Help me get into metal music
- Thread starter Fox12
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Iron Maiden, Dio, and Dragonforce would send you generally towards the area of Power Metal. Though it can incredibly cheesy at times, so prepare yourself for a bit of dorkiness. Blind Guardian is probably the main figurehead to figure that out.Fox12 said:
Metallica really depends which era you're in. That could send you to thrash metal (where Megadeth or Testament would be my next personal choices, Slayer and Anthrax I don't personally enjoy so much). Much of their later work as more of a slightly heavied up Hard Rock which would be a whole different tangent.
Sabbath genre-wise would send you mostly into Doom Metal, which I can't think of a major band for off the top of my head.
In terms of your traditional or classic heavy metal. You're missing Judas Priest as a big one. Deep Purple, Scorpions, and Budgie are also worth a look for some of the earlier stuff that kind of sat on the threshold of Hard Rock/Heavy Metal.
In just random recommendations, I've been listening to a lot of Turias and Eluviete of late, which are Folk Metal. Its a bit more varied I find as it tends to incorporate some broader instrumentation.
I do like me some Metal once in a while, but I usually tell people who don't know too much about it to listen to some desert / stoner rock instead. It's often closer to a lot of popular classic metal than actual metal.
Try some Truckfighters [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLMPA4xPFpg], 1000mods [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7ZXGbj8C0c], Kyuss [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH-uXVEPfAg] or Fu Manchu [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o56I0iO6ps] for example. That stuff will rock your socks off, guaranteed. Or just skip ahead to some proper Stoner Metal [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK7DGwCqH6ks].
Try some Truckfighters [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLMPA4xPFpg], 1000mods [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7ZXGbj8C0c], Kyuss [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH-uXVEPfAg] or Fu Manchu [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o56I0iO6ps] for example. That stuff will rock your socks off, guaranteed. Or just skip ahead to some proper Stoner Metal [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK7DGwCqH6ks].
Ya know?
Even though they're not quite as 'legit' or 'serious' as other metal acts, I really love me some Dethklok.
One moment, having a seizure. Ahem. And-
Annnnd.
Nightwish too, even though they keep cycling through singers-
And In This Moment-
I may have a thing for metal/punk girls.
Even though they're not quite as 'legit' or 'serious' as other metal acts, I really love me some Dethklok.
One moment, having a seizure. Ahem. And-
Annnnd.
Nightwish too, even though they keep cycling through singers-
And In This Moment-
I may have a thing for metal/punk girls.
!FPLOON said:
You're just getting into metal, so I think it's best to stick the more mainstream bands for now. Listen to compilations of classic metal songs, try not to dive straight into blackened death metal, slam or funeral doom. I'll try listing subgenres in order of accessibility.
If you want clean vocals and simple song arrangements, I suggest Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Gothic Metal and Alternative Metal. Bands like Iron Maiden, Blind Guardian, Nightwish, Faith No More and so on. Some Doom Metal like Candlemass falls into this category too, but it's an incredibly diverse genre. Before you know it there's bands with 40 minute long songs filled with guitar feedback and shrieking, as well as riffs that last an eternity.
If you like the clean vocals but want some more complex songs, try Progressive Metal. Ayreon showcases many different metal vocalists in a wonderfully cheesy rock opera package. Dream Theater and Symphony X are well-respected bands with insane amounts of talent, and they use clean vocals exclusively. If you want a taste of death metal-style songwriting while still having clean vocals, check out Nevermore (Jeff Loomis is one of the best guitarists in metal, in my opinion).
If you want to delve into more extreme vocal styles while still not plunging into the deep end, check out Thrash Metal and maybe Melodic Death Metal. There's the big four of thrash (Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax) but there's also bands like Pantera and Sepultura who also pioneered Groove metal (essentially thrash with the tempo lowered). As far as melodeath goes, you can't go wrong with In Flames (earlier stuff), Soilwork (latest couple of albums especially), Dark Tranquillity and At the Gates.
