Metal/Rock/Nu-Metal/Alternative appreciation thread

Sava · December 23, 2002, 01:18

I'd like people to list their favorite bands, current or all-time favorites, and explain what about that band or artist you like.

Disturbed - This is my current fave band. The lead guitarist is exceptionally talented. At first, I dismissed this band as another Korn/nu-metal clone. But after listening to the lyrics and instrumental play, I began to like this band a lot. "The Sickness" was a good album, but I like the follow-up "Believe" even more. The lead singer has much better control over his voice and the guitarist seems more precise in his riffs. The one complaint about the new album is that some of the songs contain very few lyrics and are repeated too often. This band is excellent when they start a song slow and then switch to a hard-core chorus. The chorus riffs are bad 4ss.

If your posts are going to be long, like this one, please restrict it to one band per post.

Sava · December 23, 2002, 01:23

Nirvana - Perhaps my all time favorite band. I'm not a member of the Kurt Cobain 4sslicking club, but I admit he was talented. Nevermind was my favorite album by far. Smells Like Teen Spirit got my to buy the album, but songs like Drain You, and Territorial Pissings, made Nirvana one of my all time faves. This band can play fast and hard. This band can play a slower ballad. But the lyrics are perhaps the most poetic and unique I've ever heard. Cobain, while not the most talented guitarist, played with raw emotion. Dave Grohl, I think, is one of the top-5 drummers of all time. And Chris Novoslec's (I know I spelled that wrong) bass complemented the band's sound perfectly. I wasn't a fan of the MTV unplugged stuff, though. It's a shame Kurt couldn't continue his career, because I'm sure he would have made a lot of great music, though I suspect he would have eventually gone solo.

Sava · December 23, 2002, 01:30

Drowning Pool - Yet another band that has lost its lead singer. This band had only moderate success before death claimed its talented singer. Drowning Pool is a great hard pure metal band. "Bodies" was the first song that caught my attention. The chorus is so catchy and just rocks. I heard a rumor that this band had completed a second album before their singer died. I hope its released because the first mainstream album was great. This band was great fast and slow. The vocals weren't simply screamed as their vocalist was very talented. The guitar and drum work is also very good... "Sermon" is perhaps my favorite song. Those of you that know my views on religion would certainly understand

. One of my favorite quotes is from the lyrics... "Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention... are you ready for the joke... are you ready for the great deception.... GOD! GOD! GOD!". What was surprising to learn about this band is that they're all very intelligent and well read. They remind me a lot of Rob Zombie. I hope that the surviving members find another talented singer and stay together. This group is talented enough to do so.

Sava · December 23, 2002, 01:38

Rage Against the Machine - Perhaps one of my favorite bands from the mid to late 90's. Their political charged songs corresponded with their music beautifully. I'm definitely sorry to know that they broke up. Rumor has it that it was because lead singer Zack De LaRocha wanted to head in a different direction creatively than the rest of the band. The other members stayed together and hired former Soundgarden vocalist, Chris Kornell, and created a new band, AudioSlave (which sucks). My favorite album, by far, is their first self-titled mainstream release. This band attacks the most basic abuses of government with its leftist lyrics. "Bullet in the Head" and "Know Your Enemy" are perhaps my two favorite Rage songs. Regardless if you agree with their politics, Rage is still one of the best bands. They are musically very talented, and De LaRocha's intense vocals, this band released a ton of great music in its time. I'm waiting to hear if Zach plans on doing anything solo, but I doubt it will rival anything this group did while together. This band is the ultimate voice for the disenfranchised, angry youth of America.

Asher · December 23, 2002, 01:41

Quote:

they're all very intelligent

How did the lead singer of Downing Pool die again...

Was it on the floor in his bus choking on his own vomit?

Apocalypse · December 23, 2002, 01:46

Third Eye Blind new album now entitled "Out of the Vein" got moved back to March 4.

Their new songs kick ass too.
Crystal Baller
Palm Reader

Asher · December 23, 2002, 01:53

I haven't been too impressed by the new 3EB songs. And seeing Stephan Jenkins on cribs and the enormous size of his ego, and seeing all of the stupid things he's said about Rob Thomas, I'm going to probably just pass on the new album. I've got their first album and Blue though.

