Interesting metal bands

For some this may be an oxymoron, but I'd like to share some metal bands which do interesting things but wouldn't fit under a "progressive" tag , or even a "metal" tag in some cases, but still allied to the metal scene. I'm focusing more on obscure  (and mid 80s - present) bands here:

Empyrium  - these German chaps started off as a slow, folky melodic doom group before developing into straight up neo folk, albeit punctuated with the odd growl - over folky violins and acoustic guitars it sounds a bit disconcerting. They've done one of my absolute favourite songs - "Lover's Grief" (from their more metallish days) which starts off with a mournful flute "riff" repeated before crashing into what seems like almost unparalled beauty

Cause for Effect - http://www.kolumbus.fi/ari.tenhola/ are a "fusion grindcore" duo (I think from Sweden) who mix up their grindcore drumming and growls with weird techy bass parts. Not just a novelty!

Devil Doll - on the archives, although nothing like normal progressive metal. Modern opera with a gothic touch, absolutely fabulous. Twisted genius was never a more appropriate cliché.

Angizia - An Australian scaled down equivalent of Devil Doll. Probably their equal in terms of tortured singing, although I can't understand the libretto (yup, they're pretentious enough to call it a libretto, and so am I ) although with only a six piece band the sense of atmosphere and "epicness" is obviously nothing on Devil Doll, and their style isn't really similar enough to bear a close comparison. Still good, though.

Peccatum/Arcturus - both "offshoots" from the real guy out of Emperor - Peccatum more noisy and avant-garde, Arturus more operatic. Either one well worthy checking out.

Stijn Van Cauter - man of a thousand projects, ranging from minimalist drone to symphonic doom to funeral, but all slooooooooooooooww. A few projects: Dreams of Dying Stars, Organium (black metal on just an organ... whatever ), Until Death Overtakes Me.

That's not an exhaustive list, I'd just like to see if anyone's interested before posting anything more.

I don't think it's an oxymoron at all - metal bands have always fascinated me.

Judas Priest and Blue Oyster Cult are probably the most interesting of the earliest wave, Raven and Diamond Head from the NWOBHM, Skid Row from the "hair bands", Napalm Death and Kreator from the early wave of thrash/speed metal and more recently System of a Down.

Specific albums that any progger/prog metaller should check out (if they don't already own them!) are;

Sad Wings of Destiny - Judas Priest

Cultosaurus Erectus - Blue Oyster Cult

Living on Borrowed Time - Diamond Head

Wiped Out and Rock 'Til You Drop - Raven

Slave to the Grind - Skid Row

Scum - Napalm Death (don't buy anything else by them - they only had the one idea!)

Extreme Aggression - Kreator

Toxicity - System of a Down

Also HIGHLY recommended:

Narita - Riot

Strikes / Marauder - Blackfoot

Head On - Samson

Winter Kill - Slauter Xstroyes

Spooky Two - Spooky Tooth (from 1968, this will knock you sideways if you don't know it - with elements of Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest and early Yes, but before those bands were even formed!).

Split - Groundhogs (more grunge than metal, but superb!)

Kings of Oblivion - Pink Fairies

On Parole - Motorhead (This is one album NOT to be overlooked in metal's history - as UA did...).

...I'll think of some more later

Good call on Coroner, Lucas!

Damn, so many to mention...

I will take this one piece by piece

Todays choice

Death all their albums apart from the first two that is apart from Scream Bloody Gore and Leprosy

sorry for the screwed up punctuation and ortography, the keyboard is freaking out on me today

Eemu Ranta wrote: Cryptopsy // I've recently discovered this totally insane tech-death band. Probably the most brutal band out there, and oh-so tight live.

CRYPTOPSY!!!!!!!!

 If you liked Cryptopsy you might also like the following bands:

Nile

Beneath the Massacre

Goratory

Lykathea Aflame

Immolation

Behold... the Arctopus

Eemu Ranta wrote: Good to find a brutal friend Among those, I've only heard Nile (which I definitely enjoy). I'll keep an eye on the rest when browsing cd stores!

Brother in death metal;

I will be back with more suggestions for you; for now add Gorguts (especially the album "Obscura") to the list above.

Hooray! Fellow metal fans

While we're on the topic of 'brutal' and/or technical death metal, i'd like to suggest the following: Origin and Psycroptic. Psycroptic more technical, original more brutal (at least as brutal as Nile).

I'd also like to recommend Alarum. They're an Aussie band who have a jazz-like texture to their music. Quite the musicians really. People often compare them to Cynic, but they really don't sound like Cynic to me at all. Sure they draw inspiration from Cynic and Atheist, epsecially lyrically (which death metal needs more of), but musically they still have their own sound.

While not as heavy as these previous bands, Spastic Ink are still a great band. Quite (very) technical and fusion influenced. This is the brainchild of Watchtower guitarist Ron Jarzombek (Watchtower are another great tech metal band to check out).

Here's some other cool metal bands to check out: Spiral Architect, Ulver (the early stuff is black metal, the later stuff is electronica), Absu (phenomenal drumming on the Tara album), Ephel Duath, Strapping Young Lad, Zyklon, and Meshuggah as mentioned on another thread.

I forgot to mention Maudlin of the Well and Kayo Dot - the latter being a continuation of the first. Maudlin of the well are probably the most eclectic band i've ever heard. Sometimes extremely heavy, sometimes soft, usually dark and i can only really listen to them when i'm in a certain mood. They use all kinds of instruments, from the stndard metal setup to woodwind and the like. Not easy to get a hold of though. I haven't really heard that much Kayo Dot, but from what i have heard, they sound slightly (!) less hectic than Maudlin, and probably darker still.

To me, Maudlin of the Well is the definition of progressive metal, or perhaps progressive music in general.

Benighted wrote: Anyways, on the topic of Death, what are you fellows' opinions on Chuck's conversion to Christianity before his death?

I wasn't aware he had converted to it from something else (or nothing).

Was this before or after he found out about his illness? If after, perhaps he needed something to believe in, or something to reach out to and comfort him. Perhaps it was for other reasons. Whatever it was, i respect his beliefs and it doesn't change my opinion of his music in the slightest.