Top Five Bands

Status
Not open for further replies.
ok so we've got people arguing over what constitutes metal, ck refusing to acknowledge the human condition, a few narrow-minded characters dismissing entire genres, radiohead on a pedestal, no real sense of where this thread is heading... yeah i'm locking this

im not actually locking it but im just saying
 
I treat my #/10 more like an analysis of how good or bad it is with something like how much I will or will want to listen to it. A 10/10 is a song that is essentially perfect and could not have been created by any other band and has almost no flaws, or at very worst has no major flaws (like one instrument, say drums or bass, that is a lame duck, but not in an intrusive way). A 9/10 is a song that is about as talented, well arranged, or broad and sweeping, just a bit more flawed. An 8/10 is a song that I like and could listen to tons of times, and usually do. A 7/10 is a song that I like that has too many flaws to listen to tons of times. A 6/10 is a 7/10 that does not excite me at all for whatever reason, and also the cutoff for where I stop considering songs below, since everything below is either basically mediocre relative to great music, actually terrible, or only has maybe 1-2 good instruments with something else horrible. For instance, something like a bad 'disco beat' will destroy nearly any song; only the greatest bands could still make good music through that. My biggest emphasis, since music is so hard to accurately judge, is pretty clearly on flaws (though excitement/delight is factored in a bit on all levels above a 6/10).

I really don't much care for a rating system that is based a lot on flaws in the music. I really like music for how much excitement it evokes from me when I listen to it. When I rate songs, it's usually entirely on the basis of how I feel when I listen to it. Anything below like a 4 gets that way because I am listening to it and can't even immerse myself in the beat or the music, because it's really too much. That's why I really can't get into metalcore or black metal, because regardless of how technically precise they may be, the music has no affect on me. Below like a 2/10 rating is because it does have an affect on me, but that affect is nausea. A lot of pop music does that to me, so I stay out.

I think that a lot of that intense metal has so much sound because they are trying to express their rage? (correct me if I'm wrong) but there are other bands that can express their rage without a wall of distortion; Rage Against the Machine is my favorite example. They have all these crazy riffs and stuff, but the singer expresses the rage perfectly by going crazy. Like in Freedom, Bullet in the Head, and Wake Up, there's a section where they just start slow, and crescendo massively while Zach yells a lot. But they don't have to compromise their music by cranking up the distortion to max and using double kick bass pedals every note. They still play with a lot of energy, and that energy gets to me when I'm listening to their music, so I can't just sit around and throw up the horns or something, I feel a physical need to get up and go wild alongside the music. It's like a feeling in my lungs and stomach, and when I get that feeling, that's when I want to rank a song 9/10 or 10/10.

Anyway my favorite bands

Black Sabbath - A lot of you guys like metal, this is where metal really started, unless you want to say that zep and cream and iron butterfly started it, which I don't see (I mean, I like those dudes a lot, but they aren't metal). Black Sabbath came down with some of the greatest music and riffs of all time, and the first time I heard them was when I decided that I wanted to start listening to music. I overplayed the albums I had by them, but they were good enough that I didn't even mind, I would listen to their stuff three times a day and never get tired of it, and I've matured a lot since then, but I still don't tire of Black Sabbath. (take note glen when a band takes hold of you with that much power they don't really let go)

as a matter of fact np black sabbath - into the void YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Rage Against the Machine - really I think I already explained them. Monstrous riffs etc they kick ass

Blues Traveler - Okay this is kind of different from the other two bands but come on Blues Traveler is fantastic. The first live concert I went to was a Blues Traveler concert, and I don't know if that had a huge affect on me or what, but these guys are fantastic with their hard rock sound and long jam sessions. They're pretty great musicians, and they can do some great songs with major keys, minor keys, lyric heavy songs, instrumentals, or my favorite by them "Crash Burn" which has the coolest instrumental section ever (basically trading off between guitar, harmonica, bass, and drum solos).

Metallica - Pretty much everything that happened Kill 'Em All - Black is fantastic metal stuff. I usually try to understand why music makes itself so appealing to me, but I can't figure it out for Metallica. This isn't to say that it's bad, because it's fantastic stuff, but I originally didn't care much for them, but after listening to them for a while, they just grew on me and I found myself even lusting after the filler tracks on Ride the Lightening and Master of Puppets.

