I have never heard of them before.. and that song makes some nice background music for doing other things.
Normally I just discover metal by remixes or covers.
Yea it's a really nice band. Appeals to my inner space geek. The song off that particular album (The Galilean Satellites) has a lot of space elements, the ambiance in the songs really brings it home. Lyrics about traveling though space to reach Europa. Amazing piece of music. They actually have another album coming out tomorrow (or today in my case) as a pay-what-you-want digital download off their site.
More ear candy, cannot help but post more of this phenomenal band. Gives me the shivers every time I listen to their space orientated songs.
Love me some power metal and heavy metal. Blind Guardian is the rare band that manages to take the extremely heavy sound of metal and turn it into a positive, or at least heroic melody rather than being completely dark. I have yet to find a song of theirs that I dislike. Hell, listen to this: it's a musical version of the battle between Morgoth and Ungoliant from the Silmarillion, and they make it sound AWESOME.
On the other end of the spectrum I have a fondness for Sabaton, which is about as bleak and cynical as you can get. Where Blind Guardian takes from mythology and fantasy for their uplifting and epic songs, Sabaton goes pitch black by focusing on war, death, destruction and the toll it takes on humanity. Another great band.
Love me some power metal and heavy metal. Blind Guardian is the rare band that manages to take the extremely heavy sound of metal and turn it into a positive, or at least heroic melody rather than being completely dark. I have yet to find a song of theirs that I dislike. Hell, listen to this: it's a musical version of the battle between Morgoth and Ungoliant from the Silmarillion, and they make it sound AWESOME.
On the other end of the spectrum I have a fondness for Sabaton, which is about as bleak and cynical as you can get. Where Blind Guardian takes from mythology and fantasy for their uplifting and epic songs, Sabaton goes pitch black by focusing on war, death, destruction and the toll it takes on humanity. Another great band.
I wonder if Cat Bus could be the first user to accumulate an entire banning's worth of knocks to the health bar from posting in a single thread? And by the by, Miyazaki films are for children. I'm not even being cute right now, they are quite literally targeted towards kids. That's 'objective' right there, son. I won't out and out refer to him by a particular term, but I would advise other posters not to offer nourishment to certain mythological creatures known to dwell under bridges as no good can come of it. Also yes, I do listen to metal. As it so happens, I'm listening to some right now. I'd list examples but I'm feeling lazy, so I'll just go ahead and link you to a fairly recent thread I posted in [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.823603-Do-you-have-eclectic-taste-in-music#19948213] and you can get a handful of examples of what I'm into on there.
Metal's one of the weaker genres of music, but yea, I listen to it.
In fact I'm listening to Dethalbum 3 for the first time right now. Pretty good, but still not remotely as good as THE Dethalbum (that shit was glorious).
Dethalbum 3 is too much yelling drowned out by music. The music is good, but you can't understand Nathan at all now, and that's what made The Dethalbum so damn good. :/
Generally I tend toward music that has....a better measure of itself.
The only things I don't listen to are country, rap, and R&B (with very few exceptions).
So metal is "just another genre" among the many, really.
I guess I tend toward indie rock, alternative rock, art rock, alternative metal
On the other end of the spectrum I have a fondness for Sabaton, which is about as bleak and cynical as you can get. Where Blind Guardian takes from mythology and fantasy for their uplifting and epic songs, Sabaton goes pitch black by focusing on war, death, destruction and the toll it takes on humanity. Another great band.
Here is a fairly long post I made once upon a time about the different sub-genres of heavy metal music.
I tried the best I was able, please forgive me for any thing I missed, glossed over, or perpetuated in the wrong light.
Metal music is....well, I'm not going to even try going there. To use a very cliche line, it's a lot of different things to different people.
Sometimes it is based on complex playing, complicated thick arrangements, and heavy throwbacks to old classical composers.
Sometimes as well it can be simple, straight forward, almost minimalistic, and straight out fun.
It can be happy, it can be sad. It can be angry and it can be introspective.
Simply, it's a lot like other music genres. Varied and as colorful as the folks who enjoy it.
Probably the easiest way is to show you what all the sub-genres sound like.
The examples I have provided are not 'set in stone-this is how every band in this sub-genre sounds like'. They are only approximations, but they should again, not be taken as the final say.
There is much contention on the sub-genres themselves between most metal listeners. For simplicity and sanity's sake, I'm only going to use the most popular and agreed upon ones.
One more note, I will try to the best of my ability to be as factual as one can on something like this, but somethings I just do not know.
