Metal bands that give the phrase "Heavy Metal" a bad name

[claymanx]

Sparked from Maestro's anti Iced Earth comments, I am curious to know bands that people just don't like. There are a selection of bands in the metal scene, some of which I think don't deserve the time of day, but nevertheless get it. I'll start with some selections of my own. P.S. In writing this I find that when it comes to metal, there is really not much that I don't like!....but I'll try anyway.

Domine- I bought their debut cd, listened to it twice, and since then it has gotten at least 2 or 3 good layers of dust. I heard a new cd of theirs came out recently but frankly I don't care. Overall, I think the problem is their music is just too boring...maybe they are in the begining stages of maturing, but I'm not gonna stick around to find out.

This, I think, will be contraversial one......Hammerfall....In my early stages of metal listening I enjoyed this band...hell, I own three of their cds, but as my tastes mature (I know...this sounds like I'm a wine taster) I have started to feel the dull sting of bordem as I listen to them....hey maybe I will come around again someday and like them once again....but right now I listen to them and pain for something faster, with more layers and complexities, and a little less formula. These opinions may just be a exhibit of my personal taste, but I think good metal has crazier, more complex stuff ala And Then There Was Silence or Phantom Opera Ghost....Sonata Arctica stuff....ah, the wonderful list can go on and on.

Oh, here is a side note that is quite disturbing. I read in an interview that Jon Schaffer of Iced Earth doesn't like the new Blind Guardian because "there is too much going on in it"....this I think is a crazy statement.....and makes me think twice about whats going on in the metalhead's head.....Sure the new BG stuff is more complex than the new IE stuff, but to say that complexity makes the music less accessable is nuts. I think it makes it enjoyable I a different level.

 

[97reb]

I've got to agree with DaveThe Metal Guy on this. Good Metal musicians are good, but should strive to be better. The better Metal musicians should strive to excellency. The excellent should strive to maintain excellence. All metal is good. Some Metal is better. Excellent Metal is heaven. There are many types of band and categories out there. The important thing is to find what YOU like, then support that group or style. However, please don't be closed minded. I don't favor death metal because of the vocals, but sometimes the musicianship is excellent. Not all power metal or prog. metal bands have good vocals or musicianship. It really depends on the band and most importantly YOU. Each person is an individual and has been taught different things due to various influences. You can influence anyone and they can you, if you are open minded. It's true, You will find music you dislike. We can't all like every "metal" or "rock" band. By the way - I will now say, after giving it a chance, rap metal sucks!!!! Anything with a dj or mc sucks!!!!! Thank you!!!!



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[EDVANTASIA]

Ok, This is probably gonna Piss some people off. I am a big fan of Italian Power Metal (Labyrinth,Sigma,Secret Sphere, etc) But I really dislike Rhapsody. I feel their music lacks any heaviness, and are to concerned with the big orchestration, over production etc, which is fine if you can balance it all , but not when the riffs and the drums take a backseat(I think BG and Symphony X mixes it up well and doesn't sacrifice the heaviness of their music). It's almost not metal! And come on.. Hollywood Metal? And BTW I like Iced Earth alot, but was I the only one dissapointed with Horror Show?

 

[maestro_al]

To claymanx - are you serious? You first regard my IE thread as containing "anti Iced Earth comments" and then you post your own thread asking for metal fans to list the bands they hate?!! Jeez - that makes sense...

If anything, I was looking out to IE fans to help me bridge the gap between my tastes in metal. I even went so far as to explain WHY I haven't got into IE by comparing my likes to other bands that fit the same 'category'. I just happen to find it quite bewildering that although I have been listening to ALL metal for nearly 20 years, I have never yet understood the cult-like fascination with IE.

If anything, I should be applauded for giving IE several chances instead of just writing them off once and for all. If I find that I can't get over the IE 'slump' then I'll just have to accept the fact that I don't like Iced Earth. It's that simple. Just because it's 'metal' doesn't mean that I'm forced to like it because I'm a metal fan - which basically highlights the essence of this thread you posted.

I do agree with you, however, that I'm not partial to Hammerfall - particularly the image they portray (the shiny plastic armour is beyond laughable and makes the Spinal Tap joke a reality). I disagree with Edvantasia and happen to love Rhapsody - I love they're compositional talent and they fulfil my neo-classical 'fix' that only Yngwie Malmsteen once could with his Rising Force days.

Either way, I would never consider your opinions as anatagonistic. Thank the lord for democracy hey?!

(To Edvantasia - although we disagree about Rhapsody, I think we do agree that Edguy and the Avantasia album are pure masterpieces!! Count the days to PP3...!)

