Is it just me...

[nfe]

And they aren't even kidding. Whereas near every extreme metal band I've ever dealt with (including lots of corpsepainted loons and the most serious of artists) take their music seriously but themselves far less so. I don't think anyone has so much as grinned at a Manowar rehearsal. The guys stipulate everyone playing before them on a stage play at half the volume they do for goodness sake! Dafties. Their mid set speeches are the most cringeworthy things I've ever seen live.

There's actually probably more variety in metal than in any other genre I can think of (provided you don't consider "world music" a genre, which you shouldn't, 'cause it's a ridiculous umbrella term) there's a breadth within it that doesn't really exist in anything else, at least insofar as I've discovered. The "it all sounds alike" thing just smacks of ignorance, to me. I know nobody is strictly saying that, but I can see it coming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Pmv__3krFw (warning, lots of swearing)

(yeah, fur tv was terrible, but that bit was pretty funny, especially the "different types of metal" bit)

Is it the daft video with vegetarian progressive grindcore? It makes a point, some of the really specific genres aren't very different from one another, and so many bands occupy several of them so it's problematic. But the basic extreme metal subgenres are really quite distinct even to a novice ear regardless of their relation to each other with having the same roots in doom, hardcore and punk.

Taking folks that typify the genre's - and that will be fairly familar:

Grindcore http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQidsbSjL-w
Thrash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCYJXNLxSsA
Black Metal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFn26ntmSsg
Doom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO7VP34n2Ps
Death Metal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTpQOZcNASw
Sludge http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCPv8ZLTNtQ

All that said, there's plenty people who will call gypsy jazz and big band the same thing and folks who'll claim baroque and classical sound the same. But they're all wrong, too  :lol:

Now, I'm getting carried away.

Everyone should download Blood Inside Cats Vulva though. Since its a staggeringly good record. Which in all likelyhood none of you would even consider a metal album, incidentally, even though it is, because black metal is strange like that.

[dave_mc]

yeah, that's the one. I just thought it was funny. I like (not too heavy) metal.

[Philly Q]

Everyone should download Blood Inside Cats Vulva though. Since its a staggeringly good record. Which in all likelyhood none of you would even consider a metal album, incidentally, even though it is, because black metal is strange like that.

I've just been listening to some tracks on YouTube.   It's interesting.  

And you're correct, I wouldn't call it metal.  But I guess it is, because you said so, right?  

[nfe]

Everyone should download Blood Inside Cats Vulva though. Since its a staggeringly good record. Which in all likelyhood none of you would even consider a metal album, incidentally, even though it is, because black metal is strange like that.

I've just been listening to some tracks on YouTube.   It's interesting.  

And you're correct, I wouldn't call it metal.  But I guess it is, because you said so, right?  

Black Metal is just a weird thing, generally Blood Inside is considered to be a black metal album by fans, pretty much because Ulver made it and the vibe it has, but lots of other bands have progressed to things like that from super grim necro origins, and various have started further down the road. It's an atmosphere thing, rather than defined sounds, I suppose. Much like how plenty stuff could be considered folk and punk with out sounding remotely like the originators.

[shobet]

I can't think of anything bar Ms. Upton dressed in leather spanking my arse! Does that mean I'm bad man?

[Philly Q]

Black Metal is just a weird thing, generally Blood Inside is considered to be a black metal album by fans, pretty much because Ulver made it and the vibe it has, but lots of other bands have progressed to things like that from super grim necro origins, and various have started further down the road. It's an atmosphere thing, rather than defined sounds, I suppose. Much like how plenty stuff could be considered folk and punk with out sounding remotely like the originators.

I guess there's a certain dark quality about it which hints at metal.  But when you get that far away from your roots (I assume they had a more typical metal sound originally?) do labels really matter any more?

I like some of the Scandinavian metal I've heard with atmospheric folk (or folklore) elements.  It's the more metallic parts (yes, the vocals) I struggle with.

[nfe]

Black Metal is just a weird thing, generally Blood Inside is considered to be a black metal album by fans, pretty much because Ulver made it and the vibe it has, but lots of other bands have progressed to things like that from super grim necro origins, and various have started further down the road. It's an atmosphere thing, rather than defined sounds, I suppose. Much like how plenty stuff could be considered folk and punk with out sounding remotely like the originators.

I guess there's a certain dark quality about it which hints at metal.  But when you get that far away from your roots (I assume they had a more typical metal sound originally?) do labels really matter any more?

Not really, no. I'm just a fan of the idea of genres because it make's things far easier to describe quickly, and the "it all sounds alike anyway" attitude annoys me, since it's just naive at best, and willfully ignorant or deliberately condescending otherwise.

[shobet]

I bet you're a right laugh at parties.

[nfe]

Most of my pals are really rather intelligent, so it doesn't often come up.

[Afghan Dave]

the "it all sounds alike anyway" attitude annoys me, since it's just naive at best, and willfully ignorant or deliberately condescending otherwise.

Well, it all sounds kinda similar really now.... doesn't it?... dontcha think.... deep down?  If we're being honest :?

[nfe]

the "it all sounds alike anyway" attitude annoys me, since it's just naive at best, and willfully ignorant or deliberately condescending otherwise.

Well, it all sounds kinda similar really now.... doesn't it?... dontcha think.... deep down?  If we're being honest :?

Just like guitars, right?

And lets bear in mind I'm not just talking about extreme metal, or even just rock music, it has nothing to do with my own tastes, other than it means I'm knowledgeable about it. I'd have the same argument if we were talking about the scope of what people just call country, or just call jazz, though I think there's more variety in metal than there is in those genres.

[Afghan Dave]

Rock & Roll starts here....



And with lot's of practice and parties ends here



....then Mama took me to Grammar school
But I stopped off in the Vestibule
Everytime that bell would ring
You'd catch me playing with my ding-a-ling

My Ding-A-Ling My Ding-A-Ling I want you play with My Ding-A-Ling
My Ding-A-Ling My Ding-A-Ling I want you play with My Ding-A-Ling

[nfe]

Dagnammit, too slow on the edit.

[shobet]

More pictures! I'd rather look at her then be lectured on the minutia of musical differences between a bloke dressed up as a panda and somebody who sounds like the smoke 80 Woodbines a day.

[Afghan Dave]

It's all too self-referential this "metal genre" stuff....

They can't really believe it can they?

Don't they ever just read the Daily Mail & have a cup of tea whilst disputing a parking ticket like regular music fans?