Apparent band/album preferences of UM members vs. common metalheads

[Onder]

There are bands that are worshipped on here that nobody outside knows and vice-versa. Bands that are praised outside that I've NEVER seen mentioned here, or not often enough. Sometimes the quality matches!

In this thread we justify these inequalities, or atleast reveal them. This could also serve as some sort of handbook for newbies to check out before they angrily get into some worthless argument.

- Nobody ever mentiones Gorefest here, while everywhere around they are very well accepted (and also very good)
- Lock Up is amazing, also ignored here
- Sloughfeg is overappreciated here
- IRL I usually see Cannibal Corpse mentioned most out of the US purveyors of deathmetal, while here Morbid Angel clearly wins (this is justified imo, but still)

Discuss and continue.

 

[DestroyAndDominate]

According to a lot of metalheads I know, Necrophagist is mallcore, and so are the faceless. Slam metal is also looked down upon somewhat. Here no one mentions Graspop. I know there are a lot of European metalheads here. The ones I know always talk about Graspop. Opinions here are not as divided as is the case with common metalheads (this sounds hilarious tbh). People generally seem to get along better too, and are generally more helpful. Not saying that my friends are bad people, but we have a lot of arguments about stupid shit and with other groups too. Generally people on UM seem a lot more open minded. This is a good thing to be honest.

 

[Raina]

I've seen Manilla Road come up very often here, where normally it wouldn't be considered to be that great of a band. Jag Panzer wouldn't get much attention on other forums either.
Also, I've seen no Primordial haters so far... Destroyer 666 get a lot of attention here, which is a good thing.
Don't see many discussions about melo death bands, most people are into technical death or blackened (or at least that's my impression).

Also no gothic/symphonic metal bands - but this may be because there are no/few women which like that stuff on the forum, anyway.
First forum where people also like rap music.

A few people get really sensitive when some band they like gets criticized, but I'd say there's not much snobism/elitism.


Also, no talk about big festivals like Wacken, Hellfest, Metal Camp, Brutal Assault. I've only seen Maryland Deathfest.

 

[Cythraul]

I'll just talk about this forum vs. irl because the only other forum I hang around is ANUS:

Well, for one thing, a lot of people on GMD drool all over Manilla Road (I like 'em, but I don't worship them), but I've never once heard anybody in the metal scene over here mention them. There seems to be more respect for and awareness of USPM and trad here than irl. It seems like with the people I know, power metal is basically the Euro stuff, and there's not a whole lot of awareness of stuff beyond that. If they know about it, they certainly don't seem to care about it very much. I've had one hell of a difficult time trying to get friends into Awaken the Guardian. I've had people say, "yeah, Fates Warning, they're ok." And then they go and listen to Rhapsody or Dream Evil or something. wtf...

Finnish death metal seems to be a big one around here that not a lot of people irl seem to know or care much about. I know precisely one person who's familiar with Demigod, and that's just because he just so happens to be sort of an ANUSian. Similar thing with Demilich, except I know a few more people who know them, but only real die-hard O.G.'s. I never made it to the Demilich show that happened here a few years back, but I heard there were about 10 people there. On the other hand, everyone in Phoenix who listens to metal seems to love Nile, whereas here they get bashed a ton.

Also, I don't know anybody who is really into any kind of doom, whereas here trad doom at least gets a lot of attention and respect. I have gotten a couple of friends into Candlemass and Solitude Aeturnus, though. I don't know, there are people that I know who I consider O.G.'s because they know and like a lot of the stuff I like, and then there's the rest of the metal scene over here which consists basically of a bunch of brain-dead people who think Belphegor is the best thing since sliced bread.

 

[mutantllama]

I think taste here is similar to various other forums and metal communities on the internet, so I think the title should be band preferences of various internet metalheads vs common metalheads.