Ready for some more intense stuff? Check out Death Metal and Black Metal. Black metal bands like Dimmu Borgir and Dissection are intensely melodic and are fairly accessible (as are Emperor). If you want more extreme black metal without dealing with the poor production values normally associated with it, check out Der Weg einer Freiheit. Folk Metal usually has a black metal influence, some good bands to get into are Ensiferum, Xanthochroid, Equilibrium and if you're feeling particularly ambitious, my favourite folk metal band, Moonsorrow (get ready for half-hour long songs though). As for death metal, can't go wrong with early 90s Carcass, 90s Death and Amon Amarth if you want something more fun. My favourite death metal band is Cryptopsy but they're not for the faint of heart. Also check out Opeth if you want to hear how far the death metal sound can be pushed.
There's a lot more to explore after that, but I'd rather not indulge too much. Check out compilations, search for the bands that helped define these genres in the first place. If you don't like how something sounds, maybe come back to it a few months down the line. Metal can be an extremely acquired taste.
When it comes to good metalcore and deathcore, I suggest the following bands:
Converge (obviously), Botch, The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Contortionist, Shadow of the Colossus, Sikth, Lorelei and Ovid's Withering (if you can stomach an orchestral approach).
If you want clean vocals and simple song arrangements, I suggest Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Gothic Metal and Alternative Metal. Bands like Iron Maiden, Blind Guardian, Nightwish, Faith No More and so on. Some Doom Metal like Candlemass falls into this category too, but it's an incredibly diverse genre. Before you know it there's bands with 40 minute long songs filled with guitar feedback and shrieking, as well as riffs that last an eternity.
If you like the clean vocals but want some more complex songs, try Progressive Metal. Ayreon showcases many different metal vocalists in a wonderfully cheesy rock opera package. Dream Theater and Symphony X are well-respected bands with insane amounts of talent, and they use clean vocals exclusively. If you want a taste of death metal-style songwriting while still having clean vocals, check out Nevermore (Jeff Loomis is one of the best guitarists in metal, in my opinion).
If you want to delve into more extreme vocal styles while still not plunging into the deep end, check out Thrash Metal and maybe Melodic Death Metal. There's the big four of thrash (Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax) but there's also bands like Pantera and Sepultura who also pioneered Groove metal (essentially thrash with the tempo lowered). As far as melodeath goes, you can't go wrong with In Flames (earlier stuff), Soilwork (latest couple of albums especially), Dark Tranquillity and At the Gates.
Ready for some more intense stuff? Check out Death Metal and Black Metal. Black metal bands like Dimmu Borgir and Dissection are intensely melodic and are fairly accessible (as are Emperor). If you want more extreme black metal without dealing with the poor production values normally associated with it, check out Der Weg einer Freiheit. Folk Metal usually has a black metal influence, some good bands to get into are Ensiferum, Xanthochroid, Equilibrium and if you're feeling particularly ambitious, my favourite folk metal band, Moonsorrow (get ready for half-hour long songs though). As for death metal, can't go wrong with early 90s Carcass, 90s Death and Amon Amarth if you want something more fun. My favourite death metal band is Cryptopsy but they're not for the faint of heart. Also check out Opeth if you want to hear how far the death metal sound can be pushed.
There's a lot more to explore after that, but I'd rather not indulge too much. Check out compilations, search for the bands that helped define these genres in the first place. If you don't like how something sounds, maybe come back to it a few months down the line. Metal can be an extremely acquired taste.
Metalcore and deathcore (especially deathcore) are plagued with an image problem, but there are plenty of terrific bands if you know where to look. The more grindcore/mathcore end of the metalcore spectrum (bands like Converge) actually combine hardcore and metal instead of offering up breakdown-plagued abominations.President Bagel said:
When it comes to good metalcore and deathcore, I suggest the following bands:
Converge (obviously), Botch, The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Contortionist, Shadow of the Colossus, Sikth, Lorelei and Ovid's Withering (if you can stomach an orchestral approach).
