Xray Is As Xray Does (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} xraytheenforcer) wrote in ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} fem_metalheads,@ 2008-07-11 03:38:00 |
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You Say Jump, I Say ...
I still haven't done a proper introduction post, but I'm a sucker for questionnaires. So, the proper intro will have to wait...
I still haven't done a proper introduction post, but I'm a sucker for questionnaires. So, the proper intro will have to wait...
How did you first get into metal, and why? Who were the very first bands you started listening to? Do you still listen to them now?
"Never trust anyone who wasn't into metal as a kid."
One of my best mates and I figured out we both lived by this particular credo when we met during my PhD, his post-doc. The theorem has since been disproven, but for assessing who in the research-scientist world isn't going to be a self-righteous ass, it was moderately useful. In any case, I've been into metal since I was 9 or 10, in 1983 or 1984. It was just "in the air" I suppose, handed down from the older neighborhood kids who were in high school. First bands were Megadeth, Metallica, Anthrax, Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden. And yes, I do still listen to them all. Then I discovered Queensryche (Rage for Order) and my love affair with prog metal was kindled. I still love Queensryche, and Operation: Mindcrime is still an all-time favorite.
Has your taste in metal changed since you first started listening to it? If so, how? If not, why not?
Definitely. It kind of had to, as older metal genres morphed and were supplemented with emerging forms (like black metal, symphonic metal, doom metal). In any case, while I still love thrash and speed metal, I remain a more dedicated fan of prog, doom and power.
What is your favorite subgenre(s) of metal? Least favorite(s)? And why?
Don't have a favorite, per se. But if one were to look at the frequency of "plays" on my mp3 player, I suppose one would conclude that I really loved prog, power, thrash, symphonic, black, folk and battle metal. I love crazy complicated drum solos and change-up time signatures, plus songwriting and conceptual strength in that songwriting is important to me. I'm a sucker for a concept album. Of course, one has to understand the lyrics in order to appreciate some of these elements, which is also why certain genres appeal. While I love a good grunt, I'm not such a fan of 65 minutes of inarticulate growling.
Least favorite would probably be nu-metal, followed closely by metalcore. Both sub-genres have good bands, but I'm more apt to pass a band by if they fall into either of these categories.
Do you find yourself listening to a subgenre now that you've always hated, but for some reason now enjoy? If so, what?
Death metal. While I appreciated Napalm Death et al, it's not something I'll seek out. But lately I've been really into Rudra (Vedic death metal) and Kekal (experimental death metal from Indonesia via Canada). I guess I like my death a little...impure.
Is there a band that you still find yourself listening to (or simply obsessing over) after years and years (say, over five)?
Oh yes. Queensryche, Iron Maiden, Iced Earth, Led Zeppelin, Entombed, Bathory...and about 50 more I can't even remember because it's the middle of the night.
What role do you tend to admire most in a band? Why?
Songwriting. One can have the most technically great band in the world, but if their songs are trite, fuck 'em. Next up is a great drummer and a powerful, charismatic singer -- these three elements will make or break a band for me.
What do you think have been the best releases in 2008 so far? What albums are you anxious to see hit stores?
That is a very good question. I'll bet back to you on that... (I don't keep close track of these things)
Have you discovered any new bands (circa 2007 - 2008) that you'd recommend to others? If so, who? What subgenre are they in? What drew you to like them?
Not sure any of my picks are especially hep. The aforementioned Kekal (whose album 1000 Thoughts of Violence came out in 2002) is fairly unknown and I love the experimentation of it all (death metal/electronic hybrid). Ewigkeit, a side project for the guy in Meads of Asphodel, had an album come out in 2007 -- it's also experimental, in the thrash/hardcore/industrial hybrid sense. More interesting than actually great, but I guess I have a soft-spot for risk-takers. Last not-new band I'll mention is Behold! The Arctopus. I can't even put these guys in a genre -- freejazzprogdeathmetal? In any case, I love them because they have a sense of humor. Plus they have some great riffs...that last for 20 seconds before morphing into something else.
