no answers yet.... calling all metal-heads!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chris Tondreau
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Chris Tondreau

Chris Tondreau

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Sorry to ask again, but I'm wondering if my subject heading of "classical influences" didn't attract many of the people that might know the answer to this.... hence the "calling all metal-heads."

I grew up listening to a lot of the guitarists from the '80's metal bands, when it was pretty common for a number of players to have backgrounds in playing classical guitar - starting with Randy Rhodes, through to Rik Emmett (Triumph), and perhaps, most notably, Malmsteen. (and a number of others, of course...)

Anyway... I was talking to a friend of mine, and according to her son, it is still (or again?) popular for guitarists to have a background in classical playing techniques. I haven't really followed the "New Metal" (or Nu Metal...) as much lately (listen mostly to commercial hard-rock/alternative/pop radio), so I'm not really that up on it any more. I was just wondering which of these players actually DO have classical backgrounds?? ( I guess I'm thinking of bands along the lines of Sevendust, Slipknot, etc., but I may be wrong...) I'm looking forward to being re-enlightened, and maybe picking up some new band "interests."

Thanks!!

Chris
 
Well not too sure if this is what you're looking for, but if you want to check out some newer bands with quite a lot of talent, check out Candiria and Meshuggah. Not guitar-wank solos, but tons of crazy time changes and things like that..
 
Theres a band on relapse called "Human Remains" they got alot of weird tempo changes and strange guitar things, and check out "Dillinger escape plan".
Malmsteen rules!
 
I grew up as well listening to the 80's metal guitarists and I gotta say that I dont hear any classical influences in the Nu metal these days. Time changes do not constitute a classical background. In the 80's you could definately hear the influence. Today you dont, simple as that!!
 
dude,

learn all you can, and don't be scared of just picking up all you can understand and play on the guitar, just learn.

in alot of my metal i use country riffs, lol. along with my spanish and major riffs, they end up sounding like shit that would kick you in the face. i enjoy it. have fun and go in peace.
 
AmericanPsycko said:
dude,

learn all you can, and don't be scared of just picking up all you can understand and play on the guitar, just learn.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the encouragement!! :D

Actually, though, it was as a result of the classical influences and training of some of the 80's metal players that inspired me to get a university degree in classical guitar.

From the listening that I've done (not really digging for stuff outside of commercial radio, just yet, but I might....), I don't hear this anymore, and figured that this sort of thing has become passe. (so, as a classical player who plays hard-rock, I just don't make it quite so obvious.... sound sort of like Angus meets Yngwie, just not as good!!) My friend, though, says that, according to her son, a lot of the new metal players are citing classical guitar as an influence on their style.

I agree that time changes don't equate to classical guitar technique, but does perhaps indicate some musical awareness and proficiency in timing - that in itself is commendable as a musician.

Meshuggah, I think I heard is on the bill with System of a Down - playing in town this fall. I might check out a couple of those bands. Thanks!

Any more ideas as to who does/might have classical guitar background like some of those shredders that we either love or hate?

Thanks!
Chris
 
Classical Nu Metals

I know that the band Soilwork has classical influence, and are emerging from the Swedish metal scene, and drifting more toward new metal. They are one hell of a band, Meshugga's timing is sick as fuck, the guitar player from NothingFace, i can't think of his name but he is the only guitar player in the band, he has some bit of classical plaing, though it doesn;t seem to show in most of their music. Nevermores' Dead Heart In A Dead World is new, but not new metal, that has some of the most intricate riffage and solo's i've heard to date. the swedish metal scenes new metal is totally different thatn ours. Their are bands over there that are amazing, that are crossing over to more nu styles, Soilwork, In Flames. Those are a guitar players dream in terms of classic, meets NU. I'll post some more as i think, but the guy from NothingFace was classically trained. Our new metal seems to be more simplified, and downtuned. Other areas of the world's Nu metal are more technique oriented. Hope that gives you something, check out all of the bands i have listed, they are simply awe inspiring
 
Analytical man.... Sweet!! That's exactly the sort of info I was looking for. If you think of any others, let me know!!

