Underestimated German 80's Scene?

ION BRITTON · Post by **ION BRITTON** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:10 pm

Nightlock wrote:People need to stop ganging up on him I like that he's so passionate about such an under appreciated scene, A lot of the bands may be pretty generic of sorts but it's still fun/even sometime brilliant to listen to them.

Well, my 2 cents: It's cool to have such passion even if it's for metal coming from Zimbabwe, but Vag must also understand that people who listen to US metal are no idiots, they don't they follow any kind ''trend'' and in fact they might be as passionate about it as he is about eastern european metal, if not more. I can see why listening to eastern euro metal can make you different from the others, but i can't see why at the same time it should make you ''superior'' and also make you speak so derisively for a country that spawned so many great metal bands. You don't like US metal, fine, others might do and you have to respect their taste. And the other way round of course...

The Erlking · Post by **The Erlking** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:41 pm

I've always found good bands from many different scenes. I believe there is good Heavy Metal to be found almost everywhere if you look hard enough for it. And I LOVE the fact that it varies. I don't want to listen to "same song" my whole life. I want changes in pace, mood, themes, production, brutality etc. I'm always searching for something that blows me away, always ready to challenge my ears. And though I'm far from the biggest fan of US Metal I recognise it's merits and will not insult anyone with bad or provoking attitude against it. And since I'm still pretty young (turning to 23 next september) there's a good chance that this stuff grows on me.

If I would have to pick US or European metal I'd say european but life surely sucks without bands like Manilla Road, Holy Terror, Coven, Cirith Ungol, Brocas Helm, Black Death, Manowar, Savatage, Omen, Morbid Angel, Medieval Steel, Griffin, Exodus, Slayer etc.

The Erlking · Post by **The Erlking** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:51 pm

mordred wrote:VECTOM are simply shit. I have the "Speed Revolution" album and it's one of the worst albums I ever heard, everything included. Simply worthless, and I'm surprised to hear that someone actually listens to this useless crap willingly. Is there anyone else besides Fucking Åmål that finds Vectom listenable?

I found it easily listenable

I don't think it's a masterpiece or anything but an average speed metal album - no more, no less. I could do without it but wouldn't call it useless crap.

Black Axe · Post by **Black Axe** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:54 pm

mordred wrote:
Fucking Åmål wrote:VECTOM needless to say blow almost every US Thrash/Speed band ever existed(except f.ex Slayer,Exodus,Dark Angel and some few).
VECTOM are simply shit. I have the "Speed Revolution" album and it's one of the worst albums I ever heard, everything included. Simply worthless, and I'm surprised to hear that someone actually listens to this useless crap willingly. Is there anyone else besides Fucking Åmål that finds Vectom listenable?

I listened to some songs on the myspace and those are at least decent. I certainly wouldn't go as far as saying it's useless crap. You must've never heard any nu-***** or *****core.

ION BRITTON · Post by **ION BRITTON** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:54 pm

there is good Heavy Metal to be found almost everywhere if you look hard enough for it.

This is very important, if you don't put ''barriers'' in the countries you choose to listen metal from and you get rid of that provincialism that characterizes to some degree our first years in metal, then you will enjoy good metal from every possible place of the world.

And I LOVE the fact that it varies.

That's why i really like digging for metal in almost every country i can. Swedish metal doesn't sound the same with the South American one, Polish metal is way different from US metal etc. I do have my preferences, but honestly i'd be really bored if i was 'forced' my entire life to listen to US prog/power bands exclusively...

ION BRITTON · Post by **ION BRITTON** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:10 pm

VECTOM are simply shit. I have the "Speed Revolution" album and it's one of the worst albums I ever heard, everything included. Simply worthless, and I'm surprised to hear that someone actually listens to this useless crap willingly. Is there anyone else besides Fucking Åmål that finds Vectom listenable?

I wouldn't say it's utter crap, but it's frightfully uninspired and generic stuff,

Maybe they aren't that special at the end of the day, but I must say that I think BRAINFEVER is a better band that most bands you usually rave about. They are better than Noisehunter I think. The song "Capture the Night" is a perfet metal hit and there's a bunch of other good songs on the first album as well. The second album is not as memorable but certainly as good as anything Noisehunter/Tyrant/Gravestone etc ever did.

With this i agree 100%. And i really can't understand why Fucking Åmål raves about so many bands that are half as good as Brainfever. It's a case of a band that anyone who's into German metal should enjoy. They were definitely not the hidden gem of the German scene, but certainly they don't deserve the bashing that Fucking Åmål gives them.

