Goth Rock and Metal

[Forgotten Angel]

Warning: This is quite a lengthy post. Once I got started, I just couldn't stop typing!

The secret's out: Shadow listens to goth rock and metal more than opera and showtunes!

...

Well don't all scream at once, geez. :rolleyes:

Really, anyone who knows me at all knows you are far more likely to find an Ozzy Osbourne CD in my CD player than the soundtrack of the latest musical from Andrew Lloyd Webber. *ignores the cries of "BLASPHEMY!" from the self-proclaimed "true theatre geeks" in the peanut gallery*

I don't claim to be any kind of expert on the subject, but to the best of my knowledge, it is entirely possible to love headbanging as much as waltzing, and the piercing trills of an experienced coloratura as much as the primal screams of an energetic metalhead. Flashy ballgowns can be just as appealing as chain-covered black leather jackets, can't they? And an ankh pendant on a silver chain is no less stunning than a pair of diamond earrings to some.

Yes, the music industry has been turning out more and more sellouts. Yes, technology is making it easier for anyone to fix their voice on a computer so it sounds 'good.' But this is one of the things I like about goth rock and metal so much; artists in these genres seem to be less manufactured than in, say, pop or R&B. Even alternative rock and punk rock are showing a greater tendency to manufacture their music. Metal and goth rock, on the other hand, go on as they always have - with a thousand subgenres and more critics than fans.

I'm proud to call myself one of those fans. Anybody have Ozzfest tickets they don't want? I'll gladly take them off your hands, m'dears. What's that? AFI has a new album coming out? I know - I have the date marked on my calendar. Aiden's playing on Warped Tour this summer? Oh, I know! I'm so upset that I can't go.

There is so much more to goth rock and metal than screaming and fast guitar riffs, you know. So many people suffer from that misconception, and it drives me insane. There are a million subtypes, ranging from the loud and super-fast speed metal of System of a Down to the haunting and ethereal progressive metal of Lacuna Coil. There are so many types that some bands have been labelled as being subgenres of their own (some examples are Aiden with their 'horror rock' and HIM with their infamous 'love metal').

I know I'm not the only member of this board who listens to some of these bands, so I thought it'd be nice if there was a place where us goth rockers and metalheads can express our love of the 'dark arts.' ;)

The sound techies have left the stage. Everything is set. The floor is open for discussion.

[sunshine]

FINALY! I love love love ROCK and METAL :D
I must say I love musicals and classical music as well but I cant say that I dont love other kinds of music like Rock and Metal. Right now I would have to say that my favorite band is HIM, I love Razor Blade Romance :D. I also love Ozzy! (Mr. Crowley is my Favorite). I am glad that you made this thread Shadow.

I also like Tirvium, Pink Floyd, Kiss, Guns-N-Roses, Korn, System of a Down, and Disturbed. Need I go on as any one can tell I love Rock and Metal :D.
(I also like oldschool as well like Hendrix :D)

[Forgotten Angel]

HIM. Guh. Love the love metal! ^_^ This Friday, May 19, I will have officially been a disciple of the church of HIM for one year. Yes, I did keep the e-mail receipt that I got from iTunes the day I bought my first ever HIM song. I am that obsessed with them. I'm throwing myself a little Heartagram party on Friday. :D But I'll stop talking now or I'll never shut up; I think I once scared Syio with my bizarre obsession with HIM. Before I do, though, I just want to say that I have now seen God in concert twice - at the Hammerstein Ballroom performance in NYC on November 18, 2005, and at The Great Bamboozle on May 7, 2006. (I refer to Ville Valo as "God.") I have a total of 368 pics altogether from Bamboozle.

In any case... *ahem* ^.^ Yeah... in terms of rock, this was meant to be for goth rock in particular, but while we're on the subject of 80s and 70s rock: Blue Oyster Cult is love. Pure, intense, passionate love. I'm done now. ;)

I'm actually heading out to the mall in a little while to actually buy both of Aiden's albums and to get the poster I got signed by them framed.

