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Posted

my old man introduced me to hard rock and metal, and through my very early teens it was a big part of my musical taste, which has now been bombarded with sheer eclecticism

 

thing is, yeah, it may sound good. but this genre isn't exactly profound or insightful. i don't understand the emotion or message behind it all. power metal is the worse, bloke's who're obsessed with tolkien. all that nu-metal, well fuck it, no one likes that shit here, surely? but even stuff like megadeth and metallica, yeah they're good bands, but i just don't understand WHY they're making music. is it just making music for the sake of it?

 

maybe it's because i hate these metalheads. you know, any variation of it now presently. all this "grindcore" and shit they listen to now. any variation of hard rock, or metal... i am failing to see a point behind it all.

 

so please - anyone care to enlighten me and tell me what it's all about? give me a perspective or opinion here. or is it really just a fantasy-fuelled genre, driven by middle aged white men with long hair and beards, head banging away to heavy riffs and power chords, singing about dragons, death, and rotting flesh?

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Posted

Yeah, I used to be more into metal, but I feel the same way about it. I get the feeling most metal bands are into it for the music (not the words), and just add a singer and write lyrics because it's kind of hard to sell (or stand out in the crowd) with an instrumental metal (though some try). It's generally good if you're in a specific mood, but I haven't been in that mood very often since early in college. As for nu-metal, I used to really like (and still kinda do) System of a Down, while their first three were really fun and interesting, their last two were neither.

Sugar, from SOAD's first album.

I also like SCIENCE by Incubus, which is kinda like Nu-metal.

A Certain Shade of Green off Incubus' SCIENCE

But I never really liked any of the other acts. But yeah, not really into any metal very much these days.

Posted

I love metal and i listen to it a lot, mainly:

zakk wylde

down

metallica

megadeth

black sabbath

pantera

ozzy (which really is randy rhoads and later zakk wylde)

 

but i would'nt consider myself a metaller as i also love classic rock, blues, classical, folk, country(johnny cash), rap(dre) and good techno(which is very hard to find).

 

but back to what you asked

thing is, yeah, it may sound good. but

but? why is there a but? is that not enough? have you never been captured by music alone?

have you never felt moved by the music you were listening to?

 

I get the feeling most metal bands are into it for the music (not the words),

no shit sherlock, surely to god you don't buy a new metallica album expecting masters of war or riders on the storm?

 

and just add a singer and write lyrics because it's kind of hard to sell (or stand out in the crowd) with an instrumental metal (though some try).

they add a singer as another instrument. robert plant anyone?

 

jesus so what ye're saying is if there is'nt some deep emotion in the lyrics of the song it's not as good.

 

well then

people and bands that are just "meh":

Jimi Hendrix

Led Zeppelin

Cream

Muddy Waters

John Lee Hooker

 

christ i could go on.

look metal and classic rock and blues for that matter are all about the music.

it all depends what mood you're in, if you want fantastic musicianship you listen to hendrix or metallica,

if you want great lyrics you listen to dylan or tom waits.

end of story

Posted

Was a pure metalhead until about 2 or 3 years ago i started listening to dance as well. Recently got into mainstream pop and RnB as well some good rap. Now i listen to everything from Timbaland to Korn. Right now i like at least a couple of acts from every major genre but i still have a soft spot for metal most definitely.

Posted (edited)

i'm moved by music as an art form, as a form of expression. whether it be aurally or orally motivated music, if i can feel the artistic creativity, and emotion behind it, yeah, it moves me. same goes with film and literature. even something completely obscure and avant-garde, the likes of noise rock, i enjoy and appreciate for that reason alone. it's experimental, it's against the grain.

 

personally, metal bands such as:

zakk wylde

down

metallica

megadeth

black sabbath

pantera

ozzy

don't do anything for me. every chord, every note, and every thing played including the vocals are all meaningless. plus it's all corny as hell. it's about the fuckin' boogie man or something. who the hell does zakk wylde think he is for christ's sake? some kinda biker musician? some kinda artist? just some big bloke with a beard, acting tough, shredding away on guitar for some reason that's unknown to us all.

 

you also mentioned stuff like zeppelin and hendrix, of which i like. why? because they made insightful music, hence all their followers and the genre they helped create. their music was freewheeling, it was tense, fiery, dramatic, swaggering, visceral.. they were artists, because their music was full of emotion and expression.

