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.
6/12/2009
Issue 13 2009
It is an unfortunate fact that here in New Zealand we have it pretty crap when it comes to Summer festivals. This is partly to do with our isolated location and partly the fact that the general populist has some pretty bad taste in music (sorry New Zealand, its true). To celebrate the start of June and the start of the European music festival season I have decided to go over some of the festivals that make Big Day Out look like a small gathering.
Whilst there are hundreds of festivals taking place in Europe over the Summer months, many of which feature the odd rock or metal act due to its intense popularity, I’m going to focus on the ones the specifically cater to those who prefer things heavier.
What better place to start than the God of metal festivals, Wacken Open Air. Wacken Open Air started off in the small German town of Wacken way back in 1990 as a small gathering for some German bands, but by the late 90’s it had grown into a colossus featuring over 70 bands from around the world and attracting fans from just as far. Its capacity of 70,000 over the three days now sells out months in advance, with the 2009 edition setting a sales record, selling out over 200 days before the start of the festival. 2008 saw names such as Iron Maiden, Nightwish, Children of Bodom, and Holy Moses grace the stages, with 2009 already boasting acts such as Motorhead and Doro its set to be just as big and successful as its predecessors.
Next is a personal favourite, Tuska Metal Festival, held in the middle of Helsinki Finland every year for the last 11 years. It focuses somewhat on Scandinavian acts, which nowadays isn’t that hard as they now dominate the metal scene. Along with the rest of the European metal scene, Tuska has grown steadily each year since its start and has found added success from the metal-crazy Finns. 2008 saw it sell out for the first time in its history, hitting its capacity of 36,000 attendants who got to see Amon Amarth, Dimmu Borgir and Slayer.
To finish on a lighter note you can find Rock am Ring and Rock im Park, two festivals run simultaneously normally with the same line up. Usually counted as just one festival, together they form one of the largest music festivals in the world with an attendance of over 150,000 annually. Rock am Ring and Rock im Park have the most mixed acts of the festivals I’ve talked about, featuring alot more American and rock acts than Wacken or Tuska, but still getting in a large amount of metal acts like In Flames, Iron Maiden and Strapping Young Lad.
If you are ever in Europe during Summer and fancy some hearing some awesome music, I highly recommend you check out atleast one of these festivals. They are value for money compared to the Big Day Out and will be the experience of a lifetime.
This is the last column of the semester. There will be new ones in about a months time. Stay tuned!!
Whilst there are hundreds of festivals taking place in Europe over the Summer months, many of which feature the odd rock or metal act due to its intense popularity, I’m going to focus on the ones the specifically cater to those who prefer things heavier.
What better place to start than the God of metal festivals, Wacken Open Air. Wacken Open Air started off in the small German town of Wacken way back in 1990 as a small gathering for some German bands, but by the late 90’s it had grown into a colossus featuring over 70 bands from around the world and attracting fans from just as far. Its capacity of 70,000 over the three days now sells out months in advance, with the 2009 edition setting a sales record, selling out over 200 days before the start of the festival. 2008 saw names such as Iron Maiden, Nightwish, Children of Bodom, and Holy Moses grace the stages, with 2009 already boasting acts such as Motorhead and Doro its set to be just as big and successful as its predecessors.
Next is a personal favourite, Tuska Metal Festival, held in the middle of Helsinki Finland every year for the last 11 years. It focuses somewhat on Scandinavian acts, which nowadays isn’t that hard as they now dominate the metal scene. Along with the rest of the European metal scene, Tuska has grown steadily each year since its start and has found added success from the metal-crazy Finns. 2008 saw it sell out for the first time in its history, hitting its capacity of 36,000 attendants who got to see Amon Amarth, Dimmu Borgir and Slayer.
To finish on a lighter note you can find Rock am Ring and Rock im Park, two festivals run simultaneously normally with the same line up. Usually counted as just one festival, together they form one of the largest music festivals in the world with an attendance of over 150,000 annually. Rock am Ring and Rock im Park have the most mixed acts of the festivals I’ve talked about, featuring alot more American and rock acts than Wacken or Tuska, but still getting in a large amount of metal acts like In Flames, Iron Maiden and Strapping Young Lad.