Black Metal
----------------
Started in Norway in the 1980's I believe. From what I remember, it's whole reason for existing initially was for the members playing. It was never intended to be heard, recorded, sold, or commercialized in any way. This is, over enough time, precisely what has happened however.
Lyrics are often about satanism, hatred for religion, Christianity in particular. It's debated whether how much these lyrics are meant to be genuine, however a number of bands have admitted to using it as a shock tactic, or just to make interesting lyrical content. Other bands still though, namely ones from Scandinavia are in fact practicing Satanists and have generated much controversy for their actions as well as music.
Lyrics can just as easily revolve around pagan beliefs, nature, or introspection.
The music tends to have an intentionally bleak atmosphere that is complimented by the low recording fidelity.
There can be a heavy use of tremolo picking on the guitars, and drums are often simple blast beats, with a vocalist shrieking through it all.
Death Metal
-----------------
This style loves to embellish the heavy side of things and generally be as extreme as possible. Instrumentation can vary, but it's generally characterized by a heavy and thick guitar tone, chunky riffs, and a deep throated vocalist.
Lyrics centered on gory or death-related ideas initially, hence the name, but ideas and themes of varying sorts have been used over the years.
Death metal can be complex or simple, you see both quite often.
Doom Metal
------------------
This sub-genre focuses on simple, plodding, drawn out riffs and very basic drumming most of the time, with a vocalist who typically uses a cleaner singing style.
Repetition is used often to help build the atmosphere and suspense in a song, with tracks known to exceed the hour mark.
As far as atmosphere goes, the aim of this genre is in the name.
Doom.
Fear, impending dread, and typically depressive lyrics are the norm, but many bands also sing about nature, life, God, and occultism.
Power Metal
------------------
This sub-set of metal has a very heavy influence from classical composers, especially in guitar solos.
Typically a faster style of music, but can me mid paced, even slow as well.
Lyrics almost always revolve around some form of struggle and triumph, glory, victory and adventure.
Singers tend to be on the clean side, with a heavy emphasis on falsetto.
Longer songs tend to be prominent, but are not the rule.
Progressive Metal
-------------------------
Two 'typical' sounding prog metal bands
Two functionally progressive bands
Technically, this is not really a sub genre specification, as it can be applied to any of the sub-genres(Progressive black metal, progressive power metal ect) as it's only defining characteristic is complex musicianship.However over time it has become it's own sub-genre. Odd-time signatures, introspective lyrics are almost the norm. Singers can be as varied as you can imagine, but 'typical' progressive metal tends to have clean singers with prolific vocal ranges.
This one overall is kind of tricky to nail down, it's something you get the ability to just hear and recognize over time.
Thrash Metal
------------------
Got it's start and arguably had it's heyday in the early 80's, though has experienced a revival of sorts since 2000.
Heavily influenced by hardcore punk.
Characterized my screaming fast beats, manic riffs and a singer to match.
Tends to focus on having fun with silly or tongue in cheek lyrics, however not all bands follow this trend.
Heavy Metal
==============
This one is a bit contested, though I do see it recognized enough as it's own area of musical sound and structure.(Though it IS cross polinated with other sounds very often.) Fairly straight forward music, with a falsetto screeching/faux operatic singer. Music tends to have more in common with hard rock and even blues than any of the more extreme examples listed above.
Whew!
I want to stress that these are not restrictions bands set out before making music so as to sound a certain way, but rather a collection of styles that have evolved naturally over time.
Personal view: In no way does anything need to try to ft in to an established sound.These are not limitations, just clarifications for styles of sound that are different from one another.
As I said, I know I missed some, like sludge, but I feel anything beyond this is too tertiary to try and explain. (I.e I don't know how to do so properly)
Here is a fairly long post I made once upon a time about the different sub-genres of heavy metal music.
I tried the best I was able, please forgive me for any thing I missed, glossed over, or perpetuated in the wrong light.
Metal music is....well, I'm not going to even try going there. To use a very cliche line, it's a lot of different things to different people.
Sometimes it is based on complex playing, complicated thick arrangements, and heavy throwbacks to old classical composers.
Sometimes as well it can be simple, straight forward, almost minimalistic, and straight out fun.
It can be happy, it can be sad. It can be angry and it can be introspective.
Simply, it's a lot like other music genres. Varied and as colorful as the folks who enjoy it.
Probably the easiest way is to show you what all the sub-genres sound like.
The examples I have provided are not 'set in stone-this is how every band in this sub-genre sounds like'. They are only approximations, but they should again, not be taken as the final say.
There is much contention on the sub-genres themselves between most metal listeners. For simplicity and sanity's sake, I'm only going to use the most popular and agreed upon ones.
