Avenged Sevenfold & Metalcore - WTF is metalcore?

[Mushroom]

I have no idea what metalcore means (Devil Wears Prada, Black Veil Brides, Bring me the Horizon, Asking Alexandria, Dillinger Escape Plan). Avenged Sevenfold had the best metalcore album of 2013 according to Guitar World readers poll.

This song is catchy but it reminds me of AC/DC, Iron Maiden and Van Halen all wrapped up into one. I like the guitar tones. Here today, gone tomorrow.

[Mushroom]

Why Avenged Sevenfold and the "metal" today sucks ass

This guy is winning

[binnie]

'Metalcore' is a term which referes to a sub-genre of metal. To describe the sound, it is essentially a cross over between metal and hardcore - imagine classic metal elements (duel-guitar melodies, thrash-riffing) with hardcore beatdowns and vocal styles. Usually, the verses of songs will be in the cookie-monster style, and the chorus will be sung. Some bands even have two singers for that reason.

Essentially, the genre was kickstarted by Killswitch Engage with their second record, 'Alive Or Just Breathing'. It's a monster of a record, and I'd recommend anyone who loves metal to check it out (along with 'The End Of Heartache' and and 'Disarm The Descent'). That essentially killed Nu Metal (Korn, Limp Bizkit). Since then, most mainstream metal (i.e. not Death Metal/ Black Metal or grindcore) has sounded very, very close to that template.

Avenged Sevenfold were certainly a metalcore band when they started in the early 00s. Their sound was always more expansive, however, and often involved quite a bit of prog. Albums like 'Waking The Fallen' and 'City Of Evil' were exciting, innovative even. Their new stuff has really moved away from metalcore into a more classic metal sound - if I was been churlish, I'd point out that they've essentially parodied GNR/Metallica/AC/DC in order to up their commerical status. Their early work is cool, however, and they've definitely got a much wider musical palette than most of their generation.

Other metalcore bands: As I Lay Dying, The Devil Wears Prada, Bury Tomorrow, All That Remains, August Burns Red (often excellent), Parkway Drive.

NB: Dillinger Escape Plan are not metalcore. They are one of those bands that is impossible to classify, and truly innovative. Their music is absolutely insane - not for everyone by any stretch of the imagination, but they're one of the best heavy bands of the last 15 years.

[Seshmeister]

This song is catchy but it reminds me of AC/DC, Iron Maiden and Van Halen all wrapped up into one. I like the guitar tones. Here today, gone tomorrow.

Hardly, they are on album #6 and have been going for 15 years!

I don't hear any Van Halen in that, but I'll give you Iron Maiden.

As a side note it's interesting that some bands are willing to play fairly reasonably priced guitars in order to get the sponsorship money.

I say that as someone who sometimes plays a Shecter myself(unsponsored)...

[ashstralia]

Excellent explanation binnie. Killswitch are cool dudes
Apparently my area is metalcore ground zero!

The Byron Bay council had to mount the 'Parkway Drive' street sign 50 ft up to stop people from stealing it.

Is Opeth metalcore?

[binnie]

Is Opeth metalcore?

Hell no!

Opeth came out of Black and Death metal. Macabre feel, gutteral vocals, blast beats. But they've grown into something which is pretty unique - '70s prog meets extreme metal (12 minute songs are not uncommon for them). They are one of the very best bands around, but they're also not love at first listen.

[Seshmeister]

Name sounds like Elmer Fudd saying 'Oh Piss'

[ashstralia]

Blackwater was a perfect soundtrack to a years ago flood; it was the perfect music.

Opeth fucking rule.

[Mushroom]

'Metalcore' is a term which referes to a sub-genre of metal. To describe the sound, it is essentially a cross over between metal and hardcore - imagine classic metal elements (duel-guitar melodies, thrash-riffing) with hardcore beatdowns and vocal styles. Usually, the verses of songs will be in the cookie-monster style, and the chorus will be sung. Some bands even have two singers for that reason.

Essentially, the genre was kickstarted by Killswitch Engage with their second record, 'Alive Or Just Breathing'. It's a monster of a record, and I'd recommend anyone who loves metal to check it out (along with 'The End Of Heartache' and and 'Disarm The Descent'). That essentially killed Nu Metal (Korn, Limp Bizkit). Since then, most mainstream metal (i.e. not Death Metal/ Black Metal or grindcore) has sounded very, very close to that template.

Avenged Sevenfold were certainly a metalcore band when they started in the early 00s. Their sound was always more expansive, however, and often involved quite a bit of prog. Albums like 'Waking The Fallen' and 'City Of Evil' were exciting, innovative even. Their new stuff has really moved away from metalcore into a more classic metal sound - if I was been churlish, I'd point out that they've essentially parodied GNR/Metallica/AC/DC in order to up their commerical status. Their early work is cool, however, and they've definitely got a much wider musical palette than most of their generation.

Other metalcore bands: As I Lay Dying, The Devil Wears Prada, Bury Tomorrow, All That Remains, August Burns Red (often excellent), Parkway Drive.

NB: Dillinger Escape Plan are not metalcore. They are one of those bands that is impossible to classify, and truly innovative. Their music is absolutely insane - not for everyone by any stretch of the imagination, but they're one of the best heavy bands of the last 15 years.

Kick-Ass explanation, thanks Binnie

[Mushroom]

Hardly, they are on album #6 and have been going for 15 years!

I don't hear any Van Halen in that, but I'll give you Iron Maiden..

I hear a little bit of the "brown sound"

Remember, I admitted walking around the schoolyard in carrying a boombox playing "Thriller" in 1983

[ELVIS]

That Hail to the King song sucks...

It's not heavy or metal, IMO...

[ELVIS]

I hear a little bit of the "brown sound"

You might need new speakers...

[chefcraig]

I never got the Iron Maiden reference with Avenged Sevenfold. I still maintain that City Of Evil was the best hard rock album to come out of the dreaded 2000-2010 decade, mainly for the inspired, at times operatic and highly inventive vocal passages/chorusing, along with the decidedly NOT overdone guitar solo histrionics.

As such, I hear a more melodic Judas Priest influence, which by my standards, is always welcome. By the way, JP are currently in the studio creating a more stripped down follow-up to the bone-headed, Spinal Tap-like (and pretty much best left forgotten) Nostradamus concept album from seven years ago.

[Kristy]

This guy is winning.

You're funny and he's a god damn idiot.

[Kristy]

'Metalcore' is a term which referes to a sub-genre of metal.

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

From listening to this shit the only sense I can make out of it is none. This sounds sounds so corporate and sterile is belongs in a operating room and not a CD player or, in most cases with your old hacks, your cassette Walkman. Shit lyrics, even shittier solos beDUUURRRPEEDDDooooooobeeDUUUUUURRRRPEEEDDDOOO over and over.

Look at these sad fucks. If I ever came across one of them I spray these fuckers down with some industrial-strength disinfect and turn a fire hose on them all 1960's civil rights riot style. Just despicable filth.