 

[claymanx]

Hey man, I found your Iced Earth thread very intersting, which is why I replyed to it with such length, it also made me curious to find out more about the general tastes of metal listeners these days, which is why I posted this "bad" metal thread, I didn't say you were wrong or silly to think that, I am basically saying what everyone else is saying....that metal is such a rich and diverse genre of music that there are a huge realm of opinions and tastes that can exist within it. I was just curious to name and tag some of those tastes. Just so no one thinks that I am contradicting myself crazy style.....

 

[maestro_al]

OK I apologize for misreading the tone of your notes. (And I did appreciate your lengthy comments - thnx).

Hey, it's all good, and we're all friends. There's not many of us metal fans left anymore!

 

[IOfTheStorm]

Good Heavy Metal is not a matter of good musicianship or "music school kids" like sonata arctica , but a matter of feeling, power, strength, cult sound..like domine...

 

[ProgMetalFan]

Judas Priest - perpetuators of more unsavory metal stereotypes than any other band

 

[Demonspell]

Probably Rhapsody, Stratovarius (more for all the lame bands they've inspired, and their own regression into formula), and Manowar. Although PMF is right about Priest...he's quoting something I once said.

 

[Creeps]

Funny... I like everyone of these bands everyone is complaining about.. with the exception of Domine, and that's only because I don't own an album by them or have heard an album. All I know is they seem to write concept albums of Michael Moorcock's ELRIC novels (which happens to be my favorite fantasy novels) so I hope they're not -that bad-

I was born into metal / hard rock / rock n roll, when it all comes down to it every "rock" genre is related no matter how you slice it. I grew up listening to Kiss and Alice Cooper. The fathers (and grandfathers) of every band are Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Alice Cooper & Kiss. I'm being to the point and am not going to list EVERY influential band there was, but these are the ones you see most honored with today's music.

Be it Kiss, Cooper, The Cult, Manowar, Helloween, Rhapsody, Beautiful Creatures, Anthrax, SOD, Slayer, System of a Down, Edenbridge, Therion, Iced Earth... and on and on, if I like it, I'll buy it and play the hell out of it. I don't like to paint myself into a corner and only listen to "progressive" or "classic" rock or metal. To do so would deny me pleasures of some other artist I may have overlooked.

I am glad that there's a building comeback of traditional rock bands. How long has it been since you heard a good rock record? - you know, that's the stuff you listened to before there was Helloween and Manowar-. I'm not just talking about all the "reunion" rock bands, but new bands like Buckcherry, Halfcocked and Beautiful Creatures. These albums are utterly amazing for rock and the powers that be will have you think rock is dead.

Rap metal? I know a fine line to walk when I could listen to Manowar or Powergod and the next day pop in Otep or the new Vanilla Ice. VANILLA ICE ?? YES Vanilla Ice. For those of you who don't know is last 2 releases have been extremely heavy (even for rap rock) and he puts most bands that are in that genre making $1,000,000s to shame. Out of sheer curiosity check out anything off his "Bi-Polar" album... laugh if you will, call me a poseur or any other adolescent driven term, but I know good music when I hear it even though I may not listen to rap-rock hardly at all compared to other albums in my collection. By the way, that 1st time I bought a Vanilla Ice metal album was the most difficult purchase of my music-life hehehe

I know everyone has their personal tastes. My reply here is just to add into a discussion and sharing with you all what I can listen to on any given day. My album collection nears the 2,000 mark and I can honestly say every album in my collection is worth listening to repeatedly (I've weeded out what I don't like on the wonderful ebay).

 

[zinescene]

I think there's a big difference between disliking a band for whatever personal reasons (IE Judas Priest, Iced Earth, Hammerfall, Rhapsody disbelievers) and saying a band gives metal a bad name.

I think all four of those bands have contributed greatly to the metal scene and created some great music. I'm not a diehard fan of the bands (though Judas Priest is close) so I'm not defending them because I love the music, I'm just saying I think it ludicrous to say they give metal a bad name because you don't like them.

You want talk about bands that truly give metal a bad name then look at the Mentors from the 80's who incorporated more sex in their lyrics than a triple X movie. Or how about some of the church burning bands from Norway who have been known to kill rival bands or Nazi-skin head bands. Now THEY give metal a bad name.

I'm sure everyone has bands they don't like, I know I have my share of them and 99% are because of the thier music but I certainly don't discredit them or say they give metal a bad name because thier music taste are different than mine.

John

 

[maestro_al]

zinescene: You are absolutley correct in your response, and I agree that bands that use their position or fame in a negative manner can be very damaging to the image of metal. The church burning black metal bands, or the neo-nazi facism element is a much worse element than, say, the 'unfashionable' image of the band itself. I guess it boils down to their actions moreso than their image.

This also applies to all music genres by the way: rave music almost certainly advocates heavy drug use, and hip-hop sometimes contains a 'gangsta' element that advocates guns. Unfortunatley, the situation leads to the question of censorship, and of course, that is the worst thing that could ever happen (in any form of media outlet). I am totally opposed to any form of censorship even if it is something that offends me personally.

