21 Behrend Beacon 1 11 Ml I*o April 1,2010 I 111 1 ill I \) www.thebehrendbeacon.com ■ American I’m beginning to lose faith in Amer ican metal, specifically because other countries are producing way better bands. This is seen most prominently with one of my all-time favorite bands, Opeth. Originating in Stockholm, Sweden, the band creates a progressive metal sound that has yet to be challenged by any other band. Their rather exten sive and lengthy tracks are intelli gently composed and span the influences of several genres including folk and trance. Another example, Amorphis, cre ates a power/progressive sound that stands rather legendary when com pared to their “competitors” here on American soil. The tracks by Amor phis create a speed to power metal while maintaining audible vocals, in contrast to the scream-dominated American metal. My reasons behind abandoning American metal are simple. For the most part, our lyricists attach them selves to two consistent classes of metal: party metal or anti-religious metal, both being strongly immature in musical resonance. A lot of bands are in the American “metal” spotlight right now, such as Motley Crue, Hinder, and Godsmack. These three come to mind as the names I’ve heard over and over in re cent years. All of them expose what the major ity of Americans apparently want out of their metal: something to get drunk to. Godsmack released the recent track, Whiskey Hangover, which reached No. 1 status on the Billboard -f - >. Ppjy<titcf>nfcfer yotuplf an iftfS kid? That’s to say< yoqjwalk aro/nd campus tp and fro my opr classes p/ith yoid|heaflphor|&s on? Indefinitely do. A$ anfaltemative toTistening to the sam#bld music every single time you use your iPod, I urge tou to try downloading a podca phe iTunes store (or fi of directory websites on HBO (which was originally a re ally good podcast, I recommend in vestigating it). Anywhere from a few NATHAN CARTER staff writer rock charts last year. The whole song is driven by taking shots and how the credibility of the shot-taker shouldn’t be questioned because of his continu ous shot-taking. It sounds brutally intelligent, doesn’t it? jiFHKßA|oL^pnufe s tdtwo.fi nd* ltell|lours v | Jbpriwor formation 'Wwfo stAject pmucayffi ' l think of: pofi tics, video ffokks, computers, and practi" " can b» For pretty woulr free: cussi deve) aero; >t or two from qm any number cast Also, I don’t want to be accused of denouncing a band for one song pro duced, so I give you three more tracks whose titles speak for themselves: Love Hate Sex Pain, Bleeding Me, and I Fucking Hate You. The idiocy of popular “metal” ;n to Fresh Air but not fall ;n to Jordan, Jesse Go! uimFUn.org (~9omin). who don’t know where to te recommend The Sound lerica from Maxirm /ing time). Host Jesi lews numerous figui from the West Coast conv DiggNati. doesn’t stop there, but heightens with the addition of Lips of an Angel, a song about a guy who has sex with his ex while drunk who comments how his drunken stupor makes her beauti ful again. Lastly, Motley Crue focuses and tak e o Digg.com always hatfOtnething in-* teresting, though I catft say I watch it too often because it’s a video pod cast. I usually Ijsten to my iTouch around campus or while going to Jtaf all-around podcast that’s to almost any listener is ican Life from _ ’reducer Ira Gli jrs (as well tries from' icans markets this dwindling killer of the genre with “Cruefest.” This is a “music” festival that began in the sum mer of 2008, repeated in 2009 and is also in planning for this summer. It consists of Motley Crue headlini ing, known most for their controver sial member Tommy Lee, with several other bands of the party metal genre. In all honesty, it’s a concert to cele brate anti-sobriety and perpetuate over-masculinity. In near complete contrast, I return to European metal. Countries all across Europe, mainly Sweden and Finland, are shelling out metal band after metal band, and most that I’ve heard have more intelligence and res onance in their beginning forms than bands that have been assaulting our local airwaves. Scar Symmetry (from Sweden) began in 2004 and has already pro duced four amazing albums (my fa vorite being Pitch Black Progress ) and an up-and-coming side project that looks very promising called Solution .45. Dark Tranquility (also from Swe den) released a great album in 2007 called Fiction, featuring Misery’s Crown it. Their newest album, We Are The Void, has this insane track called The Fatalist, too. I could go on, but my point is that while Between the Buried and Me and Lamb of God carry the dwindling torch of American metal, the vast ma jority is an exercise in stupidity. If you’re into harder music, check out some of the European metal I mentioned. I’m positive that it won’t be time wasted. v e r ongoinpferies in New York, bA a&jL, their tour shows across the countfy. le for free.) 1 Listen to
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