WHY DOESN’T NU METAL HAVE ITS OWN ANSWER TO METAL SLUDGE?
Tuesday, July 8th, 2008 at 12:17pm by Axl Rosenberg
Yesterday an advanced copy of the album by a certain nu metal band that shall go unnamed arrived at the MetalSucks Mansion. “Why the fuck would they send us this?” Vince wondered aloud, noting that we have never, ever, ever had anything nice to say about this particular group.
“Dude,” I countered, “At least we write about them. That’s more than I can say for most sites.”
Which got me to thinking: is there no one carrying the nu metal torch?
Now, let me clarify for a second: I’m not saying I have any particular desire to see nu metal live on and on forever. But we all know, for example, people who never let the dream of hair metal die. I don’t mean they still like certain hair metal bands the way Vince and I do – I mean they really, really hope that Cinderella finally get around to recording a new studio album some day, they eagerly anticipate Poison’s annual shed package tours, they booked their tickets to Rocklahoma, maybe they even write a column for this website or have a website of their own. I’m not judging these people, mind you – I’m just using them as an example of people whose first love was a particular brand of heavy rock that’s not really in fashion anymore, and who don’t give a shit. They love their music and they’re gonna get the word out any which way they can.
But I can’t seem to find any Metal Sludge-esque websites devoted in any sort of way to nu metal. I know – know, know, KNOW – that, the same way there were dudes out there who were really hoping for a Dangerous Toys revival, there are people who still pine for the days of doin’ it all for the nookie.
So why no website? Is the music that loathed? Is there no nu metal fan willing to get off his ass and throw a little publicity Edsel Dope’s way? Or is it that, in a sad way, nu metal never really died (see the ongoing success of Linkin Park, Disturbed, Korn, etc.)?
I have no friggin’ idea what the answer is. In the meantime, I suspect certain nu metal bands will be supplying Vince and I with the prizes for “Win a Free Drink Coaster” contests for years to come.
-AR
Is dog fashion disco NU-metal. If so I still like them… anyway long time reader first time reply, you guys need to check out oblige I want to hear your opinion of them. a review if you will. they are currently signed to stillborn records. check em out let me know.
“Or is it that, in a sad way, nu metal never really died (see the ongoing success of Linkin Park, Disturbed, Korn, etc.)?”
sadly, you may have hit the nail on the head with that one. most people that were fans of nu metal probably never even realized they were listening something that was supposed to a form of metal in the first place. i think they thought it was just the natural progression of that whole 90’s alternative rock thing. so it’s just a question of what new umbrella term the music industry’s marketing guys come up with now.
Excuse me, magazine, but Andrew WK was not nu-metal.
I think it’s because, like “grunge”, there is no real definition of so-called “nu” metal. It’s really just a disparaging term used for heavy(er) rock bands from ‘99 to ‘03 that metal fans don’t like. Or rather, who don’t like anymore and refuse to admit they liked five years ago.
@Kris
Oblige is alright. They’re definitely heavy, but they need to expand a little bit in my opinion. I talked to the guitar player at a show in Sac and he didn’t seem like he had any plans to do anything different.
I’ve been following Andrew(drums) since he was in Hostility and I do have to say Hostility definitely kicks more ass than Oblige. I know not many people know enough about Bay Area metal to make the comparison anyway so I’m sure that doesn’t really matter.
It sucks that the better band had to go to shit.
@ Sammy: Ding ding ding ding ding!!!! Exactly.
A few years ago (2002, maybe) I asked a bunch of “real” metalheads just what, exactly was meant by that term, and requested that they please define it. I think they did so by calling me “gay,” and speculating as which bands I listened to. Or some such rubbish anyway. To be fair though, I shouldn’t neglect to mention that I posited this question on a B-mouth thread, so I guess it shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise.
But still…
@Sammy
Well said.
Thank you, Bryan.
today must be Limp Bizkit day – just saw this dandy of an interview with Fred Durst on The Tom Green show:
http://www.tomgreen.com/blog/?post=548
and the sudden popularity of Mindless Self Indulgence (at least in the UK) makes me think that the return of the baggy day-glo bondage pants is not too far away…
jaahn hit it on the head in my opinion. Disturbed is a prime example. In ‘05 their album sold a couple million copies, and I’m sure their new one will eventually move a million or so. I’m not excusing nu metal, just give it 5 or 10 years, then it’ll be treated like glam.
