When metal bands stop playing metal...

[JayKeeley]

If you take these bands, they all changed direction quite significantly at some point, or have perhaps experimented in different types of music:

Anathema
Ulver
Katatonia
Dan Swano (specifically Nightingale)

I'm sure there are more you can add to the list.

Had it not been for their earlier efforts, would their latter stuff even get a look in from the metal underground?

And if so, do the new releases get the recognition because of their back-catalogue? In other words, had A Natural Disaster, or Viva Emptiness been the debut releases, would they have received the same acclaim? If a non-metal band released A Natural Disaster, would it have been reviewed in Terrorizer?

There is nothing wrong with liking the new directions obviously, but I think a lot of metal fans accept it because the bands used to play 'real' metal. Had a band with non-metal roots released some of this material, it would have gone widely ignored, no?

Followers of Dan Swano are the greatest example of hypocrisy. People who only listen to death metal will make an exception for his Nightingale (or non-extreme) side projects simply because it is...Dan Swano.

Agree / Disagree?

 

[JayKeeley]

I won't agree that Katatonia have stopped playing metal. They've strayed far from their roots, but it's still some sort of metal I'd say.

Absolutely, but it does open a few doors, no? I mean, if people like latter day Katatonia, it would lead to other bands playing similar sort of music, and some of it may not even be based in the realm of metal.

It's quite amazing how much music exists outside of metal that would still complement metal bands that we know and love.

 

[Black Winter Day]

Ha... somehow Opeth have been drawing fans originally from progressive rock circles. Let's attribute it to washed-out post-hippiedom because I see very little in common between Opeth and prog. Same with Anathema, but not to that extent.

What bands are BETTER now that they aren't metal?

 

[NAD]

There is nothing wrong with liking the new directions obviously, but I think a lot of metal fans accept it because the bands used to play 'real' metal. Had a band with non-metal roots released some of this material, it would have gone widely ignored, no?

I agree with this. Lots of metal fans would enjoy different styles of music, but only socially accept those that were once part of the metal scene.

Wildhoney > A Deeper Kind of Slumber, but I'm glad I have them both.

I would love love love OMG SO MUCH <3 Ulver regardless of their metal background, but I only discovered them because of the Trilogie. It is hard for me to say which portion of Ulver is better, because even their two black metal releases are vastly different. I do listen to the electronic half of them more, but Bergtatt receives their only 10/10 from me.

By the way, include Michael Bolton on the list, he used to play metal.

 

[Black Winter Day]

Tiamat released their in my opinion best effort, the absolutely 0% metal content "A Deeper Kind of Slumber" in 1997, but after that they turned into horrible gothic rock. Have you heard ADKoS? I don't think it's impossible that you would like it. Yes, I attempt to force feed everyone on the forum with Tiamat, but they're so fucking underrated. People only know "Wildhoney"...

Yeah, I have it. I like it alright, but I've only listened to it 2-3 times. It's definitely very atmospheric and dreary, but it didn't really get me going to tell you the truth. I'll definitely give it a few more tries. For some reason I thought the latest one was pretty strong, although it probably deserved about a 7.7/10 instead of the 9/10 I gave it. Oh well.

So far, of the 4 I've heard, I like "Clouds" the most.

 

[JayKeeley]

do Agalloch draw neo-folk fans?

Good question. Equilibrium Music focuses on non-metal acts that play ambient/trance/dark/medieval/neo-folk type music, and they include Agalloch and Empyrium in their catalogue.

Although, I couldn't say whether non-metal fans would listen to Agalloch. The vocals are extreme, and would turn away 99% of the world. The last two Empyrium albums, however, should appeal to non-metal neo-folk fans.

Even the latest from Falkenbach -- I can't see any reason why a non-metal fan into folk/pagan type stuff wouldn't appreciate that.

 

[NAD]

There are a lot of pop vocalists that have pleasing and / or talented pipes and I can see why some have mass appeal, but then there are those like Michael Bolton that I hear and just don't get it. I could shove a dildo up my nose while taking a Mexican meal charged dump, yelling off key, and still sound better than that hack.

I doubt that groups like Agalloch draw in non-metal fans, but then again Opeth seems to, and Mikael has a pretty unmistakeably death metal growl, so who knows.

 

[JayKeeley]

I doubt that groups like Agalloch draw in non-metal fans, but then again Opeth seems to

Do they? I find it hard to believe that a non-metal fan would like Opeth and just stop there. From a non-metal perspective, Opeth are pretty extreme. They are, for the most part, death metal.

(Unless of course, a 'non-metal fan' in this case would be someone into nuMetal or some other half way point).

