Actually, for metal, I think it's kind of the opposite effect. For many bands, it's more the exotic appeal that gets them fans outside their home country.

It might have been more regional in the 80s and early 90s, but after the age of the internet, people are more likely to pay to see a band from halfway around the world than a "hometown" band.

It varies depending on the culture though..... In Japan, there's not only vastly different language and cultural barriers preventing cross-cultural appeal, but everything including business and underground culture is different, so we end up with a very isolated scene, where people actually support bands from their own culture more than foreign bands.
True, that a few collectors with a "Japanophilic" attitude will be interested in quite a few Japanese bands, but it's rare that a lot of these bands would be interested in doing international tours or record deals. There's also a very strong "scene hierarchy" mentality there, where most bands are content with being a big fish in a small pond rather than face the international ocean.....

How about Solefald? Everyone seems to know them as "that one avant-garde metal band" but I don't see their albums getting much discussion around here. Shame, because they're one of the few avant-garde metal bands that skillfully integrate the AG parts into the metal as opposed to just randomly throwing them about to be "experimental!!!" I suppose their experimental parts aren't quite bizarre or polarizing enough to generate debate for good or ill, like Unexpect or Diablo Swing Orchestra.

Though the Icelandic Odyssey album duo was a bit weak, so I could see how that may have soured recent opinions on the band.

Of course, they're my favorite band of all time so I may be a bit biased.

I think that's a poor comparison. Manilla Road's music is distributed in Europe and the US, though US distribution used to be pretty weak. They play festivals all over North America and Europe, they're even playing in Dubai, UAE in a few weeks. Perhaps the biggest factor is that Manilla Road were in America for the glory days of metal in the 80s - already having recorded an album before 1980, and they toured too. They are a band which has been known by the diehards of that style in most places for a long time.

Gargoyle, AFAIK, haven't really played outside of Japan, released their music outside of Japan, or even had much of anything available in a language other than Japanese. Their Facebook page has <700 likes. Between the language barrier and being firmly seated in Japan, they are not by any means a band that many people have heard of outside the raving of a few people on MA. We certainly have people who are really into them too.



Well, they are. Good live show, but they really aren't a top-tier band.



Quite a popular band, though they aren't as prominent as they were ten years ago, for many years they were championed as the best melodic death metal band, after the sellout of In Flames. I'm a huge DT fan and I know quite a few. I think more melodic, accessible bands like this tend to be a bit outside the preferences of the MA forum denizens, but they're still quite popular. While I haven't used the site in many years, you would find tons of DT fanboys on UltimateMetal.



That's because only the first album was any good! We did have one huge Annihilator fanboy here, literally the only thing he posted about was Annihilator. He had a promotional thread about Jeff Waters' guest-solo+mixing-mastering service despite not being professionally affiliated. He would pop into the musicians forum to fawn over Annihilator videos, posting them more like a promotion than any sort of discussion. He would reply to a lot of threads in rec central recommending Annihilator. I would've thought he was a troll but he had thousands of posts on the Annihilator forum. He was finally banned for ignoring warnings about old threads to mention Annihilator...

Why listen to Solefald when you got Sigh???

I dunno, to tell the truth, I preferred Sigh's first 2 albums when they were a little more traditional and not so avant-gardish yet (feel the same way about Dodheimsgard), but when it came to that whole "different genres stitched together to make one weird song" approach, a la Mr. Bungle, I think Sigh were much more successful at it than Solefald.

And as for Anvil, well, as a fellow Canadian I can tell you the problem MOST Canadian bands have: they're just too nice!!!
We've got this whole culture designed around being polite and non-confrontational, but the bands that make it big in the music business aren't "nice guys".
The ones that headline festivals, get their pictures on magazine covers, and sell millions of records are pushy, arrogant, belligerent assholes who don't take no for an answer!!
If you don't have that attitude, forget about making it into the metal mainstream!! You gotta have the whole Glen Benton "sign us asshole!!!" mentality!!

I can tell you that virtually no one knows Manilla Road here.

Solefald are indeed incredible. From the Vintersorg group and other metal communities I know I can tell you that they have some serious fans - including me - but the band has never been huge or really well known to begin with. They are of the like of most Arcturus fans, people who's very into Ulver, Dodheimsgard, Thorns, Ved Buens Ende, Virus, Manes, Fleurety, Sigh and plenty of other weird shit.

Are you referring to Chile or this site?