If you are ever in Europe during Summer and fancy some hearing some awesome music, I highly recommend you check out atleast one of these festivals. They are value for money compared to the Big Day Out and will be the experience of a lifetime.
This is the last column of the semester. There will be new ones in about a months time. Stay tuned!!
6/02/2009
Issue 12 2009
This week I’m going to talk about a genre of metal I quite enjoy, Norwegian black metal. Some people take this genre of music deathly seriously (literally, but more on that later) but for the life of me I just cannot. Don’t get me wrong, I love the music, but everything associated with it just makes me laugh.
First things first though, what exactly is black metal? Black metal is at the extreme end of the metal spectrum and features fast tempos, unconventional song structure and shrieked or screamed vocals. Black metal is also heavily reliant on imagery, both in their personal appearance and stage props. It is not uncommon to see a stage covered in animal blood at a tro0, kvlt black metal concert and musicians wearing the obligatory corpse paint (black and white make-up which is used to give a ‘corpse like’ appearance).
But black metal in Norway has become more famous for the activities that have taken place outside of the music rather than the music itself. In the early 90s over 50 historically significant, early Christian churches were burned down by members of the Black metal scene. The reasoning behind these varies between the claimants, but it is generally accepted that the burnings were to reinforce an anti-Christian message. Today these burnings are looked down on by some members of the community, such as Kjetil Manheim of Mayhem but others such as Gaahl of Gorogroth support them.
However church burnings seem to pale in comparison to other things that also took place in the early 90s, the first of these being the suicide of ‘Dead’ vocalist for the band Mayhem. Dead was found with a shotgun wound to the head by fellow Mayhem member Euronymous. Deads suicide note infamously read "Excuse all the blood". Before calling the police, Euronymous went to a nearby store and bought a disposable camera to photograph the corpse. One of these photographs was later stolen and used as the cover of a bootleg album. Don’t Google it unless you have a strong stomach. It was later rumoured that Euronymous made a stew with pieces of Dead's brain, and made necklaces with fragments of his skull. Mayhem denied the first, but confirmed the second...
Finally in 1993 Varg Vikernes of Burzum who has been described as the most notorious metal musician of all time, murdered Euronymous by stabbing him 23 times. It was speculated that the murder was the result of a power struggle over record profits, but Vikernes claimed that Euronymous had attacked him first and the large number of cuts were a result or Euronymous falling on broken glass during the struggle. Regardless, a few months later Vikernes was sentenced to 21 years in prison for both the murder and church arsons. In a chilling display, Vikernes smiled at the moment his verdict was read.
On May 22 2009 Vikernes confirmed that he had been released from jail.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Norwegian black metal.
First things first though, what exactly is black metal? Black metal is at the extreme end of the metal spectrum and features fast tempos, unconventional song structure and shrieked or screamed vocals. Black metal is also heavily reliant on imagery, both in their personal appearance and stage props. It is not uncommon to see a stage covered in animal blood at a tro0, kvlt black metal concert and musicians wearing the obligatory corpse paint (black and white make-up which is used to give a ‘corpse like’ appearance).
But black metal in Norway has become more famous for the activities that have taken place outside of the music rather than the music itself. In the early 90s over 50 historically significant, early Christian churches were burned down by members of the Black metal scene. The reasoning behind these varies between the claimants, but it is generally accepted that the burnings were to reinforce an anti-Christian message. Today these burnings are looked down on by some members of the community, such as Kjetil Manheim of Mayhem but others such as Gaahl of Gorogroth support them.
