Heavy Music Fans -- Suggestions?

Andy Hardin · 02-11-2002, 12:20 PM

I am stagnating in my music collection. I am a fan of heavy music, everything from commercial heavy (System of a Down, Slipknot) to Death Metal. Some of my past and present likes include Entombed, Nothingface, Obituary, Kittie, Fear Factory, Hed P.E., Stuck Mojo, Primer 55, S.O.D., Sepultura, etc. This is not a list of my favorites, just off the top of the head bands I have plugged into my CD player in the past few days.

I am a mid in my mid 20's, employed at a bank, and none of my friends are into this type of music, and I am not into the live scene much around here either. So I am missing the main way of hearing about new bands, being turned onto them. Radio has no support, and snipets on MTV2 don't do me much good either. I check out KNAC.com streaming radio from time to time but there is just too much old school, goofy 80's metal for me (not that I am busting on this time or that type of music, it ust comes across to me as silly sometimes).

Taking a theme from some other threads around here, sell me some of your less famous metal. Note, if it has had any degree of mainstream or modest commercial success, I have probably heard it, so sell me some of your underdogs.

Mike Broadman · 02-11-2002, 01:34 PM

I've mentioned them before a few times, but I am still obsessed with them, so I'm gonna do it again:

Opeth

Not for the faint of heart. Coming out of the Swedish death metal scene, they have created a truly unique sound. In a really good Opeth song, lasting around 10 minutes, you'll get everything from growling death vocals and crunching riffs to beautiful ballad singing- and somehow, it all manages to sound right. They never play particularly fast; it's usually mid-tempo. And though it's obvious that they're phenomenal players, they never shred pointlessly or run scales up and down. The solos and instrumental parts are all geared toward the song, making for a very smooth listen.

Each song is like journey- you feel like you're on a tour. On two of their albums, the songs together make up a concept album.

They have five albums out so far:

Orchid- debut, very Death metal-ish, with hints of what is to come.

Morningrise- Exploring acoustic instrumentation and "normal" singing a lot more.

My Arms Your Hearse- Their first masterpiece. Changing their rhythm section to be more solid and grounding than the previous flashiness from the last albums, this concept album takes the best of the first two albums. It's the kind of thing you want to listen to while reading the lyrics.

Still Life- Their second masterpiece, even better than the last one. This takes everything they've been doing to a whole new level. They somehow manage to stretch out and open up their songs more, while maintaining a stronger song-writing focus.

Blackwater Park- Keeping up the quality of their last album, these songs are more "stand-alone."

It takes a bit of getting used to Opeth, but if you can dig what they do, you become hooked. Still Life is my personal favorite, but My Arms and Blackwater Park are also great places to start. Only check out the first two if you really like their later material.

Another band that kicks my ass is Fates Warning. Lots of original riffing and gloomy, moody music. Perfect Symmetry is their most difficult album, but ultimately their most rewarding. No Exit, Parallels, and A Pleasant Shade of Gray are great albums to start with them as well.

Are you into the old-school metal at all? Iron Maiden, Slayer, and Megadeth has made some metal that still hasn't been beaten.

Brian Dobbs · 02-11-2002, 03:29 PM

Dream Theater - any album

Tom Ryan · 02-11-2002, 03:51 PM

My ten Led Zeppelin cds weigh a lot when I hold them together

.

-Tom

RicP · 02-11-2002, 03:58 PM

I don't know if I'd consider them "very" heavy, but they have some pretty damn good songs and some great guitar work.

Nickelback

also, are you a fan of Tool or no?

**HTF Ads**

Andy Hardin · 02-11-2002, 04:31 PM

Mike, I have heard you discuss Opeth before and I have been searching the, ahem, bargain bins, for some of their material. Looking forward to giving it a try. I've got all of the old school stuff that I enjoy, I know there is probably more out there I would like. I know there are a lot of Maiden fans but I just can't get into it. Maybe it is my loss.

RicP, I have got most of the Tool catalogue and listen to Nickelback when my girlfriend is around (she isn't much of a fan of the heavier stuff, go figure), but my true tastes lie in music with more energy and aggression. It is my release.

Jeff Ulmer · 02-11-2002, 04:45 PM

I can't recommend anything current, however a few classics from my old school collection would be:

Motorhead: Ace of Spades and earlier
Angelwitch (self titled)
Judas Priest: British Steel and earlier
Saxon: Strong Arm of the Law
Venom: Welcome to Hell, Black Metal (makes all new death metal sound like the retread it is IMO)
Mercyful Fate: Melissa, Don't Break the Oath
Scorpions: Animal Magnetism and earlier

lots more....

Mike Broadman · 02-11-2002, 04:47 PM

Re: "old school"
I know you said you think it's goofy- you're right, it is. I like the goofiness sometimes, though. It makes it fun, even if it's not intended. But this is, of course, a matter of preference.

You seem to enjoy the really bleak, violent material. For that, there is no better than Slayer. Their new album God Hates Us All is possibly their heaviest album yet: incredibly vicious and oppressive.

Have you ever heard the band Death?

David-S · 02-11-2002, 04:48 PM

Personally, I really like Drain STh...

They're another (swedish)? band, that I think has a really great sound.. heavy, but still musical...

I enjoy 'em...

(Also really enjoy Godsmack's first album)

Jeff Ulmer · 02-11-2002, 05:01 PM

Okay, I'll second Drain STH. They are great. I'm looking forward to what Superfix comes up with now that Drain STH is no more. They also look a hell of a lot better than 99.9% of the heavy bands out there...

Also, heavy but not really metal would be Catherine Wheel, helmed by Bruce Dickinson's cousin Rob. Happy Days, Chrome, and Ferment are great.

John_Bonner · 02-11-2002, 05:03 PM

Quote:

but my true tastes lie in music with more energy and aggression

How 'bout Pantera or Rage Against the Machine.

Manowar or King Diamond could be considered aggressive and goofy.

Mike Broadman · 02-11-2002, 05:10 PM

Atheist is a good one. Heavy, heavy stuff.
I know folks who are into Meshuggah, but I don't remember what they sound like.