Just the term "sludge metal" will pretty much tell you what you need to know about its sound. Sludge metal, sometimes simply referred to as sludge, combines the slow tempos and dark, depressive atmosphere of doom metal with the harsh aggression of hardcore punk. As a result, it hits a sweet spot at mid-tempos, trudging along like a punk song hindered by a thick muck. It's visceral, raw, dirty, and often controversial: this is sludge metal.
Sludge metal saw its beginnings from one of hardcore punk's key artists Black Flag. The release of its 1984 album My War saw the band shift from their trademark hardcore sound to something slower, more calculated, and more sinister. This signaled the beginnings of the sludge sound. For the remainder of the 1980s, bands began to pick up on this sound. Bands like Melvins, Gore, YDI, and Godflesh all took major influence from this style, and implemented the thick, muddled guitars and doom influence into their subsequent albums.
Recommended '80s sludge metal listening:
1. Black Flag - My War (1984)
2. YDI - Black Dust (1985)
3. Gore - Mean Man's Dream (1987)
4. Melvins - Gluey Porch Treatments (1987)
5. Godflesh - Streetcleaner (1989)
Once the sludge sound had solidified itself in metal and punk circles, it witnessed a small boom in the 1990s. Most of the genre's biggest names reached their peaks in this decade, with fantastic releases from bands such as Acid Bath, Eyehategod, Grief, Fudge Tunnel, Buzzov•en, Noothgrush, Crowbar, Iron Monkey, Dystopia, Corrupted, Corrosion of Conformity, and Neurosis dominating the scene. Melvins and Godflesh continued strong in the genre as well, releasing continuously fantastic albums, and even getting other bands in similar scenes, such as industrial metal bands like Ministry, involved as well.
Recommended '90s sludge metal listening:
1. Corrosion of Conformity - Blind (1991)
2. Crowbar - Crowbar (1993)
3. Eyehategod - Take as Needed for Pain (1993)
4. Melvins - Houdini (1993)
5. Acid Bath - When the Kite String Pops (1994)
The main subgenre of sludge metal is an offshoot called atmospheric sludge metal. By adding loud-soft dynamics and reverb-laden textures to the sludge metal formula (stylistically similar to that of post-metal), atmosludge creates a crushingly heavy sound. Early bands like Neurosis were the first to implement this style in the mid- to late-1990s, but were quickly followed in the early 2000s by bands such as Isis, Cult of Luna, Old Man Gloom, and Dirge. Since then, atmosludge and post-metal have both garnered massively progressive reputations within the metal realm, leading to leagues of incredible releases from later bands such as Minsk, Rosetta, Pelican, Amenra, The Ocean, and Holy Fawn.
Recommended atmospheric sludge metal listening:
1. Neurosis - Through Silver in Blood (1996)
2. Isis - Panopticon (2004)
3. Rosetta - The Galilean Satellites (2005)
4. Cult of Luna - Somewhere Along the Highway (2006)
5. The Ocean - Precambrian (2007)
In the 2000s, atmosludge was the primary incorporation of sludge metal. Isis and Cult of Luna loomed as quite a force to be reckoned with, but there were other significant sludgers coming onto the scene; the most notorious of which was Mastodon. Though now one of the most prominent forces in progressive metal, Mastodon were once just as formidable as a sludge metal act. Following in a similar "progressive sludge" vein were bands like Intronaut, Baroness, and the previously mentioned The Ocean. Also new to the scene were High on Fire, Ufomammut, YOB, and Kylesa.
One of the common factors that often mixes up newcomers to the genre is the distinction between sludge metal and stoner metal. Though the styles are fundamentally very different, there is a fairly constant overlap between the two. Bands like Corrosion of Conformity, Kylesa, High on Fire, the Melvins, and Boris often take major influence from both sides of the spectrum, resulting in a slow, doomy, often-swung style of crossover metal. Stoner metal bands like Down, Electric Wizard, and Sleep often take influence from sludge metal from the other direction too, though remain firmly rooted in the stoner genre over sludge.
Recommended '00s sludge metal listening:
1. Boris - Heavy Rocks (2002)
2. Mastodon - Leviathan (2004)
3. High on Fire - Blessed Black Wings (2005)
4. Baroness - Red Album (2007)
5. Ufomammut - Idolum (2008)
In the 2010s, sludge metal finds itself in the same throne it has always been in; continuing to dominate artistic metal circles with subtle and gradual innovations. Atmosludge still maintains incredible output with bands like Blindead, Ulcerate, Year of No Light, Sólstafir, and Oathbreaker. True sludge metal is being held up by bands such as Thou, Bongripper, Corrupted, Hell, and Cult Leader (born from the ashes of Gaza). A new trend in modern sludge metal is the increased influence from other contemporary metal developments such as blackgaze or mathcore, both known for boasting dense and inaccessible sounds.
Recommended '10s sludge metal listening:
1. Bongripper - Satan Worshipping Doom (2010)
2. Blindead - Affliction XXIX II MXMVI (2010)
3. Sólstafir - Svartir Sandar (2011)
4. Thou - Heathen (2014)
5. Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas - Mariner (2016)
Continuously pushing for innovation without losing touch with roots is a goal that most musical genres aim for but very rarely capture. Sludge metal is one of those few that does this effortlessly. Sludge is unforgivingly heavy and thick, and owns this quality to its fullest possible extent. This is why the genre continues to draw in new fans, new bands, and new groundbreaking progressions: a simple but effective core element. No over-complication, no over-compensation, just pure sludge. And that's the way we like it.