One more note, I will try to the best of my ability to be as factual as one can on something like this, but somethings I just do not know.
Black Metal
----------------
Started in Norway in the 1980's I believe. From what I remember, it's whole reason for existing initially was for the members playing. It was never intended to be heard, recorded, sold, or commercialized in any way. This is, over enough time, precisely what has happened however.
Lyrics are often about satanism, hatred for religion, Christianity in particular. It's debated whether how much these lyrics are meant to be genuine, however a number of bands have admitted to using it as a shock tactic, or just to make interesting lyrical content. Other bands still though, namely ones from Scandinavia are in fact practicing Satanists and have generated much controversy for their actions as well as music.
Lyrics can just as easily revolve around pagan beliefs, nature, or introspection.
The music tends to have an intentionally bleak atmosphere that is complimented by the low recording fidelity.
There can be a heavy use of tremolo picking on the guitars, and drums are often simple blast beats, with a vocalist shrieking through it all.
Death Metal
-----------------
This style loves to embellish the heavy side of things and generally be as extreme as possible. Instrumentation can vary, but it's generally characterized by a heavy and thick guitar tone, chunky riffs, and a deep throated vocalist.
Lyrics centered on gory or death-related ideas initially, hence the name, but ideas and themes of varying sorts have been used over the years.
Death metal can be complex or simple, you see both quite often.
Doom Metal
------------------
This sub-genre focuses on simple, plodding, drawn out riffs and very basic drumming most of the time, with a vocalist who typically uses a cleaner singing style.
Repetition is used often to help build the atmosphere and suspense in a song, with tracks known to exceed the hour mark.
As far as atmosphere goes, the aim of this genre is in the name.
Doom.
Fear, impending dread, and typically depressive lyrics are the norm, but many bands also sing about nature, life, God, and occultism.
Power Metal
------------------
This sub-set of metal has a very heavy influence from classical composers, especially in guitar solos.
Typically a faster style of music, but can me mid paced, even slow as well.
Lyrics almost always revolve around some form of struggle and triumph, glory, victory and adventure.
Singers tend to be on the clean side, with a heavy emphasis on falsetto.
Longer songs tend to be prominent, but are not the rule.
Progressive Metal
-------------------------
Two 'typical' sounding prog metal bands
Two functionally progressive bands
Technically, this is not really a sub genre specification, as it can be applied to any of the sub-genres(Progressive black metal, progressive power metal ect) as it's only defining characteristic is complex musicianship.However over time it has become it's own sub-genre. Odd-time signatures, introspective lyrics are almost the norm. Singers can be as varied as you can imagine, but 'typical' progressive metal tends to have clean singers with prolific vocal ranges.
This one overall is kind of tricky to nail down, it's something you get the ability to just hear and recognize over time.
Thrash Metal
------------------
Got it's start and arguably had it's heyday in the early 80's, though has experienced a revival of sorts since 2000.
Heavily influenced by hardcore punk.
Characterized my screaming fast beats, manic riffs and a singer to match.
Tends to focus on having fun with silly or tongue in cheek lyrics, however not all bands follow this trend.
Heavy Metal
==============
This one is a bit contested, though I do see it recognized enough as it's own area of musical sound and structure.(Though it IS cross polinated with other sounds very often.) Fairly straight forward music, with a falsetto screeching/faux operatic singer. Music tends to have more in common with hard rock and even blues than any of the more extreme examples listed above.
Whew!
I want to stress that these are not restrictions bands set out before making music so as to sound a certain way, but rather a collection of styles that have evolved naturally over time.
Personal view: In no way does anything need to try to ft in to an established sound.These are not limitations, just clarifications for styles of sound that are different from one another.
As I said, I know I missed some, like sludge, but I feel anything beyond this is too tertiary to try and explain. (I.e I don't know how to do so properly)
I would contest your decision to put Judas Priest in "Heavy Metal" since they have been added to the genre NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) since almost from the day the formed, along with bands like Iron Maiden, Saxon and Diamond Head.
Also Black Sabbath isn't exactly Doom Metal, however most Doom Metal bands certainly are influenced by them.
Take for instance songs like Trashed, Mob Rules and Neon Knights.
Here is a fairly long post I made once upon a time about the different sub-genres of heavy metal music.
I tried the best I was able, please forgive me for any thing I missed, glossed over, or perpetuated in the wrong light.
Metal music is....well, I'm not going to even try going there. To use a very cliche line, it's a lot of different things to different people.
Sometimes it is based on complex playing, complicated thick arrangements, and heavy throwbacks to old classical composers.