However church burnings seem to pale in comparison to other things that also took place in the early 90s, the first of these being the suicide of ‘Dead’ vocalist for the band Mayhem. Dead was found with a shotgun wound to the head by fellow Mayhem member Euronymous. Deads suicide note infamously read "Excuse all the blood". Before calling the police, Euronymous went to a nearby store and bought a disposable camera to photograph the corpse. One of these photographs was later stolen and used as the cover of a bootleg album. Don’t Google it unless you have a strong stomach. It was later rumoured that Euronymous made a stew with pieces of Dead's brain, and made necklaces with fragments of his skull. Mayhem denied the first, but confirmed the second...
Finally in 1993 Varg Vikernes of Burzum who has been described as the most notorious metal musician of all time, murdered Euronymous by stabbing him 23 times. It was speculated that the murder was the result of a power struggle over record profits, but Vikernes claimed that Euronymous had attacked him first and the large number of cuts were a result or Euronymous falling on broken glass during the struggle. Regardless, a few months later Vikernes was sentenced to 21 years in prison for both the murder and church arsons. In a chilling display, Vikernes smiled at the moment his verdict was read.
On May 22 2009 Vikernes confirmed that he had been released from jail.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Norwegian black metal.
5/25/2009
Issue 11 2009
This week I’ve decided to educate you about something awesome that has come out of the metal community. It’s not the music, it’s not the clothes, and it’s not the hairstyles. It’s a television show actually. But now just any television show, this is Metalocalypse.
Metalocalypse follows the lives of part - American/part – Scandinavian band Dethklok, a band that has reached unimaginable levels of popularity and has become the 7th largest economy in the world and growing. Dethklok tend to cause violence and destruction wherever they go, and their concerts are so violent that attendants must sign “pain wavers”, releasing the band from any liability in the likely case that they are maimed or killed. The band themselves greatly enjoy this chaos that seems to follow them everywhere, and often choose to do something depending on how “metal” or “brutal” they think it is.
Metalocalypse is like The Simpsons of the metal world. You’re not famous until you’ve lent your voice to a character or had your band referenced in one of the episodes. To date members of bands such as Arch Enemy, Cannibal Corpse, Metallica and Dimmu Borgir have made vocal appearances and there have been references made to bands such as Burzum, Finntroll and Children of Bodom.
It has also become the source of some of the most memorable quotes you are ever likely to hear on a television programme, with the members often insulting each other and those around them in quite imaginable ways. It is not uncommon to hear someone referred to as a “Swedish dildo licker” and quotes such as “This is metal...for fish” or “Looks at this one, asleeps in some bloods.”
With two seasons completed and a third in production, Metalocalypse has gained a large fanbase and continues to grow in popularity and influence. You can find this great cartoon on YouTube, or pick up the DVDs at places like JB HiFi and The Warehouse. You won’t regret spending the money on it!
On a final note, I just want to say thanks for all the feedback I keep receiving. It’s really good to know people are reading and enjoying. Although I think I should mention a few things about myself. Basically I listen to alot of metal, mainly in the genres of Symphonic and Melodic Death. I’m also quite partial to a bit of Power metal and Black metal. As a general rule if it’s from Scandinavia, I’ll like it. I’m pretty familiar with most bands in the European metal scene, but if you have any suggestions or anything you would like to see in a future column, feel free to email me at kjf1352@aut.ac.nz.
Metalocalypse follows the lives of part - American/part – Scandinavian band Dethklok, a band that has reached unimaginable levels of popularity and has become the 7th largest economy in the world and growing. Dethklok tend to cause violence and destruction wherever they go, and their concerts are so violent that attendants must sign “pain wavers”, releasing the band from any liability in the likely case that they are maimed or killed. The band themselves greatly enjoy this chaos that seems to follow them everywhere, and often choose to do something depending on how “metal” or “brutal” they think it is.
Metalocalypse is like The Simpsons of the metal world. You’re not famous until you’ve lent your voice to a character or had your band referenced in one of the episodes. To date members of bands such as Arch Enemy, Cannibal Corpse, Metallica and Dimmu Borgir have made vocal appearances and there have been references made to bands such as Burzum, Finntroll and Children of Bodom.