The Erlking · Post by **The Erlking** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:24 pm

Haven't heard Brainfever or Noisehunter but I really like Gravestone and Tyrant. Victim Of Chains and Back To Attack include some stuff that is really stunning to me. Fly Like An Eagle must be one of my favourite metal songs. Tyrant's Mean Machine is THE party metal album. Ruling The World is pretty good too. I also love Ninja, Stormwitch, Invader, Iron Angel, Atlain and Heavens Gate (Livin' In Hysteria totally blows me off the chair).

nightsblood · Post by **nightsblood** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:38 pm

Interesting thread, and a good reminder that we can justify our likes and dislikes however we want- by talent, by country of origin, by subgenre, by atmosphere, by year of release,et al- but at the end of the day each person likes what they like and dislikes what they dislike, and that's fine.
Me? I tend to like the german power/trad stuff but not their thrash. I'm not familiar with alot of the lesser-kown bands, just the 'name' bands mostly.

Helm · Post by **Helm** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:21 pm

Vectom is pretty average, if my opinion may be counted

Not great, not bad.

A lot of these bands had one or two good songs, and we have this bad habit of comparing them so that one seems like it's amazing and one crap. Vectom versus Brainfever... it's like comparing a high 3 with a low 4, does it even really matter at the end? I know we're trying to find all the good obscure HM, even if it's a single song from a whole carreer of a third-rate band that's amazing, but all this comparing between scenes and bands just serves to artificially inflate the winner. Having a better band than Vectom isn't something to write home about. A single album by Running Wild destroys anything Vectom ever did and even Fucking Amal would agree, so what's the point to argue? Just so one can feel 'different' by being on the 'eastern european metal' side and not in the usual US Metal side?

The Erlking · Post by **The Erlking** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:26 pm

I like KREATOR, LIVING DEATH and early SODOM & DESTRUCTION when it comes to german thrash.

ION BRITTON · Post by **ION BRITTON** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:41 pm

Again what you're saying Helm is a matter of taste. "The one or two good songs" is what you think about those bands, others might feel otherwise. And be sure that it's not only FA that praises these bands that you (and i) find average. OK, no big deal if Brainfever are better than Vectom, but it's no big deal for you and me. Vectom may not be that high 3 you're saying for someone else and they might mean alot more things to others than they do to you and me and thus there might be something to wrote home about.

I don't know if i personally must be considered that i'm on the 'usual' Us metal as i don't see it this way. I listen to what i like most and what expresses my feelings better, if that is more probable to be US metal then so be it. I don't choose to be on the US metal side because that's what people usually do or because i'm afraid to go against the grain, it's simply because it's the style i like the most and that doesn't mean that it's only style i like.

nightsblood · Post by **nightsblood** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:31 pm

Numerical rankings themselves also becmoe contentious. What's the difference between a high 3 and a low 4? What even qualifies something as a high 3? On a 5-pt scale that looks OK, on a 10-pt scale it's rather low. not picking on Helm here, just pointing out how subjective numerical rankings really are.
Ion is right; listen to what you like regardless of where it fits into the scene and who really cares if it's kvlt or if it's tendy? Yeah, US metal is all the buzz curently, but in 5 years it may be passe and everyone will be raving about former Eastern Bloc countries' scenes, or Southeast Asian Metal.

great_knuthulhu · Post by **great_knuthulhu** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:36 pm

I have to fill in Jon a little here. The differense between Vectom and Brainfever may not be significant for some, for others the one is great and the other is trash. For yet others, both may be classics or totally forgettable. Those are bands that fill out the German scene, but (to me at least) not what makes it something to be explored.

I have to say that yet again preferenses are down to taste for the most part. It's always great to read Dan's ramblings about how great Russian is as a language to sing metal, for me though Hungarian is even better. Wouldn't be without any countries though - lots of countries have at least a few interesting bands.

Now, I believe this thread started with a post bemoaning many Europeans lack of support for their "local" or "national" heavy metal scenes. What is undoubtedly a fact is that many European bands did not get the press and fan attention they deserved because too much of the attention veered in the direction of US bands who had some support from record labels. Also, there has always been a tendency among some to regard US culture as superior and that is not a good tendency and something I think everyone here agrees is a bad thing.

As a sidenote, I've been in discussions on a Norwegian metal board with people who just won't listen to a band if they do not sing in English!! Now, meeting people like that's when you give up arguing, but it's their loss.

The Erlking · Post by **The Erlking** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:50 pm

great_knuthulhu wrote:As a sidenote, I've been in discussions on a Norwegian metal board with people who just won't listen to a band if they do not sing in English!! Now, meeting people like that's when you give up arguing, but it's their loss.

I've met even worse people. There's this guy I know who thinks that METALLICA is the start and the end of metal and you really don't NEED anything else. Stuck with only one band... not to mention it's Metallica. That's a good one. Well he listens Slayer, Dream Theater and Iron Maiden too but 99% of his time it's Metallica.

The Erlking · Post by **The Erlking** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 7:22 pm

BTW did any german band sang in their native language? I'm sure there was at least one.