Modern Metal....I don't get it.

[ToonaRockGuy]

Don't get me wrong, cause I do likes me some metal, but I'm looking for answers here from the 25 and under crowd. The question...

WHAT THE F*CK ARE Y'ALL SO PISSED ABOUT???

In all seriousness, your lives at (for example) 19 are WAY better than someone from my generation at that same age. You have access to WAY more income and goodies than we ever had, yet all I hear anymore out of metal is rage and hate and anger. WTF??

To me, a TON of it sounds the same. To my ear, August Burns Red sounds like Hatebreed, who sounds like Underoath, who sounds like Atreyu, who sounds like Bullet For My Valentine, and on and on. Everyone is sounding alike, yet you "young 'uns" are the ones who crack on the 40 something crowd for the glut of 80's metal acts that got overrun by grunge.

My point is this: Despite the war in Iraq, and the economy, life in 2009 for a young person is friggin' awesome. I sell electronics for a living, and most of my customers buying laptops, IPod Touches, IPhones, and 42" LCD Televisions are people under 25. Most teenagers nowadays drive nicer cars than I do. Parents have (somehow) more disposable income now, and are absolutely drowning their kids in stuff that the kids really don't need. Don't tell me they aren't, I see it every single day. And the chicks now are WAY hotter than they were 20 years ago, believe me.

Musicians tend to write about things they know, mostly life experiences. So given the above paragraph, shouldn't metal be more gearing towards bands like Airbourne, Gotthard, and Rhino Bucket, instead of the psuedo-anger crap that is permeating the community?

I'm really not being a smart-ass, or a bitter old man. I just don't get it. My generation gets made fun of for crap hair metal bands like Trixter, Bang Tango, and Tuff, but you guys defend essentially the same thing, just angrier, harder, and faster. It's still all the same.

Get it?

[witchhunt]

And the chicks now are WAY hotter than they were 20 years ago, believe me.

Makeup can do amazing things. Take a scrub brush to the faces of most of the sluts of today and what do ya got?

[UNEARTHA7XMatt]

I agree that alot of the metal bands these days sound alike. I dont agree that Hatebreed or August Burns Red sounds anything like Atreyu or Underoath. I still believe that the technical side of metal is still around from the 80s. If you listen to bands Like Children of Bodom, Hatesphere, or Trivium you will see A LOT of 80s influence. Its bands like Disturbed and Staind and Cold or Godsmack that I believe sound all the same. Sure alot of the lyrics in Metal are angry and hate driven but life isnt always peaches and cream. Its not like the 80s when it was Sex Drugs and Rock and Roll. Im in a metal band, Im angry quite a bit too. I have my reasons and my best way to get that anger out is through my lyrics. Im not gonna write songs about how wonderful my life is because it isnt. More opprotunity? Show me where it is because Ive been laid off for over 6 months now and I cant find shit! So what exactly is there to be so God Damn Happy about?

[bassist_25]

Kevin, though I don't play that style of music (though I do enjoy it, Unearth's one of my favorite bands), I know for me personally, I am somewhat of an angry person. I'm not angry in the sense that I want to go punch someone in the mouth. I'm angry in that the American Dream has been sold out from under me and my generation. As someone just about to hit the big 2-7 in less than a week, it's a scary time to be a 20 something right now. I bust my ass 50 - 80 hours a week between work, school, and gigs - and our gigging schedule is a kick in the ass - and I'm just hoping there's something at the end of the rainbow for us. I'm not trying to be a whiny emo person here or be the spokes person for my generation. But, it is a scary feeling being this age, wondering how the hell you're going to deal with the next couple of years. Maybe every generation has its crisis that it needs to overcome to in order to move forward and inspire greatness. It's kind of like Erickson's theory generalized to a cohort of people. I don't know. I try to be optimistic for my friends and myself.

[Flaw]

Can we please not call underoath, august burns red, or any other band with a month or a season in their name metal. I think that will hurt true metal fans feelings.

[RobTheDrummer]

And the chicks now are WAY hotter than they were 20 years ago, believe me.

Makeup can do amazing things. Take a scrub brush to the faces of most of the sluts of today and what do ya got?

20 years ago it was 1989, you wanna talk about makeup!? haha

[Feelgood]

To me, a TON of it sounds the same. To my ear, August Burns Red sounds like Hatebreed, who sounds like Underoath, who sounds like Atreyu, who sounds like Bullet For My Valentine, and on and on.

I'd be pissed, too, if I sounded like any of those bands.

[ToonaRockGuy]

I'm not trying to be a whiny emo person here or be the spokes person for my generation. But, it is a scary feeling being this age, wondering how the hell you're going to deal with the next couple of years.

Paul, try being my age. I work at Walmart, for Christ's sake, and had to start entirely over at age 37 with a family to feed after a 15 year radio career ended due to corporate greed.

Sure alot of the lyrics in Metal are angry and hate driven but life isnt always peaches and cream. Its not like the 80s when it was Sex Drugs and Rock and Roll.

See, here's the thing, Matt...


