wave your hand in the air if you just don't care about breakdowns

[Mago]

a well placed breakdown CAN do somthing for the song, IF it is placed well, and if its not predictable that every song will have it.
starting with breakdown= dumbest idea evar.

 

[Metaltastic]

I was like that for ages.
Totally shunned anything with the metalcore or deathcore label.
Glad I stopped being so close minded about it. I used to hate KSE purely because most of their fan base seemed like complete fuckwits, but I actually gave some of their songs a chance and really dug it.
Most of the deathcore genre of what I've heard is pretty terrible, but again, there's a few gems if you're willing to look.
You know, speaking of core, I think Stabbing the Drama is actually more appropriately called metalcore (aesthetically it's still "melodic death metal" of course) due to how it sounds musically and it's one of your favorite reference albums (and one of mine now too, admittedly haha except you said you don't dig the music so I much, but I can dig most of that album)

Stabbing the Drama is in no way metalcore Harold, you find me a single hardcore breakdown, or lyric about rising up against adversity and staying true to your family of "hawdcoaw brothas," and THIS IS MY FIGHT DUN DUN DUN (wee-dee-dee) DUNDUN DUN DUN uke:uke:uke:uke:

Killswitch used to be metalcore because they had at least two of those elements, but as far as I know they've shied away from it, and thus I don't think I'd actually call them metalcore anymore

EDIT: And to clarify, I think I get what you're saying - that StD has the whole "short song, screamed verse, sung chorus" thing going on that some metalcore bands have chosen to adopt, but IMO those are in no way staples of metalcore (nor can the genre lay claim to them), cuz metalcore is just that, metal infused with -core (see above 3 examples )

 

[Skinny Viking]

EDIT: And to clarify, I think I get what you're saying - that StD has the whole "short song, screamed verse, sung chorus" thing going on that some metalcore bands have chosen to adopt, but IMO those are in no way staples of metalcore (nor can the genre lay claim to them), cuz metalcore is just that, metal infused with -core (see above 3 examples )

Besides, Fear Factory was doing that shit years before anyway

 

[AHChris]

you find me a single hardcore breakdown, or lyric about rising up against adversity and staying true to your family of "hawdcoaw brothas," and THIS IS MY FIGHT DUN DUN DUN (wee-dee-dee) DUNDUN DUN DUN uke:uke:uke:uke:

I dunno, but I have the feeling that you guys have a different view of the terms "Hardcore" and "Metalcore" than I have.

I mean... "staying true to your family of hawdcoaw brothas" has nothing to do with metalcore. And even breakdowns have nothing to do with the original (oldscool) Hardcore. It´s similar to punk and nothing else (Agnostic Front and Co.).

I´m sick of seeing flyers of "HARDCORE SHOWS" with a line up full of crappy metalcorebands. uke:uke:uke: These are two two different fucking things!

 

[STINNETT]

all "breakdowns" are not created equal.

"breakdowns" have been a part of metal for some time now... when used in a aong, to add to it, or enhance it, and when the song reaches a point that it seems natural to have one, there's nothing wrong with them... at all. period. seriously, it's just as ridiculous to posit that anything that could be described as a "breakdown" should NOT be added to songs, even if it comes naturally in the writing process and conveys the feeling you want to have at that moment, as it is to just automatically insert them into every song for no good reason.

but when you have a situation... like the one we have today which i think is pretty unique and weird, where the song is written FOR the breakdown, rather than other way around... well then, "Houston... we have a problem."

Well said.

I can think of a lot of classic metal where the breakdown section is absolutely my favorite part. There are even certain modern bands that do it the same way, where it's just obviously conceived of differently. It sounds like a natural progression in the song.

The modern trend of writing 11 breakdowns and then forcing them together into a single song is just.....uhh.......uke: There is an obvious difference.

 

[PhilTheBeard]

I still love me some old death metal breakdowns no one can say that suffocations slam parts don't make you wanna punch babies. And yes most newer bands write the same breakdowns over and over again but the same argument can go to bands who play the same sweep patterns a million time's in one cd.

