Originality -Seeking bands that utilize it more...Or just good bands

[phantoms_of_sublimity]

Hello,

I've posted here before quite a long time ago in my quest for fine tuning the genres I like. (Though the post is likely not remembered, I wanted to thank everyone who'd responded, it really helped quite a bit and opened the door to some awesome stuff ). Well, (this may sound hard to believe) but my music search was put on hold for much of the time that's passed due to circumstances or financial constraints. My friends couldn't help me out in this regard either as none of them happen to like this kind of music (sadly).

Anyway I have always highly valued originality and a unique approach to any genre. I often admire the originators of many genres for this reason. But, (as most people know I'm sure,) along the way, as its popularity increases the meaning becomes lost. Sifting through all the artists to find the right ones is madness, as there are so many bands just doling out the same drivel, no matter how talented or technically proficient the artists may be. Certainly there are still some great bands that don't do anything particularly new and that's fine, I like/would like a good many such bands (I know it's impossible to be completely unique,) but I do prefer artists who stray from the herd and infuse some innovation into their music.

I was wondering if I could possibly have some help in finding them?

I have a better idea of what I like now than when I first posted here quite some time ago. To give you an idea of what I like -

I thoroughly enjoy melodically driven, as well as harsh/aggressive, experimental, moody, technical or any combination of such factors in metal.

Genres I Don't Care For: It might be easier if I first describe a bit of what I'm not really into. I can't stand anything -core, (though if that's your thing, I respect it). Other genres I don't much care for in and of themselves are: thrash, speed, and power metal. I tend to be sort of picky I suppose.

Metal from the Nordic regions always captures my intrigue.

OK, sorry if this list is a bit irritating, but mainly describing genres is the only way at the moment I can give an idea of what I like:

Genres I Love: Melodic death metal (my favorite artists in this genre will always be early In Flames and Dark Tranquillity), folk metal, sludge metal (or related. I love the band Acid Bath, who I recently found), metal with Middle Eastern influences, death metal (and I tend to, once again, prefer an innovative twist. I don't know, maybe I haven't heard enough of it. But I really love what I've heard from the band Death), black metal and symphonic black metal (with more pagan themes generally, not really the actual satanic ones), progressive death metal, technical death metal, technical melodic death metal, etc. I'm sure I missed something.

Neofolk is very enjoyable to me though I know it isn't technically metal.

For my all-time favorite artists, besides Dark Tranquillity, early In Flames, my other favorites are Wintersun, Opeth, Arcturus. I know that's a really sad small list, but as I said, the other genres I've really had to hold off on getting anything from due to lack of money.

Orphaned Land is awesome by the way, but I don't have any of their stuff.

Besides metal I also really love classical music, electronic music in general (again, the same non-commercialistic ideals apply. As well as other electronic music, I like decent ebm/ industrial, electro-industrial, etc) if that helps (I know some metal bands incorporate these genres into their stuff, for example).

I listen to a lot of Internet radio and try to find artists that way, and read reviews online, but, once again, it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack seeking bands that are closer to true originality in their sound than just more of the same. Especially with the more technical genres...after a while, it just gets ridiculous.

Anyway, thank you for reading my post, sorry if it's a bit lengthy. I greatly appreciate any recommendations. Thanks

 

[KonkeyDong]

Try out some of these:

Kalmah
Hypocrisy
Strapping Young Lad
Devin Townsend Project
Vader
Abysmal Dawn
Woods of Ypres
Rammstein

 

[noahfor]

you have very similar tastes to my own. these are some of my favorites:

disillusion - back to times of splendor
i urge you to listen to it at least 3-4 times before making your mind up about it. you need to penetrate the surface aesthetic (or whatever) before the true nature of the album reveals itself, or at least that was the case for me.

ulver - bergtatt

agalloch - all albums
i'd have to recommend starting with ashes against the grain because that's what i started with. listen to it all the way through 3 times, and on the 3rd listen it will blow you away.

moonsorrow - kivenkantaja or verisakeet then the rest
listen to this one walking outside in nature at night.

 

[deagen]

Dubchug is pretty sick because its dubstep and metal so thats og status.

 

[Burkhard]

Anacrusis
Atrox ("Contentum", "Terrestrials", "Orgasm")
Fear Of God ("Within The Veil")
Hexenhaus ("A Tribute To Insanity", "Dejavoodoo")
Madder Mortem ("Deadlands", "Desiderata", "Eight Ways")
Mekong Delta ("The Music Of Erich Zann", "Dances Of Death", "Wanderer On The Edge Of Time")
Stolen Babies ("There Be Squabbles Ahead")
The Third And The Mortal
Voivod ("Killing Technology", "Dimension Hatröss", "Nothingface")

 

[Fiskfejs]

Not sure if this is exactly what you're looking for, but you might enjoy it. Found it on another metal forum, some instrumental progg demo but contains some interesting parts

 

[Einherjar86]

Bands that utilize originality...

Can't say I've ever heard it phrased like that before.

 

[theoden236]

Hello,
Neofolk is very enjoyable to me though I know it isn't technically metal.

sounds to me like you check out Empyrium. they blend neofolk with doom metal very nicely on the old stuff. newer stuff is straight up neo-folk but still high quality