To stray away from metal for a second, in a moment of sheer of coordination and grace, I may have tripped and landed on my elbow which damaged my shoulder so that doing anything with that arm hurts. I also may have written this column dosed up on painkillers, so I take no responsibility for how much sense it makes...
This week I’m going to look at a genre of metal close to my heart. Symphonic metal is probably my favourite metal genre out there, so I’m going to try and tell you what it’s all about whilst trying to not sound like a squealing fangirl.
Symphonic metal is a type of metal that whilst still having the traditional elements of metal music also has elements generally associated with classical music, such as orchestras or classical vocals. Symphonic metal is primarily derived from power metal and gothic metal but steps up the use of synthesisers and tends to have different lyrical subject matter. Symphonic metal bands also tend to have female singers. In the early years these tended to be classically trained singers who would sing using their head voice (as an opera singer would), but more recently has seen a trend towards a more ‘normal’ singing voice. However both female and male singers of symphonic metal bands tend to have strong, powerful voices that are needed to be able to cope with the bombastic nature of the music.
The origins of Smyphonic metal can be traced back to early gothic and death metal bands that utilised symphonic elements in their music. The most notable of these bands was Therion, who over time grew further and further from their death metal roots. Therion were also the first band to have symphonic elements as a central part in their music and were also the first band to feature a full live orchestra.
Following on from Therion were Within Temptation and Nightwish. Within Temptation were influenced by Therions style and gothic metal bands, but also drew heavily on nature for their inspiration. Within Temptation also used harsh male vocals in their earlier years, but scaled them back considerably. Nightwish went down a slightly different track, having a much more power metal base for their music, using synthesisers heavily and a trained classical singer.
The early 2000s saw a surge in both the number of symphonic metal bands as well as popularity. Spearheaded by Nightwish, many bands released popular and successful albums. The early 2000s also saw a trend of newer and established bands drawing a stronger influence from power metal, both in the music and the fantasy based lyrics.
Symphonic metal has a stronghold in Europe with both a majority of the bands and the fans being based there. European Symphonic metal bands have found it easier to gain access to quality orchestras (Nightwish has used the same orchestra as was used on the Lord of the Rings films) as the popularity of metal in many countries means that these bands simply make more money than their counterparts from other parts of the world.
10/20/2009
Issue 22 2009
Seeing as this week’s issued is New Zealand themed I thought I would take the opportunity to look at the New Zealand metal and hard rock scene. It would be hard to fit an overview of every New Zealand metal or hard rock band into 500 words, so I decided to just profile a few of the lesser known bands(namely the ones who replied to me in time).
First up is Soulseller, whose bass player took 3 months to send me their EP. Soulseller are a band who were not metal enough to be in the Metal Archives, but are still a damn good listen. The boys from Dunedin will be up in Auckland on December 11th with The House of Capricorn, Second Gear Grind, Arc of Ascent and Dying of the Light for Stonerfest 2009, but in the meantime you can listen to some of their stuff at www.myspace.com/soulsellersouths.
Tranquil Vale are a band that is only starting out, but are already showing a lot of promise. Currently made up of Gabe (guitar/composer) and Sarah (vocals), their music can currently be described as symphonic metal with the obvious influence of Nightwish with some progressive elements. Check out some of their music at www.myspace.com/tranquilvale. They’re also currently on the lookout for additional members, so if you’re interested drop them a line.
Finally are black metal band Winter Deluge. Formed in 2005, the band describes their music as being influenced by the old ways of pagan tradition and the strong forces of nature. Their sound is very atmospheric and melodic but highly violent and fast at the same time. Having already released their EP "Vehement Visions of Nihilism" the band is currently working towards their debut full length album. Check out their MySpace at www.myspace.com/winterdeluge.
