I'm just entering the Metal genre.

[PECOAE]

My good friend has introduced me to the wonder that is Metal, and he gave me a crash course. First I started out with:

Iron Maiden
Judas Priest
DragonForce
Pantera
Stratovarius
Metallica - Newish stuff

I loved Maiden, Priest, Harder Pantera, A bit of Strat, not as much though, and I didn't like Metallica's new stuff.

Then he asked me to get Metallica's Master of Puppets. IT ROCKED! Battery's one of my favourite songs now!

He said I'm into Thrash and a bit of NBWOHM.

Then I got some stuff I liked like:

Savatage
Helloween
Rhapsody
Iced Earth
Nevermore
Megadeth

I Looooooved Nevermore's new thing, and I didn't like Rhap that much. Savatage's the Wake of Magellan was a great album, but I need to know what else to get from them and Helloween. I also liked Iced Earth's Night of the Stormrider better than Something Wicked. I liked Peace Sells, and looved Rust in Peace, (Megadeth).

Now, I'm looking to getting into heavier stuff. I already have an album of Opeth's and am getting used to death's vocals. Based on my love of Master of P, thrash, and my want to get into heavier stuff (as well as other artists I NEED albums of), recommend some stuff for a beginner Metalhead?

[slaughteredfirst]

Behemoth-DemiGod
Nile-In Their Darkened Shrines
Emperor-IX Equilibrium

all three of those bands put out very good stuff, so really anything by ethier one, but those are my first recommendations.

[PECOAE]

Cool, thanks.

What subgenres are they? (Thrash, Power, N-etc., Death, etc.

[Bazarov]

For thrash:
Slayer (Shown No Mercy to Reign in Blood era)
Megadeth (Killing is my business... all the way up to Rust in Peace)
Nuclear Assault
Vio-lence
Razor
Kreator (Endless Pain all the way up to Coma of Souls)

That should help out.

People in the Death Head's thread and Thrash thread will always be happy to help guide you in the right direction too.

[slaughteredfirst]

Cool, thanks.

What subgenres are they? (Thrash, Power, N-etc., Death, etc.


Behemoth is blackened Death metal.

I have heard Nile discribed as Brutal Tech Death.

Emperor is black meal.


Oh also, Check out some Dying fetus.

myspace is your friend, trust me

[Steerpike]

Essential albums include

Hall of the Mountain King - Savatage (heavy/power metal)
Black Sun - Primal Fear (power metal)
Painkiller - Judas Priest (speed metal)
A Flame to the Ground Beneath - Lost Horizon (power metal)
Don't Break the Oath - Mercyful Fate (1st wave black metal)
Danzig II: Lucifuge - Danzig (heavy metal)
Candlemass - Candlemass (doom metal)
Blood Fire Death - Bathory (black/Viking metal)
State of Euphoria - Anthrax (thrash/groove metal)
Follow the Reaper - Children of Bodom (extreme power metal)
Traveller - Slough Feg (unclassifiable)
Suffer Our Pleasures - Tarot (power/heavy metal)

That should be enough to get you started. The rules thread also has links to various FA articles and series write-ups myself and others have contributed to the forum over the last year.

[PECOAE]

Thanks guys for the recommendations, I'm gonna go see what I can get now.

[Britton]

For thrash:
Slayer (Shown No Mercy to Reign in Blood era)
Megadeth (Killing is my business... all the way up to Rust in Peace)
Nuclear Assault
Vio-lence
Razor
Kreator (Endless Pain all the way up to Coma of Souls)

That should help out.

People in the Death Head's thread and Thrash thread will always be happy to help guide you in the right direction too.



Listen to Butcher...he knows his stuff.

Also you might check out some Anthrax

[Permanent Solution]

Look into Anthrax, Athiest, Celtic Frost, Testament, Manowar (maybe)...

For harder stuff if you like Nile get Lykathea Aflame, try out Graveworm and Skyfire.

[Bazarov]

Essential albums include

Blood Fire Death - Bathory





I got that album today. It's very awesome.

Listen to Butcher...he knows his stuff.

Also you might check out some Anthrax
Oh, you. :-*

I wish. Honestly though, people in here like RCA, Freezing Moon or Apoc. Raids know could give this guy a lot more advise than me.