 

[Zephyrus]

The trend is that the longer you stay here, the more closely your band preferences resemble those of Dodens Grav.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Elsewhere, much more "mainstream" metal bands get a lot of attention (All That Remains, Killswitch, etc). Dive into SLIGHTLY elitist waters like MetalSucks and you start getting a bunch of praise for Fear Factory, Devon Townsend, Ulcerate and other more palatable but still outside the mainstream metal.

Dive further in (here, MetalReview) and the preferences start to dip to REALLY obscure stuff. One-man black metal projects, underground brutal death, that kind of thing.

Basically what you like seems determined by how much effort you put into finding music. That's why "metal nerds" like all the weird stuff.

 

[Onder]

The trend is that the longer you stay here, the more closely your band preferences resemble those of Dodens Grav.

I have to say that since I joined here five years ago I was hugely influenced by the Dodens/Malign/Koude obscure taste, but those guys are also very closeminded and I disagree with Dodens on many things. He wouldn't touch a grindcore cd and he claims that Mahler's best is fifth without actually listening to the other ones.

Plus some guys here completely ignore anything old-school and keep posting prog-tech-core photoshopped covers in the np thread, despite being here for more years than I have.

Anyways, I agree on the US metal felatio around here. Although Manilla Road kinda deserves it imo.

 

[Der Morgenstern]

Well, one simply has to look at the sheer number of posters on this forum from North America compared to users from the rest of the world.

The scene here is dominated by people who love either power/symphonic metal (i.e. Rhapsody, Dimmu Borgir, later Therion), progressive metal or people who think Death, Cannibal Corpse and Obituary is where the proverbial buck stops.

Compare that to what is discussed on this board.

Although, I do find it refreshing that on this forum a band like Summoning is NOT universally lauded and is actually criticized since I, personally, have always found the band to be incredibly overrated.

I think there is a tremendous mix of people here who listen to a variety of metal (except for symphonic/gothic as mentioned by Raina) and I believe that's a great thing. Lots of different tastes and viewpoints.

I do think we could get away from the whole debate approach when someone disagrees with someone else about an album, scene, song which consists of "No, you're wrong" and leaves it at that. Hard to take you seriously when your counterpoint consists of basically stating that I'm wrong without providing evidence for it. Some of the posters around here have a tendency to do that more than others. Or you will come across a poster who will post an album they like and then someone will come by with the obligatory "Great album BUT *insert album* is better" which is one of the most passive aggressive things you can do around here IMHO.

Anyways, I have gone really far from the point of this thread now.

 

[Der Morgenstern]

I've had one hell of a difficult time trying to get friends into Awaken the Guardian. I've had people say, "yeah, Fates Warning, they're ok." And then they go and listen to Rhapsody or Dream Evil or something. wtf...

Same here. I think that album is one of the finest examples of power metal around, regardless of geographic origin, but when my power metal friends listen to it, I get blank stares.

Not enough symphonies or choirs, I guess.

 

[Draehl]

I've met very few IRL who like folk, and no one who likes blackened folk which is probably my favorite genre. Primordial, Myrkgrav, Windir, Drudkh, Ulver, etc. Some like somewhat goofier folk like Turisas, etc. but when it comes to the darker folk influences there doesn't seem to be much interest.

 

[Ryuuzaki]

Yeah I know a guy IRL who likes Turisas and Korpiklaani but he's never heard any blackened folk. I tell people about folk metal in general and they're like, "Wtf is that?"

Other than that all I know is a lot of guys who are into Deathcore but think they're listening to Death metal. Suicide Silence is worshiped here.

 

[The Ozzman]

I feel the same way about Manilla Road. I like the band, but I don't think they're the best US trad metal band or anything. I am very lacking in my US trad metal collection.

The only Manilla Road albums I own are OTG and CL. Voyager sucked a fat cock IMO.

