Your definition of metal?

[bassman1185]

OK, first off, let's play nice, kiddies. We all have our opinions, and that's ok. Let's not insult our fellow TB'ers over something this silly, mmmkay?

Now that that is out of the way, I'll explain what I'm going for here.

I was reading in the Bassists section a thread about bassists in metal that you can actually hear. There was some discussion about that, but it was mostly guys saying that certain bands weren't metal.

That made me think "What really defines metal as a genre?" Here is a list I have come up with:

Loud, distorted guitars
Technicality! (If it's all power chords, it's not metal in my book)
Guitar SOLOS! (Personally, if there isn't a solo here and there, I don't consider it metal)
Aggressive vocals (Not necessarily screaming)
Heavy, driving drums (The more double kick, the better)
Relentless heavyness (Nothing against dynamics, but I don't think of bands that go "Soft verse, loud chorus, soft verse, loud courus, really loud break, loud chorus" as metal)

This is all my opinion. Let's hear yours.

[sarcastro83]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puwll...eature=related

[funkometer]

In chemistry, a metal (Greek: Metallon) is defined as an element that readily loses electrons to form positive ions (cations) and forms metallic bonds between other metal atoms[1] (forming ionic bonds with non-metals).

[funkometer]

[René_Julien]

I'm not touching this subject again.

[varunkapahi]

our mod is metal! :P

[mjolnir]

Nope. Not touching this one. I'd be banned for sure.

[Yngwie 4String]

Metal is defined to me by a combination of musical AND visual charectoristics.

Musically (by instrument):

The Electric Guitar:The guitar has got to be distorted. Clean guitars cant dominate the song. You can have acoustic breaks and things of that nature, but the majority of the song neats overdriven guitar distorion.

The Bass Guitar: The bass guitar in metal can do a lot of diferent things. The gallop rhythm (think Steve Harris) is definitly a metal charectoristic. The other way to go is to distort the bass like Geezer Butler for example. Lastly if you have a really technical Bassist like Alex Webster you can pretty much do whatever you want lol.

Drums: Metal drumming is beligerent yet progressive. Thats the best description of metal drumming Ive heard.

The vocalist: You either get a fairly high operatic vocalist like Bruce Dickenson, or an unclean singer which could be anything from Chris Barnes to Devin Townsend.

The keyboard as a metal instrument?: I think it totally is, if its good enough for Dio its good enough for me. You can actually add anything you want but you got to have the those last 4 things first.

Note: If you have a very good bass player who uses a ton of distortion, you could possibly drop the electric guitar. Vice Versa if you have an extremely good guitarist, or 2 guitarists I think you could operate with out the bass. There is a lot of freedom in metal the way I see it. The above is the traditional set up though.

Visuals and Lyrics:

When I think metal I see inverted crosses, pentagrams, and hellfire. Sometimes dragons and wizards work well to lol. In heavy metal I still believe that the visual is extremely important. Metal should create an atmosphere. The best metal in my opinion is the sort of metal the scares people.

Lyrically I think metal should deal with controversial themes. Religion, violence, and sex. Good art excites people. Metal has always seemed more "real" lyrically than other forms of music. I think Sam Dunn (Metal:A Headbangers Journey) said something along the lines that Metal confronts topics most people would rather ignore. His actuall quote was better stated but that was the jest of it. I agree with it 100%. Other themes I like are songs about War, Metal itself, and lastly songs that are optimistic to the listener.

THE SOLO is it necessary?: Im going to make the old school people very mad and say that it is not. Im a big fan or Korn and Slipknot and they are in my opinion as metal as anything else out there. They rarely use solos. However a solo never hurts.

Thats about the best way I can paraphrase it for you. To really explain metal takes about 2 hours at least. It is probably my favorite thing to talk about and explore. So add me to your MSN if you like and Ill talk to you about anything metal you want. Zach7188@hotmail.com

Ill conclude with a video that I think captures the essence of what a metal band looks and sounds like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28GaKoCuobU

[René_Julien]

I am definatly not touching this issue.

[lemur821]

The main thing that makes metal be metal and -core stuff, for example, not be is that metal has to go, go, go. It doesn't necessarily have to be as fast as possible or lack groove. Breakdowns -> not metal. Letting up in any way -> not metal. That isn't to say that metal can't have interludes, but it needs to pick its pace and stay there.

[*smb]

I don't know what is metal but I can tell what isn't.

[Deluge Of Sound]

Originally Posted by lemur821

The main thing that makes metal be metal and -core stuff, for example, not be is that metal has to go, go, go. It doesn't necessarily have to be as fast as possible or lack groove. Breakdowns -> not metal. Letting up in any way -> not metal. That isn't to say that metal can't have interludes, but it needs to pick its pace and stay there.

[peaveyuser]

Originally Posted by bassman1185

Technicality! (If it's all power chords, it's not metal in my book)
Guitar SOLOS! (Personally, if there isn't a solo here and there, I don't consider it metal)

my only little gripe, listen to Necroshine by Overkill, is not technical and has no solo, yet it is made by one of the leading thrash acts ever and is DAMN heavy. That song IMO is the definition of metal when i listen too it. Hell For Whom the Bell Tolls doesn't have a solo, maybe a lead bass riff and a nice guitar riff but thats it.


Basically I agree with Lemmy, its all rock in roll, has the same ideal to be loud aggressive and to piss of your parents

Flexible genre, great songs with nothing more then power chords and simplicity.

[lemur821]

Deluge, maybe you want to reread my post. Especially the second sentence.

[Puck]

Originally Posted by funkometer

In chemistry, a metal (Greek: Metallon) is defined as an element that readily loses electrons to form positive ions (cations) and forms metallic bonds between other metal atoms[1] (forming ionic bonds with non-metals).

Now that's METAL!


/lame

[bryan bailey]

Pretty much anything that makes you want to get up and break stuff and thrash around.

[Benjamin Strange]

Metal can be defined as such:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x22KP0b29zk

(Warning: Puppets cursing ahead. Proceed with caution.)

[steve21]

A baby should be sacrificed. If not, you're doing it wrong.