Apocalypse · December 23, 2002, 01:57

Quote:

Originally posted by Asher
I haven't been too impressed by the new 3EB songs. And seeing Stephan Jenkins on cribs and the enormous size of his ego, and seeing all of the stupid things he's said about Rob Thomas, I'm going to probably just pass on the new album. I've got their first album and Blue though.

He doesn't have that large of an ego. As you saw on Cribs, he didn't really have a big living area. He is dating Vanessa Carlton too, not someone you'd really brag about dating. He wasn't egotistic at all on Howard Stern the other day too.

And I'm sorry, but Rob Thomas is a poser. Matchbox Twenty (changed from 20 to seem more important) is going downhill. I (along with many other people) would take Real World, Push, and 3am over any of the stuff anyday.

Asher · December 23, 2002, 02:01

Apoc, maybe if Mad Season didn't outsell Blue 5-to-1 I'd believe the downhill comment.

I also don't get the poser comment -- what exactly is he posing as?

Last time I checked it was Stephan Jenkins doing stuff with Andrew W.K., Limp Bizkit, and Run DMC.

monkspider · December 23, 2002, 02:06

The only good Matchbox 20 song ever was that "Long Day" tune they had so many years ago. Now they are old-people, bland rock, IMHO.

Apocalypse · December 23, 2002, 02:07

Downhill as in only their old stuff is played on rock stations. Their new stuff is only played on adult comtempory and Top 40 stations. Furthermore, when my local adult station references Matchbox they always play either 3am or Real World.

Thomas is a poser because of that **** he started pulling in bent.

Andrew W.K. and Run DMC aren't posers. And it is only Durst that Stephan has been associated with. Furthermore, I dare you to argue JT Leroy is a poser.

ixnay · December 23, 2002, 02:08

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They kick so much ass.

Asher · December 23, 2002, 02:10

Quote:

Originally posted by Apocalypse
Downhill as in only their old stuff is played on rock stations.

I have no idea what you're talking about.

Disease and Feel are both getting tons of airplay on the local rock station where I live...

It's true that Mad Season had many songs that did very well on the Adult Contemporary charts, but perhaps you should actually listen to More Than You Think You Are (the latest, couple weeks old now) before you think that Mad Season is the direction they're heading in...

Quote:

Thomas is a poser because of that **** he started pulling in bent.

Huh? The what he started pulling in bent? Does this make sense?

Little history for you:
"Third Eye Blind" - 6x platinum
"Blue" - 1x platinum

"Yourself or Someone Like You" - 12x platinum
"Mad Season" - 4x platinum
"More Than You Think You Are": 1x platinum after just 3 weeks

Stephan Jenkins Grammies: 0
Rob Thomas Grammies: 3

Now if you wanna continue discussing this, hit me up on AIM

monkspider · December 23, 2002, 02:15

Come on Asher, those kinds of accolades don't equal good music, in fact I would say they have a rather inverse effect. Brittany and Mariah and Eminem have sold several millions of copies and won some grammies too. Are they better than *insert random talented band here*

Asher · December 23, 2002, 02:18

No, but it certainly refutes the downhill argument if they retain their fans a lot better than another band, no?

Rolling Stone claims their latest album is their best, for what it's worth.

monkspider · December 23, 2002, 02:22

Not necessarily, but it would probably would in most cases. If not, it would indicate that they are attracting a larger audience, though not necessarily their old, hardcore fans.

Apocalypse · December 23, 2002, 02:26

The platinum numbers are still going down though.

Asher · December 23, 2002, 02:31

That's always the case when you have an explosive debut album.

By the time the 2nd and 3rd albums roll around some people don't think the band is "fresh" enough anymore and go on to something else.

So far the 3rd album is selling faster than the 2nd though, so you never know...

Sava · December 23, 2002, 02:32

I wouldn't equate one's problems with substance abuse with one's intelligence Asher... sigh...

ixnay · December 23, 2002, 02:35

Good lord.

