I find the vocals on Decapitated's Organic Hallucinosis to be completely unfitting with the music. Nothing wrong with the music itself, but Kowanek's vox on that album were a direction for the worst.

Seriously? Not to offend, but I'm really surprised that more people don't agree with me. It just feels too obvious. I can understand vocal experimentation, but when it comes to Obituary I don't see any point. Could someone please explain to me whats the effect hes trying to get at? He sounds like he burnt his tongue.

Recently checked out Atomizer's latest album.The vocals are decent at times, but dreadfully attention grabbing and shitty other times. It's a shame cause there's a lot to like on this album, but the vocals really kill it.

Yeah, definitely, to the guy who said Annihilator.

I think 'rotting flesh vomiting out from under a manhole lid' describes it

Oh thanks for letting me know... your factual analysis has driven me to agree with you...


see how what works?

extreme
–adjective
1. of a character or kind farthest removed from the ordinary or average


why does extreme metal need to have clean vocals, again? there's a reason why there's grunts/growls/screams over the music. trying to turn it into normal metal with melodic vocals would defeat the purpose of it being extreme.

It might make it less extreme, but by no means does it make it non-extreme, as long as the music can otherwise be labeled as extreme metal. Just because clean singing is not an aspect of extreme music doesn't mean that it doesn't work. By your logic, no genre fusion works, and not even bands from genre A taking influences from genre B work, which is obviously horrible logic.

Too right. Spiral Architect, anyone?

[sarcasm]Oh yes, you are right, I forgot, metal is mostly clean vocals, thus grunts/screams are less ordinary....[/sarcasm]

That definition doesn't apply when discussing metal as it now stands....

He is right. Clean vocals are the ordinary and common thing in most music in general. The harsh vocals, while more prevalent by the year, are still very uncommon in the majority of music.

You think so even for just metal....?

That's beside the point. When playing extreme metal, extreme vocals work best. Likewise, Iron Maiden wouldn't sound right with John Tardy on vocals. You see?

I would say the vocals in Deathspell Omega's Fas- ruined the whole album. Tt sounds like that guy had a big chump of pizza in his mouth when he was recording.
Atilla would've done a good job in that band.

I have to disagree here. I quite enjoy the vocals on Fas - Ite.... Attila would've completely ruined it for me. I mean, I can just tolerate his vocal style on De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas.

:O

You are ridiculous.. please stop.

Van Drunen is one of if not the top death metal vocalist around.. you have got to be fucking KIDDING me with that shit.

I kind of agree with RedMisanthrope here...while I don't hate his vocals, they are difficult to get used to. For that reason, I probably won't spin the album as much as others.

Still, it's a decent album.

It took a bit for me to love his vocal work, can't get enough of it now though.

I think a 'popular' vocalist who I can't seem to appreciate (yet) despite the awesome music is Antti Boman. I give it a go every so often, haven't cracked it yet.

Can you really sit there with a serious face and say that with men like Mikael Akerfedlt, Peter Tagtgren, Rowan London, Matti Kärki, Anders Jacobson, John Tardy, and V.I.T.R.I.O.L. are still behind the mic? If so, I don't know whether to admire or pity you.

Damn guys it's just personal taste. Personally I don't think Van Drunen is that special either, so get over it.

SATURNUS

Ritual Carnage- I, Infidel

The writing on this album is superb, riffs out the ass, great use of technicality and melody, but those vocals make me laugh from time to time. The lyrics aren't awful either, so it's a bummer.

Testament-Formation..., Demonic, or The Gathering

I really, really don't like Chuck Billy's growl. It's nothing but an example of a guy who hasn't taken care of his voice. I mean, I'll eat my words somewhat on that, as I have no idea what chemo will do to a singer, but I don't like when a subpar gravel takes over what was once a decent midrange.

Forbidden-Forbidden Evil

Sometimes, SOMETIMES, he works. "Welcome to the church of lies!" is venomous and just cool as Hell. However, Off the Edge may be the one of the worst thrash vocals ever.

Toxik, Realm, Watchtower-Most of their work.

Don't get me wrong, at times, these guys smoke. However, maybe its the mixing, but the complete lack of low end in the mixing, and the fact that fucking EVERYONE in the band needs to be the lead instrument at all times, takes away from the music as a whole. The ultra high, shrieky, often off key vocals, can really make it hard to take them seriously, lyrically and otherwise. This is coming from a fan of them, too. Agent Steel made it work by having enough low end. These guys make it hard to get really into it by putting everything in the high end.

I developed a kitschy love for that song the first time I listened to it.

Listen to how he talks about getting nearer and nearer to the edge, and how that is like the worst thing in the world and he is screaming out about just how close to the edge he really is. Goddamn, someone get that guy away from the edge. And after being close to the edge for so long, the closing line, which is screamed, just places him "near" the edge, rather than off of it or dangling from it.

Akerfeldt is technically good but he's also ridiculously boring.

Absolutely.. I think I pity you most. Obviously your taste is flat out awful. None of those vocalists except for say John Tardy do anything for me. I like to hear pain and torment in those vocals, emulated by Wannes Gubbels and the afformentioned Van Drunen and Tardy.

I, personally, love his vocals and find them quite far from boring....

Check out November's Doom if you haven't, I like that guy better.

Yeah, Paul Kuhr is pretty solid, but I'll still take Mikael....

Calling my taste in music into question huh? What an amazingly effective and mature argument. You're apparently easily impressed when it comes to death metal, which means you probably like Waking the Cadaver, which is fine. I just find it funny that I name two pretty undeniably classic death metal bands, and you refute them, probably not knowing even which bands I was speaking of. That's ok, I didn't expect you to know what you were talking about.

The vox on Morbid Angel - Blessed are the Sick are too high in the mix and overpowering imo

Yes, but are they horrible?

well yeah kinda. i listen to that kick ass riff at the start of fall from grace, then the vocals come in and kill it.....ok maybe not KILL it, but it does ruin it....

Hahaha, wow you are superb. A)Classics would be both Pestilence and Asphyx's output WITH Van Drunen. The Waking the Cadaver strawman from you is undeniable fail. B)Don't condescend to me, I am quite sure I've been involved in more credible music than you ever will.

I know full well which "Bands" you speak of, your idea of classic and mine may differ substantially you tool.

I'd say Matti Karki classifies as a classic death metal vocalist, Tagtgren to a lesser extent but still in roughly the same league. V.I.T.R.I.O.L hasn't been around long enough to be a classic, but the sheer inhumanity of his vocals makes him pretty damn good.

But still, Van Drunen is a damn fine vocalist.

I thought doom metal and thrash metal were part of this 'Extreme metal' genre. Don't they both have clean vocals?

Silencer
Annihilator
most DSBM bands

Just completely ruined by bad vocalists.

Some thrash and some doom are extreme, but not all. For example, Kreator or Dark Angel could be considered extreme metal, but not Anthrax or Heathen. Burning Witch or Khanate are extreme metal, but not Candlemass or Trouble.

I'm at a loss as to how DSBM bands are "ruined" by "poor vocals." The vocals are supposed to be deranged, full of anguish, off-key yelling and screaming and grunting. It sets the mood that goes along with the music.

Absu, the vocalist is horrible imo.

Odd, I have never heard many complaints about that..

Early Fates Warning, specifically Awaken the Guardian. A singer like Hansi Kursch could make those vocal melodies work, but John Arch is no Hansi Kursch, and his vocals end up sounding like ballsless wailing just for the sake of ballsless wailing. I'm writing a new review for that album.

Adramelch are a pretty good band, if you discount Vittorio Ballerio's extremely strained-sounding high voice.