It has also become the source of some of the most memorable quotes you are ever likely to hear on a television programme, with the members often insulting each other and those around them in quite imaginable ways. It is not uncommon to hear someone referred to as a “Swedish dildo licker” and quotes such as “This is metal...for fish” or “Looks at this one, asleeps in some bloods.”
With two seasons completed and a third in production, Metalocalypse has gained a large fanbase and continues to grow in popularity and influence. You can find this great cartoon on YouTube, or pick up the DVDs at places like JB HiFi and The Warehouse. You won’t regret spending the money on it!
On a final note, I just want to say thanks for all the feedback I keep receiving. It’s really good to know people are reading and enjoying. Although I think I should mention a few things about myself. Basically I listen to alot of metal, mainly in the genres of Symphonic and Melodic Death. I’m also quite partial to a bit of Power metal and Black metal. As a general rule if it’s from Scandinavia, I’ll like it. I’m pretty familiar with most bands in the European metal scene, but if you have any suggestions or anything you would like to see in a future column, feel free to email me at kjf1352@aut.ac.nz.
5/18/2009
Issue 10 2009
This week I take a break from trying to educate the masses about metal and talk about something that is happening right now, New Zealand music month. Now you may be thinking ‘oh great, she’s going to talk about some awesome NZ metal bands!’ But you would be wrong. Whilst there are some really good NZ metal bands out there, that is not the main point I’m going to address (but never fear I will talk about them in the future, along with shameless plugs for any bands willing to answer my questions).
Now if you’re looking for a happy little article about how much good NZ music month does for NZ music, then you should probably stop reading now, because it’s simply not true. In order to benefit from NZ music month one basically needs to be already signed to a record label, and be getting substantial airplay. To put it bluntly, it only helps the bands that don’t really need it, completely disregarding the unsigned, non-mainstream bands that have to work twice as hard just to get their music out there.
The NZ music commission boasts that during the month of May radio play of NZ artists increases by however many percent each year. What they don’t say is how many different NZ artists are played on NZ radio and whether or not that increases over May. Repeating the same Elemeno P or Smashproof song every hour, 24 hours a day for a whole month shouldn’t count as ‘giving artists more exposure’. It’s simple over exposure.
Talking to people who should actually benefit from NZ music month, you quickly find out that they don’t. Cameron from Invercargill band Osmium thought that “it [NZ music month] doesn’t really help the bands that need it the most” and that “a lot of the bands I know don’t really give a shit about it.” Similarly Damian from Dunedin band Soulseller suggested that “All the effort should be put into the actual promotion of the bands and music. Whenever May rolls around, all some people seem to desire is a new tshirt or hoodie with that logo on it.... I can't help but feel a lot of people are missing out. It feels like all the attention goes to those all ready well established acts, who let’s face it, don't need it. Everyone knows who they are. It’s a load of shit.”
So this New Zealand music month, instead of buying one of those overpriced tshirts go out and see a band or buy a CD and help support our local industry the right way.
On a similar note, Soulseller have just re-released their debut EP! Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/soulsellersouths. While you’re on Myspace check out Camerons’ band Osmium at http://www.myspace.com/osmiumband
Now if you’re looking for a happy little article about how much good NZ music month does for NZ music, then you should probably stop reading now, because it’s simply not true. In order to benefit from NZ music month one basically needs to be already signed to a record label, and be getting substantial airplay. To put it bluntly, it only helps the bands that don’t really need it, completely disregarding the unsigned, non-mainstream bands that have to work twice as hard just to get their music out there.
The NZ music commission boasts that during the month of May radio play of NZ artists increases by however many percent each year. What they don’t say is how many different NZ artists are played on NZ radio and whether or not that increases over May. Repeating the same Elemeno P or Smashproof song every hour, 24 hours a day for a whole month shouldn’t count as ‘giving artists more exposure’. It’s simple over exposure.
