Jump to content

How long have you been using music forums?


Rexorcist

Recommended Posts

Yeah, 10 years sounds about right to me for forums. I've been searching up info on music since the dial up days but never made the jump to get actively involved until later. I was mildly engaged, more of a lurker, until I found the old Metal-Fi board (2015/2016?) which is pretty similar to this in that there were rational, intelligent, mature adults (for the most part) engaging in the conversation. Most boards out there I've perused are an absolute dumpster fire.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been a regular here for about 9 and a half years - the only place I've enjoyed enough to stick around. Before that I was on and off music forums starting sometime in the mid 2000s. Back then I was on a couple band forums and I thought it was awesome to be able to chat directly with the people from bands I listened to. But I didn't really take to it as a regular. Later on, FB was a good place for music talk for a while, especially when groups became a thing. Eventually the good ones got hollowed out and there were too many fucktards to make it any fun. Same with comment sections, but with less bang for the buck. Also spent time on some musician-focused boards, I enjoyed Talkbass for a while.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, markm said:

I started on Head-Fi, they have/had a metal thread back in about 2012-so about ten years for me as well. 

Yeah, I really didn't engage on that thread much although I followed it from about the same time. Their tastes tended to be much different than mine and there were a few that would just shout you down if they didn't jive with your "viewpoint".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, navybsn said:

Yeah, I really didn't engage on that thread much although I followed it from about the same time. Their tastes tended to be much different than mine and there were a few that would just shout you down if they didn't jive with your "viewpoint".

That's where I met Alex and Ferday, but there were some that took the loudness wars thing a little too far. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah same here, Amazon metal board I just joined a couple of years before Surge did in '07 or '08. I think Doc and Marko were already veterans there even before I joined. As I recall it was mid 2010 when a bunch of us all left for OOTL in protest after Doc Metal got booted. Pretty cool how a dozen of us have all managed to meet up in person and stay friends and stay in contact for over a decade. With the notable exception of Doc himself of course, because after 5 or 6 years of his outrageously implausible stories enough was enough and we ditched him. 

I find it quite amusing that the OP would think that any of us might be in the habit of cataloging exactly how many metal albums we've ever heard in our metalhead careers like he apparently does. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I do know that I listened to over 1,000 new metal releases in 2017 when we were doing that stupid Vortex spreadsheet rating thing with Goldy and Snyde. So if I've been a metalhead for over 40 years since metal was invented, I suppose by now I must have listened to about 40,000 (mostly) metal albums give or take. But I don't keep track of the total number, just my favorites. 

EDIT: Alright wait a minute, that's not right because there was no way I was listening to 1,000 metal albums per year back before 1998 when I first got online. So if I was listening to an average of maybe 50 albums per year in the pre-internet days of the 70's, 80's and 90's, that's only about 1,500 total. And then let's say I've averaged haring roughly 1,000 albums per year for the last 24 years since I've been online, that puts me somewhere closer to 25k total not 40k.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Probably started in 2008 or nine with groups on Facebook, I spent the best part of 11 years here, I’ve been a member of a few other boards in that time as well but most communities out there are unbelievably toxic. As far as how many albums I’ve listened to goes I have absolutely no idea, thousands certainly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

45 minutes ago, Dead1 said:

Megadeth BB was my first metal forum though probably around 1999-00.

I don't know how much truth there was to the claim but it was claimed Megadeth Arizona was the first dedicated heavy band forum in existence. If it wasn't the first it was one of the very early ones. Apart from the occasional blow up they did alright until they started charging a fee. I still know a few guys from the US that were on the forum but they've pretty much given up on forums these days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, KillaKukumba said:

I don't know how much truth there was to the claim but it was claimed Megadeth Arizona was the first dedicated heavy band forum in existence.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was!  Back then the internet was quite empty and very limited.

 

https://robinbechtel.medium.com/what-the-hell-was-megadeth-arizona-3519a751149d

 

Personally I much prefer a forum to social media.  It's a far better system of organising topics and information and also far easier to navigate than say Facebook.  I also like the anonymity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't have thought it was 94 but I knew it had been going a little while before I joined.

