A few questions regarding the origins of melo-death.

[Mort Divine]

I was talking with a few friends about how I hated At The Gates' Slaughter of the Soul and one of them mentioned something about how "If you can't even like the original" (implying it to be the first melo-death album) so I got to looking up some things - wondering which albums came before which albums were the first of the style and I've come down to four albums which were all released in 1993:

Eucharist - A Velvet Creation
Carcass - Heartwork
Unanimated - In the Forest of the Dreaming Dead
Dark Tranquillity - Skydancer

Was there an album that predated these with the general sound, and if not which one of these would one view as the "defining" album of the sound?

 

[MasterOLightning]

I always thought Heartwork was the most influential of that bunch.

 

[Hatebreeder]

Those albums helped sow the seeds of melodeath, but I think it was the Gothenburg trio (Dark Tranquility's The Gallery, In Flames' The Jester Race, and the album you mentioned) were the key albums in its harvesting.

 

[IronPriest]

Never understood why people hate Melodic Death Metal?

 

[Hatebreeder]

I think newer fans think it's too similar to metalcore (which is generally condescended by underground metalheads) and is a lot more straightforward than black or death metal. It also tends to be more influenced by mainstream tunes rather than minor-key melodies.

 

[IronPriest]

I think newer fans think it's too similar to metalcore (which is generally condescended by underground metalheads) and is a lot more straightforward than black or death metal. It also tends to be more influenced by mainstream tunes rather than minor-key melodies.

I really don't see the simularity in the two types. I'm not a fan of Metalcore myself, there are a few bands that are alright but it's definetly the least interesting type of metal for me. I just find it odd that so many people hate on Melodic Death Metal. Maybe I'm seeing it the wrong way but with out the "Melodic" part the music tends to be just be chugga chugga, kind of boring. But there are many Death Metal bands out their that I do like as well too. I'm just suprised to hear so many people not like it.. I though At The Gates Slaughter of Souls was a pretty kick ass album???

 

[Hatebreeder]

I honestly have no certain answer. No one has ever really given me a straight answer as to why they don't like melodeath.

 

[IronPriest]

My guess is those that are die hard Death Metal fans and have been for years, to see "their" music taken and transformed into a new genre bothers them, which I can sort of understand but if the music is good than, let it be.

 

[challenge_everything]

If you're talking about the first melodeath albums, you'd have to include Edge of Sanity's Spectral Sorrows (1993) and even before that, Unorthodox (1992). I have always regarded Edge of Sanity as the trendsetter in that whole movement. And they were the first to play that Opeth style epic melodic death as well. Edge of Sanity were always much closer to true melodic death than say At the Gates, who in hindsight now sound basically like a speed/thrash band with death vocals and the odd melodic touch.

 

[Never78]

My guess is those that are die hard Death Metal fans and have been for years, to see "their" music taken and transformed into a new genre bothers them, which I can sort of understand but if the music is good than, let it be.

That may be, but I think it is more of how it is done. The older melodic death albums had a solid production that was lost over the years. These days melodeath sounds like water. Most people when they hear of "melodic death" automatically think of albums of new In Flames or Dark Tranquillity. On the other end they think of "Slaughter of the Soul" which, while a good album, is really a darkened thrash. This stuff is just so vastly different than the music this genre used to produce.

 

[IronPriest]

That may be, but I think it is more of how it is done. The older melodic death albums had a solid production that was lost over the years. These days melodeath sounds like water. Most people when they hear of "melodic death" automatically think of albums of new In Flames or Dark Tranquillity. On the other end they think of "Slaughter of the Soul" which, while a good album, is really a darkened thrash. This stuff is just so vastly different than the music this genre used to produce.

Good point, but I also think with all the different genres some people have their own opinion on what you call Melodic Death Metal... As you mentioned you believe At The Gates is "darkened thrash" were I always saw it as Swedish Melodic Death Metal, since it has that distinct sound which is accustomed to that country.

But I really think Genre, even though it is relevant at times, in the other hand doesn't truly matter when your talking about weather it's good or not. You shouldn't hate a group just cause its "Death Metal" or "Melodic Death Metal", you should judge it by its sound and if you like it or not. There's many Death Metal bands I like, and some I don't like... I'm not a huge Cannibal Corpse fan but I like Deicide.

 

[Life Sucks]

I remember driving home for a Slayer show last year, with a friend who was really into metalcore. We were listening to The Red in the Sky is Ours in my car. And he says: "This is ok, but Slaughter of the Soul is by far their best." haha

 

[Wires & Waves]

a velvet creation sure as hell isnt "melodeath" under the modern definition

 

[Slayed Necros]

Yeah, neither is early At the Gates or Unanimated. I was going to make a post touching on this, but couldn't really be fucked. Basically, 'Melo-Death' is the queer modern crap influenced by In Flames and At the Gates' last album(could be called Gothenburg I guess), while Melodic Death Metal is... well, Death Metal with a lot of melody.

 

[Mort Divine]

Yes, generally but Eucharist and Unanimated both have riff styles as well as melodies similar to those of the Gothenburg melo-death style, just played in an actual death metal context.

 

[RedinTheSky]

I remember driving home for a Slayer show last year, with a friend who was really into metalcore. We were listening to The Red in the Sky is Ours in my car. And he says: "This is ok, but Slaughter of the Soul is by far their best." haha

Fucking blasphemy.

 

[Never78]

I remember driving home for a Slayer show last year, with a friend who was really into metalcore. We were listening to The Red in the Sky is Ours in my car. And he says: "This is ok, but Slaughter of the Soul is by far their best." haha

lol I am so tired of hearing that. I gave up though. The last time I got someone to listen to Red in the Sky or With Fear resulted in them just scratching their head with a dumb look on their face. After a few seconds, "hey man put Slaughter back on, this stuff is noise".

 

[CF87]

If you're talking about the first melodeath albums, you'd have to include Edge of Sanity's Spectral Sorrows (1993) and even before that, Unorthodox (1992). I have always regarded Edge of Sanity as the trendsetter in that whole movement

Good point. I agree. Edge of Sanity while being very melodic is still very much a death metal band. You could say at the gates 'the red in the sky is ours' is the first melodic death metal album but it's not exactly full on death metal.

 

[byrne]

Yeah, neither is early At the Gates or Unanimated. I was going to make a post touching on this, but couldn't really be fucked. Basically, 'Melo-Death' is the queer modern crap influenced by In Flames and At the Gates' last album(could be called Gothenburg I guess), while Melodic Death Metal is... well, Death Metal with a lot of melody.

 

[ohiogrinder]

not all melo-death (same as fucking melodic death metal...same goddamn thing) is bad, you just have to find the gems buried in the manure pile.