 

[STINNETT]

THIS IS MY FIGHT DUN DUN DUN (wee-dee-dee) DUNDUN DUN DUN

DUN DUN DUN DUN..........DUN.....DU-DU-DUN (weeeeeeee)






We should just start a breakdown onomatopoeia thread.

 

[006]

Emmure anyone?

 

[Skinny Viking]

DUN DUN .... DUN DUN .... DUN DUN (weeee) DUN DUN (weeeee waaaaaaa)

Marcus ... you've started something bad here

 

[Ermz]

I was like that for ages.
Totally shunned anything with the metalcore or deathcore label.
Glad I stopped being so close minded about it. I used to hate KSE purely because most of their fan base seemed like complete fuckwits, but I actually gave some of their songs a chance and really dug it.
Most of the deathcore genre of what I've heard is pretty terrible, but again, there's a few gems if you're willing to look.
You know, speaking of core, I think Stabbing the Drama is actually more appropriately called metalcore (aesthetically it's still "melodic death metal" of course) due to how it sounds musically and it's one of your favorite reference albums (and one of mine now too, admittedly haha except you said you don't dig the music so I much, but I can dig most of that album)

I don't think I'm intentionally trying to shun core music. It's just that whenever I hear anything that shares traits inherent to those styles it never seems to be conducive to my view of what 'good music' is.

STD I would definitely not call a great album, musically, whether core or not (though I have to say many people I've worked with have made reference to its core aesthetics). I don't actually know too many people, core or otherwise who disagree. Given their discrography, it's a fairly poor offering, of course compensated by the amazing production. Sometimes I think it's a catch 22. In order to have an epicly produced record you need to scale back on songwriting quality. Nickelback's latest album sounds huge, but the songs are utter garbage (moreso than their prior releases anyway) that are just being held up by all those claps, sirens and all kinds of production wankery which defines just about everything I hate about music.

As far as KSE goes, I have been conditioning myself to appreciate it for what it is, but ultimately if you show me a metalcore band I'll show you Mors Principium Est who I'd rather be listening to any day of the week. There was never any need for melodic death metal to be crossed with core. Never. There are so many places for metal music to forge forward and innovate. The core genres are the antithesis to it. They latch onto the most base, superficial & teen-friendly qualities of heavy music and just exploit them to death - usually executed in amazingly mediocre ways.

 

[Russtopher]

In my late teens I listened to a lot of Victory-style hardcore bands so the breakdown is something I just got used to hearing. I agree that bands nowadays just seem to toss 'em in when they've run out of ideas for that song, but when used in the right place at the right time, they're killer.

Then again, they originated when kids still went to shows and guaranteed for some crowd action, now kids sit at home and whine when they can't find enough YouTube clips, so....

 

[CatharsisStudios]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXOkFr2m900&feature=related[/ame]
Sick

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n7t8Elrlnk&fmt=18[/ame]

even sicker

 

[_Brutalism_]

all "breakdowns" are not created equal.

"breakdowns" have been a part of metal for some time now... when used in a aong, to add to it, or enhance it, and when the song reaches a point that it seems natural to have one, there's nothing wrong with them... at all. period. seriously, it's just as ridiculous to posit that anything that could be described as a "breakdown" should NOT be added to songs, even if it comes naturally in the writing process and conveys the feeling you want to have at that moment, as it is to just automatically insert them into every song for no good reason.

but when you have a situation... like the one we have today which i think is pretty unique and weird, where the song is written FOR the breakdown, rather than other way around... well then, "Houston... we have a problem."

This x1000000.

If something is misused then I think the blame should be put on those who are misusing it.

If you hate the word "breakdown" because of what the recent trend has introduced with it, then its pretty clear that your frustration is at the scene.

Everything that is overused and re-processed poorly loses its quality and reason for being there.

