I understand your point, but then who or what is to say what makes an album essential? If you can't rely upon the people who listen to it in the first place, then who do you expect to determine what is essential? You could just look up critic's reviews of albums, but that would entirely defeat the purpose of the thread.
I would argue that "pop" isn't an actual genre though. His music still fits a particular genre, though I don't know what that is because I've not heard a lick of anything he's put out (thankfully, as I'm told).
Also, in terms of essential, I would argue there are in terms of albums that helped shaped genres and influenced other artists, like Celtic Frost's "To Mega Therion".
If none of that made sense I apologize...I'm drunk....
To me, and I'll readily admit this is strictly personal and highly subjective, it is how much a band has influenced other bands or how much impact it has had on a specific genre. Good examples would be Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden or At The Gates to name three. A bad example would be Children of Bodom.
This in part also addresses the above post about Bieber: he has not influenced anyone and as such is hardly essential. Possibly in 10 years, we will say that 'Justin Beaker started emulating the Bieber-sound and became highly succesful with it', at which point we might want to include Bieber. However, seeing how there's very little originality in Bieber's sound (from what I've heard, which, again, admittedly, isn't all that much), this may be hard to conclude.
Last edited by Duilliath; 2012-03-31 at 08:55 AM.
Not particularly. Those same keyboard lines were already being done by Arcturus and Dimmu Borgir. Or, if you wish, Beethoven.
It really depends on what context essential is used in. Essential, as in influential to the genre as a whole or essential as in must be heard by all metal fans? The former is, imo, extremely limiting, the list will be pretty short and let's be honest here, influential bands are not always the best at what they do. The latter is more interesting but also definitely subjective. If we were to use the poll popular bands will have a big advantage, not a bad thing per se, but after having seen some peoples taste I fear the list would look something like this:
Metallica - St. Anger
Dragonforce - Inhuman Rampage
Dimmu Borgir - Abrahadabra
Korn - Follow the Leader
Another problem I see with using a poll would be that there is no way of knowing who votes for what. I don't want some power metal fan down voting "Altar of Madness" or "A Blaze in the Northern Sky" just because they don't like death metal or black metal.
Not necessarily in the same way or in the same context. Arcturus and even DB (although DB less, as some keyboard lines in Stormblast were main melody lines pretty much) used those things for atmospheric purposes. And Beethoven didn't play metal.
But since they are not a grim true cult frostbitten band and they "sold out" before the last three albums, I don't expect you to see it, but they WERE an influence for many many bands.
But whatever, I don't think any list like that is good anyways since as you said yourself before, it is way too subjective so /careface.
Last edited by mmocbbd281298f; 2012-03-31 at 12:07 PM.
Dunno if you said this before or after my edit but meh, I don't hear much similiarities in the purpose of synths in Something Wild and Aspera Hiems Symphonia.
With that said I am not sure if it is relevant anyways, as bands like Norther or Wintersun don't really build on the Arcturus-type synth playing but on the CoB-type synth playing.
Dragonforce IS essential power metal imo... NOBODY does it better than them in that genre, and beleive me I've looked into it a great deal
Especially now , they have a new better singer & more varied songs
I get the feeling some people seem to have some idea that Obscure > Mainstream but for no actual/valid reasons. No. It does not make you cooler to listen to bands nobody has ever heard of.
Last edited by WaitingforMoP; 2012-03-31 at 03:47 PM.
Just actually found this thread, and I'm glad I did. Chances are I can find some metalcore fans here, so I thought I'd share a pretty good upcoming band. If anyone is interested, look up Adestria and listen to Outsiders. Their CD just came out on 3-26-12, and it's entitled Chapters.
Technically once you've heard one metalcore band, you've heard em all, but I'm a fan of the genre so yeah, that's that.
Here's a link to the suggested song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Dq7JJJ1wI
Wat. I think this single handedly shows why making an "essential Metal Albums" thread would just not work.
However, if just the OP determines what should and shouldn't be on the list then its going to become inherently biased to the tastes of the OP. But if everybody has a say then the "essential Metal Albums" thread just becomes the "Metal Albums" thread. I can't think of any fair method unless as Duilliath said to somehow determine what is and isn't influential on a specific genre or sub-genre, but different people will always have their own opinions...
I feel like I should post something instead of just talking
Last edited by Kreyzor; 2012-03-31 at 05:51 PM.
I just see alot of people with that mentality around the internet, here... youtube... other sites, everywhere really. Its an observation not a conclusion.
............. I hope you're just saying COB is not "Essential" in your opinion and not calling them bad.
If you dislike COB well.... then all of your opinions are officially dead to me
Last edited by WaitingforMoP; 2012-03-31 at 10:25 PM.
There's nothing wrong with disliking a band, even if it's lauded over within the metal community. I, myself, find them boring. Much the same way I don't really dig Amon Amarth either. /shrugs
Oh, and Dragonforce is quite possibly one of the worst bands I've ever seen live.
Last edited by nbm02ss; 2012-03-31 at 10:38 PM.
Their (Dragonforce) songwriting is very repetetive however.
And the funny thing is I really don't mind repetition (SPELLINGZ?????) at all so when it gets so repetetive it bothers me then you know there is something stinky there.
DF is way too cheesy, self repeating and pointless for my taste. But then again I dislike the vast majority of EU power metal.