Question re: Death Metal

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Pacfanweb

Lifer
Jan 2, 2000
13,158
59
91
At least when metal singers had high voices you could understand what they said...most of the time. Plus, singing high takes musical talent. Growling is simply distorting your voice by yelling as loud as you can. Rapping is closer to singer than growling is.
 

Kalmah

Diamond Member
Oct 2, 2003
3,692
1
76
Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
Growling is simply distorting your voice by yelling as loud as you can.

Is it?

Growling isn't as loud as you think.. But you know so much about it.. I might as well just save my time here.

Read my other post above.



 

moshquerade

No Lifer
Nov 1, 2001
61,504
12
56
Billy Talent's "Devil In a Midnight Mass" (go Ontario, eh melty?)

(listen at 2:36 of the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfEmbIaaBU8 )
is this what you call growling? cause i gotta say, a bit of it in a song is really climatic rockin to me. i wouldn't want a whole song of it, but the way it's done in this song is perfect.
 

paulxcook

Diamond Member
May 1, 2005
4,277
1
0
:roll:

You can basically reduce all these "arguments" for why growling isn't good to "it's not what I like".
 

moshquerade

No Lifer
Nov 1, 2001
61,504
12
56
Originally posted by: HamburgerBoy
Originally posted by: moshquerade
Billy Talent's "Devil In a Midnight Mass" (go Ontario, eh melty?)

(listen at 2:36 of the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfEmbIaaBU8 )
is this what you call growling? cause i gotta say, a bit of it in a song is really climatic rockin to me. i wouldn't want a whole song of it, but the way it's done in this song is perfect.

That's not growling. This is growling.

so what is that called, just screaming?

and growling (as heard in the links you posted) is nothing i'm interesting in hearing. it reminds me of someone singing while sitting on the toidy grunting out a massive dump, but it goes on for days and seems painful.
 

Vehemence

Banned
Jan 25, 2008
5,943
0
0
Death metal growls and black metal shrieks are there just to accompany the sound of the music. Not all bands have vocalists that do it, and not all of them do it well. I know a lot of people who don't like it, but when it's well done I think they're great.

Hardcore's style of shouting has always annoyed me though.
 

Q

Lifer
Jul 21, 2005
12,046
4
81
I hate Death Metal, it's terrible and isn't music IMO (vocally)
 

DaTT

Garage Moderator
Moderator
Feb 13, 2003
13,295
121
106
Originally posted by: moshquerade
Billy Talent's "Devil In a Midnight Mass" (go Ontario, eh melty?)

(listen at 2:36 of the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfEmbIaaBU8 )
is this what you call growling? cause i gotta say, a bit of it in a song is really climatic rockin to me. i wouldn't want a whole song of it, but the way it's done in this song is perfect.

HEY!...Melty isn't the only one from Ontario....
 

Baked

Lifer
Dec 28, 2004
36,052
17
81
To cover up their utter lack of talent on voice? Can't come up w/ any lyrics?
 

JohnAn2112

Diamond Member
May 8, 2003
4,895
1
81
Originally posted by: Baked
To cover up their utter lack of talent on voice? Can't come up w/ any lyrics?

:disgust:

Yeah, because all metal bands just bark into the mic. They never have lyrics.

:roll:
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,420
1,600
126
I'm actually listening to Opeth haha. In My Time of Need is a pretty badass song
 

Nitemare

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
35,461
4
81
Originally posted by: Ns1
I'm actually listening to Opeth haha. In My Time of Need is a pretty badass song

Opeth is cool, just listened to Isolation Years. They are far from Death metal though
 

badkarma1399

Senior member
Feb 21, 2007
688
2
0
Another good example of growling

Some is ok IMO. While I prefer cleaner vocals, growling can add effect. The problem is that I feel a lot of bands overuse it to the point where it loses its effect and starts to sound stupid. Like all things, I think the best musicians use it in moderation with clean singing and/or other instruments.
 

Auryg

Platinum Member
Dec 28, 2003
2,377
0
71
Originally posted by: dennilfloss
Maybe it's just to sound more demonic/satanic?

Maybe originally. Now it seems every band that even edges on 'heavy metal'/whatever does it.

My friends like it. I can't tell why. It'd be OK in moderation, but when it's used on every single track on every single CD by every single band in the genre, it gets old, quick. As for it being easy, I've heard local bands that can do it quite well - I've yet to hear a local band that can sing well (although solo acts generally do).

The real problem with it is it all sounds the same. It's really hard to tell each track from one another, and even the bands apart, unless you know the songs. Basically, all the songs devolved into playing the fastest and loudest they can, and screaming/grunting along with it, with maybe 3 changes in pitch the entire time.
 

ShadowOfMyself

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2006
4,227
2
0
Another thing to notice is, music is not vocals

One of the best things about metal is music comes first, a song should be interesting enough on its own even without vocals, and by making songs interesting with only growls, they prove they have great songwriting skills, which most mainstream bands lack

Its pretty obvious, they just try to cover up everything with the pretty girl voice etc, and thats also why there are no solos in mainstream music, Ill be surprised if they know anything but power chords, plus even if they knew they cant hold anyone attention for too long because without vocals their songs fall apart right away
 

A Casual Fitz

Diamond Member
May 16, 2005
4,649
1,018
136
Ugh, there are way too many bands who just growl for the sake of growling. The ones that do it for true feeling and to enhance their music (Opeth, Moonsorrow, Daylight Dies, Orphaned Land ETC...) speak for themselves if you ask me. It's pure art.
 

Skyclad1uhm1

Lifer
Aug 10, 2001
11,383
87
91
Originally posted by: Pale Rider
Originally posted by: Baked
To cover up their utter lack of talent on voice? Can't come up w/ any lyrics?

We have a winner.

Yes, but it's not one of you two.

I can't stand the whining way of singing you hear a lot in Country music, nor that of male R&B. I never liked saxophones, and that causes me to hate a lot of Jazz music. Everyone dislikes different kinds of music.
Growling originated when people tried to copy Lemmy's (Motorhead) voice. Some, like Opeth, can really make their voice an extension of the music, while others indeed sound like crap.

And do have a look at Opeth's lyrics, try comparing that to 99.9% of lyrics of other kinds of music.
 

skace

Lifer
Jan 23, 2001
14,488
7
81
In Flames, Dark Tranquility, Children of Bodom, Amon Amarth, At the Gates, Soilwork, Kalmah, Tiamat, Dethklok (looool), Nightfall, Orphaned Land, Suidakra.

Melodic Death Metal and Swedish Death Metal seem to be the trends from the music I've actually enjoyed.