JBaker

Tupac- Me Against The World

Cheers. I'll check those guys out. Could use some less melodic metalcore in my collection. Already got Converge, who I'm really loving, and Hatebreed. I've been enjoying the first Chariot album recently too.

Most definitely not! And that's not levelled specifically at Helloween; I have yet to hear any power metal that does anything for me. Who knows? Maybe the day will come. I love Dio, who I guess was the precursor to the genre in many ways, but I dunno. Dio's lyrics might have been a little ridiculous and there was a *good* cheese to what he did, but power metal took these aspects too far imo, at the expense of the 'edge' that I feel all metal should have. How people can whine about Lamb of God not being 'troo' metal but still listen to stuff like Helloween and consider that to be 'troo' is beyond me.

I'm not sure if this is limited to metal or not, so I'm just gonna do a metal-related one (note the word 'related') and a non metal-related one. Metal related: 1. Falling In Reverse (though their newer stuff with the terribly-implemented elements of pop and rap make for some mega lulz) 2. Bullet For My Valentine (yeah, ok, a good gateway to heavier music for some, but fucking horrible music!) 3. Dragonforce (annoying and cheesy as hell) 4. Halestorm (urgh.... they're associated with metal and 'heavy' music way more than they should be, considering they're pretty much Nickelback with a more attractive singer and slightly ​heavier guitar sound- this so-called 'post-grunge' thing just grates on me so much I want to start stabbing babies) 5. Helloween (like drowning in a sea of fromage... lightweight and just too fucking cheerful, really; not what I want from heavy music!) Non-metal related: 1. Michael Buble (now I don't mind some of the old school jazz/swing- especially the Christmas stuff- but I cannot put into words my hatred for this puppy-dog eyed wanker... he's so sickly sweet and sanitised it's the musical equivalent of a cup of weak milky tea or an hour watching Michael bastarding cunting Mcintyre) 2. Nickelback (I do have a guilty pleasure for a couple of early tracks- my sister used to play them a lot as a kid and I think they now give me a childhood nostalgia sort of thing- but post-grunge is just so fucking terrible and this is probably the worst of them all!) 3. Kings of Leon (dull, bland indie music with the emotional pallet of Kirsten Stewart's face) 4. Coldplay (same as Kings of Leon- it's sad that this is what passes for 'alternative' music these days) 5. Adele (not because I think she's one of the worst artists per se, I just cannot comprehend how so many idiots think she's a breath of fresh air in the pop scene and that her lyrics are somehow deep, thought-provoking and unique- they're just the same old bollocks about missing your boyfriend, blah blah fucking blah! And, again, the music is safe and bland as hell: actually hell is too exciting a place to associate with this drivel)

Bleed From Within- Uprising Heavy metalcore clearly influenced by Lamb of God, Machine Head, Slipknot etc. Yes, a little generic and predictable, but still a fun album: good vocals with a lot of personality, big hooks, anthemic choruses, huge heavy grooves, lots of passion. Good stuff. Right up my street!

Hey dude. Welcome to the forum! You have good taste. And yeah, can't beat a bit of the JD. I've been really into the honey one recently.

But, isn't pop music all about making big commercial catchy tunes with big choruses that you can dance/sing along to? That may fit the 'softer' bands on your list, but I don't feel it fits Chimaira or Lamb of God at all. I feel there needs to be a way we can sensibly differentiate Chimaira from Atreyu because, in reality, the 2 bands don't sound all that alike. Out of interest, where would you put Converge or Hatebreed? Surely they're Metalcore, yet sound completely different to both those bands...

Well, the lyrics are focused more on the political climate in Brazil at the time so, whilst they do have a 'don't fuck with me; I'm a hard man' vibe to them, I don't think you can compare them to the teen angsty lyrics of bands like Korn. 'Heaviness' is obviously a subjective concept and difficult as hell to pin down, but I still feel Roots is a very heavy album. Whilst not as extreme or harsh-sounding other albums I can think of (including other Sep. albums), I always feel there's a really dark and threatening atmosphere to this album (helped in no small part by the tribal influence) that makes this album seem heavier, in some ways, than more extreme albums by some Death Metal bands etc. who might play loud and fast, but seem comparatively nonthreatening due to the distinct lack of atmosphere. It's a bit like comparing Emmure to Tool: there's a good case for saying that Tool are a million times heavier than Emmure could ever be! But, back to the original point, yeah, I'm quite happy to class this as a nu metal album as it does 'tick all the boxes'. I love it, but if you don't dig the nu metal sound, it's obviously not gonna do it for you.

