STRAIGHT LINE STITCH: TO SUCK OR NOT TO SUCK?
Tuesday, July 1st, 2008 at 10:27am by Vince NeilsteinThat was the question asked by our own Axl Rosenberg in an editorial he wrote approximately 3 months ago; “Gee, I bet MetalSucks readers would LOVE to argue about this band.” As usual, the prophetic powers of Reb. Axl proved true, as Straight Line Stitch lovers and haters came out of the woodwork in equal measures to argue and argue and argue in our comments section, ranging from praise (”They really are an entertaining band to see.”) to hatred (”I only got through a minute of the song before I got bored.”) to elitist (”four outta five thumbs down, this mighta sucked a little less had the year been 1996″) to the adequate (”they are tight, fairly strong musicians it seems”) to the non-committal (”I can’t decide if I like them or not.”).
The band is back with a video for their song “Black Veil” from the album When Skies Wash Ashore, due later this summer via Koch Records (release date TBA). So, um, what do we think this time around?
-VN
Not bad but nothing special. A little too basic.
The singing parts totally ruin the song.
Real Stock
great voice. they’ll be good two albums from now, right?
Pretty lame if you ask me.
I really hate this band. They just entered “metal” into a random music generator and it spit this out. If beardos were listening to Tim McGraw instead of ISIS, these assbags would be twanging it the fuck up.
I’m getting mixed opinions on this as well. I think Black Veil is better than Remission but I just can’t get into them.
One guy even want on to say “Maybe because they are faggots”…and instantly Lambgoat came to mind. Must be a common word in thsoe parts.
Video good. Generic metal bad.
Pretty generic, especially the vocals which sound like every other female screamer.
I like it, yeah is common, is generic but is ok, her voice is nice…………btw isn’t she Alicia Keys with longer hair?
suck
eh they’re videos arent THAT bad
but I saw them live once and they were god awful, making them a god awful band
Generic as hell but it kicks the shit out of Otep… but then again what doesn’t?
How the hell is this video good? Since when has fading in and out of band members in a metallic-looking room not been a thousand times over?
As for the music, it seems like they got a better producer: now all they need is talent and risk-taking.
It just sounds like a rehash of nu-metal mixed with metalcore. Nothing special.
I imagine succumbing to aggressive penile cancer is less painful than listening to this band.
@Zack: I’m pretty sure if you recorded yourself farting into a tape recorder after a 10 Gordita Taco Bell bender while being violently gang raped by 40 grizzly bears would sound like a Grammy winning album compared to Otep.
Hey, here’s an idea. Let’s grab some random decent looking chick out of a bar and see if she can sing (whoops, but she can’t). Might not be the scenario…but might as well be. This band needs some lessons from OTEP if they’re trying to find a vibe, any vibe. Good musicians but very amateur music.
Geesh. Female fronted bands just don’t get a break, huh. Anyways, I thought this was better than ‘Remission’ but if she would cut the singing I think this band would get a more positive response. I think young listeners of modern metal will be more apt to buy SSS records and go to concerts than the older more aged metalheads who expect a more heavier sound with (lets face it) male vocals.
Any female fronted metal band is going to get shit for it. Well maybe if you aren’t Arch Enemy. Everyone overrates Arch Enemy to the tee when there are are female metal singers who OWN Angela Gossow as well as OTEP.(I.E Demonic Christ and Ludicra)
[...] We asked what you thought of Straight Line Stitch; you answered loud and clear. [...]
I agree with Chris; the singing ruins any chance they had at being good.
Honestly, what the hell? This only serves as a reminder of the devolution of music.
LOL
This comment goes out to all of the metalsucks.com hate mongers that blog here that all obviously have nothing else better going on in their lives than too post negative comments about one of the most exciting and original Metal bands of our time. SLS is a band that will bring Metal to our happy homes for years to come as well as more amazing videos!!!!