 

these metal faggot bands are just ascribing to this pathetic clichéd "metalhead" persona, nothing more than an act. compared with the likes of gangsta rap, at least rappers are expressing themselves lyrically through things that have actually happened in their life, as opposed to these faggots who believe those geeky nights of playing dungeons and dragons, video games, and other forms of fantasy is a reason to make music

Edited by Lorelei
Posted
You ever listen to Frank Zappa, R2S? His avant garde stuff...easy listening it ain't.

i know man, some avant garde is totally inaccessible. haven't got round to listening to Zappa yet, been on my list for a while though.

 

i can't handle a lot of avant garde (john coltrane's ascension)... i know zappa's covered quite a lot of subgenres. comedy rock, jazz-rock, computerised, and proto-punk.. so there's a lot i've got to get around to. obviously heard the classic 'we're only in it for the money' album though

Posted (edited)

That album's a trip. Zappa really doesn't like hippies, does. Download and listen to Brown Shows Don't Make It (song) then try his relatively mainstream albums (Apostrophe, Over-Nite Sensation, Sheik Yebouti, Joe Garage Parts 1-3, Weasels Ripped My Flesh).

Edited by Reverend Jax
Posted

I'd say metal is what i'd listen to most these days, bands like Exodus, Creator, Iced Earth, Napalm Death are all absolutely fantastic, out and out thrash metal, its a real testament to how good music can be, and its absolute bullshit to people that say metal is in decline, i'd honestly put my hand on my heart and say that the last 2 exodus albums are better than anything they came out with in the 80's... By miles..

 

Motorhead too are still producing some fucking amazing music, which i'd go as far as to say, is better than most of the "killed by death"esque stuff they did back in the day...

 

Metal as a genre is quite possibly one of the most expansive genre's one could imagine, there's so much that can be done with it, and my particular favorites are thrash metal and industrial metal, rob zombie and the likes....

 

If you're in a bad mood, its the musical equiveland of blowing off a hell of a lot of steam, it can uplift you too.

 

i love metal.. simple as

Posted

all right DoJ, here's the deal. Post lyrics, from a metal song, from a band we'd all actually know, that connote to something other than fantasy or sci-fi, and can be held on the same level as a lyrical/vocal genre

 

i don't see how something so meaningless, in this case, music for the sake of it, such as the aforementioned rob zombie, can uplift you.. how can a corny (almost parody?) horror lyrics inspire you artistically?

 

what's motorhead all about then? what message do they give the listener? they're not even exactly musically talented when compared with other genres of music. for me, the lyrics/message is weak, the image is pathetic, and the music itself is inferior to other forms of musically-concentrated bands/genres.

 

so would you consider yourself a die-hard "metalhead" trying to defend your most loved genre, as i exploit everything it stands for, which is fuck all anyway

Posted (edited)

i've said before, i dont particularly care about lyrics, its the music i love.

 

i'm not a die hard metalhead, nor am i a metalhead at all... im just a lover of the music, exploit all you want man, at the end of the day, its just opinion, and you seem to be just doing this to prove a point to yourself, either way... I'm not unduly bothered..

 

But if its lyrics you want, look at megadeth, politics galore, metallica, namely nothing else matters, a song of lyrical beauty, as with one and the unforgiven...

 

Power metal is all aobut the sci fi and dragons bullshit, which i myself dislike a lot...

Edited by the division of joy
Posted

ugh, very much not my thing. nowadays i seem to only meet south american kids with long hair that still dig it.

had an ex/old friend into Pantera, Cannibal Corspe and the like...listening to that shit felt more like a test of endurance than music. the lyrics to the later'd be quite offenseive if you actually understood a word.

 

Junker swears by the guitar skilsl the genre offers, so im glad someone appreciates that.

Posted
ugh, very much not my thing. nowadays i seem to only meet south american kids with long hair that still dig it.

had an ex/old friend into Pantera, Cannibal Corspe and the like...listening to that shit felt more like a test of endurance than music. the lyrics to the later'd be quite offenseive if you actually understood a word.

 

Junker swears by the guitar skilsl the genre offers, so im glad someone appreciates that.

 

The guitar work in some of the songs is utterly mindblowing, another reason why i love it, while panteras lyrical smoothness may be comparible to running your face along sand paper, their music itself is really good and well constructed. Lately, i'm finding myself more into thrash metal and industrial stuff, both fairly contrasting, but both, in my opinion, really really good and very rewarding to listen to, not to mention, energetic and uplifting. Some of the lyrics can be awful, as with all music, but some of them i find are really awesome, exodus for example have some great lyrics...

