Not really, the flash had it's moments, but it's not the best Strongbad email.
I didn't say that it was the best sbemail, just that I felt that a lot of death metal sounds/looks like that. A few of my best friends listen to almost nothing but stuff like Cephalic Carnage, Job For A Cowboy, and Dying Fetus; while I don't think it's bad music, it does occasionally sound like that to me. I've always been more of a Strapping Young Lad fellow, myself:
EDIT: Also, if you thought I meant funnier than the dog video, I hadn't watched it, so consider my post a non-sequitur. I make no claims to superior humor.
You know, while I'm not really a big fan of drone stuff, that was actually pretty fucking cool. There's enough of a doom metal element to keep it interesting for me.
However, there are two stronger contenders for best metal album of 2008. It's either this:
I'd never listened to Opeth before, is all their stuff like that album? That guy has some amazing vocal talent if he's able to sing like that AND death grunt. Usually learning grunts destroys the vocal cords. Amon Amarth is pretty awesome also. I'll have to check out more of them too.
I'd never listened to Opeth before, is all their stuff like that album? That guy has some amazing vocal talent if he's able to sing like that AND death grunt. Usually learning grunts destroys the vocal cords. Amon Amarth is pretty awesome also. I'll have to check out more of them too.
Opeth is AMAZING. Yes, all of their albums are like that; they combine harmonic elements with death metal to make mind-blowingly awesome music.
Also, death grunting only destroys your vocal cords if you do it wrong. If you learn to do it properly, it won't do much lasting damage. The secret to extreme vocals is that they need a microphone; usually, you concentrate on making the proper sound at a volume that won't kill you, and then amp it up the rest of the way.
EDIT: FYI, the guy from Opeth is Mikael Akerfeldt. Here's a song by Ihsahn featuring him on vocals. You may dig it.
EDIT THE SECOND: Actually, y'know what, on further consideration, I submit angL from Ihsahn as a contender for best metal album of 2008. For evidence, listen to the above song.
As far as metal this year, my favorites have been Machinae Supremacy's Overworld and Torche's Meanderthal, the latter of which there aren't really any good videos of. But check it out anyway.
Have you guys heard of Pyha? He's a Korean kid and he made this abrasive as hell drone/doom record called The Haunted House while he was in the eighth grade. It's crazy.
Help me, guys. I have a problem. (That's step one, right?) So many times I hear a new song, and really like it, and then the guy starts singing. I love the way the musics sound, but I just can't enjoy that growl, for lack of a better term. For reference, WhaleShark's videos of Amon Amarth and Opeth above are excellent examples. The Opeth one has some promise, contrast the singing at 2:25 (good) to 2:33 (bad). What should I do?
Help me, guys. I have a problem. (That's step one, right?) So many times I hear a new song, and really like it, and then the guy starts singing. I love the way the musics sound, but I just can't enjoy that growl, for lack of a better term. For reference, WhaleShark's videos of Amon Amarth and Opeth above are excellent examples. The Opeth one has some promise, contrast the singing at 2:25 (good) to 2:33 (bad). What should I do?
I know, I'm not metal. v_v
Find purely instrumental death metal. No examples presently come to mind, though.
Is it just death metal you're asking about? Because, if not, there are tons of metal bands that don't use harsh vocals. Bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Kamelot, and Machinae Supremacy, just to throw out some names.
Is it just death metal you're asking about? Because, if not, there are tons of metal bands that don't use harsh vocals.
See, I don't know. I've never heard a death metal song I liked.
Edit: LOL, I didn't see your edited post, and went looking for an example of something I liked. I thought of using Metallica, Iron Maiden, Kamelot, and Machinae Supremacy at various points.
Pelican is great. They represent Chicago well. However, I opine that Indian is the most skullfuckingly brutal group to emerge from my city in a long time:
Is it just death metal you're asking about? Because, if not, there are tons of metal bands that don't use harsh vocals.
See, I don't know. I've never heard a death metal song I liked.
Edit: LOL, I didn't see your edited post, and went looking for an example of something I liked. I thought of using Metallica, Iron Maiden, Kamelot, and Machinae Supremacy at various points.
All of power metal and its associated subgenres use clean vocals. You could also try checking out some progressive extreme metal (Opeth is progressive death metal), as many of them utilize clean vocals in addition to extreme vocals.
The thing with extreme vocals is that, while I don't really like to admit it, you really have to want to like it. You have to "get" death metal and black metal in order to really enjoy them, and that means that you have to actively acclimate yourself to the vocal style. Generally, most people find a lot of good stuff in there once they do. Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth uses the death grunt to contrast his clean singing, and writes music around that, creating a very "beauty and the beast" sort of sound. Johann Hegg of Amon Amarth puts a lot of emotion into his death grunt, and helps to create the overall sound of the band, taking the music from a mourning, sorrowful low to a celebratory high, simply using the power of his voice.