Sometimes as well it can be simple, straight forward, almost minimalistic, and straight out fun.
It can be happy, it can be sad. It can be angry and it can be introspective.
Simply, it's a lot like other music genres. Varied and as colorful as the folks who enjoy it.
Probably the easiest way is to show you what all the sub-genres sound like.
The examples I have provided are not 'set in stone-this is how every band in this sub-genre sounds like'. They are only approximations, but they should again, not be taken as the final say.
There is much contention on the sub-genres themselves between most metal listeners. For simplicity and sanity's sake, I'm only going to use the most popular and agreed upon ones.
One more note, I will try to the best of my ability to be as factual as one can on something like this, but somethings I just do not know.
Black Metal
----------------
Started in Norway in the 1980's I believe. From what I remember, it's whole reason for existing initially was for the members playing. It was never intended to be heard, recorded, sold, or commercialized in any way. This is, over enough time, precisely what has happened however.
Lyrics are often about satanism, hatred for religion, Christianity in particular. It's debated whether how much these lyrics are meant to be genuine, however a number of bands have admitted to using it as a shock tactic, or just to make interesting lyrical content. Other bands still though, namely ones from Scandinavia are in fact practicing Satanists and have generated much controversy for their actions as well as music.
Lyrics can just as easily revolve around pagan beliefs, nature, or introspection.
The music tends to have an intentionally bleak atmosphere that is complimented by the low recording fidelity.
There can be a heavy use of tremolo picking on the guitars, and drums are often simple blast beats, with a vocalist shrieking through it all.
Death Metal
-----------------
This style loves to embellish the heavy side of things and generally be as extreme as possible. Instrumentation can vary, but it's generally characterized by a heavy and thick guitar tone, chunky riffs, and a deep throated vocalist.
Lyrics centered on gory or death-related ideas initially, hence the name, but ideas and themes of varying sorts have been used over the years.
Death metal can be complex or simple, you see both quite often.
Doom Metal
------------------
This sub-genre focuses on simple, plodding, drawn out riffs and very basic drumming most of the time, with a vocalist who typically uses a cleaner singing style.
Repetition is used often to help build the atmosphere and suspense in a song, with tracks known to exceed the hour mark.
As far as atmosphere goes, the aim of this genre is in the name.
Doom.
Fear, impending dread, and typically depressive lyrics are the norm, but many bands also sing about nature, life, God, and occultism.
Power Metal
------------------
This sub-set of metal has a very heavy influence from classical composers, especially in guitar solos.
Typically a faster style of music, but can me mid paced, even slow as well.
Lyrics almost always revolve around some form of struggle and triumph, glory, victory and adventure.
Singers tend to be on the clean side, with a heavy emphasis on falsetto.
Longer songs tend to be prominent, but are not the rule.
Progressive Metal
-------------------------
Two 'typical' sounding prog metal bands
Two functionally progressive bands
Technically, this is not really a sub genre specification, as it can be applied to any of the sub-genres(Progressive black metal, progressive power metal ect) as it's only defining characteristic is complex musicianship.However over time it has become it's own sub-genre. Odd-time signatures, introspective lyrics are almost the norm. Singers can be as varied as you can imagine, but 'typical' progressive metal tends to have clean singers with prolific vocal ranges.
This one overall is kind of tricky to nail down, it's something you get the ability to just hear and recognize over time.
Thrash Metal
------------------
Got it's start and arguably had it's heyday in the early 80's, though has experienced a revival of sorts since 2000.
Heavily influenced by hardcore punk.
Characterized my screaming fast beats, manic riffs and a singer to match.
Tends to focus on having fun with silly or tongue in cheek lyrics, however not all bands follow this trend.
Heavy Metal
==============
This one is a bit contested, though I do see it recognized enough as it's own area of musical sound and structure.(Though it IS cross polinated with other sounds very often.) Fairly straight forward music, with a falsetto screeching/faux operatic singer. Music tends to have more in common with hard rock and even blues than any of the more extreme examples listed above.
Whew!
I want to stress that these are not restrictions bands set out before making music so as to sound a certain way, but rather a collection of styles that have evolved naturally over time.
Personal view: In no way does anything need to try to ft in to an established sound.These are not limitations, just clarifications for styles of sound that are different from one another.
As I said, I know I missed some, like sludge, but I feel anything beyond this is too tertiary to try and explain. (I.e I don't know how to do so properly)
I would contest your decision to put Judas Priest in "Heavy Metal" since they have been added to the genre NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) since almost from the day the formed, along with bands like Iron Maiden, Saxon and Diamond Head.
