Speaker Demo - Anyone here listen to Metal?

mmadden28

I'm an old skool metal fan as well. I listen to almost everything anymore though-

Here's a partial list of my metal favs (in no particular order):
Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, Celtic Frost (minus the poser stuff), Hellhammer, Sepultura (with Max), Metal Church, Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, Exodus, Suicidal Tendencies, Motley Crue, Slipknot, Pantera, Venom, Candlemass, Fates Warning, Ozzy, Helloween, Iron Maiden, Overkill, Testament, W.A.S.P., Flotsam & Jetsam, Amon Amarth, Behmoth, Dimmu Borgir, Ludichrist, M.O.D., S.O.D., Nuclear Assault, Death, Sodom, Force of Evil, Illwill, etc. I could go on if I didn't suffer from CRS syndrome.

The genres I listen to in the metal scene vary widely but I have limits. I personally can't stand the samey-any group of kids can do it, just pure noise and shouting-I'm not a fan of the angst scream the hardest you can kind of newer metal (am I getting old?). It needs to have something unique. A lot I've heard lately has some good music and riffs and what-not, but the vocals suck or the drums overpower and sound like drum machines-no rhythm. I have found myself liking some Cookie Monster stuff like Nile, but I think it's a taste to be acquired- some of the CM bands are just too run of the mill. Never cared much for a lot of the 80s/90s poser metal, but some of the songs (usu ballads) were good but I'd dismiss the rest.
I rarely find anything on XM42 (Liquid Metal) that I actually enjoy anymore, but once in awhile I hear something new that I dig.

I can say that I won't dismiss an entire genre or band just because they made a wrong turn or a bad album or two. I take each song for what it is.


As for what I use to demo? That's a good question. I haven't really demoed too much metal yet. I've been gearing my rig up around other types of music like New Age and Classical and the softer side of things. Mostly I guess I'd have to say King Diamond and Mercyful Fate are my most played from the metal category.

comfortablycurt

I forgot one band that absolutely has to be mentioned in this thread. Some of you may not have heard of them.

Acid Bath.

kuntasensei

Man, Acid Bath was AWESOME! A friend's band opened for them several times, and we got to know all those guys. Freakin' great music. Damn shame what happened.

comfortablycurt

Yeah...they were an awesome band. It's to bad that death had to intervene and break them apart.

Dax Riggs still has some stuff going on though. There was Agents of Oblivion a while back...which had a couple badass CD's.

Now he has Deadboy and the Elephantman, and his solo stuff. I'm not really to big on either his solo stuff or Deadboy though. They're not bad...just doesn't really do it for me.

Fongolio

BlueFox wrote: »

That song reminds me of the book "Johnny Got His Gun". They must have read it, and wrote the song. What a book. It still affects me.

One of the most powerful books I've ever read. I first read it when I was in grade 7 (13 years old). It was recommended by an excellent english teacher. Dalton Trumbo is the author if memory serves me correctly. Now I will have to listen to "One" again to see if I also make the connection.

obieone

Fongolio wrote: »

One of the most powerful books I've ever read. I first read it when I was in grade 7 (13 years old). It was recommended by an excellent english teacher. Dalton Trumbo is the author if memory serves me correctly. Now I will have to listen to "One" again to see if I also make the connection.

I never read the book, or saw the movie, but the video IS disturbing.
Fortunately, or UNfortunately-depending on your perspective- Holyweird is doing a remake:( And, ofcourse, they're ADJUSTING the storyline:mad:

BTW, I'm old school as far as metal goes. BS, JP, DP, IM, etc. The only Dokken CD I liked, is N.L.A.

Erik Tracy

I'll confess - I'm originally (and still am) a metal head.

But - just listing bands you like does not necessarily mean it is 'demo' material.

There is a lot of crappy mixes/sources out there. It is hard to find, imho, a good metal mix/soure that is clean, dynamic, and is worthy of a 'demo' rating.

Case in point.

Admittedly not 'metal' - yesterday I pulled out my old vinyl copy of Foghat's Engergized -after reading the buzz on the release of a Foghat SACD. It sounded like crap on my rig!

I'll have to go back thru my vinyl and CD collection to see if there is something worthy of 'demo' level metal.

There is one, though, off the top of my head:
the sound track to "Last Action Hero" there is a Megadeth track called "Angry Again" - definitely worthy of demo level status.

This thread should distinguish what are good tracks from a SQ perspective not just musical - even though it is a shame there is a lot of good metal out there - just that the mixes suck.

Erik

comfortablycurt

In my experience a lot of metal tends to have rather poor sound quality. Not all of it...but a lot of it does. It's harder to notice the poor sound quality with metal though, as opposed to lighter acoustic, or jazz or anything of the like.

The distortion is layered on so thick that you can't notice it as much.

I've always thought that the Metallica albums had pretty good SQ for metal though. Not Kill 'em All though...the SQ on that album is pretty bad, being as it's their first one though. Ride the Lightning through the Black Album have great SQ...beyond that. I'm not a fan of Megadeth, but some of their albums have pretty good SQ. I've always thought that Dimmu Borgirs "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia" had great SQ as well.

