Please guide me into the world of metal

Gilliatt · Post by **Gilliatt** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 4:44 pm

Most Metallica songs are very basic. Many people were introduced to the heavy metal world with Metallica and then moved on to something else when they realised Metallica was pretty average. Some bands just seem to be at the right place at the right moment. Anthrax is another band that was popular at the same time and that is very average. In fact, the two biggest Anthrax hits, Antisocial and Got the Time, are covers! If you want to try some Metallica, I suggest Master of Puppets. After that album, they became more commercial.

When I want to listen to something basic, I go for AC/DC (Back in Black) rather then Metallica.

About Motorhead, they have plenty of greatest hits. If you want to try some, take one greatest hits, you will have their "classics" Overkill, Killed by Death and Ace of Spades. Motorhead is also very basic, in fact it is so basic that if you choose an album other than a greatest hits, you will realise most of their songs sounds the same and end up listening to the same two or three songs. (I think the reason why Motorhead and AC/DC ages better then Metallica even if they are very basic is because they are both very unique.) Motorhead's actual drummer, Mikkey Dee (ex-King Diamond drummer), is by far the best they had, so I suggest to get a recent greatest hits with a couple of newer songs also.

Kipi · Post by **Kipi** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 2:44 am

Forget the following album from the suggestions...

Shining Black - Tarot

Very good Finnish Hard Rock / Metal artist. The album is actually collection of their songs from very long time. Gives a good idea of what the band is.

Malta Soron · Post by **Malta Soron** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 3:19 pm

The list is getting really long now

Thanks!

Gilliatt · Post by **Gilliatt** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:19 pm

I still have plenty of suggestions (and I am sure the others too), but since nobody can love everything I love, I started with classics and personal favorites. I will gladly give more suggestions or opinions if anyone send me more precise questions.

@ Kipi, I knew the band Tarot by name but had never listened to them before. Just got some samples on the Net and loved it. Thanks for the suggestion.

@ Fiberfar, I bought Virgin Steel's House of Atreus Act 1 a couple years ago and was very disappointed. Sounded like a copy of Manowar, and I always prefer the original to the copy. Is this album representative of the band's career?

Mandalorianx · Post by **Mandalorianx** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:35 pm

was lisening to ''When Eden Burns'' yesterday(the newest album from the band Persuader, a sweden metal band) this band has one of the best metal sing i've heard(Jens Carlson),think you should lisen to some of there songs...

Kipi · Post by **Kipi** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 4:35 am

Gilliatt wrote: had never listened to them before. Just got some samples on the Net and loved it. Thanks for the suggestion.

Yes, that band is great. And the band is still alive!:speech:
Actually, only partially as their singer Marco Hietala is now playing bass and singing in Nightwish as well...

*checks Tarot's website*
:speech:
They are playing in bup near me in few months:speech:

Fiberfar · Post by **Fiberfar** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 4:14 pm

Gilliatt wrote: @ Fiberfar, I bought Virgin Steel's House of Atreus Act 1 a couple years ago and was very disappointed. Sounded like a copy of Manowar, and I always prefer the original to the copy. Is this album representative of the band's career?

If you listen to the first Virgin Steele albums (Virgin Steele and Guardians of the Flame), you'll hear that the sound get increasingly more heavy from the first to second (and you won't even think that's David DeFeis on vocals. His performance has changed MUCH). After the first guitarist left, the band went for a more Epic sound rather than the heavy one.

I only have 5 Virgin Steele albums, and House of Atreus act 1 isn't the best of them. Some of the songs are very good, and other not so good. I'd say Invictus is a better and far heavier album than HoA act 1, although the theme is somewhat the same.

So I'd say it's hard to find an album being representative of the band's career, since I don't have all of them (I'm working to get a hold of The Marriage of Heaven and Hell part 1 & 2). Try getting hold of songs like Invictus, Sword of the Gods, Defiance and "Veni, Vidi, Vici" from the Invictus album. I think you'll be pleased.

