Hello everyone. I wasn't exactly sure where to post this but figured this was as good a place as any.

Last night while waiting for the UFC ppv to start, (Oh how I love Randy Couture and GSP...sorry off track) I caught the documentary Metal: A Headbangers Journey on some movie channel on satellite. It's by Sam Dunn an anthropologist, and a life long fan of heavy metal.
The documentary was made in 2005 and I'm sure some have seen it, but if you haven't I'd recommend it. If your a big fan of metal you probably won't learn anything new, but I'm sure you'll still find it entertaining and interesting. But for a new fan of the genre or even someone who's just interested in finding out what all the growling is about it's worth a watch. Dunn does an excellent job I think of breaking down the different aspects of the genre and explains the history behind most of it. He shows the passion that the fans have for the music and how the genre has battled with the mainstream culture. (I personally love the footage of Dee Snider walking into a congressional meeting to talk against "the filthy fifiteen" list from the early eighties. All these politicians, including Gore, smirking as Snider walks in with the cut off jean vest, tight pants, make up and wild hair, figuring he can't put two words together and then he blows them away with a very eliquant, educated, and compelling speach. Classic Snider) Dunn looks at sensorship, religion, death and many other influences on the music and it's culture. He discusses these and many other issues with some of the the biggest names in metal...Iommi, Dickinson, Lemmy, Dio just to name a few.
Now I'm not a huge metal fan but I am getting there...slowly. This site has opened my eyes to a lot of new music...thanks Uncreator and this documentary taught me a few things. It was entertaining and well very interesting to say the least....man do folks love their metal. \m/ But as open minded as I'm trying to be....those Norwegian Death Metal guys still kind of scare me.

So if you get a chance, have a watch. It's worth the 2 hrs or so.....the Dickinson interview is pretty cool.

I found it really interesting when there trying to figure out the origin of metal. And then they interview Toni Iommi and right away says something like "When I first heard the term heavy metal I didn't have the faitness idea what they were talking about." So obviously he didn't create it if he had heard about it before. Kinda interesting imo

Really good documentary.


Btw Rokchik, I just want to suggest Darkthrone if you want to try some black metal.
The newer Darkthrone is very easy to listen to, very catchy stuff.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-tVKRs4kfqc - From their 13th album.
http://www.peaceville.com/darkthrone/foad/ This will be on their 14th album when it comes out.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mJ3z3kgmW1E - this is also from their 13th album.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=YuGcjkiNOa4&...ted&search= - Also pretty new, dont remember exactly.

As you can hear, theres alot of punk in their two latest albums.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yixErHW_JqU - This is from their first album, the death metal days.


(These youtube links arent actual Darkthrone's videoes, except Too old Too Cold.

sounds pretty cool could i rent from somewhere possibly or do i just have 2 get lucky and catch it on tv?

Cool Movie. Definetly worth watching.

The interview with Gaahl is worth it alone

It is kind of interesting but Ozzy feels the same way. I watched the Ozzfest 10th anniversary DVD the other day with a friend, and Ozzy pretty much had the same opinion. When the term "heavy metal" was used to discribe Black Sabbath, Ozzy said he didn't have a clue what they were talking about. Note... Ozzy's response had a lot more cursing but that was basically the point. He also said he just plan dislikes the term heavy metal....heavy music yes but doesn't get the metal part of it. So yeah it is kind of interesting to see how the band that everyone sees as the metal gods, don't look at what they play as heavy metal, just heavy music. Maybe they are just being modest.




Thanks Robin. I can't have a listen just yet as I am at work and can't get on youtube(they haven't blocked GMC yet though )but I'll for sure check them out....you have yet to stear me wrong with your suggestions.



I would assume so but can't say for sure.....check out your local blockbuster or other video store. I know it's available for purchase on Amazon.

I definetly say Black Sabbath started metal, there darker and heavier sound just influenced all the most known metal bands and the most unkown metal bands. i think it gace birth to the foundation of Metal.

Then there were bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden who came along a few years after Sabbath, fueling it with same thing, Darker songs (not to the point of sabbath) and heavier guitar fueld rythms.

And overtime, it just developed into the world wide commuinity i know and love and live in today

Black Sabbath indeed. They were the very first Heavy Metal band, if I'm not mistaken.

