Help me expand my crappy metal library.

Okay, I'm looking to expand my metal horizons. Right now, my metal library consist of:

- Metallica
- Megadeth
- Iron Maiden
- Pantera
- Anthrax
- Exodus
- Testament

Yes, I'm stuck in the "softer" and mainstream stage right now. I tried listening to some of the stuff my brother has, but his music is way to dark and loud for me right now. He also has some bands I haven't even heard of before. Hell, I'm sure they're not even singing in English (they probably are but it doesn't help that I can't understand one bit of what they're singing)

So, yes, recommend me some new stuff. I'm looking for bands that gradually introduce me to a new style so I can appreciate it a lot more as I move on to new stuff. Please don't recommend me bands or songs that scream 70% of the time. I may like them in the near future, but they're not my cup of tea right now.

Thanks in advance.

One good metal band I know with no screaming is Nevermore.

The vocalist (Warrel Dane) was an opera singer, so some parts may seem a little dramatic, but I really love this band. The guitarist, Jeff Loomis, is one of my favorite if not my most favorite guitarists. Ill post a couple of my favorite songs from them.



One good artist I know who's metal, but incorporates a lot of things with his music is Devin Townsend. His solo album, Ziltoid the Omniscient is one of my favorite albums of all time. It's a 52 minute long song split up into about 11 songs. It's a story really, but I won't talk about that. Ill post a few songs out of it, they won't start from the beginning or be in order.

Part's of it are pretty soft, like Hyperdrive


Other songs are heavy, like Planet Smasher (music picks up at 1:20)


Others start heavy, and get softer, like By Your Command


Devin Townsend is an odd musician so I wouldn't be surprised if you don't like/prefer it.

Also, check out the Dream Theater thread Quadratic made. They're progressive metal, so they have a lot of soft stuff, technical stuff, but are still technically metal.

A couple good songs from them:

The Shattered Fortress


The Shattered Fortress is a actually a combination of 4 of their previous songs, but it still sounds awesome.

Those 4 songs being, The Glass Prison, This Dying Soul, Repentance, and The Root of All Evil.



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I know you said not to include bands that scream 70% of the time, but Ill post these anyway.

They're not straight death metal but they have that influence, along with other stuff.

Good bands like this: Swallow the Sun, Opeth (for the most part), Edge of Sanity.

A few Swallow the Sun songs:


Opeth (some songs are all death vocals, some are completely clean, some both):



Edge of Sanity

I HIGHLY recommend you listen to Crimson (at least part 1[the first 5 videos]) if you want to get more into Progressive Death Metal. This is one of my favorite songs.

Part 1 was played by the band Edge of Sanity in 1996, Part 2 was all composed and played by Dan Swano (leadman of EoS) in 2003, with a few guest vocal tracks and solos.

This whole piece is a story. You're missing some of the song as a whole (imo) if you don't know the lyrics.

Crimson Part 1
Crimson Part 2

Note: One 2 minute segment (Achilles Heel) isn't on Youtube so that isn't included.

(This is all one song/total time: 1:17:xx):

Kamelot, a must listen band if you like a nice blend of heaviness and melody with some of the best clean vocals you will ever hear in your life.


Katatonia. Now this is rather depressive/melancholic rock than metal but still an extremely good band, of which their newest album is their best work up to date imo (Yeah, I only listen to the clean vocal era)


Equilibrium, if you like some quality epic pagan metal. With 'em br00t4l flutes. If you don't like their vocalist, which I can imagine, try listening to their 16 min. instrumental piece called 'Mana'.


Eternal Tears of Sorrow, most of the time the main vocalist could be considered as 'screaming/growls' or whatever. But it's more like ...something else. Just listen and see if you like the sound, it's an acquired taste (1:24 of vid. below). Although the clean vocals, which are sometimes present in their newest album, should be safe.

The cleans make an entry in a few other songs but you'll hear the other vocalist far more often.


And possibly Scar Symmetry. It contains growls, yes. But there is almost no easier way to let them grow on you, because this band is pretty poppy together with the clean vocals. That's why I'd advise you to, if you give the band a go, start with the 'Holographic Universe' album, which is their least heavy one.



I'd like to post a lot more bands but then I'm getting into the growl/clean combination, which according to your post isn't the thing you're looking for.

