differences between U.S. and European metal

[Seditious]

American metal just lacks the sort of melody I like. Probably just a cultural thing.

 

[Mudvain_for_life]

Strapping young lad* cough*

 

[Mudvain_for_life]

cryptopsy, threat signal

 

[Bitencourt29]

it could be blamed on Chaos AD, or Faith No More, but we'll say Korn

I would definitely say Korn started that shit. I remember people saying down here how metal was dying in North America when the new metal shit started to spread

Chaos AD is the album where Max started to add brazilian elements to Sepultura's sound, especially percussion and accoustic guitar sounds. It developed a lot on their next album, which was "Roots". I don't relate that album to the "Jump" trend you guys mentioned.

american black metal is far better than european black metal

Wrong, IMO there are fine USBM bands, but the best stuff still comes from Europe.

 

[Omni]

France probably currently has the best black metal bands by ratio of quality to numbers.

 

[Blind Guardian]

Resurrectinng this thread.
I honestly don't see much difference between European and U.S metal scenes in terms of how the surrounding cultures have shaped them to what they are today. Not counting single special bands of course, but the metal scene has been exchanging ideas and influences internationally in a more intense way than say jazz, where the two movements were isolated to a higher extent in Europe and Usa.
Take the Stockholm death scene for example, that had nothing to do with traditional European cultural influences, instead it owes most to American bands like Autopsy or Death, plus hardcore and punk bands.
That's a great thing about metal imo, it's not locked to any certain kind of culture, it's a culture of it's own.

 

[mutantllama]

I agree with that post.


Also, I'd like to point out that Black Sabbath was influenced from blues, which is an American thing.

 

[(((0)))]

A little something I've been thinking about for the past 20 minutes or so are the differences between U.S. and European metal. I think the U.S. and Europe probably produce the most quantities of metal out of the rest of the world. What I really find interesting is the question of why such differences exist. It seems to me that European metal derives much of its character from European bands' cognizance of their rich classical and folk music traditions, in addition to their history. I don't live anywhere in Europe so I'm just making some guesses here but it seems to me that Europeans have much closer and more frequent contact with a rich history (musical and non-musical) and I think this influences the work of many European metal bands (just look at how many European bands can be described as having classical or folk influences). By contrast, here in the states if you live in a big city you most likely are not surrounded by any kind of rich history (musical or otherwise) but rather a kind of bleak, depressing urban setting. Since most American metal bands come from our major cities I think this kind of atmosphere has a distinct influence on the music produced here. It's a grittier and "bleaker" sound in general. Case in point: black metal like Krieg, stuff like Suffocation, etc. Even stuff like Incantation and Immolation sounds very non-European as far as metal goes.

So what do you guys think? I'm sure a lot of what I've pointed out is pretty obvious but I'm interested to see if anybody has anything to say about what important features distinguish U.S. from European metal and why such differences exist in the first place.

Though I think you are a worthless poster and everything, this is a pretty good post. I think that European culture does not move to cities in as vast numbers as Americans do. Can you maybe further explain what kind of sound European bands would have, though? I think they have a equal chance tosound gritty also.

Um, let's see, perhaps European metal shits on American because the US has no culture whatsoever? And also let's face it, historically speaking, Europe has always been the the mecca of art, and continues to be. Obesity, Coke, Pepsi, saturated fats, these things don't equate to the ingredients of good art.

We have culture, it may not be as defined as European culture. We are not all "pepsi and fat type" of people. I don't see what culture your country has, to be honest.

 

[Blind Guardian]

It's impossible to NOT have a culture as someone said earlier, so let's focus on the actual metal/culture discussion.

 

[Cythraul]

Though I think you are a worthless poster and everything

That's rich coming from you (assuming that you're Alter or some other idiotic douchebag).

 

[Omni]

That's rich coming from you (assuming that you're Alter or some other idiotic douchebag).

That's him, and I applaud you for only replying to this and not actually indulging his request for obvious information that anyone actually familiar with real metal and not just in it for the image would already be acquainted with.

 

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

tbh I doubt Alter is "into metal just for the image"...I doubt he's really "into metal" at all.

 

[Omni]

tbh I doubt Alter is "into metal just for the image"...I doubt he's really "into metal" at all.

He's clearly into it for the image. Not the image of being a metalhead, but rather the image of pretending to be knowledgeable about metal, and seemingly music in general.

 

[(((0)))]

Omni, kill your self. You are only into metal for the image. I know about metal and you can't back up any fact that I am not knowledgeable in music. V5 follow suit if you think that also. I am into metal, just not in the same you or Cythraul may be. Cythraul, you can just answer what I asked. You're a worthless poster in my eyes, but your post was interesting. So appease me...

 

[Zephyrus]

Shut the fuck up.

 

[(((0)))]

Block me, fucker.

 

[Blind Guardian]

Nice to see this thread, which has one of the more interesting topics, derail yet again just a couple of posts after I brought it back. Can everyone off topic back off?

 

[(((0)))]

I tried a while back, but Omni the trendwhore got excited at the sight of my post.

 

[Jimmy... Dead.]

Well you guys have to understand that the united states is a fairly "new" country compared to any country in europe, and comparing them culturally isnt really fair. We have no culture here. So it makes sense that there is a disconnect within the contrast of the music, esp. metal.

 

[isberg]

Without reading the whole thread, just a few posts i can add my personal thoughts on this issue. I think its true what is said that US is a fairly new country compared to the european countries and thre by lack of history and on this matter musical history to take influence from. Europeans have alot of history with the vikings and christianity spreading threw the regions with big battles etc etc wich makes alot of interreesting material to choose from when making lyrics. Also there is a rich musical history that ofcourse probably influences them from early childhood. I dont know much about the US musical history, but blues, jazz and country must be what stands strongest there. Where in europe it goes ferther back with the folk and string music thought from generation to generation and still going strong. When europeans then make metal its easy to hear these influences. Its much about making atmosphere than making it mighty and raw. While in the US its a more raw approach. Its tecnical, breaking bounderies and trying to reach the "next step". As to black metal the europeans clearly made the genre and rules it. I hear bands from diffrent sides of the world wich then again get influence from the allready excisting black metal bands and just become a copy. While the european bands manage to make new styles of black and pagan metal. I must admit i really ahvent heard much US black metal bands that have made something that i "havent heard before". Then you ahve bands like Cannibal corpse and Deicide wich just rules their business. Who was first in this genre i am not sure, but big european bands like Behemoth, Vader and so on came later so i think the US music influenced that way.
All in all i think we can appreciate the diffrences in metal. It gives us a wider perspective and more to choose from. I probably listen to all sorts of music genres as i find positive stuff in all music. The US has produced numerous great bands and is doing their stuff very well. So rich history or not, it still makes quality. now i dont want to write anymore, because it made a big break in my beer drinking writing this crap.