Metal genres... does anybody actually care?

[Esteban]

In every single metal forum I've seen, there are always comments like: "i don't like it because it's not black metal anymore" or "that's not death metal, it is melodic black with progressive influences, ... asshole...".

Does anybody actually care? Every time you see a thread about listing your best death/power/prog/etc metal albums there's a discussion about it. You'll see a post and then someone HAS to say, well, that's not X it is actually Y with Z influences (and maybe add a "neoclassical" or "symphonic" in front)

When did we all become such experts in metal? Why does everything have to be classified into a genre, and when it doesn't fit we just call it "prog"?

There's nothing wrong with genres and subgenres, that's not my point. Read this reply from a thread I posted about Dimmu Borgir:

"I guess a band isn't REAL black metal unless, instead of using keyboards and other methods to create dark atmospheres, they just pointlessly scream. And I don't mean screaming the lyrics, I mean just plain screaming"

... ?!?!? What is that? REAL black metal? Why do people insist on making definitions out of thin air and then try to sound like an authority?. "That's not death metal because it has keyboards". "It's not power metal because the singer growls".

It's all about the music, and saying you don't like something because it doesn't fit into a genre is quite lame, especially if you haven't heard it. Threads like power metal is gay, death metal is just noise with growls, etc, etc, etc are growing old very fast IMO.

What do you think?

 

[Tanith]

I stopped caring about genres ages ago, I just listen to music I like. I don't care what genre it is, if I enjoy it, I listen to it. Just so happens that I listen to what most people class as metal, though I just class it as music, cause in the end, thats all it boils down to. I use genres to tag bands occasionally for the sake of say, convenience in a conversation. Ie, it'd be alot less confusing if I said "I listen to death metal" than if I said "I listen to music".

 

[crimsonfloyd]

Well generally I agree with you. Genres are ok but when people become so determined to find the perfect genre for each band it gets a little rediculous, progressive death meatl with acoustic interludes and black metal influences. How many band swill be in that genre? Three? Five? Whats the point.

The whole "troo" black metal thing is extreemly iritating. I mean just cuz it has key boards its not black metal? Give me a break. However its pretty clear to me that the thing that guy wrote about Dimmu was a joke. Only screaming, no words? He can't be serious.

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

I like almost all metal except for the ultra gay shit like Nu-Metal and Metal/Core. That shit can suck my ass!!

 

[Helvete]

Esteban: I totaly agree with you.

If I think Dissection is blackmetal, please let me do so, and you are more than welcome to call it death. What differens does it make?

Instead of genres I just say:

Insision - They play fast and brutal, singing is growl.
Gamma Ray - The play fast and is kind of "catchy" with sing-along-choruses.

 

[Phrozenspite]

In every single metal forum I've seen, there are always comments like: "i don't like it because it's not black metal anymore" or "that's not death metal, it is melodic black with progressive influences, ... asshole...".

Does anybody actually care? Every time you see a thread about listing your best death/power/prog/etc metal albums there's a discussion about it. You'll see a post and then someone HAS to say, well, that's not X it is actually Y with Z influences (and maybe add a "neoclassical" or "symphonic" in front)

When did we all become such experts in metal? Why does everything have to be classified into a genre, and when it doesn't fit we just call it "prog"?

There's nothing wrong with genres and subgenres, that's not my point. Read this reply from a thread I posted about Dimmu Borgir:

"I guess a band isn't REAL black metal unless, instead of using keyboards and other methods to create dark atmospheres, they just pointlessly scream. And I don't mean screaming the lyrics, I mean just plain screaming"

... ?!?!? What is that? REAL black metal? Why do people insist on making definitions out of thin air and then try to sound like an authority?. "That's not death metal because it has keyboards". "It's not power metal because the singer growls".

It's all about the music, and saying you don't like something because it doesn't fit into a genre is quite lame, especially if you haven't heard it. Threads like power metal is gay, death metal is just noise with growls, etc, etc, etc are growing old very fast IMO.

What do you think?

I care about genres... if everyone just broke it down to be as simple as its music than there wouldn't be a way to express what the common elements in certain bands are. Past that nobody should hate a band because they are or aren't a certain genre, it should all be based on musical merit. I can't sit here and say that I don't automatically dismiss music because it falls into certain genres... because I do... I vehemently hate Rap, Nu-metal, and Hardcore/Metalcore... but that just comes down to personal preference.

 

[Ultimate_Symphony]

I use genres as a guideline in order to search for certain types of bands that I usually enjoy.

 

[Demiurge]

Phrozenspite, have you considered putting a few more pictures in your sig? It looks a bit vacuous to me.

Bitching about genres is a hobby of pussies across the globe. Genres enable people to discuss music more accurately and specifically. No one will ridicule you unless you make egregious classification errors. Calling Cradle of Filth black metal for instance...

 

[HardSide]

Genre's dont mean crap.

 

[byrne]

yeah i agree. genres are too heavily stressed.

 

[None_So_Vile]

Its handy to occasionally put bands into genres for the sake of an easier conversation like Tanith said. Apart from that, it gets fucking annoying when some arse has to go round every thread, correcting people on their categorisation of one band. IMO Dissection are black metal, yet half the people on here think they're melodic death metal but to be honest i couldnt give a shit. I stay away from most of the genre threads because they're so tedious

 

[Donnie Darko]

I use genres to help describe a band, not to limit, bash or use against them

 

[Ginja_Ninja]

genres makes no difference, they're all generic shit

 

[Tool]

I think most people don't actually not like bands because they're not in certain genres, but rather, since they don't like those bands, they try to put them in another genre. But yeah, Genre's dont ussually matter, and are just useful for classification, discussion, and marketing purposes, getting too serious about them is pointless.

 

[no country for old wainds]

You HAVE to generalise somewhat if you want to describe a band without writing a hundred paragraphs.

 

[Stormwatch]

I can't believe Luminous Aether hasn't posted in here, telling us all how "aliencore" or "scat-shite-eater-core" is the only way to describe a band like Locust.
Genre's are cool, in terms of using "death metal" to describe a band like Morbid Angel. Death, or Vader - but these ridiculous terms like "aliencore" are just bollocks. Terrorizer magazine is full of these terms and it's just stupid. They should try and tell us WHO a band is similar to/or influenced by, not some bullshit genre definition they just made up like " hybrid-noise-fucking-wankoff-core".
I think I've made my point, but then, I'm pissed.
:Smug:

 

[no country for old wainds]

Meh. The word 'core' in a genre name just yells out 'we suck!' to me.

 

[Life Sucks]

I don't care about genres, but it just so happens that most of my favorite bands play death metal. When I still generally disliked power metal (for the way it sounded, not the genre it is labeled as) I liked Children Of Bodom, who are power metal. I also like Lacuna Coil, and I don't not listen to them because they are labeled as gothic metal (anything with "goth" in it has a negative connotation for me because I think of goths). If I like the way a bands sounds, I'll listen to them, regardless of what genre they may be. Everything I listen to is mostly some form of metal, except for some hardcore bands and one punk band.

 

[Raumien]

I use genres as a guideline in order to search for certain types of bands that I usually enjoy.

As do I. I'll say something along the lines of, "I really enjoy the band Death, does anyone know of some other death metal bands that have a progressive type of sound as well?"

^ Feel free to actualy answer that too.

 

[Demiurge]

Atheist- Unquestionable Presence
Atheist- Piece of Time
Disincarnate- Dreams of the Carrion Kind
Cynic- all demo material
Brutality- Screams of Anguish
Atrocity- Longing For Death

This material is all superior to anything Death ever did.