How does modern power metal have any fans?

Nickelback666 · **Posted:** Mon May 19, 2014 7:31 pm

The thing that irks me most about this site is the lack of comments on other reviews, I will lurk the review section and see scores of comments on Freedom Call, Sabaton, Kamelot, or Epica albums, but then see virtually none for say Tripykon or Hirax?!. Perhaps its just the fact that extreme metal variants are the polar opposites from their studio-polished cousins in modern Euro power, but really what is the appeal in sugary choruses, generic power chord riffs, and horrendous overproduction? Its kind of sad to see that while this site has always been frequented more to that crowd, that extreme metal reviews tend to go unnoticed. Granted, I haven't always commented on them, but really what is the appeal in that borderline pop music type stuff?

Thrash til' Deth · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2014 5:40 am

Nickelback666 wrote:

The thing that irks me most about this site is the lack of comments on other reviews, I will lurk the review section and see scores of comments on Freedom Call, Sabaton, Kamelot, or Epica albums, but then see virtually none for say Tripykon or Hirax?!. Perhaps its just the fact that extreme metal variants are the polar opposites from their studio-polished cousins in modern Euro power, but really what is the appeal in sugary choruses, generic power chord riffs, and horrendous overproduction? Its kind of sad to see that while this site has always been frequented more to that crowd, that extreme metal reviews tend to go unnoticed. Granted, I haven't always commented on them, but really what is the appeal in that borderline pop music type stuff?

The music is fun, more accessible and hot chicks front alot of those bands. :wink:

But the same argument was made about the LA glam bands vs. their thrash counterparts in the 80s. Sugary choruses sell records and bring in the female audience. It's the tried and true Def Leppard formula. I still think I'm the only one who has commented on Hirax's new record.

huskerc7 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 25, 2009 6:58 am **Posts:** 17288

I never really listen to power metal anymore.

Metastable To Chaos · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2014 5:15 pm

Nickelback666 wrote:

Granted, I haven't always commented on them, but really what is the appeal in that borderline pop music type stuff?

What is the appeal of coming to this site to just bitch about music you don't like?

Nickelback666 · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2014 6:02 pm

Metastable To Chaos wrote:

Nickelback666 wrote:

Granted, I haven't always commented on them, but really what is the appeal in that borderline pop music type stuff?

What is the appeal of coming to this site to just bitch about music you don't like?

It was a serious thread. If you don't like it don't post, simple as that.

North From Here · **Posted:** Wed May 21, 2014 6:48 pm

Thrash til' Deth wrote:

But the same argument was made about the LA glam bands vs. their thrash counterparts in the 80s. Sugary choruses sell records and bring in the female audience. It's the tried and true Def Leppard formula.

Sugary choruses explain Volbeat and I'm sure a million other popularized metal trends.

That said, the thing that I've always found amusing on this site is the huge number of 100/100 scores given by reviewers to those type of modern power metal bands that Steve listed.

Most of the rest of us actually critique the albums we like.

Thrash til' Deth · **Posted:** Thu May 22, 2014 5:53 am

Many power metal fans tend to really gush about the bands they like. I love the fuck out of Motorhead but will be the first to admit if they come up short on a new record. I don't know, I kind of enjoy the unbridled enthusiasm that some of these bands elicit from their fans, Manowar excluded. Anyone who can defend the POS that is The Lord of Steel obviously has their musical beer goggles on.

Adveser · **Joined:** Tue Nov 13, 2007 1:26 am **Posts:** 2491

Because Power Metal bands talk a lot about higher dimensions and other shit that only makes sense with an active pineal gland. People that listen to really low vibrational shit have another lives to go through before they could even start to get it. I'm amazed that Earth has such extremes. We've got people that are practically the undead interacting with people that are about a millimeter away from ascending past the physical reality entirely. It's all good. I like to dwell in the abyss and like to turn myself into pure light too. Biolelectrical energy manipulation for the win!

Goat · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 12:06 am

Well there you go!