Note: Hey everyone! This will be my last week before going to study away in the desert of New Mexico for the semester. I will do my absolute best to continue writing and releasing these on some sort of schedule, but it may not be every Friday considering the indefinite nature of my internet access. I'll be doing the same amount of advertising I usually do with subsequent updates, but likely on less of an established schedule. Thanks for reading, as always!
Friday, August 23, 2019
Friday, August 16, 2019
Alternative Metal
Alternative metal, put simply, is a collaborative effort between metal and non-metal styles. There is no one particular alternative metal sound, but rather an amalgam of outside influences being thrown into the metal melting pot. Though, to some, today it seems as though alternative metal has now become synonymous with "pop metal," it is undeniable that the genre stems from somewhere original, creative, and groundbreaking.
Alternative metal is one of those rare types of music that actually began with one of its subgenres. In this case, it first arrived in the form of rap metal. Judging by the name, the concept is not difficult to comprehend: metal music with rapped vocals. It first found its footing with the well-known thrash metal band Anthrax and their collaboration with the legendary political hip hop group Public Enemy on the track "I'm the Man." Anthrax wore their influence from early rap rock groups like Beastie Boys on their sleeve, and from that point on, rap metal was born. Bands like Lone Rager, Biohazard, Faith No More, Body Count, Stuck Mojo, Senser, and the kings of the style Rage Against the Machine followed suit. The genre has since mostly fallen off, though seems to be coming back with bands such as Fever 333.
Recommended rap metal listening:
1. Body Count - Body Count (1992)
2. Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine (1992)
3. Biohazard - Urban Discipline (1992)
4. Senser - Stacked Up (1996)
5. Stuck Mojo - Pigwalk (1996)
Alongside rap metal's inception, standard alternative metal took root in the mid-1980s. Heavier alternative rock bands like Jane's Addiction and hardcore punk legends Bad Brains were some of the first to introduce metal aspects to non-metal sounds. Other bands like The Big F and Last Crack did the same. However it wasn't until the early 1990s when the sound really took off, with bands like Helmet, Warrior Soul, Life of Agony, Therapy? and Rollins Band taking the reigns on the early wave. Established metal bands like White Zombie, Prong, Sepultura, and Melvins also began to show influences of alternative metal.
Recommended first wave alternative metal listening:
1. Bad Brains - I Against I (1986)
2. Warrior Soul - Last Decade Dead Century (1990)
3. Helmet - Meantime (1992)
4. Life of Agony - River Runs Red (1993)
5. Therapy? - Troublegum (1994)
Though not an established style of metal per se, grunge was a hugely popular yet short-lived offshoot of alternative rock that erupted in the early to mid-1990s. Despite bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam being much more closely related to punk and alternative music than metal, others like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden were massively important driving forces in early alternative metal. The genre combined elements from all over the musical underground, congealing into one single depressive, angsty flannel shirt covering the entirety of Seattle, Washington for the better half of a decade. Then Kurt Cobain of Nirvana passed away and post-grunge happened. We don't talk about that, though.
Recommended grunge listening:
1. Mother Love Bone - Apple (1990)
2. Pearl Jam - Ten (1991)
3. Nirvana - Nevermind (1991)
4. Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger (1991)
5. Alice in Chains - Dirt (1992)
Another alternative metal trend of the 1980s that caught on a bit more than rap metal was funk metal. Being very rhythmic in nature, funk metal revolves around the core values of metal and punk, but plays in the context of funk. As a result, this unlikely combination of styles produced a wealth of creative output in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Such bands to take on this niche sound were Faith No More, Primus, Fishbone, 24-7 Spyz, Infectious Grooves, Praxis, mid-career Extreme, Living Colour, and sometimes even funk rock bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers and 311 would dabble in funk metal territory.
Recommended funk metal listening:
1. Living Colour - Vivid (1988)
2. Faith No More - The Real Thing (1989)
3. Primus - Frizzle Fry (1990)
4. Fishbone - The Reality of My Surroundings (1991)
5. Extreme - III Sides to Every Story (1992)
As the latter half of the 1990s drove on, alternative metal finally began to create a unified shape. Though influences still poured in left and right, there was a general thick, ebbing and flowing atmosphere to most of the alternative metal bands at the time. Focusing heavily on experimentation within alternative metal blueprint, bands started incorporating ideas from progressive metal, shoegaze and dream pop, gothic rock, post-industrial music, and all forms of experimental music to carve their own unique niches in the genre. Such bands included Deftones, Tool, Marilyn Manson, System of a Down, Dir en Grey, Mr. Bungle, Katatonia, and many others.
Recommended second wave alternative metal listening:
1. Faith No More - Angel Dust (1992)
2. Tool - Ænima (1996)
3. Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar (1996)
4. Deftones - White Pony (2000)
5. System of a Down - Toxicity (2001)
One wave of alternative metal that became near-synonymous with late-'90s metal was the nu metal explosion. Combining both the hip hop and funk influence from alternative metal's previous subgenres, a new level of angst and insecurity was reached in the nu metal crowds. Baggy pants, backwards-turned flat-bills, and rapped/screamed vocal duality characterized the nu metal wave. Started and then quickly abandoned by Deftones, and carried by Korn, Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, and Coal Chamber, nu metal gained huge commercial success. As the 2000s began, bands like Linkin Park, Papa Roach, Sevendust, Disturbed, Mudvayne, and Static-X continued the trend. The sound fell off around the mid-2000s, but there has been a recent revival with metalcore-hybrid bands like Sylar, Ded, and Emmure.