Well Robin I checked these guys out.

I loved the music. The guitars, drums, melody of the songs, but I just can't get past the vocals sorry. I'm still adjusting to that type of singing and it's a slow process. My metal tastes fall somewhere between the early stuff like Sabbath and Zeppelin, NWOBM, and 80's glam rock to 90's Grunge/alternative, Nu-metal and some industrial like Marilyn Manson, NIN, Rob Zombie.( I really love Rob Zombie) I don't think I'm ready for Black or Death metal....yet anyways. But thanks again for the suggestion.

Yeah everyone got to go trough the vocal thing, I also hated growling vocals some years back But trust me, you wont find any better black metal vocalist than Nocturno Culto(Darkthrone)

Was it the same congressional as the one that Jello Biaffra was called to? Could well be one of the few reasons why the censorship brigade (with a certain Mrs Gore fronting it if I remember rightly) failed largely in its attempt to get all albums rated for lyrical content and 'appropriateness' of subject matter. (Apologies as I may not have the 'facts' right here - as a European US politics is murky water for me.)

If so I'd say we owe Dee and Jello a major debt - hell we owe them anyway

Cheers,
Tony

Just to suggest to get use to the growl vocals, you should listen to Trivium(acsendency) and Children of bodom (are you dead yet) There growls are much easier to get use to imo. I dont even really like those vocals on the darkthrone dude, but im not a very big death/black metal fan. check these out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43Ck866mmm8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLAjKtmT3lk

sorry to get off topic with this thread just had to make a suggestion. Also Trivium has an album out that doesn't have screaming in it if your interested, called the crusade. if you dont already know about them.

I think the Jello Biafra incident was actually a trial in 1986....but not 100% sure. I believe it took place the year after the congressional hearing brought forth by the P.M.R.C. which was led by Tipper Gore. At that hearing I believe Frank Zappa, Dee Snider, and John Denver were called to testify on behalf of all artists for their 1st ammendment rights. Jello Biafra I think was on trial for obsenity due to some album art on the Frankenchrist LP but after a year was declared a mistrial. This was brought forth also by the P.M.R.C. and attacked the 1st ammendment.

So yeah I agree with you Tony that we owe these guys a debt. The documentary by Sam Dunn does a good job touching on the issue of censorship and it's effects on metal but I think this speaks universally to all genres of music.



Thanks Rob_g. I've heard Trivium and they are pretty good. I'll check out Children of Bodom as never listened to them before. Thanks for the suggestions.

Rokchik I like the voodoo that you do do just today I saw an ad on an Israeli documentry channel that theill be showing that movie sometime soon, I'll be sure to watch it.

Yeah, I love the movie, the interview with Necrobutcher owns everything, when he's sooo drunk and says like "F*** you! You know?" with that hillarious tone. And the interview with Gaahl is priceless aswell. And Rokchick, if you want to get a better picture of the norwegian black metal, check out the documentary "Satan rides the media", it's great.

And Robin, Nocturno Culto is good and all, but no way near as good as Garm:D (yeah, I know it's a matter of taste..)

Edited for language - Andrew

Satan Rides the media is great. A journalist that is neutral and looks at the facts.

What band was Garm in? I know the name, dont remember wich band.
(Nocturno Culto on A Blaze in the nortern sky dude... How can anyone compete with that? )

Dude i agree on Trivum and bodom.Thats about as hard on vocals as i go.I end up loving all the music on heavier stuff but just dont care for the type of vocals on black metal ect.Awesome post rokchik and i think i saw that doc on vh1 a while back

Growls and stuff of that nature are all a slow process it seems.

I HATED cannibal corpses vocals for so long but i loved the music SO much, so i bought a few albums, even though it hated the vocals, a year goes by, and i love them!!

Growling is now one of my favorite things about Music!!

So even if you hate it, just know that with time you could end up loving it!

the dvd kept me interested. Gaahl and Mayhem was the highpoint of the documentary. I couldnt remember most of it since I saw it once bout a year ago.

