(no subject)

[thedarkproject]

One advantage of working in the city centre is that I get to do much of my shopping during my lunch break. Today, this primarily involved slumming it in Poundland. Once upon a time such a shop would be an important source of household goods for me in my impoverished student or unemployed state, but now it's primarily a case of looking round and saying, "oh my god, people actually buy this stuff?" I was only there because I couldn't think of anywhere else to find superglue. While within, I was nearly compelled to buy a "Mulit Tool" because no fan of 80s metal should be without a Mulit. Unfortunately it was actually a mere 'Multi' tool, made by some foreign company that lacked anybody with enough English proficiency to spot such a blatant error on the packaging.

One disadvantage of working in the city centre is that sometimes your office doorstep is covered in vomit when you come to work. Ace.

The weekend was mostly fun, somewhat confusing, and just a little headache-inducing, both metaphorically and literally. Still, among all the madness I managed to get most of my latest song recorded. Just lead guitar, samples, and mixing to do now.

The next week will see me doing... very little. I have a doctor's appointment on Wednesday - yay, fun. I think Turisas are playing at the weekend, but I doubt I'll go. They're a good band but there's no doubt the gimmick has firmly taken hold there. On a related note, it was quite disappointing how almost everybody on the Bloodstock campsite was playing the same 2 or 3 albums. Viking/folk metal is the new Nu-Metal. Yeah, I said it.

Comments

[thedarkproject]

Yeah, there've been decent bands with traditional Scandinavian influences for a long time, but only now is there a requirement to don ridiculous costume and incorporate some sort of faux-native instrument into your sound. It seems like we're being introduced to a line of increasingly bizarre acts, first Finntroll, then Ensiferum, followed by Turisas, then Korpiklaani. Where will it end?

[erishkigal.livejournal.com]

Yep its sad but true. I'm sick of all the gimmicks from the Metal Hammer darlings, to be honest I cant wait for it to go away! Maybe then I can tell people I like folk metal again without having them wince and go 'oh, Turisas?' I agree it can be a laugh but it means that the really amazing bands from that sort of scene could be completely and woefully overlooked in favour of sheer drinking music..

[thedarkproject]

Yeah, I generally like all the bands I mentioned - well, except Korpiklaani. It's just the over the top gimmickry that surrounds it that bothers me, along with the overly slavish adherence to it by some of the younger fans, the likes of whom I saw at Bloodstock. As you suggest, it means that people could miss out on higher quality bands in favour of the ones that are 'funnier'. There's definitely a place for comedy in music, but it would be a shame if it came to the forefront.

[fiendil.livejournal.com]

Except nu metal was driven by the advertising budgets of the major labels, where viking/folk metal is driven by grassroots amusement, as was black metal before it.

[thedarkproject]

Depends on what you mean by 'driven'... some nu-metal did pretty well without major promotion (eg. early stuff like Korn), while on the other hand it's obvious that some of these 'battle metal' bands are getting one hell of a push from their labels, in a couple of cases being incredibly popular (relatively speaking) after only 1 album, because that album was on a big label (again, relatively speaking) and promoted massively.

Mostly though I was referring to a stream of bands that are appealing to fans on image as much as substance - and let's face it, Korpiklaani for example have absolutely zero substance - it's just musical comedy.

[fiendil.livejournal.com]

Korn's first album was on Sony. They had lots of weight behind them.

If that's just Turisas you're referring to, didn't hurt their cause that the critics (Terrorizer in particular) loved the first album.

[thedarkproject]

Point taken about Korn and their label, but the actual promotion side of things was lacking over here until they'd already played Donington. Contrast that with Metal Hammer issuing Battle Metal compilations every few months...

Ensiferum also came out of nowhere. Wintersun are another band on the fringe of this that seem to be popular out of all proportion to their actual achievements. It's quite bizarre. At least Korpiklaani have some sort of history - shame their songs are shit.

I mean, at no point do I think that these bands are as musically inept as the majority of nu-metal acts. I just find the excessive hype, the emphasis on appearances, and the general monoculture among fans of worshipping the same handful of records, as quite sad.

[fiendil.livejournal.com]

The monoculture thing stems from there only being so many albums around of the style, shirley.

I see Sabbat and Cruachan who came before, and only half a dozen bands who are really playing the folk metal style. That'll change in the next couple of years as the labels sign anyone they can get their mitts on, but I see the monoculture, as you put it, being a product of a limited product availability.

[thedarkproject]

I'm not sure I'm communicating my point adequately - obviously people will only play these 4 or 5 albums if those are the only ones in the style they like, but why the hell are they so obsessed with that style to the apparent exclusion of all else? There are many bands that have a fair degree of overlap with the whole battle metal scene, yet they get ignored. Again, that's sort of what I mean about the nu-metal reference - are people only listening to the 'big hits' and not bothering with anything else?

I don't think it's culturally healthy when you're in a field of 1000 people and half of them are all listening to the same things - not even necessarily the same albums, but the same 10 songs. I lost count of how often I heard 'Trollhammaren', 'Battle Metal', or 'Happy Little Boozer' coming out of someone's car. It wasn't like that last year, with much more variety. It's taken on a viral quality.

It makes me worry that there's going to be a growing number of people that won't listen to anything unless it has a fur-clad guy with a sword on the cover, because they ultimately have little interest in the music itself, more the silly accessories to it. I also wonder if it'll drive people away from festivals like Bloodstock when they get a bit fed up with the viking-obsessed kiddies.

[darkwaveart.livejournal.com]

this too concerned me, the amount of kids with turisas face paint was really getting to me. It does seem odd tho that Bloodstock has been seen as a battle metal festival for years and when they decide to add more mainstream and commercial acts such as Lacuna Coil (who i might add bought me a very nice watch the other night) the whole field end up playing the same battle shite. The whole battle metal thing is beyond me sounds like the greatest irish jigs in the world ever vol 4 to me.

I did meet Korpiklani backstage, never met men with such small hands. I did point this out in a vulgar comment which i quickly retracted and cannot be written on such a public forum as this. fortunately they didnt really hear what i said.

[ivythewanderer.livejournal.com]

But Korpiklaani are FUN, if you don't take them seriously (and I should hope nobody does...)! ;)

[thedarkproject]

Fun is fine, but it has implications for the scene when 'fun' bands are placed above 'good' bands.

[ivythewanderer.livejournal.com]

I kind of miss working in the city centre and going shopping during my lunch break, too!

As to Turisas, I saw them (again and better this time) at Graspop and I enjoyed their gig. The only "problem" is that, for most songs, you wouldn't actually notice if the band stepped down from the stage and went away...But it can still be a fun concert! ;)

[filthgrinder.livejournal.com]

I agree entirely with what you said about viking/folk metal, loads of idiots who do just see it all as a gimmick have got into it! Turisas has sold out in Manchester, I managed to get a ticket but no doubt all the morons with plastic swords will be out.

Oooh I think you touched a nerve there with me!!

[spazzhammer.livejournal.com]

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Mulit tool!

[lost-in-moose.livejournal.com]

Yeah right, like you don't love finding puke all over the doorstep... bet it reminds you of home cooking and nights spent down the mine cuddling up to a canary for warmth :)