 

[NAD]

Do they? I find it hard to believe that a non-metal fan would like Opeth and just stop there. From a non-metal perspective, Opeth are pretty extreme. They are, for the most part, death metal.

(Unless of course, a 'non-metal fan' in this case would be someone into nuMetal or some other half way point).

Lurking around the Opeth forum I've seen, although I don't know if they aren't metal fans or just not death metal fans. Never cared much, just happened across it a few times. :Spin: Also (I think I mentioned this elsewhere) a few of my friends really like Opeth, but don't like death metal really. They are "normal" metal fans though, at least to an extent.

 

[IOfTheStorm]

I kinda agree with JayKeelay's first post. And of course it's interesting how some bands release their best albums, after leaving their "metal era" :
Ulver - Themes ...
Tiamat - A Deeper Kind Of Slumber
Another great example of a band that kept a high quality in its music after leaving their metal period, is the Australian band Vauxdvihl (they played prog metal in their first album, and then released an ep of progressive electro/industrial)

 

[JayKeeley]

Lurking around the Opeth forum I've seen, although I don't know if they aren't metal fans or just not death metal fans. Never cared much, just happened across it a few times. :Spin: Also (I think I mentioned this elsewhere) a few of my friends really like Opeth, but don't like death metal really. They are "normal" metal fans though, at least to an extent.

Interesting. From my experience, the hardest thing for people to digest is death vocals. As good as Akerfeldt is (if not the best in the business), he is still growling like "cookie monster" to the 'untrained' ear. Most non-extreme metal fans, I assume, might say, "interesting music, diabolical vocals".

Hell, even a lot of metal fans won't accept death vocals or blackened screams. But I digress...

 

[JayKeeley]

Then they download stuff like "...and the Great Cold Death of the Earth" and like that too, then slowly start accepting the tracks with harsh vox here and there... It's far from impossible.

I'm not saying it's impossible, but I think it's a stretch.

As ridiculously close minded as most metal fans are, I think it's an easier transition to slip into non-metal music than it is for non-metal fans to slip into metal.

That's why I think it's funny that some metal fans would run screaming from "A Quick Fix of Melancholy" had it been released by 'Band X' on some non-metal label, but the minute they find out it's Ulver, it suddenly becomes "progressive whilst maintaining integrity" blah blah.

If music is good, then that's it. End of argument, at least for me.

 

[Demonspell]

Some very good questions are raised here. I think non-metal efforts from bands like Anathema and Ulver do get some of their high regard as a result of loyalty from followers of their heavier material, but not all of it...I've seen both bands reviewed favorably in non-metal publications. As for whether they would get the same attention if they had no ties to the metal community, I believe that they would still appeal to open-minded listeners and possibly gain widespread acceptance...

Another question: Does this add to the respect we have for these artists who have abandoned metal? Would Dan Swano be as revered if he limited himself to one project?

 

[ProgMetalFan]

I think it's very interesting when metal bands stop playing metal... like say The Gathering's "Souveneirs" album...

Even though these new works are clearly not metal... there is just something about them... some intangible metal aesthetic... that still lingers... and I think that's why this music still appeals to the metal crowd...

 

[Krilons Resa]

There is nothing wrong with liking the new directions obviously, but I think a lot of metal fans accept it because the bands used to play 'real' metal. Had a band with non-metal roots released some of this material, it would have gone widely ignored, no?

?

yes.

 

[Krilons Resa]

If music is good, then that's it. End of argument, at least for me.

Agreed....

 

[J.]

JayK's first post pretty much says it all. Nightingale would be lost in a sea of mediocrity if not for Swano's involvement. And does anyone think even half of Nightingale's listeners are from the "prog scene". pffft, yeah right.

But this can also still apply to metal. Bloodbath is a perfect example. If not for the "supergroup" nonsense, nobody would care.

 

[NAD]

I would care. I only knew about Opeth when I got the Bloodbath EP and I loves it. Resurrrection Through Carnage sucks ass thogulh. Well, sucks some ass, like an unclearn bitch. I mean it's a still a bitc h howse ass yer suckin, not some hairy convict or some thsi. shits.

 

[Jim LotFP]

JayK's first post pretty much says it all. Nightingale would be lost in a sea of mediocrity if not for Swano's involvement.

Oh bullshit. First I got Crimson, and the Swanö name certainly didn't mean anything to me at that point beyond being a funny name in album credits full of them.

Then I got Closing Chronicles, still one of the top three albums I've ever heard, and the Swanö name became a buzzword for me.

 

[J.]

I was more or less speaking of the fans who jumped on board with Alive Again, or to a lesser extent, I.