In defense of extreme metal...

[S<issors]

Say you were confronted with a music listener who was convinced that extreme metal was intellectually/artistically bankrupt, but who was also respectable or open-minded enough that you didn't just tell them to fuck off. What song, album, or albums would you break out to change their opinion?

For this thread's purposes, extreme metal is death, black, doom, grind, and thrash.

By the way, I tried a thread like this before, and it spiraled off into discussions of what constituted art... so let's just stick with convincing this fictional dude through music, not essays.

 

[unknown]

I think any of the latter Deathspell Omega albums are fairly intelligent as far as "extreme" black metal albums go.

 

[Black Friday]

Firs thing that comes to mind is Opeth.

 

[Zephyrus]

I think any of the latter Deathspell Omega albums are fairly intelligent as far as "extreme" black metal albums go.

SMRC perhaps. But after that, the untrained ear perceives only chaos.

 

[unknown]

well I was thinking more in terms of lyrical content, but yeah

 

[waif]

In terms of lyrical and musical content combined, I'd have them check out
Behemoth
In Flames - Whoracle or Colony
Emperor - Prometheus
Orphaned Land - Mabool
some other stuff too

 

[genocide roach]

mabool is bad ass, but not extreme.

emperor is PERFECT place to start. i'd also reccomend enslaved- below the lights
~gR~

 

[waif]

mabool has some harsh vox and stuff, idk if it counts as extreme.
I'd also say
Bathory - Hammerheart - not intellectual, but as a piece of art that triumphantly captures both sorrow and glory or some shit like that.
Opeth - Still Life
Death - The Sound Of Perseverance
Dark Tranquility - The Gallery

 

[Omni]

Cradle of Filth - Thornography

 

[waif]

no

 

[Omni]

I'm serious. Anyone who automatically assumes that extreme metal has no creativity or intelligence should be tied down and forced to listen to that album as punishment, preferably on repeat.

 

[waif]

I'm serious. Anyone who automatically assumes that extreme metal has no creativity or intelligence should be tied down and forced to listen to that album as punishment, preferably on repeat.

No.
They will simply burn with the rest.

 

[Black Friday]

No.
They will simply burn with the rest.

How about being randomly impaled by a gigantic flaming pillar?

 

[jervi]

Randomly impaled? What a strange thought

Deathspell Omega - SMRC
Emperor - Prometheus
Ulver - Bergtatt
Nile - AotW

 

[Black Friday]

Randomly impaled? What a strange thought

I actually had a dream where I was throwing flaming CDs like ninja shurikens at puppies. That could work just as well.

 

[Mort Divine]

The first thing that comes to mind is Eucharist's A Velvet Creation. The lyrics are not typically gore and murder, the music is fairly melodic, and yet it is still one of the best.

 

[Faint]

At The Gates - The Red In The Sky Is Ours
Primordial - To The Nameless Dead
Deathspell Omega - SMRC

Possibly some Opeth, Sigh, Arcturus and Neurosis as well (If count the latter two as extreme metal).

 

[Seditious]

why does it have to be whole albums?

would he listen to individual songs if you could link him to them?

 

[Seditious]

Both Haggard Albums.

 

[waif]

why does it have to be whole albums?

would he listen to individual songs if you could link him to them?

Okay...
Bathory - One Rode To Asa Bay
In Flames - Satellites And Astronauts
In Flames - Jotun
Dark Tranquility - The Dividing Line
Emperor - The Eruption
Emperor - He Who Sought The Fire
Nile - Unas, Slayer Of The Gods
Behemoth - The Sermon To The Hypocrites, Conquer All
some other stuff...