Led Zeppelin - Jimmy Page's songwriting is great. I get bored with some music sometimes because a lot of stuff is intro-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus-outro or some variation, but zep did a lot of stuff, especially in their early albums, that didn't conform to that. This isn't to say that they didn't write songs like that (communication breakdown is still good ok) but some of their best songs were stuff like the Lemon Song, Good Times Bad Times, Dazed and Confused, Moby Dick, etc. I think I was stupefied when I first saw a live video of Dazed and Confused, when Page whipped out the violin bow and they played that song for at least 45 minutes.
 
5. Buckethead. Just love his style and ability, also it's inspiring to see someone writing and playing stuff as beautiful as some of the music he comes up with (Soothsayer for example) single-handedly.

4. Dream Theater. I love the calm, Pink Floyd-esque sound they have in their music, combining it really well with heavier stuff and John Petrucci's uber guitar skills.

3. Muse. Pretty random addition amongst all the metal, but I just adore Muse. Almost everything is catchy as hell and Knights of Cydonia is just plain amazing.

2. Metallica. Only band I've ever seen live (Aside from local gigs). Metallica are awesome, although I like them mainly for the calmer stuff they do (Fade to Black and One are my favourite 'Tallica songs) the thrashier stuff is great as well.

1. Iron Maiden. Oh man I could go on for hours about Maiden. Wordlessly amazing band. Steve Harris must have come down from some sort of musical heaven where he's king, or something like that, because how anyone can write the amazing music he does is beyond me. I'm not going to go on about this, I just encourage everyone reading this to listen to Iron Maiden, just do it, please.
 
Such a weak grasp on the present? You may be imputing your own uncertainty onto me or something, since I know exactly how I feel about something or am apathetic toward it for having no bearing or perceived importance to me. You cannot tell someone else what they cannot do just because you are too weak to do it yourself; this is the exact same as when people vehemently declare I am deluded for 'claiming' to not feel guilt, something that I absolutely could never feel. Not all minds are the same; mine thinks fairly linearly, so as applied to music, I can fairly well predict most things, and I can predict how much I will like something indefinitely.

I knew when I was temporarily obsessed with Kansas' best songs that my obsession would fade because the music is a bit too 'raw' and unprofessional - this is why flaws are so useful for me; if a song has no flaw that actively bothers me and also excites me, then I can tell that I will like/love it forever. It may take a month or two for me to get to this point of certainty, since the initial period with any song is typically most exciting for me. The only exception might indeed be songs that are 'subtle' and take more time to figure out - in that case I will only grow to be excited by the song MORE if I already like it, and if I did not like it, then I will probably not give it another chance and catch the subtleties. I am not claiming it is a 100% certainty, but it would certainly be true closer toward 98-99%; the only two songs that have ever been in my top 10% favorites that have significantly fallen out of favor are Warmen - Return of Salieri and Derek Sherinian - Sons of Anu (from like 9/10s to 7/10s), no albums have, and no bands have fallen out of my favor at all.
 
woowww..

First off the double posting. If someone can actually explain to me how it hampers the forum in any way shape or form i will concede defeat. Since i did it about twice i'm curious as to how it offends and brings down the mighty smogon forum. Why would i lurk on my own thread?... In the future sure i'll be more alert and edit but did i really have to have my balls chopped off for it?

Secondly i don't like being labeled as a (BAN ME PLEASE) simply for the music i indulge in. My tastes are varied i'm not just some metal head into hardcore emo. I already mentioned my love for zepplin, jimmy, and muse. All completely different styles.

Whoremopid you talk about Emery's the weak's end like it was old school. It came out in 04. THe question, my favorite emery album, in 05. I'm familiar with walls and ponytail parades, convenient you choose their biggest songs of that album. Like i said i like it all. But it's not necessarily screamo. But keep thinking that i don't actually listen to anything but "(BAN ME PLEASE)" music. Way to stereotype though ya prick.

Shakira can't be allusioned as metal no matter how far you stretch it. I don't know when distorted guitars meant metal.