Recommended nu metal listening:
1. Korn - Korn (1994)
2. Deftones - Around the Fur (1997)
3. Slipknot - Slipknot (1999)
4. Mudvayne - L.D. 50 (2000)
5. Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory (2000)
In the 2000s and 2010s, alternative metal has witnessed a downward fall in terms of creativity. Though bands like Tool and Deftones continued to release quality material, influence from post-grunge and radio rock melded into alternative metal. Not only did the once energetic and creative nu metal bands like Korn and Slipknot quickly devolve into by-the-numbers alternative metal, but bands like Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle, Seether, and many others come onto the scene all sounding very similar. While these bands all found massive successes around this time, and did admittedly spawn a generation of metal listeners by creating an easily-accessible gateway into heavier music, it is undeniable that the vibrant creativity of the original waves had stalled. That's not to say that original bands aren't appearing at all though, as hope lies in bands such as Alter Bridge, Devin Townsend and his endless experimentation, Machinae Supremacy, Junius, Klone, and Moon Tooth.
Recommended third wave alternative metal listening:
1. Katatonia - The Great Cold Distance (2006)
2. Tool - 10,000 Days (2006)
3. Devin Townsend Project - Addicted (2009)
4. Deftones - Koi No Yokan (2012)
5. Alter Bridge - Fortress (2013)
Alternative metal, despite its relative fall from grace, is undoubtedly serving a valiant purpose. It serves as a perfect introduction for young, malleable minds into the beautifully expansive world of what metal music can be. Nearly every Napalm Death fan once started out as a Three Days Grace fan. Alternative metal, and alternative music in general, provides a new perspective on a pre-existing layout; a way to look into another world from another's eyes, and step back to see the bigger picture.
Note: Hey all! I wrote this on a bus in NYC. I recently moved from South Carolina to New York, so things have been pretty hectic. As a result, I didn't get much time to proofread this one initially. If anything is wrong or odd, let me know! And if not, I done good! Thanks so much for reading, if you are reading this, and I'll see y'all next time.
Alternative metal is one of those rare types of music that actually began with one of its subgenres. In this case, it first arrived in the form of rap metal. Judging by the name, the concept is not difficult to comprehend: metal music with rapped vocals. It first found its footing with the well-known thrash metal band Anthrax and their collaboration with the legendary political hip hop group Public Enemy on the track "I'm the Man." Anthrax wore their influence from early rap rock groups like Beastie Boys on their sleeve, and from that point on, rap metal was born. Bands like Lone Rager, Biohazard, Faith No More, Body Count, Stuck Mojo, Senser, and the kings of the style Rage Against the Machine followed suit. The genre has since mostly fallen off, though seems to be coming back with bands such as Fever 333.
Recommended rap metal listening:
1. Body Count - Body Count (1992)
2. Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine (1992)
3. Biohazard - Urban Discipline (1992)
4. Senser - Stacked Up (1996)
5. Stuck Mojo - Pigwalk (1996)
Alongside rap metal's inception, standard alternative metal took root in the mid-1980s. Heavier alternative rock bands like Jane's Addiction and hardcore punk legends Bad Brains were some of the first to introduce metal aspects to non-metal sounds. Other bands like The Big F and Last Crack did the same. However it wasn't until the early 1990s when the sound really took off, with bands like Helmet, Warrior Soul, Life of Agony, Therapy? and Rollins Band taking the reigns on the early wave. Established metal bands like White Zombie, Prong, Sepultura, and Melvins also began to show influences of alternative metal.
Recommended first wave alternative metal listening:
1. Bad Brains - I Against I (1986)
2. Warrior Soul - Last Decade Dead Century (1990)
3. Helmet - Meantime (1992)
4. Life of Agony - River Runs Red (1993)
5. Therapy? - Troublegum (1994)
Though not an established style of metal per se, grunge was a hugely popular yet short-lived offshoot of alternative rock that erupted in the early to mid-1990s. Despite bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam being much more closely related to punk and alternative music than metal, others like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden were massively important driving forces in early alternative metal. The genre combined elements from all over the musical underground, congealing into one single depressive, angsty flannel shirt covering the entirety of Seattle, Washington for the better half of a decade. Then Kurt Cobain of Nirvana passed away and post-grunge happened. We don't talk about that, though.
Recommended grunge listening:
1. Mother Love Bone - Apple (1990)
2. Pearl Jam - Ten (1991)
3. Nirvana - Nevermind (1991)
4. Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger (1991)
5. Alice in Chains - Dirt (1992)
Another alternative metal trend of the 1980s that caught on a bit more than rap metal was funk metal. Being very rhythmic in nature, funk metal revolves around the core values of metal and punk, but plays in the context of funk. As a result, this unlikely combination of styles produced a wealth of creative output in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Such bands to take on this niche sound were Faith No More, Primus, Fishbone, 24-7 Spyz, Infectious Grooves, Praxis, mid-career Extreme, Living Colour, and sometimes even funk rock bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers and 311 would dabble in funk metal territory.
