Map of Metal

[jowcol]

I remember Terry Riley's,...uh,...G Blues, or something,...2cds of keyboards, bass, drums, and guitar,...just intonation,... kinda boogie/timeless bluesy,...not too bad, but,...2cds ,...eh...

Aren't you referring to Le Mont Young's Just Stompin, his Dorian Blues in G? 

I must admit the "keyboard solo" on teh second disc is a bit long, but I like that album a lot.  It's great when I need to sit down and focus on something for two hours.

[greg]

Speaking of metal, I can always sneak an eBook plug in amongst friends, can't I?



http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/30498

Parental Rating:
This book contains content that may not be suitable for young readers 17 and under.

Oooooooooo, I'm gonna tell on you! Interesting concept, though.

[snyprrr]

Aren't you referring to Le Mont Young's Just Stompin, his Dorian Blues in G? 

I must admit the "keyboard solo" on teh second disc is a bit long, but I like that album a lot.  It's great when I need to sit down and focus on something for two hours.

yea, that was it. boy do I get them mixed up!

[MN Dave]

Oooooooooo, I'm gonna tell on you! Interesting concept, though.

Thanks, man.

[AndyD.]

Okay, you folks reeled me in  . The songs Stargazer, Eyes of the World, 16th Century Greensleeves, Gates of Babylon, Lady of the Lake, Kill the King, Tarot Woman, Run With the Wolf, Light in the Black, Danger Zone...those are all as classic Heavy Metal as you can get. In the case of most of them (like Light in the Black and Gates of Babylon), unbelievably influential on the future Power Metal and Neo-Classical genres. In fact, it's impossible to imagine Iron Maiden and Yngwie Malmsteen without Rainbow.

[MN Dave]

Okay, you folks reeled me in  . The songs Stargazer, Eyes of the World, 16th Century Greensleeves, Gates of Babylon, Lady of the Lake, Kill the King, Tarot Woman, Run With the Wolf, Light in the Black, Danger Zone...those are all as classic Heavy Metal as you can get. In the case of most of them (like Light in the Black and Gates of Babylon), unbelievably influential on the future Power Metal and Neo-Classical genres. In fact, it's impossible to imagine Iron Maiden and Yngwie Malmsteen without Rainbow.

"In fact, it's impossible to imagine Iron Maiden and Yngwie Malmsteen without Rainbow Judas Priest."

I don't know from Yngwie; I just hear everyone hates him. 

[greg]

"In fact, it's impossible to imagine Iron Maiden and Yngwie Malmsteen without Rainbow Judas Priest."

I don't know from Yngwie; I just hear everyone hates him. 

You should try the Rising Force album (his solo debut)... after that, his music pretty much gets progressively worse, so I couldn't recommend the ones after that, even if I like a lot of them.

The difference is that, unless you really really really hate shred in general (people often just hear "fast," even though there is indeed a lot of soul to his music- best example being the Icarus Dream Suite track on that map), the compositions themselves can actually be pretty interesting- at least, more creative than his later stuff.

[AndyD.]

You should try the Rising Force album (his solo debut)... after that, his music pretty much gets progressively worse, so I couldn't recommend the ones after that, even if I like a lot of them.

The difference is that, unless you really really really hate shred in general (people often just hear "fast," even though there is indeed a lot of soul to his music- best example being the Icarus Dream Suite track on that map), the compositions themselves can actually be pretty interesting- at least, more creative than his later stuff.

I agree with Greg about Rising Force, though I just slightly prefer No Parole for Rock N Roll (hey, Graham sang on it!). But Rising Force is often brilliant, Far Beyond the Sun has a structure that has been copied countless times since. Some very Rainbow-esque stuff on there as well, the two vocal tracks. There are tidbits from his two following albums that are great as well.

[snyprrr]

Opera-type vocals= Metal= Dio

theater is the key to metal?

[MN Dave]

Opera-type vocals= Metal= Dio

theater is the key to metal?

There's something to that; fantasy, anyway...

[MN Dave]

Thanks for the Malmsteen recs.

[AndyD.]

Thanks for the Malmsteen recs.

Davedude, I totally nominate your avatar as quintessential Metal.

[MN Dave]

Davedude, I totally nominate your avatar as quintessential Metal.

Thanks, man! That's me in flames. 

[AndyD.]

Thanks, man! That's me in flames. 

Witness Dave, burning up in his desire for Keeller Metal!

[MN Dave]

Witness Dave, burning up in his desire for Keeller Metal!

Jeez, there's so much good stuff out there these days, it's hard to keep up. Add Lyraka to the pile. Good job; further listens needed and forthcoming.

[AndyD.]

Jeez, there's so much good stuff out there these days, it's hard to keep up. Add Lyraka to the pile. Good job; further listens needed and forthcoming.

Thanks so much, Dave, it's terrific hearing compliments from a fellow Metal diehard.

[Grazioso]

Opera-type vocals= Metal= Dio

theater is the key to metal?

Operatic theatricality or grandiosity plays a big role in metal, but I wouldn't say it's the only key. For me, it's certain defining musical and sonic thumbprints that make metal metal: very fast militaristic tempi, great preponderance of minor modes, heavily distorted (and often EQ scooped) guitars, chugging palm-muted guitar riffs, bass doubling rhythm guitar, extended song length versus the average rock song, generally more complex structures and riffs and more tendency to switch time signatures than other rock, technically brilliant guitar solos that often waver between a blues feel and rigid scalar sequences derived from European classical music, "dark" lyric themes dwelling on hatred, betrayal, protest, etc.

Lots of exceptions to all those "rules" of course.

[greg]

Lots of exceptions to all those "rules" of course.

Definitely  .
The only absolutely defining characteristic I can think of is the use of a distorted guitar with an emphasis on the low register. After that, what you list are pretty typical characteristics, though.

[snyprrr]

Definitely  .
The only absolutely defining characteristic I can think of is the use of a distorted guitar with an emphasis on the low register. After that, what you list are pretty typical characteristics, though.

Don't forget the horse gallop rhythm.

ba-da-boom ba-da-boob ba-da-boom

[Grazioso]

Don't forget the horse gallop rhythm.

ba-da-boom ba-da-boob ba-da-boom

True that. Without the gallop rhythms, say goodbye to many metal songs from Metallica, Iron Maiden, Iced Earth, et al.