Why Do You Like Obscure Metal?

Recommendations, discussions, questions & debates regarding the godly Metal of olde...
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nightsblood
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Why Do You Like Obscure Metal?

Post by nightsblood »

Are you a completist that just HAS to hear Everything?
Do you think major releases by big bands are too tame/watered down or tha anything released in more than 1,000 copies is just not tr00?
Do you like being able to one-up others with how rare your albums are?

For me, it's a treasure hunt. I love coming across long-lost songs/albums that just kick my ass when I play them. There's also an academic component in it for me; I like to know the small details about things that interest me, so I try to explore all the small niches, not just the big, well-known pieces. Also, I grew up in a very rural area in the pre-internet age. With few metal fans around, I had to learn about bands and albums by tracking them down myself; there was no downloading or myspace, no one to borrow stuff from, and tape-trades took weeks to arrange through fanzine ads. As such, it was always important to me to learn as much as I could so that, when I had the opportunity to obtain a record, I would know whether or not it was worth the effort.
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BloodOfChrist
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Post by BloodOfChrist »

Obviously Im into Maiden, Sabbath, Priest, etc...but after listening to all of thier stuff and other well known bands I just wanted MORE. Eventually I got into a few lesser known bands, and I still wanted more...So I got into some really obscure bands and really saw how endless the amount of obscure 70s/80s (and some early 90s) metal was. Since then Ive been trying to learn about (and get) as much as humanly (...and financially) possible. No matter how awesome everything is I still feel the need to find more. Since then Ive started to like a lot of the obscure bands (a lot) more then the well-known bands...not that the best Sabbath/Maiden/Priest material isnt some of my favorite stuff, but Id listen to "From The Fjords" before "British Steel" any day. Im also EXTREMELY into the whole mysteriousness of the 80s underground and obscure bands (especially because the entire era came and went before I was born). I totally agree with the way you described it as a "treasure hunt". If something is completely amazing then i want a copy regardless or rarity, but if something is completely amazing, limited to 100-1000 copies, and pressed in 1982, then its so much more satisfying to actually find a copy.

On a mostly unrelated note, I like to track down certain items so I can see the liner notes and info the release (vinyl, tape, cd or whatever) may have, because that can be indredibly helpful to finding and getting in touch with a band member or a friend of a band member. If I never saw the liner notes to "Clevelands Heavy Metal: Etched In Steel" I wouldnt own a ton of my favorite stuff right now.

Thats why I REALLY want to see the text on the back cover of THE MEZMERIST. Right now I think Id kill for a copy...
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muskeg
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Post by muskeg »

in short...because i have a hunger for metal all the time and i want to hear everything. while i realize that's impossible, it certainly means i'll be busy looking for metal both new andobscure
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King Zombie
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Post by King Zombie »

The escense of metal is aggresiveness, and the escense of extreme metal such as black, death and thrash; and other mixed genres, is malevolence, if you like metal you enjoy that evil, raw, and rough sound.
Keep politics OUT of this forum
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Astaroth
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Post by Astaroth »

Why do I like obscure metal? Because sometimes (or most of the time) the "obscure" album/demo/whatever that I acquire is actually something that I will listen to and enjoy. That's it.

Indiana Jones treasure hunting and scene status ego trips are gay.
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great_knuthulhu
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Post by great_knuthulhu »

I think that if you try to be objective about it, you'll see that the more obscure bands some times have a raw edge that many bands either lost once they signed major contracts or it gradually withered away. The bands who have big names tend to start sounding samey, often due to production and pressure from labels and management while the less well-known bands never experienced that and sound fresh and individual as a consequence.

Also, with all bands there is a tendency to sound the best early on, say the first album or the ones following on it. Then many lose some motivation and enthusiasm for what they are doing. The less well-known bands only had one or two albums and maybe a few singles so there is less chance of losing that enthusiastic attitude. In addition comes that they never were succesful, and many never thought they would be, so they made music because they loved doing that - never for the fame or the money.

Finally, most of us here have listened to "mainstream" metal like Maiden, Priest and so on hundreds of times and so like to listen to new things. That hunt for the novelty is pretty strong in me for one, so I'm going recordhunting this weekend. Wish me luck 8)
I know I ain't doing much,
doing nothing means a lot to me.
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metalmaster
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Post by metalmaster »

Well even when I would like to hear all and every metal band in the world, that is impossible, but also I like to hear those obscure bands becasue I have found many great bands whch only recorded an ep or demo, for example Thunderway, Shining Blade, Classica, etc etc
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Khnud
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Post by Khnud »

I just like music, not obscure music in particular. I do however try to gather all information about a genre, to filter out the nuggets from the crap. Needless to say, this involves finding loads of great bands no-one hardly ever heard about.

Also, I find it hard to call yourself a music lover if you haven't really explored all aspects of the genre you're into. For me that just comes naturally, I guess.
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ION BRITTON
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Post by ION BRITTON »

I simply hear what i like and what expresses my feelings, i don't care whether it's rare, obscure, mainstream or a band that the whole population of the earth listens to. I like something, i'll hear it, as simple as that. Of course i dig more there where my instict tells me that i will probably find something interesting and that is usually the underground.
Good against Evil, Evil sure to win

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ChildOfTheDamned
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Post by ChildOfTheDamned »

Because I get to show off by anwering to questions like "what's this you're banging to?" or "what's that shirt?". No seriously,the reason I like obscure metal is because I like metal in general and I can't only stay in the (let's say) 100 top records of the more well-known metal bands. And yes,most of today's releases suck big time,that's another reason.
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Black Axe
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Post by Black Axe »

Because the I love the form of music and most people don't bother buying/supporting it so it's forced to become obscure.
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MassOfKthulu
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Post by MassOfKthulu »

I'm hardcore obscurist,and dont own a single maiden/priest/sabbath release.Im not even remotely interested in owning one.Is this totally unorthodox to everyone?
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Black Axe
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Post by Black Axe »

MassOfKthulu wrote:I'm hardcore obscurist,and dont own a single maiden/priest/sabbath release.Im not even remotely interested in owning one.Is this totally unorthodox to everyone?
Yes, 'cause Sabbath is the best band ever!
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The Sentinel
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Post by The Sentinel »

I like a lot of mainstream music but I tend to love those obscure underground treasures more, don't know why actually, it's not the music alone. The mystery which surrounds these obscurities, attracts me the most. Listening to things like Coven "Worship New Gods", Pentagram (Chile), Arc, Iron Cross (Flo) , Danger Zone "Victim Of Time" provides me an unexplainable feeling of godlike proportions.
Long Live The Loud !!!
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MassOfKthulu
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Post by MassOfKthulu »

everyone and their granny knows the best band ever is Manilla Road :D
seriously,to me,it's that feeling..of being an adept..of initiation to something few will be able to understand.Im not talking about elitism,im simply referring to the small amount of people willing to make the jump from mainstream metal to obscure metal,feeling safe stuck with the songs everyone knows.Only risk brings excitement,and the risk and the effort (monetary,mental and otherwise) needed to delve deep into the uncharted oceans of 80s global metal (be it vinyl,demos or whatever) is so exhilarating to me.Plus,what fuels my love for metal is discovering a new cool obscure band,or a new cool demo from 198x.
The danger with this is how easily one can be lured into becoming an archivist and a bedroom metaller,and forget how to go to gigs and headbang and stuff.so a balance is needed.
And good competition with other collectors is a healthy way of discovering things.I ll never forget the shock i went into when a fellow greek collector played Ashbury for me.
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