Do you think that an extreme metal band could ever "break"

[Astrum]

you like vinnie paul??

he's not terrible, I suppose I'm more dissappointed with the bands' complete lack of direction

I like Vinnie as a drummer.


On topic, I think it would be incredibly hard for this to happen. Definitley not DM, and even though black metal is less "harsh"; in a sense, it is a lot deeper and most wouldnt understand or like it.

 

[Zephyrus]

The only pro's of breaking into the mainstream are for me to have a better chance of seeing them live and their albums' availability in the record store.

 

[CF87]

Opeth will be on a bigger non metal label in the future if they stick around. The band has no trouble modernizing or anything regardless they have been around since 1990. I don't think they have limits.

 

[Phoenix5]

I think that extreme metal will never hit the mainstream because there are so many new bands out there that listen to extreme metal, but they take it and managed to twist it into some grindcore or metalcore version that they think is hard. This is especially true in America with bands like the Black Dahlia Murder. That is what is becoming popular. Sure they play fast and employ death lyrics, but the riffs just don't feel the same. Many bands today, especially around Omaha, are trying to sound like BDM and its killing the music. They play the same song with a different name for 5 or 6 songs when they play sets. There just seems to be no substance in a lot of the newer "Death Metal". It all sounds alike. That's my take on things

 

[Söy]

*pictures behemoth being played on the normal radio*




nope i dont see it happening.

 

[metal_wrath]

Opeth will be on a bigger non metal label in the future if they stick around. The band has no trouble modernizing or anything regardless they have been around since 1990. I don't think they have limits.

I disagree, Opeth have and never will be mainstream. I don't know what you mean by 'modernizing', but you are wrong if you think they will change to fit be more accessible. It would be a stretch to say they were any more accessible than any other band. If anything they are less accessible.

 

[dEaThToFaLsEmEtAl34]

Uh, they are signed to Roadrunner which is a major label.

 

[metal_wrath]

I didn't say they weren't. However that doesn't mean that they will somehow become mainstream.

 

[CF87]

I can see opeth using less death metal vocals,etc... in the future. Opeth even has an acoustic/electric album with all cleans. I don't think they're purposly trying to be more accesible,etc... but they will become more mainstream in a few years. Saying the band is not accessible is ridiculous. Damnation and some of ghost reveries are so easy listening that anyone who had no idea the band had heavy parts or growled vocals would think the music was as normal as anything. Opeth is challenging on levels still. I guess it would depend on how they structure things,etc... on determining if they're more easy or not in the future. Opeth is still not as accesible as bands like katatonia,etc...

If opeth had all cleans and 4,5 minute songs they could be one of the biggest bands in the world.

 

[metal_wrath]

I can see opeth using less death metal vocals,etc... in the future. Opeth even has an acoustic/electric album with all cleans. I don't think they're purposly trying to be more accesible,etc... but they will become more mainstream in a few years. Saying the band is not accessible is ridiculous.

No. Mikeal Akerfeldt has said that Damnation was a one-time album. They have no plans on doing any all clean albums in the future. Saying that, I don't feel they will become mainstream ever. The Grand Conjuration was slightly simplified version of Opeth, and of course the video was horrible which the band had no control over. That would probably be their most mainstream point in their career. [/QUOTE]

Damnation and some of ghost reveries are so easy listening that anyone who had no idea the band had heavy parts or growled vocals would think the music was as normal as anything.

Slightly agreed, Damnation was not mainstream but appeals to a wider audience which is good for the band, GR had more of a progressive sound, with some clean parts. IMO anything on GR was is more complex than anything on the radio. ie. Hours of Wealth, Atonement, are all-clean songs but are far more progressive or different than anything on the radio

 

[Pull The Plug]

Vinnie Paul's feet are flawless.

What? Vinnie Paul is as average as metal drummers come. His feet are far from 'flawless'. Every second drummer these days could own him with ease. Just like the rest of Pantera, he is way overrated.

Anyway, I think it is possible for an extreme band to reach the absolute mainstream. I thought Opeth would've completely achieved that by now; maybe they still can? They have become a fad band all over the place.

I also think it's highly possible a grindcore band could reach pretty big status; I could seriously imagine people (punks more than others) listening to Napalm Death to be cool.

 

[Babykabob]

EXTREME metal will never be MAINSTREAM because it's EXTREME... In a different society things could be different, but imo the terms EXTREME and MAINSTREAM dont belong in the same ballpark...

 

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

That's pretty much right.

 

[MasterOLightning]

Opeth has probably gone too far into prog territory to get any bigger than they are. I could maybe see black 'n roll type bands getting big if they got any kind of media push. The style is catchy enough and often not too harsh.

 

[~Derek~]

I don't see things like black or death metal becoming mainstream. My parents are mainstream lovers of all types of mainstream accesibke music, but one listen of say Morbid Angel and they immediately want it turned. A lot of people can't get past the harsh vocals and make too many generalizations of the music.

 

[Saparmurat_Niyazov]

Perhaps a really catchy, groove-laden instrumental by an extreme metal band could gain some airtime on rock radio, but that's the only chance - and a slim one, considering how generally unpopular instrumentals are. I must reiterate that the vocals are the main deterrent for the casual music listener.

 

[Life Sucks]

I think that extreme metal will never hit the mainstream because there are so many new bands out there that listen to extreme metal, but they take it and managed to twist it into some grindcore or metalcore version that they think is hard. This is especially true in America with bands like the Black Dahlia Murder. That is what is becoming popular. Sure they play fast and employ death lyrics, but the riffs just don't feel the same. Many bands today, especially around Omaha, are trying to sound like BDM and its killing the music. They play the same song with a different name for 5 or 6 songs when they play sets. There just seems to be no substance in a lot of the newer "Death Metal". It all sounds alike. That's my take on things

If Opeth had all cleans, they would certainly not be an extreme metal band anymore.

Pantera, Slipknot, and Hatebreed are the heaviest bands to ever break into the mainstream (although the last two are not metal). I suppose that Metallica's first four were pretty heavy, too. No extreme metal band has ever attained anywhere close to mainstream popularity, Morbid Angel and Cannibal Corpse coming the closest.

 

[Jreg]

It didn't work the first time around, so it doesn't seem likely to me. Morbid Angel and Carcass got pegged from Earache by the majors based on their growing popularity, and even though the products sold fairly well by underground standards, they still failed to meet the labels' expectations and it became evident that this music could only go so far in the big leagues.

 

[Kreator/Destroyer]

i can actually see soilwork in the mainstream and some of the songs from Like An Everflowing Stream may be somewhat vocally tame enough to make it into mainstream such as I Saw Them Die it is much more a yelled song than a growled song (and it kicks ass) but back to soilwork and bands like scar symmetry and some of the new mercenary. These bands have clean vocals and growls and to get into metal i listened to growls mixed with clean vocals and then got heavier, threat signal could also get into the mainstream. I'm suprised how accpeted Lamb of God has become though.

 

[Unfaithfully Metalhead]

Uh, they are signed to Roadrunner which is a major label.

Roadrunner are a big indie label but are by no means a Major Label ala Elektra or Atlantic Records etc...