[Steerpike]

Bathory is among the essential listening for all metalheads, regardless of your preference.

[Lucr3tia]

---Thrash, progressive, power, etc
Dream Evil - Evilized
Devin Townsend Band - Synchestra
Dio - Holy Diver
Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Judas Priest - Painkiller
Kamelot - The Fourth Legacy
Megadeth - Rust In Peace (I cannot stress this enough, classic album)

---Death Metal
Atheist - Unquestionable (I have the remaster)
Arsis - A Celebration of Guild
Carcass - Heartwork
Carcass - "Necroticism - Descanting The Insalubrious"
Emperor - Prometheus - The Discipline of Fire & Demise


Also, Primal Fear. You can never get enough Primal Fear, ever.

[PECOAE]

I have Rust in Peace, it rocks.

[Bazarov]

You might want to get Celtic Frost's Morbid Tales. Thought I'd throw that in there too.

[Steerpike]

Ah, yes. Celtic Frost, Bathory, Mercyful Fate, and Venom. The Big 4 of 1st wave black metal.

[Freezing Moon]

Oh also, Check out some Dying fetus.


Man, stay the hell away from Dying Fetus, there's much better Death Metal to be had.


My Personal Recommendations: (If this doesn't keep you busy you're well on your way...)

Thrash/Speed/related --
Kreator - Pleasure to Kill
Coroner - No More Color
Dark Angel - Darkness Descends
Exodus - Bonded by Blood
Destruction - Release from Agony
Razor - Violent Restitution
Overkill - The Years of Decay
Venom - Welcome to Hell
Bathory - Bathory
Sodom - In The Sign of Evil, Persecution Mania, Agent Orange


Black Metal:
Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
Burzum - Hvis Lyset Tar Oss
Darkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky, Transylvanian Hunger

If you like these I can give you plenty more, but Black Metal may come as a bit of a shock. If you want to try Emperor, don't get what everyone else is recommending, get either In The Nightside Eclipse or Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk.

Death: (Old-school)
Grave - Into the Grave
Entombed - Left Hand Path
Dismember - Like an Ever Flowing Stream
Autopsy - Severed Surival, Mental Funeral
Death - Scream Bloody Gore, Leprosy

For more Melodic styled Death:
Arghoslent - Incorrigible Bigotry
Intestine Baalism - Banquet in the Darkness
Eucharist - Mirrorworlds

I don't like much Tech Death, but Gory Blister - Art Bleeds is appealing sometimes. You'd probably like Atheist a lot, so try Unquestionable Presence.


Doom:
Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, Nightfall
Trouble - The Skull
Orodruin - Epicurean Mass
Solitude Aeturnus - Through the Darkest Hour
Isole - Forevermore
Solstice - New Dark Age
Penance - Spiritualnatural

If you try some of this out and see what you like it's easy to point you to more stuff like it.

[Bazarov]

Ah, yes. Celtic Frost, Bathory, Mercyful Fate, and Venom. The Big 4 of 1st wave black metal.


HAha! I'm so cool. I bought my Celtic Frost tickets today. Spent the last of my X-mas money on them. :cool:

[PECOAE]

Take mercy on me!

A) TOO MUCH!
B) I don't know if I should enter with the heaviest of stuff, so what's not as dakr and heavy and AHHHH!!!-y? I know Slayer isn't as rarr as some black-er metal, so what else is less dark?

[Lucr3tia]

Take mercy on me!

A) TOO MUCH!
B) I don't know if I should enter with the heaviest of stuff, so what's not as dakr and heavy and AHHHH!!!-y? I know Slayer isn't as rarr as some black-er metal, so what else is less dark?
AIM me and I'll send you this album by Atheist, it's godly.

AIM = Lucr3tia

[PECOAE]

okay
But I'll have to download AIM again, and i hate aim.

Whatever
Mine's my name

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

[Lucr3tia]

okay
But I'll have to download AIM again, and i hate aim.

Whatever
Mine's my name

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Don't get Triniton, it's a piece of ****.

[Freezing Moon]

Take mercy on me!

A) TOO MUCH!
B) I don't know if I should enter with the heaviest of stuff, so what's not as dakr and heavy and AHHHH!!!-y? I know Slayer isn't as rarr as some black-er metal, so what else is less dark?
Slayer's not Black Metal.