Recommended funk metal listening:
1. Living Colour - Vivid (1988)
2. Faith No More - The Real Thing (1989)
3. Primus - Frizzle Fry (1990)
4. Fishbone - The Reality of My Surroundings (1991)
5. Extreme - III Sides to Every Story (1992)
As the latter half of the 1990s drove on, alternative metal finally began to create a unified shape. Though influences still poured in left and right, there was a general thick, ebbing and flowing atmosphere to most of the alternative metal bands at the time. Focusing heavily on experimentation within alternative metal blueprint, bands started incorporating ideas from progressive metal, shoegaze and dream pop, gothic rock, post-industrial music, and all forms of experimental music to carve their own unique niches in the genre. Such bands included Deftones, Tool, Marilyn Manson, System of a Down, Dir en Grey, Mr. Bungle, Katatonia, and many others.
Recommended second wave alternative metal listening:
1. Faith No More - Angel Dust (1992)
2. Tool - Ænima (1996)
3. Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar (1996)
4. Deftones - White Pony (2000)
5. System of a Down - Toxicity (2001)
One wave of alternative metal that became near-synonymous with late-'90s metal was the nu metal explosion. Combining both the hip hop and funk influence from alternative metal's previous subgenres, a new level of angst and insecurity was reached in the nu metal crowds. Baggy pants, backwards-turned flat-bills, and rapped/screamed vocal duality characterized the nu metal wave. Started and then quickly abandoned by Deftones, and carried by Korn, Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, and Coal Chamber, nu metal gained huge commercial success. As the 2000s began, bands like Linkin Park, Papa Roach, Sevendust, Disturbed, Mudvayne, and Static-X continued the trend. The sound fell off around the mid-2000s, but there has been a recent revival with metalcore-hybrid bands like Sylar, Ded, and Emmure.
Recommended nu metal listening:
1. Korn - Korn (1994)
2. Deftones - Around the Fur (1997)
3. Slipknot - Slipknot (1999)
4. Mudvayne - L.D. 50 (2000)
5. Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory (2000)
In the 2000s and 2010s, alternative metal has witnessed a downward fall in terms of creativity. Though bands like Tool and Deftones continued to release quality material, influence from post-grunge and radio rock melded into alternative metal. Not only did the once energetic and creative nu metal bands like Korn and Slipknot quickly devolve into by-the-numbers alternative metal, but bands like Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle, Seether, and many others come onto the scene all sounding very similar. While these bands all found massive successes around this time, and did admittedly spawn a generation of metal listeners by creating an easily-accessible gateway into heavier music, it is undeniable that the vibrant creativity of the original waves had stalled. That's not to say that original bands aren't appearing at all though, as hope lies in bands such as Alter Bridge, Devin Townsend and his endless experimentation, Machinae Supremacy, Junius, Klone, and Moon Tooth.
Recommended third wave alternative metal listening:
1. Katatonia - The Great Cold Distance (2006)
2. Tool - 10,000 Days (2006)
3. Devin Townsend Project - Addicted (2009)
4. Deftones - Koi No Yokan (2012)
5. Alter Bridge - Fortress (2013)
Alternative metal, despite its relative fall from grace, is undoubtedly serving a valiant purpose. It serves as a perfect introduction for young, malleable minds into the beautifully expansive world of what metal music can be. Nearly every Napalm Death fan once started out as a Three Days Grace fan. Alternative metal, and alternative music in general, provides a new perspective on a pre-existing layout; a way to look into another world from another's eyes, and step back to see the bigger picture.
Note: Hey all! I wrote this on a bus in NYC. I recently moved from South Carolina to New York, so things have been pretty hectic. As a result, I didn't get much time to proofread this one initially. If anything is wrong or odd, let me know! And if not, I done good! Thanks so much for reading, if you are reading this, and I'll see y'all next time.
Saturday, August 10, 2019
Progressive Metal
Progressive metal is, by nature, difficult to define with any one particular sound. This is likely why it is my personal favorite metal subgenre. It is characterized by complex, intricate, layered songwriting, with the musicianship displaying both technical proficiency and sense of interplay. Lyrical content is all over the place, but often held together by album-spanning concepts, often original stories or retellings of literary classics. Introspective, multifaceted, and ever-changing, this is progressive metal.
In the mid-1980s, progressive metal was on its first legs. Taking influence from melody- and story-focused heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden as well as thrash metal bands like Metallica. The very first progressive metal bands were simply technical thrash metal bands with a more introspective edge; bands like Voivod, Watchtower, and Deathrow were the primary forces. Similarly, there came a very grandiose yet simpler style that took much more heavy metal influence, leading to bands like Queensrÿche and Fates Warning. Progressive metal guitar virtuosos like Jason Becker and Vinnie Moore also began to arise in this time, leading to an eventual boom in instrumental progressive music.
Recommended '80s progressive metal listening:
1. Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian (1986)
2. Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime (1988)
3. Voivod - Nothingface (1988)
4. Crimson Glory - Transcendence (1988)
5. Watchtower - Control and Resistance (1989)
One of the most significant developments in the entire progressive metal genre was the introduction of Dream Theater. Known even today as "the" progressive metal band, these guys had everything. Whether it was crunchy metal riffs, 15-minutes of odd progressive time signatures, catchy pop hooks, or soaring melodies, Dream Theater could pull it off like none other. The combination of all these aspects was central to the development of the established traditional progressive metal style. Bands like Seventh Wonder, Psychotic Waltz, Vanden Plas, Symphony X, and many others would follow this blueprinted sound.