Just 2 examples of epic break/groove patterns that come to mind can be found in:

Exhorder - I am the Cross

Sepultura - Dead Embryonic Cells


I hate presenting a song just for the purpose of one piece of it as I feel it doesn't do the band nor the song justice, but if you find those riffs gay, then you're as metal as a pencil eraser.

 

[Soundlurker]

all "breakdowns" are not created equal.

"breakdowns" have been a part of metal for some time now... when used in a aong, to add to it, or enhance it, and when the song reaches a point that it seems natural to have one, there's nothing wrong with them... at all. period. seriously, it's just as ridiculous to posit that anything that could be described as a "breakdown" should NOT be added to songs, even if it comes naturally in the writing process and conveys the feeling you want to have at that moment, as it is to just automatically insert them into every song for no good reason.

but when you have a situation... like the one we have today which i think is pretty unique and weird, where the song is written FOR the breakdown, rather than other way around... well then, "Houston... we have a problem."

+ 1

 

[jfurr]

August Burns Red's Messengers was one huge breakdown... and it's my favorite cd of all time. Also, August Burns Red is huge right now, if you couldn't tell.

You gotta understand why breakdowns exist... breakdowns are made for a live performance because of their insane dynamics. they're insanely powerful live and absolutely necessary... idk why everyone's hating on them.

breakdowns are sick. save some of the gay ones that you already know after listening to one time through the pattern.

 

[Harry Hughes]

One breakdown I do really enjoy is the one in White Walls by Between the Buried and Me.
It actually serves as a proper climactic point in the song where it reaches maximum tension and then releases the tension again before it goes into the instrumental outro, rather than just "hxc superbreakdown" bullshit.
At the end of the day, riffs are just riffs. If I dig the music behind the breakdown, the riffs behind it are good, I couldn't give two fucks if it's a breakdown or not.

 

[jfurr]

also.... one quick rant.

i see people on this forum hating so bad on the "scenecore" bands... take Attack Attack for example.

Sure, none of us like the writing, some of us don't like the production.. (i love it.. perfection ftw), none of us like how "gay" they look... but there's a ton of kids out there that love all of it, so let them love it, and stop complaining. They're making a living (at the moment, at least... probably won't last that long) doing what they love.. following their dreams. I don't see what the problem with that is at all... in fact I think it's pretty sweet.

disclaimer: i do not like attack attack.

 

[Harry Hughes]

I don't know what constitutes "scene" these days or not, but FWIW, despite being a metalhead my favorite album of all time is "Relationship of Command" by At the Drive In, a post hardcore band.
I'm also a big fan of post hardcore bands Thrice, Underoath, Poison the Well, Refused and These Arms Are Snakes.
I also dig Something Corporate which seems to have a fan base composed entirely of scene kids, as well as Paramore and VersaEmerge, but I tend to take these bands more for their alternative rock elements of their (or in the case of VersaEmerge, experimental rock) music than their pop rock/emo image anyway.
Paramore and VersEmerge make for some damn fine production references too

 

[Force666]

I like breakdowns a la Kataklysm, Dissection etc. But, I can't stand breakdowns a la rap beats like All Shall Perish and stuff. The younger kids do too much sycopated drum beats and follow the riffs too much. I like when there is a very staight "rock" beat and the other instruments work around it.

 

[Metaltastic]

I don't know what constitutes "scene" these days or not, but FWIW, despite being a metalhead my favorite album of all time is "Relationship of Command" by At the Drive In, a post hardcore band.
I'm also a big fan of post hardcore bands Thrice, Underoath, Poison the Well, Refused and These Arms Are Snakes.
I also dig Something Corporate which seems to have a fan base composed entirely of scene kids, as well as Paramore and VersaEmerge, but I tend to take these bands more for their alternative rock elements of their (or in the case of VersaEmerge, experimental rock) music than their pop rock/emo image anyway.
Paramore and VersEmerge make for some damn fine production references too

Riveting tale chap