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WolfieboyMachi
Metalhead

Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 1:38 pm
Posts: 793
Location: Norway
PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2012 11:44 am 
 

A lot of Metal bands place weight on their image as well as their music.
Be it the ironic "scariness" of Black Metal, the kilt-wearing mead drinkers of Folk Metal, or whatever gimmick a band may choose to sell themselves on.

As much as I like to think of Metal as a respectable and "serious" form of music, all these things are kinda childish.
There are few bands that rather than going for something funny or ironic , focus on a classier, more "grown up" image.
Where are all the tux-wearing Metal bands?

I have only seen, as far as I can remember, three bands do something akin to what I am looking for.

The first and most well-known one would be Fleshgod Apocalypse.
A decent effort, but not quite there, with the "grrrr, we're angry and badass" attitude. And the face-paint.
Still, better than most other.
Image

Next band would be Marionette.
Another decent try, if held back by also being based on implementing "visual kei" into their image as well.
So not quite there yet.
Image

Third would be dEMOTIONAL.
Another decent attempt.... but then there's the gauges and the eyeliner...
Image


And that's all I know of.
So now I'm turning to you guys. If you know any Metal-bands that does the classy/gentlemen Metal-thing, be it in image, lyrics or whatever it might be, please share them.
Please share even if they don't pull it off perfectly. It's fun to know even if they're not perfect.

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WingedOctopus
Metal newbie

Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2011 7:41 pm
Posts: 215
PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2012 12:11 pm 
 

I remember seeing John Dolmayan from System of a Down pretty well dressed.
Image

Plus there's the Question video where the whole band are in suits http://youtu.be/ENBv2i88g6Y
Interested to see what else comes up!

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androdion
Veteran

Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:34 am
Posts: 3024
Location: Portugal
PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2012 12:44 pm 
 

WolfieboyMachi wrote:
The first and most well-known one would be Akercocke.

Fixed. ;)
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Cioci
Metal newbie

Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 3:56 pm
Posts: 39
Location: Beans n Chowdah, USA
PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2012 1:22 pm 
 

I'm gonna go right ahead and throw in A Forest Of Stars.

Image

They're often considered "Steampunk metal," and are very musically elegant in addition to the whole gentleman image. Here, arm yourself with knowledge: http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/A_Forest_of_Stars/115504
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garthmargengi
Metalhead

Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2011 7:16 am
Posts: 475
Location: Argentina
PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2012 1:33 pm 
 

I don't know what you think, but to me all these look rather idiotic than gentleman-ish.
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Mimogrede
Metal newbie

Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2012 2:25 pm
Posts: 233
Location: Slovenia
PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2012 1:37 pm 
 

If you say, that being suited up is being a gentleman, then throw in Hamferð for you...

Image
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splyu
Metal newbie

Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:09 pm
Posts: 286
Location: Germany
PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2012 3:12 pm 
 

Candlemass:

Image


The Vision Bleak:

Image

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Vintersorrow
Metal newbie

Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2004 2:59 pm
Posts: 85
Location: Diggin' bones in yer backyard
PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2012 4:24 pm 
 

Image

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Malthus
Metalhead

Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2010 10:32 pm
Posts: 706
Location: Switzerland
PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2012 6:00 pm 
 

Cioci wrote:
I'm gonna go right ahead and throw in A Forest Of Stars.

Image

They're often considered "Steampunk metal," and are very musically elegant in addition to the whole gentleman image. Here, arm yourself with knowledge: http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/A_Forest_of_Stars/115504


Came to mention them. And not to be a douche, but they refer to themselves as "Steam-powered" Victorian psychedelic black metal, not "Steampunk".

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vengefulgoat
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 9:15 am
Posts: 749
Location: Poland
PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2012 6:39 pm 
 

Image

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SatanicPotato
Metalhead

Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:52 pm
Posts: 1446
PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2012 11:15 pm 
 

a million dead birds laughing

Image

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volutetheswarth
Metalhead

Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:37 pm
Posts: 578
Location: Australia
PostPosted: Mon May 21, 2012 11:20 pm 
 

WolfieboyMachi wrote:
A lot of Metal bands place weight on their image as well as their music.
Be it the ironic "scariness" of Black Metal, the kilt-wearing mead drinkers of Folk Metal, or whatever gimmick a band may choose to sell themselves on.
Rarely is it a gimmick to sell themselves on. Most actually wear what they wear because they like the look of it, not because it's a fashionable choice. It's hardly ever the case where they choose (b) because that will be more pleasing to a certain crowd. I find this thread strange because you're not requesting music, you're requesting an appearance. Or maybe you are, but it's an extremely broad range of music if aware of which bands do it. With that being said, Talanas fits the bill. There would be a ton of power metal bands that have this look, but I despise power metal so I can't help you there. I find you're stance on the suited appearance incorrect, wearing suits and playing metal looks silly, albeit a more pleasing one to look at to the general populace than black metal, it certainly doesn't look "grown up" or "mature", or whatever you define as non-childish.