Despite the development of a central sound, progressive metal in the '90s still exploded into a variety of directions. Most of the more traditional sounding artists began to experiment with less flashy instrumentalism, instead focusing on the development of characters, stories, or atmosphere like Pain of Salvation, Ayreon, and Devin Townsend. Others combined progressive music with death metal, leading to a wave of bands like late career-Death, Atheist, Edge of Sanity, Cynic, and Opeth. Nevermore carried on the progressive thrash metal torch, though in a way fairly far removed from the Voivods and Watchtowers of the previous decade. Other bands like Meshuggah would carve a niche in intensely polyrhythmic music, creating thick, chuggy patterns of palm muted ones and zeros. This will be expanded upon shortly.
Recommended '90s progressive metal listening:
1. Dream Theater - Images and Words (1992)
2. Cynic - Focus (1993)
3. Symphony X - The Divine Wings of Tragedy (1997)
4. Devin Townsend - Ocean Machine: Biomech (1997)
5. Opeth - Still Life (1999)
In the 2000s, extreme progressive metal rose to the forefront. Existing bands like Opeth and Meshuggah led the charge, influencing countless other bands to create heavy, unpredictable progressive music. Among these were Mastodon (combining the sound with sludge metal and stoner metal), Between the Buried and Me (combining with metalcore), Enslaved (combining with black metal), Gojira (combining with death metal and groove metal), maudlin of the Well (combining with avant-garde metal), Orphaned Land (combining with folk metal), and the biggest of them all: Tool, who introduced a layer of accessible alternative metal into the prog sound (along with Soen, Rishloo, and Porcupine Tree). As you could probably notice, the 'progressive' tag can go with pretty much any other style of music, allowing for a versatility that a lot of other metal genres do not have.
Recommended '00s progressive metal listening:
1. Tool - Lateralus (2001)
2. Opeth - Blackwater Park (2001)
3. Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane (2002)
4. Between the Buried and Me - Colors (2007)
5. Mastodon - Crack the Skye (2009)
Another new style around this time is what has now come to be called "djent." Based off of the work of those polyrhythmic monsters Meshuggah, djent encapsulates the side of progressive metal that is far more rhythm-based than lead-based. The technicality in djent is a result of its angular rhythmic patterns and jolting changes in meter, rather than crazy shredding or long songs. The style has since broken up into three distinct scenes. The first is the metalcore-based bands, starting with artists like SikTh, Periphery, Monuments and Erra, and eventually leading to a wave of deathcore/djent bands like Born of Osiris and Veil of Maya. The second is the atmospheric style, staying closer to the progressive metal roots, with bands like TesseracT, Textures, Uneven Structure, and Skyharbor. The last, which will be elaborated upon further, is the instrumental wave, not-as-commonly-referred-to-as-it-should-be as "instrudjental," spearheaded by bands like Animals as Leaders, Scale the Summit, and Cloudkicker.
Recommended djent listening:
1. Meshuggah - Nothing (2002)
2. SikTh - Death of a Dead Day (2006)
3. Textures - Silhouettes (2008)
4. TesseracT - One (2011)
5. Periphery II: This Time It's Personal (2012)
The 2010s saw a natural evolution in all facets of progressive metal. First and foremost would be the apparent continuation of extreme prog. Bands like Enslaved, Ne Obliviscaris, Gojira, Persefone, Horrendous, and Between the Buried and Me all have pushed their sound further and continued experimenting, releasing both career- and genre-defining releases. Progressive post-metal is also a trend, with bands like the Ocean and Intronaut. Thy Catafalque, Devin Townsend, Diablo Swing Orchestra, Dir en Grey, and more continue to release creative and inventive slabs of avant-garde progressive metal.
The instrudjental movement is now booming as well, with a plethora of bands and even more solo artists beginning to release their "bedroom prog." Artists like Plini, Sithu Aye, Chimp Spanner, David Maxim Micic, Jakub Zytecki, Widek, and Nick Johnston all formed a sort of prog/jazz metal collective. Bands like Chon, Polyphia, Night Verses, Arch Echo, and Strawberry Girls introduce the outside influence of jazz fusion and math rock as well.
Most surprisingly, however, is the introduction of a traditional prog metal revival. While progressive metal undoubtedly took a detour through the extreme and innovative styles listed before, there is still plenty of fire left in the Dream Theater corner. Bands like Haken, Leprous, Caligula's Horse, Artificial Language, Threshold, Seventh Wonder, late career-Amorphis, Chaos Divine, and many others continue to write more traditionally-styled progressive metal. Progressive rock is also back in a big way, with bands like Agent Fresco, 22, Thank You Scientist, Bent Knee, all coming onto the scene, as well as seasoned bands like Coheed and Cambria and the Dear Hunter continuing to release masterpieces.
Recommended '10s progressive metal listening:
1. Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini (2010)
2. Leprous - Bilateral (2011)
3. Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I (2012)
4. The Ocean - Pelagial (2013)
5. Haken - The Mountain (2013)
When your genre is characterized by new innovation and progression, it becomes very difficult for it to go stale. That's what makes progressive metal such a unique and engaging genre of music. It has no specific sound, but rather a collective of sounds that just don't fit anywhere else. It is defined by not being able to be defined, and that spells for a wonderful genre with lots of longevity. Saying that Queensrÿche and Enslaved are in the same genre may be a stretch for those that don't know just how vast the progressive music spectrum is, but for us (yes, you, dear reader), it paints a picture of the splendid blooming tree that is progressive metal.
