"The" most unique metal band

[Bruticus]

There isn't a way, or at least it would be a futile impossibly complicated exercise... to establish unanimously which one band is the single most unique in metal.

However.

Reading that title should stimulate those neurons a little as it's one of those questions with multiple angles. Surely, you've got a couple of names you're thinking of already. Think about it a little more and tell us, but it *can only be one !*

I'll let you figure out what you want the definition of "unique" to be.

But come up with JUST ONE band name, with a few explanations.

 

[Nate Skalman]

...waiting for a Tool fan to chime in

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Assuming that followers disqualify a band, I'd go with Anacrusis. The closest that any band comes to them is probably Celtic Frost, but even that's only to a small extent. Thrash with big dynamics both musically and emotionally, and flirting with outside metal influences while retaining a core style. Distinctive/unique vocalist, progressive ideas without being tech-thrash proper, can hear certain parallels between them and later mainstream stuff like Slipknot and melodic metalcore even though they probably weren't an influence.

 

[Master_Yoda77]

 

[The Ozzman]

Whatever band is hip in the in crowd right now tbh

 

[Bruticus]

...waiting for a Tool fan to chime in

lol that would be such a fkng depressing reply.

Wow. That was ehm.. intense. Highly atmospheric, and 'ugly'.
I quite like it ! thx for that. I guess.

Assuming that followers disqualify a band, I'd go with Anacrusis. The closest that any band comes to them is probably Celtic Frost, but even that's only to a small extent. Thrash with big dynamics both musically and emotionally, and flirting with outside metal influences while retaining a core style. Distinctive/unique vocalist, progressive ideas without being tech-thrash proper, can hear certain parallels between them and later mainstream stuff like Slipknot and melodic metalcore even though they probably weren't an influence.

would you post a song that best illustrates why 'Anacrusis' is special ? It's so easy to just load up the wrong song and then just think a band is crap.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Possibly my favorite of theirs and one that I think showcases their overall sound the best is



But it's a relatively unpopular album for whatever reason, and some might direct you to what is probably their best-known song and more on the melodic/accessible side for a first impression

 

[Slammed]

But it's a relatively unpopular album for whatever reason, and some might direct you to what is probably their best-known song and more on the melodic/accessible side for a first impression

It's all selective but I prefer Manic Impressions and really like the melody of I Love The World for some reason. Although the fact that it's a cover probably stops it being 'unique'.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Anacrusis is the only band with more than two albums where every album has been my favorite and least favorite and everything in between at some point in time, so they're the only case I can say where there's no wrong answer regarding fav/least fav. Manic Impressions definitely has its own strengths: the coldest-sounding, maybe the most technical riffs, less anger and more angst, the slower parts are less doom metal and more atmospheric/wall-of-sound-y, the simpler drumming combined with the other factors gives it a kind of quasi-ambient/intentionally-minimal sound (like in Explained Away where they rotate different riffs over the same verses all over a steady skank beat), it's just its own thing. Probably my second-favorite behind Reason right now.

 

[The Ozzman]

I'll agree that Anacrusis is pretty unique. I've heard everything they've done and revisit every so often but I'm not a big fan of the band. I can't remember which was my favorite but I think it was Reason as well.

 

[Omni]

Anacrusis is a great suggestion. I'd also mention Celtic Frost, Voivod, Slauter Xstroyes, Cirith Ungol and Sacred Blade just off the top of my head.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

I didn't put too much thought into earlier bands since most of them have been cloned at least a couple times, but yeah Cirith Ungol is still pretty unique to this day afaik.

 

[AllShallFall]

 

[Bruticus]

Hamburgerboy
okay thanks. They've got that fresh 90's vibe about them, which is nice. Songwriting was at a near peak imo back then, so many influences from earlier decades blending and culminating just right. I like how so many metal bands had that outside influence to them, that second "more melodic" song is almost like a slightly more metal, more underground mid90's Killing Joke.