Finally:
Manowar and Virgin Steele's sound is close to eachother, but IMO where Virgin Steele goes for the even more epic sound than Manowar (is that even possible), Manowar goes for a more heavy sound.

Grimar · Post by **Grimar** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 9:13 am

why havent i discovered this thread yet!? :speech:

first of all, agree with fiber on mostly everything! i can add some more music to the list

Including some bands already mentioned

lost horizon - think their album is named lost horizon as well. at least the one igot.

children of bodom - follow the reaper. hate crew deathroll. Hatebreeder and something wild. all good albums IMO

if you like iron maiden, then consider bruce dickinson with the album the chemical wedding.

masterplan - the album is named masterplan i think. good band. know fiberfar cant stand them tho ^^

if you like sonata etc, try hammerfall. aint really got any idea of what their albums are named, so someone else have to fill in.

meshugga is worth mentioning. its quite.. strange. more prog. destroy erase improve and contradictions collapse & none are good albums.

Pagans mind. a norwegain band. quite good! celestial entrance and infinity divine are good albums.. check out the song embracing fear! its really good!

and a band i really love, Opeth. all albums are good IMO. check out ghost reveries. blackwater park and deliverance.

if you want some real power, check out rhapsody

power of the dragonflame and the emerald sword is the best albums IMO

if you like more prog music, check out dream theater. i like them a lot. the best albums IMO are awake, six degrees of inner tubulence and Scenes from a memory. great band, with the famus guitarist john petrucci.

Oh, and check out the band finntroll

:laugh:

if you want samples from anything, just send me an e-mail, or add me to msn

Fiberfar · Post by **Fiberfar** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:25 am

Grimar wrote: if you want some real power, check out rhapsody power of the dragonflame and the emerald sword is the best albums IMO

Noooooooo!!!! Rhapsody is like listening to an italian trying to speak norwegian without even having heard about the language...

I mean, "Your body of sh!t will be full" ? :laugh:

Oh and it's Symphonic Epic Power Metal

Kipi · Post by **Kipi** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:48 am

Grimar wrote: children of bodom - follow the reaper. hate crew deathroll. Hatebreeder and something wild. all good albums IMO

BAH! Why didn't I remember CoB...

Yes, it's very good band, I especially liked the latest "Are You Dead Yet?" ablum.

if you like iron maiden, then consider bruce dickinson with the album the chemical wedding.

Now, I would but them to the same category with Metallica: Few good tracks, but nothing special...

if you like sonata etc, try hammerfall. aint really got any idea of what their albums are named, so someone else have to fill in.

Agreed, even though I listen them so rarely because I don't own any of their albums that it's hard to me to suggest any specific album...

Oh, and check out the band finntroll :laugh:

Didn't know they were popular in other countries as well

But the bad point on them is that their lyrics are in Swedish, not in English, so most have hard time to actually understand them... (excluding people from Sweden, Finland, and probably most from Norway...

)

Fiberfar · Post by **Fiberfar** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:04 pm

Kipi wrote: Didn't know they were popular in other countries as well
But the bad point on them is that their lyrics are in Swedish, not in English, so most have hard time to actually understand them... (excluding people from Sweden, Finland, and probably most from Norway... )

Pscht! I've heard black metal bands "sing" in norwegian without me understanding a single word of it

You really don't need to be able to sing the lyrics as long as it got a catchy tune (at least I don't have to)

Kipi · Post by **Kipi** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:07 pm

Fiberfar wrote:Pscht! I've heard black metal bands "sing" in norwegian without me understanding a single word of it

You really don't need to be able to sing the lyrics as long as it got a catchy tune (at least I don't have to)

Well, black metal is it's own category in these kind of things...
Let's take The Berzerker as an example. The sing in english, and there is no way to know what they sing if you don't hold the lyrics in front of you...

Gilliatt · Post by **Gilliatt** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:16 pm

I found Rhapsody's first two albums OK, but since the third album, I have rebaptised their style as Symphonic Disney Power Metal. Their choruses could fit pretty well in the next Lion King movie if you remove the double bass drums. The song Power of the Dragon Flame is excellent tough.

