Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka from Decapitated died yesterday.

[Dolmen]

A lot of metal is very heavily influenced by classical music, black metal specifically. In fact, Antonio Vivaldi's use of violins heavily resembles the palm-muted guitars that death metal uses. Listen to Edvard Grieg and his influence on the Norwegian metal bands is very apparent. Richard Wagner, another huge inspiration for many metal bands. I personally would be so bold as to say that black metal is a modernized form of classical music (new Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, new Satyricon are not black metal, they're bubblegum hard rock for the record). This stems from the fact that the current "modern classical" (20th/21st century) actually is not defined as music by a majority of music theory professors.

Largely metal has always held the point of rebellion and freedom. In death metal this really rings especially true, as black metal is generally more about art. The bands on the radio, well that's about money, so how would that be classified as music? Grunts/raspy vocals are used more as an instrument to the music, not to deliver a message necessarily. Now you could say that I have contradicted myself by saying this, but the "message" of rebellion and freedom is expressed in musical style. Not playing that generic radio drivel, not being predictable in the motion of the music, not being afraid to try something completely new stylistically.

Metal needing grunts to be metal... How about Sodom, Kreator, Celtic Frost, Bathory, Megadeth, etc...? Then again, I'm just a huge classical fan that also happens to enjoy a lot of metal.

[Saga]

A lot of metal is very heavily influenced by classical music, black metal specifically. In fact, Antonio Vivaldi's use of violins heavily resembles the palm-muted guitars that death metal uses. Listen to Edvard Grieg and his influence on the Norwegian metal bands is very apparent. Richard Wagner, another huge inspiration for many metal bands. I personally would be so bold as to say that black metal is a modernized form of classical music (new Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, new Satyricon are not black metal, they're bubblegum hard rock for the record). This stems from the fact that the current "modern classical" (20th/21st century) actually is not defined as music by a majority of music theory professors.

Largely metal has always held the point of rebellion and freedom. In death metal this really rings especially true, as black metal is generally more about art. The bands on the radio, well that's about money, so how would that be classified as music? Grunts/raspy vocals are used more as an instrument to the music, not to deliver a message necessarily. Now you could say that I have contradicted myself by saying this, but the "message" of rebellion and freedom is expressed in musical style. Not playing that generic radio drivel, not being predictable in the motion of the music, not being afraid to try something completely new stylistically.

Metal needing grunts to be metal... How about Sodom, Kreator, Celtic Frost, Bathory, Megadeth, etc...? Then again, I'm just a huge classical fan that also happens to enjoy a lot of metal.

I'm actually not nearly enough into death metal to have the knowledge you do about its roots being in Vivaldi and Wagner, that's actually really interesting. Still, even with those roots, it just seems like such an incredibly warped idea that I'm not interested in trying to wrap my head around it and finding what semblance there is in bands like...Decapitated. Now, I'll admit I enjoy a lot of Opeth's music, I'm not sure what sort of metal you guys would classify that as, and Isis, I love them, mainly because there's lots of mixed meter and complex rhythmic structures that keep me interested. I also enjoy Opeth's incorporation of acoustic guitar, I think that's very interesting. With something like Decapitated...it's harder for me to a) perceive musicality and b) listen to enough of it to make me want to perceive musicality in the first place.

Also, I don't necessarily agree with your idea of everything that comes on the radio as "generic drivel," because there are several bands that are played on the radio (all of them older, mind you; Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, pretty much everything classic rock) that I feel still have that original notion of what music was intended to be. All the poppy shit I agree with you on, The Fray, whatever trash rap a retarded 4 year old can write (Soulja Boy? fucking christ), Hinder, all of the mainstream stuff I agree is heavily commercialized and strays way too far from music's intended purpose, but every time Ants Marching or Jimi Thing starts playing I'm not thinking "god fuck you DMB you sell out pieces of shit wtf is this."

[Dolmen]

I'm actually not nearly enough into death metal to have the knowledge you do about its roots being in Vivaldi and Wagner, that's actually really interesting. Still, even with those roots, it just seems like such an incredibly warped idea that I'm not interested in trying to wrap my head around it and finding what semblance there is in bands like...Decapitated. Now, I'll admit I enjoy a lot of Opeth's music, I'm not sure what sort of metal you guys would classify that as, and Isis, I love them, mainly because there's lots of mixed meter and complex rhythmic structures that keep me interested. I also enjoy Opeth's incorporation of acoustic guitar, I think that's very interesting. With something like Decapitated...it's harder for me to a) perceive musicality and b) listen to enough of it to make me want to perceive musicality in the first place.

Also, I don't necessarily agree with your idea of everything that comes on the radio as "generic drivel," because there are several bands that are played on the radio (all of them older, mind you; Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, pretty much everything classic rock) that I feel still have that original notion of what music was intended to be. All the poppy shit I agree with you on, The Fray, whatever trash rap a retarded 4 year old can write (Soulja Boy? fucking christ), Hinder, all of the mainstream stuff I agree is heavily commercialized and strays way too far from music's intended purpose, but every time Ants Marching or Jimi Thing starts playing I'm not thinking "god fuck you DMB you sell out pieces of shit wtf is this."