Talking to people who should actually benefit from NZ music month, you quickly find out that they don’t. Cameron from Invercargill band Osmium thought that “it [NZ music month] doesn’t really help the bands that need it the most” and that “a lot of the bands I know don’t really give a shit about it.” Similarly Damian from Dunedin band Soulseller suggested that “All the effort should be put into the actual promotion of the bands and music. Whenever May rolls around, all some people seem to desire is a new tshirt or hoodie with that logo on it.... I can't help but feel a lot of people are missing out. It feels like all the attention goes to those all ready well established acts, who let’s face it, don't need it. Everyone knows who they are. It’s a load of shit.”
So this New Zealand music month, instead of buying one of those overpriced tshirts go out and see a band or buy a CD and help support our local industry the right way.
On a similar note, Soulseller have just re-released their debut EP! Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/soulsellersouths. While you’re on Myspace check out Camerons’ band Osmium at http://www.myspace.com/osmiumband
5/11/2009
DragonForce Guitar hero
Some of you may or may not be aware, but a while back I won a competition held by Nightline to win a a Guitar hero III controller signed by DragonForce. All I had to do was write a story in the style of DragonForces lyrics explaining why I should get it.
Heres the video Sam and Frederic announcing my story as the winner.
And heres the story
Once there was a young maiden who was entrapped by an evil foe. It was a nasty foe which had wasted away the lives of many. This foes name was boredom.
In order to defeat boredom the young maiden enlisted the help of her friend the Ninja. The Ninja suggested that in order to defeat this foe, that young maiden should go on an epic quest and battle many in order to attain something known as “Guitar Hero III”. The Ninja agreed to accompany the young maiden on the quest and together on the back of a dragon they left on the epic journey to find the mythical unicorn, who was the guardian of “Guitar Hero III”.
Fuelled by a magical potion, they flew on their mighty dragon for 500 days until they came to the great gate. At the gate stood a man, his long hair flowing gloriously in the wind.
“You have come to see the unicorn, but before you do you must answer me this. Once long ago, there was a great ruler of this land, he too was entrapped by the evil foe boredom, but he defeated it. The “Guitar Hero III” you seek bares his mark. So tell me what the name of this great leader was?”
The young maiden immediately knew the answer
“It was not just one man” she replied, “but a group of six men who came to be known as DragonForce.”
“That is correct” replied the man with the glorious hair, “you may now pass to see the unicorn.”
Before the young maiden could blink (but not the ninja, ninjas don’t blink. Ever.) the man with the glorious hair had disappeared and a unicorn had replaced him.
“Many also seek what you want” said the mythical talking unicorn, “so why should you receive this mighty gift over others?”
“Oh great mythical talking unicorn” began the young maiden, “long have I fought the foe boredom, and battle after battle have I lost to him. Perhaps though, if I were to wield this mighty weapon, in which the spirit of the great group DragonForce resides, perhaps then I could defeat this evil foe.”
The mythical talking unicorn looked unimpressed, so the maiden continued.
“I am of but humble means, oh great mythical talking unicorn, to attain such a tool against the enemy is far out of my reach unless gifted to me by such a noble creature as yourself.”
Apparently the mythical talking unicorn was not above flattery, as his expression changed.
“Alright then young maiden. Your battles have been numerous and your quest here long and epic. I shall reward your efforts”
And with that, the magical “Guitar Hero III” in which the spirit of the great group DragonForce resided appeared infront of the young maiden.
Her quest complete, the young maiden returned home on the back of a dragon with her friend the Ninja to battle the foe of boredom with her new weapon.
Heres the video Sam and Frederic announcing my story as the winner.
And heres the story
Once there was a young maiden who was entrapped by an evil foe. It was a nasty foe which had wasted away the lives of many. This foes name was boredom.
In order to defeat boredom the young maiden enlisted the help of her friend the Ninja. The Ninja suggested that in order to defeat this foe, that young maiden should go on an epic quest and battle many in order to attain something known as “Guitar Hero III”. The Ninja agreed to accompany the young maiden on the quest and together on the back of a dragon they left on the epic journey to find the mythical unicorn, who was the guardian of “Guitar Hero III”.
