American and European Metal

I do the same. My friend that got me into metal just tells me band names or cd's to check out, I know he likes good stuff so even if I don't like it at first (Opeth, In flames to name a few) I end up getting hooked and never looking back.
 
Well, I've heard In flames, Opeth, Dismembered, Entombed, Mastodon and a couple of others and none of them make me want to hear more, so I guess I've formed my opinion there -_- I'd rather listen to something else.
 
Well, it took me a year to get into Opeth... it's not easy to gain appreciation for something so different than what you are used to (anybody here knows I'm a sucker for Power Metal haha).
 
Onhell said:
Well, it took me a year to get into Opeth... it's not easy to gain appreciation for something so different than what you are used to (anybody here knows I'm a sucker for Power Metal haha).
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I really appreciated Opeth album "Damnation" because of its progressive rock sound and Mikael Akerfeldt's wonderful melancholic vocals. I can't say the same thing for their other albums, because I'm not into death metal (or whatever they do), but at least some other songs to me seem just wonderful... -_-
 
Damnation is EXTREMELY different from all their other stuff, the companion album, Deliverance is HEAVY. That's what I started with and I think it was a mistake, since it is always easier to get into a band with their more mainstream stuff. But once I got hooked I got hooked! I got Still Life (my favorite to date) and Blackwater Park. I can't find Morningrise or Orchid for some reason... but I'd get them as well if my record store carried it (I hate ordering for some reason). What also made it so hard to get into it is I had NEVER heard Death Metal before so I HATED the vocals, but now I LOVE THEM!!! If this Power Metal freak was converted to the beauties of death metal growling I think anybody can and I urge people to do so, to try something different!
 
You are right, Onhell...I began listening to them with Damnation. I admit that it was easier for me to get into Opeth and...not setting them aside, after listening to some of their heavier albums :)
As for death metal, I still don't like the vocals but I admit that recently I listened to a Death album, "The Sound Of Perseverance", and I enjoyed it a lot!  ;)
 
Onhell said:
(I hate ordering for some reason).
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I hate ordering for this reason... last year when I was really getting into metal, I was starting to like CoB.  At this stage, they hadn't broken the mainstream.  No shops anywhere near me had any of their stuff.  I paid £15 each to order in "Hatebreeder" and "FtR".  About two months later, the band released AYDY? and they became very popular all of a sudden.  Now all of their albums cost about £8 and I shelled out a lot for ordering them :(
 
I once tried to write something on this topic, about the differences between American and EU metal, why US bands are more about politics than their EU counterparts. but there were some servers problems, so I couldn't post. I post it now, (even though discussion seem to change direction)


Since 80's, except Clinton period, USA is governed by republicans, conservatists. Aggressive world politics, not caring enough for social peace (i.e. New Orleans after Katerina storm) And inevitably, angry crowds start to appear. it's not a coincidence that politically driven bands turned their angst to their own lives and family problems during Clinton era, a democrat government with more social sensitivity and relatively softer world politics (megadeth comes to mind, and the rise of grunge). And with Bush II, political messages are appearing again on music (even Green Day...) And the consumerism doesn't help people to be happy, as it makes people forget how to be happy with what they own, and makes them envy things they don't own, to get more and more.

let's look at Europe, mostly Uk and Scandinavia (where metal is strong). Political music was not a US-only phenomenon. Think of late 70's-early 80's. t Punk, Sex Pistols dominated UK scene. Iron Maiden itself refers to Margeret Tatcher. Then, when the cold war started to end, political music started to fade too. As I said before, scandinavians live more in peace with nature, protecting human rights, providing more and more social services. people aren't so rich, but they live in comfort.

you can't expect those people to complain about their governments, their lives... They complain about religion and other oppressive stuff though.

"bleeding reality" as a US poster said in this topic... (why the word "bleed" btw? even the word is violent, morbid). Not all reality bleed. Think about it.

PS: And now, in 2006, where UK backs USA without question, Iron Maiden issues AMOLAD, an anti-war metal album.
 
I for one am glad you reposted Eddiesson, I was wondering when you were going to do that. I can see your point, however can you come up with more concrete examples? More bands for example? speciallly the "scandinavian" ones? specific songs or lyrics? Otherwise, nice change in direction!
 
eddiesson said:
As I said before, scandinavians live more in peace with nature, protecting human rights, providing more and more social services. people aren't so rich, but they live in comfort.
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Really? You should see how the old people are treated when they need to live in nursinghomes here in Sweden. They  only get to shower once a week, many 90-years old are waiting to even get a place there and those who have a place at the nursinghomes are afraid to loose it and be sent home. And let's not talk about the transportation service for the disabled. The food is much worse than the prisonfood and it's not even warm when the elders get to eat it. And, as another example, there are nomerous reports of old people who had to lie in bed for a week without food and similar with dypers (which were needed to be replaced) before they were found. We really do offer more social services and are taking good care of our elders, aren't we?  :angry: 
 
Yax said:
Really? You should see how the old people are treated when they need to live in nursinghomes here in Sweden. They  only get to shower once a week, many 90-years old are waiting to even get a place there and those who have a place at the nursinghomes are afraid to loose the it and be sent home. And let's not talk about the transportation service for the disabled. The food are much worse than the prisonfood and it's not even warm when the elders get to eat it. And, as another example, there are nomerous reports of old people who had to lie in bed for a week without food and similar with dypers (which were needed to be replaced) before they were found. We really do offer more social services and are taking good care of our elders, aren't we?  :angry: 
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And I thought the UK was bad! :(

Seriously, we need to care - just a tad more - for the retired folk, they have looked after us - they only need a small bit in return. One day, we will all be there - with 'em.
 