Adveser · **Joined:** Tue Nov 13, 2007 1:26 am **Posts:** 2491

"Open up the silent center of your mind" - Indeed Mr. Hansen.

Thrash til' Deth · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 1:26 am

Adveser wrote:

Because Power Metal bands talk a lot about higher dimensions and other shit that only makes sense with an active pineal gland. People that listen to really low vibrational shit have another lives to go through before they could even start to get it. I'm amazed that Earth has such extremes. We've got people that are practically the undead interacting with people that are about a millimeter away from ascending past the physical reality entirely. It's all good. I like to dwell in the abyss and like to turn myself into pure light too. Biolelectrical energy manipulation for the win!

I think you have been bombarded by Gamma Ray(s), sir. That's not a Third Eye, it's just a tumor.

Adveser · **Joined:** Tue Nov 13, 2007 1:26 am **Posts:** 2491

Thrash til' Deth wrote:

Adveser wrote:

Because Power Metal bands talk a lot about higher dimensions and other shit that only makes sense with an active pineal gland. People that listen to really low vibrational shit have another lives to go through before they could even start to get it. I'm amazed that Earth has such extremes. We've got people that are practically the undead interacting with people that are about a millimeter away from ascending past the physical reality entirely. It's all good. I like to dwell in the abyss and like to turn myself into pure light too. Biolelectrical energy manipulation for the win!

I think you have been bombarded by Gamma Ray(s), sir. That's not a Third Eye, it's just a tumor.

That's okay. Weed will decalicify the "tumor" and THC apparently gets rid of tumors. Too bad Gamma Rays can penetrate lead, so we can't use them to treat my newly found tumor. :( Alpha Ray or Beta Ray sound like shitty band names anyway.

Lukati · **Joined:** Thu Sep 16, 2004 3:43 am **Posts:** 12

Nickelback666 wrote:

The thing that irks me most about this site is the lack of comments on other reviews, I will lurk the review section and see scores of comments on Freedom Call, Sabaton, Kamelot, or Epica albums, but then see virtually none for say Tripykon or Hirax?!. Perhaps its just the fact that extreme metal variants are the polar opposites from their studio-polished cousins in modern Euro power, but really what is the appeal in sugary choruses, generic power chord riffs, and horrendous overproduction? Its kind of sad to see that while this site has always been frequented more to that crowd, that extreme metal reviews tend to go unnoticed. Granted, I haven't always commented on them, but really what is the appeal in that borderline pop music type stuff?

To me, the music you described isn't the music I listen to, and I almost exclusively listen to power/prog metal. The choruses don't sound sugary to me, but rather a well-executed mix of highs and lows. Good PM bands, and there are many, don't just stick to generic power chords. Overproduction? I thoroughly enjoy hearing everything that I'm supposed to hear clearly and concisely. I have never considered ANY PM band to be borderline pop either. I mean, have you heard pop recently? If you did, you'd realize you're really reaching on that point.

Also, I youtubed Hirax to see what the polar-opposite sounds like. Guitars submerged in mud? Check. Leads that make no musical sense? Check. Trash cans as drums? Check. A "vocalist" who "sings?" Check! I didn't make it past the first verse, and I can see why the review hasn't garnered a lot of response. I avoided Tripykon to save my brain from the potential skull-shivering. I'm not trying to hate necessarily, but considering the tent you just threw the majority of the PM genre under, it's safe to say you opened that can of worms, no?

Thrash til' Deth · **Posted:** Mon Jul 14, 2014 5:19 pm

Lukati wrote:

To me, the music you described isn't the music I listen to, and I almost exclusively listen to power/prog metal. The choruses don't sound sugary to me, but rather a well-executed mix of highs and lows. Good PM bands, and there are many, don't just stick to generic power chords. Overproduction? I thoroughly enjoy hearing everything that I'm supposed to hear clearly and concisely. I have never considered ANY PM band to be borderline pop either. I mean, have you heard pop recently? If you did, you'd realize you're really reaching on that point.

