Their audience here in the U,S, is by far different than the mass European metal audience. And even if it would be argued that AA is also huge in Europe well along with the rest of what Europe accepts that America doesn't would prove that metal is stronger there.
Yeah, Lady Gaga and Ke$a will be bringing them out on tour and "Death In Fire" will be in movie soundtracks. You don't even know what mainstream is, which probably explains why you sit on your ass and complain about why your bands aren't doing as well as you want them to. And by the way, do you have any data or evidence to prove that Amon Amarth's audience is different from Europe's? I am sure Metal Blade would love to know this information/data too. You're full of shit.
Goddamn Europe has more metal labels, metal tours, metal fests, metal magazines, if it was not stronger there then it would all have turnout like fests and tours here, magazines would go the way of Metal Maniacs, etc. Goddamn it is so easy to see if you get out there in it. But maybe you are that guy who goes to the AA show, looks over that band you never heard of until you are told it is ok to like them.
Proof? Numbers? Yes print zines are still doing well in Europe and not so much here. Guess what? We have blogs like MetalSucks.net and Deciblog in lieu of print. That's just how it is. Blogs and webzines aren't nearly as big in Europe as they are over here, as it's the preferred medium here while print zines are preferred there. Again, this comes back to my point. You may not be happy with the fact that we're moving away from physical print magazines, but that does not mean diddly squat in terms of "who's bigger." It just means that your preference is now unpopular. If you want to say that your preference is "right," just like your "metal" is "right," while everyone else's is wrong, that's your problem.
Also more metal tours? Don't make me laugh. There are MUCH less European tours since Europe is a continent, not a country. Europe has completely different markets. What does well in the UK has no bearing on the mainland. Promoters want different things, packages are almost impossible to assemble. Not to mention the red-tape issues that need to be dealt with when going from country to country, making the entire process more expensive. This is in part, why European tours almost always demand the opener pay for a buy-on, where as in the US buy-on tours are much less likely because it's much cheaper to tour the US for a US band. Cities aren't as far apart from one another, no taxes to be paid from going from one country into another, promoters are all on the same page, etc.
And as for labels -- name me one European label besides Nuclear Blast, Season Of Mist and Century Media that become extremely successful over the last 10 years? I'd let you get away with Basick and that's pretty much it. In the US? Sumerian, Prosthetic, Goodfight/Ferret, Mediaskare, E1, Relapse, and I can go on and on.
I did not start this with you, you brought it to me and now I'm done with it.
I made a comment and you called me out by posting your CD collection and taking it personally, as if I care. Grow up.
There are those who will mistake honesty as arrogance.
Correct, but fortunately nobody here is doing that. All you've been doing is spouting half-truths and unbackable observations with no falsifiable, or even quantifiable examples. You make claims like "Amon Amarth's audience is different here" without proving it. Really? So emo kids and Wu Tang fans buy Amon Amarth and no metal kids do? Prove it. Don't pretend to know.
For the third time, if you're sad to see the bands and ideals that you prefer go away in favor for the new school, fine. But to say metal isn't doing well over here because your stuff isn't selling as well as Metal Blade's is not only contradictory, but completely arrogant. It's contradictory because you recognize that other metal bands and labels are vastly outselling yours, yet you believe metal in America suffers. It's arrogant, because your stuff is (in your own words) the "larger metal world" just because YOU like it more than what Metal Blade or Century Media puts out. Guess what, I have bad news for you: it's not the larger metal world. It's a secluded, niche metal world. The larger metal world is what Nuclear Blast, CM, Sumerian, Relapse, etc etc represents. And while there's NOTHING wrong with being a boutique label, own it or change your model -- as others have said in this thread.
I remember as if it was yesterday... and it actually hit some lady's head before plunging into the abyss... the shoeless guy's face was pretty priceless!