I love all of the ‘hate’ this band seems to inspire on this site…jealousy, envy, admiration? Those are just a few of the words that honestly describe the people leaving these comments about this incredible band. Fortunately, yall are the minority as the majority are so happy that this band exists!!!
I have been in ‘metal’ most of my entire life as a fan and professionally as a video director of over 250 videos…so I do have the cred, the respect, the understanding and a whole lotta ‘other stuff’ that makes my opinion the one that trumps all of yours.
This band is authentic and not contrived. They’ve toured the last three years…over 200 shows per year ripping and shredding through every metal and rock hole we all know in every corner of this country. They are extremely proficient players and Alexis is an absolute superstar with charisma to burn!!! And yes, this video shot on 35MM has created a firestorm from youtubers and HBB watchers all over the globe and says “Yes!!! Kids do care about a QUALITY VIDEO and not some dv or HD piece of crap with no actual style or talent behind it!!!”
The kids, the fans, the true Metal and Rock fans that are propelling SLS to the top, the ones buying their merch and their CD’s and their tickets to their shows are only making their record label, KOCH/RAGING NATION happy as all helll!!!
SLS has only just started and will be around for some time so I hope yall haters start building archives of hate inspired rhetoric so yo can try and stay ahead of their successes cuz your gonna need it as SLS is about to re-write Metal’s glorious history!!!
So on that note…”For those about to Rock…”
RAGE
Rage, your opinion is as worthless as everyone elses. just because you supposedly have all this ’stuff’ (pray tell, where can i get some?) does not make your opinion any more valid than anyone elses. thats the great thing about opinions. you could be the spirit of randy rhoads (or whatever other uber god of metal you choose) and all your cred still woudn’t lend you any more weight. the song speaks for itself. whether poorly or spectacularly, thats a matter for the individual.
1) Original? Not really. This band is not doing anything new. And honestly, they seem bland, generic, and boring to me. ‘Exciting’ and ‘original’ are certainly not words that come to mind.
2) The ‘hate’ stems from the nature of underground music and its fans; we are constantly trying to prove how refined our taste is by slamming anything that is more accessible or less extreme. It has nothing to do with ‘jealousy, envy, admiration.’
3) Your opinion is no better than anyone elses. To claim otherwise is flagrantly arrogant, and just wrong. Kindly take your ‘cred’ and shove it up your ass.
This post just lacks any semblance of legitimate, honest analysis or critique. This isn’t just ass-kissing; it’s salad-tossing. Please remove your tongue from Straight Line Stitch’s collective asshole and come back when you have a more honest opinion. Thank you.
@ Rage:
Funny how your website is down… Lame.
You couldn’t be any cockier, by the way.
Even though I like the song, this shit is far from fresh.
In any case, I like this song better than the last one posted here… But I’m not gonna go out of my way to get some (at least now).
@Que-Min
You nailed it man. Arch Enemy is definitely a good band. They shit all over Otep, Straight Line Stitch, In This Moment, and Wicked Wisdom etc. But they still have competition in the female singer category. I don’t know about Demonic Christ and Ludicra “owning” Angela on vocals, but they definitely give her a run for her money. Arch Enemy is however overrated in comparison to Demonic Christ and Ludicra by a long shot.
I like this band. What’s wrong with a good song. You guys need to get over yourselves.
@Jesse
I agree. Despite how much people like Arch Enemy’s ass-they are credible good metal. But there are (like we both agreed) female fronted bands that vocally blow them out the water. Straight Line Stitch isn’t horrible but there is nothing that sets it apart (Besides the obvious) and I think thats the problem. I generally think they’re an okay band but we all know what sort of customer they are marketed towards and thats the hot topic crowd. And anything is better than that In This Moment bitch. Even Otep. Maybe even Wicked Wisdom.
It’s pretty bad all round. I lasted about 15 seconds before I had to turn that crap off, when I say 15 seconds I mean skipping through the song to see whether it got any better….nope.
