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I have a fairly strong opinion on this, and it can make or break a band for me. It depends on the growl. Meshuggah for example, I like. As well as Devin Townsend and some others. They just "fit" for me. Some vocalists growl differently. The aggressive growls sound better to me because I perceive the emotion they carry, but lots of them sound pretentious. I like Aggaloch's music a lot, but their growling puts me off. I like Cynic, but I don't like the growling parts. Of course growling has it's place as some previous posters have stated. I feel that some growls are just for growling's sake, and it comes across as a kid trying to sound angry but failing to have the life experience behind it to convey the emotion.
But, we all come from different background and each of us hears it differently.
I'm also not a huge fan of overly operettic (sp?) vocals, like many of the Black Metal vocalist.
Joined: December 25 2011
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Posted: December 27 2011 at 23:47
Gully Foyle wrote:
Wanorak wrote:
Clean all the way for me:) I think Opeth would be amazing if Akerfeld sang cleanly! I can't take the cookie monster growls seriously and it ruins the music.
agree totally..randomly caught some doc on Opeth and was really interested, until they began 'singing' then was just totally turned off...
Sometimes I think the same thing, that all those heavy riffs and chords are great, but that they just aren't complete without a melody. Akerfeldt has shown that he's more than capable of singing an intense melody that fits the death metal accompaniment perfectly. Still, I just don't know if the songs would really be the same without the growls, because they really seem to be an intregal part of that classic Opeth sound (I know they've released albums without growls, but those were in different styles; I'm speaking of how the traditional Opeth death metal style would sound without growling). I actually think it would sound really cool if Akerfeldt would overdub a clean melody over his growls, but that would unfortunately make the songs impossible to pull off live.
By the way, can anyone post something from bands that do use this technique (melodic vocals and growls at the same time). I know it's been done before but I can't think of a specific example in prog...Unexpect, maybe?
Joined: October 19 2011
Location: Texas
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Points: 6349
Posted: December 28 2011 at 12:10
Ambient Hurricanes wrote:
Gully Foyle wrote:
Wanorak wrote:
Clean all the way for me:) I think Opeth would be amazing if Akerfeld sang cleanly! I can't take the cookie monster growls seriously and it ruins the music.
agree totally..randomly caught some doc on Opeth and was really interested, until they began 'singing' then was just totally turned off...
Sometimes I think the same thing, that all those heavy riffs and chords are great, but that they just aren't complete without a melody. Akerfeldt has shown that he's more than capable of singing an intense melody that fits the death metal accompaniment perfectly. Still, I just don't know if the songs would really be the same without the growls, because they really seem to be an intregal part of that classic Opeth sound (I know they've released albums without growls, but those were in different styles; I'm speaking of how the traditional Opeth death metal style would sound without growling). I actually think it would sound really cool if Akerfeldt would overdub a clean melody over his growls, but that would unfortunately make the songs impossible to pull off live.
By the way, can anyone post something from bands that do use this technique (melodic vocals and growls at the same time). I know it's been done before but I can't think of a specific example in prog...Unexpect, maybe?
I've often wondered, if Akerfeldt would ever sing some of the classic Opeth with clean vocals. I think he could pull it off. Anyhow, after years of death growls, the vocal cords tend to hurt and sound worse for the wear. He can do whatever he wants to do. He wrote the songs. I for one would welcome it. Recycle!
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum will mix the Death G. with clean vocals like UneXpect. The Cookie Monster makes an appearance every now an again, for a few lines, in the occational Riverside song.
Clean of course, though i got used to Opeth growls to the point where i can ignore them without ruining the music.
When I first listened to Opeth, it took a while to get used to it. But now, I think they compliment the music quite well. It's the blend between the heavy and the light which makes them such a powerful band.
I barely even notice the growl vocals in Opeth anymore. It just becomes part of the musical atmosphere. Still, they are really the only band with growl vocals that I like.
Hello, mirror. So glad to see you, my friend. It's been a while...
Joined: July 02 2008
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Posted: January 03 2012 at 22:27
Mushroom Sword wrote:
What do you prefer? Extreme Metal with Heavy Growl's and screaming? Or Clean classic Vocals that don't scare me as much? Lol.
I prefer Clean. I'm a classic rock kinda guy. And I like modern prog, but I can't stand the Death Growl. It sounds really bad imo. I love to DT and Tool, (no screaming), I love Animals as Leaders (no words at all). But If I go anywhere else, Symphony X, Periphery, Cynic, I just have to shut it off as soon as they start... singing if you could call it that.
SO yeah, for you Modern Progressive Metal fans, what do you like?
P.S. I'm sure this question has been raised before.
easy
clean vocals
why?
cos i can understand the lyrics and relax instead of being pummelled with someone's angry voice - I get enough of that at work
But I think it has its place
Ayreon used it sparingly on The Human Equation and that is powerful how the death metal vocals just appear.
Also on Hakens Aquarius they are welcome as they add something
When its all death metal growls it really is tiring for me
I guess I am n old guy now thou and tastes changed
When I was about 23 in the late 80s I was listening to
Slayer - complete album collection
Venom - Black Metal
Onslaught - ?
Exodus - Bonded by blood
Tank - ?
Death - Spiritual Healing
Kreator - Kill ??
Mercyful Fate - Melissa
Later I got into Christian death/thrash/speed metal
Mortification
Believer
Tourniquet
SEventh Angel
Vengeance
Now the only prog death metal I would hear would be
Opeth
Believer
Meshuggah
assorted metal
Its certainly a style I believe for a younger listener who can handle those death growls
I am in my 40s now and really quite over all that death growl stuff. to quote Han Solo "Its all a lot of simple tricks and nonsense"
Joined: August 18 2008
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Posted: January 05 2012 at 05:17
This discussion has sadly been completely flawed by the silly thread title - of course nobody will want growls in "prog". The OP specifies that the question is in fact about tech/extreme metal not any "prog", but unfortunately too many posters only look up the thread title and go directly to "Post Reply" (I know I do it too sometimes ).
Yeah, I do like and want some proper growling in my extreme progressive metal. The only problem I have with growls is that I can't take my girl to such a concert.
I'm a pretty well versed metalhead so I don't mind them at all, I'd imagine my ears pick up on the subtleties in the different vocalists styles a lot more than a prog fan who's only experience with this style is Opeth and BTBAM (and they use a form of hardcore vocals, not death growls, for the record). I'm somebody who can pretty clearly understand Cannibal Corpse's lyrics, to give you an idea (even though Cannibal Corpse sucks). I'm also somebody who usually doesn't care about lyrics.
Typically, I don't really like it in my prog, but honestly bad clean vocals bother me a whole lot more than bad growls, some symphonic bands vocalists trying to (and failing to) display virtuosity in their vocal abilities (usually newer ones, not going after Anderson or Gabriel here) literally can make me uncomfortable. Not even most prog rock vocalists are actually all that well trained as singers, know your range and stick to it.
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Clean Vocals or Death Growl? (Modern Prog)
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