Metal Bands For Non-Metalheads

You heard it here first: heavy metal music isn’t just for metalheads. There are a lot of metal bands that have crossover appeal to people who prefer other genres of music. This week on “Into the Pit,” I have compiled a list of metal bands for people who don’t typically enjoy metal. These bands aren’t necessarily stylistically accessible. These bands also won’t necessarily serve as gateway bands for people who want to start listening to metal. The bands listed below are simply one-of-a-kind groups that can be taken and enjoyed at face value by fans of other styles of music.

Deafheaven - Everyone went crazy for this group last year. Deafheaven’s most recent record, Sunbather, was highly enjoyed by fans of shoegaze and post rock. The band’s harsh moments are attempts to be emotional, not heavy. Those interested in shoegaze should definitely check the band out and see what all the fuss is really about.

Deftones - If The Cure was a metal band, they would take the form of Deftones--it’s really as simple as that. The band’s music is dark and influenced by new wave, trip-hop, dream pop and shoegaze. I particularly recommend the band’s newest album, Koi No Yokan, for new listeners. The side projects of the band’s frontman (Crosses, Palms and Team Sleep) may also appeal to people who don’t typically enjoy metal as well.

Body Count - This is Ice-T’s metal band. Do I really need to say more? Fans of rap music are bound to dig this group at least a little bit. 

Converge - Fans of hardcore punk go gaga over Converge. The group basically invented metalcore and are arguably the best band in the subgenre. Converge is a very creative group and really has never put out a bad record. The band’s newest material is probably the best place to start when listening to them for the first time. Then work backwards. 

Pelican - Pelican is recommended for fans of instrumental rock music particularly, but the group will appeal to almost anyone. Not having vocals can be considered a weakness, but to Pelican it’s a strength. The band’s music is dark and sludgy, but is really captivating and compelling. The way it builds on itself is absolutely awesome.

Alcest - Alcest is a pioneer of combining metal and shoegaze. The group’s frontman and musical composer, Neige, is immensely talented and has poured his heart and soul into Alcest’s music. Now the band is straying farther and farther away from metal, making them an easy recommendation for people who enjoy music that evokes tender and dreamy fantasies. 

Diablo Swing Orchestra - Metal has always needed more trumpet, trombone and cello. Diablo Swing Orchestra plays danceable, operatic metal. Fans of danceable orchestral music are bound to have an awesome time with Diablo Swing Orchestra. 

My Dying Bride - Those who enjoy sadness and sorrow will die for My Dying Bride’s music. It’s gothic, but beautiful. My Dying Bride is one of the most melancholy bands to ever exist, and it’s a crime to ignore their tortured souls. 

Nightwish - Do you like film soundtracks? Then Nightwish is the band for you! Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band that writes gloriously catchy music. The band’s most recent album, Imaginaerum, was written to go along with the band-produced film of the same name and is a great starting point for new listeners. Nightwish sweeps listeners off their feet with every song, and the band’s music is a testament to how much fun metal can be.

Boris - This is not a single person. This is a Japanese metal band that mixes sludge metal with noise rock, psychedelic rock, ambient, pop and droning music. Each album by Boris is fairly different, but if one can find the right album to suit their tastes, he or she will be instantly hooked. Check Boris out for something different and musically intriguing. 

The Early 1990s, The Rise of Grunge and Changing Tastes in Metal

In past blog posts, I have briefly mentioned how heavy metal’s popularity declined once grunge was introduced in the early 1990s. In this post, we are going to examine that era of heavy metal a little more closely.

In the early 1990s, the tastes of the American public began to change. In 1991, four very important albums were released. Metallica released The Black Album, which totally changed the mindset of thrash metal bands around the world. The Black Album took a more mainstream approach to Metallica’s music, incorporating elements of hard rock. The album was such an immediate success that record labels started pressuring other thrash metal groups to follow in Metallica’s example.