Omni
Eh, never could quite get into Voivod, which sucks because on paper they fit the kind of profile I'd be interested in, but the actual content never got me hooked. Would you or anyone post a couple of their more interesting tracks ? Will lsn to the other bands and get back to you here later.

AllShallFall
ooh, that's nice. How do you guys find bands like this ?! I've tried so hard to look into the lesser known ones, and then just decided the effort/reward ratio wasn't nearly worth it and fkn quit altogether. It's nice to come on these forums here and just steal the work of others already done.
Love the arrangements, the drum textures, that nihilistic industrial metal touch. Do Blut Aus Nord fans listen to this, or is that an incorrect assumption - hey wtf...they're speaking french there at the 6 7 min mark..

EDIT: oh, duh, ok it's the Blut guy doing vocals at that mark, ok..

 

[Burkhard]

Even though they changed their style several times over the years, Voivod had a very specific sound right from the beginning, thus they are a very unique band also in my book. The latter also goes for Anacrusis.

My personal choice for "most unique metal band" is a draw between Madder Mortem and Atrox (Monika Edvardsen-era). Not only do Madder Mortem's albums all sound different from each other, but also the songs on each album, which makes it impossible for me to name a characteristic song. And even though I don't like all of their albums the same, they are one of the very few bands who haven't released an album I don't like. As far as Atrox are concerned, it's especially the often weird and crazy vocal-lines, the unusual lyrics and the cover artwork on "Contentum", "Terrestrials" and "Orgasm" which constitute their uniqueness for me. One of the few cases where I wish there were good copycats, but I'm not aware of any.

If also bands with very short discographies are allowed - like Sacred Blade, which Omni mentioned and which I also appreciate -, I'd mention Fear of God, even if it only was for their debut album "Within the Veil" (if anyone could recommend an album with music and multi-layered female vocals in the same vein, I'd give it a try), and Stolen Babies.

 

[Bruticus]

Hello Burkhard Active Member from Germany, would you post a few tracks that best represent iyo those bands (Madder Mortem, Atrox) ?

And yes, your later point, absolutely. Some of the most unique bands turned out to be very antisystem not only artistically as understood, but more practically as well as many of them would just release the one or two albums, that later received very underground cult followings... then disappear.

Those bands are a bit the equivalent of some drunk guy stepping out of the dark at some house party where a few people stop what they're doing and listen as he delivers an esoteric speech with hidden meta meanings, and then just leaves.

 

[Oblivious Maximus]

Voivod is the first name that comes to mind. Unholy as well.

 

[Burkhard]

Hello Burkhard Active Member from Germany, would you post a few tracks that best represent iyo those bands (Madder Mortem, Atrox) ?

I have chosen one song from each of Madder Mortem's six albums and one song from each of the three Atrox-albums I mentioned. As regards Madder Mortem, their third album "Deadlands" is my favourite album and I'd also say that "Resonatine" is my overall favourite Madder Mortem-song. In the case of Atrox, "Terrestrials" is my favourite album and "Mental Nomads" one of my overall favourite songs.





(the album version is 2 minutes longer)

 

[Bruticus]

^ okay, lsng...
M.Mortem don't come across as particularly "unique" to me. In fact, reading they're Norwegian makes absolute sense. They're one of those The 3rd and the Mortal type bands, not that the latter are absolutely generic sounding by any stretch... but I'd say def. generally Swedish/Norwegian sounding. They love their deep romanticism/gothic stuff with usually good vocals, and often that prog edge to them.

The second one sounds sth like (and I prob. shouldn't make this comment lol, but) ...Opeth+Korn. Please don't murder me, by my standards that's good.
Def good music.

Panta Rei. Hungarian ? Heh. Quite nice too.

 

[Bruticus]

So here's a proposition for anyone who missed it. Lykathea Aflame. Whatever the fffffffffffuq that's supposed to mean...


Often recognized as "happy death metal" lol, it's heads down brutal stuff then turns a little euphoric with happy, clean major-chord sections.
Yeah, they're like that.
Certainly one of the more unique bands, though not a fan per se. Interesting to get back to it from time to time.