what keeps metal waaay underground.

[MURAI]

You're all saying metal is underground. Well, most of it is but there are metal bands like Lamb of God, Slayer, Pantera on major labels, getting mass media play, and going on Ozzfest though. Most metal that usually stay underground are black, death, and some thrash metal. I do not mind some mainstream exposure, and I dont turn my back on bands as soon as they get it. I find it annoying how some metallers bash a band they used to like as soon as they no longer have a true, underground reputation when they attract some mainstream fans. Where's the loyalty in that?

Most teens now don't take music as seriously as us anyway. They want something with a "cool beat" they can nod their heads to. They just want something digestable music that gets discarded in a few weeks or a few months.

 

[Hell Mike]

I am a teen and I take music very seriously.

I also don't turn my back on bands that get mainstream exposure if they're still good, if they're not I just stick to the old releases. BUT, fact is, getting mainstream exposure is primarily an effect of making more mainstream-friendly music, and that generally means worse music, so I don't find it strange at all if most turn their backs on what most bands become when they smell the $$$

 

[Lord of Delusions]

I really think a little part of me died when I did that.......

Anyway, metal is not the only genre that has issues like this. Its been a major debate in the punk camps for years. I personaly don't care if a band goes mainstream or not. If they can get paid for what they do, then more power to them. I don't get real uptight about people saying a band "sold out" and went mainstream. People change, and when they are musicians, their music changes with them, its a fact of life. Now, if they do a sudden about face and change their complete nature for no other reason other than money and record sales....that is selling out.

The point is, if you can get paid for something you love to do without losing sight of where you came from, then why the hell not????

 

[Wyvern]

Now, if they do a sudden about face and change their complete nature for no other reason other than money and record sales....that is selling out.

Why we always end talking about Popallica?

 

[Lord of Delusions]

Didn't realize I was. Sorry about that!

 

[AntonCrowley_16]

Most teens now don't take music as seriously as us anyway. They want something with a "cool beat" they can nod their heads to. They just want something digestable music that gets discarded in a few weeks or a few months.

I usually want something I can bang my head to, not nod. And it also dont get disgarded in a feew weeks.

 

[Thraxz]

Underground to me means that it doesn't get air time on the radio... it never touched ozzfest and never comes close to hitting hot topic. At least to me. If those criteria are met you can predict with a near 100% accuracy if you walk up and say "Do you know who (whatever band) is?" they will say no. I tried it.

I am really quite tired of people getting labelled as sell outs. The classic example is In Flames. They was very easy to follow transition into what they play now. While I agree their new stuff can't hold a candle to even their demo songs it not complete trash. Sure it has clean lyrics but if you look at clayman and colony its pretty easy to see them easing into it as their songwriting changed. My biggest problem with them is that they are starting to exclude solos from their writing. When that's gone I'm gone as their fan, they'll be no better than the solo-less two-riff crap on the radio. They arn't there yet but they are scaring me.

I'm 21 now and I got my introduction to extreme metal a year ago by In Flames - Cloud Connected. It rocked my little world at the time. After listening to other tracks of theirs like December Flower and Dialoge with the Stars I realised that the crap I was listening to at the time was complete trash. Next thing I knew I found that i'd spent over $600 on cd's in 6 months and was knee deep in melo-death and power metal albums.

The saying used to go, cream floats to the top.
I've come up with a better one that I've even proven in the real world.
"Crap floats to the top too!"

I realise there will always be bands that are considered sell outs by the underground listeners. But what these labellers don't seem to understand that there HAS to be at least SOME bridge between the shit-riddled radio and real metal in the underground. Hell, with out them I wouldn't be on this forum now.

One more thing (that remains on topic) Think of mainstream exposure as exposure to gamma radiation. BAD! The longer metal stays in the catacombs the longer it remains unmutated and ugly.

 

[MURAI]

I am a teen and I take music very seriously.

I also don't turn my back on bands that get mainstream exposure if they're still good, if they're not I just stick to the old releases. BUT, fact is, getting mainstream exposure is primarily an effect of making more mainstream-friendly music, and that generally means worse music, so I don't find it strange at all if most turn their backs on what most bands become when they smell the $$$

Yes, and some bands ditch thier integrity to appeal to trends and a mainstream audience like Skinlab for example. They used to be modern metal but they started to sound like Korn later on. A real band will keep their integrity even if they break mainstream.

But, I find it annoying some metallers think being underground for the sake of being underground is good. I dont think the quality of the music can be measured just on how mainstream or underground it is.

 

[Wyvern]

I dont think the quality of the music can be measured just on how mainstream or underground it is.

And that my friends is the bottom line. Excellent Mur!