Certain bands managed to adapt and become more mainstream, but many bands could not keep up and were either tossed from the mainstream to the underground world of heavy metal, or were forced to break up. The success of The Black Album coincided succinctly with the rise of grunge. The American public was more interested in dark rock music than ever before. They wanted albums by bands that weren’t flashy with their music or image. Henceforth, thrash metal quickly lost popularity and no longer became supported by mainstream record labels.  

The disappearance of thrash metal left a void in the heavy metal mainstream. That void was kind of filled by groove metal bands such as Pantera, Machine Head and Lamb of God, but groove metal still struggled to maintain popularity, and only Pantera was really successful at first. Pantera was seen as an anomaly for the most part. The difference between Pantera and other groove metal groups is that Pantera's attitude was similar to those of grunge acts. Their angsty vibe was appealing to both fans of grunge and thrash metal alike. That was what made Pantera such an instant success in the eyes of the public.

Alternative metal took the place of thrash metal more fully. The genre became popular because of its similarities to grunge. Alternative metal artists (just like grunge artists) were down to earth and never tried to look flashy or play over-the-top music. The genre was mixed in terms of what was musically acceptable, but for the most part, the music was darker and filled with more angst. Alternative metal musicians were the first metal musicians to really not dress up or try and “look metal.” Most of them looked like average members of the American youth, but just so happened to harbor musical talents. This resonated with the audience in the 1990s and led to the fast paced growing of the genre. 

Alternative metal’s rise came very shortly after the release of Nirvana’s Nevermind, Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger and Pearl Jam’s Ten in 1991 (the three other important albums mentioned above). Nevermind, Badmotorfinger and Ten helped launch grunge and alternative rock into the world of mainstream rock music. The public fell in love with these acts that bridged hard rock and heavy metal in a way that had never been done before. 

As grunge rose, glam metal got totally obliterated. The images and music of the bands in these two scenes completely contrasted with one another. Grunge was down to earth, had more relatable lyrics and dark music. Glam metal, on the other hand, was based in a heavy metal wonderland and was a genre that focused on almost unrealistic dreams and desires. One genre definitely had to go, and it ended up being glam metal. 

With changing trends in the taste of the public, heavy metal became completely different within the scope of only a couple of years. The genre of music started to become an underground phenomenon as fans fell in love with grunge, alternative rock and more hard rock-based metal groups. Beneficial changes to the genre came from the grunge scene, and now metal is much more diverse and eclectic than it ever was before.

Fan Subculture

This week, let’s talk about the most important members of the heavy metal community: the fans. Metalheads come in many different varieties. There are the angsty teenagers who listen to bands that just “understand” them like Emmure and Suicide Silence. Then there are the big bearded men who seem intimidating but are real softies--they listen to bands like Amon Amarth and Lamb of God. And then you have the social recluses who worship Wolves in the Throne Room and Ihsahn, but have hardly ever been outside into the daylight to get some fresh air. There are tons of different types of heavy metal fans, however they all have more similarities than differences.

All metalheads tend to enjoy their favorite bands by jumping into mosh pits or headbanging in a crowded room. Heavy metal tours actually do surprisingly well due to the fans’ strong appreciation of live music. Metal is a genre that needs to be experienced in person. A lot of times, listening to a record simply doesn’t cut it.

When metalheads go to their favorite concerts, they tend to wear their favorite metal t-shirts. Fans wear metal shirts (at concerts and in public) as a way of showing off their good taste in music. Wearing metal shirts also shows that someone is active in the metal community. It is important for fans to buy merchandise at concerts because for a lot of bands, it is the only way they make significant money. Wearing a metal shirt means that a fan has liked a band enough to proudly wear their shirt and support their future musical endeavors. Additionally, wearing metal shirts can be a major unifying experience for fans, as it is a way for metalheads to identify each other in public and form an unspoken bond. 

It is common for metalheads to use the devil horns hand sign at concerts and in public. It’s a sign of respect amongst metalheads. At concerts, horns will be raised in the air, as a sign of appreciation for the music that is being played. 