Other bands with a deserving mention are Osmium (myspace.com/osmiumband) and Creeping (myspace.com/creepingcrew). These are only a fraction of the bands that exist in the New Zealand hard rock and metal scene, many deserving of more recognition than they get. Earlier in the year I looked at NZ Music Month and how it doesn’t really help those who need it the most, and these bands definitely deserve the help. If you can make it to one of their shows or purchase an EP or album you can get a good dose of good Kiwi music for alot less than what you’d pay for one of a band supported by NZ Music Month. With your help the New Zealand metal and hard rock scene can continue to grow and maybe one day be acknowledged by the bureaucrats.
First up is Soulseller, whose bass player took 3 months to send me their EP. Soulseller are a band who were not metal enough to be in the Metal Archives, but are still a damn good listen. The boys from Dunedin will be up in Auckland on December 11th with The House of Capricorn, Second Gear Grind, Arc of Ascent and Dying of the Light for Stonerfest 2009, but in the meantime you can listen to some of their stuff at www.myspace.com/soulsellersouths.
Tranquil Vale are a band that is only starting out, but are already showing a lot of promise. Currently made up of Gabe (guitar/composer) and Sarah (vocals), their music can currently be described as symphonic metal with the obvious influence of Nightwish with some progressive elements. Check out some of their music at www.myspace.com/tranquilvale. They’re also currently on the lookout for additional members, so if you’re interested drop them a line.
Finally are black metal band Winter Deluge. Formed in 2005, the band describes their music as being influenced by the old ways of pagan tradition and the strong forces of nature. Their sound is very atmospheric and melodic but highly violent and fast at the same time. Having already released their EP "Vehement Visions of Nihilism" the band is currently working towards their debut full length album. Check out their MySpace at www.myspace.com/winterdeluge.
Other bands with a deserving mention are Osmium (myspace.com/osmiumband) and Creeping (myspace.com/creepingcrew). These are only a fraction of the bands that exist in the New Zealand hard rock and metal scene, many deserving of more recognition than they get. Earlier in the year I looked at NZ Music Month and how it doesn’t really help those who need it the most, and these bands definitely deserve the help. If you can make it to one of their shows or purchase an EP or album you can get a good dose of good Kiwi music for alot less than what you’d pay for one of a band supported by NZ Music Month. With your help the New Zealand metal and hard rock scene can continue to grow and maybe one day be acknowledged by the bureaucrats.
Issue 21 2009
For the first issue back after the holidays I’ve decided to delve into another metal genre I enjoy. Earlier in the year I looked at Black metal, so this week I’m going to look at another Northern European dominated sub-genre, Melodic Death Metal.
While at first this sub-genre sounds like an oxymoron, it actually makes these two seemingly opposites work quite well. What Melodic Death Metal does is take the melody of the New Wave of British Heavy metal and combine it with the intensity of death metal. Think Iron Maiden meets Death (the band). The style has evolved over time; originally it took the harmonies from NWOBH and combined them with the vocals and subject matter of death metal. Now, with new influences and new bands different element have been added to the genre, the most notable of these being the keyboard. It has also seen the vocals become more comprehensible, and the subject matter become broader.
The early 90s saw the beginnings of the genre in albums by Carcass and Amorphis, but it never really emerged as a sub-genre on its own until three hugely influential bands from Sweden started releasing albums. In the earlier years At the Gates, In Flames and Dark Tranquillity were very closely intertwined, which gave the starting genre a chance with members carrying traits from one band to another. All three of these bands also come from Gothenburg in Sweden, which has lead to Melodic Death Metal also being call ‘Gothenburg metal’.
Even today many of the top Melodic death bands come from Gothenburg; however it is also prominent over the border in Finland and is spreading across the rest of Northern Europe. This also goes for the popularity of the genre, with it having mainstream success in countries like Sweden and Finland. Melodic Death Metal has also found a following in America in recent years, spawning bands with a similar sound (though in my opinion, not as good). Although most of the American bands have the disadvantage of being less than 10 years old, whereas many of the European acts are coming up on their 20th anniversary and have a vast back catalogue.