Adam is probably the only man here against some of my music that is actually polite. He's given good reasons and not chewed my chode in half. In response to him the how do you sleep at night was used in joking terms since i said and then try and sleep at night. It was meant to be ridiculous. Also abr is christian but i hardly hear jesus worship in their albums. I have expanded my metal library. I am a fan of some slayer and black sabbath. I already mentioned how i liked old metallica. I was simply defending metal today that i enjoy. Kill switch and lamb of god are two favorites that everyone can agree on but underoath was in need of some love. But thanks to adam for actually discussing something in reasonable terms.

Capt Kirby can go choke on a cow dick. He's done nothing but be ridiculous the whole time with out coming down from his land of music setting him on fire. I'm sorry you are so narrow kirby and i'm sorry your parents somehow made you hate music. YOu can't guarantee what music is going to evoke in you for the rest of your life. There are too many variables. As for the cheesy comment you took it the wrong way. I was saying you can't dismiss an entire genre simply because it's cheesy. NIce reading though. Also making fun of a phrase (is legit) and labeling it as surfer speak is pretty petty pointless ridiculous. Sipmly for using two words my argument is now null and void? Get a life i live in utah i've never surfed in my life. Keep labeling like little elitists though. Man some people are retarded. gtfo

Dan dan is the man for listing alexisonfire. Another great band. Dallas greens vocals are superb. There's plenty of elitism rolling around as well he was right. Also a couple people listed buckethead. You might be interested in bulb then. He's a solo guy that shreds all the instruments.

Altmer has obviousy never listened to protest, underoath, abr, or any other emo metal if he thinks they don't have meaningful lyrics. I suggest you expose yourself. There's all sorts of religion, mistakes, war, love, death, human thought, and deep meaning throughout it all. I'm curious where the copycatting comes from as well since the bands i listed are all completely different. I'm not saying you'll love the music but claiming that there is no lyrical content worth hearing is just flat out false. Sorry.
 
You people are starting to border on infraction material, especially Son of Disaster's last post, which I won't infract because CK's been provoking him and Glen for ages. Any posts like this, no matter who they come from, will be infracted from now on. This isn't Firebot.

To be more on topic I'll list my own 5, might go into details later

1 - Iron Maiden
2 - Led Zeppelin
3 - Megadeth
4 - The Clash
5 - Liquid Tension Experiment

Music taste is 100% subjective and I don't care if blind guardian put years of work into a single album based on a tolkien/lovecraft crossover, if I don't like the music you're not going to make me like it by listing a bunch of technical details

that being said, haha "jimmy eat world are what punk used to be"
 
hazerider i'm disappointed that you aren't as angry as usual in this post. Your anger is something I've become rather fond of :D.

I love Iron Maiden as well Hazerider, good selection. Bruce Dickenson is a hero.

15 year old boy said:
Whoremopid you talk about Emery's the weak's end like it was old school. It came out in 04. THe question, my favorite emery album, in 05. I'm familiar with walls and ponytail parades, convenient you choose their biggest songs of that album. Like i said i like it all. But it's not necessarily screamo. But keep thinking that i don't actually listen to anything but "(BAN ME PLEASE)" music. Way to stereotype though ya prick.

You realize I had to do virtually nothing to get exactly the response I wanted? I chose those songs cause they are the easiest to find on youtube or whatever. It IS screamo. It was out before your hawthorne heights, your dashboard confessionals, your typical emo/screamo bands of the day. I know it's all symmantics, but honestly you have to see the difference between old emery and what is out there now, even though they are essentially the same damn genre.

I just applied a label of (BAN ME PLEASE) as a generic negative in this case, I could have just as easily called it woman music or idiot music or whatever. As a general rule that genre is actually substanceless cookie cutter crap, each band sounds very similar since it's so formulaic. It's good the first few times, but when you're bordering on like 100 bands from just Florida that sound the same, surely the stereotype starts making sense. Stereotypes exist for a reason; because they are prevalent and rather obvious observations. So to call that cookie cutter music a generically negative term is entirely appropriate from my perspective.

Dan dan is the man for listing alexisonfire. Another great band.

What was that about making stereotypes based on musical preference? So he's awesome cause he listens to something you deem worth listening to. That is some mighty deep criteria and I must say pretty rich coming from someone who just berated me for stereotyping you negatively for listening to a type of music. Way to say stereotyping is bad and then do some yourself, that is textbook hypocrisy.


