Black metal without the vocals

seanm · #1 01-21-2008, 03:39 PM

I have been listening to some black metal and I really like the energy and sound, but hate the cookie monster vocals. Is there such a genre that has the instrumentals of black metal but human vocals?

fenderhutz · #2 01-21-2008, 03:44 PM

I can't stand the Wicked Witch/Cryptkeeper vocals, or chipmunk Cookie Monster.

I have been listening to XMLM to try and find such a band.

jollygiantchris · #3 01-21-2008, 04:23 PM

I've often thought the same things about the vocals but TBH I don't think you could sing cleanly over black/death metal music and have it sound good...but then again no one has tried (that I know of).

bongomania · #4 01-21-2008, 04:26 PM

There's a lot of instrumental Doom/Sludge you might like. Also I think Mike Patton did some black-ish metal without the stereotypical vocals, in one of his side projects.

theNoseBleedKid · #5 01-21-2008, 05:15 PM

Bathory is the original BM band an the vocals are not cookie monster.

I recommend Blood on Ice.

HalfDayClosing · #6 01-22-2008, 04:27 PM

I dont know if you've heard them, you probably have, but you could try Opeth. I really hated the growling in death and black metal (still have a problem with the high pitch black metal growling or screaming or whatever). Opeth helped me transition into the growling mindset because they tastefully IMO blend the two styles. Not the heaviest band but I've since become a huge death and tech death fan so maybe they'll help.

morf · #7 01-22-2008, 04:34 PM

Try Enslaved, they dont sing on many songs.

jollygiantchris · #8 01-22-2008, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HalfDayClosing

I dont know if you've heard them, you probably have, but you could try Opeth. I really hated the growling in death and black metal (still have a problem with the high pitch black metal growling or screaming or whatever). Opeth helped me transition into the growling mindset because they tastefully IMO blend the two styles. Not the heaviest band but I've since become a huge death and tech death fan so maybe they'll help.

Opeth's great but they aren't really THAT heavy...Don't they play in standard tuning even?

When I think heavy I think of bands like Meshuggah and Nile.

nad · #9 01-22-2008, 09:59 PM

Try early Ulver, Garm did a good bit of clean vocals on Bergtatt. Also, I'll second Enslaved and Bathory. Below the Lights and Hammerheart albums, respectively. Other bands with a good deal of clean vocals include Belenos, Negura Bunget, and a bunch more that I'm forgetting. Deathspell Omega do a lot of instrumental stuff, they are grand. Maybe try Primordial, not really black metal, but in a similar vein with mostly clean vocals. Yes, Primordial. I think they are exactly what you might be looking for:

http://www.myspace.com/fallentoruin

Also, a lot of black metal bands bury the vocals in the mix anyway, so shouldn't be a problem. Well, it shouldn't at all really, if you dig the music the screeches sort of go along with the music style.

Valerus · #10 01-22-2008, 10:21 PM

Primordial is AMAZING.

HalfDayClosing · #11 01-23-2008, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollygiantchris

Opeth's great but they aren't really THAT heavy...Don't they play in standard tuning even?

When I think heavy I think of bands like Meshuggah and Nile.

i think i said that they aren't that heavy, and the point was bands like nile and meshuggah are so heavy that the vocal style is consistantly growling. There also isnt much or any black metal influence in either.

p.s. YES you should check out meshuggah because they're awesome

Deluge Of Sound · #12 01-23-2008, 11:51 AM

+1 for Meshuggah. Nothing and Catch-33 are fantastic records.

seanm · #13 01-26-2008, 04:03 PM

I realize I started this thread.... and then disappeared. Things got very very hectic at work.

So I have not had a chance to really lookup the bands mentioned. But don't worry, I will get around to it!

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Amokoma · #14 01-26-2008, 04:19 PM

check out MetalObserver.com

Valerus · #15 01-26-2008, 05:01 PM

And metal-archives.com

IconBasser · #16 01-26-2008, 05:24 PM

hm...

ya might try some Progressive metal? Stuff like Symphony X, Angra, ect...

#17 01-26-2008, 05:27 PM

As a genre, melodic thrash metal would be the closest thing I can think of. If you're looking for a couple of projects which might meet your needs, check out Vintersorg's solo project or Borknagar, which Vintersorg also sang in. Both are fantastic black metal without a ton of screaming, and when the screaming comes in, it's more of a background effect than a foreground presence.