 

I will agree however, that cannibal corpse are utter shite... Speed core metal just sounds like someone grunting into a microphone while you have someone on the guitar having an eppileptic fit

  • 5 weeks later...
Posted (edited)

for me i have never heard a metal song with anything even closely related to what i'd call a lyric.

sorry doj but personally i think megadeth have some of the worst lyrics i've ever heard (pure cheese).

 

but, there are a lot of genre's with fantastic music and crap or unimportant lyrics:

Blues

Classic Rock

Classical/Opera

and Metal

 

these genre's are about the feel, mood and musicianship, not about lyrics.

you don't need lyrics in these genre's, coincidentally that's why you don't get much quality.

as i said before in an earlier post, the voice is also used as a musical instrument.

 

just because these genre's don't have good lyrics does'nt mean that they are inferior to say tom waits, dylan.

the above genres are supposed to move you with the music, dylan and co with lyrics

(by the way i'm not suggesting the music of dylan and waits is'nt good, just that you listen moreso for the lyrics)

 

oh and r2s you keep going on about metal and the whole sci fi/fantasy thing.

well zeppelin had three songs about lord of the rings alone. does that make them pointless?

Edited by alive she cried
Posted

I can understand people not liking megadeth, be it the lyrics or his voice, i respect that, at least you're not making a big farcical song and dance about the whole thing, i do like a whole lotta other metal.

 

As for metal being my musical drug of choice, its far from it, to call me a metalhead these days, isn't true, im just a music whore, i like a bit of everything... But metal will have a place in my heart, a very very big one...

  • 1 year later...
Posted
all right DoJ, here's the deal. Post lyrics, from a metal song, from a band we'd all actually know,

 

Why the fuck does it matter if we'd "all know" it or not? Just cause your clearly close minded world hasn't come across some metal band somehow devalues their lyrics? If you're gonna talk shit about a genre and demand we post meaninful lyrics from that genre, you can't then turn around and be a douche and demand that we only post lyrics from the "big name" bands. As for your bitching about Motorhead's lyrics not "standing for" anything, actually, a great many of their songs are statements against warfare, against organized religion(particularly, those who try to force their religion on others), they've even done a song decrying child abuse so tell me, have you even HEARD any Motorhead beyond Ace of Spades?

 

It always amazes me when people who don't know shit about a genre then go on to talk shit about it. You want to find metal lyrics that are meaningful, then turn around and make sure people can't post meaningful lyrics from metal bands that may NOT be big and mainstream? Sounds to me like you're just a tool who can't stand the idea that he might be wrong, so you'll rant and rave, but in the end, you aren't even WILLING to look at the possibility you might be wrong. Explain to me why Skyclad's lyrics(which are often both meaingful AND humorous) don't matter cause you haven't heard of them? Explain to me why the lyrics of Savatage, who are a metal band, somehow don't count as examples of "meaningful" metal lyrics because you might not be familiar with them? Your entire post here shows clear as day that you don't REALLY want to find anything, you simply posted it to be a dick and try to show up anyone who likes metal simply because you do not. And if someone comes along and presents a compelling arguement that proves you wrong, well, you can just pretend it doesn't exist because you've never heard of the band in question? How very sad. At least you're honest though, most people in these sort of discussions at least PRETEND they're willing to listen to the opposing side.

 

Hell, it saddens me that even the people here who actually seem to KNOW metal somewhat are so quick to dismiss genre's lyrics. Sure, a lot of power metal is about sci-fi/fantasy shit(I'm not sure why this matters to begin with, but hey), but a LOT of power metal bands have lyrics about actual history, about battles and events I suspect 90% of this board has never even HEARD of, or about stuff that's NOT "dragons and elves" or what have you. For example, Sabaton's 40:1, which is about the Battle of Wizna in WW2, where 700 Polish soldiers held off 40000 Germans for 3 days. Or Falconer's Home of the Knave, which while somewhat dressed in "fantasy" lyrics, was actually an attack on the policies of the Bush administration.

Posted

<blink> What's wrong with fantasy lyrics? Sure, elves and fairies are silly and maybe a little dull but there are other types of lyrics that aren't half bad and aren't exactly straight forward. Let's quote some Metallica cause who won't recognize them. Off the bat, two songs come to mind that have a good resonating message but rather 'high brow' lyrics: Hero of the Day and Until It Sleeps. Personally, I'd rather metaphors and fantasy than nonsense mish mash.

