LickTheABCs

I guess that's true.. IF your opinion of Metal are bands who play at Ozzfest.

FantasticVSDoom

This thread helps me a lot because as I get older, its harder and harder for me to keep up with whats new, lol... I mean its not as important as it used to be when I would always try to find the next new thing for me. I mean hell I still listen to the first Deicide and Napalm Death CDs, but this gives me a chance to check out what is new.

My all time favs:
Slayer
Deicide
VOD
Sepultura
Morbid Angel
Obituary
Death
Carcass
Mercyful Fate/King Diamon
Venom

As you can see all older, of course there are a lot of punk and hardcore bands that could be listed but I left them off. Currently I like Lamb of God and Trivium, but will check out some of the other stuff listed here. Damn getting old sucks sometimes, lol.

joeblow69

Here's a few of my favs:

Dark Tranquillity
Septic Flesh (though I didn't like the latest)
Hypocrisy
Isis/Neurosis

And don't forget DOOM:
Skepticism
Evoken
Morgion
etc...

beavis69

I saw Lamb of God a couple of years ago and they blew the crowd away. Ended up getting my head slammed to the concret in the pit, but still a very fun show.

Hiro11

Some good metal I've heard this year that hasn't been mentioned yet:

High on Fire: Death is This Communion - it came out last year, but I didn't hear it until this year. Dirty, nasty stoner/desert power trio metal. They've got great skills and their best bunch of songs yet.

Meshuggah: Obzen - one of my favorite metal bands and this is probably their best album. It's not as extremely experimental as Catch Thirty-Three and finds a middle ground between Chaosphere and Nothing. Mainly it just effing rocks. Pravus may be my favorite Meshuggah track of all time.

Protest the Hero: Fortress - these Canadian kids have ridiculous chops and aren't afraid to show it. Unlike other technically prodigious groups, though, they aren't just wanking, the songs are actually well structured and build nicely. I could do without the sporatic death growls, but it still works.

Torche: Meanderthal - is there such a thing as "pop doom metal"? Listen to "Across the Shields" and let me know what you think. I don't care, this record sounds absolutely amazing. Only complaint: a few of the songs are too short, they should be more patient and let the groove ride out.

The Sword: Gods of the Earth - Riffs, riffs and more riffs. Heavy, heavy Sabbath inspired doom rock/metal. Really loud production that suits it well and lyrics about fire lances and battle axes... how can you go wrong?

macnorton

I don't want to sound rude, but can you cite an example of something in metal fresh and exciting after 2002? And no my opinion is not based on that. In fact, most bands who play Ozzfest are not metal.

macnorton

I have Ultra Beatdown and actually that was the one I was referring to. Frankly, I feel they downgraded everything and made it a little more "pop" to appease the masses, ironically a lot like Shadows Fall.

Hiro11

Are you kidding? Have you heard of Mastodon? How about any of the bands I mentioned? How about what bands like Isis and Pelican have done in recent years?

StephenX

Killswitch Engage. No other band QUITE like them. And they are huge.

macnorton

I like all the bands mentioned (both in the quote message and your previous one), but I wouldn't call them fresh. Mastodon is cool, but they are in that "we sound different but if you listen closely we aren't doing anything different" category. And I don't want that to sound like I don't like them, I have seen them live four times and own all the albums, they just aren't fresh.

I also enjoy The Sword & High on Fire, and they fall into the "we sound like Sabbath" category. Again, I like, but not fresh.

Meshuggah may fit the bill of being fresh. First time I saw them was in 2002 (at the aforementioned Ozzfest). They certainly play outside the box, but a lot of their music tends to run together from album to album.

macnorton

"I don't exactly consider Killswitch, metal", that is what I said when I saw them open for Slayer at the Starland Ballroom. They certainly have a metal slant, but I do not consider them to be full on metal. Again my opinion.

cdollaz

I enjoyed it. Testament isn't really my thing but they were good at what they do. I've never liked Motorhead. Shit all sounds the same and Lemmy is a horrible singer.

But Sabs and JP were both great. Dio always sounds good and Halford sounded much better than he did on recent tours. Plus I like the setlist with the deeper cuts.

StephenX

Fair enough. But what you consider metal (Slayer, I am assuming as an example) isn't going to make it really huge right now for a number of reasons. So, as a result, your more vanilla metal (like Killswitch, Slipknot) are the bigger acts. I'd even go as far to say Disturbed and Avenged Sevenfold. Of those four, they are pretty big and 'different,' so I'm asssuming you'd consider at least one of them 'metal.'

Doctor X

Any love for Nevermore? Lead singer Warrel Dane put out a solo album this year that might just be my favorite album of the year.

The new Motorhead is good too as well as the new Testament.

macnorton

You have a point there. But then you are suggesting that you have to be huge to be considered metal, which is the exact opposite of how the roots of it began, well at least in terms of the Slayer example. The big four from trash did it with almost ZERO help from the media giants that make bands that you listed today.

Out of the ones listed, Slipknot probably comes the closest to metal, even more so with their newer material. A7X are not metal. There is no discussion about that. They are rock (and I even use that term loosely) and nothing more. Disturbed were nu-metal (even that term is selective), now they are essentially a radio friendly rock band.

However, do not misconstrue my comments. These bands do have their moments, I just don't think the "labels" people/fans give them are correct.

Mordred

Testament was very good. I'm happy to say I got to see Skolnick with them. Unfortunately the ampitheatre was about 25% full so it wasn't as exciting as I'd hoped. When Motorhead came on I put in my earplugs. Between songs Lemmy would talk and I couldn't understand a word he was saying. I thought it was the earplugs and then the guys sitting directly behind me yelled "WHAT?" everytime Lemmy said something and I realized I wasn't the only one

I'm not a huge JP fan, but they did put on a very good show. Heaven and Hell were the definite highlight for me though. They killed and played every song I was hoping they'd play. Dio is just the consumate professional on stage.

bunkaroo

I like Nevermore quite a bit, but nothing they've done is as good as Sanctuary's Into The Mirror Black - classic 90's thrash record.

RichC2

I've been enjoying Threat Signal for a while now, they opened for Darkest Hour/Soilwork a while back and I've been pretty smitten ever since (technically Soilwork headlined, but yeah, was there for Darkest Hour).

Thanks for creating the thread OP, need to pick up a few new bands.

boc4ever

You took the words right out of my mouth. I love that CD and was fortunate enough to see them on that tour. It was a small club and I was virtually front row.

dick_grayson

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Arcturus - Shipwrecked Frontier Pioneer

that's Hellhammer on drums behind the mask. some monster fills to enjoy.

joeblow69

Hmm, can't say I really dig that style of signing ... who is that vocalist, though, he sounds familiar (almost like the borknager guy?)

dick_grayson

yes, it's Vortex (Simen Haestens)

he did sing for Borknagar for The Archaic Course and Quintessence and has been the bassist/clean vocals for Dimmu Borgir (since Spiritual Black Dimensions)

macnorton

On a related metal note, I am going with my brother to see the might Carcass on Saturday September 6th in New York. I have been a long time Carcass fan so this should be cool. Dying Fetus will be opening all with Necrophagist (both I have not seen but do like somewhat).

cactusoly

on Shadows Fall... I love this band

I consider them a "gateway band" that helped me get into heavier bands like Children Of Bodom and Lamb of God. I'm now into stuff that I would never listened to 10 years ago. I do still stay away from the most "extreme" bands

LickTheABCs

Even though I don't particularly like Shadows Fall, they are good for ONE thing, and that's I know quite a few people who used them the same way.

Because of them they wanted to find something better, and found stuff they wouldn't even dream that they'd like.