Irreplaceable singers...

[Metal_Camden]

No one mentioned Dio in Dio? haha

Of course these

Hansi/Blind Guardian
Tobias/Edguy
Joacim/Hammerfail
Luri/Hibria
***I would say Khan but after i saw the Circus Maximus guy with Kamelot it shut my trap cant wait to hear fabio on it!
Corpsegrinder/cannible corpse?
Johan/Amon Amarth
Heavenly without their singer would be crime.
Abbath/Immortal
LOL Oliva?/JOP
Eric/Manowar

 

[dcowboys311]

No one mentioned Dio in Dio? haha

Of course these

Hansi/Blind Guardian
Tobias/Edguy
Joacim/Hammerfail
Luri/Hibria
***I would say Khan but after i saw the Circus Maximus guy with Kamelot it shut my trap cant wait to hear fabio on it!
Corpsegrinder/cannible corpse?
Johan/Amon Amarth
Heavenly without their singer would be crime.
Abbath/Immortal
LOL Oliva?/JOP
Eric/Manowar

haha no way, CC's best material is from before Corpsegrinder even joined! It's a shame Barnes sucks now.

Definitely agree with some of those...whether it's personal preference or not, nobody can debate that you can replace Dio in Dio, Oliva in Jon Oliva's Pain, etc. The true definition of irreplaceable!


Tom G. Warrior/Celtic Frost (nobody can recreate the UGHs)
that dude in Disturbed
Martin van Drunen/Asphyx (very recognizable voice)
Hansi Kursch/Blind Guardian
Dagon/Inquisition
King Diamond

 

[Metal_Camden]

haha no way, CC's best material is from before Corpsegrinder even joined! It's a shame Barnes sucks now.

Definitely agree with some of those...whether it's personal preference or not, nobody can debate that you can replace Dio in Dio, Oliva in Jon Oliva's Pain, etc. The true definition of irreplaceable!


Tom G. Warrior/Celtic Frost (nobody can recreate the UGHs)
that dude in Disturbed
Martin van Drunen/Asphyx (very recognizable voice)
Hansi Kursch/Blind Guardian
Dagon/Inquisition
King Diamond

haha in all seriousness though there would be instant riots somewhere if oliva or dio were replaces in their times!

 

[urayoan]

James Hetfield... METALLICA
Chuck Billy... TESTAMENT
Tom Araya... SLAYER
Mike Muir... SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
Mike Patton... FAITH NO MORE
Serj Tankian... SYSTEM OF A DOWN
Andy Frank... BRAINSTORM
Maynard James Keenan... TOOL

 

[Stingray11214]

Kai Hansen -Gamma Ray
Marco Hietala - Tarot
Minoru Niihara - Loudness
Bruce Dickinson - Iron Maiden
Geddy Lee - Rush
Abbath - Immortal
Masha Scream - Arkona

 

[nightwish58]

Andromeda- David Fremberg

 

[nomisofsiman]

I really have a hard time listening to Nightwish with Anette, too. I can do it, but for me it's really not the same band. The differences in the two vocalists' styles are very dramatic, and because of that, the change in vocalist has contributed to a change in the overall sound.

I would have to completely agree with your assessment. I liked DPP a lot, but as much as I did, throughout listening to it, I kept thinking to myself how much better it would've sounded with Tarja. On top of that, I really can't handle Anette live. I probably will get the new studio disc when it comes out, but I just don't see myself seeing Nightwish again after last time. The thing is about the differences is like you said, they're way too different. I'm not even saying Annette is a bad singer, but she's got more of a pop/rock voice and ability than Tarja who was operatic and fit the music like a glove. Annette's voice does not.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Honestly in my opinion there is hardly any singer that is not replaceable. I think it all boils down on how good the new singer is as well as if the new singer's voice fits the band. I mean, look at bands like Black Sabbath, AC/DC and Helloween for instance. The singers in all those bands were loved to death, but they shocked everyone when they came out with singers who were excellent and in certain circumstances helped the band reach new fans. So, I don't think a singer is not replaceable, but having said that, bands need to choose wisely when replacing them. Like I mentioned in my post above, the Nightwish situation in my opinion is a time where this failed...musically. Yes I know they still sold a lot of albums and concerts with Anette, but it just isn't the same band for me.

Despite all that, there are rare singers that I find would be incredibly difficult to replace. In my opinion, they typically are singers who aren't even necessarily the best technical singers but they are unique and no one and I mean NO ONE sounds like them. Of those I consider

King Diamond (Mercyful Fate)
Hansi Kursch (Blind Guardian)
Lemmy (Motorhead)

the guys that immediately pop into my head that would be damn near impossible to replace. Yes, if you follow what bands I enjoy some of you may find it strange I didn't list Halford. The thing is that while I absolutely hated the albums with Ripper, the reason I did had nothing to do with the singer. Ripper can do Halford songs pretty damn well. The problem was the songs on those albums just sucked. Had the songs been good, I would've been able to deal with it.

