“Nu metal bands lack an engagement with the history of metal”(Kahn-Harris 136). Bands associated with this so called “nu metal” genre derive influence from a variety of diverse styles, including everything from rap metal, funk metal, alternative metal and thrash metal. Nu metal’s main characteristic of a sound based mostly on rhythmic riffs, mid-song breakdowns and pretty obvious lack of virtuosity contrasts it with other metal subgenres creating some real tension in the metal world. Some nu metal bands even use seven-string guitars over traditional six-string guitars. The use of 7-string guitars, which are sometimes tuned to a lower octave to increase heaviness, result in bass guitarists using five-string and six-string instruments to add an even more notion of driving force. Even DJs are sometimes used for additional rhythmic instrumentation with the use of pre-recorded samples and sound effects.
Most true death metal artists and fans alike make the statement that they want nothing to do, ”with trendy metal”(Kahn-Harris 136). Did the heavy metal heads simply grow weary of nu metal because, “it had become almost as popular as heavy metal had been”(Kahn-Harris 135)? That’s honestly the only conclusion I can come to (as a huge fan of nu metal and growing up in the 90’s).
Lets take a look at my favorite nu metal band of all time, Rage Against The Machine with their classic track “Killing In The Name”. The driving rhythmic melodies and angry aggressive vocals are undeniable! See for yourself below…
Saturday, May 28, 2011
NU METAL
“Nu metal bands lack an engagement with the history of metal”(Kahn-Harris 136). Bands associated with this so called “nu metal” genre derive influence from a variety of diverse styles, including everything from rap metal, funk metal, alternative metal and thrash metal. Nu metal’s main characteristic of a sound based mostly on rhythmic riffs, mid-song breakdowns and pretty obvious lack of virtuosity contrasts it with other metal subgenres creating some real tension in the metal world. Some nu metal bands even use seven-string guitars over traditional six-string guitars. The use of 7-string guitars, which are sometimes tuned to a lower octave to increase heaviness, result in bass guitarists using five-string and six-string instruments to add an even more notion of driving force. Even DJs are sometimes used for additional rhythmic instrumentation with the use of pre-recorded samples and sound effects.
Most true death metal artists and fans alike make the statement that they want nothing to do, ”with trendy metal”(Kahn-Harris 136). Did the heavy metal heads simply grow weary of nu metal because, “it had become almost as popular as heavy metal had been”(Kahn-Harris 135)? That’s honestly the only conclusion I can come to (as a huge fan of nu metal and growing up in the 90’s).
Lets take a look at my favorite nu metal band of all time, Rage Against The Machine with their classic track “Killing In The Name”. The driving rhythmic melodies and angry aggressive vocals are undeniable! See for yourself below…
Most true death metal artists and fans alike make the statement that they want nothing to do, ”with trendy metal”(Kahn-Harris 136). Did the heavy metal heads simply grow weary of nu metal because, “it had become almost as popular as heavy metal had been”(Kahn-Harris 135)? That’s honestly the only conclusion I can come to (as a huge fan of nu metal and growing up in the 90’s).
Lets take a look at my favorite nu metal band of all time, Rage Against The Machine with their classic track “Killing In The Name”. The driving rhythmic melodies and angry aggressive vocals are undeniable! See for yourself below…
Friday, May 20, 2011
The Gothenburg Scene
What is Melodic death metal? Wikipedia describes this almost oxymoronic genre of metal as a “style that combines elements from the new wave of British heavy metal with elements of death metal”. Another term, Gothenburg metal, is used to describe bands associated with or stylistically similar to the melodic death metal scene that originated around Gothenburg, Sweden. Gothenburg being the second-largest city in Sweden (after Stockholm) and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries, as Keith Kahn-Harris writes, “was marginal to the extreme metal scene until the early 1990’s(Kahn-Harris 98).
Gothenburg's native born commercially successful bands such as Grotesque, At the Gates, In Flames and Dark Tranquillity are credited with pioneering melodic death metal. So how did this scene get started in Sweden out of all places? As Kahn-Harris explains, “The pioneering death metal band Grotesque stimulated the formation of a tight-knit clique of musicians”(Kahn-Harris 98). This tight knit statrted off as a small Swedish scene and evolved into such huge events as The Metaltown Festival, a two day festival featuring heavy metal music bands, held in Gothenburg. The most recent festival in June 2010, included globally metal bands such as Coheed and Cambria, Dark Tranquility, Rammstein, Amon Amarth, and In Flames.
Gothenburg's scene today is soley credited to the support given to musicians in the city, an environment conducive to a highly supportive and creative scene. Lets see what Swedish death metal author Daniel Ekeroth has to say about the culmination and rise of the scene in the early 90’s in the interview below.
Gothenburg's native born commercially successful bands such as Grotesque, At the Gates, In Flames and Dark Tranquillity are credited with pioneering melodic death metal. So how did this scene get started in Sweden out of all places? As Kahn-Harris explains, “The pioneering death metal band Grotesque stimulated the formation of a tight-knit clique of musicians”(Kahn-Harris 98). This tight knit statrted off as a small Swedish scene and evolved into such huge events as The Metaltown Festival, a two day festival featuring heavy metal music bands, held in Gothenburg. The most recent festival in June 2010, included globally metal bands such as Coheed and Cambria, Dark Tranquility, Rammstein, Amon Amarth, and In Flames.