My man. This has to be among, if not THE, most hilariously cheesy metal song I have ever heard and I love every second of it, and this is as someone who largely prefers the "softer" alt metal/gothic metal/symphonic metal.the silence said:
Also, Nightwish has been mentioned a couple of times before, but both of the songs listed as examples were some of their earlier work. Solid stuff, but their 3 most recent albums do not share the same singer as that earlier work, and the style shifted a bit to accommodate the new girls. Dark Passion Play and Imaginaerum are sung by Annette Olzon, and the most recent album is sung by Floor Jansen (arguably the best singer of the 3).
I think that does a decent enough job of highlighting he differences. I focus on nightwish because, as you probably guessed, they're one of my favorites, and, frankly DizzyChuggernaut said everything else that could need to be said about the subject.
Blind Guardian and Iced Earth formed a collab to make two albums under the name 'Demons and Wizards', if you enjoy either of them you will love their songs. My personal favorite is the song 'Fiddler on the Green'. Also I listen to power metal almost exclusively but I am partial to celtic sounding, or viking metal. Basically things that invoke medieval fantasy.
Also definitely Stratovarius, surprised no ones said so yet.
Powerwolf, some really epic, adrenaline fueled power metal.
Bloodbound is pretty cool too, though I don't listen to them too much.
Lordi is rarely mentioned when it comes to metal conversation, which is a shame, since they're epic too. Their gimmick is all the band members are dressed up as demons/monsters and I love the make up and costumes.
Also definitely Stratovarius, surprised no ones said so yet.
Powerwolf, some really epic, adrenaline fueled power metal.
Bloodbound is pretty cool too, though I don't listen to them too much.
Lordi is rarely mentioned when it comes to metal conversation, which is a shame, since they're epic too. Their gimmick is all the band members are dressed up as demons/monsters and I love the make up and costumes.
Well this thread is almost like that, but when I want to find new music, one way of doing that is to go to Youtube, pick a band you like with a song you like, when the song ends, pick from the "related" part another song, never from the same band twice, this will make you find new stuff pretty fast. Of course when you find something new you can do a few songs by them after each other since one song never really covers a band.
A few metal bands I like: W.A.S.P., Savatage, Sabaton, Hammerfall, Stratovarius, Accept, Pretty Maids (Rock not metal), Iron Mask, Powerwolf, Axel Rudi Pell, IronMaiden, Judas Priest and so so many more!!
If you want songs, then ask, but there is just too much, take your time, listen to music, find what you like
Good luck on your quest!
A few metal bands I like: W.A.S.P., Savatage, Sabaton, Hammerfall, Stratovarius, Accept, Pretty Maids (Rock not metal), Iron Mask, Powerwolf, Axel Rudi Pell, IronMaiden, Judas Priest and so so many more!!
If you want songs, then ask, but there is just too much, take your time, listen to music, find what you like
Good luck on your quest!
Can you vaguely describe what you like or what you want to find? Do you like dark, creepy, evil? Triumphant, uplifting? Aggressive, angry? Folky, jolly, rough? Or glorified pop music performed by goths?
The best way to go about it is grab a music subscription from Google/Spotify; start with something you know (like Dragonforce), and then go from there and see what the streaming service will suggest you. I see Blind Guardian, Sonata Arctica, and HammerFall as similar to Dragonforce. Listen to them, if you like the sound of those bands, keep going on that similar route. Another way is to listen to the band guest starring in another: The only reason I got into Iron Savior is because Hansi sang in one of their songs.Fox12 said:
Also, word of advice, ignore sub-genres for now; and always ignore anyone that looks down on certain sub-genres. Unless you have listened to all the sub-genres, it is pointless and counter-intuitive to limit yourself. I listen to Meshuggah, Dimmu, Soilworks, and all the power metals (Hansi is god and Matt is pope); and I also like more pop-sounding bands like Amaranthe and the new Nightwish, which someone in here has issues with. I say bollocks to that: if you like it, that's your style. Don't let anyone else cramp your style.
Anyway, here's my jam of the week, melodic death metal:
melodeath.Yuuki said:
also, add The Stranded to that list. It's Claudio and Ettore's side project. Sounds like DM.
