Orchestral metal.. Yes or no?

[NecrosluG]

In your opinion , do you like it when metal is mixed with classical music elements creating thus a more great and complex metal style ?

I personally love it, I just wanted to ask your opinion on this one since I am an orchestral composer and would like to see the responce of people on the subject.

Is it something amazing beyond rational thought or is it something that requires a lot of work and talent but just doesnt work well on the heads of young metalheads ?

 

[ThisIsACoolName]

Sometimes. I think the combination can be really great if metal has the more dominant role, but the other way around just doesn't sound right.

 

[entanglement]

Is it something amazing beyond rational thought or is it something that requires a lot of work and talent but just doesnt work well on the heads of young metalheads ?

I agree with this, actually.

The more is not always better. You can't assume music to sound better if you throw in more instruments. Although it diversifies the overall sound.. you can have a single guitar and drums making something far more better sounding if they are used well. It all depends on how its done.

 

[gmartin314]

I've always liked it. I am not a big fan of some of the bands that do live albums with the orchestra (Except for Dream Theater's last live CD, that one was awesome). But I love the way Dimmu Borgir or Nightwish do it. It sounds so full.

 

[entanglement]

^ what he said.

Hated Metallica with an orchestral arrangement.

 

[King Richard]

Metallica probably wouldn't have sounded so bad if they still had their balls during that performance.

 

[Thoth-Amon]

Metallica probably wouldn't have sounded so bad if they still had their balls during that performance.

Yes.... not to mention the fact that those songs they were playing were written without orchestral elements in mind... so the orchestral parts seemed very tacked on and not part of the songs.
Metal with keyboards or orchestral instruments/arrangments that are written with those instruments in mind though is another story...

 

[Never78]

Vision is the key. Like with any music, if it lacks vision, it sucks. That being said, "orchestral metal" can be great when done correctly and not pretentiously.

 

[Matt]

I love music with orchestral/symphonic elements, possibly because I was exposed to metal/ classical music at a young age.

 

[Hubster]

As a massive lover of Early Music and Baroque, I have to say "no." I fucking hate orchestral metal. Fucking gay as fuck.

 

[Manic Ferocity]

I can take orchestral elements as long as it's not dominant.

 

[Zephyrus]

I was raised on classical music by my parents and I have always hated popular music. I started listening to metal 3 years ago, so the blending of the seemingly dichotomical genres works very well for me.

 

[cookiecutter]

Orchestral metal? NO

 

[Dazed and Brutal]

mabbe

 

[Alcapoth]

Virgin Black; the PINNACLE of all that is classical metal. Period. There's just no arguing it. People, mark my words when I tell you that this WILL, surely, become the best album of 2007.

Ok, I had to get that out of my chest because I happen to think And I Am Suffering is the greatest piece of music I have heard in years (which is on the upcoming album). No exaggeration, either.

This band has always meant so much to me, and it seems they may be coming out with their greatest achievement thus far. It moved me so much. In fact, I can't remember the last time a song brought such chills down my spine. The operatic vocals of Rowan London...they are just so awe-inspiring. My jaw drops at the given thought of witnessing the splendour that a live show would bring. I'm going to have to make that a reality, and soon.


For anyone that's interested in classical and doom/black metal, this here is recommended for you;

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=55462238


But to answer the question to the thread. Why yes, I adore classical music and metal, thus, the combination of the two, if done correctly, is something that can be incomparable to anything else. I think VB is the new wave of classical music for our generation. It's haunting, epic, beautiful, passionate and powerfully moving just like with the music the classical greats of the past has brought to us.

[/end of Virgin Black frenzy]

 

[Astrum]

I like it very much, as long as both components are reasonably good. If one sucks, the other can't balance it out imo.

 

[Under The Oak]

Virgin Black; the PINNACLE of all that is classical metal. Period. There's just no arguing it. People, mark my words when I tell you that this WILL, surely, become the best album of 2007.

Ok, I had to get that out of my chest because I happen to think And I Am Suffering is the greatest piece of music I have heard in years (which is on the upcoming album). No exaggeration, either.

This band has always meant so much to me, and it seems they may be coming out with their greatest achievement thus far. It moved me so much. In fact, I can't remember the last time a song brought such chills down my spine. The operatic vocals of Rowan London...they are just so awe-inspiring. My jaw drops at the given thought of witnessing the splendour that a live show would bring. I'm going to have to make that a reality, and soon.


For anyone that's interested in classical and doom/black metal, this here is recommended for you;

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=55462238


But to answer the question to the thread. Why yes, I adore classical music and metal, thus, the combination of the two, if done correctly, is something that can be incomparable to anything else. I think VB is the new wave of classical music for our generation. It's haunting, epic, beautiful, passionate and powerfully moving just like with the music the classical greats of the past has brought to us.

[/end of Virgin Black frenzy]

I'd take Saviour Machine over VB any day. VB is good, but their music is far too random/diverse for me to completely enjoy. I mean, they go from classical and opera to gothic and death/black metal to folk music. It's just so convoluted, but it's good to hear they're going to be working on albums with a (hopefully) consistent theme for once.

 

[Cythraul]

I don't necessarily like "orchestral metal" but I do tend to appreciate it when a band has some classical influence in terms of compositional or playing style. Well, only if they know what they're doing.

 

[Life Sucks]

It really depends on the band. It can be done well or poorly.

 

[Alcapoth]

I'd take Saviour Machine over VB any day. VB is good, but their music is far too random/diverse for me to completely enjoy. I mean, they go from classical and opera to gothic and death/black metal to folk music. It's just so convoluted, but it's good to hear they're going to be working on albums with a (hopefully) consistent theme for once.

Hehe, I'm going to check out some Saviour Machine now as I haven't heard of them before. Are they doom also? I BETTER not be disappointed.

Anyway, I realize Virgin Black isn't going to be up everyone's alley, but I don't agree that their music is convoluted as you suggest. It's not like one song goes through all those changes, but they do tend to have alot of unique songs on their albums. There are songs that sound completely different from one another, but to me that just makes it more enjoyable to have that kind of variety included. Prevents it from becoming stale. In any case, to each their own, really.
On Elegant...and Dying things were already far more consistent than on Sombre Romantic for comparisons sake. And as far as the new album (which there are 3), I do believe it'll be as they say; one album that's completely classical, one album a mix of classical and metal (like their previous efforts) and the final album emphasizing on doom/black metal with bits of classical elements. So, it sounds good to me.