You have no idea how much I hated growling about 3-4 years ago I HATED black and death metal.
But after 4 years with Iron Maiden I needed something new. It started out with In Flames and Children of Bodom, but I got bored of that after 2 months, then I discovered Opeth. I really didnt like the vocals at all, but I loved the music. So I just listened to some Opeth songs that I got from my sister. After a while I started LOVING the vocals so much, and then me and my friend discovered Darkthrone. He RANDOMLY bought A blaze in the northern sky, Under a funeral moon and Tranvsilvanian hunger its so funny haha, those three classics he bought at a sale, he had no idea what it was. And thats when we started loving black metal.

To everyone who listens to metal without growls now, trust me, eventually you will love growling aswell

Same with me, about 4 years ago i hated death and black metal as well, that was untill Cannibal Corpse, Opeth, Arch Enemy, and Death became some of my favorite bands, after just under a year of lsitening to those guys, i LOVED it!!

Yeah man... That was good times. I remember how exciting it was to listen to A blaze in the nortern sky. The first song we got into was In the shadow in of the horns, becuase of the awesome riffs An all new sound and style to discover, sooo many new bands. I also bought Ragnarok - Blackdoor Miracle(freakin masterpiece) at the same time, it was kinda funny going from Maiden to Ragnarok They play some really fast blastbeats

(I still love Maiden though )

I work in mysterious ways



I am keeping an open mind about the whole thing. I really like the music behind most of the black/death metal stuff but like I said the vocals just don't do it for me. Now I'm liking Trivium and Children of Bodom I must say...more my vocal speed as far as the aggression goes. So maybe there is hope yet boys...but I wouldn't hold my breath. My appriciation of metal is growing each day but I'm not gonna like everything....but I do respect it. Between this site and that documentary I've become a bigger metal fan than I ever thought I would. It's also doing my workouts wonders...the angrier the music the harder I go at the gym I've already increased by bench by 10lbs.

Oh and anyone in Canada and maybe the US, The Movie Network and Movie Central are showing Metal: A Headbangers Journey 28 Aug 07. Check local listings for times

Robin: Garm is in Ulver, and he's also performed vocals on some old Arcturus and Borknagar, but it's in Ulver that he really shines, and I'd say he's best on Nattens Madrigal. (He's great as clean singing aswell, especially on their newer stuff wich is some kind of avant garde electronica, if you only heard the new stuff you could never guess that they've got their roots in black metal, but that just makes me respect them even more)

Thanks, maybe I'll check them out some time.

Electronica you say? Something like Dødheimsgard? Sounds interesting.

I haven't listened to Dødheimsgard, but from what I've read the last 2 minutes, I take it they still sound metal? Anyways, Ulver don't, here's an example of "new" Ulver. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwSjaf3aa2M...ted&search=

And yeah, I really recommend listening to at least nattens madrigal, I'm sure you'd love it, it's not overproduced synth stuff (if the fact that he's been in Arcturus makes you less interested, just wanted to make that clear:P)

I saw that video on the TV not long ago. That band used to be black metal you say...?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cqbeaARRp0 this is Dødhemisgard. They used to be totally old school black, but I also like their newer stuff.

Wow, I really like Dødhemisgard, I definetly have to listen more to them, thanks!

And concerning ulver, that was all I could find on youtube, after some more looking, I found a better electronica song by them that sounds more "ulver" to me.

http://www.esnips.com/doc/befe8930-d940-4e...Lost-In-Moments

And, I even found two black metal songs by them, take your pick:

http://www.esnips.com/doc/f24d20a2-f872-40...Wolf-And-Hatred

http://www.esnips.com/doc/a17d0f5e-cd5f-4e...-%5BUntitled%5D

Yes, they used to be black metal. And I really love the fact that they've changed instead of doing the same old thing for too long as some bands tend to do. (But I still would love a new black metal album by them )

And rokchick, I'm sorry for hijacking your thread like this, but..

Wow thats cool. They even got a saxophone! This stuff was cool.


WOW, the black metal stuff was also really, really great! I love the sound. Great vocals indeed. I still think Noturno Cultos vocals kicks everyones asses though

Nocturno Culto = Ownage.

First time i heard Darkthrone i was like "Wow, this is just dark, scary and mean.....i love it!"

And its actually pretty easy to listen to. I'm glad they never did those super fast blast beats and palm muting. I do like bands that does that aswell of course.