If you’re interested in seeing what Melodic Death metal offers, I must of course recommend you check out stuff from Dark Tranquillity, At the Gates and earlier albums from in Flames. Other bands include Arch Enemy (who are here in November), Soilwork and Amon Amarth, who are a Viking themed band.
While at first this sub-genre sounds like an oxymoron, it actually makes these two seemingly opposites work quite well. What Melodic Death Metal does is take the melody of the New Wave of British Heavy metal and combine it with the intensity of death metal. Think Iron Maiden meets Death (the band). The style has evolved over time; originally it took the harmonies from NWOBH and combined them with the vocals and subject matter of death metal. Now, with new influences and new bands different element have been added to the genre, the most notable of these being the keyboard. It has also seen the vocals become more comprehensible, and the subject matter become broader.
The early 90s saw the beginnings of the genre in albums by Carcass and Amorphis, but it never really emerged as a sub-genre on its own until three hugely influential bands from Sweden started releasing albums. In the earlier years At the Gates, In Flames and Dark Tranquillity were very closely intertwined, which gave the starting genre a chance with members carrying traits from one band to another. All three of these bands also come from Gothenburg in Sweden, which has lead to Melodic Death Metal also being call ‘Gothenburg metal’.
Even today many of the top Melodic death bands come from Gothenburg; however it is also prominent over the border in Finland and is spreading across the rest of Northern Europe. This also goes for the popularity of the genre, with it having mainstream success in countries like Sweden and Finland. Melodic Death Metal has also found a following in America in recent years, spawning bands with a similar sound (though in my opinion, not as good). Although most of the American bands have the disadvantage of being less than 10 years old, whereas many of the European acts are coming up on their 20th anniversary and have a vast back catalogue.
If you’re interested in seeing what Melodic Death metal offers, I must of course recommend you check out stuff from Dark Tranquillity, At the Gates and earlier albums from in Flames. Other bands include Arch Enemy (who are here in November), Soilwork and Amon Amarth, who are a Viking themed band.
Issue 18 2009
I was browsing through Borders bookstore the other day when I saw a book entitles “Bang your head” which had a very ‘metal’ looking cover. Now normally I just bypass metal books, I’ve found few have contained anything of interest to me, but this one made me take a closer look. Not because it actually looked interesting, but because of the tag line accompanying it, “The rise and fall of heavy metal”. Fall of heavy metal you say? How come I haven’t heard of this?
After doing some research on the interwebs I learned that this book mostly focuses on the LA scene in the 80’s which eventually got taken over by the grunge movement of the 90’s. But to say that constitutes a fall is a rather gross exaggeration. More like returned to its original state of bubbling just below widespread mainstream popularity. In fact many people would consider the demise of 80s metal as a good thing for metal as whole, bands such as Twisted Sister and Motley Crue didn’t really give metal a good name.
But seeing as this author seemed convinced that metal was dead, I thought I’d use this opportunity to show how popular metal was after the ‘fall’, and how popular it still is today.
I’m going to start out with the obvious and point out the 80s bands such as Twisted Sister and Motley Crue are still around touring and recording albums. Perhaps they’re zombies in disguise?
Going on into the 90s, only a mere few years after this supposed fall we have the likes of Panteras' ‘Far Beyond Driven’ getting to number one in the US and Australian music charts, as well as three of Sepulturas' albums selling over one million copies. The 1990s also saw the start of Wacken Open Air, which by 1998 featured over 70 bands in its line up.
Moving onto the early part of our current decade, we can see the European bands that formed in the mid-90s are starting to gain popularity. Melodic death metal form Sweden was running rampant across Europe and starting to heavily influence American bands. In the year 2000 Children of Bodom released the single ‘Hate Me’, which subsequently topped the Finnish charts and went on to be certified platinum. Staying in Finland, Nightwish released their biggest album ‘Once’ in 2004. This album, along with its pre-ceding single went on to dominate music charts across mainland Europe. It even managed to top the European chart. So for a few weeks in June 2004, a metal band was the highest selling artist in all of Europe.
