what is up with blastbeats?

[JayKeeley]

Why do drummers play non-stop blastbeats? Is it simply because they can? It's like they figured out how to do it and now can't play anything mid-paced.

Don't get me wrong, I love when there's a frenzied black metal attack, playing some haunting riff-o-rama, and the drums are blasting away -- it all goes together very well....but there are some songs that DO NOT NEED BLASTBEATS.

More songs need to follow a headbanging pace. It makes it so much easier on the audience. Some of the best songs in the world are played at that perfect "metal stomp".

It's also for this reason that 90% of black metal simply doesn't work very well live as compared to listening on headphones.

Discuss.

 

[EricT]

They do need to cut back.

Have no problem with them when you got a nice mid paced tone, then a furious section comes up, and the drummer just fucking rips it out <insert jerry-esque analogy here>.

 

[JayKeeley]

Have no problem with them when you got a nice mid paced tone, then a furious section comes up, and the drummer just fucking rips it out <insert jerry-esque analogy here>.

Yep, everything in moderation. But what I find disappointing is when they get that nice mid-paced tone and the drummer is oblivious and playing blastbeats anyway. You hear this so often now.

The problem with so many metal bands is that they're trying too hard to write a metal song. Perhaps they should just focus on writing a good song.

 

[EricT]

More black metal drummers need to study post-Monumension Enslaved to learn drumming management.

(edited cause I wasn't thinking straight)

 

[JayKeeley]

Listen to "Winter Madness" by Wintersun for some of the most ridiculous drum patterns in the history of banging a stick periodically against something in order to make a beat. Completely oblivious to the rest of the song and therefore laughable.

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

Wintersun is one of the examples of the nearly constant blast beat madness working, in my opinion.

 

[JayKeeley]

Huh. For me, Wintersun is a great example of great & horrible all on the same record.

"Winter Madness" fails it.

"Sleeping Stars" wins it.

The drumming seems to be the pivot between failure and success for each.

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

It dosent always work, your right. Sometimes I think the album is phenomenal, but if I'm not in the mood the blast beats do get monotonous pretty quickly. "Winter Madness" is one of my least favourite tracks though.

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

"Battle Against Time' is a better example of this working (to me). The epic vocals and melodic guitars in the beginning mix nicely with the blasting.

We really should merge the two threads heh.

 

[Krilons Resa]

And what is it with blastbeats? [/Seinfeld]

 

[skeptik]

I don't listen to shit with constant blastbeats.

 

[Krilons Resa]

^ me neither. I cant stand it...AT ALL. So, yeah, Im in agreement with Ali...as probably everyone is as we have done this topic to death. Just not it's own thread.

 

[cthulufhtagn]

but blastbeats are teh ruleage

no i agree, dynamics are important. unless you're darkthrone, in which case all of you shut up.

 

[NAD]

I'm more annoyed by constant doublebass, but the overabundance of either is quite annoying. Sometimes a subdued snare tone can make it okay, like on Bergtatt.

Favourite blastbeat: Forlani by Burnt by the Sun.

Least favourite: anything by Vital Remains, even if I do like them.

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

I love blast beats
Kai from Wintersun is a great drummer, the drums really sound exactly like Jari would want it on that album.

Ali, what bands are you talking about?

 

[dorian gray]

I want a drumkit. I don't know what blastbeats are but have an idea. I am eating chicken soup.
I am going to watch an episode of Entourage now.

 

[Demilich]

I listen to so little blastbeat-ridden music that I don't feel qualified to comment on this issue.\
But I will. Fuck constant blasts. Drummers need to use their heads and learn how to mix it up!

The Primordial drummer is cool. That is all.

 

[General Zod]

Wolves overused blast beats on Two Hunters. That disc has got two speeds; blast beat and the style of music they pipe in to massage parlors (<--- not the ones with happy endings). Not saying the new Wolves is bad, but it could have done with some tempos that exist between sleep and kill.

Zod

 

[M.Lehto]

On the next October Falls-full lenght, the drummer M.Tarvonen "refused" to play the insane blasts, so we changed the drumparts.

...and they got much better...

 

[General Zod]

On the next October Falls-full lenght, the drummer M.Tarvonen "refused" to play the insane blasts, so we changed the drumparts.

...and they got much better...

Hey Mike... two questions... is "The Streams of the End" the full length? Regardless, where can I buy "Streams"?

Zod