The what's going on in Thrash thread

[Slammed]

. Pretty funny

A bit harsh I know, but Sean's vocals really do get annoying after a while. I know there is plenty of signers that probably shouldn't sing, but Sean just doesn't seem like he wants too.

 

[redfly]

Other band? He had that other band they called a supergroup, Iconoclast or something, but they haven't done anything I don't think. He did an album with that Posehn dude from Big Bang Theory. I can't think of what other band he had right now.

It was called the Damned Things I think?

 

[redfly]

A bit harsh I know, but Sean's vocals really do get annoying after a while. I know there is plenty of signers that probably shouldn't sing, but Sean just doesn't seem like he wants too.

Harsh or accurate?

 

[Slammed]

It was called the Damned Things I think?

Oh yeah, that was their name and their debut was Iconoclast. They did release an album in 2019, so yeah that's one since Kings.

 

[Slammed]

Harsh or accurate?

Others might disagree but I'll go with accurate.

 

[redfly]

Oh yeah, that was their name and their debut was Iconoclast. They did release an album in 2019, so yeah that's one since Kings.

Scott is lame.

 

[Slammed]

Scott really doesn't seem like he's interested in Anthrax. During the shows they did pre-pandemic he looked enthusiastic enough but it definitely seems like he was thinking of other things. I do find it kind of funny. Over the last 2 decades he seems to have tried to go the tough-midget look with the shaved head, the bush on his chin and all those tatts, but his actions kind of put him in the category of metalcore wannabe seeking the love of a teenage audience.

 

[redfly]

Love me! Love me!

 

[Slammed]

Yeah that pretty much sums it up

 

[zerostatic]

Scott really doesn't seem like he's interested in Anthrax. During the shows they did pre-pandemic he looked enthusiastic enough but it definitely seems like he was thinking of other things. I do find it kind of funny. Over the last 2 decades he seems to have tried to go the tough-midget look with the shaved head, the bush on his chin and all those tatts, but his actions kind of put him in the category of metalcore wannabe seeking the love of a teenage audience.

I don't know about all that, but you follow it more closely than I do. He has cultivated a look and is easily identifiable. Not sure he has managed a social media presence as well as some other metal icons from the era.

 

[Slammed]

I've no idea what his personal social media presence is like. As a part of Anthrax it's worse than Testament, they rarely update, but then 6 years between albums they don't really have news to update people with. The news they do update is often not Anthrax related and when it is it's nostalgia not news. I don't know who updates the Anthrax social media but it's lack lustre at best.

 

[zerostatic]

Sean's vocals generally suck. I actually thought on the new EP he'd changed his vocal styles, but that's what I get for not listening to the albums for a long time, because he really hasn't changed and he really isn't that good.

That is a fair assessment and honestly the vocalists seem to be the weak link that break a lot of talented thrash bands.

Over time I have gotten used to Hetfield, Araya, and Mustaine's vocals but how many true singers/talented vocalists are there in thrash?

A few of the better thrash vocalists in my opinion are Russ Anderson, Joey Belladonna, and Bobby Blitz.

As far as the younger bands trying to make a living playing thrash I like the vocals from Municipal Waste, Warbringer, Bonded by Blood's first two albums, and Gama Bomb. Other bands have some killer riffs but the vocals are tough to listen to include Vindicator, Diamond Plate, and the new Evile.

 

[Slammed]

Yeah I think we do get used to some things rather than worry about how good they really are. Personal perception is a big thing too, we like what we like, and wont often bother chasing what we don't even if it's only one element of the over all package.

It is interesting to see some of those YT videos where professional singing coaches and the like listen to metal bands and rate the singers. Sure they might be as set up as any other video but to see them listen to a song they supposedly hadn't heard and react to the way the vocalist sings different parts is often quite good. The reaction I've seen several people have upon hearing Kiske sing Keeper Of The Seven Keys is brilliant. But being that good is not required for most bands.