In the mid-1980s, progressive metal was on its first legs. Taking influence from melody- and story-focused heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden as well as thrash metal bands like Metallica. The very first progressive metal bands were simply technical thrash metal bands with a more introspective edge; bands like Voivod, Watchtower, and Deathrow were the primary forces. Similarly, there came a very grandiose yet simpler style that took much more heavy metal influence, leading to bands like Queensrÿche and Fates Warning. Progressive metal guitar virtuosos like Jason Becker and Vinnie Moore also began to arise in this time, leading to an eventual boom in instrumental progressive music.
Recommended '80s progressive metal listening:
1. Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian (1986)
2. Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime (1988)
3. Voivod - Nothingface (1988)
4. Crimson Glory - Transcendence (1988)
5. Watchtower - Control and Resistance (1989)
One of the most significant developments in the entire progressive metal genre was the introduction of Dream Theater. Known even today as "the" progressive metal band, these guys had everything. Whether it was crunchy metal riffs, 15-minutes of odd progressive time signatures, catchy pop hooks, or soaring melodies, Dream Theater could pull it off like none other. The combination of all these aspects was central to the development of the established traditional progressive metal style. Bands like Seventh Wonder, Psychotic Waltz, Vanden Plas, Symphony X, and many others would follow this blueprinted sound.
Despite the development of a central sound, progressive metal in the '90s still exploded into a variety of directions. Most of the more traditional sounding artists began to experiment with less flashy instrumentalism, instead focusing on the development of characters, stories, or atmosphere like Pain of Salvation, Ayreon, and Devin Townsend. Others combined progressive music with death metal, leading to a wave of bands like late career-Death, Atheist, Edge of Sanity, Cynic, and Opeth. Nevermore carried on the progressive thrash metal torch, though in a way fairly far removed from the Voivods and Watchtowers of the previous decade. Other bands like Meshuggah would carve a niche in intensely polyrhythmic music, creating thick, chuggy patterns of palm muted ones and zeros. This will be expanded upon shortly.
Recommended '90s progressive metal listening:
1. Dream Theater - Images and Words (1992)
2. Cynic - Focus (1993)
3. Symphony X - The Divine Wings of Tragedy (1997)
4. Devin Townsend - Ocean Machine: Biomech (1997)
5. Opeth - Still Life (1999)
In the 2000s, extreme progressive metal rose to the forefront. Existing bands like Opeth and Meshuggah led the charge, influencing countless other bands to create heavy, unpredictable progressive music. Among these were Mastodon (combining the sound with sludge metal and stoner metal), Between the Buried and Me (combining with metalcore), Enslaved (combining with black metal), Gojira (combining with death metal and groove metal), maudlin of the Well (combining with avant-garde metal), Orphaned Land (combining with folk metal), and the biggest of them all: Tool, who introduced a layer of accessible alternative metal into the prog sound (along with Soen, Rishloo, and Porcupine Tree). As you could probably notice, the 'progressive' tag can go with pretty much any other style of music, allowing for a versatility that a lot of other metal genres do not have.
Recommended '00s progressive metal listening:
1. Tool - Lateralus (2001)
2. Opeth - Blackwater Park (2001)
3. Pain of Salvation - Remedy Lane (2002)
4. Between the Buried and Me - Colors (2007)
5. Mastodon - Crack the Skye (2009)
Another new style around this time is what has now come to be called "djent." Based off of the work of those polyrhythmic monsters Meshuggah, djent encapsulates the side of progressive metal that is far more rhythm-based than lead-based. The technicality in djent is a result of its angular rhythmic patterns and jolting changes in meter, rather than crazy shredding or long songs. The style has since broken up into three distinct scenes. The first is the metalcore-based bands, starting with artists like SikTh, Periphery, Monuments and Erra, and eventually leading to a wave of deathcore/djent bands like Born of Osiris and Veil of Maya. The second is the atmospheric style, staying closer to the progressive metal roots, with bands like TesseracT, Textures, Uneven Structure, and Skyharbor. The last, which will be elaborated upon further, is the instrumental wave, not-as-commonly-referred-to-as-it-should-be as "instrudjental," spearheaded by bands like Animals as Leaders, Scale the Summit, and Cloudkicker.
Recommended djent listening:
1. Meshuggah - Nothing (2002)
2. SikTh - Death of a Dead Day (2006)
3. Textures - Silhouettes (2008)
4. TesseracT - One (2011)
5. Periphery II: This Time It's Personal (2012)
The 2010s saw a natural evolution in all facets of progressive metal. First and foremost would be the apparent continuation of extreme prog. Bands like Enslaved, Ne Obliviscaris, Gojira, Persefone, Horrendous, and Between the Buried and Me all have pushed their sound further and continued experimenting, releasing both career- and genre-defining releases. Progressive post-metal is also a trend, with bands like the Ocean and Intronaut. Thy Catafalque, Devin Townsend, Diablo Swing Orchestra, Dir en Grey, and more continue to release creative and inventive slabs of avant-garde progressive metal.
The instrudjental movement is now booming as well, with a plethora of bands and even more solo artists beginning to release their "bedroom prog." Artists like Plini, Sithu Aye, Chimp Spanner, David Maxim Micic, Jakub Zytecki, Widek, and Nick Johnston all formed a sort of prog/jazz metal collective. Bands like Chon, Polyphia, Night Verses, Arch Echo, and Strawberry Girls introduce the outside influence of jazz fusion and math rock as well.
