NO.    -- Ivan Agree