Probably Chile! My first thought was sarcasm, since Manilla Road are in my opinion an entry level underground band. I'm sure everyone here has heard of them.

Arghoslent. The main thing being their somewhat racist ideology. People shun them and refuse to give them a chance even though they are really good musicians. If you heard the first 30 seconds of Flogging the Cargo you'd be hooked but because of the lyrics it's frowned upon. I don't agree with it but Hornets of the Pogrom is easily in my top 20 albums period!

Dude, everybody loves Manilla Road. Just check the Heavy metal help thread. They are also loved everywhere else.

Meliah Rage, on the other hand...

Has anyone said Volbeat? They'd certainly qualify for the forums. But they're popular overseas, apparently, so that doesn't hold for the world at-large.

Because they are racists they should never be looked upon as anything but scum, but I don't even agree that the music is good. Technically accomplished but flat as a pancake and boring as shit. Give me real traditional metal instead, personally.

A Warrior's Call from Volbeat was on the rock radio station quite frequently. Sounded way too influenced by Reload era Metallica and quite mallcore. I wasn't impressed.

Aeternus, Necromantia, Bethlehem, Old Mans Child, Dark Fortress and Naglfar are a few off the top of my head that I'm really into but don't seem to be fawned over by many others. I would class all of them as pretty well known.

It seems like almost everybody into black or death metal in this area likes Arghoslent. They're even the favourite band of many. A discussion about Arghoslent often starts out with "well I don't really agree with their racist stuff but..." Even some guys I would class as rather vehemently antiracist seem to enjoy them.

So what are we learning from this thread?

Atropus, maybe you are right about Canadian bands. We have a vibrant scene here and I honestly never thought about that before...

i like an album or two from both old man's child (pagan prosperity) and naglfar (vittra) a hell of a lot, tho' i rarely listen to their other albums much

Some of Naglfar's newer stuff is okay, but they're just a speed bump on the way to checking out some better material in the form of Nagelfar with an E. Though even then, I don't see Nagelfar having a particularly big fanbase either.

What about Rush? They always seem like really nice people. Peart may not seem like it but he just likes his privacy.

And them. I seem to be the only one that thinks Virus West is their defining moment too but thats for another thread.

Back to Naglfar, yeah they're not the most exciting band in the world but when you want a slab of catchy melodic black/death they deliver the goods every time. I think Harvest and Teras are the best things they've done.

Rush got where they are because of years and years of intensely hard work. They're probably one of the hardest working bands that's ever been. For sure it was tough for them in the beginning, but perseverance and shear talent seems to have actually worked out for them.

Anyway obviously we do have "Music Assholes" in Canada, too. The stereotype may be there for a reason but it isn't universal.

*raises hand* I like Eluveitie. And Turisas' debut, for that matter.

Finnish melodeath comes to mind. I've met a few other people who like Children of Bodom and Ensiferum, I've heard rumors of Kalmah fans... but I haven't run into anyone here who acutally likes Norther or Wintersun.

Edit: And the two people above me talking about Volbeat, they actually are in the Archives.

Norther is a good example, but people jizzed over Wintersun and CoB have their fans, too. Same with Ensiferum and Kalmah. But I've never heard anyone list Norther as one of their favorite bands, nor anticipate their releases. They just kind of... exist. Or used to, anyway.

I think saying that Canadians actually have a culture built around "being polite and non-confrontational" is a major stretch there, bud. That "culture" really doesn't exist. Haha. The guys in Striker are incredible dudes though, and as far as I know, very successful, especially over in Germany. Oh, and Devin Townsend, very nice guy. Very successful.

Seriously, Wintersun? Turisas? Fucking Kalmah? Those bands are EXTREMELY well known, and even well-respected in the bigger metal 'zines and whatnot. Not necessarily deserved respect, but respect nonetheless. You know who doesn't get enough goddamn respect, but are very, very well-known? Strapping Young Lad, yo. Obviously they've since broken up and Devin Townsend has about 15 projects on the go, but they were so good. Also, I came in here to mention Hateform, but then I realized that there isn't a single soul who's heard of them on here. Which means they're not even kind of well-known. But they should be. Seriously, you should all listen to them. Right now.

Being polite is definitely not a negative, but compare us to Americans...... 'nuff said.

I think Rush, Devin Townsend, etc. have kind of the same hard-working mentality that, say, Iron Maiden do.