Most surprisingly, however, is the introduction of a traditional prog metal revival. While progressive metal undoubtedly took a detour through the extreme and innovative styles listed before, there is still plenty of fire left in the Dream Theater corner. Bands like Haken, Leprous, Caligula's Horse, Artificial Language, Threshold, Seventh Wonder, late career-Amorphis, Chaos Divine, and many others continue to write more traditionally-styled progressive metal. Progressive rock is also back in a big way, with bands like Agent Fresco, 22, Thank You Scientist, Bent Knee, all coming onto the scene, as well as seasoned bands like Coheed and Cambria and the Dear Hunter continuing to release masterpieces.
Recommended '10s progressive metal listening:
1. Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini (2010)
2. Leprous - Bilateral (2011)
3. Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I (2012)
4. The Ocean - Pelagial (2013)
5. Haken - The Mountain (2013)
When your genre is characterized by new innovation and progression, it becomes very difficult for it to go stale. That's what makes progressive metal such a unique and engaging genre of music. It has no specific sound, but rather a collective of sounds that just don't fit anywhere else. It is defined by not being able to be defined, and that spells for a wonderful genre with lots of longevity. Saying that Queensrÿche and Enslaved are in the same genre may be a stretch for those that don't know just how vast the progressive music spectrum is, but for us (yes, you, dear reader), it paints a picture of the splendid blooming tree that is progressive metal.
Sunday, August 4, 2019
Power Metal
In a genre of music dominated by death, corruption, hatred and despair, power metal shines as a brilliant example of a subversion of expectations. Influenced heavily by heavy metal pioneers like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and particularly Dio, power metal boasts upped grandiosity, machismo, and energy of truly epic proportions. Fast and heavy yet melodic and clean, with soaring, operatic clean vocals telling tales of bards, wizards, demons and dragons. Yes, my friends. The fantasy-lover's favorite metal style. Allow me to introduce you to power metal.
Before I begin to divulge the timeline of power metal, I must establish something key: there are two very different types of power metal, and both arose around the same time in the mid-1980s. The first hails from the United States. United States power metal, referred to henceforth as simply USPM, draws directly from heavier, rawer styles such as heavy metal and thrash metal. Singing methods are often much more gruff, and the lyricism leaning more towards war or metal themes. European power metal, known sometimes as melodic or "true" power metal, is significantly lighter in essence, and is generally what folks think of when the term power metal is used. It is much more rooted in fantasy literature and media, and in Western classical music in songwriting.
USPM is the much more short-lived sound in the power metal timeline, having seen its glory days nearly immediately in its inception. Many bands came bursting onto the scene hot and ready to go, with the most notorious being Manowar. Their simple but effective headbanging riffs combined with their rippling oiled pecs created the perfect outlet for every overly-macho metalhead out there. Soon to follow were many precursors to the progressive metal movement, such as Crimson Glory and Fates Warning. Other key bands included Riot, Helstar, and Omen. Their style revolved around inserting a very grand, orchestrally-influenced sound into the simplistic riffage where heavy metal found its origin. Into the 1990s, bands like Iced Earth and Virgin Steele would carry the torch, but often pale in representation considering the booming culture of its European counterpart.
Recommended classic USPM listening:
1. Manowar - Hail to England (1984)
2. Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory (1986)
3. Riot - ThunderSteel (1988)
4. Virgin Steele - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part Two (1995)
5. Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998)
European power metal, on the other hand, continued to grow in relative splendor. Taking major influence from speed metal, the neoclassical stylings of bands like Helloween, Gamma Ray, and Stratovarius captivated audiences. Influence from Tolkein's The Lord of the Rings reigned true with the band Blind Guardian, retelling the tale through song. Other bands like Rhapsody, Sonata Arctica, and Kamelot would introduce full orchestras into their sound, effectively leading to the symphonic metal subgenre. Still, other bands like HammerFall, Running Wild, Grave Digger, Cloven Hoof, and Edguy would remain influenced by classic heavy metal, giving nods to the USPM scene. Soon, oodles of melodic power metal bands began to pop up here and there, sometimes not even in Europe, such as Angra from Brazil, or X Japan from Japan.
Recommended classic melodic power metal listening:
1. Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I & II (1988)
2. Gamma Ray - Land of the Free (1995)
3. Stratovarius - Visions (1997)
4. Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle-Earth (1998)
5. Rhapsody - Symphony of Enchanted Lands (1998)
In the new era, power metal bands began to show themselves in a variety of forms. Some of the genre's biggest artists like Kamelot and Sonata Arctica found influence from the progressive and symphonic metal they'd influenced, sometimes allowing these styles to overtake the power metal that had initially skyrocketed their careers. Some bands, like DragonForce, take their speed metal influence to the extreme, playing with such technical proficiency that it took the household implementation of Guitar Hero for their band to even be noticed. That's just a joke, by the way. DragonForce is a great band and deserve the following it has. Other bands like Sabaton did the exact opposite, slowing down the flashy leads that European power metal had become so characterized by, and lowering the octave of the lead vocalist to create a much heavier, headbanging sound. Continuing to push the envelope are artists such as Avantasia, which creates a sort of "power metal opera" with artists from other bands collaborating into a gigantic tour de force of powerful greatness. Bands like Theocracy, Gloryhammer, Powerwolf, and Galneryus continue into the 2010s; invoking different influences and sounds to the power metal formula.
