Is our music becoming classic rock?

[Burnout]

Just curious, did you grow up in the 80s or are you a bit younger? I don't ask that in any sort of adversarial way, I'm merely trying to get a sense of your perspective.

Zod

Having grown up in the 90s I, for whatever reason, struggle to connect with a lot of older releases. I can acknowledge them for their impact, influence, contribution etc. but I still struggle to get into them. I'm often more successful at getting into current bands for whatever reason.

I've never honestly listened to Operation Mindcrime and while enjoy Images and Words I don't find it compelling enough to put into normal rotation.

More often than not I find myself listening to Out of Myself, Mabool, From Mars to Sirius, Back to Times of Splendor (and so on) more than I do many of the espoused classics of the metal genre in general. The only real exception I've found to this listening pattern so far has been Cynic's Focus.

 

[Yngvai X]

Just curious, did you grow up in the 80s or are you a bit younger? I don't ask that in any sort of adversarial way, I'm merely trying to get a sense of your perspective.

Zod

This definitely does have a lot to do with things. What we grow up with is what we're familiar with, is what we are most comfortable with, and what we inevitably think is "the best" of anything. While there is a general reverence for anything thats considered a "classic," I think many younger metal fans (in this example, powermetal fans) are going to hold an Edguy album in higher regard, be it from sentimental reasons or otherwise, than a Maiden album.

My whole thing with comparing a band like Maiden to modern powermetal bands, and why I still prefer Maiden, is because much of modern powermetal suffers from the same problem much of modern rock suffers from; theres no "edge" to it. Rock/metal used to be rebellious, angry music that you could scare your grandmother with. I don't hear that when I listen to, say, Holy Land. But I do when I listen to Killers or Number of the Beast.

 

[Purveyor Of Evil]

Being 38 years old and growing up in every way during the 1980's, I gotta go with Zod on this one.

 

[General Zod]

EDIT: Look at my post and then Zod's: we responded simultaneously with almost the exact answer. LOL

Yeah, I noticed that as soon as I it "submit". Great minds...

Having grown up in the 90s I, for whatever reason, struggle to connect with a lot of older releases.

I can't say I blame you. While I often feel compelled to hear what is new, I lack a strong desire to check out older material.

I've never honestly listened to Operation Mindcrime...

You really should. The music is quite timeless. Unlike much of what was released in the 80s, it doesn't sound dated. Plus, there's just so much there to appreciate; vocals; music, story, lyrics, etc.

What we grow up with is what we're familiar with, is what we are most comfortable with, and what we inevitably think is "the best" of anything.

Exactly why I asked the question. While I enjoy Edguy, own a few of their disc, enjoy seeing them live, it's hard for me to view them as much more than a second rate Iron Maiden.

Being 38 years old and growing up in every way during the 1980's, I gotta go with Zod on this one.

I'm going to guess our CD collections have probably had a great deal of similarities over the last 20 something years.

Zod

 

[Yngvai X]

Exactly why I asked the question. While I enjoy Edguy, own a few of their disc, enjoy seeing them live, it's hard for me to view them as much more than a second rate Iron Maiden.

They are more than a 2nd rate Maiden, they are a 2nd rate Helloween as well baZING! Seriously tho, I do really enjoy Edguy, especially live, but even as someone who is I guess closer to Edguy's time than Maiden (tho honestly, my late teen years were in that awkward phase in the late 90s where metal was still pretty dormant in the US, Symphony X's homepage was still hosted at Geocities, and the notion of a band like Stratovarius or Blind Guardian ever playing in the US was wishful thinking at best) I still consider Maiden to be a far stronger band, in both songwriting and chops, than Edguy.

 

[Braxil]

Yeah, I've really always thought of Edguy as a Helloween clone rather than a Maiden clone myself. I'm a big fan of their earlier work, but I have no problem admitting they haven't done much in the way of influencing other bands/innovating. Regardless, Theater of Salvation is one of my favorite albums of all time, even though it's largely derivative.

 

[zedowns]

Okay Zod, how about a more apples to apples comparison? Who are putting out the better albums NOW: Edguy, Angra, Stratovarius, or Maiden, Dio, Queensryche?

To be honest, Maiden and Queensryche's new ones are actually a lot better than Rocket Ride, Aurora Consurgens or the new Strato, while are all HUUUGE disappointments in my eyes(And I like Edu <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3)

 

[General Zod]

They are more than a 2nd rate Maiden, they are a 2nd rate Helloween as well baZING!

True. However, I'm so often amazed at how much Toby can sound like Bruce, that I often walk away thinking "Maiden". That said, I wasn't trying to intimate that they're a clone. Merely that their influences shine through, loud and clear.

...I still consider Maiden to be a far stronger band, in both songwriting and chops, than Edguy.

Definitely.

To be honest, Maiden and Queensryche's new ones are actually a lot better than Rocket Ride, Aurora Consurgens or the new Strato, while are all HUUUGE disappointments in my eyes(And I like Edu <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3)

I agree in part. I haven't/won't hear the new QR, as its creation is an abomination. Out of all the bands the original poster compared, Maiden's A Matter of Life and Death was by far the strongest.

Zod

 

[adaher]

Just curious, did you grow up in the 80s or are you a bit younger? I don't ask that in any sort of adversarial way, I'm merely trying to get a sense of your perspective.


I grew up in the 80s, so no, I don't look at these bands as oldtimer bands. However, I do remember that I felt something was missing from the music of the 80s. When the power and prog bands started to show up on the scene in the late 90s, they hit the spot. The music was faster, more orchestrated, more complex, even more catchy at times.

Having grown up in the 90s I, for whatever reason, struggle to connect with a lot of older releases. I can acknowledge them for their impact, influence, contribution etc. but I still struggle to get into them. I'm often more successful at getting into current bands for whatever reason.


I have a hard time getting into older music as well nowadays, and I'm not really alone. A lot of people don't listen to metal at all anymore because it just got so tired. Most of them found other things to interest them. I just found newer metal which I feel leaves 90% of 80s metal in the dust, quality-wise.

My whole thing with comparing a band like Maiden to modern powermetal bands, and why I still prefer Maiden, is because much of modern powermetal suffers from the same problem much of modern rock suffers from; theres no "edge" to it. Rock/metal used to be rebellious, angry music that you could scare your grandmother with. I don't hear that when I listen to, say, Holy Land. But I do when I listen to Killers or Number of the Beast.

Well, I approached metal differently as a kid and I approach it the same way today. It's all about the melodies and arrangements and the power. The melodies are better today, the arrangements more complex, and due to better production and technology, more powerful-sounding. So I can at least explain logically why I prefer today's metal, just as you explained logically why you prefer the metal of the past.

 

[adaher]

You know what I really like about today's metal as opposed to older metal? Older metal was still a bit blues-based, and I hate the blues. Today it's more classically and even pop-based. Their influences are Maiden, Helloween, Dream Theater, and 80s hair bands, rather than Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin and the Beatles.

The tempos also appeal more to me. Older discs have a couple of fast songs(sort of) a few sludgy songs, a ballad which is often tedious rather than beautiful, and a couple of mid-paced numbers. Modern power metal bands, even when they slow it down, show a better sense of melody, probably from being more influenced by the Bon Jovis and Scorpions-type bands.

 

[Purveyor Of Evil]

I hate the blues, also. I've always prefered the classically trained artists.