Also, I youtubed Hirax to see what the polar-opposite sounds like. Guitars submerged in mud? Check. Leads that make no musical sense? Check. Trash cans as drums? Check. A "vocalist" who "sings?" Check! I didn't make it past the first verse, and I can see why the review hasn't garnered a lot of response. I avoided Triptykon to save my brain from the potential skull-shivering. I'm not trying to hate necessarily, but considering the tent you just threw the majority of the PM genre under, it's safe to say you opened that can of worms, no?

Nickleback 666 tends to over-exaggerate the shit factor on bands or albums he doesn't like, i.e. Metallica-Master of Puppets. But when you consider most of the forumites here are big black metal supporters, is it any surprise that the "commercial" appeal and overproduction gripe is being made towards PM. I don't believe anyone is seriously comparing Sabaton (whom I love, btw) to any of the mainstream hard rock bands but, when compared to say early Darkthrone, they're definitely going to come across as much more accessible. Some people just prefer a more stripped down, aggressive approach to their metal.
In regards to the two bands mentioned. Hirax was never a top tier thrash band but always put out solid low-fi crossover records that I think are fun. Triptykon is basically the progression of the Celtic Frost sound since Monotheist. Great stuff, but you probably wouldn't care for it.

North From Here · **Posted:** Mon Jul 14, 2014 6:08 pm

Thrash til' Deth wrote:

Some people just prefer a more stripped down, aggressive approach to their metal.

Or they prefer song structures that go beyond verse/chorus (not saying all of these PM bands have those, but a lot do).

I don't go as far against the bands Steve mentioned in the original post as he does, but I see his point. The one thing I think that really seems to divide the power metal community and the black metal group is the skyhigh ratings of the PM stuff compared with the serious disagreement/debate in the other group. All the heavenly praise for the latest Ayreon or Epica album gets a little nauseating to the outside observer; where are the people within the power metal community challenging the majority opinion?

If you read reviews of most black metal albums you'll see a wide array of opinions, consensus is far less common. Ultimately I think that debate is a good sign for the genre at large, as opposed to Chris or whomever giving a Freedom Call album 100/100 and a few people chiming in their complete agreement.

Ratings are just numbers, of course, and discussion, even complete agreement, is good anywhere at this point on the forum.

Thrash til' Deth · **Posted:** Mon Jul 14, 2014 6:25 pm

North From Here wrote:

where are the people within the power metal community challenging the majority opinion?

Mission accepted. I will do my best to bring some balance to the equation.

noodles · **Posted:** Mon Jul 14, 2014 7:00 pm

imo power metal takes trad heavy metal, dumbs it downs (bigger choruses, more predictable songs), speeds it up, and adds a bunch of superfluous shit (ott singing, orchestras, goofy solos). also the production style goes against everything i think that music recording should do and the vibe that metal should have. make it sound like humans are performing the music ffs. id rather listen to twisted tower dire's debut or jag panzer or les miz or whatnot

#generalizations

Thrash til' Deth · **Posted:** Mon Jul 14, 2014 9:37 pm

noodles wrote:

imo power metal takes trad heavy metal, dumbs it downs (bigger choruses, more predictable songs), speeds it up, and adds a bunch of superfluous shit (ott singing, orchestras, goofy solos).

Metal as a whole is peppered with over the top singers. It's almost necessary in some sub-genres. Wouldn't you consider death/black metal vocalists extreme in their performances in comparison to your mainstream pop rock singer? Would it truly be death metal without the throaty, near indecipherable vocals of guys like Chris Barnes or Frank Mullen? In this case, I think it's simply which extreme do you prefer.

Personally, I like orchestration in metal. It adds texture to the traditional components of the music giving it a new flavor entirely. Emperor is a good example of this. The band's last two studio albums have a totally different vibe than early stuff like In the Nightside Eclipse. Some do it better than others, I'll grant you. I'm looking at you, Metallica. :mad:

But I don't think it's pointless if properly integrated into the music.

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