Songwriting Skills

[Metal7]

I'm sure a lot of people notice this. Certain bands, even metal bands tend to lose their touch after a few albums and the music isn't as good. It's hard for the band to realize this because they are busy writing the music and touring. I have seen this evident in bands like In Flames, who get too caught up in the crap that they forget about their music and style that made them popular with the metal population.

However, when I see bands like Opeth, I wonder how they keep releasing solid stuff. I realized its because they truly are one of the greatest bands ever. Some bands you see can only make it so far before they give up or their music starts to fade and run together with the rest of their material. But Opeth has consistenly stayed true to their sound and made great music as well.

I have also noticed this in Soilwork, who every year put out an amazing album. So what does it take for bands like these to be so great, and why can't other bands stay true to their music. They can stray from their original sound all they want but do they have to do it to become popular? Why did Metallica turn gay while Megadeth became almost as popular and stayed with their thrashyness and talented solos.

Sorry for rambling for days, but I had to mention this.

 

[Staffan]

I've noticed that as well

 

[jeanreno]

Another post ending in "Well I guess Opeth is the best band ever". Does it ever end?

 

[Greenwater_Pond]

I would say time constraints are the biggest factor in putting out solid material. Personally I also find that once artists define a certain style or type of music in which they write, it is difficult to deviate from that. That's how my songwriting goes anyways.

 

[BiatchGuy]

Reroute To Remain kicks ass.... dammit

 

[Eirik]

also.. I would like to say that Pain of Salvation just get better and better with every release.. they.. Opeth... Katatonia... A LOT of great music that doesn't decline out there...

 

[inflamer]

There are two kind of bands:

1-Do the same thing every album
2-Inovate and dont care to lose the old fans

Most bands opt for 1 ... i prefer bands that opt for 2 ... i dont know why but when a band repeats the same formula for 2 albums i get bored and stop listening (thats why i only have one symphony x album lol) ... when bands change i may not like the stile at all but i think its better to try to evolve and fail than not try at all and play safe.

... Thats why so many people dislike in flames now (yes i'm a sucker for in flames ... but if they ever release another jester race i'm not gonna buy it ... i had enough of that !)

...and soilwork's NBC was kinda inovative ... but i though the album was so truly booring

Megadeth was able to put out 7 great albums (KIMB to CW) ... and evolve (slowly though) ...

whatever this is all just a matter of opinion ...

 

[Greenwater_Pond]

but if they ever release another jester race i'm not gonna buy it ... i had enough of that

BLASPHEMY!!! you will pay dearly for that

I'd be ecstatic if they released another album like the jester race because it would be great, and then on top of that it would put all those intollerant pop music listeners who suddenly worship In Flames in their place and show them what good music is. If a formula works, I say stay the course. This IS why I still support bands like Symphony X because it is such a good style of music and overall sound, and I never get tired of great music.

 

[inflamer]

The Jester Race is my fav album of all time ... and trying to copy something you have done in the past is useless ... that's why is useless for inflames to try to do another TJR ... they can never do it again with the same strength ... same thing aplies to Dark Tranquillity, arch enemy, at the gates, children of bodom .... whatever ... better look for the future instead of looking back in the past

And Symphony X is great ... but their albums always have the same riffs and solos ... IMO

 

[Greenwater_Pond]

I respect that answer and can understand where you're coming from, well formed.

 

[FlatteningOfEmotions]

I know why Opeth write solid, great albums back to back. They hardly ever tour. They're finally beginning to heavily tour. They hadn't even played a show in the USA until Still Life, and even before that, they didn't really play in Europe often.

Maybe that's why Orchid, Morningrise, and My Arms, Your Hearse are so excellent?

 

[KielbasaSausage]

deliverance is great! i dont think any band today could have written something like that in the past year (not taking into consideration that damnation was recorded at the same fuckin time) Boooooya for opeth!

 

[stefan86]

True greatness is being able to evolve musically without forgetting about your roots.
Very few bands can do this;
Opeth, Dark Tranquillity and Soilwork are a few of them.
What In Flames did with RTR was a slap in the face on everyone listening to metal music.

NP: Meshuggah - Future Breed Machine

 

[Brooks]

If I went the rest of my life never listening to Natural Born Chaos, I wouldn't give a rat's ass.

 

[Timmy]

Yeah, definitely part of Opeth's consistently good output is the fact they progress... but not radically. They've noticeably changed between albums but were still recognisable.

Theres no point rehashing the same album over and over again, if it was done right in the first place.

Dark Tranquillity's The Gallery, i reckon, is an album that pulled off the crazy riffs and leads everywhere style of melodic death so well, and covered so much territory that it would've been impossible to top with a similar album. Hence Dark Tranquillitys change to a different style

 

[97reb]

IMO - a lot of it has to do with the time constraints record labels put on the bands to produce more material. The more albums one sells, the faster the label wants the next one out so they can make more money. If the artist is on a label that is more caring of producing great music as opposed to raking in the cash, then the artist has more time to write and record better music. The bands that only care about the money don't mind putting out crappy albums that will ride the coat-tails of a previous album. The artists that want to create music with the creativity that flows within will release only what they feel is worth what is in their souls.

 

[Metal7]

Reroute To Remain kicks ass.... dammit

Sorry, I wasn't dissing RTRM. I like the album too. I was just saying they seemed to take a certain path just to gain more of a fan base. But I guess that really doesn't matter as long as the music is good and they don't become assholes like Metallica did.

Yeah record companies are gay, they always try to fuck with a band's sound instead of letting make their music the way they want to.