Squeal like a pig!

April 29, 2011 6:00 AM

Ev'ry truly cultured music student knows: you must learn your scales and your arpeggios. Even if you're the lead singer of a death metal band (SLYT).
posted by SomeTrickPony (46 comments total)

Tangential story:

A friend of mine took her son to see one of his favorite bands, Cradle of Filth, and is now a fan. She listened to CoF while running a half marathon recently, and in the pictures, you can almost see her thinking "RUUUUUH! RUUUUH RUUUUUUUUUUUH!"
posted by sutt at 6:12 AM on April 29, 2011 [2 favorites]

Related
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 6:14 AM on April 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

Every death metal fan I know (warning: sample size of 11) are hugely nerdy about scales, arpeggios, and 'musicality'.

In most of their opinions, death metal (particularly swedish melodic death metal) is a direct cultural heir to Bach.
posted by The Giant Squid at 6:15 AM on April 29, 2011 [12 favorites]

sounds to me like he's flat at that first octave
posted by nathancaswell at 6:16 AM on April 29, 2011

He even left a comment on the video:

Hi! This is Olle Ekman, I'm the one who's growling in the video.

Me and Erik in Deals Death made this when we were rehersing in Gothenburg, We put it on facebook then a friend of mine posted it on youtube. I practice this pretty often, sometimes for fun and sometimes more serious. It's actual a great way to learn to control your growls! Maybe I'll post some more piano growls up on the tube... we'll see..

Check out some real Deals Death songs!

Cheers and Growls!

posted by inigo2 at 6:19 AM on April 29, 2011

Ev'ry?
That was good. KInda looked liked he got his hands slammed in the piano at one point and was screaming in pain.
posted by Liquidwolf at 6:21 AM on April 29, 2011

I so want to see this re-enacted by Muppets.
posted by benito.strauss at 6:22 AM on April 29, 2011 [5 favorites]

I love this.
posted by pink candy floss at 6:31 AM on April 29, 2011

In most of their opinions, death metal (particularly swedish melodic death metal) is a direct cultural heir to Bach.

Absolutely true.

Jack Owen of (Cannibal Corpse/Deicide) and Alex Webster (Cannibal Corpse) are classical jazz trained guitarists

Chuck Schuldiner (Metal equivalent of Odin+Thor+Zoroaster) was also is well versed and in classical composure which shows through in nearly all of his works.

I could go on but that is just an example of how the hardest hitters in the genre know their music.

Not all metal is good but the good stuff is amazing.
posted by AndrewKemendo at 6:36 AM on April 29, 2011 [9 favorites]

May the grammar gods strike me down for those terrible rushed, non checked sentences.

Whenever that "1 new comment" box shows up I feel rushed...
posted by AndrewKemendo at 6:38 AM on April 29, 2011

Here he is, applying. It's competent but generic At the Gates-style gothenburg melo-death.
posted by vanar sena at 6:52 AM on April 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

Sounds like a Nazgul on the higher notes.
I suppose that's the desired effect, really.
posted by grabbingsand at 6:54 AM on April 29, 2011

He just needs a throat lozenge. Clear up his sore throat and he'd be singing sweetly in no time.
posted by greenhornet at 7:12 AM on April 29, 2011

Needs more cowbell cello.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 7:14 AM on April 29, 2011 [4 favorites]

I have a massive craving for cookies now.
posted by jbickers at 7:16 AM on April 29, 2011 [5 favorites]

Not all [insert type of music here] is good but the good stuff is amazing.
posted by chavenet at 7:17 AM on April 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

In most of their opinions, death metal (particularly swedish melodic death metal) is a direct cultural heir to Bach.

That is Bach and it rocks
It's a rock block of Bach
That he learned in the school
Called the school of hard knocks!
posted by any major dude at 7:22 AM on April 29, 2011

Beaten to it by at least two other people, but yeah, he sounds like the Cookie Monster on a really bad day.
posted by maudlin at 7:27 AM on April 29, 2011

Beaten to it by at least two other people, but yeah, he sounds like the Cookie Monster on a really bad day.

Yeah! And what's up with that 'rap' thing the kids all go on about? They just talk about stuff because they can't sing! I miss Bing Crosby...
posted by FatherDagon at 7:39 AM on April 29, 2011 [5 favorites]

Fucking youtube. Love that thing.
posted by ph00dz at 7:51 AM on April 29, 2011

I just like that he pronounced growls as 'groles'
posted by Existential Dread at 7:52 AM on April 29, 2011

Yeah! And what's up with that 'rap' thing the kids all go on about? They just talk about stuff because they can't sing! I miss Bing Crosby...

OFFS. First, Bing Crosby hated cookies. He much preferred pie. Second, whatever this guy sounds like in full musical context, his vocal warm-ups really did sound a lot like the CM to me. Not straining for a diss, just reporting what I heard.
posted by maudlin at 8:02 AM on April 29, 2011

I wish my band had what looks like an empty condo to practice in.

Though the acoustics would probably leave something to be desired.
posted by entropone at 8:13 AM on April 29, 2011

The best part is when he talks normally to the guy filming him, and he sounds (sorry, Scandinavians, but it's true) adorable.
posted by kenko at 8:24 AM on April 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

Not all [insert damn near anything] is good but the good stuff is amazing.
posted by FfejL at 8:27 AM on April 29, 2011

bach is dead.
posted by bxyldy at 8:30 AM on April 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

Not all [insert damn near anything] is good but the good stuff is amazing.

Indeed. It's a natural outcome of Sturgeon's Revelation.
posted by chavenet at 8:43 AM on April 29, 2011

For some lighthearted black metal vocal fun check out Fenriz (of Darkthrone) laying down some gospel.
posted by Liquidwolf at 9:09 AM on April 29, 2011 [2 favorites]

In most of their opinions, death metal (particularly swedish melodic death metal) is a direct cultural heir to Bach.