Beyond those things, there is one other quality that is common amongst many metalheads. Heavy metal fans have a reputation for being intolerant of other musical genres. This can be frustrating for many bands who wish to step outside the boundaries of heavy metal music. Personally, I don’t like the stereotype that metalheads are intolerant of other types of music, although at times it can seem to be true. Still, I think everyone has their favorite genre of music, and it’s hard not to primarily support the musical genre that one is passionate about.

Metalheads are a passionate group of music lovers and appreciators. A lot of fans would die for their favorite metal group. Heavy metal fans form a strong community through their enthusiasm and similarities. This has kept a generally inaccessible genre of music alive for several decades. Heavy metal has a bright future ahead, and it is all thanks to the genre’s wonderfully devoted fans.

Selling Out

Back in the 1990s, grunge basically destroyed mainstream heavy metal. Tons of popular thrash metal bands and glam metal groups got thrown to the wayside in favor of this new angst-ridden style of rock music.

While glam metal bands all did fairly different things to survive, thrash metal bands were left with two options: sell out and get less extreme, or go underground and get heavier. Death metal and black metal gained underground followings that were devoted, yet not necessarily very large. A few thrash metal bands, most notably Testament, were able to switch over to a death metal style successfully. But a lot of other groups were left with no other choice but to sell out.

Selling out was seen as treason by metalheads across the world, who wanted their favorite groups to get heavier, not less intense. However, for thrash metal bands in particular, it was a business decision. Bands such as Metallica and Megadeth made the best of changing trends and managed to put out legendary rock records. Other bands didn’t have as flexible of an identity, and ended up forcing out terrible records.

Selling out is the worst form of sin that a metal band can commit. Getting less heavy to make money instead of staying true to one’s roots is seen as a terrible idea. For Metallica and Megadeth, it was more of a musical progression, even though a ton of fans still didn’t see it that way. Those musicians were getting old and they adapted to keep themselves comfortable and to keep their music close to their hearts. 

To me, selling out is when a band loses its identity and tries to force out records to make more money. Sure, Metallica and Megadeth wanted to make tons of cash, but they didn’t force anything out. It all came naturally, and that was fine. 

Nowadays, the term “selling out” isn’t really used anymore. It’s just not really necessary. With the invention of the Internet, music has become much more niche-based. Because of this, records don’t sell well and becoming popular is much more difficult. Furthermore, heavier and heavier bands keep gaining more mainstream exposure due to constantly growing Internet-based followings. For example, The Dillinger Escape Plan and Gojira are two bands that are signed to some of the best heavy metal labels and are headlining major tours, yet they are both extremely heavy groups. 

Mainstream metal has just changed. The tolerance of music lovers for less accessible styles is increasing. Furthermore, touring metal bands (even legendary ones) aren’t doing as well as they used to. Concerts aren’t selling quite like they once did. The economy is tight and people don’t have the money to throw away going to huge concerts anymore.

Does this mean heavy metal music is dying? Of course not, but there is no money in it anymore. At least, there isn't a large sum of money like there used to be. Bands have no need to sell out because it does nothing for them. By making one’s music more accessible, it just simultaneously isolates and welcomes in different listeners. It’s a pretty even trade off. 

So can the term “selling out” be used at all anymore? I think so. I think the term is changing meaning, though. Now getting less heavy is more of an artistic decision than it is a business one. Therefore, I don’t think the term can be applied in that context anymore. 

I think selling out is now when a band takes too much influence from other bands and starts adapting its signature style in order to sound like someone else.  For example, last year Avenged Sevenfold and Trivium both sold out in my eyes. Avenged Sevenfold’s newest record took influence from just a ton of different classic metal artists, which is fine to an extent. However, Hail to the King really didn’t sound that much like an Avenged Sevenfold record to me, and that’s how I think the line was crossed. Meanwhile, Trivium’s newest record sounds like a Disturbed album. The band didn’t mean for it to come out that way, but after hiring Disturbed’s lead singer to produce, the band should have been more self-conscious. 

