Metal heads.
I was browsing through some threads and saw the favorite band one, so I had to make this. Who is your favorite/most influential metal band ever? And please, if you're just going to say "that stuff just sounds like static" or whatever, go make your own thread. I'll start with a few of mine, Meshuggah, Rage Against the Machine (not exactly deathmetal, but de la Roche is beast), the red chord, ass jack, and Dillinger. Anything with Mike Patton.
Edit: that's not even close to all, but it'll do for now.
Edit: that's not even close to all, but it'll do for now.
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Well, most of the stuff I consider "metal" other, true metalheads would tell me is "sissy metal" or "not even metal." Anyway, my favorite listens ...
I think Five Finger Death Punch is pretty good. A little too modern metal for me though; they feel a bit forced at times, and as a singer the borderline abuse of vocal effects by Ivan pain me. My favorite song by them would have to be The Way of the Fist. Really awesome song.
Slipknot is pretty beast. Once again I'm a sissy, their 2nd album, Iowa, is too heavy for me. Plus the lyrics were borderline gross at times. I like their 1st album, it's very experimental, interesting, and any song on that album that isn't experimental is just plain headbang-able (Wait and Bleed, Spit It Out), so no worries. My favorite off that album has to be Purity though. I thought their 4th album, All Hope Is Gone, was pretty damn awesome, although the political shit was a bit annoying. Gematria (The Killing Name) is SO good; the guitar work in that song is just incredible. My favorite has to be Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses. That album is one of the best examples of intelligent metal ever. Good range all the way from really heavy (The Blister Exists) to the emotional, moody stuff (Vermillion Pt. 2).
I consider Linkin Park's first two albums to be metal, or at the very least, hard rock. That formula just worked; catchy and heavy. Also the rap influences were great, just enough to add color but not enough to make the songs lose focus. Yeah, I'm a big fan of nü metal, shoot me. When the band changed focus with Minutes To Midnight, things looked hopeful, because although it was different it definitely felt like good music, and they had their heaviest songs ever on that album (Given Up, No More Sorrow). Their 4th and 5th albums are pretty fail. It's worth noting that, regardless of whether you like LP or not, if you have a brain you must admit that Chester Bennington is an incredible vocalist. As a singer, trust me on this one; he has a ridiculous amount of control. The whole harmonizing while screaming thing? Second hardest vocal technique that I know of, and he does it perfectly. On top of that, his range is pretty insane. He does things that other metal vocalists have to cheat in the studio to achieve; self-harmonizing with multiple vocal layers, grain filter, etc.
And my favorite band is Korn. For all the crap talk I heard about this band, I never expected it to be so damn good when I started listening to it. They're groovy, heavy, and still catchy somehow. I heard "Blind" and I was hooked. This is the only band I've known where I can honestly say that not a single member feels like the weakest link, they all contribute so much to the music. On top of that, it's easy being a Korn fan because while they've had 10 albums that are very diverse, no album except perhaps their 8th lacked the "Korn feel." They change a little every album, just a little every time so it works. Plus their albums constantly vary between doing tried and true and experimenting, so if you didn't like their latest experiment then you know their next album will probably be more to your liking.
Yup. So I just nerded all over this page. And yeah, I know most people will think since I like nü metal, shoot me, I don't listen to real metal lalala~
Infected Mushroom, my favorite techno-rock band, did a duo with Jonathan Davis in "Smashing the Opponent". It's pretty good, if you haven't heard it.
Most influential band ever for me? Alice in Chains.
^_^ The music video is good, too.
Opera IX and Cadaveria deserve a special mention as well.
Furthermore i'm mostly into Thrash Metal and Death Metal.
Here is my more or less favorite bandlist:
Black Sabbath, Iced Earth, Testament, Death, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Kreator, Metallica, Megadeth, Control Denied, Pantera, Legion Of The Damned, Warbringer, Evile, Hypocrisy, Kataklysm, Children Of Bodom, Nevermore, Exodus, Death Angel, Into Eternity, Demons And Wizards, Heaven And Hell, Arch Enemy, Evergrey, Ozzy Osbourne, Iommi, Dio, Nightwish, Led Zeppelin, Rage, Rainbow....
Diablo Swing Orchestra
Can't really pick the "best track", since there are too many good ones: Memoirs of a roadkill, Ballrog Boogie, Exit strategy of a wrecking ball, Ricerca Dell'anima and why not list Guerrilla Laments here too.
For other bands I'd certainly put up Satyricon and Burzum, without forgetting Arch Enemy and Marilyn Manson! Powerwolf also has two wonderful tracks: Resurrection by erection & Saturday Satan
But to be honest, I listen to Folk much more these days than Metal, stuff like Faun and Tricky Pixie.
Other important bands in my life have been Megadeth, Sentenced, Diablo, In Flames, Nevermore, SikTh and way too many bands to list here.
To name a few other amazing metal bands that are fav's - Darkane, Soilwork (anything Predators Portrait and before), In Flames (clayman and prior), Meshuggah, and Opeth. I also like a good amount of what brightnight posted.
But eh, some bands do still stick out for whatever reason. 80s Metallica, 80s/90s Megadeth, 90s Iced Earth, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, (older) Overkill, W.A.S.P., Ozzy... Kix, Ratt, Dokken...
Currently listening to: Darkthrone (always, always), Gjenferdsel (just discovered, pretty cool band), Mutilation Rites and Brutal Truth (not black metal but grindcore. Great band to train to).
Any fans of old school, lo-fi black metal here?
When people ask me what they 'sound like'. I just say "Imagine a huge machine: pistons, levers, and gears. Order, Chaos, a pattern barely discernible"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkrjE4QRsys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkRxjrlgzp0
For those who want a more Oldschool Rock/Metal feel. High On Fire is a must listen!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0VPVawpN8E
A steel hexagonal heads of M16 high strength bolts of 10.9 class, tightened with dynamometric key... :]
Edit: fun fact, their song Soul Burn was the Quake 3 intro. Look up Quake Burn, god the memories.
Edit 2: what song is that? Won't let me listen to it.
System of A Down
Avenged Sevenfold
Metallica--thru Justice
Burzum
Slipknot--amazing rhythm section
Helmet
Judas Priest
Nightwish
Sepultura (Max era)
Morbid Angel, old and new (specially times involving Vincent)
Nile
Symphony X
Dream Theater (until "6 degrees of inner turbulence")