 

And metal, like every other genre, has it's share of bands with crap lyrics. How about alternative? I can name ten bands off the top of my head with ridiculous pointless lyrics that sound as if they were randomly flipping through the dictionary. Pop and Hip Hop don't seem to suffer from this ailment, but I think that's due more to the fact that these are genres meant for mass consumption.

 

Point being, metal is no better or worse than any other rock genre. You have good music with intelligent lyrics that is often under the radar and watered down crud with good music but horrid lyrics that is often played endlessly on the radio. That's the way these things work. Don't knock a whole genre because of it.

 

Not to mention, I agree with ASC to an extent. Personally, I prefer music and lyrics to be equally as good. However, there is no denying that music moves no matter what's being sung and sometimes you can't help but love a song in spite of this.

Posted

"Let's quote some Metallica cause who won't recognize them. Off the bat, two songs come to mind that have a good resonating message but rather 'high brow' lyrics: Hero of the Day and Until It Sleeps. Personally, I'd rather metaphors and fantasy than nonsense mish mash."

 

I would have gone Disposable Heroes myself, heh.

 

"And metal, like every other genre, has it's share of bands with crap lyrics. How about alternative? I can name ten bands off the top of my head with ridiculous pointless lyrics that sound as if they were randomly flipping through the dictionary. Pop and Hip Hop don't seem to suffer from this ailment, but I think that's due more to the fact that these are genres meant for mass consumption."

 

Yeah, all genres have their share of crap lyrics. I don't think "crank dat Soulja Boi" or "it's gettin hot in here, so take off all your clothes" are gonna be winning any lyrical awards anytime soon, either. Yet I'm not gonna write off all rap/hip-hop lyrics just cause some of it is shit.

 

"Not to mention, I agree with ASC to an extent. Personally, I prefer music and lyrics to be equally as good. However, there is no denying that music moves no matter what's being sung and sometimes you can't help but love a song in spite of this."

 

Yep. Bad lyrics can't make a good band bad, but good lyrics can make a good band better.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
True, that's why i'd have the doors above zeppelin or hendrix. just above

 

I'd take Zeppelin over both the other two, even if they were singing about doing laundry and watching soap operas.

Posted

Darklyrics.com

 

Go have a field day....but really if you're looking to your metal bands to provide you with some outstanding lyrical poetry then you missed something along the way. I personally hate when a band takes up some bullshit cause and writes all their songs about it. Earth Crisis comes to mind but they had shitty music anyways. Do you all just only read non-fiction books or something? The music is what makes metal. The vocalist is just there as another instrument. I listen to the more "extreme" sub-genres and I couldn't tell you what 1/10th the words to the songs are. Hell a lot of them aren't even in English. So get over this little 14-year old girl obession about being able to identify with the singer and actually appreciate the music for the quality of the sound and not what the people stand for. If you want that there are a billion souless pop-rock albums out there you can identify with to your hearts content. And also don't listen to metal if you don't want hard, heavy, fast music. I know that would seem like a "duh" statement but somehow shit like Slipknot and Lacuna Coil get thrown into the metal category cause they have a few songs where they used distortion. OMG!

 

Part of metal, for me at least, IS the fantastical lyrics and the songs of eating fetuses or killing in the name of Wotan. But there is profundity in metal, you have to look but it is there. And no I am not going to attempt to read your mind and tell you where to find it, cause one man's trash is another man's treasure. Go look at the site I posted above. If you care that much you WILL find what you are looking for...and I doubt it will be profound to me.

 

Oh and Megadeth IS NOT metal! :FHD:

Posted (edited)
but? why is there a but? is that not enough? have you never been captured by music alone?

have you never felt moved by the music you were listening to?

 

no shit sherlock, surely to god you don't buy a new metallica album expecting masters of war or riders on the storm?

 

they add a singer as another instrument. robert plant anyone?

 

jesus so what ye're saying is if there is'nt some deep emotion in the lyrics of the song it's not as good.

 

look metal and classic rock and blues for that matter are all about the music.

it all depends what mood you're in, if you want fantastic musicianship you listen to hendrix or metallica,

 

Darklyrics.com

 

Go have a field day....but really if you're looking to your metal bands to provide you with some outstanding lyrical poetry then you missed something along the way.

 

The music is what makes metal. The vocalist is just there as another instrument.

Are...are you me?

Oh and Megadeth IS NOT metal! :2T:

Oh wait, no :2T:

 

p.s. :FHD:

Edited by alive she cried

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