One of the saddest aspects of metal I have personally witnessed is the Nazi element that used to support Slayer (not sure if they do anymore). Don't get me wrong - I love the earlier efforts of Slayer leading to the album Seasons of the Abyss, but I hated the nazi following they had (particularly in Europe). Obviously there are boneheads out there who misconstrue tracks like Angel of Death, and the Slayer 'eagle' symbol is synonymous with that of the Nazi SS emblem.

Nevertheless, your points are excellent. To be fair, I think the essence of this thread was to poke a bit of 'fun' at some of the bands that fulfil a stereotype that was glamourized by Spinal Tap! That is why I personally have a distaste to Hammerfall - not so much for the music, but the image of skinny 40 year old nerds in plastic shiny armor is just a little pathetic! The generalized image of heavy metal fans are those that wear spandex and bullet belts, and was somehow more accepted in the mid-80's when Rob Halford had yet to come out of the closet and admit to his fans that he was a homosexual. So when Hammerfall portray a similar 'camp' image in 2002, it becomes a little hysterical.

In the same vein, you probably wouldn't see someone dressed like John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever in a white suit going to a nightclub these days!!!

 

[Creeps]

That's funny .. "before Rob Halford came out of the closet".

Is it me or when you think back to the 80s and picture Rob descending the stairs on any given Priest live set sporting the whip, studded choker, leather vest, pants, boots and policeman-style hat....

was there ever any doubt?

C'mon he looked like he stepped right out of the Blue Oyster Bar from Police Academy... how many more signals did they guy have to send out? Hell, he's said it himself in interviews.

The coolest thing about that whole "closet" situation... the majority of his fans and the metal fans could give a $&# if he was gay or not... his music was still awesome. Considering he "came out" right around Fight's War of Words and you can't deny that is one of the heaviest albums in the mid 90s.

 

[IOfTheStorm]

Mainly smurf band like Edgay, Children Of Boredom, In Flames, Hamsterfall, are a shame for heavy metal...praise the underground!

 

[IOfTheStorm]

I forgot to mention Rhapsody..oh my God this band must perish in sickening vomit.."hollywood metal" ???????what is this, a new fashion for 14year old kids?..For the guy who said something about Rob Halford's clothes back in 80s....dude this was HEAVY METAL....and then it was 1983-84 etc u cannot judge this period with the standards of today..

 

[maestro_al]

Originally posted by IOfTheStorm
I forgot to mention Rhapsody..oh my God this band must perish in sickening vomit..

That is the funniest thing I have read in ages!

 

[IOfTheStorm]

It was not a joke, but well done

 

[Creeps]

I think that was me about Halford's clothes...

I'm not judging by standards of today.. I was around from the 70s as well.

no, what he was wearing looked like him and the Cop fromt he Village People shopped together. Sorry, fact.

I'm not knocking Halford, just look at what he wore compared to the other guys in the band. Then look at the guy in the Village People or any other homosexual leatherboy from the US or UK.

I'm just stating a fact. Rob Halford himself talked about it in an interview. What I posted was near word for word form Rob's mouth about his sending signals and his clothing style. He even told the guy doing the interview to re-read the Priest lyrics now that everyone knows he's been gay all along. Jawbreaker was the one Rob mentioned and he said go from there.

 

[maestro_al]

Originally posted by Creeps
I think that was me about Halford's clothes...

I'm not knocking Halford, just look at what he wore compared to the other guys in the band. Then look at the guy in the Village People or any other homosexual leatherboy from the US or UK.

The whole band dressed the same - how was Rob any different?! I guess it was his hat and 3ft whip. Thing is, KK Downing had a studded guitar - I think he still plays it!

He even told the guy doing the interview to re-read the Priest lyrics now that everyone knows he's been gay all along. Jawbreaker was the one Rob mentioned and he said go from there.

So what was Turbo Lover about then? Or Touch of Evil? I guess I'll have to go through their whole catalog and find all the innuendo-ridden lyrics! Hilarious.

 

[Creeps]

oh come on now... did I once say every priest song was filled with as much inuendo as the KISS back catalog? no.

I was posting information from Rob Halford's own words.

Everyone thinks I'm busting on him.. I'm not. Priest is great, if they weren't I wouldnt have bought all the CDs again after tehy remastered it.

Studded guitar is not an article of clothing. Studs are metal, yes. Policeman hat, whip and choker was a WHOLE different vibe. It is a gay style that gay leather men wore at that time - and still do. There's no problem with it... but when the MAN in question states that was HIS style of clothing from the gay culture.. there's really no room for debate. He said it, not me or anyone else. So you're really defending him when there's no need to defend the METAL GOD.