@ Tommy
God, I hope nu”metal” isn’t treated like glam. I enjoy glam.
I should point out Korn are near death, so your sad little nod doesn’t work with them included, their last album literally tanked after it’s #2 debut, and for good reason.
Revrant-
but the fact that it debuted at number 2 still means they have an audience. Most records have been experiencing sharp sales drops after big first weeks.
A #2 debut is still fairly impressive, even in the lower sales numbers of today, compared to Korn’s late 90s heyday.
JTL, I hope so too. I despise nu metal and actually really enjoy glam (yes, I’m one of the few, and no, I’m not going to Rocklahoma if someone decides to be a smartass and ask).
DO NOT WANT
“I think it’s because, like “grunge”, there is no real definition of so-called “nu” metal. It’s really just a disparaging term used for heavy(er) rock bands from ‘99 to ‘03 that metal fans don’t like.”
I disagree: I’ve always used the label “nu-metal” for bands that incorporated rap into a simplified, mainstream version of metal. I do agree, however, that the term is often broadened to become anything that metalheads don’t like.
Numetal eats a fat donkey cock, but I can’t deny that it was amusing in it’s hey day. It’s a genre reserved for all of those kids who couldn’t decide between House of Pain or Helmet…myself included. Korn=washed up, Limp Bizkit=no fuckin comment (God am I ashamed), Disturbed=not really “nu metal”, more like a Redneck Donkey Show, only not half as entertaining to see live. In my own personal opinion (feel free to flame from this statement on), the deftones are the only band to come out of that genre with any accredidation. They are the one band that came from that mold and took it to the next level. I’ve seen them perform w/ Korn an Limp Tampon (again, ashamed), and they’re the only band that are A. still together and B. have performed w/ Maynard Keenan.
Also, Machine Head can be accused of following the “nu-metal” trend (fuck you Ross Robinson), but am I wrong in stating that they completely redeemed themselves w/ the Blackening? FLAME ON BITCHES…FLAME ON.
TJ: True, but they aren’t successful anymore, they’re a dying band, I suspect like many huge acts they’ll break up and have various reunions later in life.
36: I like how your “broadened to become anything that metalheads don’t like.” applies directly to Tommy.
…To the last guy who posted, your post is self-flaming, no one needs to say anything.
I personally believe that Nu-Metal is the ultimate guilty pleasure music. For the Record I still listen to, Korn’s first two records, Limp Bizkit’s 3 Dollar Bill, and Taproot in general. I know it sucks. But for some strang reason I still kinda like it. Guilty Pleasures exist in our lives and none of us would really ever want to carry the torch for them. We all kinda never really like to admit our little guitly pleasures in any form of art. For Example, Last Night got blazzinly high and laughed my ass off at Strange Wilderness, which has a 0 percent on the meter over at rottentomatoes, so according to EVERYONE else, its totally sucks and has no redeming value. I dont know I laughed at it, and would watch it again, but NEVER recomend it to others. I would be too ashamed of myself for admitting to liking it. Which is how I feel how about Nu-metal. Im sure if we to list all those bands, which I would love to see someone compile, that is classified as nu-metal, I bet there be something there, you might have like, or even still, love to this very day. Its like that one artist on your ipod that your friend catches as he scrolls through and gives you shit.
it’s because it’s record label manufactured shit by and large the same way a record by Christina Aguilera is.
As such, it hold little if any sentimental value for those who listened to it and it is forgotten like so much pop music is.
When you have test marketed manufactured shit people may love it for a bit but it is normally soon forgotten. Thus the fate of nü-metal.
So…who was the Nu-Met artist that sent the advance cd? No big hints were thrown and my thinking is really slow this time of day.
What-up?
Break out the turntables, you Freaks On A Leash! Coming soon from Rhino Records, it’s “Are You Ready?! The Very Best of Nü Metal,” featuring thirteen PHAT late-’90s classics, including:
1.) “Got The Life” – KoRn
2.) “Nookie” – Limp Bizkit
3.) “Bodies” – Drowning Pool
4.) “Stoopid” – Snot
5.) “Last Resort” – Papa Roach
6.) “Southtown” – P.O.D.