Fuelled by a magical potion, they flew on their mighty dragon for 500 days until they came to the great gate. At the gate stood a man, his long hair flowing gloriously in the wind.
“You have come to see the unicorn, but before you do you must answer me this. Once long ago, there was a great ruler of this land, he too was entrapped by the evil foe boredom, but he defeated it. The “Guitar Hero III” you seek bares his mark. So tell me what the name of this great leader was?”
The young maiden immediately knew the answer
“It was not just one man” she replied, “but a group of six men who came to be known as DragonForce.”
“That is correct” replied the man with the glorious hair, “you may now pass to see the unicorn.”
Before the young maiden could blink (but not the ninja, ninjas don’t blink. Ever.) the man with the glorious hair had disappeared and a unicorn had replaced him.
“Many also seek what you want” said the mythical talking unicorn, “so why should you receive this mighty gift over others?”
“Oh great mythical talking unicorn” began the young maiden, “long have I fought the foe boredom, and battle after battle have I lost to him. Perhaps though, if I were to wield this mighty weapon, in which the spirit of the great group DragonForce resides, perhaps then I could defeat this evil foe.”
The mythical talking unicorn looked unimpressed, so the maiden continued.
“I am of but humble means, oh great mythical talking unicorn, to attain such a tool against the enemy is far out of my reach unless gifted to me by such a noble creature as yourself.”
Apparently the mythical talking unicorn was not above flattery, as his expression changed.
“Alright then young maiden. Your battles have been numerous and your quest here long and epic. I shall reward your efforts”
And with that, the magical “Guitar Hero III” in which the spirit of the great group DragonForce resided appeared infront of the young maiden.
Her quest complete, the young maiden returned home on the back of a dragon with her friend the Ninja to battle the foe of boredom with her new weapon.
Issue 9 2009
Last time I educated you about the history of females in metal, telling you about the few prominent females and how females had still struggled to find a foothold in such a male dominated society. This week I’ll attempt to educate you about the rise of female fronted metal.
In the early 1990’s two bands of significance, Theatre of Tragedy and The Gathering formed and released albums which would go on to be the foundations of Gothic metal and directly influence these later bands. The thing that made these two bands stand out from their peers is the fact they were fronted by females. In the early 90’s this was practically unheard of, but Theatre of Tragedy and The Gathering seemed to find an as yet untapped market by combining delicate female vocals with the heaviness of metal music. Another element that started to emerge with these two bands was the combination of metal music with classical elements. But despite the growing popularity of these two bands, females still lacked a solid foothold.
Then in 1996 Tuomas Holopainen was sitting around a campfire with some friends when he had the idea to start a little project. He enlisted the help of a friend of his, Tarja Turunen, to sing the lyrics expecting a voice similar to that of Anneke van Giersbergen, front woman of The Gathering. He instead found that Turunen had a powerful classical voice which was far too strong for his simple acoustic music. This prompted Holopainen to add more heavy metal elements to his project. Holopainen would later name this project Nightwish, and now after 13 years, 6 albums, the addition of a full orchestra and choir to their album recordings, changing their original bass player and the controversial public firing of Tarja Turunen, Nightwish have sold over four and a half million albums worldwide, created the sound of Symphonic metal and become one of the most prominent European metal bands. Nightwish have greatly helped the rise of female fronted metal bands to prominence, both in being a spearhead for their peers and providing inspiration for countless other bands. I don’t think it’s possible to put into words how massive these guys are in Europe. In their native Finland, you can actually get a Nightwish credit card.
Because of the early pioneers such as Doro Pesche and Girlschool, the latter influences of The Gathering and Theatre of tragedy, and finally the emergence of Nightwish as a metal heavyweight, females now seem to have found their active place in the metal world. It is now not an uncommon sight to see a band of long haired, unwashed, drunk men fronted by a long haired, washed, mostly sober female.