Could you recommend some good entry-level albums?
posted by Rinku at 9:29 AM on April 29, 2011

Metafilter: not all of it is good but the good stuff is amazing
posted by Sourisnoire at 9:44 AM on April 29, 2011

I'm not sure if they're supposed to be, but those growls are ADORABLE.
posted by troublewithwolves at 10:11 AM on April 29, 2011

direct cultural heir to Bach, classical jazz trained guitarists, etc.

Brian Kenney Fresno has something to say to you.

(And why, pray tell, does a youtube search for "brian kenney yngwie malmsteen" also include "Results for nipple sucking sex" after a the first few links?)
posted by aspo at 10:28 AM on April 29, 2011

Could you recommend some good entry-level albums?

Opeth's "Blackwater Park" (see: Bleak)and "Ghost Reveries" (see: Ghost of Perdition) are good introductions to the swedish prog-death angle - Opeth in particular swings widely from brutal straight-ahead melodic death metal to clear-vocal folk music interludes, with lots of classical acoustic guitar noodling and such. I recommend listening to each of the tracks end to end - even if one particular part isn't to your immediate taste, the constant dynamic evolution of the compositions helps each individual portion build up to a greater moment.
posted by FatherDagon at 10:44 AM on April 29, 2011 [2 favorites]

Personally, I think Opeth has a lot of spectacular moments, but gets a bit too florid and fruity with some of the breakdowns. Hypocrisy is another Swedish melodic death group with a lengthy discography, altho their best moments were their earliest stuff and their latest releases. Seriously, what was up with that late-90s early-00s stretch where a whole ton of DM bands decided 'Aliens were the new Satan'? That was really goofy... altho i do like 'Slave to the Parasites'.
posted by FatherDagon at 10:52 AM on April 29, 2011

No, best band of metals hardcore mayhems sound is I am thinking Dethklok.
posted by Drexen at 11:03 AM on April 29, 2011 [3 favorites]

Ack, I just realized I lost my link.

Brian Kenney Fresno
posted by aspo at 11:55 AM on April 29, 2011

The Giant Squid: Every death metal fan I know (warning: sample size of 11)

Well, of course it goes up to 11!
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:09 PM on April 29, 2011

Personally, I think Opeth has a lot of spectacular moments, but gets a bit too florid and fruity with some of the breakdowns.

That's called romance.
posted by Demogorgon at 12:18 PM on April 29, 2011

Could you recommend some good entry-level albums?

For good metal in general, or only the Bach-influenced stuff?

Check out anything by Arcturus

Nightwish - Wishmaster (not really death metal)

Death - The Sound of Perseverance

Solefald - In Harmonia Universali

Emperor - Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire and Demise

Dissection - The Somberlain and Storm of the Light's Bane
posted by Demogorgon at 12:54 PM on April 29, 2011 [3 favorites]

I'm not sure if they're supposed to be, but those growls are ADORABLE.

His buddy giggling in the background doesn't help the adorableness either.

SMOOSHY WOOSHY SMEESH, YOUR WIDDLE METAL FACE
posted by functionequalsform at 1:37 PM on April 29, 2011

Could you recommend some good entry-level albums?

I think you're talking about classical influenced metal, in which case Opeth is a good place to start, like people here have said. They've got a prog-rock element to them and they're into classic rock and obscure acid folk like Comus so they bring that good stuff to the table also. I prefer my metal more straight ahead thrashy but Opeth is good at what they do.
posted by Liquidwolf at 3:11 PM on April 29, 2011

Do metal albums that are mostly or wholly instrumental exist? Sometimes the growling vocals are a turn off for me.
posted by youngergirl44 at 5:26 PM on April 29, 2011

Do metal albums that are mostly or wholly instrumental exist?

The Fucking Champs?
posted by nathancaswell at 5:50 PM on April 29, 2011

Do metal albums that are mostly or wholly instrumental exist?

Keith Merrow (SLYT) does more groove based stuff, but it's all vocaless. He has a couple albums for free.
posted by toekneebullard at 5:55 PM on April 29, 2011 [1 favorite]

In most of their opinions, death metal (particularly swedish melodic death metal) is a direct cultural heir to Bach.

Could you recommend some good entry-level albums?

In reference to melodic death, At The Gates are generally considered the reigning kings. As a genre, melodic death is chock-full of uninspired and repetitive bands, but At The Gates' albums Slaughter of the Soul and Terminal Spirit Disease are genuinely awesome.

Other places to start include In Flames (The Jester Race and sorry, but I really do like Reroute to Remain), late-period Death (Symbolic and Sound of Perseverence), and Dark Tranquillity.

For classically-influenced metal, it's hard to argue with Demogorgon's list, particularly the Emperor and Arcturus albums. For jazz- and fusion-influenced metal you've got to hear the almighty Meshuggah of course, but also Coprofago and Ephel Duath.

For instrumental metal, you can check out Keelhaul (this song has vocals, but most of their stuff doesn't) and Dysrhythmia.
posted by Existential Dread at 8:18 PM on April 29, 2011

Do metal albums that are mostly or wholly instrumental exist?

Loads. A few examples:
Spastic Ink - Ink Complete
Blotted Science - The Machinations of Dementia
Behold... The Arctopus
Planet X is also completely instrumental, I believe.

I don't know if you can call it metal, but both of Gordian Knot's albums are instrumental.

If your problem is with growling vocals specifically, there are also bands that don't use growling. Examples:

Spastic Ink - Ink Compatible
Aghora
Spiral Architect
posted by Bangaioh at 3:35 AM on April 30, 2011 [1 favorite]