Let's try and get 1,000,000 replies to this post
- Thread starter The Ancient Mariner
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Hey, thanks to all!! interview went well, they liked me! but what can I say... 
There is another position coming up closer to me at more pay--- and he was cool with letting me look at that one too.
There is another position coming up closer to me at more pay--- and he was cool with letting me look at that one too.
Invader
Ancient Mariner
Mega said:
Dark Tranquillity is my personal favourite as far as melodic death metal goes. The album Projector has a lot of clean singing though I'm not that enthusiastic about it otherwise. Other albums with clean vocals include Fiction, Haven, and the newest We Are the Void, of which I would recommend especially the first. The alternation of clean and growling vocals can help you "ease in" and realise that there's a time and place for both. The best albums from this band that I would recommend, however, are Damage Done, Character, and The Gallery, all of which have plenty of awesome songs.
Other good melodeath bands I like are Amon Amarth (quite heavy but melodic), Children of Bodom (power metal with growled vocals), and Kalmah (unknown Finnish band, see Children of Bodom). For more black metalish stuff, try the band Primordial. It's got some growling and some cleanish singing, along with amazing guitar melodies and atmosphere. And scandinavian, especially Finnish, folk metal is great too; try Moonsorrow, Korpiklaani, Wintersun, Ensiferum, and the like.
See this thread for more details, it's actually started by me three years ago, asking pretty much the same question. Raven's post is especially good and I agree with it almost 99%.
This would technically go to Drunk Posting, but I'm not drunk. Why? Because I got kicked out of a club today for, wait for it, not being metal. Reason being, I complained that the four mallcore live acts they had were shit. When my friend suggested Maiden, Slayer, Pantera and others were apparently pop by their definition, she was accused of using polemics... so I decided to be diplomatic and guided her out. We were kind of pissy, because, after all, we both paid six euros entry fee. The start of the debate was almost satire. My mates were outside smoking because of the great, grand EU smoking ban, and I stood outside with them because, well, they were my friends, and nothing interesting was going on inside anyway. So the people from that bloody club told me to get inside because I wasn't smoking because the noise outside was too high. Blame on me, well, too bad they're not letting people smoke inside. So I'm supposed to sit inside alone, bored to hell listening to shitty music while the people I want to see are outside. Bloody nazis.
Guess it's time to open a "Pissed Off Posting" thread.
All or nothing. Check out Amon Amarth, Vreid, Dark Funeral and God Dethroned, and listen to them until you like them.
Guess it's time to open a "Pissed Off Posting" thread.
Mega said:
All or nothing. Check out Amon Amarth, Vreid, Dark Funeral and God Dethroned, and listen to them until you like them.
That's a bunch of shit for you, Per!
As to the bands you just listed, I have listened to Amon Amarth (i think on your advice), and like-- i'll check out the others.
As to the bands you just listed, I have listened to Amon Amarth (i think on your advice), and like-- i'll check out the others.
Yeah, that's pretty much a no-frills version of it.
I think that anyone who likes Maiden will have no big problems getting into Amon Amarth. By death metal standards, they're easy listening, very riff-heavy and melodic. They will probably make you start to appreciate growls and harsh vocals, too. Maybe add Children of Bodom to that list. They're not death metal, but they might help to nudge you to that direction.
God Dethroned is also easily digestible for a heavy metal fan. They're quite catchy and melodic, but still none the less very much death metal. Start out with their recent masterpiece, Passiondale or their even better Lair of the White Worm album.
Oh, and listen to Slayer. Slayer aren't death metal either, but they will help get you access to the genre.
As for black metal, if you're totally unsure, maybe Primordial is a good place to start. They have clear vocals, but very black-ish guitars and arrangements (combined with folk elements). Just take a good listen to their 2007 masterpiece, To the Nameless Dead. I've never known an album in recent years to be so unanimously celebrated as this one... and it lives up to its hype.
Vreid, as I mentioned, is a good starting point, too. They are quite accessible, and simply extremely good. Milorg (2009) is pretty much the best album released last year, in my opinion.
If you want some more clicheed but still good and fairly accessible black metal, check out Dark Funeral. They cover pretty much the entire spectrum of what black metal has to offer and should help anyone appreciate the genre.
Note, these are all personal suggestions. Other people may have both different opinions on the bands I mentioned, or may suggest entirely different band for starters. Whether you take their advice or mine, try concentrating on these bands first. Get familiar with them and see if you start liking them. If no, don't bother to go further. There is plenty of other metal out there. If yes, check out the band's backgrounds and start exploring.
