So here's a few favorites:
Opeth - Probably my favorite, they just write great music. Death Metal with some jazz influence courtesy of former drummer Martin Lopez and bassist Martin Mendez. I was disappointed with the most recent album, Watershed [as well as the fact that Peter and Martin Lopez left the band], but it had some alright moments, as well as Opeth's first blast-beats [The Lotus Eater] lol. I'd recommend Still Life, Blackwater Park and Ghost Reveries. Great albums.
Between the Buried and Me - Yes, their songwriting skills can drag sometimes, but they're talented. Also, Dan Briggs has to be one of my favorite bassists along with Martin Mendez [see Opeth above XD ], and being a bassist myself, I really appreciate bands that have bassists that go above and beyond that of the cliche "holding a rythymn" like a lot of modern bands do. Death Metal with some really odd throw-ins [mainly on Colors]. All of their albums have great songs, I'd point out their newest, Colors, and probably The Silent Circus. Song recommendations: Ad a Dglgmut, Aspirations, All Bodies, Shevanel Take 2 [for some soft music fun lol], Sun of Nothing, Viridian [for bass enthusiasts, great solo], and of course Selkies: The Endless Obsession.
Protest the Hero - Alright, I absolutlely hated this band in the beginning. Their old albums were like thrashy punk, pretty boring. Kezia stepped it up, but was still a little sickening after a few listens. They found a great sound, though, with Fortress, their newest album. Not sure exactly what kind of metal, tbh. I'll let you know off-the-bat that this dude's singing is not for everyone, most people tend to hate it. But it fits the music rather well, and its done well. If you listen to the old albums and then listen to Fortress, you'll see how this band really stepped up to the metal scene. I'm sure I have satisfied at least three Canadians by mentioning them XD The guitars are fast-paced, and the bassist is great [taps a shitload for a bassist lol]. Songs: Bloodmeat, Sequoia Throne, Limb from Limb [awesome key solos, not sure whether it was a guest musician or one of the members], No Stars Over Bethlehem, Heretics and Killers.
Iron Maiden - Doubt I have to introduce the band to anybody, but they are really one of bands that got me into ANY kind of metal. Great guitars, crazy ass vocals [from Bruce] and even great vocals when they had Paul [first two albums, if i'm not mistaken], and of course, the bassist that is Steve Harris. Songs: Wrathchild, Remember Tomorrow, Where Eagles Dare, The Trooper, Aces High, Run to the Hills, Number of the Beast, Flight of Icarus, Hallowed Be Thy Name, Rainmaker [good song from the newer stuff]. Album: PIECE OF MIND. Get nao.
Alarum - This is a band my brother introduced me too. Find them on myspace, they're a great listen. Not sure exactly what to classify em as, mostly fast paced death metal. The albums is Eventuality, and a great song [which doubles as a metal porno song, i swear lol] is Remote Viewing.
SiKTh - Fucking amazing British technical/death/idkwtf metal, they are amazing. Great guitars, great bass, great drums and awesome vocalists [two people in the band were solely for vocals]. Their first album, The Trees Are All Dead and Dried Out Wait for Something Wild, has some hard-hitting songs, such as Pussyfoot, Wait for Something Wild and Hold My Finger. The opening track, (If You Weren't So) Perfect gives a pretty good display of the variety of voices the two pull off, and the next track, How May I Help You? shows off the craziness of the vocals, creating characters in the middle of the song with very unique voices for a quick conversation. Their follow-up album, Death of a Dead Day, is great technical metal, with tracks such as Flogging the Horses, Summer Rain and Sanguine Seas of Bigotry being the standouts. Sadly, this band recently broke up, but they are still definitely worth a listen.
And this is a bit of whoring, but Portraits of Murder, my brother's band, is pretty good metal IMHO. No, not cause hes my bro, but cause these guys write great music. They have an old song [Gas Chamber Hotbox, from an EP they recorded] and a somewhat rough version of a song called Body Farm Robbery, due out when they complete their album, up on their myspace, [
www.myspace.com/portraitsofmurder]. Hopefully you like, and if you're in the NJ area, check out show dates, they're playing with PsyOpus soon.
Anyway, theres my few favorite bands. Hope someone enjoys. And don't hate Opeth. Embrace them