Toolfan66

Anybody remember "RIOT" Swords & Tequila!!!!!!

mmadden28

Venom is NOT a good demo for SQ.

comfortablycurt

mmadden28 wrote: »

Venom is NOT a good demo for SQ.

x2...lol

LessisNevermore

comfortablycurt wrote: »

In my experience a lot of metal tends to have rather poor sound quality. Not all of it...but a lot of it does. It's harder to notice the poor sound quality with metal though, as opposed to lighter acoustic, or jazz or anything of the like.

Very true. It's very tricky to get a good/great mix with metal in the studio. The instruments are fighting for a lot of the same frequencies, mostly in the upper bass range and mids. Vocals and guitar are often stepping all over each other, when drop tuning is used, the guitars start entering the space the bass gtr occupies, and bass gtr gets in the way of low toms and bass drums.
That's one reason the drums are often triggered sounds on the really heavy stuff. Another trick used, is to use a compressor to "duck" one instrument under another, like sort of muting the bass gtr during a bass drum note, then releasing. I have an almost reverent respect for any engineer that can pull out a good mix in this genre. It's not easy to mix any type of music, but metal is almost universally accepted as the toughest to mix.

Oh yeah, almost forgot the OT......favorite demo material.
Dream Theater -Awake
Slayer -South of Heaven
Flotsam and Jetsam -Drift
Testament -The New Order
Anthrax -The Sound of White Noise

venomclan

mantis wrote: »

I didn't like Heavy metal on B&W speakers, they are not forgiving enough and a lot of metal is recorded like ****.
Dan

I agree, I sold my B&W's also becuase they could not do rock,metal very well.

I was a metalhead in high school and loved it all.
All the popular bands mentioned plus:
Suicidal Tendencies
King diamond
Meliah Rage
Manowar
Overkill (S-K-U-L-L-C-R-U-S-H-E-R)
Ministry etc...

I still like a lot of those bands, but when I discovered Tool in 93', they became and still are my favorite band. A whole new dimension of music and ideals.

NIN is very good also.
Venom

Toolfan66

venomclan wrote: »

i still like a lot of those bands, but when i discovered tool in 93', they became and still are my favorite band. A whole new dimension of music and ideals.

Nin is very good also.
Venom

agreed!!

comfortablycurt

Tool sucks.






















j/k:p:p

BigMac

I just finished listening to "All That remains" and Slayer. I have all the Metallica albums on vinyl (lots of different pressings and colors),have the no life till leather demo tape,an album by a so called band called Assassin but on the back it is a photo of the band with Cliff Burton on it. Funny thing though, it is a double album that introduces Jason Newsted for the first time, his first gig live with Metallica. The gym I train at plays this music blastin' while we work out. Also listened to a little Bad Religion,Pantera, and the list goes on and on.

I have not pulled this stuff out of storage since the And Justice for all album. I kinda feel like the Metallica I liked kinda died after this album. The new album is not to bad but whoever mastered it sucks....all gained up.

organ

Nice to see a fellow metal head \m/

I listen to a lot of the same stuff you do. I'm mostly into BM though. My favs would be
Akercocke
Watain
Mayhem
Carpathian Forest
Gorgoroth
Funeral Mist
Abyssos
etc.....

A lot of BM don't have the bst sound quality, but most are better than mainstream recordings. The good sounding ones I can think of would be Mayhem (Chimera), Abyssos (Fhinstanian Nightbreed), Akercocke (Goat of Mendes and later releases).

When it comes to sound quality, it seems, power metal have the edge.

I'm currently working on a solo BM project. Been practicing vocals with good results. My vocals is similar to Maniac (ex Mayhem) and Nattefrost.
I'm doing semi-old school BM because I'm not very technical on guitar.

venomclan

TOOLFORLIFEFAN wrote: »

agreed!!

If you do not have it already, pick up the piano tribute to Tool. The piano version of The Patient is incredible. The string quartet tributed to Tool are also pretty good

comfortablycurt wrote: »

Tool sucks.

I **** in your general direction!

LessisNevermore

comfortablycurt wrote: »

Tool sucks.j/k:p:p

No....PRIMUS sucks!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primus_(band)
Get it right man.

:p:D

BrettT1

I like Halford Crucible, Accept and alot of Dio, to name a few I hadn't seen posted.

Brett

metal83

Fear Factory - Obsolete

I threw this CD in earlier today after not listening to it for many years. And wow, does it sound fantastic, i mean seriously. The first song "Shock" was just incredible, it brought a level of sound out of my system that i haven't yet heard.

I'm not a big fan of many Fear Factory albums, especially the newer ones (haven't heard them all though). But Obsolete (and the song "Shock") just sounded awesome!

rtart

What, no Motorhead? I still have some of their vinyl. Heard them on XM yesterday.

Old Judas Priest set the standard for many bands to come, IMO. They did the first direct-to-digital recorded CD, "Point of Entry" as I recall. Prior to that, everyone recorded on analog tape then transferred to digital.

Rob Halford, their front man, did a few things after that I enjoyed. He formed a band named "Fight" that cut "A Small Deadly Space" and "Mutations". The guy had as much vocal range as anyone around.

Right now I'm listening to lots of Nickelback and Rob Zombie. My five year old son loves it, and I know the songs well enough to know what can be 5 year old suitable.

Great thread, by the way. Looks like I'm going shopping based on some of the recommendations.

obieone

It's funny, or sad, depending on YOUR POV, but Metal has progressed in such a way that what us old fux considered metal, is just considered mainstream now.
I can't believe Disturbed is NOT classified as Metal??!!!

Damn kids nowadays!!!