Here's another hot tip for you: Don't insult people directly outside of firebot, ever. You'll get infracted rather quickly, you are lucky you didn't get a big juicy infraction for that post of yours. Do yourself a favor and check out the rules and do some lurking; also, don't be so easy to troll. I didn't even have to try to get a fantastic reaction out of you.
 
obviousy never listened to protest ... ... or any other emo metal

Just 'cause emo kids listen to them it does NOT make it emo. They aren't emo in the least, they're fuckin' mathcore dude. Some like to call them metalcore, but metalcore =/= emo.

But alright, I'm done.

After looking through this thread I keep looking at some of these artists going 'Fuck, how did I forget about that?' Good too see some Maiden love. Steve Harris is one of the greatest bass players ever, in my opinion. Plus he's such a good song writer. I was also kicking myself for not including stuff like The Pixies, The Stone Roses, Rage Against the Machine and My Morning Jacket as I put my iTunes on shuffle this morning and they came on. Why was this only 5 songs :(.
 
Iron Maidens original drummer had MS, just throwin that out there, it is pretty impressive that he would be able to do so well for so long with an aggressive and degenerative neurological condition.
 
5. Iron Maiden/Megadeth. I'm sorry. I know someone will pick on the fact that I have 6 bands but I really honestly can't pick. Megadeth has that rough, aggressive tone made by both the awesome drums and Mustaine's unique voice, while Maiden are the definite kings of heavy metal, any way you put it. Paschendale still gives me chills.
4. Porcupine Tree. These guys are too diverse - I've fallen in love with them recently, and they explore so many different edges it's hard not to like them. However, my personal favorite is Fear of a Blank Planet - never before has an album critiqued modern society in such a beautiful way and sounded so good doing it.
3. Tool. Killer drums, fantastic, thought provoking lyrics, and one hell of a singer.
2. Machinae Supremacy. Fucking insane guitar, videogame sounds... it's as if Dragonforce had become a thousand times better and got a different name! *gasp* Enjoyably cheesy as hell sometimes.
1. Pain of Salvation. Beautiful songwriting coupled with some shining guitar gems and lovable themes.
 
In no real order

the Beatles
Led Zeppelin
Pink Floyd
REM
the Rolling Stones

really the last slot is a tossup between the said and the Beach Boys, Black Sabbath, the Experience, the Velvet Underground, and the Who.
 
how about stop double posting and make posts with content other than that? thanks.

Underoath only got popular because they hit the screamo/(BAN ME PLEASE) genre right at it's peak (aka when it was about to have its baby with pop punk and make a hideous monster). Try some old old school Emery if you want REAL man's screamo.

Nigga please. If you want REAL screamo go listen to Cursive's early shit. "After the Movies." Do it.

I hadn't been insulting anyone or telling them their music was terrible. Except bright eyes. Which should explain itself.

Really? This is music elitism at its worst. I know I've been accused of it in the past but I got over myself a long time ago. I suggest you do the same.

First off the double posting. If someone can actually explain to me how it hampers the forum in any way shape or form i will concede defeat. Since i did it about twice i'm curious as to how it offends and brings down the mighty smogon forum. Why would i lurk on my own thread?... In the future sure i'll be more alert and edit but did i really have to have my balls chopped off for it?

No one chopped your balls off; they told you not to do it and you complained. To answer your question: double-posting does nothing but boost your postcount. There's no reason you need to post twice in a row, the function to edit your post is available. Use it. And no one told you to lurk in your own thread, stop acting the fucking poor victim.

Whoremopid you talk about Emery's the weak's end like it was old school. It came out in 04. THe question, my favorite emery album, in 05. I'm familiar with walls and ponytail parades, convenient you choose their biggest songs of that album. Like i said i like it all. But it's not necessarily screamo. But keep thinking that i don't actually listen to anything but "(BAN ME PLEASE)" music. Way to stereotype though ya prick.
Simmer the fuck down. He was just expressing his own opinion on the music you listen to. Remember, like you wanted people to do?