But, as I said, you have to get past the hurdle of actually listening to the growl first. It's not for everyone, and if you don't like it, you can still be plenty metal. If you're interested in getting into the death grunt kind of music, I'd recommend starting with any of the bands you've heard that you've liked (Opeth and Amon Amarth, as I've said, are particularly good applications of the grunt), or Cradle of Filth. CoF's album Midian released back in 2000 was my personal gateway drug. The first time I heard that album, I thought, "Is this supposed to be good? Is he trying to sound like that?" My curiosity was piqued, and as I kept listening, I eventually just "got" it and was hooked.
Mastodon was what got me learn to like them. I listened to Blood Mountain and then Leviathan and the music was just so good that there was no way I could not listen to them just because I didn't like some of the vocals at the time. They're easily my favorite metal band now. They also use clean vocals in addition, so I think they're a good stepping stone too.
Cookie Monster vocals aren't for everybody. I guess. There is plenty of metal without that style of vocals though. I would recommend Nevermore and The Sword for recent metal that is awesome, and also doesn't have Mr. Growly-Voice singing. You can always just listen to the kings of metal, Slayer, for aggressive vocals that aren't quite growly.
I agree that Opeth is great. Blackwater Park is far and away my favorite album of theirs.
I love death grunts and such, but I hate it when they overuse pig squeals, it's annoying when overused. I'm looking at you metalcore, you're the main offender.
I do give him a lot of credit for just being out about it. I can imagine that the fringes of the black metal scene are full of right-wing gay haters, so this could make him an object of (even more) dislike.
I'll be interested to hear if his falling in love will alter the album that they're writing now.
I do give him a lot of credit for just being out about it. I can imagine that the fringes of the black metal scene are full of right-wing gay haters, so this could make him an object of (even more) dislike.
I'll be interested to hear if his falling in love will alter the album that they're writing now.
I would have never thought, but I totally agree with everything you said.
Yeah, and as staunch about freedom (and other things) as most people in the black metal "scene" are, I would be somewhat surprised if something like Gaahl being gay being a problem.
Comments
EDIT: Also, if you thought I meant funnier than the dog video, I hadn't watched it, so consider my post a non-sequitur. I make no claims to superior humor.
Best metal album of 2008.
However, there are two stronger contenders for best metal album of 2008. It's either this:
Or this:
Also, death grunting only destroys your vocal cords if you do it wrong. If you learn to do it properly, it won't do much lasting damage. The secret to extreme vocals is that they need a microphone; usually, you concentrate on making the proper sound at a volume that won't kill you, and then amp it up the rest of the way.
EDIT: FYI, the guy from Opeth is Mikael Akerfeldt. Here's a song by Ihsahn featuring him on vocals. You may dig it.
EDIT THE SECOND: Actually, y'know what, on further consideration, I submit angL from Ihsahn as a contender for best metal album of 2008. For evidence, listen to the above song.
As far as metal this year, my favorites have been Machinae Supremacy's Overworld and Torche's Meanderthal, the latter of which there aren't really any good videos of. But check it out anyway.
Edge and Pearl - Machinae Supremacy
Healer - Torche
A song.
I know, I'm not metal. v_v
Edit: LOL, I didn't see your edited post, and went looking for an example of something I liked. I thought of using Metallica, Iron Maiden, Kamelot, and Machinae Supremacy at various points.
Better audio streamed on their MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/indiandoom
The thing with extreme vocals is that, while I don't really like to admit it, you really have to want to like it. You have to "get" death metal and black metal in order to really enjoy them, and that means that you have to actively acclimate yourself to the vocal style. Generally, most people find a lot of good stuff in there once they do. Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth uses the death grunt to contrast his clean singing, and writes music around that, creating a very "beauty and the beast" sort of sound. Johann Hegg of Amon Amarth puts a lot of emotion into his death grunt, and helps to create the overall sound of the band, taking the music from a mourning, sorrowful low to a celebratory high, simply using the power of his voice.
But, as I said, you have to get past the hurdle of actually listening to the growl first. It's not for everyone, and if you don't like it, you can still be plenty metal. If you're interested in getting into the death grunt kind of music, I'd recommend starting with any of the bands you've heard that you've liked (Opeth and Amon Amarth, as I've said, are particularly good applications of the grunt), or Cradle of Filth. CoF's album Midian released back in 2000 was my personal gateway drug. The first time I heard that album, I thought, "Is this supposed to be good? Is he trying to sound like that?" My curiosity was piqued, and as I kept listening, I eventually just "got" it and was hooked.
I agree that Opeth is great. Blackwater Park is far and away my favorite album of theirs.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
I do give him a lot of credit for just being out about it. I can imagine that the fringes of the black metal scene are full of right-wing gay haters, so this could make him an object of (even more) dislike.
I'll be interested to hear if his falling in love will alter the album that they're writing now.