I agree that only the 1st album (and possibly their second) by the Tones is nu metal, but we have to differ on Chimaira. Such a description may fit Attack! Attack! or BFMV, but Chimaira fit more in with the post-Pantera groove metal thing imo. Yes, there are elements of hardcore in their sound (for example, the vocals), which could give the metalcore tag validity, but to describe them as pop metalcore in the vain of the aforementioned bands or Asking Alexandria is a bit inaccurate.

Yeah, I know. I just find the assumption that anyone who likes bands that fall under the metalcore/nu metal umbrella are just silly tend-hoppers a little bit annoying. I wouldn't call myself a 'metalhead' anyway; my enjoyment of heavy music stretches beyond metal as I also enjoy hardcore and bands rooted in heavy alternative music like Alice in Chains and Faith No More and harder hip hop, so I'd rather call myself a heavy music fan rather than a 'metalhead'. Still, suggesting someone can't be a metalhead if they listen to nu metal is a little silly, and there are people who are passionate about Korn or Suicide Silence. I know there are many trend-hoppers who have this 'phase' that lasts like 2 months, but not all their fanbase is like that!

So, my tastes include Dying Fetus, Decapitated, Kreator, Crowbar, Sabbath, Iron Monkey, Napalm Death, Motorhead, Suffocation, the list goes on... yet this is all cancelled out by the fact that I also like Korn? How does that make sense? O.o

Not a metal album at all (more an experimental post-hardcore album in the vein of Glassjaw, Refused and At The Drive In), but anyone else dig the new letlive. album as much as me?!

I'm not sure if Roots would be classed as nu metal, but it does have some of the key ingredients: downtuned guitars, simplistic hip hop-inspired grooves. Sure, it's a lot heavier than any nu metal band I can think of, but does that discount it? I'm not sure, but if it is nu metal, then it's my favourite nu metal album by a long shot! What do you think? Do you like this album? And would you class it as nu metal?

I'm sure it won't come as a shock to anyone here that I like my share of nu metal... You're not alone! I have to disagree with the bands people are listing, though. Limp Bizkit are a little too silly and Linkin Park too poppy. My favourite bands under this bracket would be early Deftones (not saying I don't love newer Deftones- I just wouldn't class it as nu metal), Korn, Slipknot, Ill Nino, and American Head Charge are pretty underrated imo. Other stuff I dig that has been associated with nu metal would be Chimaira, 36 Crazyfists and SOAD, if you could put them into that category (I don't). I quite like Disturbed, but wouldn't call anything past their first album or so nu metal. Most of it comes under hard rock or mainstream/commercial metal.

My experience was very similar to Sam's, although I believe I was a little younger (14, maybe?). I think They're a great band, and I've been getting back into them recently after not listening to them properly for a few years. Whilst Toxicity had some great tunes, I don't think you can really beat their first album for crazy, weird and heavy yet accessible metal! I don't really get why Deftones, Korn and SOAD are lumped together so much tbh. They all sound pretty different to me. There is a similarity between Korn and Deftones' first records, but it really stops there imo, and I don't see where SOAD come in at all, really.

Deftones- Be Quite And Drive (acoustic) How to make a beautiful song even more beautiful. I could do filthy things to Chino's voice!

Bjork- Debut

Not heard Gorerotted, so can't really comment, but the Rotted album is such a blast! I think Surrounded By Skulls is my fave track atm... super groovy!

You should check 'em out, dude. You can't go wrong! Although I gather you're mainly into classic metal, so it may take some adjustment, but trust me, it's worth it!

Coheed & Cambria- The Afterman: Ascension I bloody love this band!!

The Rotted- Ad Nauseam Really digging these guys. Death Metal, Punk, Grindcore, Hardcore and good ol' Rock 'n' Roll brought together in one sexy sound!

Rammstein are awesome! Would love to see them live. I hear they put on an amazing show. Well, I really like Dead End Kings on the first listen, but I've heard from multiple sources that it's a grower, so will likely get to love it. I'm pretty new to Katatonia, having only heard a couple of tunes. I got this album because of the hype and the fact that I like what I've heard of their stuff before.

At the moment I'd be inclined to say Lateralus, but I've not had their first 2 albums that long so they'll grow on me more as well. Already really like some tracks from Aenima, and love the raw anger of Undertow. 10, 000 Days is vastly underrated, though.

Katatonia- Dead End Kings First listen to the first track; already spine-tinglingly beautiful!

From my Last.fm library radio 1. Deftones- Beauty School 2. BoySetsFire- Last Year's Nest 3. At The Drive In- Cosmonaut 4. Aphex Twin- Xtal 5. Faith No More- Stripsearch 6. Converge- Cutter 7. While She Sleeps- This Is The Six 8. 311- Come Original 9. Coheed & Cambria- Made Out of Nothing (All That I Am) 10. Kreator- Pleasure To Kill Odd playlist, but some great tunes in there. 8/10.