Who cares what the sales figures are? Why does it matter how many people like "your" band? As long as they're making music that you can enjoy and appreciate, isn't that all that matters?

Sava · December 23, 2002, 02:37

Unfortunately, some equate musical talent with sales and money. As is not the case in reality.

Dis · December 23, 2002, 03:31

I want to use this thread to say how cool the following 2 bands are.

Tool. badass. 'nuff said

System of a Down. A great new (well they aren't that new anymore) band.

Dis · December 23, 2002, 04:28

And Grammies are worthless too.

Need I remind people that Jethro Tull beat out Metallica for best metal album?

Ramo · December 23, 2002, 04:44

Quote:

Nevermind was my favorite album by far.

Bah, Bleach was so much better. Nevermind was popified Nirvana. Damn good pop, but still pop. Bleach was more in-line with the actual grunge scene before Pearl Jam et al. bastardized it. Like the Melvins.

Ramo · December 23, 2002, 04:49

Quote:

I want to use this thread to say how cool the following 2 bands are.

Tool. badass. 'nuff said

System of a Down. A great new (well they aren't that new anymore) band.

I'd also like to plug Queens of the Stone Age and Type O Negative as far as recent alternative bands go.

Skanky Burns · December 23, 2002, 07:51

Quote:

Originally posted by ixnay
Good lord.

Who cares what the sales figures are? Why does it matter how many people like "your" band? As long as they're making music that you can enjoy and appreciate, isn't that all that matters?

Well, its important that they make at least enough money to keep them fed, so they will be able to produce more songs.

I recommend Rammstein for good heavy-metal.
For heavy rock, my new favourite is Mayhem of Oz. Listening to them at the moment.

Bas · December 23, 2002, 12:31

I agree with SOAD, Tool, Nirvana, Rammstein and QOTSA. Anyone who likes QOTSA should check out Kyuss as well, fantastic stoner rock but without the extreme repetitiveness of some stoner rock bands. I suggest "Welcome to Sky Valley" for a first listen.

And I have to disagree with Ramo: Pearl Jam is an excellent band, although they're certainly more accessible than early noise-mongerers like the Melvins, Green River and to a lesser extent (early) Soundgarden and Mudhoney. Even though they've written a lot of fairly poppy songs, they've also done some of the greatest rock songs of the 90's (Go, RVM, Last Exit, Insignifance, Grievance, Brain of J), and although I admit that they're more accessible than most of the early grunge songs, that doesn't make them any worse.

In a similar vein, Alice in Chains should be mentioned. Slow, depressive, Sabbath-style grunge metal, often copied in the late 90's but never equaled (Staind, Nickelback, etcetera).

My last suggestion for now is Therapy?, an Irish punk-metal band that is probably a bit inconsistent, but also very diverse. Punk, hardcore, noise, pop, Gothic ballads, metal, they've done it all, and usually, with great results. Especially their first three albums (Caucasian Psychosis (their first 2 EPs), Nurse and Troublegum) and Semi-Detached are great, even though the style they employ can be radically different on each album. From the Big Black-inspired noise and blind aggression of the first album, the at times even poppy (not a bad thing in this case) punk-metal of Troublegum to the mostly slow gothic balladry on Infernal Love, they're always at least enjoyable and often far more than that (except for some **** songs on Infernal Love, written during the period when they were admittedly with their heads up their asses).

Sava · December 23, 2002, 14:41

Bleach was good, but Nevermind had the advantage of being mixed and recorded with the highest quality. Nirvana's sound on Nevermind is what I like. I used to listen to a lot of local punk when I went through the whole "I hate popified music" phase. But since I don't watch MTV or listen to the radio, I simply judge music objectively. I don't care much for the philosophy behind being anti-popification. I listen and I judge. If I like it, I like it, regardless of what anti-poppers say.

Case in point... I liked Green Day's "DOokie" better than "Kerplunk" and their other pre-pop stuff.

Footie Mad · December 23, 2002, 14:48

Amon Amarth are really good, great sound, don't take the lyrics seriously tho.

Immortal Wombat · December 23, 2002, 15:00

Rhapsody