Metal labels are not doing their job

[Esteban]

I was reading here about a month ago a discussion started about the band Evanescence and the way Lacuna Coil seems to be getting famous because of their success. One has to wonder... why??? Lacuna Coil's been around longer and have more talent. The key here, promotion, which leads me to the attitude of metal labels today.

Every month labels sign dozens of new bands and we get so-called awesome debut albums... 99% of them a huge piece of shit, and the bands who really deserve it don't get enough promotion.

Back in the 80s, Priest, Maiden, Queensryche, etc made a huge following without any radio support, so don't tell me the market is not good for metal, that's bullshit; what we have are a bunch of labels who are happy releasing tons of shitty albums and sell 100 copies of each. Bands like Opeth, Dimmu Borgir, Symphony X, Evergrey, Agalloch, Anathema, etc.. have grown a lot without decent support or quality touring. What happened to those huge tours where a band would play pretty much everywhere and just win the fans at their concerts?

Any thoughts?

 

[Caelum Adustum]

Dimmu Borgir is on Ozzfest.

 

[NGC 3370]

True but without labels in metal it would be much harder to buy and find cds from many bands even the so called underground metal ones.
I do agree though that labels do suck and take so much money from the artists themselves.

 

[Christie_fell]

There's a comment on that by Lacuna Coil in the August issue of Revolver Magazine. Bluh it's because the bands that refuse to give into what is in demand hardly get any recognition, but once another band has been put out there, others just like it are compared immediately to that one band, no matter who came first. It sucks, yes.

Priest, Iron Maiden, etc...made it in the 80s themselves because that was, in essence, the Golden Age of metal. Metal boomed in the 80s, and it was an amazing time. Unfortunately today we have more Rap and R & B and shits...it's just the flavor that's in demand, I guess...we're outnumbered...but not for long!

 

[Hell Mike]

"I hate when bands complain about lack of promotion... if your band was truly great, people would hear about you. There was no publicist for Metallica’s "No Life Till Leather" demo tape." - Dan from HADES (US)

 

[Profanity]

^ good point.

 

[None_So_Vile]

I do agree with Sorath's quote but I admitt, it does piss me off to no end seeing Evanescene whoring themselves everywhere like they invented their style of music, when really they're just pretty talentless, stealing mongs

 

[MFJ]

A lot of bands that are actually HUGE today are filled with members that are assholes that actually truly want to be famous! So unfortanutly, if you're a dick and you make half-decent music you can get somewhere. Also, in the case of Metallica, thats a good point. I think at that time of their demo they were just making music because thats what they wanted to do, and things just took their own course from there. The same for Opeth etc... they started out with a love for music, and they still have it. I don't think Mikael is spitting in record companies' faces yelling "Give me more fucking money!"

 

[MFJ]

I do agree with Sorath's quote but I admitt, it does piss me off to no end seeing Evanescene whoring themselves everywhere like they invented their style of music, when really they're just pretty talentless, stealing mongs

Agreed, and I don't even enjoy Lacuna Coil or the like.

 

[Erik]

Success is shit. If you are playing to achieve "success", you should kill yourself immediately and spare the gene pool your idiocy. Kill Nuclear Blast.

 

[Lucifer_nephilim]

i have worked within the music industry for several years now, and the more i see the more hateful it all becomes..the fundamental fact of art being put thru a business mangle is completely contradictory...but its the way things are...i suggest setting fire to whichever particular manufactured pop idol you most despise and videoing it for the news channels.
it probably wont help the industry or the bands, but fuck wouldnt it be fun?

 

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

I don't care about labels. As long as the music is good, I don't care what label the band is on or what/whatn't the label does.

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

"I hate when bands complain about lack of promotion... if your band was truly great, people would hear about you."

right, and a whole lot of people know who HADES is....


"Hades, featuring Alan Tecchio from WATCHTOWER.."




besides, if this were always true, explain how bands like Rage or Running Wild who've been around 20 years have never even sold 10,000 copies in the US..and how you'll find Century Media distributing the new Nightwish in every store but you barely ever see Andromeda or Extol or 90% of any other Century Media act. Funny how they booted Onward even though they did about 0% marketing for them.

Signing to a label doesn't automatically equal people hearing of you, neither does being excellent, at least 50% of success is being in the right place at the right time.

 

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

If I'm ever in a band I'm going to sign to a label that hates everyone including their bands so I can expose them and make a lot of money, become a sellout and live in a huge mansion, and be the best person in the whole world while you stupid metal fans are preoccupied with your underground garbage. 70 INCH TV.

 

[None_So_Vile]

^ haha good luck to you

 

[Hell Mike]

I prefer living on noodles and crackers and playing my "underground garbage".

Orion Crystal Ice, maybe that has something to do with Rage's and Running Wild's crappy music?

Why get famous and "get somewhere"? I don't see the point. Sure I like getting my stuff decently released, but I'd rather sit at home and copy demo-tapes forever than make crappy music.

 

[Nico]

I'm addicted to noodles anyway, so it's a win-win for me.

 

[Zivilyn]

Back in the 80s, Priest, Maiden, Queensryche, etc made a huge following without any radio support, so don't tell me the market is not good for metal, that's bullshit.

The market is not good for metal.

14-24 years makes a BIG DIFFERENCE. Maybe you don't watch the music channels too much, or just pop in a CD when you're in your car, but try listening to some popular radio stations next time you get a chance if you don't believe that. The music scene has never been worse than what it is today. I have no hope that metal will reach a wider audience, I'm too realistic I guess.

And I think everyone else might not realize how flooded the metal genre really is. There seems to be more metal bands than pop bands. Most talented metal bands that want to break through in the future will have a very tough time becoming known because most potential fans won't even know about their existence. It's a tough career. But I guess that's why this site is here, isn't it?

 

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

^ haha good luck to you

You won't be saying that when I'm superior to you, boy.

 

[Caelum Adustum]

I agree with Erik and Sorath, once again.