Currently metal is experiencing a level of mainstream popularity it hasn’t seen in a long time. Unfortunately New Zealands music scene is mostly influenced by America, where metal isn’t a mainstream genre, but in Europe metal seems to be almost common place.
The numbers I got for this article I pulled off Wikipedia in 10 minutes. Maybe someone should introduce the author of ‘Bang Your Head’ to this wonderful creation, just so he knows metal hasn’t fallen, but that you just have to look a little below the surface to find it.
After doing some research on the interwebs I learned that this book mostly focuses on the LA scene in the 80’s which eventually got taken over by the grunge movement of the 90’s. But to say that constitutes a fall is a rather gross exaggeration. More like returned to its original state of bubbling just below widespread mainstream popularity. In fact many people would consider the demise of 80s metal as a good thing for metal as whole, bands such as Twisted Sister and Motley Crue didn’t really give metal a good name.
But seeing as this author seemed convinced that metal was dead, I thought I’d use this opportunity to show how popular metal was after the ‘fall’, and how popular it still is today.
I’m going to start out with the obvious and point out the 80s bands such as Twisted Sister and Motley Crue are still around touring and recording albums. Perhaps they’re zombies in disguise?
Going on into the 90s, only a mere few years after this supposed fall we have the likes of Panteras' ‘Far Beyond Driven’ getting to number one in the US and Australian music charts, as well as three of Sepulturas' albums selling over one million copies. The 1990s also saw the start of Wacken Open Air, which by 1998 featured over 70 bands in its line up.
Moving onto the early part of our current decade, we can see the European bands that formed in the mid-90s are starting to gain popularity. Melodic death metal form Sweden was running rampant across Europe and starting to heavily influence American bands. In the year 2000 Children of Bodom released the single ‘Hate Me’, which subsequently topped the Finnish charts and went on to be certified platinum. Staying in Finland, Nightwish released their biggest album ‘Once’ in 2004. This album, along with its pre-ceding single went on to dominate music charts across mainland Europe. It even managed to top the European chart. So for a few weeks in June 2004, a metal band was the highest selling artist in all of Europe.
Currently metal is experiencing a level of mainstream popularity it hasn’t seen in a long time. Unfortunately New Zealands music scene is mostly influenced by America, where metal isn’t a mainstream genre, but in Europe metal seems to be almost common place.
The numbers I got for this article I pulled off Wikipedia in 10 minutes. Maybe someone should introduce the author of ‘Bang Your Head’ to this wonderful creation, just so he knows metal hasn’t fallen, but that you just have to look a little below the surface to find it.
8/12/2009
Issue 17 2009
Metal just isn’t type of music, it has a whole culture all of its own. This includes a way of dressing, a way of acting and even a way of speaking. Metal boasts a set of slang that is used regularly throughout the community that are far less common in other parts of society. This week I thought I’d give you a little run down on some commonly used words and how you would use them.
Epic – Ever wanted to describe how amazingly awesome something was but just couldn’t find the right word? The epic is the word for you. Just think of it as awesome x 1000 and then throw in some ‘metalness’ for good measure. Epic fits into the same category as words such as ‘cool’ or ‘sweet’, except it gives a much more intense, grander meaning to what you’re saying. It also carries a lot of respect when used to describe something. For example to describe the Nightwish song ‘The Poet and the Pendulum’ the phrase “That song is fucking epic” is commonly used for there is no other way to describe it succinctly.
Metal – Commonly used in the phrase “That’s so fucking Metal”, it carries a similar implication as Epic, except instead of suggesting grandeur and greatness ‘metal’ suggests that something is, well, metal. The term normally suggests that something (be it an act, a song, an image etc.) is so quintessentially metal that it deserves recognition as such. To be described as “fucking metal” is considered a high compliment.
Brutal – Essentially Brutal is used to describe how physical something was. The intent can be increased when put in the phrase “That’s fucking brutal”. In metal culture there is a lot of respect for the physical aspect of life (Respect, not condone) one only needs to go to a show to find this out. Thus the community needed some way to adequately express this appreciation and the term Brutal was coined.