7.) “In The End” – Linkin Park
8.) “Down With the Sickness” – Disturbed
9.) “When Worlds Collide” – Powerman 5000
10.) “Dig” – Mudvayne
11.) “Brackish” – Kittie
12.) “Sway” – Coal Chamber
13.) “Solitaire/Unraveling” – Mushroomhead
Bonus Track:
“Blue Monday” – Orgy
So, a previous commentor said nu-metal has to have rap mixed with rock to be so defined, but Bannister Slash above lists the “Best of” album and more than half of it is devoid of any rap. Kind of proves my earlier point.
Well, Sammy, yes and no, for the most part, I think, it’s used to define mainstream, non-glam, non-classic metal created in the 1990s. However, many of the bands listed do incorporate elements of rap in them, and rap metal (so to speak) is generally considered to be the origin. Granted, some bands labeled “nu metal” don’t have those original traits of rap, and many have evolved somewhat to become different (e.g. Mudvayne’s aping Metallica). It’s widely held though, as far as I’m aware, that downtuned guitars with pared down riffs and a lack of soloing with screamed or rapped vocals largely constitute nu metal.
Mushroomhead isn’t nu-metal fuck nuts.
It is too early for that. Revivals happen when people remember the music that made them cry and fuck when they were 16 a good 20 years later. That or kids imagining a more romantic time to be a teen. Look at the 80s revival…a bunch of kids who don’t even remember the 80s went around wearing “Frankie says relax” shirts because they saw them on VH1. In 10 years kids who have no idea what the dot com bubble was like will look back and romanticize what it was like to use dial up and listen to limp biscuit or skrape and wear phat pants. Then you will see Nu-Jersey homiefest or whatever they call it. Same shit, different day.
You’re right, Deez Nutz. Mushroomhead is simply shit metal.
Bannister Slash: He purposely failed to put in Slipknot because of all the current love for them on here, *rolls on the ground laughing* God this site is fucking great. =)
36: That’s a pretty good definition of nu-metal I think, but by that definition only Linkin Park are still nu-metal if you went by the most successful bands that were birthed in that genre.
You’re right, Revrant… Let’s add another bonus Track:
“Spit It Out” – Slipknot
From Wikipedia:
Nu metal (sometimes named new metal or nü metal) is a musical genre that emerged in the mid 1990s which fuses influences from grunge[1] and alternative metal with funkcore, hip hop and various heavy metal genres, such as traditional metal,Thrash metal, groove metal and Funk metal.
Nu metal music emphasizes mood, rhythm, and texture over melody. Often, nu metal songs use rhythmic, syncopated riffs played on distorted electric guitars with strings detuned to lower pitches to create a dark and thick sound.
The term was first used for a review of a 1996 Coal Chamber concert in Spin magazine in the form “new metal”. Categorization of specific artists as “nu metal” is difficult, an issue made more prevalent in the online community by traditional metal fans who take offense to the term. Nu metal began as a mix of different genres, so the definition is not solid. Because their style was not clearly defined, nu metal bands were often considered within multiple other genres. For example, Korn cross into alternative metal and industrial metal, Limp Bizkit and P.O.D. cross into rap rock. Rap rock, post-grunge and alternative metal are common genres which nu metal bands cross into.
Well, if it’s in Wiki….
Actually though, it really proves my point. It’s a rather amorphous definition.
And, watch and listen to damn near EVERY metal band today. They almost ALL downtune their guitars and play one-finger power chords. Even old bands like Metallica and Iron Maiden play many of their old songs with downtuned guitars for ease of playing fast rhythms.
Pantera had a couple of albums with syncopated riffs on downtuned guitars with a distinct lack of lead guitar. St. Anger would be considered “nu” under that definition. It boils down to one thing: it’s pejorative plain and simple.
And really, who the fuck cares? You like what you like and dislike what you don’t. It shows more open-mindedness to like music across genres. What is retarded is to constrain yourself to one, narrow genre.
I’m going to just throw this out there and take a guess…11/7 sent you Only Through The Pain.
I personaly like some nu-metal. Slipknot and Korn, and I will agree that korns latest sucked. Ever since SYOTOS they sucked. As for slipknot, Iowa is the last that I truly enjoy. It is my guilty pleasure. And no these are not the only bands I listen to. I enjoy everything from AC/DC to Belphegor to Maiden to Necrophagist.
The best we have for nu metal devotees is a new forum that’s recently opened — http://numetalunderground.forumotion.net/nu-metal-f2/