False Metal: The Financial and Farcical Return of Heavy Metal

[Zealotry]

And I still don't get it. Why the obsession with trad metal (which hasn't been creatively vital since the early 1980s, for the simple reason that, by that point, everything that could or needed to be said had been said)?

More importantly, why worry about the commercial fringe of metal? The creative impetus driving the genre has always come from the underground, which couldn't possibly be more indifferent to The Sword or Early Man.

Didn't you already get banned... twice?

 

[Occam's Razor]

Didn't you already get banned... twice?

HIs nicknames are too obvious...

"Why this obsession with trad metal?" - Why this obsession with LotFP if you think it's so crappy?

 

[Jim LotFP]

Another forum post: http://206.225.86.190/cs/forums/3/2311417/ShowPost.aspx

We've also got a zillion hits off of http://buzz.stumbleupon.com/

 

[Cheiron]

I find it amusing the criticism for even writing this. Its as if metal critics aren't allowed. The only critics that are okay, are in the genres of TV, movies, literature, and classical music. How dare people think that metal is deserving of extensive thought!

 

[Jim LotFP]

I find it amusing the criticism for even writing this. Its as if metal critics aren't allowed. The only critics that are okay, are in the genres of TV, movies, literature, and classical music. How dare people think that metal is deserving of extensive thought!

It's amazing how much you can continue to enjoy things as long as you never think about them.

When something comes along and threatens you with thinking, of course the very effort will be criticized.

 

[Jim LotFP]

3100+ views of False Metal so far.

 

[DBB]

There's a lot of overlap between this article and 'impure metal', which can really be excised

Yes and no, I think. There certainly is some intended overlap since this article is an expanded version of the “indie” chapter in “impure metal” and was a bit unavoidable. Also, the decision to post the article on the site was made at the 11th hour, so as I was writing I felt compelled to imagine an audience that was not going to be familiar with “impure metal.” So when I mentioned matters that I had already covered, I decided to give a brief overview or recapitulation in order to bring people up to speed with my larger argument.

But the charge you level has merit and there were probably times when I could have been more succinct--I am long-winded and can be a bit pedantic at times.

as a part of the reason for their change away from core, was that the lead singer almost lost his voice doing the growls. So he had to cut down. And they seem to love their new style, while still playing their older songs at concerts.

First off, thanks for reading and the compliments and criticisms--I really do appreciate you taking an interest and to have someone like you find the article compelling enough to comment on is rewarding.

Obviously, everything you said above about Avenged Sevenfold is correct to a certain extent, but I believe that the decision to make an overt and declared move away from metalcore and towards a “classic metal” sound is crass and calculated. The Saunders quote I included where he admitted the shift was due to being able to only go so far as a metalcore band has more to do with it than any vocal injuries he sustained, I think. I also think that it is part of a larger trend that is just strange as all hell and cannot be analyzed in isolation. For example, Bram Teitelman, director of hard rock radio promotion at the Syndicate* and former managing editor of rock at Billboard Radio Monitor, was tapped for comments (“Avenged Sevenfold: 'Evil' too good to ignore.” The Sun News Jan. 27, 2006) about Avenged Sevenfold’s shift in direction and had the following to say:

I think the change that took place in the band is a positive change. Whether or not it's due to their jump to a major, the new album's sold better than anything else they've put out. Additionally, there are many older fans of bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest that might have been put off by the screaming vocals of their past two albums that undoubtedly picked up on A7X from this album alone. They might lose some of their older fans from the change, but that appears to have been offset by their new ones.

As you recall, Teitelman’s take echoes the conclusions of Disturbed’s David Draiman and is a full-fledged “movement” within the industry that Avenged Sevenfold has heeded and adjusted their sound and style accordingly. If you dig around, you will also find the members talking about how Warner Bros. expected a metalcore album, but Avenged made a stand in order to make a full on “melodic” metal album in a classical vein. This is also becoming a common refrain among bands claiming to honor the true spirit of metal while all they are doing in reality is making a shift in hopes of tapping into the burgeoning bull market for heritage-retro metal.