The weird thing I find is that a band like Vio-lence does have a really good sound, especially those first two albums, but while Sean's voice just doesn't cut it for me, there will be other bands where vocalists are no better that do work for me. Another thing is how difference is sometimes good, for instance Blitz has one hell of a distinctive voice, he can go high and low but while he may not be the most technically proficient singer there is no way Overkill would be Overkill without him. I've always like Zetro's voice too, I know some people think he's the worst part of Exodus, but Zetro to me is so distinctive that he adds something to Exodus other bands don't have. (obviously Balloff was better than that but we can't have Paul back).

However I think the most obvious sign that we all perceive things differently is the number of people who hated on Mustaine for changing his singing style around RIP, then changing again around Countdown. We all know he wasn't the greatest singer, still isn't, but for many they claimed he got worse in the same 5 year period where he was actually taking lessons from the same voice coach as Axl Rose. Personally I didn't think his changes were good or bad, but at the time some people were polarised on their decisions about how bad the change was, yet it was a change recommended to him by a 'professional'. It was also a recommendation to make his voice last longer apparently, but any change was always going to divide some people.

 

[Slammed]

This was posted on Flotz FB page by Ken Mary I don't know if anyone wants to read this but Ken went to the trouble of writing it so it's probably worth sharing on his behalf.

NO WAR
My family knows something about the hardships civilians face in a war. My grandfather, grandmother, mother, and my aunts and uncles were living in Poland during WWII. Of the 70 million people that perished in that war, 50 million were civilians.
My grandfather saw many war atrocities. He saw people lined up in the streets and executed. My grandmother collapsed onto the ground and pulled her hair out mourning the loss of her friends. Their oldest son died in my grandfather's arms of appendicitis since no doctors were available. He heard both Hitler and Stalin speak on the radio, and would have been shot for having that radio if found out. At one point during the war, renegade Russian soldiers entered my grandfather’s home, held the family at gunpoint, threatened to shoot him and took all the food, blankets, and supplies the family had to live on. My mother, who was five years old, remembers all of this clearly and suffered PTSD as a result. My grandmother made grass soup to help them all survive, and so parasites were in their dietary tracts.
By the hand of God, they survived that war. My grandfather was able to emigrate to the US with my mother and three of the other kids. They sailed to NYC and arrived at Ellis Island. My mother didn’t speak English, and all the family possessed was in the suitcases they carried.
My grandfather left my grandmother on their farm in Poland with one of my aunts and one of my uncles. When the iron curtain came down, my grandmother, aunt and uncle were stuck under communist rule for seven years. Soldiers came to the farm and the communist government seized the property and sent them into the streets. Without relatives in the country, they may have perished. Finally, after years of letters to government agencies from both countries, the day came when they were able to leave Poland and emigrate to the US.
My grandmother took a cab ride once she arrived in NYC. When she saw a NYC police officer walking on the street, she frantically ducked down to the floor of the cab. In communist Poland, being seen by the police could result in some very “uncomfortable” situations, including your being taken away for an indeterminate amount of time.
As the first generation born in this country, I have a deep appreciation for the safety and opportunity the United States provided. In less than one full generation living in the US, my family thrived. My mother, unable to even speak English when she arrived, received her masters degree. I won’t list the rest of my families accomplishments, but they are extensive. I cannot think of another country in the world that would have provided my family with those opportunities. The US literally saved their lives, and thus mine.
My heart goes out to the civilians of the Ukraine. I cannot even imagine the horror that is happening there. I did see video of a tank crushing a car with an old man inside. These are people, not “military targets,” and there is no excuse for this kind of behavior from any soldier.
Most people in the US just cannot relate to what’s going on there. I do only because of my family’s history. What I heard growing up makes one understand how fragile life is, and how quickly world events can sweep away your reality, your security, your possessions, your friends… everything. Please pray for the people of the Ukraine and for peace.​

 

[Slammed]

Holy shit, what is this world coming too. Blabber is all political shit and fuckwit comments and today Metal Injection reviewed the FUCKING WIGGLES!!! I know those failed pop artists are popular but reviewing their album of covers on a metal site because they covered AC/DC, Queen and Dropkick Murphys? Okay it's still better than Blabber!!

 

[Slammed]

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/d...megadeth-following-david-ellefsons-dismissal/

So we have a date now. I hope they keep reminding us that it's coming out or I might forget.