So yeah, that is how I think the term “selling out” is starting to change. What do you think, metalheads? Is the term “selling out” changing its meaning? It’s all up for debate, but I think it’s a pertinent topic in metal to discuss. I urge you all to go to your favorite metal forum and discuss the topic because it’s an interesting one and something that is very relevant now in the heavy metal community.

The Grammys 2014

The Grammys and heavy metal have never really gotten along. That being said, the Grammys are tonight and it is still always an honor to be nominated for such a prestigious award. This week on “Into the Pit,” we are going to take a look at the nominees for the one heavy metal-related category in the entire ceremony: Best Metal Performance. There is a pretty interesting batch of bands nominated for the award this year, some of which deserve to be there and others who don’t.

Best Metal Performance

Anthrax - “T.N.T.” (AC/DC cover)

This song doesn’t deserve to be nominated--plain and simple. I have no idea what the Grammy committee was thinking with this choice. Anthrax is a legendary band, no doubt, and they covered a legendary song. However, the cover is nothing special at all. The band did nothing to make it sound unique or fresh. It just sounds like the band recording an easy song that all the members knew how to play. There are much better songs on Anthrax’s Anthems EP that are more worthy of being nominated. The only bright side to all of this is that Rob Caggiano was able to receive one last recognition for his work with the band. But this song really deserves to lose, and there will be a lot of unhappy metalheads if it wins.

Black Sabbath - “God Is Dead?”

Surprise, surprise. Black Sabbath's first new single with Ozzy Osbourne since 1998 is nominated for a Grammy award. In all honesty, the most obvious choice on the list wouldn’t make a bad winner. No one in the heavy metal community would be unhappy if Black Sabbath took home the award this year. “God Is Dead?” is a pretty great song, and even though Rick Rubin’s production isn’t the best, the performance by the band itself is awesome. Black Sabbath’s members are old now, but they still really know how to rock. “God Is Dead?” is my personal second favorite nominee this year and is the song I think will win the award. 

Dream Theater - “The Enemy Inside”

This song was not the best off Dream Theater’s new self-titled record, but it made a very good impression as a first single. A Dramatic Turn of Events was a stale album to say the least, and “The Enemy Inside” brought the band’s fans a huge sigh of relief. The song had more energy than anything off A Dramatic Turn of Events. More than that, it brought back memories of the band’s highly acclaimed album, Train of Thought. It was this reminder of how good Dream Theater could be that got fans really pumped for the band’s self-titled record. The album ended up being a slightly uneven product, but it was an overall good showing for the band, and a fine debut for Mike Mangini as a fully integrated band member. “The Enemy Inside” could easily take home the Grammy award this year, but I personally don’t think it should. The song is good, but not nearly as good as some of the other nominees.

Killswitch Engage - “In Due Time”

I was really happy to see this song nominated for a Grammy this year. I don’t think it should win, but it deserves the honor of just receiving a nomination. This song was a great single, and the best tune Killswitch Engage had released in years. Jesse Leach’s return was a needed dose of energy to the declining band. Killswitch Engage is back at the top of its game, and this song put the band there. It’s a damn good metal song, and I’m thrilled to see it honored. 

Volbeat - “Room 24” (feat. King Diamond)

This is the song I desperately want to take home the Grammy award this year, even though I doubt it will. Volbeat is an amazing band that is just finally starting to receive the recognition it deserves. This song comes off the band’s newest record, Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies, which isn’t the group's best offering, but is still really freaking good. This song is notable for featuring King Diamond, who hasn’t been around for quite some time. King Diamond sounds great on this track and his voice compliments Volbeat’s musical vision very well. The band’s performance on this track is similarly great and Rob Caggiano’s production helps accentuate it. I really hope Volbeat wins this year, and I’m sure I’m not the only metalhead who hopes so too.

Heavy Metal Television Shows

What’s up, metalheads? I hope you all had a killer time welcoming in the new year.