If you don't want that dark (thrash related) first go with Exodus, Destruction, Razor, and Overkill off of my list. Then go to Coroner, then onward to Kreator, Bathory, Sodom, Venom.

The Death Metal I listed is all pretty dark, so maybe start with the Melodic Death first. You will probably like Gory Blister and Atheist, so maybe there next. If you can stand Opeth's Death vocals, then you'll be able to handle most Death vocals, the difference will be that you will have to handle the music that fits with them.

Black Metal is really dark, so maybe save that for last. First wave black (mentioned above) isn't really that bad though so try that out.

[Steerpike]

Take mercy on me!

A) TOO MUCH!
B) I don't know if I should enter with the heaviest of stuff, so what's not as dakr and heavy and AHHHH!!!-y? I know Slayer isn't as rarr as some black-er metal, so what else is less dark?

In the case of extreme metal, it's best to slowly work your way in.

Personally, for black metal I'd recommend some of Bathory's early albums (though Blood Fire Death is still an indisputable classic), and also Melechesh's new album Sphynx.

Sphynx has more polished production than most black metal, but still retains the intense instrumentation and phlegmy, inhuman vocals. It also has more melody to it as the band work in Arabic folk influences as well.

[Apocalyptic Raids]

Just listen to what Freezing Moon said.

[PECOAE]

Yay!

Reign in Blood will be listened to now!

[Bazarov]

Yay!

Reign in Blood will be listened to now!
IT BETTER BE!

[Lucr3tia]

Slayer's not Black Metal.

If you don't want that dark (thrash related) first go with Exodus, Destruction, Razor, and Overkill off of my list. Then go to Coroner, then onward to Kreator, Bathory, Sodom, Venom.

The Death Metal I listed is all pretty dark, so maybe start with the Melodic Death first. You will probably like Gory Blister and Atheist, so maybe there next. If you can stand Opeth's Death vocals, then you'll be able to handle most Death vocals, the difference will be that you will have to handle the music that fits with them.

Black Metal is really dark, so maybe save that for last. First wave black (mentioned above) isn't really that bad though so try that out.
If you have the time to send me one of their albums I'd appreciate that. Haven't heard anything by them, but I'm curious about them.

[The Sandman]

I guess Thrash Metal's is a good way to start...

You should definetly check out the main thrash bands which are Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer and Testament. Also try some progressive metal stuff like Symphony X and Dream Theater. Children of Bodom are good as well and not too extreme.

Also a lot of Opeth never hurt anyone.

[Bazarov]

Opeth might put him to sleep though.

[Freezing Moon]

I guess Thrash Metal's is a good way to start...

You should definetly check out the main thrash bands which are Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer and Testament. Also try some progressive metal stuff like Symphony X and Dream Theater. Children of Bodom are good as well and not too extreme.

Also a lot of Opeth never hurt anyone.

/Can't stand Opeth, Dream Theater and Children of Bodom.

I liked them when I first started but I realized there is a lot more quality stuff out there now.


Lucr3tia - I PM'd you on soulseek, but you don't seem to be responding.

[Steerpike]

/Can't stand Opeth, Dream Theater and Children of Bodom.

I liked them when I first started but I realized there is a lot more quality stuff out there now.

Out of curiosity, what are your thoughts on After Forever, Norther, and Melechesh?

[PECOAE]

Reign in Blood = Awesome

[Apocalyptic Raids]

You should also get the rest of Slayer's first 5 albums. They are all worth owning.

[Freezing Moon]

Out of curiosity, what are your thoughts on After Forever, Norther, and Melechesh?
I haven't heard After Forever. Heard of, but never heard.

Norther has some good riffs, but they sound a bit unoriginal and uninspired to me. Can't say I'd call myself a fan. Of Kalmah, Children of Bodom, and Norther, I'd probably take Kalmah then Norther then CoB, but none of them "float my boat" so to speak.

Melechesh, to me, misses the point of Black Metal. I suppose they've got an original take on it and do what they do well, but I'm too much of a fan of the raw side of black metal to appreciate experimentation as much as I might if I weren't into the genre very much.

[The Sandman]

/Can't stand Opeth, Dream Theater and Children of Bodom.

I liked them when I first started but I realized there is a lot more quality stuff out there now.
Hurray for opinions.

