2008 Woodie Awards
Rekindling Metallic Love
The Playlist
Stephen Ortiz
Issue date: 4/15/08 Section: Focus
Before we get into this week's column, let it be known that music Web site NME.com has reported that the Guns N' Roses album "Chinese Democracy," which has been long lost in production hell, has been finished. Geffen Records confirmed to NME that they have received a finished copy of the album.
Now, I consider myself a fan of all kinds of music (except country I hate country) from rap to indie, world music to punk and certainly metal. Now unlike Tenacious D, I believe that metal really hasn't survived in today's music scene as much as we all would have hoped. Take a look at Ozzfest over the past few years and the evidence is clear - besides a few standout bands that bring something new to the table, they all sound something like, "Difficult to understand lyric / difficult to understand lyric /death growl / power chord/ power chord."
So for those of you who are tired of generic metal, here are a few subgenres that should rekindle the bond that you once had with the genre. Or it'll just be something funny you can show your friends videos of on YouTube, whichever.
Viking Metal
Vikings are as metal as can be. They sail the seas in search of lands to pillage, burn and destroy, they wear horns on their helmets and they use weapons made of metal to slay the innocent - sounds like the perfect candidates to recruit for a metal band. Take a look at Finnish band, Turisas. They have names like Warlord Nygard, Tude Lehtonen and Hannes Horma. This style of music also emphasizes Norse themes and references to Norse gods. A personal fave of mine is Amon Amarth, which any Tolkein fans out there would know means Mount Doom in Sindarin, a Tolkein elvish language. I highly recommend "Cry Of The Blackbirds" or "Runes To My Memory."
Celtic Metal
Probably the least metal of these subgenres, but certainly metal enough to please, Celtic metal mixes Celtic and metal music into one kickass blend of guitars, Irish flutes and hurdy gurdys. Pioneers of the genre were bands like Waylander and Promordial, but others include Elvenking, and Tuatha de Danann. My favorite has to be Eluveitie from Switzerland, which have produced the must-hear "Inis Mona." While the themes aren't so metal, it certainly sounds it. According to an interview with Skylander singer, Ciaran O'Hagan, Celtic metal is not so popular in its native Ireland, but is definitely catching on in other places of the world.
Pirate Metal
For everyone who feels that "pirate" is the answer to the age-old question of "who is better, pirates or ninjas," this is certainly for you. While this may be the narrowest selection when it comes to metal subgenres, it certainly is my favorite. So much can be done with the pirate theme that hasn't been done before in metal and it's relatively new so the following isn't very large. Much can be sung about wenches, mutiny, treasure and swashbuckling. For instance, the logo for U.K. pirate-metal band Peglegger is a skull and crossbones, but the upper ends of the crossbones are throwing up the horns. Totally metal. The best of this genre has to be the proclaimed "true Scottish pirate metal," Alestorm, with key tracks including "Wenches and Mead" and "Captain Morgan's Revenge."
Contact Stephen Ortiz at Stephen.Ortiz@UConn.edu.
Now, I consider myself a fan of all kinds of music (except country I hate country) from rap to indie, world music to punk and certainly metal. Now unlike Tenacious D, I believe that metal really hasn't survived in today's music scene as much as we all would have hoped. Take a look at Ozzfest over the past few years and the evidence is clear - besides a few standout bands that bring something new to the table, they all sound something like, "Difficult to understand lyric / difficult to understand lyric /death growl / power chord/ power chord."
So for those of you who are tired of generic metal, here are a few subgenres that should rekindle the bond that you once had with the genre. Or it'll just be something funny you can show your friends videos of on YouTube, whichever.
Viking Metal
Vikings are as metal as can be. They sail the seas in search of lands to pillage, burn and destroy, they wear horns on their helmets and they use weapons made of metal to slay the innocent - sounds like the perfect candidates to recruit for a metal band. Take a look at Finnish band, Turisas. They have names like Warlord Nygard, Tude Lehtonen and Hannes Horma. This style of music also emphasizes Norse themes and references to Norse gods. A personal fave of mine is Amon Amarth, which any Tolkein fans out there would know means Mount Doom in Sindarin, a Tolkein elvish language. I highly recommend "Cry Of The Blackbirds" or "Runes To My Memory."
Celtic Metal
Probably the least metal of these subgenres, but certainly metal enough to please, Celtic metal mixes Celtic and metal music into one kickass blend of guitars, Irish flutes and hurdy gurdys. Pioneers of the genre were bands like Waylander and Promordial, but others include Elvenking, and Tuatha de Danann. My favorite has to be Eluveitie from Switzerland, which have produced the must-hear "Inis Mona." While the themes aren't so metal, it certainly sounds it. According to an interview with Skylander singer, Ciaran O'Hagan, Celtic metal is not so popular in its native Ireland, but is definitely catching on in other places of the world.
Pirate Metal
For everyone who feels that "pirate" is the answer to the age-old question of "who is better, pirates or ninjas," this is certainly for you. While this may be the narrowest selection when it comes to metal subgenres, it certainly is my favorite. So much can be done with the pirate theme that hasn't been done before in metal and it's relatively new so the following isn't very large. Much can be sung about wenches, mutiny, treasure and swashbuckling. For instance, the logo for U.K. pirate-metal band Peglegger is a skull and crossbones, but the upper ends of the crossbones are throwing up the horns. Totally metal. The best of this genre has to be the proclaimed "true Scottish pirate metal," Alestorm, with key tracks including "Wenches and Mead" and "Captain Morgan's Revenge."
Contact Stephen Ortiz at Stephen.Ortiz@UConn.edu.
Be the first to comment on this story