I remember reading bits and pieces of that article, mainly in quotes from other articles. I've never had any reason to doubt the number 1 claim, but I've also never looked for reasons. Dave's brought it up a few times in interviews too.

At a similar time I also remember doing internet chats with some of the Aussie pub bands, usually organised by a radio station, but there used to be some great chats. Back then it was all dial up modems, most of the time I'd be doing it with STD rates using motel phones etc because I was on the road. Used to cost a fortune to dial up on a 14k modem, but in many ways it was more reliable than internet is today :)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been here about the same amount of time as @FatherAlabasterand prior to that had done a good few years on the old Terrorizer forums and prior to even that I was on another generic platform so must be since the mid noughties overall.  I am down to just two forums now though having been member of various boards over the years my patience and more so my time for this is ever-decreasing really.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to hang on various forums as a teen, but the first proper music fourm board was White Trash Devil, they hosted a few death and stoner bands official forums and I found my way there thanks to being a fan of The Project Hate MCMXCIX. After the demis of WTD I moved on with a bunch of folks to form Global Domination webzine. After that conked I floated around for a bit until I stumbled on Metal-Fi via Angry Metal Guy. And then I ended up here. I don't know how long but I think WTD was active around 98-02 or something.... So 20-24 years? Wow.... shit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I only started regularly posting to a forum with Metal-Fi, which was supposed to be about promoting good sound quality in metal. They were really hung up on the loudness wars, which I respect as a thing, and was great for debate but I remember the choice of "best sounding" album of the year sometimes was very far removed from my own.

It wasn't about not being able to be objective about whether I liked the band or not - the actual production choices sounded bad to me. A mix can have perfect balance/separation and full dynamic range but still be shit if they use midi strings and plastic sounding drums all over it.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, there were distinct contingents on MFi that took the conversation in opposing directions. Goats vs. pansy metal fans 😆 (just teasing those, no hard feelings for any of them) got downright hostile at times honestly and resulted in the Great Vortex schism. I never liked the practice of numerically scoring out albums as I just don't look at music that way, but I did enjoy many of the recommendations and viewpoints different than my own which did influence several purchases which I still enjoy to this day. I do think there were very valuable threads there that were gear focused (i.e. the headphone thread) that I gleaned some valuable knowledge from. Ultimately however, I think the vastly different focuses of the participants was the undoing before Alex pulled the plug.

On a production note, I'm in the camp that thinks the best production might not be best for a particular record. Certain styles/bands demand certain production. Can't imagine Darkthrone with the production of say Unleash the Archers. Just wouldn't work. So that was always an argument determined to fail to say album x had the best production of the year. And some, even though we may disagree, really work best when compressed to all fuck and back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, JonoBlade said:

I only started regularly posting to a forum with Metal-Fi, which was supposed to be about promoting good sound quality in metal. They were really hung up on the loudness wars, which I respect as a thing, and was great for debate but I remember the choice of "best sounding" album of the year sometimes was very far removed from my own.

It wasn't about not being able to be objective about whether I liked the band or not - the actual production choices sounded bad to me. A mix can have perfect balance/separation and full dynamic range but still be shit if they use midi strings and plastic sounding drums all over it.

Yes.  I used to talk to some of those guys about individual instrument sounds and they would tell me I was conflating the sound of the instruments with the overall production. But for me the instrument sounds are a huge part of production, probably the most important part as I see it. I agree 100% that DR 13 means sweet fuck all if you have clickety drums and djenty or too clean/sterile guitars. I have come across a handful of albums with good guitar and drum sounds that were just compressed too much and it hurts my head to listen to them. But for the most part I've found that when they can get the guitars and drums to sound right then that's usually a good indication I'm gonna be cool with the overall production. With black metal there is definitely a limit to how lo-fi you can go before it just sounds completely retarded, but in general I prefer black metal bands to err on the side of underproduced, rather than over. But really as long as they capture that filthy guitar sound and some solid bottom end and avoid clickety-clackety drums and a coffee can snare sound then I'm happy. On the whole I definitely like modern day extreme metal production much better than typical tinny early 90's production. I'm not a studio guy like some of you, so I really don't know what it is specifically, but to me they just hadn't figured out how to record extreme metal yet back then 30 years ago. The majority of those early 90's black and death metal albums just sound too thin to me. I hear some people complain that modern day production is too cookie cutter and all bands sound basically the same. But that's not a problem for me as long as it sounds good and full and not tinny.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Join Metal Forum