[Invicta_Veritas]

/Can't stand Opeth, Dream Theater and Children of Bodom.

.


1.Why?
2. Understandable
3. Questionable :confused:

[Steerpike]

Norther has some good riffs, but they sound a bit unoriginal and uninspired to me. Can't say I'd call myself a fan. Of Kalmah, Children of Bodom, and Norther, I'd probably take Kalmah then Norther then CoB, but none of them "float my boat" so to speak.

Understandable, though I'm a fan of all three myself. I've also heard a little Skyfire, but not enough to make a good judgment.

Melechesh, to me, misses the point of Black Metal. I suppose they've got an original take on it and do what they do well, but I'm too much of a fan of the raw side of black metal to appreciate experimentation as much as I might if I weren't into the genre very much.

I suppose I can see that. Personally, the bands at the far end of the spectrum in raw black metal kind of leave me cold. I just feel like they're doing the lo-fi production as more of a maturbatory statement of how dark and evil or whatever the hell they percieve themselves to be than anything else.

Personally, I just get the feeling that lo-fi production is a characteristic of the genre, but it shouldn't be a requirement. The rawness and aggression can still be achieved without making your music borderline unlistenable.

[I'm Charming]

IT BETTER BE!

Damn right.

[Riva]

Well, I'm stuck in the middle of both of you, Tyler and Alex, because I like both the folk/avant garde and the raw side of black metal.

I don't really like Kalmah, Children of Bodom, or Norther though. Skyfire are listenable.

[Freezing Moon]

I suppose I can see that. Personally, the bands at the far end of the spectrum in raw black metal kind of leave me cold. I just feel like they're doing the lo-fi production as more of a maturbatory statement of how dark and evil or whatever the hell they percieve themselves to be than anything else.

Personally, I just get the feeling that lo-fi production is a characteristic of the genre, but it shouldn't be a requirement. The rawness and aggression can still be achieved without making your music borderline unlistenable.

Nah, it's really not about how dark and evil they are, it's about using a production that fits the feeling they're getting across, and lack of money/time probably is a big factor too.

I don't think that it needs to be a requirement, but in my opinion it is what best fits. In my mind "bad" production for black metal would be crystal clear and well mixed.

I would strongly argue that with the emotions black metal is based upon it should have production qualities to match. Besides, I don't think that its nearly un-listenable in most cases anyway, just takes some getting used to.

[PepsiMetal]

Go with doom.

Candlemass, you won't be dissapointed. :amaze:

I don't listen/like black/death metal, but power metal is also great.

[Steerpike]

I don't mean to say there aren't some raw black metal bands I like. A little Mayhem and Immortal never hurt anyone.

I still say of all black metal Bathory is my favorite, and the production on those albums is more a result of the fact that Quorthon was almost perpetually broke in the early days than anything else. He just found a way to make it work. He upped things a little more on the later Viking metal albums because he needed a more epic sound, but it was still rather lo-fi in comparison to genres like power metal.

I'm also of the school of thought that there really is nothing stopping bands from defying the conventions of their genre when appropriate. Sabaton has lead vocals quite unlike anything seen in power metal, and the same could be said of Iced Earth's rhythm guitar. Even when Anthrax were still thrash, they still had much better vocals than any of their contemporaries, and the bass did more than just vanish in the mix.

[Riva]

But by that same notion, some bands only want to play within their genre. And they are quite good at it. However, are they less talented than those who seek out new ways of presenting themselves?

[Steerpike]

I never meant to suggest they were less talented.

Merely that I don't have any problem with experimentation.

[Freezing Moon]

I don't have a problem with experimentation and pushing limits, but only to a certain extent. Melechesh, for example, is too much experimentation and not enough black metal. Burzum, on the other hand, is great and quite unlike anything that was happening at the time.

[Steerpike]

You're never going to please everybody. Truthfully, I brought it up because I was curious to hear the perspective of someone more immersed in extreme metal than me. I just like to find out how other facets of the metal community perceive different bands/genres. It's sometimes very intriguing to see the different paradigms people adopt.

[sgrevs]

Definitely get some Cynic. Focus is a great album.

[PECOAE]

Oops I did it again by Children of Bodom!

OMFG THAT SONG IS HILARIOUS!

