To solo or not to solo

Do solos MAKE a metal song?

  • Yes, only retards don't have guitar solos

    Votes: 23 32.9%

  • No, solos are completely overrated and overdone

    Votes: 1 1.4%

  • Sometimes.. when done right

    Votes: 45 64.3%

  • No opinion

    Votes: 1 1.4%
  • Total voters
    70
S

Soultorn

The Pain and The Darkness
Aug 11, 2002
323
0
16
41
Willits, CA
www.soultorn.tk
I was in a metal chat the other day.. and there happened to be someone in there that swore that if a band didn't have guitar solos... it wasn't a metal band. What do you guys think of this? What do solos do for a metal song? Are they overrated? Why aren't there as many drum solos then? I'm sure this will stir some very strong opinions.... but they are good to hear, beings as there are solos in most forms of metal, including some "nu- metal". What does a solo signify? To a band? To a song? IS it REQUIRED... a "metal" trait?
Please feel free to insert your opinions here.... this should be very interesting....
 
Personally, I think a well crafted song deserves a lead.

They're only over-rated or crap when the level of talent is not there, or when someone trys too hard.

Most grunge/nu-metal is what started this whole "no lead" thing...
 
Some times it good, only if it fits the song and is played good. Thats why i stick to rythem and singing, i cant wirte a lead if my life depended on it. sure my lead gutiarest is better at solos than me but hey, i can out growl/rasp him any day.
 
Some bands exist perfectly without them, some bands have them and they fit. Depends on the band and the song, but personally I prefer a well crafted lead that just fits and adds an extra ooomph to something. Guitars can talk too, and allows some expression, release of energy and can add total change and fresh air into a song :)
 
Ok... let me take things to another level. There is a difference between a "lead" and a two and a half minute shred fest in the middle of a song. Alot of bands use hook oriented solos, that may not be as tecnical or as showy, but are these the "metal" thing to do? Is a metal band not respected as much without? Example: What would you think of In Flames or Arch Enemy if they did't have solos? What about the more brutal bands? The Crown?
 
Originally posted by phyre


And minimalistic, atmospheric black metal á la "Transilvanian Hunger". In such music, solos are just WRONG.
Click to expand...

I don't think so. In music like that, several sustained notes harmonizing the main rythm or background would suffice just fine.

A lead doesn't have to be blistering 32nd notes for a dozen measures.... It can be a well placed note, or several, or several dozen...

It's all about the expression that you want to get, IMO.
 
its funny, I practice soloing, I always have and I always will, because its fun and I need to push myself...but in my songs Minimalism is the rule. a disjointed melody snippet here, a burst of shred there, nothing excessive. its like painting, too many colors hurt the eyes, unless thats what the artist is going for of course.

one thing I do hate though, is when a not-so-competent guitarist fucks up the mood of a song with a solo, such as taking a perfectly evil, haunting minor based tune and crapping some sloppy ass A major pentatonic drivel into it along with some boring-died-15-years-ago tapping.... I HATE THAT!!!

when bad guitarists go to hell, Kerry King will be there sticking hot forks into thier eyes.

Hail Slayer
 
too bad Kerry King is one of the worst guitar players ever... his leads suck all he does is wank his whammy bar he must practice alot... Jeff>Kerry
 
I don't think every band needs them. I think the better bands and better musicians should choose to, unless they want to be under-rated. Without Arch Enemy's brilliant solos they would be the same band at all and I wouldn't have half the interst that I do in them. Hell I would also like to see some bass solos... but there is about 5 bassists in metal good enough to make them. I say if you can do it why not, which goes for drums bass and guitar.
 
Originally posted by Magicawe
too bad Kerry King is one of the worst guitar players ever... his leads suck all he does is wank his whammy bar he must practice alot... Jeff>Kerry
Click to expand...

and your point is???

millions of people apparently like wanking. Im a bit of a wanker myself...
 
Originally posted by SADUDE
Hell I would also like to see some bass solos... .
Click to expand...

Yes! Bass solos kick ass...

Well... solos eh... I like them if they are done right and fit the mood... some bands don't need them really... Cannibal Corpse on Pit of Zombies for instance... that solo is too much out of place...
 
Uhmmm, I think that in metal, there are some bands with solos, and bands with no solo, we can't attribute the no solo stuff to nu-metal, because nu-metal already steals a lot of things from anywhere, from metallica, hip hop, rap, pop and madonna... so nothing can be attributed to nu metal.

And for the solos, well a good albums needs a solo, not each songs, only at your favorite parts and fuck if the rythm is great enough. Some bands just do 2,5 solos by song just because they think they're good at it and they can get chicks like that...

well fuck it, listen to a lot of bands first and you'll see that nothing can be generalized as no solo band and solos band...
Some wear blue t shirt, some others red.
 
some bands suit many solos perfectly e.g Children of bodom, In flames, Iced Earth, Arch enemy. Some suit solos in moderation e.g Immortal, cradle of filth. Some groups could ruin some of their songs by adding solos e.g Darkthrone and a lot of black metal groups and finally one particular group needs to add solos therfore making them better than they already are e.g Killswitch engage
 
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