And as for my list of who I listen to - excluding all the dozens of 70s and 80s rock bands like BOC, The Cure, Black Sabbath/Ozzy (<-- the ultimate rock God), The Police, Depeche Mode, etc - my goth rock/metal favorites include, but are not limited to: HIM, Aiden (incorrectly classified as 'punk' - they know more than three chords -_-), Lacuna Coil, The 69 Eyes, System of a Down, AFI, Charon, 10 Years, Chevelle, Breaking Benjamin, Papa Roach (I classify them as metal), etc.

I generally don't listen to the screaming type of metal, but every now and then it's fun. ;) Bands like The Cure and Ozzy definitely belong in that list too, but the fact that I know people who had never heard of AC/DC until me and my friend Paul were talking about them one day makes me wonder if I even want to chance someone not knowing who they are. Best to list the well-known-ish current ones.

Again, a lengthy post. Good thing I didn't go off on a HIM rant. :tongue:

[Dark Poison]

AH! A thread for some of my favorite types of music!

I've been listening to music such as this for a few years now. I think my first gothic rock band was probably AFI. I got into them after hearing the song Silver and Cold after a friend of mine let me listen to it. I fell in love with the music and bought the cd. From there I went on to Marilyn Manson whom I think is brilliant. His music is kinda hard to understand but I got the gist of it after listening to his stuff. He's probably my favorite solo artist in this genre. It wasn't until I was in high school that I learned of a band called HIM. It was through two different people, Shadow and one of my school friends that I got into them. I think they are amazing and love all the songs that are out by them. I also listen to a band called The Rasmus who is a Finnish band. They have some really good stuff that I really like and I listen to them quite a bit.

[Chance_or_Destiny]

Finally a place for hardcore rock lovers! I whole heartedly agree with everything stated previously - it is entirly possible to love both passionate classical musicals and intense mindblowing speaker erupting songs. Our diversity makes us unique and i belive that we should make a stand like our musical idols rather than conforming to every pop singing beauty's medocre standards.

[AAW0487]

I do like gothic/ hard rock! I think my favorite band would have to be Evanescence! I love them! And System of a Down is good too! Of course Ozzy who couldn't love some of his songs! My boyfriend loves this kind of music, but we have to include our musicals and other stuff too!

[Dark Poison]

Ah yes, Ozzy! How could we ever forget Ozzy. His music is quite good, I've got a lot of his stuff. I love his songs even though it's kinda hard to understand sometimes. My facvorite is perhaps Ironman. I've had it stuck in my head for ages and it's not planning on going away.

[Silverstream]

I used to be in with the Goth Subculture, and I still love the music! I'm more of a Punk now though, because my Mom hid all my Goth clothes. ><

(Dances happily - Goth music is still the best! I like Within Temptation, My Chemical Romance, Nightwish... *stops saying bands*)

[Forgotten Angel]

This thread has been a little too dead for my liking. So, I pose a question to all of you:

What are your thoughts on this new label the magazines and tabloids have given to the goth/punk/hardcore/etc blend genre that has been growing in popularity in recent times? Is "spookycore" dumbing it down too much, or is it nice to finally have one word to describe it?

Some bands being included in this "spookycore" genre: AFI, Aiden, My Chemical Romance, Deadsy, It Dies Today, From First To Last, I Am Ghost, etc.

Personally, I think it has positive and negative aspects. On the plus side, I no longer have to say or write "goth/punk/hardcore/etc" in order to describe some of my favorite bands like Aiden and AFI. It's nice to have that option available. However, on the downside, the new label might alienate some of the fans - though it will also undoubtedly reel in some new ones at the same time. And let's be serious; some of these bands are being asked, "What made you decide to be a spookycore band?" and they raise their eyebrows and ask what the hell "spookycore" is.

What's your opinion about "spookycore"?

[MystMoonstruck]

I don't know if my loves belong here, but I've been a Heavy Metal/hard rock fan since the Sixties! Iron Butterfly, Steppenwolf and others laid the groundwork for what was to come and was a training ground for Ted Nugent and others.