Meh. Can someone please quantify exactly what makes SLS special, because I couldn’t find anything. There isn’t anything necessarily wrong with them, just nothing to set them apart. I don’t see any reason to join the throngs flocking to heap praise and money upon them.
@ RAGE/Dale
I really liked Burst’s video “Where the Wave Broke,”and I’m glad you agree. It is time that metal videos progress beyond merely showing the band playing in burned-out warehouses. Dimly-lit, sheep-shaped spaceship? Consider my mind BLOWN.
Rage has directed some really good videos. I know – I watch videos ALL DAY LONG. I don’t know why he thinks that his opinion is worth more than anyone else’s, and I think that has been well-addressed above. Furthermore, it seems a bit naive to think that pulling his cred out will change ANYONE’s mind, especially on this site. SLS is not my thing, but not objectively terrible.
Rage, you’re just a fuckin’ shill, not the god of metal. If you’re so goddamn talented, then why don’t you make videos for bands people actually care about, not second-string, rehashed melodeath bands looking to cash in on a fad? I didn’t hate this band, but then you came along with your hubris signaling for the cockslap of reality. I’m not envious, you dumbass; I’m simply pointing out work that’s rife with mediocrity so that like-minded people don’t waste their limited resources on crap like SLS.
Hey yall…
Yeah I peeped the replies and I was like “I just gotta hittem back!!!” Anyone who knows me, know how hard I go at life…not just metal or rock or hip hop and the videos I create…or in my other ventures. I out work, out hustle and simply outlast anything or anyone in my way…that’s just the way it is. Like the like minded SLS…we are relentless at what we do and we will not stop at anything hence the success they are experiencing and that I have enjoyed now for over 10 years!!!
Now…you gotta love it!!! Alexis just did her 2nd interview on Sirius in just a few months after SLS being signed to their record deal.
So ya know…Fink and all you other alleged ‘in the know tastemakers’ who feel your elitist metal snobbery is more important than say, the people and fans of metal who voted SLS debut on Sirius’ various metal shows AHEAD of same week debuts from bands like Mastadon and Bullet For My Valentine…
That quote so ya know is a real slap in the mouth to the tough guys love knocking a band who are out there ACTUALLY doing the ‘damn thing’ and living their dreams!!!
Far as MY OPINION goes…hmmm, lemme think on that for a moment…I’ve been offered by more than one label a chance to start my own label because I have also either started or help kick start the careers of at least 7 other bands who have done very well in this metal and rock game…I have been all over the metal map and never took any label up on their offer UNTIL I MET SLS…they inspired ME!!!
I met them when another band was coming through the NYC area and I was sold on them before I even heard their music if you must know. I was blown away at their persona, their authentic history and their unique story…it so motivated to help bring them to the top. And when I saw them I was blown away…Alexis brings more to the table than ANY OTHER FEMALE FRONT I’ve ever seen or heard and not since Wendy’O has their been a female with such AUTHENTIC POWER!!!
So ya know…when I met with KOCH and several other labels that wanted me to be involved I played them not one BUT 10 (ten) other bands including some very established bands and several hardcore/metal supergroups even including a band with Jon Joseph of the Cro Mags on vocals and the ish was BRUTAL!!! But the only band any of these labels wanted was SLS. Why? (insert your smart ass answers here)
Because they are fresh, they are ORIGINAL if you actually LISTEN and look beyond your ‘pathetic labeling system’ and for the record ARCH ENEMY in my opinion is unlistenable. God!!! Can you be ANYMORE ORIGINAL than “She’s black. They have a girl front. Yada yada yada yada…or Bla bla bla bla!!!”