[Steerpike]

Interestingly, that cover made people burn their CoB T-shirts. Not that Laiho cared, he already got their money anyway so it wasn't like he was losing anything.

[PECOAE]

Why?

Is it untrue to the band or something? Every good rock band has made fun of a pop song at least once...

Ex. Franz with What you waiting for, Ted Leo with Since U Been Gone, etc.

[Steerpike]

Some people thought that CoB had sold out. Unless I'm mistaken, Alexi Laiho only wanted to cover the song because the band's sales in Europe had exceeded Britney Spears'.

Laiho is rather infamous for his reckless metal attitude and lifestyle. He tends to shoot his mouth off without thinking, and then acts accordingly. Of course, he's also batshit insane, so this comes as no surprise.

The most entertaining moment though was when he was interviewed and said that bands like Dream Theater are boring as hell live because they focus too hard on getting it perfect on not enough on good showmanship. Immediately afterward, the DT fanboys were rallying mobs to have him lynched.

[lak89]

get Kill 'Em All and Ride The Lightning, both earlier than Master of puppets by Metallica if you haven't already.

Some melodic death you might like to check out are In Flames, At The Gates and Callenish Circle.

Some brutal tech death, check out Nile, Origin (they're insane), Cryptopsy and Necrophagist

[Concubine]

Hey, i try to get into black metal, but it's really hard.. I could stand bands like Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir newer stuff and Satyricon, but people always said that they aren't tr00 black metal or something like that.. So, i downloaded one of Darkthrone's song the other day, and omg the production is awful, i couldn't hear the music very well, which is kinda a turn-off for me.. Suggest me some black metal with good production, pls...

[Bazarov]

I'm not really into black metal, but Dissection is rather good, and had decent production quality.

[Slapping Penguin]

Emperor would be a great start. Trails of Anguish, bad production bad very listenable.

[br3ad_man]

You might like to check out one of the best metal bands of recent times, Mastodon.

[Sleepy]

You might like to check out one of the best metal bands of recent times, Mastodon.

I really enjoy Mastodon; they're an extremely creative band and they're quite successful as well.

If you like Children of Bodom, check out Kalmah - they're extremely similar but at the same time, they have a completely different feel to them.

[i am the robots]

My good friend has introduced me to the wonder that is Metal, and he gave me a crash course. First I started out with:

Iron Maiden
Judas Priest
DragonForce
Pantera
Stratovarius
Metallica - Newish stuff

I loved Maiden, Priest, Harder Pantera, A bit of Strat, not as much though, and I didn't like Metallica's new stuff.

Then he asked me to get Metallica's Master of Puppets. IT ROCKED! Battery's one of my favourite songs now!

He said I'm into Thrash and a bit of NBWOHM.

Then I got some stuff I liked like:

Savatage
Helloween
Rhapsody
Iced Earth
Nevermore
Megadeth

I Looooooved Nevermore's new thing, and I didn't like Rhap that much. Savatage's the Wake of Magellan was a great album, but I need to know what else to get from them and Helloween. I also liked Iced Earth's Night of the Stormrider better than Something Wicked. I liked Peace Sells, and looved Rust in Peace, (Megadeth).

Now, I'm looking to getting into heavier stuff. I already have an album of Opeth's and am getting used to death's vocals. Based on my love of Master of P, thrash, and my want to get into heavier stuff (as well as other artists I NEED albums of), recommend some stuff for a beginner Metalhead?

Judging by your tastes, you like the thrash and power metal, and some tinges of death metal... with that said I'll suggest some folky and power metally bands with death influences, and of course some Gothenburg cause I whore that stuff.

Ensiferum - Ensiferum, Iron
Wintersun - Wintersun
Kalmah - They Will Return, The Black Waltz
Children Of Bodom - Something Wild, Hatebreeder
Norther - Dreams Of Endless War, Mirror Of Madness
In Flames - Jester Race, Subterranean
Dark Tranquillity - The Mind's I, Haven
Soilwork - A Predator's Portrait, The Chainheart Machine
At The Gates - With Fear I Kiss The Burning Darkness, Slaughter Of The Soul
Darkest Hour - So Sedated, So Secure, Undoing Ruin
Scar Symmetry - Symmetric In Design
Thine Eyes Bleed - In The Wake Of Seperation
Amon Amarth - Versus The World, The Crusher