Interesting difference between Blabber and Metal Injection. Both are quoting the same Loudwire article but Blabber headlines with Lomenzo in the band, MI suggests that Lomenzo filling in for a few shows is only hinting at him rejoining full time.

Edit: watching the video I can see why Blabber went with that they did. Whether it's what Dave actually meant is open to interpretation but he definitely says the exact words Blabber used.
Something else that stands out in the video is how strange Dave looks, he's not just getting old but he's looking quite fragile and it seems he looses concentration easily.

 

[zerostatic]

Another thing is how difference is sometimes good, for instance Blitz has one hell of a distinctive voice, he can go high and low but while he may not be the most technically proficient singer there is no way Overkill would be Overkill without him. I've always like Zetro's voice too, I know some people think he's the worst part of Exodus, but Zetro to me is so distinctive that he adds something to Exodus other bands don't have. (obviously Balloff was better than that but we can't have Paul back).

Blitz is one of the best. About a decade ago I read an interview where he did an analysis of all the old Overkill albums. I think it was for The Years of Decay album he said he was messing around with his kids using different cartoon voices at the time and that came through on the album.

As far as Exodus: Balloff >Zetro>Dukes

 

[redfly]

That is a fair assessment and honestly the vocalists seem to be the weak link that break a lot of talented thrash bands.

Over time I have gotten used to Hetfield, Araya, and Mustaine's vocals but how many true singers/talented vocalists are there in thrash?

A few of the better thrash vocalists in my opinion are Russ Anderson, Joey Belladonna, and Bobby Blitz.

As far as the younger bands trying to make a living playing thrash I like the vocals from Municipal Waste, Warbringer, Bonded by Blood's first two albums, and Gama Bomb. Other bands have some killer riffs but the vocals are tough to listen to include Vindicator, Diamond Plate, and the new Evile.

I've never heard anyone say they had to get used to Hetfield's voice before.

 

[redfly]

Yeah I think we do get used to some things rather than worry about how good they really are. Personal perception is a big thing too, we like what we like, and wont often bother chasing what we don't even if it's only one element of the over all package.

It is interesting to see some of those YT videos where professional singing coaches and the like listen to metal bands and rate the singers. Sure they might be as set up as any other video but to see them listen to a song they supposedly hadn't heard and react to the way the vocalist sings different parts is often quite good. The reaction I've seen several people have upon hearing Kiske sing Keeper Of The Seven Keys is brilliant. But being that good is not required for most bands.

The weird thing I find is that a band like Vio-lence does have a really good sound, especially those first two albums, but while Sean's voice just doesn't cut it for me, there will be other bands where vocalists are no better that do work for me. Another thing is how difference is sometimes good, for instance Blitz has one hell of a distinctive voice, he can go high and low but while he may not be the most technically proficient singer there is no way Overkill would be Overkill without him. I've always like Zetro's voice too, I know some people think he's the worst part of Exodus, but Zetro to me is so distinctive that he adds something to Exodus other bands don't have. (obviously Balloff was better than that but we can't have Paul back).

However I think the most obvious sign that we all perceive things differently is the number of people who hated on Mustaine for changing his singing style around RIP, then changing again around Countdown. We all know he wasn't the greatest singer, still isn't, but for many they claimed he got worse in the same 5 year period where he was actually taking lessons from the same voice coach as Axl Rose. Personally I didn't think his changes were good or bad, but at the time some people were polarised on their decisions about how bad the change was, yet it was a change recommended to him by a 'professional'. It was also a recommendation to make his voice last longer apparently, but any change was always going to divide some people.

Yeah I think some of the vocals on RIP are pretty cringy. I think the vocals on SFSGSW are perfect. I also like the vocals on Countdown. Go figure . I love Overkill. I love Blitz. But I don't like when he mixes vibrato with his gutter rat voice too much. I think the vocals on TYOD and a few others are perfect. Overall though. I don't really go for "singers" in thrash. It takes away from the aggression for me. But you know I'm a big fan of Joey's and Of course AK would be my favorite "singer" I thought Mike Howe blended singing with aggression perfectly.

 

[Slammed]

I've never heard anyone say they had to get used to Hetfield's voice before.

Lars did when he realised he couldn't keep up that high quality drumming and be vocalist