Whenever a band gets so much hate it usually means they’re about to be huge!!! So thanks for the heads up guys!!!lol
SLS is going to continue to grow and be amazing and soon enough will be opening for the biggest bands in metal before becoming ‘that band’ themselves according to their booking agent…they are not going to be a 10K to 50K selling death-metal or grind-core or pinball-metal band because that is not who they are and that’s because they’re inspired to play music and write lyrics from the heart that reaches the majority rather than trying to reach YOU the ‘cool kids’ in the minority!!!
I never claimed to be a God of metal but having been in this game as A&R and in marketing and in hundreds of pits getting my kicked around while filming, and having dealt with virtually every major and indie label my opinion has been earned and is respected if not by you, at leat by the people who are responsible for signing bands in this new music business landscape and it’s going to be bands like SLS that are going to carry the torch of metal for years to come…
So, be tuff all you want, hit those keys with reckless abandon, show me up, pull out your book of metaphors, google up clever quips’ and hit me with some, knock me back with eloquence etc etc…
I don’t have time for all that posturing, I hit from the gut and from the heart and I will stand up for those who may not even ask for it and if you choose mot to like a band because I or someone defends them then you’re more of an idiot than you’re previous remarks have revealed you to be…
Lastly, yall can see me at any show you want. Or you can get at me directly at myspace.com/ragingnation which is my only website…
On that note I’ma leave you with one of my quotes “Let the sleepers sleep and the haters hate…”
Despite some of you and your bitter, narrow minded, twisted, hateful, predictable and pathetic critique of SLS, I invite you to join me and watch SLS soar high into the metal sky…
For those of you who support and enjoy what SLS brings to the current stagnant metal scene…I thank you as do the 5 members of SLS!!!
RAGE
Saw this band open for Devildriver and I got to talk to Alexis afterwards. She’s a really sweet girl. As for the band, this wasn’t the best choice for a video. They’ve been playing a song on Sirius Hard Attack called “Taste the Ashes”. Jamey Jasta is also on the song. It’s pretty good, better than this song.
I’ll pick up the cd when it comes out and hope the rest of it is as good as that one song
Great band. Saw them with Devildriver and Napalm Death last March. Talked to the lead singer a little bit after the show (mostly about how high her chiropractic bills must be after watching her whip her dreads around. I thought her head was going to fly off).
She can pull off the screaming parts with the best of them and her clean vocals sound awesome as well.
These guys are going to go far.
That guy is such a tool. I have also seen the band open for Devildriver and Napalm Death and godgriner must have seen a different show than I did because they were not good at all. The small crowd ignored them. I’m sure they are nice people but they are not a band I will be listening to.
I went to his myspace as he recommended and it is very funny how he manages to speak hiphop when he’s writing about hiphop and speak metal when he’s writing about metal.
What I noticed most was that his videos all look about the same and that he seems convinced that nobody can do anything better than he can. Maybe the hiphop fanbase is more into bragging and bullshit that metalheads but he’s a sellout with a big mouth and midlevel skills.
Funny that he talks shit about us typing alot since he can’t seem to shut up.
I agree with Chris (2nd post). The singing really kills it. I saw them live with whitechapel a couple weeks ago. I know I am biased for whitechapel since they are from my hometown but so is Straight Line Stitch, and I really do not like them. And Live, she sounds like she is throwing when she is “screaming.” Music is pretty lame and generic sounding. Not a fan. The hometown crowd loved it, except for the deathmetal whitechapel fans.
And Rage needs to gtfo.
K corey….
A guy like me loves idiots like you who end a comment with some cheap, shallow, cowardly remark.
I was reading ur thoughts, I was not there but my fam’ were and I was told the opposite…in fact I was told that SLS owned that show and did 2500 in merch and sold out of the 60 cd’s they had left…
So yeah I was willing to respect your ‘opinion’ till ur last remark which actually shows how jaded you are and the fact that SLS is a band that will sell many more records than any other band you know over the the next 5, 10 and 20 years is something you really need to just o get used too…
Winners win and losers bitch…so stop bitching and go help WC sell some records…and for the record I know the guys in WC and they’re good people…
RAGE
Laughing. So. Much.
humility is something worth having a look into. check it out sometime.