However despite this new found prominence, most female fronted metal bands are somewhat confined to the genres of gothic and symphonic metal. Females are also mostly confined to the role of front woman, with very few female musicians finding their way to prominence.
In the early 1990’s two bands of significance, Theatre of Tragedy and The Gathering formed and released albums which would go on to be the foundations of Gothic metal and directly influence these later bands. The thing that made these two bands stand out from their peers is the fact they were fronted by females. In the early 90’s this was practically unheard of, but Theatre of Tragedy and The Gathering seemed to find an as yet untapped market by combining delicate female vocals with the heaviness of metal music. Another element that started to emerge with these two bands was the combination of metal music with classical elements. But despite the growing popularity of these two bands, females still lacked a solid foothold.
Then in 1996 Tuomas Holopainen was sitting around a campfire with some friends when he had the idea to start a little project. He enlisted the help of a friend of his, Tarja Turunen, to sing the lyrics expecting a voice similar to that of Anneke van Giersbergen, front woman of The Gathering. He instead found that Turunen had a powerful classical voice which was far too strong for his simple acoustic music. This prompted Holopainen to add more heavy metal elements to his project. Holopainen would later name this project Nightwish, and now after 13 years, 6 albums, the addition of a full orchestra and choir to their album recordings, changing their original bass player and the controversial public firing of Tarja Turunen, Nightwish have sold over four and a half million albums worldwide, created the sound of Symphonic metal and become one of the most prominent European metal bands. Nightwish have greatly helped the rise of female fronted metal bands to prominence, both in being a spearhead for their peers and providing inspiration for countless other bands. I don’t think it’s possible to put into words how massive these guys are in Europe. In their native Finland, you can actually get a Nightwish credit card.
Because of the early pioneers such as Doro Pesche and Girlschool, the latter influences of The Gathering and Theatre of tragedy, and finally the emergence of Nightwish as a metal heavyweight, females now seem to have found their active place in the metal world. It is now not an uncommon sight to see a band of long haired, unwashed, drunk men fronted by a long haired, washed, mostly sober female.
However despite this new found prominence, most female fronted metal bands are somewhat confined to the genres of gothic and symphonic metal. Females are also mostly confined to the role of front woman, with very few female musicians finding their way to prominence.
Issue 8 2009
You may be a little confused as to why I, as a female, may be writing about metal music. But never fear, you’re not the first and you will not be the last. I have been asked many things such as if I was lost whilst standing in the metal section, or where my boyfriend was. As such I felt it was important to talk about the role and involvement of females in metal, because as it may come as a surprise to some, they do exist in such a male dominated society.
It’s a simple fact that there is no bigger boys club in the world than the metal culture. Most of the performers are men, most of the fans are men, most of the roadies are men, most of the producers are men, you get the idea. But there have always been females in this boys club.
There have been a number of prominent females floating around in the rock scene since the mid 70s, but for the point of this article I’m going to look solely at those you can find in the world of metal. The first females to make a real dent in the metal scene came out of London in 1977, a band called Girlschool. They went through a number of line-up changes but kept to their original idea of an all female metal band. Girlschool went on to support big name bands such as Motorhead, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper and Deep Purple. Though Girlschool never really achieved a high amount of commercial success they continue to maintain a cult status worldwide.
But this cult status is nothing when compared to that of the undisputed Queen of Metal. In 1983 a blonde haired, leather clad Doro Pesch joined the band Warlock. In 1989 after surviving numerous line-up changes Pesch was the only original member of Warlock remaining and renamed the band Doro. Pesch lead the way for females in metal, refusing to conform to the typical image of a female and proving to her male peers and the male audience that females could rock as hard as the males. Helping Pesch lead the way was Sabina Classen of the band Holy Moses, who in 1981 was one of the first women to use death growls, and is still one of the few females who have managed to make a name for themselves in this way.
Despite these early pioneers, females still struggled to find a foothold in the scene. But in the mid 1990’s a series of bands formed fronted by females that would help to change this. Next time I’ll go into detail about this new wave of female prominence and their influence on this male dominated society.