Swearing like a sailor – So this isn’t really a slang word, more a linguistic tendency. Metal fans tend to swear. A lot. I often get a look of “That did not just come out of your mouth young lady!” or “She seemed like such a nice girl...”, at least that’s what they’re saying in my head. But when you think about it, you would expect something as intense a metal to use the more intense side of the vocabulary. It also reinforces the rebellious side that all metal heads have. As you may have been able to see, a favourite is of course ‘fuck’. As well as its traditional sense, in a metal community it can be added before words such as metal, epic and brutal to increase the strength of what you’re saying. For example saying something is “Fucking Epic” means that it is even more epic than can be put into words.
I hope this short course into the world of metal slang has helped you to understand the metal culture, and don’t be afraid to incorporate some of these words into your own everyday vocabulary. It would be fucking epic!
Epic – Ever wanted to describe how amazingly awesome something was but just couldn’t find the right word? The epic is the word for you. Just think of it as awesome x 1000 and then throw in some ‘metalness’ for good measure. Epic fits into the same category as words such as ‘cool’ or ‘sweet’, except it gives a much more intense, grander meaning to what you’re saying. It also carries a lot of respect when used to describe something. For example to describe the Nightwish song ‘The Poet and the Pendulum’ the phrase “That song is fucking epic” is commonly used for there is no other way to describe it succinctly.
Metal – Commonly used in the phrase “That’s so fucking Metal”, it carries a similar implication as Epic, except instead of suggesting grandeur and greatness ‘metal’ suggests that something is, well, metal. The term normally suggests that something (be it an act, a song, an image etc.) is so quintessentially metal that it deserves recognition as such. To be described as “fucking metal” is considered a high compliment.
Brutal – Essentially Brutal is used to describe how physical something was. The intent can be increased when put in the phrase “That’s fucking brutal”. In metal culture there is a lot of respect for the physical aspect of life (Respect, not condone) one only needs to go to a show to find this out. Thus the community needed some way to adequately express this appreciation and the term Brutal was coined.
Swearing like a sailor – So this isn’t really a slang word, more a linguistic tendency. Metal fans tend to swear. A lot. I often get a look of “That did not just come out of your mouth young lady!” or “She seemed like such a nice girl...”, at least that’s what they’re saying in my head. But when you think about it, you would expect something as intense a metal to use the more intense side of the vocabulary. It also reinforces the rebellious side that all metal heads have. As you may have been able to see, a favourite is of course ‘fuck’. As well as its traditional sense, in a metal community it can be added before words such as metal, epic and brutal to increase the strength of what you’re saying. For example saying something is “Fucking Epic” means that it is even more epic than can be put into words.
I hope this short course into the world of metal slang has helped you to understand the metal culture, and don’t be afraid to incorporate some of these words into your own everyday vocabulary. It would be fucking epic!
7/27/2009
Issue 15 2009
“Metal connects with people regardless of their cultural, political or religious backgrounds, creating a new outlet they can’t find in their traditional cultures, a voice to express their discontent with the chaos and uncertainty that surrounds them in their rapidly changing societies. Metal is freedom.”
On the surface it would appear that the metal scene is dominated by Europe and America, but metal is very diverse and has infiltrated all corners of the globe. From Asia to the Middle East to South America, metal is everywhere.
Let’s start by looking at somewhere like Japan. For someone not familiar with modern Japanese culture you might think metal and Japan is a strange mix, but you would be very wrong. In the metal world the Japanese are known as being some of the most insane fans around, just picture business men in suits throwing their briefcases in the air and head banging like crazy and you’ll get the idea. If you want to film a live DVD or record a live CD, Japan is the place to do it.