It just makes Darkthrone more unique.

I'll end up doin the same too, the thing is I wanna listen to the black/death metal bands with awsome musicianship for example Death is one of my favorite bands. But not a big fan of the singing. I love there newer cds (Sound of Perseverance, Symbolic etc) Beause nothing beats the drumming (in my book) of Richard Christy and Gene Hoglan. And Chucks Melodic guitaring just adds to the awsomeness. But it seems some other death metal bands I found out about aren't to great. so I've been limiting myslef to the Death/Black metal bands I listen to. But maybe Uncreator and Robin can suggest some black/death metal bands with some awsome guitar and drum work? Might help me get use to the gutteral vocals. The kinda bands like Death, Bodom, Lamb of god, Arch enemy. that would be cool

I'll try to recommend you some if that's ok!

First of all, since you like Arch Enemy, try some In Flames. Yes, I said in flames, check out Lunar Strain and Subterranean at least, two great albums, after that they got worse (even though everything up untill colony is good enough for me to listen to it sometimes). If you want more melodic death metal (a good place to start if you don't like growls, since the rest of the music is so.. melodic , the latest Dark Tranquillity record is great, and check out Avatar aswell. Allthough, I don't know that much about melodic death, but that's just what's supposed to be good, and the stuff I've listened to at least a bit..)

Opeth, you have to check out Opeth! Amazing guitar work, killer drums and what I would consider the best death metal vocals in the world, it's what got me into growling for real, and it might just do that with you aswell

http://www.esnips.com/doc/fe38b805-0318-48...48f/Opeth-Bleak

For black metal, Ulver will always be my first recommendation, but I doubt I'll even have to mention them more in this thread But be sure to check out the classical stuff like Mayhem, Darkthrone, Gorgoroth, Immortal, etc. And you could always try some Dissection, they're great aswell.

And last but not least, I have to recommend my favourite death metal band to you, Bloodbath, amazing vocals, good guitar works, and funny lyrics

I reccomend everything in the post above me plus these....

Amon Amarth, incredible Melodic Death with a Viking Theme, they have some amazing riffs and cathcy melodys!!
and nothing beats the snychronized headbangs!!

Amon Amarth - Runes To My Memory
Amon Amarth - Death In Fire

Another band i would reccomend is Wintersun, hard to categorize them, Melodic Death/ Speed Metal is closest, AMAZING guitar play, theres clean and scream vocals, the clean ones are great! (Second Vid)

Wintersun - Beyond The Dark Sun
Wintersun - Death And The Healing

Necrophagist, Technical Death Metal, i think you will find the guitar work very interesting, some amazing technique and sense of melody Muhammad Suicmez has. and it is just BRUTAL!!!

Necrophagist - Extreme Unction
Necrophagist - Intestinal Incubation
Necrophagist - Fermented Offal Discharge
Necrophagist - Fermented Offal Discharge Solo
Necrophagist - Crystal Mountain

The last one is just fun to watch, but the sound quality isnt as good as the others

ill add more when i get home, im off to school right now!

The best black metal bands are those that don't have awesome guitar work and drums Thats alot of what black metal is about imo. But there are of course bands that plays crazy aswell.

These are my favorites anyway:

Darkthrone - Simple and so amazing that I dont have words for it. Buy any album and you'll be happy, but the earlier stuff is best, always.

Bathory - Black metal from 1983... This is like the first black metal band, maybe Venom was first, but this is what I would like to call the first "real" black metal band. This is also pretty simple, but AMAZING! If you buy this and expect black metal, then you have to buy the four first albums. The rest is in my opinion just viking piece of crabcake. Hit first four albums are as black as it gets.

Burzum - Also very simple, but this band is a little different than the others. This is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY beauitful and amazing. Varg also got a really special vocal. But beware, he have two albums that is only synth. I would recommend Det som en gang var and Aske. Filosofem and Hvis lyset tar oss are also great, but they only got like 3 songs that are worth listening to. But those songs are so good that its absolutely worth buying it.

Immortal - I think its a little more drum and guitar work here. Cheesy lyrics, but everything else is really awesome. I think any metal fan could love their albums At the Heart of Winter and Sons of northern Darkness. The old stuff is also really, really, really great. Abbath also got very unique vocals imo.