What concert(s) are you looking forward to attending in the next few months? Or, what show(s) have you attended thus far?
I usually find out about concerts after the fact, to my deep chagrin. Then again, the job somewhat precludes concerts, which end way too got-damned late for me to be functional the next day.
Who in the metal scene do you find most attractive? (And for the love ofGod, pick someone else other than Alexi Laiho!) Edit: And post a picture! I'd love to see how everyone's tastes vary!
I rarely look at pictures of bands, so I have no clue. So I'm just going to say Cam Pipes, because I'm a sucker for heavy metal hobbits. Not because I find him especially attractive, but holy hells! Heavy. Metal. Hobbit.
Do you enjoy any female-fronted metal bands? If so, who? If not, why not?
Yes. Aside from the standards (Nightwish et al), I'm really enjoying Dalriada right now.
Do you get along with other female metalheads? Or, do you feel a br00tal cat fight just waiting to happen?
Absolutely! In fact, at my age (I'm 34), I think most female metalheads are just happy to find each other to have someone to talk to. My friend N's new girlfriend -- the first night I met her, we discovered our mutual love of metal, and that pretty much dominated the conversation for the next 3 hours. We completely ignored our SOs (both of whom aren't as into metal as we are), and also forgot how many cocktails we'd had, so the next day's hangover was incredibly brutal. Damn you, gin!
Do you go into the pit at shows, or do you stay on the sidelines?
Back when I wasn't old, decrepit, and in danger of breaking a hip (OK, I'm not THAT old, but still), sure. Now, I'm pretty content to be on the sidelines.
Do you think it's difficult, in any way, being a female fan of metal? Do you get teased or doubted because of it? Etc.
I think it's difficult to be a fan of metal, period. So many of my peers are incurious dweebs without the faintest clue as to what the metal genre really entails. For them, it's all Heavy Metal Parking Lot meathead. It's amusing, because I've heard the bands they listen to -- if anyone has the corner on the trite, jejune, meathead market, it's the shit they listen to (corporate rap, corporate "indie" music like Arcade Fire and corporate "garage"). Anyway, so I'm an out, proud fan of metal, as well as being a bona fide nerd (SF/Fantasy fiction lover, D&D/RPG gamer, the works), in an atmosphere that mocks those sensibilities.
One of my best mates and I figured out we both lived by this particular credo when we met during my PhD, his post-doc. The theorem has since been disproven, but for assessing who in the research-scientist world isn't going to be a self-righteous ass, it was moderately useful. In any case, I've been into metal since I was 9 or 10, in 1983 or 1984. It was just "in the air" I suppose, handed down from the older neighborhood kids who were in high school. First bands were Megadeth, Metallica, Anthrax, Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden. And yes, I do still listen to them all. Then I discovered Queensryche (Rage for Order) and my love affair with prog metal was kindled. I still love Queensryche, and Operation: Mindcrime is still an all-time favorite.
Has your taste in metal changed since you first started listening to it? If so, how? If not, why not?
Definitely. It kind of had to, as older metal genres morphed and were supplemented with emerging forms (like black metal, symphonic metal, doom metal). In any case, while I still love thrash and speed metal, I remain a more dedicated fan of prog, doom and power.
What is your favorite subgenre(s) of metal? Least favorite(s)? And why?
Don't have a favorite, per se. But if one were to look at the frequency of "plays" on my mp3 player, I suppose one would conclude that I really loved prog, power, thrash, symphonic, black, folk and battle metal. I love crazy complicated drum solos and change-up time signatures, plus songwriting and conceptual strength in that songwriting is important to me. I'm a sucker for a concept album. Of course, one has to understand the lyrics in order to appreciate some of these elements, which is also why certain genres appeal. While I love a good grunt, I'm not such a fan of 65 minutes of inarticulate growling.
Least favorite would probably be nu-metal, followed closely by metalcore. Both sub-genres have good bands, but I'm more apt to pass a band by if they fall into either of these categories.