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Inspector_Satan
Metalhead

Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2011 11:48 pm
Posts: 440
Location: Living in the cosmic nod
PostPosted: Tue May 22, 2012 6:57 am 
 

Fjoergyn:
Image.

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EpicSceptic
Metal newbie

Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 7:26 am
Posts: 306
Location: South Africa
PostPosted: Tue May 22, 2012 12:13 pm 
 

@OP The fact that you care so much about what a band wears is almost as revealing about you as the fact that you think "grown-up" people should wear suits. Besides all this being painfully irrelevant to what the band actually sounds like (I'm not talking about genres) and what the actual message (if there is one, sometimes it's just a bunch of symbolism, surreal, incoherent, etc) is that the band is trying to convey, wearing a suite as a fashion statement is conformist and completely against the one concept that most good metal bands incorporate somehow: individualism.

That being said, I'm not against the wearing of suits, but if you are looking for bands whose members have worn a suit at some point in their career, then 95% of bands will probably pass. Ever been to a funeral?

My point?

Akercocke wear suits, and as has been stated here already, they are definitely the most well known(Fleshgod are awesome, saw them live a month ago, but they aren't yet that well known). But you realize that they have Satanic lyrics, right? And they sound very pissed, ok maybe rather possessed but I'm sure that will fall under your category of "childish act". Fleshgod sound pissed right? Well that's because they are. Black metal sounds dark/depressive/discordant because that is the feeling being conveyed, and I'll be damned if you can create good black metal if you don't feel overwhelmed by a sense darkness, whatever the type or flavour. Seriously if you are looking for guys in suits singing about how difficult girls can be than there is a myriad of emo bands waiting for your attention.

Some musicians like to be entertainers, so they'll really try to recreate a whole world of symbolism for you to interpret and do with as you please, but for them it holds a more specific meaning. Sure lyrical content in metal isn't the most important thing, it's a very technical field, but then again if you are looking for lyrics about things that "gentlemen" would discuss then your world sounds utterly boring.

Death never wore suits, and they started as a horror/gore themed death metal band, but later Chuck changed the lyrical matter to address philosophical ideas. Ye sure he still sounded pissed, because he was, and I am, and if I haven't pissed you off by now then I really don't know what else to say to you.

This request for a recommendation makes no sense.

EDIT:
Oh yeah and it REALLY takes intelligence and effort to be funny in metal, without sounding gimmicky, you probably just haven't heard the right bands or you can't understand them.
Just to name a few, Mr Bungle, Fantomas, Melvins, Big Business, Cranium, Entombed, Strapping Young Lad, Weedeater, Bretwaldas of Heathen... jesus why do I even try...


Last edited by EpicSceptic on Tue May 22, 2012 12:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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EpicSceptic
Metal newbie

Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 7:26 am
Posts: 306
Location: South Africa
PostPosted: Tue May 22, 2012 12:25 pm 
 

Oh fuck wow!

After hearing dEMOTIONAL, and seeing that they aren't on the archives, I think I might have hit the nail right on the head.

Here's Marionette, better in the sense that I didn't gauge one of my eyeballs out this time... gogo classy metal

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The_Beast_in_Black
Metal freak

Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 11:34 am
Posts: 7708
Location: Australia
PostPosted: Tue May 22, 2012 1:17 pm 
 

Malthus wrote:
Came to mention them. And not to be a douche, but they refer to themselves as "Steam-powered" Victorian psychedelic black metal, not "Steampunk".

Which sounds like a pretty steampunk description, so who cares?
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Malthus
Metalhead

Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2010 10:32 pm
Posts: 706
Location: Switzerland
PostPosted: Tue May 22, 2012 1:28 pm 
 

The_Beast_in_Black wrote:
Malthus wrote:
Came to mention them. And not to be a douche, but they refer to themselves as "Steam-powered" Victorian psychedelic black metal, not "Steampunk".

Which sounds like a pretty steampunk description, so who cares?


I care. And presumably A Forest Of Stars would care as well. One term tags them as punk, another as black metal.

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Metantoine
Prince of the Black Sun

Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 5:00 pm
Posts: 6381
Location: Québec
PostPosted: Tue May 22, 2012 1:30 pm 
 

Time to lock this, picture threads are lame anyway. EpicSpeptic made his condescending mission to overanalyse the OP and kind of ruined the whole thread.
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