Extremely nice guys to fans, press, probably even other bands they play with, but when it comes down to the music business, pleasantries and compromise completely go out the window.
I'd seriously hate to be the guy to fuck up a tour for Iron Maiden and have to face Steve Harris

Gwar? They're pretty much world famous for being those guys who wear the ridiculous monster costumes, but I've never encountered anyone who's actually a fan of their music. Hell, the only praise I've ever heard them receive is that they supposedly throw wicked live shows.

I know. Poor phrasing on my part. I meant to say that they would likely qualify for the "everybody knows them, but nobody likes them" distinction here on the forums, but Volbeat is fairly popular in the world at-large. So they wouldn't fit in very well with the parameters of the OP.

Their live shows are the only thing I've ever heard anyone talk about, and they seemingly consist of getting your clothes ruined by water dyed red. Good example.

My sister and her boyfriend are huge fans of Gwar, but I think it's from the outrageous stage shows AND the offensive toilet-humor lyrics.

Their music is good, just not great.

Yeah, I know plenty of GWAR fans. I mean, they mostly immature pricks, but they still count.

That's because their old stuff was better. I'm sure it's possible to find someone who likes their newer stuff, but not many people.

I'm not sure if this fits fully to the topic, as I'm not totally sure how well-known they are globally, but I'm always been a fan of Morningstar/Minotauri/Heathen Hoof. Those bands don't get many reviews on this page, but Ari has been a driving force in the metal underground from the early 90's onwards, and his bands seem better known outside of Finland. I fucking love the true metal trilogy of Weight of the Hammer, Kalevala Mysticism and Finnish Metal, though the production and singer's voice in those albums can put someone off. The newest HH album (Rock Crusader) is the best thing Ari and his companions have done in ages. Check it out.

My guitarist is a huge Morningstar fan, and I really like them as well. First Minotauri album is a near classic too as far as I'm concerned.

I think also most of the "other" NWOBHM bands....

Everyone knows Diamond Head and Raven, but when's the last time you've seen anyone in a Diamond Head t-shirt???

Riot could fit the bill as well...

Yeah, I like that album too. Devil Woman is a hell of a song. But their second album is even better IMO.

Hmm, never heard the second Minotauri; I have to change that!

Diamond Head drew a big crowd here and have a number of diehard fans. Same for Riot.

I don't think Riot can count for a topic like this. Just speaking for MA, Immortal Soul made a lot of our top albums of 2011 lists, mine included. I've heard a whole lot of people say how important albums like Fire Down Under and Thundersteel were for them. People were joined in mourning, at least on this forum but I'm sure others, when Reale passed.

I vaguely remember the party on Saturday after Wings of Metal with about twenty (mostly) Canadians crammed into a little Days' inn room with Fire Down Under blasting and a bunch of people wrestling and shooting each other with nerf guns.

For the Minotauri guy (Ari, I can never remember his name, just remember that he is/was in the three aforementioned bands) and his bands, while I always found Minotauri's songwriting to be pretty damn great, they always played second fiddle to Reverend Bizarre. Though I grant you, aside from the live performances, Reverend Bizarre's other material most often played second fiddle to their debut album aside a few assorted songs. Back to Minotauri, there was just something missing in the full-lengths. They didn't have that special spark or something. It always felt that the band was going about it a bit lazy, like their heart wasn't really into it. Doom Metal Invasion, Satan in Man/Sex Messiah and the split with Reverend Bizarre stood a head taller than the full-lengths. Heathen Hoof and Morningstar I never really got. It's not really my style of metal, I suppose.

I understand your point of view. I too would put early RB over Minotauri. But there's this certain "workman spirit" in Ari's doings which I find very charming. It's like "Hey, Pentagram and Witchfinder General made great music, but why couldn't some poor guy from Finland do the same?"

I think Morningstar improved a lot when Ari decided to start actually singing. Yeah, he may not be a great vocalist by any means, but Morningstar as a melodic/epic metal band are just really special, I think. Great riffs and over-all sound, guitarwork, etc. Minotauri may be a little spare and, well, workmanlike, but not so for Morningstar I think. The only thing possibly holding them back is the singing, which I find rather charming but may not appeal to all tastes, that's for sure.

Not sure if they've been mentioned, but what about Flotsam & Jetsam? Possibly the worst name for a metal band there is, and they have continued to exist since the early 80s with little-to-no fanfare whatsoever. Does anyone even listen to these guys at all anymore? All they're really known for is being the band Jason Newsted used to be in.