Opeth has Turn Into Jazz and No Longer a Metal Band: A Filipino Metal Sanctuary Review

Many of Opeth Metalheads fan’s were upset as they sound too Jazzy on their song “The Devil's Orchard” From the New Album Heritage which will be released on the 20th of September this year. The fan's are complaining that the song lacks metal element on it and that Opeth have become too soft and mellow.

In an interview with Opeth’s front man Mikael Åkerfeldt ,he mentions a little 'Slither', a sort of tribute to Ronnie James Dio and declares that the album swings between folk, progressive rock and JAZZ, while being influenced by Pink Floyd and Fusion music like Herbie Hancock or Weather Report.

Although the band seems like doing their best to escape from common and show some creativity, yet they gathered negative feedback from their fan’s all over the world.

Here are some statements of the upset Opeth fan’s:

*** I wish it was a little more likes the old stuff, with growls

*** Not nearly as good as some past Opeth. I hope the new album has a lot more to offer

*** Despite the fact it sounds nothing like Dream Theater except for one part that's just like 3-4  notes.

*** Not sure if I want...

****I don’t like it. it’s not Opeth

However, there are really open minded fan’s that still appreciates Opeth’s creativity and great talent.

***I love the growly stuff but Opeth have always been about progression and doing what they want and Mikael has such a great voice it doesn't matter - there is no other band like Opeth, this song proves it and I for one are excited for the new album!!!

***Hahahahahaha! You morons....all complaining. Have you heard this? Do you see the magic and talent here? 

***They keep getting better and better.@XeroXes>>> you said it best.

For me, a growl or a scream does not determine a song to be powerful. A clean voice with superb melody and incredible arrangment is powerful enough. Opeth has songs from the past that doesn't have growls but one thing that is really surprising is the jazzy rhythms and guitars, and its singular atmosphere. For a Music standpoint, I appreciate them by not sticking in a single style, experimentation is always there in most albums and their Music is really evolving indeed.  

Anyway this is just my personal point of view and I might be right or wrong. It’s up to you to listen and think how you feel about the song. As I mentioned in my previous post, our taste of music is apparently changing through times. I think it’s just a matter of RESPECTING every person’s stand point toward genres of music. 

Now! Filipino Metal aficionados, it’s time for you to judge them. Post you comments below. \m/

Korn is Not a Metal band! Would you agree?

This may sound offensive to all Korn avid fans out there. But before you throw the most famous words F*** you, let me give you few reasons why Korn cannot be considered as a Metal band. According to Wikipedia, Korn is an American Nu-Metal band. This is really confusing because it is clearly stated that Korn is a Nu-Metal and there is the word “METAL”. But how come our metalhead brothers do not consider them as metal.

 Last week I went to my cousin’s house and it happened that he is playing one of Korn’s famous pieces “Twisted Transistor”. He is a big fan of Korn and dress up like Jonathan Davis (Korn’s Vocalist). I have this habit that whenever I hear a new or a famous rock song, I always wonder if it is metal or not. Most of my friends are saying that, Korn is not metal and so I was intrigued, sat down in front of my laptop and search the net to clear things out.

Here are some few reasons I gathered from the net, why Korn is not Metal:

1. Nu-Metal bands like korn, borrow heavily from other musical styles like hip hop, rap, funk, dance music and punk rock and synthpop. 

2. They lack the intense drumming and orchestration usually present in metal, instead they focus on hip hop beats.

3. There aren’t normally any guitar solo’s which is the best part of metal.

4. The riffs are based on rhythm, not melody. 

5. The lyrical themes also tend to focus on personal issues without the larger-than-life escapism themes of  metal 

6. If you listen closely to Nu-Metal like Korn, it’s a fusion of Hardcore and Hip hop and it is absolutely not metal.

Personally, I was a big fan of Korn way back High school where there was a massive movement of Nu-Metal bands in the mainstream. However, things change and our taste of music may also change as time passes by. Again, no offense to all Korn fan’s out there. I’m only a messenger who delivers message, no more and no less.   

If I will be ask - What is my stand on this topic? I would say, listen to what you really love and don’t pretend that you like a particular music because your friends like it. Or the other way around, you hate the music (even if personally you love it) just because your friends hate it. Don’t go with the flow, stand to what you believe and most of all, enjoy what you are listening. This is a free country and we are free to whom or to what we should listen.

Now, it’s your time to be heard. Kindly identify which of the following bands are metal and which of them are not? You may explain your stand on the comment box below.

Metal or not metal?

-International-

In Flames

Slipknot

Leaves eye

Avenged Sevenfold

System of a Down

MetallicaHammerfall
Disturbed
Lordi
Rammstein
Deftones

-Local-
Slapshock
Wolfgang
Greyhoundz
Valley of Chrome
Razorback

Dahong Palay

Blogging for Passion on Heavy Metal Music and its Subgenres: The first blog post

First and foremost let me great you a warm WELCOME to my blog, the Filipino Metal Sanctuary. I’m John, a pure blood Filipino, currently living in Cebu City but born and grew up in the City of Golden Friendship - Cagayan de Oro City. For more info about me, you may contact me through this number 09123456789, just kidding!!


Anyway, let's go back to the main topic.

For months I’ve been thinking of what topic should I blog about. Most of successful bloggers are saying that if there is one topic or a subject that you can’t stop on talking about it, and you become too annoying to your friends because you’re like a pirated CD or “sirang plaka” that keeps on repeating, repeating, repeating the same topic every day, then that’s a good topic to blog.

In my case I did not find that topic easily. It took me six months to finally realize where my passion really is. Just this month, I noticed that I spent almost the whole week just surfing the net about Metal bands, reviews, releases, international and Philippines Metal Music scene, and any other stuff concerning Metal. I really enjoy doing it more than any other online games.

Then I begun to look back at my life and ask these questions, who I was? What am I doing for the past 25 years? And I found out that since I was 7 years old I already have this deep interest with Metal Music. At the very young age I was exposed to this kind of music and I embrace, love, live and grew up with metal.  

Every time I hear Sad But True being played, I get excited! When I hear people talking about Metal bands, I get excited! And when I see people dress up like Ronnie James Dio, I get excited and want to dress up like them too. You know the feeling of hunger, urge, crave, and burning desire? That’s exactly what I feel with metal and definitely I will live and die being a metalhead \m/.

No doubt, this is where my heart resides and this is where my PASSION is.  Suddenly, it came to my mind like a light bulb and I ask myself, what if I blog anything about Metal since I can’t stop thinking about it? And so this blog was created. Anything under the sun of metal, we will tackle them here. 

Finally, I found my PASSION! How about you? 

You can leave a comment below and tell me how passionate you are with METAL \m/.