Death metal vocals are emotionless Yay or Nay

[The Real Moonchild]

First things first when i heard In Flames - The Jester Race i said :"woah this album has incredible muscianship and vibe it kicks arse." but the more i was hearing the album the more i just wanted to hear the solos skipping the vocals and the instrumental songs because i couldn't stand the vocals, they absolutely bored the hell outha me, those songs had no climax or high peak because there is no real singer! Even Dave fuckin Mustaine have a vocal reach that can make a song interesting through 6 minutes. I am not saying that i hate Death Metal vocals but that they should be where Carcass and Napalm Death limited their work. Heck if The Jester Race had a James Hetfield or a Bruce Dickinson on their 20's it would be considered a fucking great album.

Let me hear your opinions.

 

[no country for old wainds]

Isn't 'The Jester Race' considered as being a 'fucking great album' anyway?

Listen to My Dying Bride - The Dreadful Hours, growls are brilliantly used on that album.

 

[Henrik Main]

You have yet to mention a pure death metal band, the abovementioned bands are melodic death/grindcore. Check out Cryptopsy-songs from the "Blasphemy Made Flesh" or "None So Vile" albums, and pay attention to the vocalist. Indeed a fine vocal performance, yes? And how foolish would Decapitated, Suffocation, Dying Fetus or other brutal death metal bands sound with clean vocals? It would be ridiculous. Death metal vocals fit the music perfectly, in my opinion. A "nay" from me then

 

[Timmeth]

Death metal vocals are emotionless Yay or Nay

False...

 

[ffanatic]

If done well, they are amazing, if done poorly, they are utterly boring.

 

[Heliologue]

depends on the variation. most straight-up death metal bands are boring, vocally. consider bloodbath: no vocal variations, just monotonous chug-a-lug gutturals. then consider opeth, which utilises a wide variety of growl pitches, as well as clean singing. same singer, different outcomes.

personally, i think the growling on jester race is pretty good, because you can understand the lyrics, and anders differentiated in his pitches somewhat.

 

[R.I.P.2]

As most have already said, it depends. They range from being very effective to unnecessary. In this case I would actually say some of the melodic death metal bands have emotional growls - try Mikael Stanne from Dark Tranquillity, for one.

 

[Psychonaut]

Yeah, it's hit or miss with me too. Amorphis used them well in the old days, My Dying Bride still do a great job with them too. But Six Feet Under sound boring mainly because of the vocals (although I like old Cannibal Corpse).

 

[Krilons Resa]

If done well, they are amazing, if done poorly, they are utterly boring.

Exactly...

and My DYing Bride's vocalist does use them very very very well.

 

[mrweijia]

death metal vocals are no different from any other: they also need emotion and variation, thats why some grind bands are horribly boring.

 

[hibernal_dream]

I'd say yes, they are meant to be emotionless. But thats what gives them their power. A lot of melodic rock/metal vocalists don't know how to use their vocals, and actually spoil the music by adding melodies that don't need to be there. But if you think of death vocals as just another instrument, they're just like percussion. Would you say that drums are "emotionless"? I don't think so.

I think vocals are used perfectly in The Jester Race. They are void of any melody, and simply emulate the rhythm guitar. Which brings the question why do they need to be there? They are there to create focal point of the music. When the vocals stop your focus shifts to a solo or a lead break. Another point is the folk theme present on TJR. Most people also associate these type of melodies with the wilderness (I certainly do) - having a human presence in the form of clean vocals would tend to urbanise the music, removing its effect.
Imagine Moonshield with Dave Mustaine snarling over the top of the guitars - unbearable.

 

[The Real Moonchild]

Nice point you've got there. Yet the folk presence on that album could have a lady singing on them. But still those songs would be better with no vocals at all! Check Wayfearer or TJD and they are clearly the best songs on the album.

 

[union9]

This post is pointless. Yay or Nay?

Yay.

 

[ggggggu]

they're like totally filled with emotion

 

[Life Sucks]

I do not think that death metal vocals are emotionless; they can convey anger, depression, aggression, etc.. Just because there is no actual vocal melody doesn't mean it is not good; rap for instance has no vocal melodies either. And I think that death metal vocals fit the music well; aggressive vocals to go with aggressive music. I guess I'm the other way around: I like death metal vocals, but I can't stand the vocal harmonies in power metal.

 

[Stormwatch]

This post is pointless. Yay or Nay?

Yay.

Yay!

 

[Nightwing]

What is 'melodic death'? or 'grindcore'?? Are some of you guys serious?
Guys who sing like the cookie monster do so because they can't actually really sing, surely?

 

[Timmeth]

What is 'melodic death'? or 'grindcore'?? Are some of you guys serious?
Guys who sing like the cookie monster do so because they can't actually really sing, surely?

:hotjump::hotjump::hotjump:

I'll have you know it's pretty difficult to form a good growl.

 

[no country for old wainds]

What is 'melodic death'? or 'grindcore'?? Are some of you guys serious?
Guys who sing like the cookie monster do so because they can't actually really sing, surely?

Silly post.

 

[Nightwing]

Silly post.

I don't think so - I genuinelly have no idea what the labels 'melodic death' and 'grindcore' refer to........and I do believe, whilst it may well be difficult to conjure up a good growl, it is most definitely not singing!!