The U.S is worse, but what I believe Eddiesson was trying to say was that OVERALL there is more comfort. Here in the U.S the elderly are treating the same or worse as you described AND on top of that the poor AND women AND children.... etc, etc. etc....
 
Is it too late to mention DIO as an American 'fantasy' metal band? And Manowar? Because... you know, they are... of course those are the only two I can think of right now.
 
Never too late to contribute to this thread, but didn't Dio write about everything and nothing at the same time? "Rainbow in the Dark" isn't really fantasy is it?
 
Onhell said:
Never too late to contribute to this thread, but didn't Dio write about everything and nothing at the same time? "Rainbow in the Dark" isn't really fantasy is it?
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I'd say 'Dream Evil' is fantasy, at least... and maybe 'Last In Line'. I guess I am stretching it a bit, but I do love my DIO...  :wub:
 
not for nothin, but earlier on, british metal was darker and heavier than american, like black sabbath.  and early american metal bands, like van halen (not van hagar, van halen with sammy hagar), was all about drinkin beer, callin up some hookers, and havin a good time.
 
Did you read the last 6 pages of this? I ask because it has been brought up before that UK metal is somewhat of an exception to these observations. We didn't even touch upon the Black or Death Metal genre's which are quite "dark" indeed. However, even in Europe these genre's don't have that large a following as Traditional/Power Metal do. And that was the main focus, what is more prevelant in both societies, what is mostly exported and consumed by the local yokels. And your loathing of "van hagar" has been noted.
 
Raven said:
Hmmm...Scar Symmetry seem to sum up, to me, just what is wrong with the term 'melodic death metal'.  I'm surprised at the people in the comments box claiming them to be so much better than the 'NWOAHM' (a.k.a. metalcore) - there's really not much difference between the two.
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I'll stick to the brilliant statement, made by Mikael Åkerfeldt (guitarist/vocalist from Opeth):

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OPETH Frontman Says 'Manufactured' American Groups Are Like 'Boy Bands With Guitars' - Apr. 25, 2006 

Most of the bands today, I don't really like them. When I grew up it was like heresy to compare KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and whatever you got going with MAIDEN and PRIEST. Especially in America, it seems to be a little trend goin'... it's corporate business. The bands feel manufactured, almost like boy bands with guitars. I don't want my bands to be fucking pretty. ---------
and:
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OPETH Frontman Defends His Anti-'Metalcore' Comments - Apr. 26, 2006

OPETH frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt has commented on the negative reaction to the remarks he made to Australia's Time Off magazine about the state of today's metal scene.:

I was saying that I don't see the same quality in them as I do in PRIEST or MAIDEN. Partly because they were innovators and [KILLSWITCH ENGAGE] to me sounds like a rehashed version of what's been going on in Sweden for 16 years or more. Had you lived in Sweden, you'd share my opinion on that I'm pretty sure.
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More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melodic_death_metal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavian_death_metal

The Gothenburg sound.
One notable contribution to melodic death metal is the Gothenburg style, named after the city from which it originated. It is not certain what band originally started the Gothenburg sound. However, it is widely accepted that In Flames, At the Gates, and Dark Tranquillity are the three major pioneers of the style. They are also some of the only widely known bands to practice it, with newer bands such as Arch Enemy and The Haunted being offshoots of Carcass and At the Gates respectively.

Regional scenes.
Most melodic death metal bands are from the Scandinavian and Northern European regions, especially from Sweden and Finland.

In recent years, the genre has gained somewhat of a popularity boost, acquiring an increasing following in North America, especially among North American fans of the Scandinavian bands which still pioneer the genre to this day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metalcore
"Melodic metalcore"--a subgenre pioneered by Overcast and Zao--has become immensely popular, with bands playing a combination of melodic death metal, popularized by bands such as At the Gates and In Flames, and early metalcore. This results in a style that has a definite element of melody (such as harmonized leads in bands with two guitarists) juxtaposed against brutal rhythms and vocals.
 
Great post Forostar. I think there is a big difference between the two. It is hard to explain, but if you listen to Dark Tranquility and In Flames and then listen to say... Atreyu (an American Band), Avenged Sevenfold (they don't do death metal vocals, but they do have a "metalcore" sound) the styles are easily distinguished. Not to mention I REALLY like the aboved mention bands, specially Avenged Sevenfold's latest The City of Evil. Atreyu does have that Emo look, but they have a very heavy and VERY metal sound.
 
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