For “Into the Pit’s” first post of 2014 I thought it would be a cool opportunity to talk about heavy metal television shows. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, metal became an extremely popular genre of music around the world, and television stations began to show an interest in programming related to heavy metal music.

In this post I am going to talk about my five favorite heavy metal television shows. Time for another totally sick countdown!

Honorable Mention: The Osbournes. This show is too much of a reality show and not enough of a metal show to be included on the list. It still deserves to be mentioned for bringing some attention to heavy metal’s greatest family. Ozzy Osbourne is the man and documenting his family life made for one hell of a television show. The Osbournes is super funny and totally worth watching even if you have no interest in heavy metal whatsoever. 

5. Metal Evolution.

This show was created by Sam Dunn, the man behind Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey, which is one of my favorite heavy metal documentaries. Metal Evolution takes Dunn’s acclaimed “Heavy Metal Family Tree” and breaks it down. Dunn’s metaphoric tree shows the development of heavy metal through the creation of subgenres. The tree has become extremely famous since the release of Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey and is a great way to take a look at the origins of heavy metal. Dunn capitalizes on its success through Metal Evolution, which talks about a particular subgenre or era of heavy metal in each episode. The show features interviews with famous musicians and takes a close look at the past and how it has led to the present day heavy metal scene. Metal Evolution is very informative and is a good, fast way to learn about how heavy metal has evolved over the past several decades.

4. Supergroup.

Supergroup revolved around five famous heavy metal musicians being forced to live in a mansion together and form a band. The band was called Damnocracy and it consisted of Sebastian Bach (Skid Row), Scott Ian (Anthrax), Evan Seinfeld (Biohazard), Ted Nugent and Jason Bonham. The show was a reality show at its core, but it still had some pretty “metal” moments. It revealed a lot about the personalities of the musicians involved, which could be seen as a good and a bad thing. Supergrouop featured some great music and the band definitely had chemistry. Unfortunately, Damnocracy didn’t last beyond the scope of the show, as the musicians involved went their separate ways. Still, Supergroup was a fun experiment that should definitely be tried again in the future.  

3. That Metal Show.

This show has gotten really popular in recent years. Hosted by radio legend Eddie Trunk, along with his pals Don Jamieson and Jim Florentine, That Metal Show is a metal talk show. That Metal Show succeeds because of its well rounded and likable hosts. These guys live and breathe heavy metal, both new and old school, and thus their show features a nice variety of metal musicians. Everyone from Corey Taylor to Axl Rose has made an appearance on That Metal Show because it’s just the cool thing to do. Eddie Trunk has used his connections to develop an awesome television show that is totally worth watching weekly.

2. Metalocalypse.

Metalocalypse is a kickass adult animated show about the fictional death metal band Dethklok. The show is darkly funny, and it features some monstrous music. Metalocalypse’s storyline is fantastic and its characters are incredibly likable. The writing for the show is brilliant, and the music developed for it is expertly composed. The show has taken off, and now creator Brendan Small frequently tours and releases music on its behalf. There are four excellent death metal albums released for the show, which Small has recorded with legendary metal drummer Gene Hoglan. Metalocalypse is among heavy metal’s best programming, and is a show that should not be missed.

1. Headbanger’s Ball.

This is probably the most famous heavy metal show of all time. Initially airing during the late 1980s and early 1990s, Headbanger’s Ball played hard rock and heavy metal videos for the group of music lovers who didn’t care about MTV’s usual content. The show featured appearances from various bands and went through several different hosts. The show was a flagship of MTV’s line-up for a long time, and it helped determine what was cool and popular in heavy metal music. The show abruptly died in 1995, due to the rise of grunge and alternative rock, along with MTV’s lack of interest in promoting metal. The show was revived in 2003, after the grunge scene died down, but it wasn’t the same. It was more scripted and the excitement for the show just wasn’t there. The show still exists, hosted by Jose Mangin, and is now a web-only series. During its prime, Headbanger’s Ball was amazing and its influence on heavy metal was incredible. Headbanger’s Ball is without a doubt my favorite heavy metal television show, and it represents a great era in heavy metal’s evolution.