I can understand where you're coming from, originally I didn't dig the growls and screams like I do now. I started off in pretty much the same place with Metallica and the like, at first the music got heavier, started including noticeable double-bassing (Metallica has it sure, but they kinda hide it behind the guitars I've noticed)

Anywho, where I remember starting is Fear Factory, industrial metal, while the vocals are harsher than you may be used to, but not worse than what Pantera did, so, I wouldn't call them growls at all, at the same time you'll get a taste of just how awesome Double Bass can be. Make sure you don't listen to their first album as they started with Death Metal, Demanufacture is heavier than their new stuff, I recommend starting with Archetype

I wholeheartedly agree with Scar Symmetry as a good one, as while the growls are there, there is a good amount of clean vocals as well, something Melodic Death Metal uses often. (Don't let the name fool you, there is a lot better rhythm and melodies in Melodeath, as opposed to Death Metal.)

Insomnium is another I'd say to check out, they have amazing guitars, as well as the double bass I talked about.

Swallow the Sun was mentioned, and that's under Doom Metal with a bit of Melodeath thrown in. I really like them as the music is a lot slower and that adds a lot to it. At the same time the singer switches between growls and clean vocals.

Another I'm sort of hesitant to add is Divine Heresy (Not talking of the first album, different singer on the second) They have blisteringly fast drums (the drummer used to play in Death Metal bands) and Industrial-esque guitars, while still having a lot of melody, but the growls are a lot more prominent than the other bands I mentioned (aside from maybe Swallow the Sun) If you want to hear what I'm talking of, but only want clean vocals, look up a song called Darkness Embedded.

Some youtube-age for examples

Archetype - Fear Factory


Holographic Universe - Scar Symmetry (personally my favorite song from them)It's all growls at first, the clean vocals kick in a bit later.


The Killjoy - Insomnium



The song I mentioned for Divine Heresy isn't on youtube anymore, probably cause their record label complained, so here is one that is. It's the heaviest of all that I posted, and the singing is more screaming then growls and there isn't very many clean vocals, so you may want to save it until after you get used to the previous stuff.

Facebreaker - Divine Heresy


I hope this helped at all, and I recommend trying to get better quality versions than these, as youtube sometimes ruins the music with crappy quality.

Oh man, I guess I have a lot of listening to do. Good thing I have nothing better to do right now.

Will post my opinion on those bands/songs later.

Azu, wanna give Opeth a try?

Already mentioned them.

I'm trying to introduce bands that show a slight bit of new influence in their music, but still hold metal roots. Of course this isn;t for Swallow the Sun, Opeth, and Edge of Sanity.

Some other good Opeth songs to listen to...

Wreath


Deliverance


Hessian Peel (surprising)




Also, what Dirty and Kind of Important said... Kamelot, Katatonia, and Insomnium are good ones to listen to.

You forgot to mention..

I still think their songs In My Time of Need, To Rid The Disease, Burden + the whole Ghost Reveries album are the best stuff Opeth has to offer. I don't see why people cum so much over Blackwater Park. It's just ...alright.

I only really liked The Leper Affinity off of that album. Ghost Reveries, Deliverance, and Watershed are my favorites from them.

Early opinions (they may change as I listen to them more.):

Nevermore: I like their sound but most of their lyrics drive me off (at least the ones you posted + related ones I clicked on). I might as well mention that I don't like religion based lyrics that much. I don't hate but it's not something I would add to any of my playlists.

Devin Townsend: I absolutely loved Hyperdrive. Holy crap, I never expected metal to sound like that. I expected something different so that's probably why I loved it. And here I was thinking extreme metal was all about destroying my precious ear drums. More stuff that sounds like this pls.



Love his soft sounding music. If you could recommend more stuff like that I'll appreciate it.



Yes, this is the type of music I've been looking for. Harder that my usual stuff but not hard enough that ends up scaring me away. Why didn't anyone tell me before that great stuff like progressive metal exists? I guess I found my new favorite genre... for now.

And that's it for today. I would post more but it's time to watch some good ol' wrestling action. I'll continue from where I stop later. I would have done all of this yesterday but something came up. So no, it didn't take me more than 2 days to listen to a few new bands and songs if you were wondering. Funny how that happens sometimes? One moment you're doing nothing. The next you're running like crazy trying to catch the train.

Man, I should turn this topic into my internet music journal.

Not sure if they will meet what your wanting but i would suggest the bands NIghtwish and Within Temptation. They are both called symphonic, and goth metal on there respective Wiki pages. Also Nightwish is also called a power metal. Anyway i Would suggest them cause their music is somewhat dark, but the lyrics are not that hard. And I should say at times Within Temptaion goes more towards Symphony then Metal on some songs.

