Defining how heavy certain music is

[mutantllama]

Once in a while I see "Who is the heaviest band" threads pop up on this forum, and usually I see a wide variety from something slow and doomy like Candlemass to something brutal like Wormed. Obviously these bands are very different. So to you what defines how heavy something is? To me, usually it's played in a slow tempo, guitars are low tuned and has a sludgy feel to it.

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

dynamics. Nothing but dynamics.

 

[Xorv]

HOW FAR THE VOCALIST CAN SHOOT OUT HIS RECTUM THROUGH HIS MOUTH IS USUALLY THE BEST BET OF HEAVYNESSSSSSS

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

also songs about dogs who are killed because they are UNABLE TO SHIT THUS BECOMING CANINE CORPSES FULL OF FECES AUURURRHHHHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

 

[Xorv]

WHAT DEFINES HEAVY MUSIC:

BURNING CHURCHES, MURDER, SELF SODOMY, POINTY/SHARP THINGS, ANIMAL BLOOD, AND DEDICATING ON A NUN ON DURING THE SABBATH. HEAVYYYYYY

 

[Dak]

BRUTALITY IS ALL ABOUT THE NAME AND ALBUM ART DOODZ, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MUSIC

EXAMPLE:

 

[mutantllama]

I hate you all.

 

[Vimana]

Hard for me to describe, more like the "force" of the music.

 

[The Butt]

BRUTALITY IS ALL ABOUT THE NAME AND ALBUM ART DOODZ, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MUSIC

EXAMPLE:

Win.

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

I hate you all.

first reply was serious, also true

 

[Einherjar86]

Once in a while I see "Who is the heaviest band" threads pop up on this forum, and usually I see a wide variety from something slow and doomy like Candlemass to something brutal like Wormed. Obviously these bands are very different. So to you what defines how heavy something is? To me, usually it's played in a slow tempo, guitars are low tuned and has a sludgy feel to it.

Not to sully this thread by contributing a rational post cool, but I think you have to consider the decade in which the band performed. For instance, I think that Sabbath can definitely be considered one of the heaviest bands ever, simply because when their first record came out it was the heaviest fucking thing anyone had heard.

 

[waif]

I hate you all.

HATE IS BRUTAL

 

[mutantllama]

Then Masters of Reality came out, and I think that has a much heavier sound to it then their first one. Lower tuning for me has a huge effect on how heavy something sounds.

 

[Oblivious Maximus]

To me, usually it's played in a slow tempo, guitars are low tuned and has a sludgy feel to it.

I tend to see it this way, seeing as I'm a total doom/sludge guy, so I prefer the down-tempo. But I think heaviness has to do with down-tuned instruments. Loud bass dosen't hurt either.

 

[Dak]

HATE IS BRUTAL

BRUTAL HATE IS BRUTAL.


Seriously though, Down-tuning and mid tempos create the "heaviest" feel, wheras replace the mid tempos with fast-tempo and you go from just heavy to br00tally heavy.

 

[waif]

A deep guitar sound isn't enough, otherwise Aghora would be heavier than Behemoth (B versus Cb iirc); dynamics and production are hugely important.

 

[Vimana]

Beethoven stuff was pretty heavy.

 

[Xorv]

Not to sully this thread by contributing a rational post cool, but I think you have to consider the decade in which the band performed. For instance, I think that Sabbath can definitely be considered one of the heaviest bands ever, simply because when their first record came out it was the heaviest fucking thing anyone had heard.

I agree with this post.

which would make Bach the heaviest/experimental dood of his decade, and franz liszt aswell

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

Production and riffing style.

 

[Eligos]

I'm with OCI on this one. It's all about dynamics.

Darkspace has raw production and is still heavy.