I'm a headbanger! Yes! The best concert I ever attended was the second in the "Use Your Illusions" tour, with Skid Row (headed by Sebastian Bach) opening for Guns N' Roses in next-door state Indiana.

I watched Headbangers Ball every Saturday night, bought every issue of "Metal Edge" and "Circus", and attended as many concerts as I could. I was backstage with Cinderella (very sweet, very LITTLE guys--and I'm only 5'1"). I didn't get to see everyone I wanted to, but I was there for House of Lords, Nelson, Poison, Warrant, Faster Pussycat, and more.

Favorites include GNR, Skid Row, Fifth Angel, Def Leppard, Leatherwolf, Metallica, Manowar, Holy Soldier, Banshee, Tangier, Yngwie Malmstein, Queensryche and so many more. There were some amazing groups (and really gorgeous guys) in the '80s-'90s till MTV turned its back on them to foster grunge groups and others. How sad, after Metal/hard rock fans had supported them for so long, turning albums into platinum sellers before they were in the stores!

I'll admit I haven't listened to a lot of the newer groups but hope to give them a chance; it's mainly been lack of funds since CDs are still quite expensive. When I can afford some music, I'll tell you what I think.

[Forgotten Angel]

Gah, Cyn, why did you have to remind me of the TV networks turning their backs on us? Not only has MTV done it, but now even FUSE has cancelled it's only two metal shows as well - Metal Asylum and Uranium. Dammit, I miss Juliya! She was the best VJ they had. T___T

But yeah, wow. Headbangers Ball... I wish I could have seen that. They still have it on EuroMTV, you know. Just gives me one more reason to move to Europe. And again, WOW. Woman, if you were younger, I'd probably be asking you to marry me right now. GNR, Skid Row, Poison, Queensryche, Def Leppard - and I saw your stuff in your graphics thread, so that list continues with Ozzy, etc. @_@ Gods, what I wouldn't give to have been alive in the good old days...

[MystMoonstruck]

Woah! You mentioned my art?! Thanks! The cards show Ozzy, John Sykes and Steve Vai. I have a Kip Winger somewhere.

Which reminds me that I should have listed Winger, Scorpion, Blue Murder, Bonham, Slammin Gladys, Sons of Angels, XYZ, Helix, Alias... SOB! I can't go on! WAIL! GNASHING TEETH! ARRRGH! I miss my longhaired, leatherclad metalmen! Since when is it a crime to have long tresses, unbelievably lean bodies and beautiful faces?! AND they created some of the most glorious music in creation!

Check out Leatherwolf's triple axe attack!

Speaking of Headbangers Ball (and Hard 60 and Hard 30), I must have dozens of videotapes (I know! But this was ages ago, remember?!) of HB. I also have the Peace Concert in Russia! WOW! Heck! I have the T-shirt for it! No. I wasn't there, but thanks to pay cable...

I have hundreds of characters for Alter Egoing (what snail mail people call RPing only we were doing long, long before the Net) who are based on Metal/hard rock guys! YUM!

I might be getting older, but I have got major memories, people! Think of this and be sad for me if you will: The year I started college was the year Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix died. That fall was the Kent State Massacre. My first date movie was "Woodstock"! (And she's still alive?! OMG!)

[Mrs Nadir Khan]

I love Lacuna Coil! My friend showed me their song "Heaven's a Lie" and I fell in love with them then. I have both "Comalies" and "Karmacode" on my IPod. I thought I was the only one to have heard of them, but Shadow mentioned them and I was like practically jumping out of my seat. *high fives Shadow*

I also like Evanescence, the first "goth/metal" band I ever heard. A friend recommended them to me and I loved Fallen. I got it ages after it came out, though, so I was behind the bandwagon. But I got "The Open Door" more on time... Er, in December. I so don't keep up with everyone else.

And I love MCR, though I don't own their CD. I listen to them online because I think my dad would have a heart attack if I asked him for the CD... Come to think of it, my mom got me Fallen and I purchased "The Open Door" and "Karmacode" with my own money around the same time I bought the Leroux novel... Fuelling my own obsessions.

