Genre definitions and help

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[MetalMike]

It seems like there are as many genres of metal as there are bands these days.  In the 80's, when I started listening there was one:  heavy metal.  Pretty soon we had Speed (Megadeth), Thrash (Metallica, Overkil, Testament), Avant Garde (Celtic Frost), Glam (Poison, Warrant), Pop (Bon Jovi), etc.

I'm pretty partial to Power and Traditional metal these days, although I think it's pretty cool when a Power or Prog band throws some extreme vocals into the mix.  I'm thinking of Kamelot - The Black Halo, Steel Attack - Enslaved or Threshold - Dead Reckoning.

 Soulitude - Born in America

[Frankie]

I dont know what to say, but nu metal is not my friend. I classifiy most of that stuff into that nu metal classification. However grindcore is different as well as some old school hardcore bands. often us metal guys dig the old hard core shit and stay away from bands like hatebreed, aka (stinkbreed)

[Sextus Loverlord]

Screamo = Emo music, with a vocalist that sounds like a spoiled child that can't get it's own way (i.e NOT metal)
Mallcore = Lowest common denominator riffs, occasionally mixed with 'rap' vocals. Gay. A.K.A Nu Metal (i.e NOT metal)
Grindcore = Super-fast hardcore punk, generally with socially aware/political lyrical stance. Occasionally borders on fast death metal (i.e rarely metal)
Hardcore = Fast, ugly punk (i.e NOT metal)
Deathgrind = a mixture of death metal and grindcore (i.e usually metal, bar some exceptions)

Edited for a shitty spelling error on my behalf

Every era has some bastardized, adulterated genre that borrows some sounds from metal and then gets touted as 'The New heavy Metal Sound' by soulless corporate-whore publicists.  They take some of the sound of real metal but then they dumb it down for stupid people by simplifying it, and backing it up with imbecile lyrics that idiots take for intelligent (lyrics about social problems or political unrest are always thought important by adolescents and faux-intellectuals, who believe 'realism' is essential to make art.  Really, their sad brains are incapable of understanding anything besides Literal Representationalism - these are the same people who are excited by the fact that the staue of liberty's torch actually lights up.)  Once the new subgenre is established, then it can be further diluted and even worse swill can be foisted on the masses with bands who play heavy chunk guitars and scream angrily, but are really just peddling the same shit about girls and relationships that pop music vomits up in a nonstop stream.  Glam, grunge, nu-metal, metalcore, deathcore, sludge, groove.  It's all just an effort to make use of metal sounds without the complexity or anti-commercial attitude of real metal.  Piss on it all.

The words have been spoken. 

[Vintar]

AC/DC has nothing to do with metal.

[Brewdog]

Pretty much what Sargon said, but I have some exceptions on Glam. I think if you get passed the make-up SOME BANDS are pretty decent. W.A.S.P., Motley Crue (only Shout at the Devil album), and Twisted Sister (although not really Glam). The "Metal Genres" listing on this site is a very good summary of the genres, and if it isn't on there, hold back until proven safe.

Only Shout At The Devil? I take it you've never heard Too Fast For Love- Crue's debut.

[xiphos]

Only Shout At The Devil? I take it you've never heard Too Fast For Love- Crue's debut.

I have, I just don't really like it...

[Brewdog]

AC/DC has nothing to do with metal.

They're one of the bands that steered me toward metal. Personally, I consider AC/DC to be 70's metal, like Led Zeppelin, Rush, Deep Purple, Rainbow, or Kiss. IMO, you can't really use today's terms to describe bands from 30 years ago.

[Agis]

AC/DC has nothing to do with metal.

They're cool nonetheless.

[Vintar]

Yeah, they're "cute" I'd say.

They're one of the bands that steered me toward metal. Personally, I consider AC/DC to be 70's metal, like Led Zeppelin, Rush, Deep Purple, Rainbow, or Kiss. IMO, you can't really use today's terms to describe bands from 30 years ago.

None of this bands is Metal. I'd call Sabbath and Priest 70's Metal.

[Brewdog]

Yeah, they're "cute" I'd say.

None of this bands is Metal. I'd call Sabbath and Priest 70's Metal.

Still great bands nonetheless.

[Phoenix]

Yeah, they're "cute" I'd say.

None of this bands is Metal. I'd call Sabbath and Priest 70's Metal.

Not 100% metal, but better than a lot of metal that comes out these days, for sure.

[vorthas]

Still great bands nonetheless.

... but not metal...

Led Zeppelin, Rush, Deep Purple are all rock... Prog rock (though - i'm hesitant to call Led Zeppelin that). Kiss and AC/DC are Hard Rock... which can be easily confused with metal - but Hard Rock bands use less distortion, more standardized song structure, and use full chords, not power chords (the true definition of metal, when at its finest). Kiss doesn't fit into those descriptors too readily - but - since most songs are like two different riffs (for lack of a better word) repeated without variation... yea - hard rock.

[Phoenix]

They're all rock bands, it's that simple.