Some good samples:
Amon Amarth
Pursuit of Vikings
The Hero
God Dethroned
Sigma Enigma
Passiondale
Primordial
Coffin Ships
Empire Falls
Vreid
I Krig
Speak Goddamnit
Dark Funeral
An Apprentice of Satan
Atrum Regina
For the brave, some bonus samples:
Marduk - Fistfucking God's Planet
Bloodbath - Eaten
Asphyx - Eisenbahnmörser
And finally, one of the best live covers I know:
Vader - Raining Blood
I think that anyone who likes Maiden will have no big problems getting into Amon Amarth. By death metal standards, they're easy listening, very riff-heavy and melodic. They will probably make you start to appreciate growls and harsh vocals, too. Maybe add Children of Bodom to that list. They're not death metal, but they might help to nudge you to that direction.
God Dethroned is also easily digestible for a heavy metal fan. They're quite catchy and melodic, but still none the less very much death metal. Start out with their recent masterpiece, Passiondale or their even better Lair of the White Worm album.
Oh, and listen to Slayer. Slayer aren't death metal either, but they will help get you access to the genre.
As for black metal, if you're totally unsure, maybe Primordial is a good place to start. They have clear vocals, but very black-ish guitars and arrangements (combined with folk elements). Just take a good listen to their 2007 masterpiece, To the Nameless Dead. I've never known an album in recent years to be so unanimously celebrated as this one... and it lives up to its hype.
Vreid, as I mentioned, is a good starting point, too. They are quite accessible, and simply extremely good. Milorg (2009) is pretty much the best album released last year, in my opinion.
If you want some more clicheed but still good and fairly accessible black metal, check out Dark Funeral. They cover pretty much the entire spectrum of what black metal has to offer and should help anyone appreciate the genre.
Note, these are all personal suggestions. Other people may have both different opinions on the bands I mentioned, or may suggest entirely different band for starters. Whether you take their advice or mine, try concentrating on these bands first. Get familiar with them and see if you start liking them. If no, don't bother to go further. There is plenty of other metal out there. If yes, check out the band's backgrounds and start exploring.
Some good samples:
Amon Amarth
Pursuit of Vikings
The Hero
God Dethroned
Sigma Enigma
Passiondale
Primordial
Coffin Ships
Empire Falls
Vreid
I Krig
Speak Goddamnit
Dark Funeral
An Apprentice of Satan
Atrum Regina
For the brave, some bonus samples:
Marduk - Fistfucking God's Planet
Bloodbath - Eaten
Asphyx - Eisenbahnmörser
And finally, one of the best live covers I know:
Vader - Raining Blood
Mega
Ancient Mariner
Damn, you guys really took the time with me huh? Thanks.
As for Slayer, I tried, I really did, but they have that type of thrash that I feel lack depth, if that makes any sense. It's just pure aggressiveness without any substance.
Then again, everybody loves Raining Blood.
How can I resist talking about angel of death when I'm jewish.
Well, I wanna say that I'm not offended by it, but it still stings me a bit when I listen to the lyrics.
And it's not like I feel that you have to have a connection to the holocaust to write songs about it, as I also don't like Israeli bands like Salem singing about it.
It just feels somewhat inappropriate.
As for Slayer, I tried, I really did, but they have that type of thrash that I feel lack depth, if that makes any sense. It's just pure aggressiveness without any substance.
Then again, everybody loves Raining Blood.
How can I resist talking about angel of death when I'm jewish.
Well, I wanna say that I'm not offended by it, but it still stings me a bit when I listen to the lyrics.
And it's not like I feel that you have to have a connection to the holocaust to write songs about it, as I also don't like Israeli bands like Salem singing about it.
It just feels somewhat inappropriate.
I understand what you mean. That is what has gotten Slayer some major controversy after all, especially in Germany. Not just the nazi accusations, but also the question of whether it is an appropriate topic for a metal song.
On the other hand, it is a great song.
Slayer take their time to get into. I don't know how much of them you have heard, or what albums you know. If I may make a humble suggestion, try familiarising yourself with the South of Heaven and Seasons in the Abyss albums. They are less aggressive than their other material, and it may be easier to find musical and lyrical depth here than on their other albums.
On the other hand, it is a great song.
Slayer take their time to get into. I don't know how much of them you have heard, or what albums you know. If I may make a humble suggestion, try familiarising yourself with the South of Heaven and Seasons in the Abyss albums. They are less aggressive than their other material, and it may be easier to find musical and lyrical depth here than on their other albums.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
@Mega: this is my black metal recommendation:
Hungarian black metal band Sear Bliss I have always found special. Sear Bliss was the first ever black metal band getting the "album of the month" credit in Dutch metal magazine Aardschok, back in 1996.