The only place where the passion of the fans rival that of Japan is South America. In Brazil, heavy metal is associated with the arrival of democracy, as after the fall of the dictatorship in 1985, Brazil hosted the biggest rock festival in the world, Rock in Rio. Over the 10 days of the festival over 1.4 million people attended. In Brazil there is also an entire shopping mall dedicated to everything to do with metal. Many musicians use the saying, “The further South you get, the crazier the fans are”, with some fans in South America showing not only the good side of passion but also the bad. Bands have found themselves followed every second of the day by adoring fans, and Nightwish main man Tuomas Holopainen and new singer Anette Olzon received death threats from fans in Argentina angry at the firing of their last singer. Needless to say, tight security at all times is a must.
Finally I’m going to look at the Middle East, one of the last places you would expect to find a metal following. The more relaxed areas of the United Arab Emirates has become a haven for metal fans from across the area, migrating to Dubai once a year for Desert Rock, the only metal festival in the Middle East. There you can find fans from places such as Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, where simply listening to metal music, having long hair or wearing a band t-shirt could result in you being thrown in jail.
Metal is undoubtedly a unifier. Whether you’re from China, Brazil, Israel or Germany you instantly have something that connects you with millions of people worldwide who don’t care about you’re culture or religion, so long as you like metal.
The quote at the beginning was from Sam Dunn, summing up his film ‘Global Metal’. If you’re a fan and haven’t already, I highly suggest you check it out, as well as its predecessor ‘Metal: A Headbangers Journey’. Even if you’re not a fan of metal they’re worth a look.
On the surface it would appear that the metal scene is dominated by Europe and America, but metal is very diverse and has infiltrated all corners of the globe. From Asia to the Middle East to South America, metal is everywhere.
Let’s start by looking at somewhere like Japan. For someone not familiar with modern Japanese culture you might think metal and Japan is a strange mix, but you would be very wrong. In the metal world the Japanese are known as being some of the most insane fans around, just picture business men in suits throwing their briefcases in the air and head banging like crazy and you’ll get the idea. If you want to film a live DVD or record a live CD, Japan is the place to do it.
The only place where the passion of the fans rival that of Japan is South America. In Brazil, heavy metal is associated with the arrival of democracy, as after the fall of the dictatorship in 1985, Brazil hosted the biggest rock festival in the world, Rock in Rio. Over the 10 days of the festival over 1.4 million people attended. In Brazil there is also an entire shopping mall dedicated to everything to do with metal. Many musicians use the saying, “The further South you get, the crazier the fans are”, with some fans in South America showing not only the good side of passion but also the bad. Bands have found themselves followed every second of the day by adoring fans, and Nightwish main man Tuomas Holopainen and new singer Anette Olzon received death threats from fans in Argentina angry at the firing of their last singer. Needless to say, tight security at all times is a must.
Finally I’m going to look at the Middle East, one of the last places you would expect to find a metal following. The more relaxed areas of the United Arab Emirates has become a haven for metal fans from across the area, migrating to Dubai once a year for Desert Rock, the only metal festival in the Middle East. There you can find fans from places such as Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, where simply listening to metal music, having long hair or wearing a band t-shirt could result in you being thrown in jail.
Metal is undoubtedly a unifier. Whether you’re from China, Brazil, Israel or Germany you instantly have something that connects you with millions of people worldwide who don’t care about you’re culture or religion, so long as you like metal.
The quote at the beginning was from Sam Dunn, summing up his film ‘Global Metal’. If you’re a fan and haven’t already, I highly suggest you check it out, as well as its predecessor ‘Metal: A Headbangers Journey’. Even if you’re not a fan of metal they’re worth a look.
7/20/2009
Issue 14 2009
Some of you might be aware that over the break there were some great concerts announced. The original poster boy for controversy, Alice Cooper is back in NZ playing at the ASB Theatre on September the 4th, and if you have the money you should definitely go. I got to see him live last year and Cooper definitely knows how to put on a live show, displaying every bit of his 30 plus years experience. You will not be disappointed.
I’m still uncertain if I will be attending the Alice Cooper concert, but one I will definitely be going to is Arch Enemy on November 10. Playing in NZ for the first time Arch Enemy is a band to skip exam revision for.
