Metal's Becoming a Cliche

[WalterBush]

So true! Metal has been a cliche ever since the NWOBHM served to revive it, in 1979.

Yeah, so far as I know, metal's been a cliche since I was too young to know what a cliche was. Witness, This is Spinal Tap was made in the early eighties (1982?) and Metalocalypse is now several years old. People have been making fun of metal cliches for decades.

I think metal became cliche the moment it started selling albums that referred to it as "metal."

If it helps any of you younger cats out, things aren't getting worse; when I was in a band whose set consisted primarily of Slayer, Metallica, and Sepultura covers (it was the early '90s) we had to bill ourselves with a bunch of truly awful thrash acts, or put a show on ourselves. There's always been crappy metal, it's nothing new.

 

[TheVoiceless]

I feel the same way when going to a coffee shop or singer song writer show. Look at rap, even on the highest level its all imitation without innovation ( not all of it).

So metal is not the only genre to experience this. Hopefully this will reiterate the fact that its a special thing when a good band comes along and should not be taken for granted by its members or its fans.

 

[powmetalbassist]

when i decided to play metal, i was in highschool and i wanted to rebel from conformity and hive mentality...

nowadays, metal really is a CLICHE.

there are so many rules and code of conduct, that it is a lot worse than normal life.

and worse of all .... THERE ARE NO CHICKS IN A METAL GIG! *grumble grumble*

Mainstream metal is Cliche. The cookie cutter crap is nothing new to Metal. (reference Hair metal in the 80's or Rap metal in the early 2000's.) There are still alot of good talented genuine metal bands out there, they are just the minority right now.

Rules of ConductLike what?

No chicksDude your going to the wrong metal shows. Hit up a Power Metal or Progressive metal show and watch the chicks come out of the woodwork (especially for a band female fronted - EPICA comes to mind.

There is alot of crap out there. I blame the internet allowing access to even the poopyest bands. Though if used right you can find all kinds of quality metal that would never have seen the light of day. Just takes some work (10 min of searching youtube, myspace or reverbnation)

 

[Broomwinkle]

This is Spinal Tap was made in the early eighties (1982?)

1984 for the record and before my time :L, but yeah metal is a giant cliche and has been since glam and Alice Cooper nd artists like that. Just a FYI moment BMTH aren't hardcore, there deathcpre/metalcore, hardcore ain't half bad espically the old stuff like Suicidal Tendancies and Black flag. Don't associate hardocre with other core genres there nothing a like, Death-core and Metal-core are for posers, old school hardcore is cool imo

 

[Broomwinkle]

Mainstream metal is Cliche. The cookie cutter crap is nothing new to Metal. (reference Hair metal in the 80's or Rap metal in the early 2000's.) There are still alot of good talented genuine metal bands out there, they are just the minority right now.

Rules of ConductLike what?

No chicksDude your going to the wrong metal shows. Hit up a Power Metal or Progressive metal show and watch the chicks come out of the woodwork (especially for a band female fronted - EPICA comes to mind.

There is alot of crap out there. I blame the internet allowing access to even the poopyest bands. Though if used right you can find all kinds of quality metal that would never have seen the light of day. Just takes some work (10 min of searching youtube, myspace or reverbnation)

So true and agree 100% and I see you have a peavey tour 700, likewise my friend a cracking amp, but I never found out does the DI need phantom power?

 

[ClutchGomez]

90% of ALL music sucks, regardless of genre.

Deal with it.

Totally...

 

[WalterBush]

... BMTH aren't hardcore, there deathcpre/metalcore, hardcore ain't half bad espically the old stuff like Suicidal Tendancies and Black flag. Don't associate hardocre with other core genres there nothing a like, Death-core and Metal-core are for posers, old school hardcore is cool imo

Probably showing my age here, but this sentence may as well be in Sanskrit. I wasn't good at keeping track of metal genres when I was into metal. I never cared much. Either it sounds good, or it doesn't, IMO.

Not to say I don't listen to metal anymore, but at this point in my life a lot of newer metal bands sound exactly like older metal bands, with higher gain, lower tuning, and better recording quality.