Especially the two very different albums "Phantoms" (1996) and "The Haunting" (1998).
Great artwork by Kris Verwimp imo:
Not the tighest musicians, but their sound is original with trumpet (nowadays trombone), and atmospheric keyboards!
I made an interview with their bandleader, about 7 or 8 years ago:
Fragment:
- Kris Verwimp made all covers of your albums. There is always a bird with spread wings on them. What does this bird mean? Do you also bring ideas for the covers, or are they only Kris Verwimp's ideas? Did he also do the cover for "Forsaken Symphony"?
- Kris Verwimp made all the cover artworks for Sear Bliss, including "Forsaken Symphony" as well. Usually we give him ideas, we tell him what we would like to see, we send him the lyrics and a tape with the songs and then he paints the artwork and of course he puts his ideas into it. He is a great artist, the best one for Sear Bliss. Yes, that bird plays an important role on the cover artworks of our albums. It represents the soul of the listener, the one who listens to the music at that moment. We would like to carry the listeners into our worlds and this bird shows on the covers where we are at the moment. Actually, that bird plays an important role in ancient Hungarian mythology as well and that's why we use it on our covers.
A few songs on YouTube:
Winter Voice / Far Above The Trees (1996)
Aeons of Desolation (1996)
Tunnels Of Vision (1998)
Two Worlds Collide (2004)
In The Shadow Of Another World (live 2004)
Hungarian black metal band Sear Bliss I have always found special. Sear Bliss was the first ever black metal band getting the "album of the month" credit in Dutch metal magazine Aardschok, back in 1996.
Especially the two very different albums "Phantoms" (1996) and "The Haunting" (1998).
Great artwork by Kris Verwimp imo:
Not the tighest musicians, but their sound is original with trumpet (nowadays trombone), and atmospheric keyboards!
I made an interview with their bandleader, about 7 or 8 years ago:
Fragment:
- Kris Verwimp made all covers of your albums. There is always a bird with spread wings on them. What does this bird mean? Do you also bring ideas for the covers, or are they only Kris Verwimp's ideas? Did he also do the cover for "Forsaken Symphony"?
- Kris Verwimp made all the cover artworks for Sear Bliss, including "Forsaken Symphony" as well. Usually we give him ideas, we tell him what we would like to see, we send him the lyrics and a tape with the songs and then he paints the artwork and of course he puts his ideas into it. He is a great artist, the best one for Sear Bliss. Yes, that bird plays an important role on the cover artworks of our albums. It represents the soul of the listener, the one who listens to the music at that moment. We would like to carry the listeners into our worlds and this bird shows on the covers where we are at the moment. Actually, that bird plays an important role in ancient Hungarian mythology as well and that's why we use it on our covers.
A few songs on YouTube:
Winter Voice / Far Above The Trees (1996)
Aeons of Desolation (1996)
Tunnels Of Vision (1998)
Two Worlds Collide (2004)
In The Shadow Of Another World (live 2004)
Invader
Ancient Mariner
Mega said:
Which, I guess, is why people like the band. Anyway, you don't need to write meaningful lyrics to have good music; AC/DC for starters.
I'm a bit surprised that there is so little love for Dark Tranquillity on this forum; they are rather influenced by Maiden and have (IMO) one of the best growlers in the genre. Here's a few Youtube links since everyone seems to be doing that.
Final Resistance
Lost to Apathy
Lethe
Early In Flames is also pretty good, though quite similar to DT.
Moonshield
Lord Hypnos
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Invader said:
I love early In Flames. The Jester Race kicks major elephant ass.
edit: Before I forget: This song is really superb, "Episode 666"!!!
This is episode 666!!!!!
Thanks Invader, you made my day.
Saturday night.... meh.
Hey, Per, why were you saying this was a great weekend?
Hey, Per, why were you saying this was a great weekend?
Wasted CLV said:
'Cause I thought that's what it would become... seeing lots of friends, lots of drinking, but as it turns out, it's average. Although there's still a BBQ session ahead today.
That's one of the things I hate about Germany, though. If you go shopping for BBQ meat, 90% of what you get is pork. Pork steaks, pork ribs, pork belly... and the rest is poultry. I.e. no beef. None at all. And I'm not a big fan of pork. It's not that I don't eat it at all, it's just that when I have a choice, I choose something different. But Germans are mad about pork, and every meal on a meat base is based on pork. Anything based on beef is American or British influence. I really don't understand it, because pork is easily the most bland-tasting meat there is. Oh wait. Actually, now I do understand why it's so appealing to Germans...