The Year to Come in Heavy Metal: 2014

Since this is the last post until 2014, I thought it would be a good opportunity to talk about the year to come in heavy metal. There are plenty of exciting events, album releases and tours coming up next year that have already been announced. Plus, I have a few predictions of my own as to what will happen to certain bands next year. Take a look!

Album Releases

There are quite a few exciting albums that should be coming out next year. First, let’s talk about some of the big ones. Metallica, Slayer and Slipknot are the three big bands that are working on highly anticipated albums.

The next Slayer album will be the first one without Jeff Hanneman, but chances are we will hear some of the material he wrote before his death on the new record. It will also be the first Slayer record with Paul Bostaph back on drums and will more than likely feature guitar playing from Gary Holt. Holt’s presence on the record is particularly exciting, and hopefully he can make some substantial contributions to the album. 

The next Slipknot record will be the first without Paul Gray, and is rumored to be a mix between Iowa and Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses). Interestingly, Jim Root is taking some time off touring with Stone Sour to focus on writing for Slipknot’s upcoming release. Plus, Joey Jordison and Shawn Crahan have both been hyping up many of the tunes they have written. Slipknot hasn’t put out an album since 2008, so hopefully their gestating ideas can all combine to form a masterful new album.

Metallica has been teasing fans with the idea of a new album for a while now, and the band's new one should be pretty cool. My guess is that they will put out an album similar to The Black Album. However, who knows what the band will do to follow Death Magnetic. Metallica has been known to surprise its fans in unsettling ways, but hopefully the band’s next record won’t be too disappointing. 

Beyond Slayer, Slipknot and Metallica, there are a lot of other exciting albums coming out this year. Confirmed releases early in the year are set for Iced Earth, Adrenaline Mob, Alcest, Transatlantic, Behemoth, Within Temptation, Cynic, Triptykon and Overkill. Behemoth’s new record is particularly anticipated, as it will be the band’s first album since Nergal recovered from cancer. 

Bands such as Machine Head, Cannibal Corpse, Anthrax, Judas Priest, Arch Enemy, The Haunted, HammerFall, In Flames, Black Label Society, Exodus, Sanctuary and Fear Factory have also been confirmed to be working on albums. The records from these bands probably won’t be released early in the year, but should happen at some point in 2014.

Tours

Not that many major tours have been announced yet for 2014. Of course, The Rockstar Mayhem Festival and Summer Slaughter will return with surely stellar line-ups in the summer. Early in the year, the big talk is going to revolve around the recently announced Decibel Magazine Tour featuring Carcass, The Black Dahlia Murder, Gorguts and Noisem. All four of those bands had highly talked about releases in 2013, and they all put on great live shows. This is going to be one of the most talked about tours of 2014, so don’t miss it!

Predictions

I have limited myself to five predictions for the upcoming year. I wonder if they will come true.

1        Slayer will announce Gary Holt as a permanent guitarist. I mean, who else could they possibly get to replace Hanneman? I think Exodus will find a way to co-exist, but I don’t think Exodus will be able to put out an album in 2014. I hope I’m wrong about this, though, because I’d much rather have Holt focus solely on Exodus. 

2        System of a Down is going to announce a new record, and might even put one out in 2014. Serj Tankian is running out of excuses to stop the band from recording. I think 2014 is going to be the year for the return of System. Let’s hope I’m right!

3        Iron Maiden is going to put out a new record. It has been almost four years since the last one, and even though the band is in no rush to put out more music, I think it’s going to happen. I expect a late release for the record if it happens at all.

4       Disturbed announces its return. Device didn’t do well, and Fight or Flight did even worse. I have to hope that the members of Disturbed will have enough common sense to reform the band. 

5        Black Sabbath won’t exist by the end of 2014. I would be surprised if the band made it through the year. Iommi is still recovering from cancer and Ozzy seems ready to go back to his solo career. I hope this prediction is incorrect, but I’d be surprised if it wasn’t correct.