So yeah, in all I would have to say most singers are replaceable, but it's up to the band in terms of finding a suitable replacement. Sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's very difficult to accomplish.

 

[Dustin]

I really have a hard time listening to Nightwish with Anette, too. I can do it, but for me it's really not the same band. The differences in the two vocalists' styles are very dramatic, and because of that, the change in vocalist has contributed to a change in the overall sound.

I'm not the only one who feels this way? Thank god... It seems everytime I mention my thoughts on this, I am made to feel like I should grab some nails and crawl up on a cross.

Granted, I do like the new Nightwish album, and Anette is a fantstic vocalist, but now they sound like all the other Evenesance/Within Tempations/Epica's out there. Tarja indeed gave them an element that was unique to most epic female fronted bands.

 

[Orfanos]

Eric Adams. Manowar will die if he leaves, although DeMaio is the mainman of the band.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Anette is a fantstic vocalist, but now they sound like all the other Evenesance/Within Tempations/Epica's out there. Tarja indeed gave them an element that was unique to most epic female fronted bands.

Yep. I would have to completely agree with that. Tarja did give them that unique element. Nightwish was at its best in mixing the symphonic/orchestral elments (which included Tarja) and metal. No one before or since has done it better. I wouldn't agree with putting Epica in that though as they do sound different to me than most of the others.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

I think if Alice In Chains, Accept, and AC/DC taught us anything, singers are always replaceable. Now, that's not to downplay Bon Scott or Layne Staley or Udo, but it is to say (at least in my opinion) that a great lead singer who compliments the song can always be found if one looks hard enough. Far more irreplaceable if you ask me is the songwriter. The artistic direction of a band can be changed entirely if the band's songwriter quits. If Mike from Opeth stepped down from vocal duties and Danne from Edge Of Sanity/Nightingale replaced him on vocals, I really don't think too many people would bitch and moan. Yeah there would be bitches, but I think it would be far worse if Mike quit Opeth altogether. Anyways, just me... I'm sure I'll get e-murdered for this post!

 

[Metaldrumz]

Replaced in this form is a paradox. Any singer can be "replaced". Just look at CRIMSON GLORY, and QUIET RIOT these days. Who ever thought you'd get someone who would sound so close to guys like Midnight and DuBrow? However they cannot be replaced in the sense that nobody can ever have the same heart, passion, and desire put in from the original creators of the music.

You could put an amazing singer in DOKKEN that blows Don Dokken away these days as his voice is completely shot.....however they will never be Dokken in the same sense as with Don no matter how much he blows now.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Far more irreplaceable if you ask me is the songwriter. The artistic direction of a band can be changed entirely if the band's songwriter quits. If Mike from Opeth stepped down from vocal duties and Danne from Edge Of Sanity/Nightingale replaced him on vocals, I really don't think too many people would bitch and moan. Yeah there would be bitches, but I think it would be far worse if Mike quit Opeth altogether. Anyways, just me... I'm sure I'll get e-murdered for this post!

Hell must've frozen over because I would have to completely agree here. The songwriter is the most important thing than anything else. Though even that is possible...unless it is a situation like Opeth where Mike pretty much does everything.

 

[General Zod]

For those suggesting that no singer is irreplaceable, I agree that any singer can be replaced. Whether or not that's a good decision, is debatable. I simply thought the rule of thumb Cheiron suggested was intriguing and asked for singers/bands that fit the rule for you.

 

[Met-Al]

I couldn't agree with you more about Dokken, Metal Madman. They're the band that got me into hard rock and heavy metal, but as much as I love Don's songwriting skills and his choices of melodies, his live performances are absolutely horrid. I know there's been a lot of talk about the seminal lineup reuniting once more, but it sounds like it's just that: a lot of talk. I'll have the chance to meet George and Mick when Lynch Mob comes to Chicago at the end of the month, and I think that for the hell of it, I'm going to offer my services as a vocalist for a Don-less "Dokken" project. I know every song from every album on which Lynch had played like the back of my hand (and yes, that includes "Shadowlife"), so if they want an audition, I can take them up on the challenge right then and there!


Stay metal. Never rust.
Albert

 

[RagePSV]

Boltendahl - Grave Digger. I don't like his vocals but he belongs in GD.

This is probably the best example I can think of. I think as a rule, the more unique the voice the less replaceable that it is.

 

[TwizstedJesus]

John Corabi-Motley Crue. They go and replace him with some tool named Vince Neil? WTF???
Seriously though, the Corabi fronted Crue disc was awesome compared to everything that came after "Too Fast For Love"

 

[General Zod]

John Corabi-Motley Crue. They go and replace him with some tool named Vince Neil? WTF???

Nice.

Seriously though, the Corabi fronted Crue disc was awesome compared to everything that came after "Too Fast For Love"

Sounds like we need a ProgPower intervention to help you with this crack habit of yours.

 

[ApolloFC]

Jon Olivia
Midnight, though the new guy is pretty good.