Metal >/< Classical? Metal Vs. Classical?

[ViCyniC]

I'd say Linkin Park.

No, but seriously, your professor is biased. I doubt he will ever be convinced that metal is as "good" as classical. However, I do know that classical is more of an acquired taste than metal. If you want an anology, classical is like death metal, and metal is like pop.

 

[Rejvk]

Best bet would be something like Yngwie Malmsteen I suppose. It's a no win situation though, as it seems your "professor" is biased and ignorant. Maybe play him the whole 20 min Black Rose Immortal, or A fair Judgement...Or to bid you farewell..or etc

 

[StillLife]

hm...ya could always use genesis-foxtrot
the whole album
but its not really metal
prog rock though

 

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

If you were gonna go for it, I'd suggest Agalloch's In the Shadow of our Pale Companion.

thats actually a pretty good suggestion

 

[KTR83]

That professor has totally missed the point of metal music. Metal isn´t about trying to be as "sophisticated" as Mozart or Beethoven. Just play him "pounded into dust" by Cannibal Corpse..

Or you might want to try some Candlemass (the operatic vocals), Emperor (well, they sound symphonic), or how about some My Dying Bride or Anathema? Then there´s The Gathering, play him something from "Nighttime Birds".

But I think this is useless.

 

[Kung Keno]

THE ODYSSEY by symphony x. all i have to say

 

[Netheral]

Just take a song of Kayo Dot's Choirs of the Eye.........as far as I know there should be lots of that stuff in it.....

 

[MountainDweller]

If I can find such a song by Monday, he will reconsider my failing grade. I’m looking for one that has all those elements he mentioned and more, and doesn’t have any orchestral backing, so he can’t claim that stealing classical techniques was what made it good.

Anyone know anything that I can actually use?

Even if he claimed classical techniques are what made a song good, it wouldn't really matter. You would still have a metal song that has all the things you're looking for.

When it comes down to it, everything is inspired by things that have been done before to some extent. I mean, if he said that, then tell him to find a good classical piece that isn't good because of techniques it built upon from the styles of Baroque or opera, or going further back, Josquin Desprez and motets and madrigals of the Renaissance period, or further still, chants of the middle ages.

Of course, he probably lumps all metal together, from Slipknot to Iron Maiden because he's ignorant of the many styles within the genre, just as most people lump everything from Bach to Debussy into "classical" even though it spans from Baroque to Modern periods and 150 years separate them.

I don't know what to suggest, really. If he's closed-minded and has a preconception of metal and hates it, then there's not a whole lot of hope for you. Out of the Opeth catalogue, I guess "Black Rose Immortal" would be my suggestion, but I seriously don't think he'd sit through 20 minutes because he's already made his mind up. "The Moor" is nice, but not really as epic as BRI. There's also what sounds like a pedal note (and I could be wrong) and another note being played a third above sustained along with it at around the 3:10 mark underneath the lead guitars in "April Ethereal", but MAYH songs are quite heavy and more "in-your-face" than most other Opeth songs and the use of that technique is likely not enough, so it may not be a good example. I really don't have an answer. Other people are naming songs that I've never heard (and now plan to check out), so checking out their suggestions is probably a good idea.

 

[AndICried]

I'd suggest:

- The Manifold Curiosity by Kayo Dot
- Depraved by Emperor
- Perhaps something very technical by Death

I think that two things he wouldn't like are:

- Pieces that could be seen as cheesy (i.e. any Power Metal)
- Pieces that have been written "compulsively" or without little knowledge of the actual theory behind their music (i.e. Opeth), regardless of the fact that the music may be good.

 

[the_drip]

Symposium- Dimmu Borgir

Reflections of the I- Winds (uses a string quartet)

Symphony X

Dream Theater

Maybe something off the Children of Bodom, Hatebreeder album.


The guy is a classical elitist, so I think you're probably fucked. I too am a music major...but my music theory teacher actually had respect for heavy metal music.

This asshole needs to compare metal to folk, country, pop and hip hop before he goes and slams heavy metal. What an asshole. Yes Classical is more complex and the soundscape is much larger but that's no reason to slam Heavy Metal. Classical, Jazz and Heavy Metal are the most musically interesting genres of music available today.

 

[mot-]

A drapery falls would fit quite well i think. Its a quite developed arrangement and also makes use of disharmony and stuff like that, although the harsh vocals might distract your prof from the very good music.

However, I would play Bloodbath's "Ways to the Grave" to him, slap him in his ignorant face and tell that narrow-minded fool to fuck off.

 

[anonymousnick2001]

Let's all stop calling him a narrow-minded fuckwit and actually rack our brains.

There HAS to be some metal band that...uh...Planetary eulogy made a quote at one point. He said that even jazz was 20th-century classical style with some modal improvisation ans stuff, and that metal has been the only genre to parallel classical in terms of progression and development and transcendescence.

Keep it coming, though...

 

[JColtrane]

I'd say Aces High by Iron Maiden, or anything by Virgin Black, or perhaps some Borknagar.

 

[PlatypusJesus]

I would have to suggest either Pain of Salvation or Gordian Knot. Or tie him to a chair and force him to listen to St. Anger until he begs for mercy and is forced to give you a passing grade.

 

[anonymousnick2001]

Or tie him to a chair and force him to listen to St. Anger until he begs for mercy and is forced to give you a passing grade.

Best. Suggestion. Yet.

 

[PlatypusJesus]

Thank you.

 

[ChrisEmerson]

i think he is an elitest fuckwit as well, and i would tell him that. seriously. and tell him to get a fucking clue.

as for songs, i wouldnt play any iron madien. i dunno why, i just dont think it would go down that well.

I dont know anything about music theory so im not much use, but defining a song as good by certain rules etc is just gay imo.

Butterfly Temple - Sny Severnogo Morya?

i have no idea to be honest.

 

[ChrisEmerson]

oh dont play anything too death/black... i remember listening to death metal for the first time and not being able to make sense of it. itll be the same for him and youll have no chance.

 

[AmirH]

He compared metal to folk, as if it were a bad thing. I happen to think that folk melodies evoke much more emotion then classical. Classical amounts to a formulaic way of writing using various scales and appreggios. It's strikingly similar to the way metal solos are constructed. If anything is "IN YOUR FACE" it's jazz. But since he's obviously looking for a classical formula, and obviously doesn't have a very open mind, I would suggest a metal that is influenced by classical music such as Emperor. Opeth wanders from one direction to the next with no real sense of structure in b.r.i, so discount their older stuff because as good as it is it's exactly what he'll hate, and since you based part of your composition on it then it will rub him the wrong way. Almost all Opeth songs have progressive/folk influenced melodies as well so knowing that he doesn't like these things would be a que to steer clear of them. Older In Flames stuff is the epitome of folk influenced metal so ignore those people as well. I think your best bet might lie in something by Dream Theater, since it isn't so abrasive that it will instantly turn him off(Children of bodom), but technical enough to warrant comparisions to classical runs. Look for something off of the scenes from a memory album. The tricky thing to this situation is you WANT it to sound like metal, and yet still retain a sense of elegance. But then you have to keep thinking that he dislikes metal so you can't really have elements like death vocals if you expect an even somewhat unbiased opinion. If your willing to try something with death vocals though, your best bets are emperor, dark tranquility, or children of bodom. King Diamond might be a good choice to if your teacher weren't such an elitist prick.

 

[ChrisEmerson]

can we all send him hatemail? whats his email?