Chimaria has made the move from nu-metal to thrash and will tell you how they did in spite of Monte Conner’s reservations and wariness, The Sword will tell you that they signed with Kemado because the label would not force them to change a sound/style they had been playing as a band for a little over a year, and other weird and wild tales that are inauthentic pieces of manufactured rebellion designed to make a band sound like they are bucking the system when they are actually becoming more-metal-than-thou in a rapid fashion in order to take advantage of a market opportunity while bands who have been plugging away are ignored or ridiculed. This is bullshit, as far as I am concerned and will have negative repercussions for many reasons. Strange days ahead for anyone paying attention and not playing craps at the industry table--and Avenged Sevenfold is one band using loaded dice.

*The Music Syndicate, LLC. (est. 1998) College and hard rock radio promotion company which quickly grew to include a hands-on lifestyle marketing department, a commercial alternative specialty show promotion department and an artist management division (Shadows Fall, Thursday, Murder By Death and Stretch Arm Strong).

I find it amusing the criticism for even writing this

I am not surprised. To be honest, there is still a strong, former part of me that feels as if I am doing more harm than good by writing this and by looking to closely at things--I am ruining things. This is kind of true, since writing these articles was exhilarating, but once I was done, I just felt like crap and didn’t want to have anything to do with anything metal related for a about a week thereafter.

Any attempt to get at the truth is going to be a painful process of self-discovery if it is going to be worth a damn, and I have had moments of doubt, depression, and disgust about what I was doing. However, I honestly believe that now is the time for people to take a closer look at what is going on because of the consequences which may very well follow in the train of the machinations performed by people who care more about the market than metal.

 

[Zealotry]

I wonder where you draw the distinction between a guy like Christoffer Rygg, who was once dedicated to extreme metal, then suddenly 'grew out of it', but somehow managed to retain his 'scene cred' and still dabbles in it from time to time, and a guy like Dave Grohl, the way you characterize him.

 

[DBB]

I wonder where you draw the distinction between a guy like Christoffer Rygg, who was once dedicated to extreme metal, then suddenly 'grew out of it', but somehow managed to retain his 'scene cred' and still dabbles in it from time to time, and a guy like Dave Grohl, the way you characterize him.

I am not really qualified to answer that and have a sneaking suspicion it would be comparing apples and oranges. It would be interesting to read what other people think, but the Grohl example was part of a larger web connected to so many other things that were occurring which makes it different from the road that Rygg went down that an offhanded and hasty process of comparing and contrasting could generate more heat than light.

 

[Occam's Razor]

I think it has something to do with the fact that Grohl is making big money with this and Garm not, as most of his music is highly uncommercial. That Head Control System thing recently was the most accessible he's done since long.

 

[Cheiron]

When it comes to 'selling-out' I'll always fight against the negativity of that term. I used to be into the punk and ska scene, where the term 'selling-out' was tossed around all the time. Even if a group didn't change their sound, how dare they make money by playing punk music. It used to annoy me greatly. Bands were condemned for 'selling out.' Yet, the people shouting this were the kids who were living on their parents money, still in high school.

So this where it got to me. Music can be a career path. Playing in rock and roll bands can be a career path. But to do so, one must 'sell-out.' They must make music that can be commercialized. Certaintly, many bands attempt to do this, and there is a sick regularity of groups who do this (but fail to become popular) then shout the same things about how other bands are 'selling-out'. When they in-fact did so themselves, but failed to achieve success. Anyhow, as I was stating there are many things a group must do if they want to be 'rock stars.' This includes their tour schedule, who they are paired with, show gimmicks, merchandising, and probably most importantly, record companies impact on the eventual music to be released.

One can ask. What are they making, and why do so many people like it? I could go into length on this, but I'll be brief and state that its like Budweiser said. They aren't out to make the best beer... they are out to make a beer that appeals to a wide range of pallates. Obviously, there are some wonderful bands in the pop culture, that are very talented, that can play lead guitar as well as any metal group, that have good vocal talents, etc. This -helps- them while playing in the pop culture. Further, many groups get there, partly, because they enjoy the 'pop' sound.

As was indicated in the false metal article, and as is true with 'pop' music in general, many of these bands catch onto whatever wave is hitting, and ride it in, hoping to maneuver out of a crash, so they can catch the next wave. Recently there's been a rise of the indie rock or art/prog rock sound, so we have seen many long standing bands incorporating that into their music. Some better than others.