Recommended new power metal listening:
1. Sonata Arctica - Silence (2001)
2. Lost Horizon - A Flame to the Ground Beneath (2003)
3. Kamelot - The Black Halo (2005)
4. Galneryus - Resurrection (2010)
5. Sabaton - Carolus Rex (2012)
Overall, power metal exists to appeal to the glorious and fantastical mindset that dwells within all of our hearts. To go from town to town on horseback, becoming the daring knight to overtake the dragon and claim its treasures, all the while getting the girl and winning the admiration of the folks of the land. This fantasy adventure lies as a subtle reminder of the banality we see so often in our world, and from which we desperately wish to escape. Power metal is, at its core, a brilliantly cheesy form of escapism, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
Note: Hey everyone! Sorry that this entry is so short. It's nearly midnight and I'm really tired, but I wanted to whip this bad boy up since I was already two days late. Hope everyone is doing well, hope you're continuing to learn from and enjoy my writings, and stay tuned for next time!
Before I begin to divulge the timeline of power metal, I must establish something key: there are two very different types of power metal, and both arose around the same time in the mid-1980s. The first hails from the United States. United States power metal, referred to henceforth as simply USPM, draws directly from heavier, rawer styles such as heavy metal and thrash metal. Singing methods are often much more gruff, and the lyricism leaning more towards war or metal themes. European power metal, known sometimes as melodic or "true" power metal, is significantly lighter in essence, and is generally what folks think of when the term power metal is used. It is much more rooted in fantasy literature and media, and in Western classical music in songwriting.
USPM is the much more short-lived sound in the power metal timeline, having seen its glory days nearly immediately in its inception. Many bands came bursting onto the scene hot and ready to go, with the most notorious being Manowar. Their simple but effective headbanging riffs combined with their rippling oiled pecs created the perfect outlet for every overly-macho metalhead out there. Soon to follow were many precursors to the progressive metal movement, such as Crimson Glory and Fates Warning. Other key bands included Riot, Helstar, and Omen. Their style revolved around inserting a very grand, orchestrally-influenced sound into the simplistic riffage where heavy metal found its origin. Into the 1990s, bands like Iced Earth and Virgin Steele would carry the torch, but often pale in representation considering the booming culture of its European counterpart.
Recommended classic USPM listening:
1. Manowar - Hail to England (1984)
2. Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory (1986)
3. Riot - ThunderSteel (1988)
4. Virgin Steele - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part Two (1995)
5. Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998)
European power metal, on the other hand, continued to grow in relative splendor. Taking major influence from speed metal, the neoclassical stylings of bands like Helloween, Gamma Ray, and Stratovarius captivated audiences. Influence from Tolkein's The Lord of the Rings reigned true with the band Blind Guardian, retelling the tale through song. Other bands like Rhapsody, Sonata Arctica, and Kamelot would introduce full orchestras into their sound, effectively leading to the symphonic metal subgenre. Still, other bands like HammerFall, Running Wild, Grave Digger, Cloven Hoof, and Edguy would remain influenced by classic heavy metal, giving nods to the USPM scene. Soon, oodles of melodic power metal bands began to pop up here and there, sometimes not even in Europe, such as Angra from Brazil, or X Japan from Japan.
Recommended classic melodic power metal listening:
1. Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I & II (1988)
2. Gamma Ray - Land of the Free (1995)
3. Stratovarius - Visions (1997)
4. Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle-Earth (1998)
5. Rhapsody - Symphony of Enchanted Lands (1998)
In the new era, power metal bands began to show themselves in a variety of forms. Some of the genre's biggest artists like Kamelot and Sonata Arctica found influence from the progressive and symphonic metal they'd influenced, sometimes allowing these styles to overtake the power metal that had initially skyrocketed their careers. Some bands, like DragonForce, take their speed metal influence to the extreme, playing with such technical proficiency that it took the household implementation of Guitar Hero for their band to even be noticed. That's just a joke, by the way. DragonForce is a great band and deserve the following it has. Other bands like Sabaton did the exact opposite, slowing down the flashy leads that European power metal had become so characterized by, and lowering the octave of the lead vocalist to create a much heavier, headbanging sound. Continuing to push the envelope are artists such as Avantasia, which creates a sort of "power metal opera" with artists from other bands collaborating into a gigantic tour de force of powerful greatness. Bands like Theocracy, Gloryhammer, Powerwolf, and Galneryus continue into the 2010s; invoking different influences and sounds to the power metal formula.
Recommended new power metal listening:
1. Sonata Arctica - Silence (2001)
2. Lost Horizon - A Flame to the Ground Beneath (2003)
3. Kamelot - The Black Halo (2005)
4. Galneryus - Resurrection (2010)
5. Sabaton - Carolus Rex (2012)
Overall, power metal exists to appeal to the glorious and fantastical mindset that dwells within all of our hearts. To go from town to town on horseback, becoming the daring knight to overtake the dragon and claim its treasures, all the while getting the girl and winning the admiration of the folks of the land. This fantasy adventure lies as a subtle reminder of the banality we see so often in our world, and from which we desperately wish to escape. Power metal is, at its core, a brilliantly cheesy form of escapism, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
Note: Hey everyone! Sorry that this entry is so short. It's nearly midnight and I'm really tired, but I wanted to whip this bad boy up since I was already two days late. Hope everyone is doing well, hope you're continuing to learn from and enjoy my writings, and stay tuned for next time!
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