Gothenburg's scene today is soley credited to the support given to musicians in the city, an environment conducive to a highly supportive and creative scene. Lets see what Swedish death metal author Daniel Ekeroth has to say about the culmination and rise of the scene in the early 90’s in the interview below.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Out of The Closet
The metal scene as one would probably expect is predominately (extremely) heterosexual. As Kahn-Harris states, “Openly gay scene members are extremely rare”(Kahn-Harris 73). Given metal’s openly violent and masculine themes it’s very easy to understand why there might be a lack of (at least openly) homosexual males. Even though, “there has been absolutely no overt otganization of gays and lesbians within the extreme metal community’ (Kahn-Harris 73), might there be a significant amount of homosexuals drawn towards the scene as a vehicle for releasing anger and stress?
As Kahn-Harris states, “The only well known out gay man in the entirety of metal is Rob Halford”(Kahn-Harris 74). That seems like a pretty daring move on Halford’s part. Who is this guy?
Best known as the lead vocalist for the Grammy Award-winning heavy metal band Judas Priest. Nicknamed the "Metal God" as a tribute to his influence on metal, and after the Judas Priest song, he is considered one of the most consistently powerful singers in the metal scene having possessed a six-octave range during his prime and is particularly known for his high-pitched, operatic, soaring vocals. It must have been so hard being a gay male in the limelight of such a masculine and seemingly anti-queer environment.
When questioned In 1998, Halford came out as gay publicly on an interview with MTV News. In the interview he states, "I think that most people know that I've been a gay man all of my life, and it's only been in recent times it's an issue that I feel comfortable to address (...) something that I feel has a moment, and this is the moment to discuss it." So why exactly did he feel so uncomfortable to address the issue if everyone “already knew”? Maybe the fact that he was raised in a very religious Christian home? Maybe he felt other bands in the scene just wouldn’t accept him? Let’s hear the full MTV interview and find out what the real truth behind the matter is.
As Kahn-Harris states, “The only well known out gay man in the entirety of metal is Rob Halford”(Kahn-Harris 74). That seems like a pretty daring move on Halford’s part. Who is this guy?
Best known as the lead vocalist for the Grammy Award-winning heavy metal band Judas Priest. Nicknamed the "Metal God" as a tribute to his influence on metal, and after the Judas Priest song, he is considered one of the most consistently powerful singers in the metal scene having possessed a six-octave range during his prime and is particularly known for his high-pitched, operatic, soaring vocals. It must have been so hard being a gay male in the limelight of such a masculine and seemingly anti-queer environment.
When questioned In 1998, Halford came out as gay publicly on an interview with MTV News. In the interview he states, "I think that most people know that I've been a gay man all of my life, and it's only been in recent times it's an issue that I feel comfortable to address (...) something that I feel has a moment, and this is the moment to discuss it." So why exactly did he feel so uncomfortable to address the issue if everyone “already knew”? Maybe the fact that he was raised in a very religious Christian home? Maybe he felt other bands in the scene just wouldn’t accept him? Let’s hear the full MTV interview and find out what the real truth behind the matter is.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Keeping Calm at Megadeth
Everyone seems to realize pretty quickly whether or not they fit in a particular “scene”. What is the scene? We all know what it is yet it’s so hard to really describe, you either fit in the scene…or you don’t. As Keith Kahn-Harris states in his novel “Heavy Metal”, the essential driving force of a music scene is the pleasure of just plainly talking about the music. As he puts it, “scene members often talk of music as an essential part of life”(Kahn-Harris 52).
Equally as important to note is the fact that metal scene, “members (and all scene members) often do not specify what sort of music is so essential for life, members often emphasize the breadth of their musical tastes”(Kahn-Harris 52). That being said, if metal fans like al types of music, what makes people actually attached to the metal scene? Kahn-Harris makes the assumption that, ”The pleasures of extreme metal derive from the excitement of violence and aggression (Kahn-Harris 53).
Could people be turned on to the metal scene by other factors beside the obvious like Kahn-Harris states, I certainly think so. There are many factors as Kahn-Harris even goes on to say, “Metal offers something that other music’s don’t”(Kahn-Harris 53). What the something is is hard to find. That feeling of crowd unity? The black lipstick? Maybe this interview can shed some light…
Equally as important to note is the fact that metal scene, “members (and all scene members) often do not specify what sort of music is so essential for life, members often emphasize the breadth of their musical tastes”(Kahn-Harris 52). That being said, if metal fans like al types of music, what makes people actually attached to the metal scene? Kahn-Harris makes the assumption that, ”The pleasures of extreme metal derive from the excitement of violence and aggression (Kahn-Harris 53).
Could people be turned on to the metal scene by other factors beside the obvious like Kahn-Harris states, I certainly think so. There are many factors as Kahn-Harris even goes on to say, “Metal offers something that other music’s don’t”(Kahn-Harris 53). What the something is is hard to find. That feeling of crowd unity? The black lipstick? Maybe this interview can shed some light…
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