:D :D

Chris
 
Opeth, Metalcore, and other things

Opeth is simply amazing
atmospheric, heavy (not the simplistic talentless nu-metal heavy), technical (yet never overbearing or cocky). Its progressive folk metal, check out blackwater park this disc has a vast array of eclectic tunes ranging from melodic lead oriented songs, to acoustic guitar piano based songs. The lead singer's clean voice sounds incredible as well (its more of a midranged/to higher register, as to the herniated, autotuned vocals of many of the american metal band vocalists) i implore you to check these guys out

other things you might be into:

Inflames (they are getting into more simplistic nu-metal stuff, but these guys were amazing very technical, always melodic, and most of all fun)

Soilwork (Kind of like inflames but with alot more keyboard influence, and some wicked effects on the lead guitar tones)

Darkest Hour (melodic metal from america, with heavy breakdowns)

Undying (this is another metalcore band, they recently got a new vocalist, and are back in action. their guitars are a little thin because the do alot of tremelo picking, but still decent tunes)


Im in a band as well that can be compared or grouped with the bands i reccomended.we are from ct, i play guitar, and im very into classical piano music, and very much so influenced by the rythyms, and technicality of the dancy irish folk songs, and the dark brooding musical style heard in hungarian, romanian, russian, and gypsy folk songs. ill let you know when our disc comes out, and hopefully you'll like us, or you'll like some of the other bands i recommended. Just don't loose faith in metal, and the fact that there are many many bands out there with alot of talent, and creativity striving to keep the genre fresh, and exciting. For some reason the bullshit bands i.e slipknot, mudvayne, korn, drowning pool, are what people are buying into sometimes their will be the exceptions (tool, the deftones) but until people smarten up, and realize there is more to metal than bodies hitting the floor, riffrock, masks, and aggro tough guy vocals, you're gonna have to buy imports, or check out this label www.goodliferecordings.com ,
and this distro
www.lumberjackdistro.com
\m/
eod
 
nu metal seems to be the punk of the new millenium... for example; the guy from coal chamber thinks it sweet to not know ANY theory...

i think it's more the older (harder to play, much more technical and thus you need theory... never heard of "metalk theory" so people will learn classical for the technique and theory part..) metal that has the classical influence thingy...

Guhlenn
 
Chris, there are a lot of bands in the melodic power/speed metal corner that use/have classical influences...

Sonata Artica
Stratovarius
Domine
Rhapsody (very classical and technical)
Blind Guardian
Freedom Call
new Yngwie Malmsteen album "Attack"
Gamma Ray
some Nightwish songs
Star One/Ayreon
Metalium (although they are kinda cheesy like Hammerfall)

these bands rely heavily on the 80's Helloween/Iron Maiden sounds, but with a more classic approach (most feature synths and choirs as well)...
Of that list, I'd definately check out Rhapsody...
 
Chris,
If you read alot of the intervies with most of the Nu Metal guitar players a majority of them are in thier mid 20 to mid 30's, not too far behind the grunge players. In fact you will find these bands were repressed during the grunge years. Most of these players quote influences like Randy Rhoades more than EVH because the Classical aspect of metal is the "gothic" feel, ala Randy. Yngwie was too much shred for alot of these guys who wanted that dropped tuning and soloing with a guitar thats been detuned is wicked hard. Seven strings were the only affordable option. Slipnot is probably the most aggressive, but I probably would have engineered it differently. Mick said Dee was the first tune he could play all the way through, Id say heavily infulenced by classical. Mike Mushok of StainD is educated in music more than most but said doesn't approach music cranially. In the latest version of Guitar Worlds Guitar legends issue, I saw names like Iron Maiden, Randy Rhoads. Disturbed also has a guitar player who has been inflenced by classical. I think the strongest market for metal, neoclassical to be exact, is Europe. The US is too flighty or trendy with pop music, but Europe is more stable. To do metal right you must have at least a basic knowledge of modes commonly used in classical music. Even without shredding, the chord progression are very dark and minor-ish.

SoMm
 
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