 

[VTheHTyphoon]

Personally, I play in a heavier prog band that is entirely instrumental. We used to call ourselves prog/metal, but in RI the title of metal gets you lumped in with a bunch of people that may or may not fit your style. We are not super low tuned, unless you count Drop-D low. Our music is a little weird and out there, but we had to branch out from the metal title.

When we had a singer we used to be focused more on the metal than the prog. We were still out there, but it was alot easier for her to sing over stuff when the riffs were more metal-y The problem was we got lumped in with alot of death metal screaming drop-a bands that just didn't fit our style at all.

Worst was a gig offer at a certain club in New London CT. They said they were looking for metal/hardcore bands, and we still considered ourselves metal so we gave them a link and they booked us for a show. Keep in mind that when this place said hardcore they mean metalcore deathcore bands like BMTH and Attack Attack! and ADTR. When we got there, we realized we were the only band that couldn't be called a "hardcore" band. We loaded in, the bands started up and we all went for sandwiches. Came back two bands later and the sound was indeterminable. Every band we saw play sounded exactly like Attack Attack! and used every one of their "rock moves" (aka crabcore) on stage.

We soon got out of calling ourselves metal. We still have a heavy touch, but it is far more prog than metal due to the assumptions that people put on metal bands around here.

 

[jaywa]

There are a lot of really angry people out there right now. And not just the youngsters.

As long as that's the case, metal will always find an audience.

 

[ReginaldPLinux]

Excellence has always been a scarcity in comparison to the sheer wealth of abhorrence. Such is true in most any field, for every brilliant artist, we have a hundred hacks. Music is no exception, regardless of genre, with some genres being more prone to a poor ratio of quality to crap.

The bands that ARE able to transcend this typically don't stay in the local clubs and bars for very long.

I can't agree to that. Success isn't necessarily an indicator of quality.

Mainstream metal is Cliche. The cookie cutter crap is nothing new to Metal. (reference Hair metal in the 80's or Rap metal in the early 2000's.) There are still alot of good talented genuine metal bands out there, they are just the minority right now.

Rules of ConductLike what?

No chicksDude your going to the wrong metal shows. Hit up a Power Metal or Progressive metal show and watch the chicks come out of the woodwork (especially for a band female fronted - EPICA comes to mind.

There is alot of crap out there. I blame the internet allowing access to even the poopyest bands. Though if used right you can find all kinds of quality metal that would never have seen the light of day. Just takes some work (10 min of searching youtube, myspace or reverbnation)

I wouldn't blame the internet as much as I would mainstream media, the evils of marketing, and the poor ears and gullibility of philistines. If anything, the internet has exposed many to great acts that they would otherwise be unaware of. And I'd like to add that mainstream anything is generally cliché, it's easier for to consumers to gobble up that way.

 

[cnltb]

okk calm your boobies. A cliche is an artist work used to the point that it no longer speek its original value, meaning or effect. If metal is a cliche what was it's original meaning?? And yes I did indeed have too look up what the meaning ov cliche is D:

I just figured out what the meaning ov this thread is, im sorrty this is not my birghtest momment.

"okk calm your boobies"???
Are you sure?

 

[ReginaldPLinux]

Excited boobies are not always a bad thing, quite the contrary, but in this context they may be counter-intuitive.

 

[groooooove]

"local bands"

means bad metal. it has for a long time. its super-lame, and super cliche. to me, atleast.

 

[cnltb]

Excited boobies are not always a bad thing, quite the contrary, but in this context they may be counter-intuitive.

Indeed they may.

On a slightly differnt note...
Do you know the meaning of "ov" and "sorrty"?

 

[Mykk]

Playing in a unknown local small town USA hard rock/metal band makes from a rough night of tough to swallow crappy bands... show after show.

It sucks. Playing with my last band in Prescott Arizona, we were just lucky if the other bands didn't make the entire audience/bar walk out. That is no exaggeration...

It has really helped me to understand that most bands are only out there to masturbate on stage. They have no interest in delivering a performance of a show or even really refining a 'band sound' The players are up there to simply satisfy their individual needs at that time.

 

[ReginaldPLinux]

Indeed they may.

On a slightly differnt note...
Do you know the meaning of "ov" and "sorrty"?