Shakira can't be allusioned as metal no matter how far you stretch it. I don't know when distorted guitars meant metal.
1. Allusioned is not a word. You cannot "allusion" something, though you can allude to something. But even that would be a gross misuse of the word.
2. You just basically agreed with him: he was trying to point out that labeling certain music under certain genres has become a fool's errand, as everyone has their own definitions of said genres.

Capt Kirby can go choke on a cow dick.
Seriously Hazeybabes? No infraction? That's pretty pathetic.

He's done nothing but be ridiculous the whole time with out coming down from his land of music setting him on fire. I'm sorry you are so narrow kirby and i'm sorry your parents somehow made you hate music. YOu can't guarantee what music is going to evoke in you for the rest of your life. There are too many variables. As for the cheesy comment you took it the wrong way. I was saying you can't dismiss an entire genre simply because it's cheesy. NIce reading though. Also making fun of a phrase (is legit) and labeling it as surfer speak is pretty petty pointless ridiculous. Sipmly for using two words my argument is now null and void? Get a life i live in utah i've never surfed in my life. Keep labeling like little elitists though. Man some people are retarded. gtfo
You have a lot to learn about CK.

Dan dan is the man for listing alexisonfire. Another great band. Dallas greens vocals are superb. There's plenty of elitism rolling around as well he was right.
Oh god, the hypocrisy is so thick it could be cut with a knife.

Altmer has obviousy never listened to protest, underoath, abr, or any other emo metal if he thinks they don't have meaningful lyrics. I suggest you expose yourself. There's all sorts of religion, mistakes, war, love, death, human thought, and deep meaning throughout it all. I'm curious where the copycatting comes from as well since the bands i listed are all completely different. I'm not saying you'll love the music but claiming that there is no lyrical content worth hearing is just flat out false. Sorry.
You have a lot to learn about Altmer.

Seriously... you're new to this community and you're going to get up on your high horse and tell a metal aficionado like Altmer what he knows and doesn't know about the music he loves? Get bent.
 
DM, Mormoopid actually did tell Son of a Disaster to lurk.

Ritsi Time (if you see this), what Focus songs would you recommend besides Anonymous Two? I was able to become completely obsessed with that song, but on a couple listen throughs, nothing else really grabbed my attention.
 
You are the one who is the nigga Emery sounds ALOT like that link you provided. Also here too.

Dude, really? I don't think so at ALL. I kinda dig Emery, but that doesn't stop them from sounding like many other emo bands to my ears. They drop their guitar tuning, they employ the basic metal-inspired palm mute licks, they go from scream/metal to harmonies/undistorted, etc. Besides, the point I was more trying to make is that while Emery could be considered screamo by some, Cursive is a godfather of screamo and should be listened to to hear the roots of the genre.

DM, Mormoopid actually did tell Son of a Disaster to lurk.

"Lurk more" isn't a specific saying, it's more akin to "learn the fucking lay of the land."
 
How is it not a specific statement? In this case, it certainly was - one user, Mormoopid, told Son of Disaster to lurk more. I am not saying this to condemn nor defend him, but it does take away one point of your evidence.
 
Pink Floyd
Gnarls Barkley
Rhapsody (aka Rhapsody of Fire*)
ZZ Top
Creedence Clearwater Revival

In order I guess. It's hard for me to place anything other than Floyd. About four or five years ago The Deftones and System of a Down were #1 and #2 respectively, with Floyd floating around 3 or 4. Nowadays I hardly listen to either of them...

*CK don't bite my head off for mentioning that name
 
It is not that I am angry at people for using the name...the band heartily encouraged people to go along with the name change (though who knows how much of that is to avoid legal troubles). It is just one of the few things that makes me truly angry at the world in general - a lawyer can force a band that has been around for several years longer than the software suing them to change their name because the shitty software is endorsed by a shitty company who got popular from a terribly ineffectual format/player that is hard to even play in other players...ughhhhhh. That is why I am personally never going to call them anything but Rhapsody.

For fuck's sake, what about a mildly popular band threatens a software program anyway, even had Rhapsody the band not existed first as they did?
 