Indeed. This is one contention that pops up frequently that I've seen. That of if the music should categorized, it should be by the structure and style of the music and not a perceived vague qualifier. (New Wave of..., Viking metal, where it comes from, ect)
My personal response is this is such an intensely individual thing that I have no problem with it and totally respect it.
I will say though that all those bands could fit into other established sub-genres. Maiden - Heavy/power Saxon and Diamond Head both heavy as well.
Please please don't take this the wrong way. It's very early here and I'm quite tired and trying my best to be as non-confrontational about this as I can. : )
Edit: Also yes, Sabbath is certainly tricky, since their style changed a lot as they went on.
So addendum, they were a doom(more proto-doom probably) in their early days.
Edit 2: I should have put in there that those songs were just representing a particular sub-genere, not the whole of the bands work.
I feel ashamed.. I completely forgot about Chthonic and Septic Flesh. I *love* the use of the Erhu in the Chthonic songs.. it makes them so much more poignant. Septic Flesh are some pretty cool dudes.. I saw them live once and talked to them for quite a bit after they all signed my CD
I didn't know there was a new Dethalbum.. I need to get that and also the new Chthonic.. god I'm behind...
Edit: One of the bands you *have* to see live is Moonspell.. that show completely blew me away and they weren't even the main act. Seriously, Full Moon Madness played live is soo much better.. especially when the lead vocalist turns around and plays the drums from the outside at the same time as the drummer plays them and it sounds perfect
My answer is YES but I won't answer the poll, I want only a solid yes.
I listen to bands that play Heavier Metal, Power Metal, Folk Metal etc, I don't like labeling and making cathegories, if it's metal it is, with a different sound than the last band, either you like it or not.
Some bands I listen to are: Iron Maiden, Stratovarius, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, WASP, Sabaton etc etc
Pretty varying but I seldom listen to music with growling singing, if that is balck or death metal I don't know...
Except that this thread isn't excluding other people. It's asking "Do you listen to metal?" He gave an answer, and just because he said that he doesn't listen to metal shouldn't exclude him from the conversation. It's not asking for positive or constructive comments, it's asking the question "Do you listen to metal?"
Metal is and always will be my first and true music love. She got me through the tough times of high school and even those awkward few years afterwards. While I do try to listen to a variety of the subgenres I find myself being attracted more towards melody as I age. If I had to say what my favorite subgenre would be it would have to be post-metal or atmospheric sludge metal or whatever the hell you want to call it. Is it on Hydra Head Records? Yes? Then color me interested. I would not be an unhappy man if I was resigned to only listening to ISIS' or Neurosis' discography for the rest of my life, and so far 2013 has produced a couple of really good additions with Vertikial by Cult of Luna and Pelagial by The Ocean, with The Anaesthete by Rosetta coming out tomorrow.
I think I prefer this genre because it really tries to move away from some of the traditional conventions of the genre in ways that I prefer. I love zoning out to multi-layered tracks and long instrumentals, and I love how many of the bands share a common themes of science, exploration, and philosophy. ISIS' own frontman and Hydra Head Records label founder Aaron Turner dubbed it the "thinking man's metal" and while that may be a little pretentious, I do like how many of the bands are trying to expand upon the well treaded subject matter often found in metal lyrics. I mean ISIS' own 2004 album Panopticon was about a theoretical prison system that psychologically fucked with the minds of prisons through constant surveillance. Rosetta's 2005 debut The Galilean Satellites was about traversing through the moons of Jupiter and space travel in general. The Ocean released two albums in 2010 critiquing Christianity in ways beyond "Rarrrrrrrr antichrist I'm going to burn down your Church!"
I dunno, this genre just speaks to me, it's not about being kvlt or brutal or even shows any interest in fashion. I like the subject matter, I like the recording style, and I love the fusion of genres.
From the frostiest tops of the Black-Metal mountains to the blazing fields of the Speed-Metal demons, from the bloodstained pines of the folk-metal tribes to the stormy seas of the Viking Metalheads RIGHT up to Valhalla. FUCK YES I LISTEN TO METAL! \m/
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I won't out and out refer to him by a particular term, but I would advise other posters not to offer nourishment to certain mythological creatures known to dwell under bridges as no good can come of it. Also yes, I do listen to metal. As it so happens, I'm listening to some right now. I'd list examples but I'm feeling lazy, so I'll just go ahead and link you to a fairly recent thread I posted in [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.823603-Do-you-have-eclectic-taste-in-music#19948213] and you can get a handful of examples of what I'm into on there.