    joinus-home.jpg

  • Our picks

    • Whichever tier of thrash metal you consigned Sacred Reich back in the 80's/90's they still had their moments.  "Ignorance" & "Surf Nicaragura" did a great job of establishing the band, whereas "The American Way" just got a little to comfortable and accessible (the title track grates nowadays) for my ears.  A couple more records better left forgotten about and then nothing for twenty three years.  2019 alone has now seen three releases from Phil Rind and co.  A live EP, a split EP with Iron Reagan and now a full length.

      Notable addition to the ranks for the current throng of releases is former Machine Head sticksman, Dave McClean.  Love or hate Machine Head, McClean is a more than capable drummer and his presence here is felt from the off with the opening and title track kicking things off with some real gusto.  'Divide & Conquer' and 'Salvation' muddle along nicely, never quite reaching any quality that would make my balls tingle but comfortable enough.  The looming build to 'Manifest Reality' delivers a real punch when the song starts proper.  Frenzied riffs and drums with shots of lead work to hold the interest.


      There's a problem already though (I know, I am such a fucking mood hoover).  I don't like Phil's vocals.  I never had if I am being honest.  The aggression to them seems a little forced even when they are at their best on tracks like 'Manifest Reality'.  When he tries to sing it just feels weak though ('Salvation') and tracks lose real punch.  Give him a riffy number such as 'Killing Machine' and he is fine with the Reich engine (probably a poor choice of phrase) up in sixth gear.  For every thrashy riff there's a fair share of rock edged, local bar act rhythm aplenty too.

      Let's not poo-poo proceedings though, because overall I actually enjoy "Awakening".  It is stacked full of catchy riffs that are sticky on the old ears.  Whilst not as raw as perhaps the - brilliant - artwork suggests with its black and white, tattoo flash sheet style design it is enjoyable enough.  Yes, 'Death Valley' & 'Something to Believe' have no place here, saved only by Arnett and Radziwill's lead work but 'Revolution' is a fucking 80's thrash heyday throwback to the extent that if you turn the TV on during it you might catch a new episode of Cheers!

      3/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 10 replies
    • I
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/52-vltimas-something-wicked-marches-in/
      • Reputation Points

      • 3 replies

    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/48-candlemass-the-door-to-doom/
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • Full length number 19 from overkill certainly makes a splash in the energy stakes, I mean there's some modern thrash bands that are a good two decades younger than Overkill who can only hope to achieve the levels of spunk that New Jersey's finest produce here.  That in itself is an achievement, for a band of Overkill's stature and reputation to be able to still sound relevant four decades into their career is no mean feat.  Even in the albums weaker moments it never gets redundant and the energy levels remain high.  There's a real sense of a band in a state of some renewed vigour, helped in no small part by the addition of Jason Bittner on drums.  The former Flotsam & Jetsam skinsman is nothing short of superb throughout "The Wings of War" and seems to have squeezed a little extra out of the rest of his peers.

      The album kicks of with a great build to opening track "Last Man Standing" and for the first 4 tracks of the album the Overkill crew stomp, bash and groove their way to a solid level of consistency.  The lead work is of particular note and Blitz sounds as sneery and scathing as ever.  The album is well produced and mixed too with all parts of the thrash machine audible as the five piece hammer away at your skull with the usual blend of chugging riffs and infectious anthems.  


      There are weak moments as mentioned but they are more a victim of how good the strong tracks are.  In it's own right "Distortion" is a solid enough - if not slightly varied a journey from the last offering - but it just doesn't stand up well against a "Bat Shit Crazy" or a "Head of a Pin".  As the album draws to a close you get the increasing impression that the last few tracks are rescued really by some great solos and stomping skin work which is a shame because trimming of a couple of tracks may have made this less obvious. 

      4/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 4 replies
×
×
  • Create New...