Mosh Zone (Metalheads where you at?)

[vothnthorvaldson]

As much of a metalhead as last year, unfortunately, no live music scheduled.
I should either move to a less isolated area, or be a little bit less picky, because I've not been able to see a metal band live in years!

I had a very quiet year in term of metal, too. I don't think I even discovered a new band... I mean a new favorite. I did listen to a few new things, but nothing that really stood out.

[nathanKmcwilliams]

I can see how being in a more rural area would put a damper on seeing bands. Plus there's always the downside of the ones you want to see, never being near your location. (Something I feel constantly with all the European bands I like that never tour outside of their countries...)

[vothnthorvaldson]

Exactly.
I tend to only listen to small North American bands who only play locally, so even if they are on my continent, it's not that easy to see them live.
But most bigger bands I like are either from Europe or the Middle-East, and not quite big enough to tour North America. So my only option is to wait for the time when I'm overseas at the same time as them, which can take years... It's fortunate that I like many types of music, so I can always see one or two concerts per year, but lately it has been mainly classical.

[nathanKmcwilliams]

I usually end up seeing local bands more than any others. There's a friendship I've cultivated with one of the members of such a band, so I always try to support him as often as I can.
There's something about being involved in a local scene that feels so much more rewarding when at a show. I've been to a few 'big time' shows, but I honestly don't like them as much as the smaller local ones.

[vothnthorvaldson]

I also like smaller, more intimate, concerts more (I actually never went to a large venue except outdoor festivals).
I suppose the closest place where I could go for such concerts would be Calgary and it's still 700km away
I'm seriously thinking of moving, obviously not just because of concerts, but it's small stuff adding up.. the general lack of cultural life is slowly killing me.

[PaulieBlade]

Just out of curiosity... Where do you live? If Calgary is your nearest big city and it's still 700 km away, does it mean you live 700 km under ground? 🧐 (Kidding, of course, but I would still like to know)

[nathanKmcwilliams]

Yikes that's a sizeable distance! I forget just how large and vast Canada is.

I've been to one, large venue to see Judas Priest. And while that show was super awesome...and I got to see Saxon... (my all time favorite NWOBHM band) I just felt like...a face in a crowd that the people on stage never saw. Seen a few other big time names in medium sized venues, same feeling there.

I like being right up on the stage, directly in front of the bands so I can show my support for what they create. Metal is one of the very few things that I feel comfortable enough around to break out of my shell and interact with people I don't even know.

I really like going to small indoor festivals with lots of bands. There's nothing quite like being on my feet for 8 hours and banging my head xD. I don't think I'd do well at a big one like Wacken though, way too crowded.

[Zugaikotsu]

Yoloo! What an amazing topic! XD

Starting this year working while listening to some folk:

[LordVincent]

• Lacrimosa
• Lord of the Lost (start with anything off the album Thornstar)
• Lacrimas Profundere
• Tiamat (Prey is their strongest album IMO but I guess that one leans a little more gothic rock? Still their best.)

Oh, and!!!

• Fields of the Nephilim

It would be silly of me to not include them. They're originally a gothic rock band, but "Mourning Sun" has a heavier sound. Above all else, they have been a huge influence for many gothic rock and gothic metal bands seen today!

[nathanKmcwilliams]

Nice, I'll start giving them all a listen. Thanks for the recommendations!

Doom Metal in general has a more somber leaning, early Candlemass is always a good choice. Especially the albums Nightfall and Epicus Doomicus Metallicus

There's even a subgenre of the subgenre called Funeral Doom xD I don't know any bands off the top of my head though.

[LordVincent]

Funeral doom does sound like something I would be into! I recall my mother saying one of my faves sounded like funeral music haha. That one was Sopor Aeternus though.

But yeah a lot of metal bands that do gothic metal also do doom metal, so it makes sense. I'll have a look at Candlemass! Thanks!! Always nice exploring new stuff.

[vothnthorvaldson]

In funeral doom, I love Ahab. Not the most slow or funeral of the genre, but still pretty typical.

[nathanKmcwilliams]

It's been awhile, and there's new users aboard the Tapas Forums. So....LIIIIIIIVE MY METAL MONSTROSITY! FROM THE DEPTHS OF STEEL...RISE!

Any new metalheads out there?

Edit:

So I'll go ahead and prematurely say... Testament takes it for my Metal album of the year. As usual, they absolutely kill it. They take that Thrash Metal, and slap a little bit of melody on it, taking those nasty riffs and sweetening them just the tiniest bit.

Chuck Billy's vox are as kick ass as always. He's even started to add some higher and lower screams into his repertoire.

Eric Peterson and Alex Scolnick bring the pain with their dual guitar assault. These guys play so well together. The riffs are absolute fire.

Titans of Creation

[tfairbankssecond]

Definitely! I mainly appreciate the kind of metal that goes from screaming to softer voices and actual singing. Kind of like System Of A Down or Veil of Maya. It kind of shows that they have vocal talent other than just screaming and shouting. The fact that they chose metal as a genre is amazing, especially considering how their voices have such a wide range that they could be in whatever they wanted.

One interesting thing about SOAD, Serj Tankian's voice is not a usual one for metal. His middle eastern accent puts a spin on his music. Another reason I like the band.

Fav heavy bands of mine:
Tool
System Of A Down
Static-X
Marilyn Manson
Rob/White Zombie
Queens Of The Stone Age

Should stop here...

[nathanKmcwilliams]

Welcome!

There was a time where I associated screaming with a lack of talent. But as I've grown in the ways of metal, man, some of those growlers and screamers use advanced vocal techniques to make those sounds. I've seen some amazing vocalists with some insane lung capacity.

But I agree, Serj Tankian has a really unique delivery style. Have you ever heard of Maximum the Hormone? They take a lot of influence from SOAD and fuse it with a bunch of different elements.

[tfairbankssecond]

I immediately looked them up. Japanese?

[nathanKmcwilliams]

Yeah. The album I suggest a first listen to would be this one.

Bu-ikikaesu

[nathanKmcwilliams]

Be warned. MtH is weird as hell. Trippy stuff XD

Some other influences I've noticed from them are : Korn, Snot, Primus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and even Agoraphobic Nosebleed.

[tfairbankssecond]

I've heard of all but Snot and Agoraphobic Nosebleed. Primus and Tool alone are crazy trippy so I am excited to listen. Psychedelic audio is hard to pull off, but some cough Pink Floyd cough are really good at it.

[nathanKmcwilliams]

Snot was a Psychobilly band, and Agoraphobic Nosebleed is a Grindcore band. Not a fan of Grindcore all that much but when it's used as an influence in different styles I dig it.