It’s a simple fact that there is no bigger boys club in the world than the metal culture. Most of the performers are men, most of the fans are men, most of the roadies are men, most of the producers are men, you get the idea. But there have always been females in this boys club.
There have been a number of prominent females floating around in the rock scene since the mid 70s, but for the point of this article I’m going to look solely at those you can find in the world of metal. The first females to make a real dent in the metal scene came out of London in 1977, a band called Girlschool. They went through a number of line-up changes but kept to their original idea of an all female metal band. Girlschool went on to support big name bands such as Motorhead, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper and Deep Purple. Though Girlschool never really achieved a high amount of commercial success they continue to maintain a cult status worldwide.
But this cult status is nothing when compared to that of the undisputed Queen of Metal. In 1983 a blonde haired, leather clad Doro Pesch joined the band Warlock. In 1989 after surviving numerous line-up changes Pesch was the only original member of Warlock remaining and renamed the band Doro. Pesch lead the way for females in metal, refusing to conform to the typical image of a female and proving to her male peers and the male audience that females could rock as hard as the males. Helping Pesch lead the way was Sabina Classen of the band Holy Moses, who in 1981 was one of the first women to use death growls, and is still one of the few females who have managed to make a name for themselves in this way.
Despite these early pioneers, females still struggled to find a foothold in the scene. But in the mid 1990’s a series of bands formed fronted by females that would help to change this. Next time I’ll go into detail about this new wave of female prominence and their influence on this male dominated society.
Issue 6 2009
First a little beginners course.
Whilst there were bands prior that could be considered the ‘true’ beginning of metal, 90% of people in the metal culture will consider Black Sabbath to be the very first metal band. Forming in 1968 in Birmingham England, many people now sadly associate this band with their first front man, reality TV Dad Ozzy Osborne who has become something of a poster boy for what happens when you take too many drugs. Fortunately the real soul of Black Sabbath was guitarist and song writer Tony Iommi who is responsible for a sound that launched a genre. Despite numerous line up changes, a grand total of twenty two former members, Black Sabbath is still going strong having sold over 100 million albums worldwide.
Despite many pre-conceived notions, metal is not just loud guitars and ‘screaming’ harsh vocals. In fact most of the well known names such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Motorhead have ‘normal’ clean vocals. It also has an extremely complicated culture of genres, sub genres, fused genres and god-knows-what genres. Even within the community not everyone agrees 100% on the ‘titles’ of certain genres, and there’s always going to be at least one argument about which genre someone’s favourite band fits into. There’s no way I could list all the genres and sub genres with my word limit, but to give you an idea there is death metal, melodic death metal, black metal, symphonic black metal, symphonic metal, gothic metal, goth metal, speed metal, power metal, thrash metal, industrial metal, Viking metal, folk metal, hair metal, classic metal...I think you get the idea...
The names aren’t the only things that are different, quite a few of the genres I listed could not sound more different if they tried. For example, on the lighter end of the scale there are the likes of power metal, symphonic metal and gothic metal. Floating around in the middle you could find classic metal and melodic death metal. Then down in the truly heavy end of the spectrum are the likes of death metal and black metal. A power metal group such as Stratovarious will sound nothing like a melodic death metal group such as In Flames, and the latter will only sound slightly similar to a black metal band such as Gorgoroth. And yet by some strange, complicated way, they all get grouped under the big umbrella that is metal. If you really want to get a feel for the diversity that can be found in metal I would suggest Youtube-ing my two favourite bands. The first links that come up with ‘Nightwish – Nemo’ and ‘Children of Bodom – Hate Me’ should give you a fair idea.
Well I hope that has given you a bit of an insight into the world of metal. Next week, or there abouts I’ll try to explain to you why females aren’t just at metal concerts to hold their boyfriends jacket.
PS. If you don’t like the bands I listen to don’t bother complaining. I’ll just roll my eyes and ignore you. ^^
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