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Power Metal Party

COMMUNICATING COMMUNIC TO THE [NOT QUITE] POWER METAL FAITHFUL

 Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 12:05pm by

communicYesterday’s commentary on the disappointing new Raintime single had two positive effects. 1) Everyone’s favorite negative nancy Ziltoid actually agreed with me on something, not just that the new single is weak but that 2008′s Flies & Lies was a good album [just watch, he'll come back now and say something else], 2) Some modern power metal fans came out of the closet to share new bands with us, amongst them Suckalo Andy Synn to tell us about Communic.

Mr. Synn also made a good point, namely that bands like Mercenary, Firewind, Raintime and Communic aren’t really power metal. As he put it so succinctly, “No frilly shirts, no lyrics about orcs/elves/woods/battles, just big riffs and big vocals.” True enough. But I guess that if radio programmers today are calling MGMT and Vampire Weekend modern “alternative” then we can call the aforementioned bands modern power metal by the same extension.

So, Communic are pretty fucking rad. The songs on Communic’s MySpace page are exactly what I’d want from any of these bands… just big riffs and big vocals. And the cheese factor is definitely there, but that’s why we like it.

-VN

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  • Ziltoid

    [just watch, he'll come back now and say something else]

    Well that was a cheap shot, and also based on absolutely nothing.

    • Sammy

      Actually it was based on your history. ;-)

      • Ziltoid

        Oh really? I think not. I’m a man of my word, and I stick behind what I say.

        • Sammy

          Zilty, you have to realize you’ve created a persona here that makes you an easy target. I really doubt if anyone here actually takes any of it seriously. And if they do, that’s a “you” problem, not a “me” problem.

          • Ziltoid

            I’m fine with being a “target” with a polarizing personality, but that is not the point. The point is that the implicit accusation is blatantly false.

        • http://thenumberoftheblog.wordpress.com/ groverXIII

          You know, for all of your negative qualities, you’re not really a flip-flopper. You stick to your guns, no matter how ridiculous or misguided you may seem.

          Still, you do make for an easy target. Then again, I doubt you’re really butthurt by this. It’s all good entertainment.

          • Ziltoid

            Haha, of course I’m not butthurt. This site provides me with many lulz to get me through my otherwise normal day.

  • http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/62449cbe5ea8d22bcc2e76890fceaa37.png Lord Bling

    I’ve always hated the phrase ‘power metal’. It sounds like someone was trying too hard to make it sound ‘manly’.

    • Shep

      So about perfect for the overal style of power metal bands then? :p (ie. manowar)

      • Ziltoid

        The loincloths that Manowar wear are the true physical manifestation of power in its ultimate form.

        • Alex_P

          1

  • http://thatdevilmusic.blogspot.com Rob Liz

    Welcome to the club,Vince, I’ve been digging this band since the Waves of Visual Decay album.I think they’re more progressive thrash then power metal but whatever. They’re awesome . Not bad for three Norwegians not in corpsepaint.

  • Zorbs

    Always enjoy the heavy sound without the screaming vocals. This band is pretty decent. If you like this, check out the new Dream Evil — Cheese metal at its best.

  • Zoker

    Mercenary and Communic are sooooooo much better than Firewind or Raintime, also different… I totally agree with the article anyway, all these bands are far from standard power metal…

  • brandonmetal

    Communic: best metal release of 2008!

    • JOnny fIve aces

      Their efforts have gotten worse over time. Their best album was their first and they went downhill from there. Interestingly enough, so did the sound quality!

  • Sammy

    They may not sing about orcs or elves, but the sound is pure power metal. But that is not necessarily a bad thing.

  • JOnny fIve aces

    There’s really no need to call it “modern” power metal, as if you’re distancing it from the typical flower metal bands. The Euro power metal bands are still very much active. And hey, remember when power metal referred to American bands in the ’80s who weren’t quite thrash or plain old heavy metal?

    Anyway, here are some genre squabbles: Communic straddles the line between power and prog, Firewind and Raintime are just garbage, and Mercenary is JacobHansencore. It’s all very simple really. (Yes, I know Hansen records Communic too.)

    • Ziltoid

      JacobHansencore…wow, that idea is fucking awesome! Of course, this couldn’t involve actual metalcore bands, but bands with Mercenary’s sound and the like would be awesome if they were all produced by Jacob Hansen.

  • pigchop

    Rush – A Farewell To Kings

    • g man

      Had the same thought…

  • ThisIsNecessary

    This isn’t necessarily a bad band by any stretch, but goddamn its pretty much a second rate Nevermore, especially heard easily in his vocals.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Parker/1048411723 Stephen Parker

    Communic is always a good list.