Now, into something heavier.
In an age colonized by dirty pop and hip hop, people say metal is dead.
I can't say no, really. Because the frequency of me listening to metal music has decreased dramatically ever since i entered to the university.
Maybe i have passed through the anger-teenage phase where we used to release ourselves through these angry music. And now, oddly, I've move towards more to Japanese music, and some pop jazz and even classical.
Contine from part 1.
Best Heavy Metal track - "The Blister Exists" by Slipknot
Weird title, angry lyrics, aggressive vocals, fast guitar riffs and not to forget, the triple snare drum solo by 2 custom percussionists in addition to the 1 drummer.
Before i listen to this album, which i bought from a college mate, my class mate listened to it first during our biology class. And he told me that, "Mike, there's drum solo!"
"The Blister Exists" is my all time favorite from this band. It really kick ass. I tried to play the drum solo but there's no double bass drum (or double pass pedal) on the drum kits I've played.
Those who play music in my college told me that Slipknot's 9 piece line up is a non sense, which i don't agree at all. They all have their own parts to play with. If you say you can't hear the bass guitar because the 3 drummers cover it, you may need to get a new speaker!
Drummer Joey Jordison is always someone i worship over apart from Nicholas Barker from the UK. He is short, but he is really, really fast. Seriously.
Best Industrial Metal track - "Just so you know" by American Head Charge
The album title "The War of Art" is in fact taken from "The Art of War" of Sun Zi. That's interesting. But having the baby on the way of the tank is really terrible.
This is the only band i know of, from MTV, which i listen to. Funny enough, the band members actually got to know each other in the rehab center.
"Just so you know" is the best, lightest, cleanest track from their album. Vocalist Cameron Heacock has a very versatile vocal where in 1 verse of a song he can sing, rap, then growl and shout and tearing his lungs out. But they are not as famous as the other bands do, unfortunately.
When i found out from the internet where the guitarist, Byran Ottoson died of drug overdose i actually emo-ed quite a while.
I remember that happened during the period where Head left Korn. It's like, what the heck is wrong to the bands all the shits rise at the same time are they gonna make any same new good records or not kinda feeling.
Best Symphonic Black Metal track - "Progenies of the Great Apocalypse" by Dimmu Borgir
The very first Norwegian which i listen to. And this is their first record to have full orchestra in their recordings.
The song is heavy, but yet, melodic. The downside of making such album is that at some points the guitars are not audible when they are covered by the overwhelming strings in the background.
I once thought that Shagrath's vocals sucks, but i was wrong. Not until i realize what kind of vocal he is trying to sing. He is really stretching his cord real hard to attain that.
This album featured Nicholas Barker on drums, which is my favorite double bass, blast beat drummer. But he was "removed" from the band, partly because of he's from UK and the band is in Norway. It's like you refuse to hang out with your friend just because you're from KL and he is from Klang.
Best Black Metal track - "Queen of Winter, Throned" by Cradle of Filth
Last, but not the least. My all time favourite black metal song which lengths 10 minutes and 25 seconds. Not the longest black metal song i know, but it is certainly the longest ones which i can play on the guitar. The drums during the outro by Nicholas Barker really boil ones blood.
By the way, this track was listed among twenty-five "essential extreme metal anthems" in the issue of Kerrang! magazine. This song deserves the title.
From the true black metal genre, this band slowly slips into the more acceptable extreme metal genre, which, disappoints me. It's kind of normal for a band to sell out.
The reason they would give, is to let more people to hear them. But i don't think that's the case, other than for commercial purposes.
But anyway, i think the main reason is that the vocalist, Dani Filth is no longer able to sing like how he could after these 16 years.
People do age (i can see that he is balding, even though he is still too young for that), and long term vocal abuse leads to a change of his vocal to be more audible. Which in case, a sad case for me. I would rather not to hear what he is singing. That would add more mysteries into the song.
Conclusion:
Metal is not dead, but "half dead", i would say. Even though i don't listen to metal music that frequent these days but i still do. At least not in my car or when others are around. For me, right now is the world of J-pop!
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