Metal you find objectively good, but hardly enjoy

[omnipotence]

There are metal albums out there which strike you as unique/original/innovative/etc. (whether by way atmosphere, spirit, or something more objectively-observable such as song structure or the level of musicianship), but no matter how you many times you approach it, you can't find (or you hardly find) personal enjoyment in it.

Name/Discuss them here. Here are some of mine...

Gorguts- Obscura (Probably going to the case for many people; this re-defined what death metal instrumentation can be like. The abrasive atonality and the annoying 'desperate' vocals by Hurdle in some tracks prove to be drawbacks to my enjoyment, however. 'Clouded' is particularly one HELL of an endurance test. The odd/ironic thing is that I can see what a certain opinion is saying about the album in a review; it states "Contrary to popular opinion, I find Obscura to be hooky and catchy; not dense or overtly chaotic" [e.g. if Gorguts aficionados think about it, this is true for the track, 'Subtle Body', especially]. I do particularly enjoy tracks such as 'Earthly Love' and 'Sweet Silence', however.)

Massacra- Final Holocaust (For the time, no band wrote constantly-evolving death/thrash riff structures quite like this. Unfortunately, the production values [along with other factors] fail to immerse me into the album)

Emperor- In the Nightside Eclipse (For something this expansive, everything sounds so compressed. Additionally, much of the songwriting has a unappealing meandering nature to it. Still, this is their best album to me, and "Inno A Satana" is one of black metal's best closing tracks)

Cadaver- In Pains (Inventive power-chord approaches; I've listened to it many times, but has done mostly nothing for me)

Beherit- Drawing Down the Moon (Like Mystifier, one of the best uses of effect-laden vocals ever. Plus, some solid subtly-stimulating ambiance on tracks like 'Sadomatic Rites'. I'm hardly in the mood for the album these days though).

 

[Zephyrus]

Iron Maiden, mainly.

 

[Einherjar86]

Venom.

Obviously it was influential and innovative; but it's just not my thing.

 

[BlackMetalWhiteGuy]

Dream Theater - Their instrumental and theoretical proficiency are obvious, but everything that they write just ends up sounding like an instructional video. While their collective virtuosity is impressive, their music lacks feeling of any sort and very little of what they do is even remotely catchy or memorable. Also, James LeBrie's angsty teen voice make me feel like I'm listening to a boy band.

Opeth - They can pump out one riff after another, but they can't arrange them into any coherent order. Consequently, most of their songs just sound like collections of musical ideas, rather than competent musical arrangements.

 

[Thoth-Amon]

Dream Theater - Their instrumental and theoretical proficiency are obvious, but everything that they write just ends up sounding like an instructional video. While their collective virtuosity is impressive, their music lacks feeling of any sort and very little of what they do is even remotely catchy or memorable. Also, James LeBrie's angsty teen voice make me feel like I'm listening to a boy band.

Opeth - They can pump out one riff after another, but they can't arrange them into any coherent order. Consequently, most of their songs just sound like collections of musical ideas, rather than competent musical arrangements.

This.

 

[Mort Divine]

I think that DT analysis is really off base at least considering their work before Six Degrees.

 

[BlackMetalWhiteGuy]

I think that DT analysis is really off base at least considering their work before Six Degrees.

This may be the case, but the one album that I have as well as the other songs of theirs that I've heard didn't exactly inspire me to dig up the rest of their discography.

 

[Mort Divine]

I seriously recommend checking out Images and Words.

 

[DarkBliss]

Silencer's Death, Pierce me comes to mind. Good music, but those vocals--ugh.
Yea, Gorguts-Obscura is definitely one that fits this description
as well.
I used to listen to it constantly , but nowadays, it seems like my interest in it has diminished.
It's just so long and sludgy,and I've been veering away from all that sludgy stuff. Meh.

Gorguts' last album From Wisdom to Hate is SO much better than Obscura really.

Cadaver's second album, however, is easily one of my absolute favorites ever, and I don't think I'll ever get tired of it. Absolutely exceptional in every way. Lucid in flow, compelling in rhythm, harmonized vocals, it has everything that I'm looking for in a metal album. A fucking classic. I can see why many people don't like it though. It's really understated, and some would say underwhelming, heh.

 

[Slayed Necros]

Obscura, absolutely.

 

[Krinkle]

Iron Maiden, mainly.

Same, apart from the first album.

 

[Rumpole]

I'd agree with In The Nightside Eclipse. I find it far too dense and claustrophobic to be of any real enjoyment.

 

[challenge_everything]

interesting thread.

I would also agree with ITNE and Obscura.

DsO - Fas is another I can't seem to get into. You can also throw in most of that ultra-depressing USBM

I don't agree with Dream Theater being objectively good - objectively good musicians, yes, but they utterly fail at writing songs, so overall they are not an objectively good band in my book. Except for Images and Words.

 

[Hubster]

DsO - Fas is another I can't seem to get into

My god I hate to admit it, but I haven't been able to get into this album anywhere as much as what I would have liked to. It's not bad by any means, but it simply isn't clicking for me, and I love DsO.

 

[Zephyrus]

I get into Fas more and more with every listen, and I'm still not quite there. But I'd say it's clicked for the most part.

And claustrophobic is far from how I would describe ITNE.

 

[Life Sucks]

Graveland - Following the Voice of Blood (the only Graveland I don't like. the uber-thin production is a large part of it)
Dio (just not my cup of tea at all)
Watchtower (the vocals)
Laaz Rockit (put off by the cheesy rockin 80s feel)
Mekong Delta (yet another good thrash band that doesn't click with me)
Portal (just can't get into it. too grating)
Master's Hammer - The Jilemnice Occultist (too weird and horrible vocals)
A lot of NWOBHM. I feel like I'm listening to rock n roll when I'm listening to certain NWOBHM bands.
Any good power metal or prog metal. I can't get into those genres.
And oh so much more.

 

[Omni]

Most death metal that's actually good falls into this category.

 

[IWP]

Mainly Black Sabbath, Dio, and Blind Guardian.

 

[Vegard Pompey]

Opeth, the best band in the world that I don't like. I don't know why, since they get everything right, and I really like the vocals.

And I've heard that DT argument a thousand times before, but it's just wrong. First of all, listen to Images and Words before you say anything, and second of all, the first disc of 6DoIT is fucking solid.

 

[Ben_t]

Morpheus Descends - Ritual Of Infinity (Sounds like something I'd usually enjoy a lot...but I just don't enjoy that album much when I do listen to it.)