Do you find yourself listening to a subgenre now that you've always hated, but for some reason now enjoy? If so, what?
Death metal. While I appreciated Napalm Death et al, it's not something I'll seek out. But lately I've been really into Rudra (Vedic death metal) and Kekal (experimental death metal from Indonesia via Canada). I guess I like my death a little...impure.
Is there a band that you still find yourself listening to (or simply obsessing over) after years and years (say, over five)?
Oh yes. Queensryche, Iron Maiden, Iced Earth, Led Zeppelin, Entombed, Bathory...and about 50 more I can't even remember because it's the middle of the night.
What role do you tend to admire most in a band? Why?
Songwriting. One can have the most technically great band in the world, but if their songs are trite, fuck 'em. Next up is a great drummer and a powerful, charismatic singer -- these three elements will make or break a band for me.
What do you think have been the best releases in 2008 so far? What albums are you anxious to see hit stores?
That is a very good question. I'll bet back to you on that... (I don't keep close track of these things)
Have you discovered any new bands (circa 2007 - 2008) that you'd recommend to others? If so, who? What subgenre are they in? What drew you to like them?
Not sure any of my picks are especially hep. The aforementioned Kekal (whose album 1000 Thoughts of Violence came out in 2002) is fairly unknown and I love the experimentation of it all (death metal/electronic hybrid). Ewigkeit, a side project for the guy in Meads of Asphodel, had an album come out in 2007 -- it's also experimental, in the thrash/hardcore/industrial hybrid sense. More interesting than actually great, but I guess I have a soft-spot for risk-takers. Last not-new band I'll mention is Behold! The Arctopus. I can't even put these guys in a genre -- freejazzprogdeathmetal? In any case, I love them because they have a sense of humor. Plus they have some great riffs...that last for 20 seconds before morphing into something else.
What concert(s) are you looking forward to attending in the next few months? Or, what show(s) have you attended thus far?
I usually find out about concerts after the fact, to my deep chagrin. Then again, the job somewhat precludes concerts, which end way too got-damned late for me to be functional the next day.
Who in the metal scene do you find most attractive? (And for the love of
I rarely look at pictures of bands, so I have no clue. So I'm just going to say Cam Pipes, because I'm a sucker for heavy metal hobbits. Not because I find him especially attractive, but holy hells! Heavy. Metal. Hobbit.
Do you enjoy any female-fronted metal bands? If so, who? If not, why not?
Yes. Aside from the standards (Nightwish et al), I'm really enjoying Dalriada right now.
Do you get along with other female metalheads? Or, do you feel a br00tal cat fight just waiting to happen?
Absolutely! In fact, at my age (I'm 34), I think most female metalheads are just happy to find each other to have someone to talk to. My friend N's new girlfriend -- the first night I met her, we discovered our mutual love of metal, and that pretty much dominated the conversation for the next 3 hours. We completely ignored our SOs (both of whom aren't as into metal as we are), and also forgot how many cocktails we'd had, so the next day's hangover was incredibly brutal. Damn you, gin!
Do you go into the pit at shows, or do you stay on the sidelines?
Back when I wasn't old, decrepit, and in danger of breaking a hip (OK, I'm not THAT old, but still), sure. Now, I'm pretty content to be on the sidelines.
Do you think it's difficult, in any way, being a female fan of metal? Do you get teased or doubted because of it? Etc.
I think it's difficult to be a fan of metal, period. So many of my peers are incurious dweebs without the faintest clue as to what the metal genre really entails. For them, it's all Heavy Metal Parking Lot meathead. It's amusing, because I've heard the bands they listen to -- if anyone has the corner on the trite, jejune, meathead market, it's the shit they listen to (corporate rap, corporate "indie" music like Arcade Fire and corporate "garage"). Anyway, so I'm an out, proud fan of metal, as well as being a bona fide nerd (SF/Fantasy fiction lover, D&D/RPG gamer, the works), in an atmosphere that mocks those sensibilities.