I know ov Behemoth using 'ov' on a number ov their song titles. I don't dig 'em that much, personally. I'm also aware ov Ov Hell, with King Ov Hell. I'm not familiar with sorrty. I have no excuse, I'm aware, there is no substitute for knowledge.

 

[IncX]

so... let me get this straight, in order to rebel from conformity, you decided to conform to the standards of a subculture that demands the utmost of conformity? How cliche is the act of seeking non-conformity through joining another social herd? I became a metalhead for the same reason, but I'm not going to fool myself into thinking I was really any different from all the kids I see listening to bring me the horizon, I don't think there was ever a point where any of this stuff WASN'T cliche.

when i was 16 and there was no internet, metal offered a different world from the grunge fad of the 90's... so there were only 3 of us who listened to Cannibal Corpse, Deicide and Monstrosity. i didn't become a non-conformist for the sake of non-conformity... i just really saw things differently from the general public - and i was able to relate to metal then, and i got along really well with the very few people who listened to it.

although i have to admit, being a 16 year old in the 90's and listening to an album that turned out to be Carcass' Heartwork was such a thrill. we were the only few who knew about it. kinda became a secret code for us kids remembering it was really something since during that time, wed find ourselves listening to metal albums without a band label or tracklist - just an effing blank tape ... and we'd name the songs by imitating the intro riffs.

of course i grew up, and somewhere along the way, music stopped becoming an identity anchor.

it really is hard to explain everything completely over the internet ... and i really do not owe anyone an explanation, i just replied so you would know that i am not of those subculture kids.

i wonder if i got my point across? ... you know, it sucks that the "secret language" you knew before suddenly became a cliche. it doesnt bother me that much, but metal before was a lot more special, compared to what it is now - in my personal experience of course. you guys from the US and Europe might have had a far different experience.

 

[IncX]

Mainstream metal is Cliche. The cookie cutter crap is nothing new to Metal. (reference Hair metal in the 80's or Rap metal in the early 2000's.) There are still alot of good talented genuine metal bands out there, they are just the minority right now.

Rules of ConductLike what?

No chicksDude your going to the wrong metal shows. Hit up a Power Metal or Progressive metal show and watch the chicks come out of the woodwork (especially for a band female fronted - EPICA comes to mind.

There is alot of crap out there. I blame the internet allowing access to even the poopyest bands. Though if used right you can find all kinds of quality metal that would never have seen the light of day. Just takes some work (10 min of searching youtube, myspace or reverbnation)

sad fact is, most local acts are mainstream metal ... and my post was probably in frustration to our dead local scene. if we are talking about metal in general... yes, there's a lot of good stuff out there, but the terrible ones outnumber them.

-*-

oh, rules of conduct... you arent familiar with black metal and its influences? that you have to play and act a certain way to be "kvlt and tro0" ... and theres the other camp where you also have to associate yourselves only with each other less you be labeled a "poser?"

-*-

as for chicks, i am speaking in behalf of my local scene (Philippines, its a 3rd world country and normal music really is in an all time low... so imagine the audience turn out in metal) - it was also supposed to be a joke.

playing shows for chicks really isnt my thing. if i want chicks, i go to a dance club - not strap up my bass and play a gig.

-*-

agree with you in the last bit.

 

[s_mcsleazy]

90% of ALL music sucks, regardless of genre.

Deal with it.

i know what your actually trying to say.

in the 50's there was a famous sci fi writer who was talking about the importance of his genre when someone shouts at him "YOU DO REALISE 90% OF ITS S***" to wich his reply is "well 90% of everything is s***"

now im no expert but i think we need the "90% bands" because it makes the good stuff seem better by comparison. if every band stuck to the presets of the genre and were always amazing then it would just be boring.

lets talk evolution here (i dont mean to offend creationists but im talking from a anthropological view). if nothing evolved then we would still have flippers. music needs to mutate and evolve to survive. if we all tryed to be exact reprisentations of our respective genres without say adding a motown vibe to a punk band then we would be no better than any pop artist in the top 40 at this current moment.

do i like the fact that genres change? not always but sometimes its for the best

plus i stand by my previous post

 

[JetBlackJazz]

as long as there are genres, there will be offplay, cliche, stereotypes, etc. most bands just try to fit a mold of others instead of making their own mold. The most successfully ive ever seen this be done is with prog....Tool...nuff said