Things in the 80's weren't all great. It wasn't all sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. That's just how the majority covered up the problems that they had. We went through Reganomics, Iran/Contra, the boom of cocaine and crack in the US, divorce rates and unemployment skyrocketing, etc...

We needed some escapism, and listening to bands singing about "nothin' but a good time" let us focus on that, instead of all the shit going on in the world.

Now, it seems as if metal is only facing and addressing those problems. There's no escape from it. Everyone needs a break from reality sometime, and metal doesn't provide it anymore. Used to be that you could buy your ticket, have the world's shittiest day, then go and lose yourself in the air-to-air combat of Maiden's "Aces High" or vent your frustrations in the pit with Metallica's "Seek And Destroy". You lost yourself in it and escaped from your problems. Nowadays, you get your ticket and get to go listen to someone screaming about your problems instead of not thinking about them. Doesn't make any sense to me.

I dont agree that Hatebreed or August Burns Red sounds anything like Atreyu or Underoath. I still believe that the technical side of metal is still around from the 80s. If you listen to bands Like Children of Bodom, Hatesphere, or Trivium you will see A LOT of 80s influence. Its bands like Disturbed and Staind and Cold or Godsmack that I believe sound all the same.

To the casual guy, Matt, they do sound the same. Detuned guitars? Check. Gutteral/screaming vocals? Check. Lyrics about how fucked up life is? Check. Drummers playing 100000000 beats per minute (which is totally badass, BTW)? Check. Metal is metal is metal, no matter how you want to subcategorize it or break it down into sub-genres. There's Hardcore, Grindcore, Mathcore, Deathcore, good old Thrash, Death, and five bazillion other categories. Why must we categorize metal into little boxes, claiming that they are all different? It's really not. It's fast, angry, and rage-filled. Maybe I'll never get it, but I think if you are satisfied to divide metal up into 5000 different categories to legitimize it, maybe those people need to quit making fun of other types of music and examine their own.

Back in my "metal days", we didn't need to define what metal was or was not. As long as it was heavy and hard, it was metal. Bands like early Metallica, Death, Bolt Thrower, Slayer, Exodus, Cannibal Corpse, Megadeth, and Pantera all were metal. Not some defined-core crap. Maybe that's the problem today...y'all want to define metal completely instead of enjoying it for what it is.

[DrumAndDestroy]

a lot of bands need to prove to you that the college education their parents paid for was worth it. so, socio-political lyrics are in. i mean...i will vote for who they tell me to because they are famous.


new metal is lame. sub genres are lame. most new music is lame.

[tornandfrayed]

You want pain, my 18 year old listens to emo and does not know it.

I think I heard the same thing though from my Mom and Dad about Zeppelin, Judas Priest, Ac/DC and the shit I always listened to.

So you sound like my mom and dad and I might be older then you.

All kidding aside every generation needs a way to define themselves. Music helps with that but there is more to it. At that age there are physical things going on that older people don't deal with anymore (erections? kidding again!)

I can't say that it all sounds the same and I do try to listen to a lot of different shit.

As far as having it easier, I don't know if that is true. Kids today feel like they are not really a part of anything. We keep kids indoors, there are no "pick up" ballgames at the field down the street anymore. These kids are growing up ten times as fast as they should due to the internet and ability to get info.

I still believe that the internet has ramifications that we have not yet began to grasp.

So I guess I do feel your concern but I can't lump anyone together. The minute someone says "they all sound the same" my Dad's voice echos in my head and I remember thinking "WTF are you talking about?"

So I guess I would re-listen and give it a good chance. If it still sounds all the same then maybe me and you can go have a beer with my Dad...

[faceoffmuzik]

I've always been under the impression that pretty much anything which you aren't a fan of "sounds the same".

Does that make it any less legitimate?

[bassist_25]

Paul, try being my age. I work at Walmart, for Christ's sake, and had to start entirely over at age 37 with a family to feed after a 15 year radio career ended due to corporate greed.

...and I'm not trying to play that down or anything. We're all dealing with it, and I'm hoping that after being complacent for so long, the current state of things breeds innovation and a new set of thinkers who redefine themselves and our culture. I think the days of being a company person for 25 years and having 2.5 kids with a dog in the yard are coming to an end. However, just because younger people have Xbox and cell phones doesn't mean they have it easy, though.

[f.sciarrillo]

Biggest majority of new music is just ridiculous. All it is is nothing but non talent marketing and five second writing sessions. Nothing like back in the day when talent was it, looks were not, and it took more than a squat on the toilet to write a song ..

[bassist_25]

I don't know. There's a lot of great music being put out. It just might not always be on Top 40 radio. Some times you have to dig a little to find new quality stuff. I always raise my eyebrows a little bit at the "new music is crap" arguments.

[ToonaRockGuy]

I've always been under the impression that pretty much anything which you aren't a fan of "sounds the same".

Does that make it any less legitimate?

Never said that, faceoff. Read the first sentence of the original post. I am a metal fan.

[faceoffmuzik]

ToonaRockGuy,

that was not directed at you. it was a general statement.

one that i am occasionally guilty of myself.