I do agree with you that the more classic-oriented music on the radio is indeed honest music. They definitely paved a direction for many other bands to follow in, and were true pioneers in music.

I will say that there are a lot of bands in metal that definitely do it for the wrong reasons. There's death metal that tries to go off and be as vile as possible, lyrically, and the music is horrible. Then there are black metal bands that think putting corpse paint on and frolicking in the forest is true, kvlt, or whatever they want to term it. Opeth I've always respected, but I'm not a fan of theirs except their first two releases (brilliant compositions). There's a band Augury from Montreal that plays kind of a black/death metal that's really quite interesting. They use a lot of classical and flamenco composition added with some opera themes/vocals in their music, and it comes out very interesting. Another great band in death metal is Demilich who have crazy musicianship, and performed the music solely as art. Also, they have the most unique vocals that are inhumanly low register (with no effects added). Gorguts were another amazing band in terms of style, and I have to give credit to Amorphis for their use of Finnish folk (lyrically and musically).

Ultimately though, most metal is an acquired taste. I personally think whole grindcore/porn metal is garbage because it completely gives the wrong image of metal. Surprisingly a lot of metal musicians that aren't the sellout, MTV-video slinging type have college degrees and good jobs, as opposed to the burned out idiots a lot of bands potray. Ivar Bjornson from Enslaved is actually a computer programmer, while Alf Svennson (At The Gates, Oxiplegatz) is the lead art director for a Swedish MMORPG akin to Second Life.

[Priran]

bonus points if the guy actually got decapitated

[Ohemgee]

I'm not really impressed with his drumming. Its really boring.

Portnoy, Carey, Bozio and others are more, diverse, at least when it comes to "metal" drumming.

I'm not a big death metal fan, but I can recognize boring music when I hear it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7pMMnxGfdg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck4UUg90Nq8

Thomas Pridgen bitches.


Sucks that hes dead though

[Obev]

I went to see Opeth when I was seventeen years old at the LA2 in London. Decapitated were the support act. This guy, despite being a year younger than me and my friends at the time, still sticks out in my mind as one of the most amazing drummers I have ever seen. His hands were a blur over the drums, pounding out a wall of sound, but he just sat staring directly at some point in the center of the room, his face apparently the calm at the eye of the hurricane. I was very fucking impressed.

Shut up about the "this isn't music" bickering; some people, including myself, enjoy it and someone who created this admittedly enjoyable moshing, headbanging wall of screaming is dead.

[-Omni]

Man if I could make my voice do that I would just scare the shit out of little kids and soccer moms all day.

Shame that he had to go, regardless of the fact that he had that much going for him at such an early age. People shouldn't have to die so damn young.

also

VITEK JUST KICKED IN YO

[Obev]

VITEK JUST KICKED IN YO

I now feel bad for laughing a little at this.

[Dolmen]

Some amazing metal drummers:

Romain Goulon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6Zwrs_nDJY

Asgeir Mickelson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXKifm1YhtY

Etienne Gallo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTVQhBFAvWg

Flo Mounier:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXQP0zGzDsM

[BRP]

The (type of) Metal in that video is crap. Basically the ganster rap of rock music. Remove talent and creativity and insert badness. If only it and its fans would go away. I'm really picky, but it takes a certain amount of lack of talent to actually annoy me.

[Amarok]

The (type of) Metal in that video is crap. Basically the ganster rap of rock music. Remove talent and creativity and insert badness. If only it and its fans would go away. I'm really picky, but it takes a certain amount of lack of talent to actually annoy me.

rofl

[thestalkmore]

The (type of) Metal in that video is crap. Basically the ganster rap of rock music. Remove talent and creativity and insert badness. If only it and its fans would go away. I'm really picky, but it takes a certain amount of lack of talent to actually annoy me.

rofl

k

edit: Went back and watched it again to give it one more chance. Still awful.

[archibaldcrane]

I was with this until the growling started.

If I can't understand what you are saying, I'd better like how your voice works with the music.

On the flip side, if I can understand what you're saying, I'd better like what I hear.

This applies to all music genres for me.

[Saga]

The (type of) Metal in that video is crap. Basically the ganster rap of rock music. Remove talent and creativity and insert badness. If only it and its fans would go away. I'm really picky, but it takes a certain amount of lack of talent to actually annoy me.

rofl

good argument

[Amarok]

The (type of) Metal in that video is crap. Basically the ganster rap of rock music. Remove talent and creativity and insert badness. If only it and its fans would go away. I'm really picky, but it takes a certain amount of lack of talent to actually annoy me.

rofl

good argument

Not even gonna bother to argue, it won't convince people like him otherwise.

[Creeps]

No one gives a shit if you don't like the style of music. Don't like it, don't comment. Not exactly a complicated concept.

[Saga]

No one gives a shit if you don't like the style of music. Don't like it, don't comment. Not exactly a complicated concept.

but more than likely people will keep stating their opinions anyway, sorry.