I wonder if Rhapsody is in the Guiness book of records for having the worst narrator ever.

Hammerfall have some very good guitars, but the singer sings like a woman... well if you like Sonata Artica, you probably don't care about that.

Dream Theater is an awesome band. As Grimar said, it is prog music, but since it is fast for prog music, many metal fans love them also. Petrucci is a guitar god! In fact, all musicians are excellent except the singer that is pretty average.

I don't agree with Kipi about Maiden. IMO they are still underestimated. Power Metal would not exist without Maiden and Helloween (and Helloween would not exist without Maiden). Of course, they have fillers on their albums, but who hasn't?

@ Fiberfar, thanks for the reply. You answered my question very well. Since I am not a big fan of Manowar's epic songs, I am pretty sure I won't like the other Virgin Steele's albums very much.

Mandalorianx · Post by **Mandalorianx** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:08 am

lol.seems like there are many norwegian metal band mentoin here.(GO NORWAY

)

well Primal Fear is pretty good(not the best thou),try there black sun album(atleast lisen to them)

Fiberfar · Post by **Fiberfar** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:12 am

Gilliatt wrote: @ Fiberfar, thanks for the reply. You answered my question very well. Since I am not a big fan of Manowar's epic songs, I am pretty sure I won't like the other Virgin Steele's albums very much.

Speaking of which. I just ordered The Marriage of Heaven and Hell part 1 & 2. I'll probably have it by the end of this week. (along with the new Manowar DVD

)

Malta Soron · Post by **Malta Soron** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 5:16 pm

Thanks for the suggestion. I added them to the list, which I think is now at least 50 albums long

Gilliatt wrote:Hammerfall have some very good guitars, but the singer sings like a woman... well if you like Sonata Artica, you probably don't care about that.

:laugh: Actually my mother says his voice gives her a headache

Gilliatt · Post by **Gilliatt** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 10:56 pm

Primal Fear made a few pretty good songs, so you might try them, as recommended by Mandalorianx, but you have to know that these guys are Judas Priest clones and that they are not as good as the original. Judas Priest's Painkiller is way better than any Primal Fear album. So try Primal Fear only if you already own Painkiller and love it.

If you love guitar virtuosos, you must try the Yngwie Malmsteen's Collection. His instrumental songs are awesome.

About Sonata Artica's singer, I often wonder if he sings or if he cries.

Gilliatt · Post by **Gilliatt** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 11:15 pm

Speaking of Sonata Artica, do you know their biggest influence is Stratovarius? If you don't already own it, you should try Stratovarius' album Episode. Visions is also pretty good.

Fiberfar · Post by **Fiberfar** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:08 am

Gilliatt wrote:
If you love guitar virtuosos, you must try the Yngwie Malmsteen's Collection. His instrumental songs are awesome.

In common language he's called a guitar wanker

Far Beyond the Sun!

Grimar · Post by **Grimar** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 11:37 am

speaking of guitarists, are we?

i'll name a few you want to check out if you like guitar gods.

First of all, my favorite, John petrucci! he is the guitarist of Dream theater, and Liquid tension experiment. He got a solo album named "suspension" or something. he is awsome.

second, we got my other favorite, micheal romeo. he is the guitarist in the band symphony x, and got a solo album named the dark chapter... i love this guy.

and ofc we got Yngwie malmsteen. the swedish fatass wanker. "quite" skilled, but sligthly boring in lenght.

then we got micheal angelo batio... sigh :laugh:

oh, and francesco fareri. LMAO!

paul gilbert is well known as well. he is playing in the band Racer X. got some solo stuff as well i think.

We got steve vai! mostly, he dont play metal, but he do play metal as well. really skilled. student of the famus guitarist------>

Joe satriani.. he play more rock, and boogie

really skilled!

there is a few.. cant name many albums tho. check out YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. for music vidoes and demonstrations!