Death Metal: Love it or Hate it?

I *LOVE* death metal. unfortunately, i think the scene (both the traditional death metal and, less so but still somewhat, the Gothenburg sound) has stagnated lately. there's still good stuff coming out, but i haven't found as many new bands to get excited about. even the later wave of traditional death metal bands that aren't all that new any more don't excite me. Nile and Dying Fetus are at the top of the heap right now and they do nothing but piss me off for headlining over the bands they stole their sound from (what the HELL is Napalm Death opening for Nile all about? the FUCK? or Kreator, but don't even get me started on that...). but i digress, i do love me some death metal. good old death metal.

I also seem to be unique on this forum for being vocally impressed by the death and black genres as well. I have as much respect for Lord Worm of early Cryptopsy or Atilla Csithar of Tormentor/mid-era Mayhem as i do for most of the singers in the prog and power genres. I like Jeff Walker's vocals on Carcass; hell, I even like Venom's vocals. so there. I *like* extreme vocals, and think that they often ADD to the music. granted, there are tons of bands out there that just growl or screech because it's the thing to do, but if it's done well, it's impressive. granted these guys don't have the amazing range of a Russell Allen or a Damond Jiniya, but they have their place. just listen to Death's "Scream Bloody Gore", Carcass's "Symphonies of Sickness", or, say, Macabre's "Sinister Slaughter" and tell me in all seriousness that there are any sort of clean vocals that could have worked with that music. not to mention Cryptopsy's "None So Vile". sometimes, when the music's extreme, the vocals need to be as well.

Ryan
 
I never liked Opeth because of the growls. Then a friend talked me into buying Blackwater Park from them and I was just totally won over. I still do not care for their older stuff, but let me tell you this I saw them in July in Chicago and they played phenomenally. They did the whole Damnation cd (which is all mellower stuff) and it was great.

I'd love to see Opeth on the bill for next year's Progpower.