Mayhem - This is alot more heavy than the ones above. Awesome super kewl riffs and crazy drum work, also GREAT vocals. Their earlier work is best without a doubt. Deathcrush(their first album) is AMAZING, and so is Mysteriis dom Satanas. I like Chimera too though, its pure energy, heavy as hell. Just turn your stereo volume really high and start headbang

Aura Noir - Black Thrash. What more can I say. Its awesome and unique.

Gorgoroth - I dont know what to say, becuase this is so AMAZING! In some ways their music is similar to Darkthrone, but still they got a very different and unique style. Both bands have the simplest and best riffs ever, and still not so much fast drums. Gorgoroths newer albums are imo just as good as the old.

Khold - These guys dont sound like any other black metal band(that I have heard atleast), this is also very simple but awesome.

If you want speed and guitar work, check out The Legion and Ragnarok. Stay away from Ragnaroks first album though, its called "Nattferd".

Satyricon - Their first albums, like Shadowthrone, is really good. You sort of want to go outside in the woods and expect to find trolls while listening to it
This is something I think any metal fan could like. These guys are probably a bit more melodic than most other black metal bands.



The bands I mentioned now is just like the most popular. There are thousands of other great bands.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=BUdmd6aZ16w - Darkthrone, this is from one of their absolutelly best albums: Under a funeral moon.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kxqurTWXc-s - Bathory, from the album Under the sign of the black mark. My favorite from him.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gWynJCi_DSY&...ted&search= - Burzum, AMAZING song! If you want to hear the most beautiful melodies ever, listen trough the whole song.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=h15AT6MuLis - Immortal, Tyrants! From their latest album. I love this video.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1GHun4fKH4Q&...ted&search= - Mayhem. AMAZING song from their first album, Deathcrush. My favorite from them. (This seems to be a homemade video, not by Mayhem btw)

Didnt find anything for Aura Noir.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Xl2ccnbs2fo - Gorgoroth, from their latest album.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=oCWNq4WYrvw - Khold.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=77uBU-IEabE - Ragnarok. This is from their amazing album, Blackdoor Miracle.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xV8LpUEdpBI - Satyricon. A really amazing song



Edit: Lol, sorry for the long post, I got a bit carried away Maybe the youtube links would have been enough

Also, check out a CD called "Fenriz presents the best of old school black metal". Lots of great bands.

I have to add this in terms of Black Metal!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDSSqAF-VdU

1349 !!!!

SCULPTOR OF FLESH!!!

1349 is pretty cool yeah. I really like the name.

everytime the clock strikes 13:49 hit a Grim Pose!!

thats 1:49 for peope not on military time or whatever its called.

Haha, yeah, I acually felt a bit bed for not having mentioned 1349, they're just pure awesomeness.

And, The Uncreator, I hope you realise that it's when the clock is 13:37 you're supposed to do something cool! (But it wouldn't hurt to do somethign cool twice, that's true..)

why 13:37?

thanks for the suggestions guys i'll check em out

1337 = leet in "leetspeak". Really silly and everything, but, it's still leet! (Yeah, it's a geek thingy )

Im a total geek, nerd whatever, but Online RPG Lingo, even though ive played pretty much every one, i still never remeber all of it

Uncreator and Robin I hope you guys are helping with the guitar wiki thing for GMC....you guys are like metal encyclopedias.....keep the suggestions rolling boys.

Also is there any other documentaries or concert vids you think I should see?

Haha thank you so very much. If I can help I will.

"Satan rides the media" have already been mentioned in this thread, its REALLY good. You can download it with torrent. It is on thepiratebay.org, but its also on youtube.com http://youtube.com/watch?v=IeEGsRs7CAI&...ted&search=

Thanks Robin I'll check it out.

Dude....I never even thought about youtube...duhhhh. Here is a Metal: A Headbangers Journey folks well part anyways...gets ya started.....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Czn2RpQ8YZA

How could I forget youtube????????
* warning for language*

Wheever it gets started ill contribute all i know, im currently making a recommendation thread, you should check it out.

Hehe, I remember the gaming days... It was like, in class, "omg the clock is 13:37!"