Why do you think it is that so many bands

[Jreg]

It's not that the majority of bands get worse; it's that the majority of fans fear change. This is why the Republican party has been so successful.

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

Ron Paul ftw!!!

but yeah, experimenting is bad.

 

[skeptik]

Uh...yeah...what?

Most bands change over time. Fans of the band's earlier material are fans of the band because of that earlier material. That's what they like. When a band puts out something that is different from what they like, the chances of them not liking it is pretty fucking high simply because it doesn't represent the elements of what people actually liked about the band to begin with.

Of course, if you were joking, ignore this post.

 

[Mort Divine]

lol yea, god i wonder what nattens madrigal would sound like if produced better. anyways yea and Atrocity

Nattens has perfect production.

 

[byrne]

ulver never did anything perfectly ... its more the opposite.

 

[Mort Divine]

Nah, Ulver did a damned near perfect neo-folk album and really all of their work is absolutely great.

 

[J.]

ulver sucks after nattens. and even that album is questionable

 

[rfe]

Mirrors mirror life.

In Soviet Russia, Life mirrors mirrors.

 

[Life Sucks]

Ulver fell particularly far, along with Katatonia and Anathema, both of whom went from doomdeath to sounding like fucking Radiohead in rather abrupt fashion. Yuck.

 

[rfe]

Actually I prefer newer Anathema to old by a longshot. I was never really into their doom material (except Pentecost III). However, their stuff Post-Eternity are really great material, regardless of it not being metal.

Katatonia on the other hand, i'm not sure. I enjoyed Dance of December Souls, but Brave Murder Day was just...weird. Their newer stuff is pretty decent, I liked their newest along with LFDGD and Viva Emptiness, haven't listened to anything else from them other than those albums.

 

[Life Sucks]

I guess it's a matter of taste. Both Anathema and Katatonia started playing alt rock. I do not like alt rock at all.

 

[Zephyrus]

Nattens has perfect production.

It's a bit too "necro" for my liking. They tried way too hard to make that album sound grim as fuck.

 

[~Derek~]

Uh...yeah...what?

Most bands change over time. Fans of the band's earlier material are fans of the band because of that earlier material. That's what they like. When a band puts out something that is different from what they like, the chances of them not liking it is pretty fucking high simply because it doesn't represent the elements of what people actually liked about the band to begin with.

Of course, if you were joking, ignore this post.

That seems to be the case with Satyricon. Except I got into Satyricon because of the newer stuff and am now looking into thier older stuff.

 

[Triton]

OPETH.

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

It's a bit too "necro" for my liking. They tried way too hard to make that album sound grim as fuck.

The production, however, is PRISTINE. It's just REALLY treble-y. It was on purpose, though.

 

[Zephyrus]

I guess it's that imbalance that rubs me the wrong way. If the production was more traditional, and not that extreme, it could be a more comfortable listen.

 

[MURAI]

Bands often spend many years composing the material that goes on the first album or two. They have far less time in between albums after that, especially if they are touring.

One man projects seem to avoid many of the pitfalls of touring, lineup turnover, internal disagreements, etc. In the case of Xasthur, he's got consistent quality in his releases so that none are significantly better or worse. He keeps the same arpeggio/synths/backing chords formula, but there are new elements and strides in songwriting in each release, and future ones will have added cello and real drums.

Just an example of how a one-man project can remain consistent over a period of many years and albums.

Yes, the two points you raised did not occur to me. Metal bands have hard time dealing with the workload when the band gets off the ground with the touring, recording, and making a living with the other jobs. And like you said, the strong point with one-man projects is that you dont have to deal with having to rely with other people to do the music.

I do not think all bands get weaker as they go on and change of musical direction is not bad as long as its natural and not contrived. For example, Slayer released quality releases up to Divine Intervention. Also, Malevolent Creation had small variations in musical direction and some line-up changes but they kept on making good releases. I wanted to raise some opinions but they have already been said. Like relationship problems within the band, losing drive, losing ideas, financial problems, and what not. One point that no one brought up yet is that you can not forget how bands need to deal with outside pressures from the audience to make good releases and concert performances.

 

[Hatebreeder]

I guess it's that imbalance that rubs me the wrong way. If the production was more traditional, and not that extreme, it could be a more comfortable listen.

I feel this way about Mayhem's Ordo Ad Chao. The production failed miserably at being grim.

 

[skeptik]

It took me a while for me to be able to appreciate Nattens Madrigal fully, but I think it's an excellent album now.

 

[challenge_everything]

I think it's interesting how Ulver, Anathema and Katatonia are being mentioned. Each of these bands, while I love their earlier work, I think peaked when they perfected their own unique sound -
in the case of Ulver, with Perdition City
in the case of Katatonia, The Great Cold Distance
in the case of Anathema, Judgment or A Natural Disaster

Their 'classic' albums (Nattens, The Silent Enigma, Brave Murder Day) are all great but you can find better in their respective genres.