For those unfamiliar with Arch Enemy and the type of music they play, here’s a little run down. Arch Enemy formed in 1996 in Gothenburg, Sweden and play a type of metal referred to as ‘Melodic Death Metal’ or ‘Swedish/Gothenburg Death Metal’ depending on who you ask. This genre is generally described as combining the melody of NWOBH with the intensity of death metal. If you’re one who is familiar with European metal, you’ll know that Gothenburg is the home of some of the most successful heavy metal bands going around at the moment. Because of Gothenburg’s seeming ability to leak good metal bands out of every crack in the pavement, it takes a lot to be considered among the best to come out of that city.
Arch Enemy had a head start though in the form of guitarist Michael Amott, former member of legendary Grindcore act Carcass. After fleshing out the rest of the band with vocalist John Liiva, drummer Daniel Erlandsson, bassist Sharleen D’Angelo and brother Christopher Amott as a second guitarist, the band turned out three albums in rather quick succession. But in 2000, having gained popularity in Europe and America, John Liiva was asked to quit the band by Michael Amott, effectively firing him. Amott desired a more “dynamic frontman” and Liiva was just not living up to that expectation. Enter Angela Gossow, now considered to have more balls than most guys because of her ability to perform harsh vocals so well that first time listeners are left thinking she’s a guy. Youtube it if you don’t believe me.
With the addition of Gossow, Arch Enemy have released four more albums and gained even more success and recognition. They are without doubt now one of the heavy weights of European metal.
As I have to have this in for printing before tickets go on sale on Monday the 13th, I am unsure as to how much tickets will cost. But I’d say factor in around $80 into your budget based on previous similar concerts. Not only is this band worth skipping exam revision for, they’re also worth eating only noodles for a week.
PS. I know I skipped the early bassist and drummer, but they were in the band less than a year, they don’t really count.
I’m still uncertain if I will be attending the Alice Cooper concert, but one I will definitely be going to is Arch Enemy on November 10. Playing in NZ for the first time Arch Enemy is a band to skip exam revision for.
For those unfamiliar with Arch Enemy and the type of music they play, here’s a little run down. Arch Enemy formed in 1996 in Gothenburg, Sweden and play a type of metal referred to as ‘Melodic Death Metal’ or ‘Swedish/Gothenburg Death Metal’ depending on who you ask. This genre is generally described as combining the melody of NWOBH with the intensity of death metal. If you’re one who is familiar with European metal, you’ll know that Gothenburg is the home of some of the most successful heavy metal bands going around at the moment. Because of Gothenburg’s seeming ability to leak good metal bands out of every crack in the pavement, it takes a lot to be considered among the best to come out of that city.
Arch Enemy had a head start though in the form of guitarist Michael Amott, former member of legendary Grindcore act Carcass. After fleshing out the rest of the band with vocalist John Liiva, drummer Daniel Erlandsson, bassist Sharleen D’Angelo and brother Christopher Amott as a second guitarist, the band turned out three albums in rather quick succession. But in 2000, having gained popularity in Europe and America, John Liiva was asked to quit the band by Michael Amott, effectively firing him. Amott desired a more “dynamic frontman” and Liiva was just not living up to that expectation. Enter Angela Gossow, now considered to have more balls than most guys because of her ability to perform harsh vocals so well that first time listeners are left thinking she’s a guy. Youtube it if you don’t believe me.
With the addition of Gossow, Arch Enemy have released four more albums and gained even more success and recognition. They are without doubt now one of the heavy weights of European metal.
As I have to have this in for printing before tickets go on sale on Monday the 13th, I am unsure as to how much tickets will cost. But I’d say factor in around $80 into your budget based on previous similar concerts. Not only is this band worth skipping exam revision for, they’re also worth eating only noodles for a week.
PS. I know I skipped the early bassist and drummer, but they were in the band less than a year, they don’t really count.
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