Anyway here are some vids for Nightwish, and Links cause Emmbeding has been disabled for Within Temptation

Night wish first.


And here are the links for Within Temptation. the songs are called angels, and memories.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwTmqPMjlPM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9tL4Mgzjx0

Also A Band I suggest once you get more into the darker side of metal is, As I Lay Dying. very good band and there music rocks.

That makes no sense. Bands are music. Bands are easy and better to recommend because each member brings a different style to the table so their more music is more diverse most of the time.

Anyways, I'm not limiting myself to anything. If someone recommended a good artist, I'll listen to him.

What, you mean pro-religious lyrics? They're very anti-religious, their last CD was called "This Godless Endeavor".

Anyway, I find Children of Bodom to be one of the best ways to introduce people to extreme metal:

Hmm, glad my Dream Theater thread helped. :D
Also, you could look up Avenged Sevenfold, if you're trying to make the progression from non-screaming bands like Dream Theater and Metallica, to more screaming bands like Underoath and All That Remains, work your way down their discography, starting at Diamonds In The Rough (Live in the LBC), and goign down through ther self-titled, City Of Evil, Waking The Fallen, and finishing at Sounding The Seventh Trumpet. It's not hard to change from one album to the next, the only problem may be from City Of Evil -> Waking The Fallen, because WTF has much more screaming compared to the first 3.

Once you do that, try Underoath and All That Remains.

I never said pro. Just lyrics dealing with religion whether they're pro or against. That's the only thing that drives away from metal sometimes.

Melodic Death metal in general is a good way to start. Some bands may include:



Kalmah - Tordah

Children of Bodom - In your face* EDIT

Amon Amarth - With Oden on our Side

best power metal band for me is Symphony X - Serpent's Kiss

Black Dahlia Murder - Statutory Ape


If/when you get into the more extreme stuff:
Necrophagist - Stabwound


ALL NECROPHAGIST is awesome. not necessarily for the vocals, just pay attention to the guitar solos.

all of the bands listed above do not have religious themes, as to your preference.

Also, if you like CoB, try not to listen to any albums other than Are You Dead Yet? 'cause that's the only album that doesn't scream that much.

*EDIT2 i just took a double take on your list, and it seems you do not have slayer, which is an awesome band to introduce you to the heavier stuff. Try angel of death.

Oh, of course, How could I forget Power Metal!?

Iced Earth. They're a mix of power and thrash.

IMO, they play better live than on studio recordings. Here are a couple songs I like from them.

Travel in Stygian


Dante's Inferno


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Also, Symphony X is an amazing Power Metal band. This is one of my favorite bands of the genre if not my most favorite. Each album of theirs is awesome.

Some really good songs by them...

Evolution (The Grand Design) + Fallen


Fool's Paradise


Egypt


In fact, just listen to the entire "New Mythology" album.

Orion (AWESOME)


Of Sins and Shadows (Also AWESOME but quality is pretty bad)


Dressed to Kill (Terrible quality....)


Oculus Ex Inferni + Set the World on Fire (Fucking epic, you must listen to this if you have any interest in this band)

2 seperate pieces on the album, but both are end on end, so it's one song.





About Necrophagist.... in all honesty, I dont see the appeal of them from your perspective unless you are a guitarist who also likes Death Metal or you just love sick solos. Im not saying Necrophagist is a bad band (they're one of my favorites and Muhammed Suicmez is one of my favorite guitarists), but they are just technical death metal, no progressive or power influences so I would hold out on that for a while.

In case you're wondering, yes, Muhammed is nicknamed "The Cookie Monster" sometimes because his vocals are... recognizable :lol:

Also, my favorite songs from them (probably their 2 most famous songs also) in case you want to give a listen... both off of Onset of Putrefaction...

Advanced Corpse Tumor (Solo at 2:23, but start at 1:58, that riff is just so awesome :lol:)


Fermented Offal Discharge (Incredible solo at 3:02, but whole song has some awesome riffs, especially 0:53, 1:48, and 2:04)

Shame on all of you!

Not even one of you guys suggested these following bands. They basically helped defined what we know as metal today.

- Led Zeppelin
- Black Sabbath
- Deep Purple
- Judas Priest
- Motley Crue.

Others i like atm.

- Motorhead
- Rob Zombie/ White Zombie
- Archenemy
- Lamb of God - They are very good, try them. They arn't too bad with their religious messages either.
- Slipknot
- Korn - fav metal band atm.