Ok, to get back on track. Why I can't be mad at them, or why I don't tend to call them 'sell outs.' So what if they do. I certaintly did. No. Not in music, but in life. I wear dress clothes to work, sometimes suits. Do I want to do this? Does this best represent who I am? No. But I did so to make a living. To make money, so that I can live my life decently well. So it would be a double standard, for me to state that musicians cannot do the same. That they must living the 'starving' artists lifestyle, the bohemian style, and produce art (music) that is beautiful to listen to, that is innovative and daring, but that will not sell. I think that many others fall into my category of 'selling-out' to make a living.

With that said. I'm also able to say that I won't listen to most pop-music, because it sounds like shit, and I prefer my metal generally in the underground (with a few exceptions. I for one really enjoy Avenged Sevenfold, and I actually like all of their albums. Synester Gates is a very good guitarist, with a great ear/sense for melody. I also enjoy Coheed & Cambria, and Disturbed). So while I can prefer my metal there, I cannot scorn a metal group for changing their style to make it more assessible.

 

[Jim LotFP]

Ok, to get back on track. Why I can't be mad at them, or why I don't tend to call them 'sell outs.' So what if they do. I certaintly did. No. Not in music, but in life. I wear dress clothes to work, sometimes suits. Do I want to do this? Does this best represent who I am? No. But I did so to make a living. To make money, so that I can live my life decently well. So it would be a double standard, for me to state that musicians cannot do the same.

Perhaps the answer is not letting it slide when other people do it and live your life so you are not a hypocrite when speaking your mind.

Because you have a problem here. You say that what you do does not reflect who you are. I say that what you do *is* the whole of who you are. I say you should fix your life so what you do, and how you see yourself, are in alignment.

If that means making less money, well, have cheaper hobbies.

 

[Occam's Razor]

Jim, have you read Karl Marx recently?

 

[Jim LotFP]

Jim, have you read Karl Marx recently?

Dude, I am the weird libertarian capitalist that's allergic to money.

I don't know how it happened, I don't even know if it makes sense, but it seems right for me.

 

[Occam's Razor]

But what you said: you are what you do...that's not far away from an alternate reading of Marxist theories concerning work and the alienation from it.

 

[Zealotry]

So apparently Wolfmother has become the world's most popular and important rock band overnight.

...Is cheap nostalgia so engrossing that people can't simply listen to Led Zeppelin anymore? They HAVE to listen to a bastardized 'modern' rendition of it?

 

[Occam's Razor]

A German reviewer praises them for not sounding like Strokes, Hives and White Stripes, and because they take you back to the glorious 70s...

cheap nostalgia indeed, and it's not that the 60s rehash of all these The-bands was any better than a 70s-copy.

 

[Cheiron]

I don't think that Wolfmother sounds like Zeppelin nor Sabbath. I think it sounds like they were inspired by those groups. Wolfmother incorporates more indierock lyrics, and at times, a punk sound. <shrug> They were definitely promoted to be the 'next Black Sabbath.' At times, I wonder what differences there are between who is promoting them, and what the band actually thinks.

 

[DBB]

They were definitely promoted to be the 'next Black Sabbath.' At times, I wonder what differences there are between who is promoting them, and what the band actually thinks.

Sometimes it differs a bit. I read around a little and listened to the EP and the album one day and Wolfmother indicated at one point that they were getting a bit sick of hearing the name Black Sabbath being attached to them, but did offer up the tag "romantic pre-metal" that a friend supplied for consideration. Rolling Stone also framed them as "The Darkness without the irony," which I found to be very interesting. To me Wolfmother is a bit of a different animal than Early Man, The Sword et. al, since they have not made a conscious and sustained effort to make themselves out to be metal, but the press and promotional machine has certainly played up this angle at times when discussing retro metal, doom metal or whatever metal permutation struck their fancy.

 

[Zealotry]

Anyone who thinks they don't constantly ape Zeppelin isn't really listening. Their riffs are all lifted right out of the Jimmy Page 'How To Steal From Black American Music And Be Called A Hero For It' handbook. The vocals have that trademark Robert Plant whine all over them, too.