Metal Subgenres- Lyrical Content or Instrumental Stylings?

[Carpe Mortem]

I was watching a Trouble documentary recently and they mentioned they are frequently referred to 'White Metal' due to their overall theme and lyrics.

Shortly afterwards, a friend asked for viking metal recommendations and insisted Amon Amarth doesn't count because the only thing 'viking' about them is their theme. Apparently, true 'viking' metal is fast tempo, heavy drums, with plenty of less common instruments like lutes and flutes.

If you look up 'black metal', the primary criteria appears to be 'angry, evil, or satanic' lyrics, as the actual instruments used, and the style they are used in, could easily apply to about 500 different metal subgenres.

Where do you guys stand on this? It really got me thinking. Is Amon Amarth, who makes me imagine viking battle glory more than any other band, not viking metal? Is Trouble, one of the crunchiest, greatest doom bands ever, more properly called 'white metal'? And how can we truly categorize the more specific subgenres?

Keep in mind this is a matter of opinion, and all are welcome.

 

[Master_Yoda77]

A little bit of both define a genre. You can have a black metal band without satanic lyrical themes and still retain all the genre conventions of black metal. Whether or not these bands are any good is a different debate.

Ultimately, though, it's the whole package of the band that defines who they are. Lyrics are part of the instruments, and it's how a band combines lyrical instrumentation with guitars, drums, bass, keys, didgeridoos, mouth harps, etc that define a band.

 

[Carpe Mortem]

A little bit of both define a genre. You can have a black metal band without satanic lyrical themes and still retain all the genre conventions of black metal. Whether or not these bands are any good is a different debate.

Ultimately, though, it's the whole package of the band that defines who they are. Lyrics are part of the instruments, and it's how a band combines lyrical instrumentation with guitars, drums, bass, keys, didgeridoos, mouth harps, etc that define a band.

I agree. But for instance, in the case of Amon Amarth. They lack any sort of unusual instruments. So can they be called viking anyways, on the basis of lyrical content alone?

 

[Lateralus14]

Viking metal isn't a real genre so I don't think anyone would mind.

 

[Master_Yoda77]

Amon Amarth are pretty much just a poppy death metal band.

 

[TempleOfBlood]

Instrumental Stylings of course

 

[mutantllama]

didgeridoos

Metal needs more didgeridoos.

 

[Carpe Mortem]

Metal needs more didgeridoos.

Metal does need more didgeridoos. Where can it be found anyways? I don't think I've ever heard it used prominently.

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

Amon Amarth are pretty much just a poppy death metal band.

Then it's just the thing to listen to when you need an opium fix.

 

[Carpe Mortem]

Then it's just the thing to listen to when you need an opium fix.

Man.... that was deep.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Metal does need more didgeridoos. Where can it be found anyways? I don't think I've ever heard it used prominently.

(yeah I know just an intro)

 

[Addo_Of_Nex]

Man, fuck Coroner for such a horrible performance at MDF. I literally fell asleep on the hill numerous times throughout that set before dipping back to the hotel.

Anyway, I pretty much agree with Yoda's first post. At the end of the day, the use of genres is really just a pragmatic measure. As stupid as the term "viking metal", or any other of the million meaninglessly specific superficial tags, can be, I don't really give a shit if some 15-year-old Wikipedia scholar wants to use it. Examine each band on its own merit and with things like historical context in mind.

 

[Carpe Mortem]

Man, fuck Coroner for such a horrible performance at MDF. I literally fell asleep on the hill numerous times throughout that set before dipping back to the hotel.

Anyway, I pretty much agree with Yoda's first post. At the end of the day, the use of genres is really just a pragmatic measure. As stupid as the term "viking metal", or any other of the million meaninglessly specific superficial tags, can be, I don't really give a shit if some 15-year-old Wikipedia scholar wants to use it. Examine each band on its own merit and with things like historical context in mind.

I'm a fan of tags because they help you find other similar music when you hear a new band and get a raging hard-on, only to discover they've only released one album in 20 years, or one good album.

It was especially handy when I was younger, before the days of lastfm and their 'bands similar to' feature, erroneous as it may be sometimes