[masquerading rose]

I love Lacuna Coil! As a matter of fact I was just listening to them. I love Cassie. She bought "Karmacode" for me when I was in the hospitol and "The Open Door" For Christimas, and the Leroux novel for my birthday! Thanks, sis!!!

I love MCR, but I'm not scary obsessive like my friend's friend is. She has a life sized picture of Gerard Way, which she refuses to take down, no matter how much her parents scream about it. And she cried whenm she read he used to be a drug addict, and she cried for three days and refused to eat when she found out Gerard had a girlfriend... I like a few Papa Roach songs and a few AFI songs, but I LOVE Evanesence and Lacuna Coil most.

[December_Flower]

Hey, a thread for me! xD

I'm a fan of a more extreme sound, though... Like Black Metal (Darkthrone, Nokturnal Mortum, Horna, Emperor, Ashen Light, Limbonic Art, Dimmu Borgir...) and Death Metal (Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Deicide, Vital Remains, Dying Fetus...).

But my love for metal music started with Metallica and Iron Maiden when I was twelve years old.

And speaking about Gothic and Gothic Metal (no, it's not the same), I've never liked bands like Lacuna Coil and Within Temptation, but I love bands like old Tristania, Sirenia and old Therion.

For those who like Nightwish: you should check out Epica. They have some good stuff.

[Forgotten Angel]

I see Nightwish mentioned in the post above me! Mm, I've been on such a power metal trip lately. XD Pat (Azure Serenity) has been introducing me to more power metal bands lately. Of the ones he's now got me listening to, Sonata Arctica is my favorite. I haven't listened to any new Nightwish; I'm afraid that I won't like them now that Tarja's out of the band.

Speaking of; I'm taking a popular music class this year, which is basically about the development of music in America from the 1940s to today. We started our unit on the British Invasion today, and I feel the need to say that I would have died of boredom if I had been alive in this country back then. Thank you Rolling Stones for bringing a little variety to the scene! In any case, I mentioned to Pat last night that we would be starting the British Invasion, and he had the same immediate reaction I did: SABBATH! But no, apparently they're not considered part of the British Invasion. This depresses me. T_T But they showed Ozzy in the video we watched on the Beatles. XD He was just giving his take on them, but still. I looked directly at my friend Rebecca when he came on the screen (as I'd been complaining about the fact that Sabbath wasn't being included in our unit) and said, "I rest my case."

....hee, old-school Metallica. "Enter Sandman" is still one of the best songs ever, in my opinion.

[December_Flower]

I haven't listened to any new Nightwish; I'm afraid that I won't like them now that Tarja's out of the band.

Well, the music is not much different, but the vocal is. Anette has more of a pop kind of voice, which fits some songs, but most of their best songs (including the POTO cover) won't be played live anymore, since Anette can't reach Tarja's high notes. After all, Tarja is a classical trained soprano. You might like her solo album.

I'm not much into power metal, but I like a few bands, like Blind Guardian. They are absolutely awesome!
HammerFall is OK, too.

[phantom's_rose]

I like!

Pink Floyd would most likely have to be my favorite. They are absolutly amazing. In 6th grade, my teacher was retiring the next year, so we threw him a party and I brought "The Wall" CD and we played "Another Brick in the Wall" the whole time. He likes music like that too. WE DON'T NEED NO EDUCATION! WE DON'T NEED NO SELF CONTROL!!

LOVE KISS! There should be the famous KISS "s" on the keyboard! LOL That would make life better.

Disturbed, Ozzy, Guns'N'Roses, pretty much every band/song on guitar hero. Ozzy is amazing, but he really creeps me out. I wouldn't eat a bat if my life depended on it!!

[Hidden Away]

I love metal! I'm not sure what the best example is, but I sure do listen to a variety of it all. It's amazing. It makes me laugh when my friends say, "Whoa whoa whoa! Wait, you love broadway and hardcore metal at the same time? That's possible?" Well ja' know! it's completely possible and They just can't really open their minds to it. It does make us unique to have different opinions, but to stereotype that fast one is a shocker! Sometimes I hear pop mixed into the music, is that normal? If not that's probably something else (checks other genres...)