[fahy34]

I'm not trying to be a whiny emo person here or be the spokes person for my generation. But, it is a scary feeling being this age, wondering how the hell you're going to deal with the next couple of years.

Paul, try being my age. I work at Walmart, for Christ's sake, and had to start entirely over at age 37 with a family to feed after a 15 year radio career ended due to corporate greed.

Sure alot of the lyrics in Metal are angry and hate driven but life isnt always peaches and cream. Its not like the 80s when it was Sex Drugs and Rock and Roll.

See, here's the thing, Matt...


Things in the 80's weren't all great. It wasn't all sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. That's just how the majority covered up the problems that they had. We went through Reganomics, Iran/Contra, the boom of cocaine and crack in the US, divorce rates and unemployment skyrocketing, etc...

We needed some escapism, and listening to bands singing about "nothin' but a good time" let us focus on that, instead of all the shit going on in the world.

Now, it seems as if metal is only facing and addressing those problems. There's no escape from it. Everyone needs a break from reality sometime, and metal doesn't provide it anymore. Used to be that you could buy your ticket, have the world's shittiest day, then go and lose yourself in the air-to-air combat of Maiden's "Aces High" or vent your frustrations in the pit with Metallica's "Seek And Destroy". You lost yourself in it and escaped from your problems. Nowadays, you get your ticket and get to go listen to someone screaming about your problems instead of not thinking about them. Doesn't make any sense to me.

I dont agree that Hatebreed or August Burns Red sounds anything like Atreyu or Underoath. I still believe that the technical side of metal is still around from the 80s. If you listen to bands Like Children of Bodom, Hatesphere, or Trivium you will see A LOT of 80s influence. Its bands like Disturbed and Staind and Cold or Godsmack that I believe sound all the same.

To the casual guy, Matt, they do sound the same. Detuned guitars? Check. Gutteral/screaming vocals? Check. Lyrics about how fucked up life is? Check. Drummers playing 100000000 beats per minute (which is totally badass, BTW)? Check. Metal is metal is metal, no matter how you want to subcategorize it or break it down into sub-genres. There's Hardcore, Grindcore, Mathcore, Deathcore, good old Thrash, Death, and five bazillion other categories. Why must we categorize metal into little boxes, claiming that they are all different? It's really not. It's fast, angry, and rage-filled. Maybe I'll never get it, but I think if you are satisfied to divide metal up into 5000 different categories to legitimize it, maybe those people need to quit making fun of other types of music and examine their own.

Back in my "metal days", we didn't need to define what metal was or was not. As long as it was heavy and hard, it was metal. Bands like early Metallica, Death, Bolt Thrower, Slayer, Exodus, Cannibal Corpse, Megadeth, and Pantera all were metal. Not some defined-core crap. Maybe that's the problem today...y'all want to define metal completely instead of enjoying it for what it is.

Toona

I agree with a lot of your points, esp the ones about the categories. I can't tell you what defines each category and I play in a 'metal' band.

I guess the only thing I don't quite understand about your point is you call it angry rage filled music then you mention the good ol' days with bands like Metallica and Pantera etc. Seems like you are going in circles with that point?


Music is a great release whether you are trying to party or if you need to let out some frustration/anger.


Mike

[DirtySanchez]

There is a lot to be pissed about these days.

War
Economy
Pop Culture
Racism
Sexism
Drugs are expensive
Brokencyde
Juggalos
Rape
Murder
Abuse
Betrayal


Are these real problems?


Hatebreed and Unearth are the only good bands in this thread.

August Burns Red is Christ-Core! lol

[onegunguitar]

August Burns Red is Christ-Core! lol

Wasn't that what you wanted the Side Effects to be,Christ Core?Hahaha

[DirtySanchez]

We are!

Everytime I ask what people thought of our show, they just shake their head and say "Christ, man".

Religious experience headin your way!

[DrumAndDestroy]

August Burns Red is Christ-Core! lol

Wasn't that what you wanted the Side Effects to be,Christ Core?Hahaha

HOLYHxC!!

[JackANSI]

Every generation has things they are pissed about. Good thing about being older is you probably have a pretty well sorted collection of music you do like, so just listen to that

Its not all bad though.

[bassist_25]

Brokencyde

I didn't know what/who this was, so I looked them up and listened on YouTube. Holy crap, that's horrible!

[thebattle]

paul, try being my age. I work at Walmart, for Christ's sake, and had to start entirely over at age 37 with a family to feed after a 15 year radio career ended due to corporate greed.

'm 24 and I'm seeing this with the company i work for I haven't gotten a raise in two years and I'm working for people that would rather wipe there ass with 20's and shit on there employees that way then can get there annual 7million out of a company that has about 40 employed.

And as far as anger issues with metal I don't totally agree with that. I'm very easy going and I'm not angry except for a few things such as WORK. I love metal and im not going to go on a killing spree.

[DirtySanchez]

Brokencyde

I didn't know what/who this was, so I looked them up and listened on YouTube. Holy crap, that's horrible!

This Crap is "the next big thing" 3oh!3 is already #1 on the charts.