What I experience is that there are tons of people who are into thrash like Testament or Slayer, but I show them Morbid Saint and they say that it's 'crappy' and that the point of thrash isn't to 'play lightning fast' (EXCEPT THRASH IS SUPPOSED TO BE FAST)

tl;dr: They like the cookie cutter, basic thrash over the more progressive thrash with harsher vokillz

 

[Vossyrus]

I find that this board is generally less immature, far less narrowminded and more down-to-earth than that of most other sites and I think this is reflected in everyone's taste in music. Of course, I'm not saying this is 100% true but there's very few people here on a mission to prove how trve they are.

 

[The Emptier]

The biggest ones I see are Manilla road (can't stand them) and a lot of the obscure-ish new wave of old school death metal bands. A lot of bands get due praise but there are some bands/albums etc. that I think get too much cock sucking..can't really think of any off the top of my head. Also it seems Opeth is generally not liked around here Although I love them

 

[The Ozzman]

a lot of the obscure-ish new wave of old school death metal bands.

Yeah, I don't get this either. The only newish DM bands that I enjoy are Deathevokation and Ares Kingdom (although I guess they are more death/thrash. Other bands like Necrovation and Dead Congregation just don't interest me enough to give a shit about them other than know who they are when they are brought up in a conversation. I bought a Divine Eve compilation, but I've only listened to that a few times and can't give an honest opinion about the band yet.

 

[EternalMetal]

The way I see it is that different regions of differences in popular opinion. The typical metalhead where I live in NJ isnt necessarily going to like or even know about the same bands as someone from Finland or even Florida. The UM forum just contains a specific sampling of people from a variety of regions who just happen to like some of the same bands.

far less narrowminded

Dont know about that one tbh. Many people here assert their taste in music like its fact and dismiss bands that dont fall within the framework of what they consider desirable music and seem to want to negate the opinions of people who feel otherwise. I like when people stand by their opinions, but I feel a general lack of respect for certain bands/genres that resonates throughout the forum.

more down-to-earth than that of most other sites and I think this is reflected in everyone's taste in music.

I dont really understand what you are trying to say here, but I agree that this forum is pretty down to earth compared to most.

The biggest ones I see are Manilla road (can't stand them) and a lot of the obscure-ish new wave of old school death metal bands. A lot of bands get due praise but there are some bands/albums etc. that I think get too much cock sucking..can't really think of any off the top of my head.

Im fine with the Manilla Road praise (although it may be talked about a bit too much), but it surprises me when I see Slough Feg mentioned with the same respect when they are basically a B-sides Manilla Road (which still makes them listenable). I understand the talk about newer bands, since im sure most people who listen to metal want to believe that the genre has not stagnated and is still alive - even if most of the bands dont hold up. The initial hype and excessive praise usually dies down after a while though. And hell, some newer bands might just strike a chord with someone even if most dont consider them to be THAT good.

Also it seems Opeth is generally not liked around here Although I love them

And basically anything popular with a bit of accessibility in their sound (but yea, especially Opeth; dont really understand the vehement hate, maybe its to counteract their mainstream popularity?).

 

[gundamterran]

I've met more people online here who enjoy Incantation worship bands and BDM/Slam then I have anywhere else in the world. The biggest difference I would say though is that most mainstream bands are torn apart here.

 

[Vossyrus]

Dont know about that one tbh. Many people here assert their taste in music like its fact and dismiss bands that dont fall within the framework of what they consider desirable music and seem to want to negate the opinions of people who feel otherwise. I like when people stand by their opinions, but I feel a general lack of respect for certain bands/genres that resonates throughout the forum.

I dont really understand what you are trying to say here, but I agree that this forum is pretty down to earth compared to most.

My post makes more sense if you read it as a whole.

Basically...I think people here are generally more interested in actually discussing the music they listen to and in the process, expanding their taste in music.

I don't see this as much on other forums, certainly not without an abundance of trolling and immaturity. Sure there's some here but it's not completely out of control. I don't think there's nearly as many people here trying to prove something.

 

[Der Morgenstern]

Yea, I don't get the whole deal with having to like every Incantation-clone band that comes out. Father Befouled is a great example of a band that received far too much praise from the forum.