SLS aren’t BAD by any stretch…just not fantastic. we’ll see what happens with them…and whether Rage will have to eat his words or not.
At 2:28am Rage proved my point about not being able to shut up. He also proved that he really does care about bitter and narrow-minded people and their opinions.
Corey said he did not like the band but spoke fairly and admitted that the hometown crowd loved it yet Rage has managed to twist Corey’s words into a press release and to insult Corey as well.
I think it is unlikely that Rage was going to respect anybody’s opinion. I have begun to notice deep insecurity and hubris in his ravings. You don’t see the usual record label and music video director trying to convince bloggers that he is perfect by employing constant commentary and insult.
I think that what Rage must get used to is that people will disagree with him and that SLS will not be selling records in the next 20 years. Until reading his comments I had very little feeling about this band but I now find that they are ill-represented and have lost me as a potential customer because if they allow this person to speak for them I can only assume that they approve.
Rage does need to gtfu.
@ Pembelton
Amen brother!
Again…
Judging from the 40 or so comments on this blog (as I’ve given it a break to see what else pops up on here) not too many of the neg comments match up well to the 80,000 awesome comments about SLS on youtube!!!
If you would deny yourself the chance to love a band because someone who loves them and represents them is passionate enough to stand up for them then you only prove yourself to not even be worthy to be a fan. I am their manager, their friend and their label…so of course I’m going to react to anything neg being said and you would too if you were in my shoes…I’m not the ‘establishment’…I’m a guy who supports a band he believes in…period.
Metal Edge and EAT a substantial Japanese music rag are interviewing the band for coverage…the buzz and support o this band is amazing so no matter how many rehashed hate blogs some of you want to throw into the mx…it just doesn’t matter as you can see and you will continue to see and hear throughout this band’s career!!!
Nuff said…
Thanks for the comments both good and bad…
RAGE
Death to false metal.
Period.
Had the pleasure of doing a show with these guys a couple years ago. I was in a band and also the promoter. Great band, GREAT energy, very professional and I’d have to say I agree with Rage in that the sky is the limit for SLS.
Why? Because the music buying public is made up of more than just angry, cynical music dork-snob-elitists that are angry they aren’t determining what we are all allowed to listen to.
Good luck to them!
Just got the new cd and im loving it.
I don’t know how they sound live but I been listen to this album non stop.
I am not such a fan of female fronts but I think their songs ranges are so vast that they will capture fans from all sides of metal… once you give them a chance and allow access to the part of you that fell in love with rock or metal in the first place.
I wish them nothing but success.
they are fucking awsome
yeh i fukin now
The drummer and guitar player stopped by Subway today and I made them some sandwiches. In conversation I found out who they were. They had just done a show here in Knoxville the night before, and were headed to Alaska for their next. I decided to look them up and I get this crappy, generic radio metal that wishes it was the next Bullet for my Valentine. It’s just another shitty Arch Enemy/Killswitch metalcore band, the kind that I got bored of around the time I was 14.
Jeez, “metal” these days.
Here are my thoughts. Why do we find in necessary to trash something that we don’t like? I have been a fan of this band for several years now and have became friends with them. They are great people as mentioned above. Now, even if you do not like the band why talk so much shit about them? Give an opinion like I don’t like them or not my thing. Obviously you people are not all that you think you are. Are you touring and doing 200 plus shows a year? NO. Why is that? Oh, that’s right, you don’t have any talent. You may say that they don’t, but they are the ones selling albums, merch, and tickets. Now, for Rage, though I GREATLY appreciate what you have done for them and do agree with you I have to say the same to you. Like I said I do agree with you about what you say about the band, but I am not going to talk shit about someone that does not agree. Once again Rage, I have to say thank you for what you have done for an amazing and talented group of people!