5. Bones Brigade
really the first hardcore band I got into, love the singing

4. Kids like us
a more recent love, great songs, fucking chill (in a screaming way)

3. Whiz Kidz
Never fail to put a smile one my face (don't just stand there pick up change)

2. Bright Eyes
I know some people don't like his voice, but I can't get enough of it, beautiful

1. Propaghandi
I actually didn't like them as much as the others until just recently, their new album is killer
 
Altmer has obviousy never listened to protest, underoath, abr, or any other emo metal if he thinks they don't have meaningful lyrics. I suggest you expose yourself. There's all sorts of religion, mistakes, war, love, death, human thought, and deep meaning throughout it all. I'm curious where the copycatting comes from as well since the bands i listed are all completely different. I'm not saying you'll love the music but claiming that there is no lyrical content worth hearing is just flat out false. Sorry.

Whaaaat? I love Fortress. It's fucken brilliant. (Not heard Kezia). The emo lyrics with slit wrist type of stuff is not something I consider deep. I may be different from you, but using fractal themes as a basis for a concept album about the nature of religion (and showing its cyclical nature, as well as commenting on the use of money, the issues of love, voice messages to God, etc) are things I consider much deeper. That is why I personally take Pain of Salvation, lyrically, over emo-metal bands. Their message to me is worth listening to. Protest the Hero have some pretty good lyrics, but they also claim influence from Dream Theater and Symphony X (two of my favourite bands!) and I can hear there's something else in there.

I don't need any 20 year old's tribulations on love and hell, because they are probably a) expressed better by others and have been expressed before and b) the odds of them doing it in a non-shallow and original way are rare. I have listened to a few of these bands that are emo-metal type of things (I am actually going to see Emery live), I like Funeral for a Friend, I like Protest the Hero, but all of them for the reason that they're doing something unique with the style. Generic versions of this (like DM mentioned) do absolutely nothing for me. In fact, since boring music really triggers my annoyance with screamed vocals, it'll just piss me off.

I've been into metal since I was 15 or 16 (not so much then as now, as these days I go see a lot of live gigs, talk to loads of people within the scene, get sent records from labels, review stuff etcetera) and trust me, I have a basic understanding of what metal is. I was brought up on more old-school shit, the Iron Maidens if you will, that's what I started out with, and branched from there. This modern metal, if it's not unique (and this also goes for all the power metal bands who want to be Maiden and Dio) don't do anything for me. They never have, they never will. I value originality and honesty in music as I value it in people. If I cannot see this honesty, I will immediately dismiss it as non-genuine and therefore inferior.

I've heard like two Underoath songs admittedly (and didn't like the vocals, go figure) and haven't heard anything they put out that sounds like something I would enjoy. In come the titles and lyrics (whenever comprehensible), and for some of these bands, the too-obviously-religious aspect (I hate bands that do that and sound preachy, unless they're Relient K and have a sense of irony). That turns me right off. I'm picky about my music.

And please, please, please don't tell me that metalcore, or screamo, is metal. It's offshoots of punk with some vague palm-muted metal influences. It's got absolutely nothing to do with the metal scene entirely. If you want metal, as I suggested, go back to Sabbath and Maiden, and work from there. Metallica and Slayer you mentioned, I like some albums by both bands but they too are pretty pedestrian metal (though Slayer influenced two entire genres, that is pretty cool). They are just everyman's metal; the metal you come up with on guitar hero. I bet you've never listened to Wolves in the Throne Room; Coroner; Celtic Frost; Firewind; Cryptopsy; Kamelot; so on and so forth. If you want to know metal, it's more than just Slayer's thrashing in low E and a few string picks and tremolo riffs. It's a whole attitude, it's a whole scene, it's a completely different way of life. I see people at gigs that went to see Carcass when kids like us were still wetting the bed. You are lucky I am a youngster and grew up on other things besides the old metal and even have an idea what you are talking about. A bit more respect for what metal actually is and what the roots of metal are would be appreciated a LOT.

By no means do I not like non-metal music (fuck me, I love Brand New and Thursday and Neutral Milk Hotel and dredg and Porky Tree and Pink Floyd and Tori Amos and Radiohead and all those bands), but for someone who goes to see a metal gig every other week, well, telling him what metal is; that's rich.
 
i'm going to take this to the 2009 release thread, but i just wanted to say: EVERYONE WHO LIKES METAL OR WANTS TO LIKE METAL NEEDS TO HEAR WOLVES IN THE FUCKING THRONE ROOM.

that is all.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top