"Melodic Death Metal"

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

I see. All the bands I mentioned (except for Arghoslent) can be classified as melodeath as well as melodic death metal. I must admit that the line between melodic death metal and melodeath is very blurry. But, to me, anything that has harsh vocals (and no use of clean vocals), blastbeats, and tremolo riffs can be classified as melodic DEATH METAL, regarless of if the band uses those typical Gothenburg-eque twin guitar harmonies. Most melodeath (particularly modern melodeath) doesn't incorporate blastbeats or tremolo riffs, and features relatively frequent use of clean vocals.

There is very little true melo-death that uses clean vocals OFTEN...Nightrage are a good example, on Sweet Vengeance, of a melo-death band that sparingly uses clean vocals (Tom Englund from Evergrey on guest clean vox, by the way) to great effect. In a sense you are pretty much right though, however, tremolo riffs can often be used in melo-death; the big BIG difference is in the function of the rhythm section. After everything, you will notice that death metal uses a functionally heavier, downtuned rhythm section with emphasis on bass, whereas melo-death type stuff relies on a more hi-fi sound and more heavy metal-style hooks.

btw I'm really looking forward to Anata's new cd. I haven't heard the other three bands you listed yet; I'll probably check them out later on today.

The Anata is fantastic for those into tech-death ala Necrophagist (early), Gory Blister, etc. However, if you do not like overdone technicality (or traditional melody...some people have an aversion to this for some reason), I wouldn't recommend it. Given your tastes that I have seen on this board, though, I'd say you'd like it quite a bit.

The three other bands he listed are fantastic examples of what he is trying to prove. Arghoslent utilize "heavy metal" instrumentation and combine it with death metal lethality/ferocity...imagine Manilla Road playing death metal and you might be on the right track. Fragments Of Unbecoming's newest CD (Sterling Black Icon...) is a great venture into melo-death-gone-melodic-death-metal with its constant hearkening back to early SweDM at times (very Dismember like, iirc), though it does have its fair share of happiness. Intestine Baalism's two CDs are both different but primarily similar in their combination of brutality and early Swedish melody; look for breaks in the songs starting as driving, primordial death metal a-la early Amorphis with random (and awesome) Maiden/Priest breaks. Killer stuff. Cheers!

 

[UndyingDarkness]

When I listen to Kalmah I see no resemblance to power metal, power metal is too happy/cheesy.

 

[skeptik]

Please stop it.

 

[Zhou Tai 04]

When I listen to Kalmah I see no resemblance to power metal, power metal is too happy/cheesy.

Well, The Black Waltz isn't nearly as cheesy as a lot of power metal out there, but it's still pretty cheesy (not that that's a bad thing because they are very good at what they do).

One thing I don't quite get is in the intro for Man of the King, where he goes "guh!".....what's up with that?

 

[Zhou Tai 04]

The Anata is fantastic for those into tech-death ala Necrophagist (early), Gory Blister, etc. However, if you do not like overdone technicality (or traditional melody...some people have an aversion to this for some reason), I wouldn't recommend it. Given your tastes that I have seen on this board, though, I'd say you'd like it quite a bit.

Yeah, I definitely like really technical music. The more, the better!

Your descriptions of Arghoslent, Fragments of Unbecoming, and Intestine Baalism are pretty interesting. Of course, I procrastinated checking them out today, sooooooooo......I'll just have to do it tomorrow!

 

[UndyingDarkness]

Well, The Black Waltz isn't nearly as cheesy as a lot of power metal out there, but it's still pretty cheesy (not that that's a bad thing because they are very good at what they do).

One thing I don't quite get is in the intro for Man of the King, where he goes "guh!".....what's up with that?

If you listen to Children of Bodom - Prepare for War, the two songs sound exactly the same as far as riffs go, some are saying that Kalmah made that song to ridicule COB.

 

[UndyingDarkness]

There is very little true melo-death that uses clean vocals OFTEN...Nightrage are a good example, on Sweet Vengeance, of a melo-death band that sparingly uses clean vocals (Tom Englund from Evergrey on guest clean vox, by the way) to great effect. In a sense you are pretty much right though, however, tremolo riffs can often be used in melo-death; the big BIG difference is in the function of the rhythm section. After everything, you will notice that death metal uses a functionally heavier, downtuned rhythm section with emphasis on bass, whereas melo-death type stuff relies on a more hi-fi sound and more heavy metal-style hooks.



The Anata is fantastic for those into tech-death ala Necrophagist (early), Gory Blister, etc. However, if you do not like overdone technicality (or traditional melody...some people have an aversion to this for some reason), I wouldn't recommend it. Given your tastes that I have seen on this board, though, I'd say you'd like it quite a bit.

The three other bands he listed are fantastic examples of what he is trying to prove. Arghoslent utilize "heavy metal" instrumentation and combine it with death metal lethality/ferocity...imagine Manilla Road playing death metal and you might be on the right track. Fragments Of Unbecoming's newest CD (Sterling Black Icon...) is a great venture into melo-death-gone-melodic-death-metal with its constant hearkening back to early SweDM at times (very Dismember like, iirc), though it does have its fair share of happiness. Intestine Baalism's two CDs are both different but primarily similar in their combination of brutality and early Swedish melody; look for breaks in the songs starting as driving, primordial death metal a-la early Amorphis with random (and awesome) Maiden/Priest breaks. Killer stuff. Cheers!

I just checked out Anata, they are indeed awesome.