Metal Thread V - Defenders of the Faith

[Nameless]

So my fellow metalheads (metalfolk? metal brothers and sisters? Metalheads sounds too plain). It occurs to me that the Ancient Middle East was a pretty dark and brutal place. Yet, it was also rife with crazy adventurous legends and some hopeful ideas. A perfect place for all kinds of metal.

Therefore, here is my question: Where are all the metal songs dealing with the Middle East? Specifically, Babylonian, Persian, Ancient Hebrew, I suppose Ancient Egypt, and similar such cultures.

I'd like songs dealing with the mythologies of those cultures specifically.

Also, are there any metal songs dealing with Russian folklore?

Orphaned Land and Melechesh are pretty awesome. I also like Winterhorde and Bishop of Hexen, but they don't just play stricktly about Middle Eastern Culture.... I'm mostly familiar with Israeli stuff, but there's lots of bands from all over the Middle East talking about all the cultures around there. I just can't think of their names at the moment.

[Kane]

So my fellow metalheads (metalfolk? metal brothers and sisters? Metalheads sounds too plain). It occurs to me that the Ancient Middle East was a pretty dark and brutal place. Yet, it was also rife with crazy adventurous legends and some hopeful ideas. A perfect place for all kinds of metal.

Therefore, here is my question: Where are all the metal songs dealing with the Middle East? Specifically, Babylonian, Persian, Ancient Hebrew, I suppose Ancient Egypt, and similar such cultures.

I'd like songs dealing with the mythologies of those cultures specifically.

Also, are there any metal songs dealing with Russian folklore?

Kamelot has Nights of Arabia, and Silent Goddess on Fourth Legacy, the the later one just sort of sounds the piece, as opposed to actually being it.

Powerslave, as mentioned. I'm sure I've heard another, but I'm blanking on it.

[zeratul]

So my fellow metalheads (metalfolk? metal brothers and sisters? Metalheads sounds too plain). It occurs to me that the Ancient Middle East was a pretty dark and brutal place. Yet, it was also rife with crazy adventurous legends and some hopeful ideas. A perfect place for all kinds of metal.

Therefore, here is my question: Where are all the metal songs dealing with the Middle East? Specifically, Babylonian, Persian, Ancient Hebrew, I suppose Ancient Egypt, and similar such cultures.

I'd like songs dealing with the mythologies of those cultures specifically.

Also, are there any metal songs dealing with Russian folklore?

Aside from the already mentioned orphaned land, Nile often deals with Egyptian mythology, I think behemoth has done some Babylonian stuff, plus you have the modern middle east related stuff from bands like Salem and Arallu. Just check out metal from that area if you want stuff related to it (and yes I did learn about most of these bands from the documentary "Global Metal")

As for Russian Folklore, check out the band Arkona, that's the basis of almost all of their songs if memory serves me.

[Decoy Lockbox]

So my fellow metalheads (metalfolk? metal brothers and sisters? Metalheads sounds too plain). It occurs to me that the Ancient Middle East was a pretty dark and brutal place. Yet, it was also rife with crazy adventurous legends and some hopeful ideas. A perfect place for all kinds of metal.

Therefore, here is my question: Where are all the metal songs dealing with the Middle East? Specifically, Babylonian, Persian, Ancient Hebrew, I suppose Ancient Egypt, and similar such cultures.

I'd like songs dealing with the mythologies of those cultures specifically.

Also, are there any metal songs dealing with Russian folklore?

When I saw him post about ancient middle eastern folklore, I was about to post "they've got a band for that", with, of course, a Melechesh song.

[DranWork]

Um... Nile perhaps? Love me some Nile. Melechesh is great as well (more their last album which I cant stop listening to)

[shiram]

I think the Something Wicked Comes album from ICed Earth is based in Egypt.If you check out the cover for Framing Armageddon you got the pyramids in the background. So maybe the something wicked saga is what you are looking for.

[Mythestopheles]

If I'm not mistaken, Ex Deo has Roman themes in their lyrics.

[Klose_the_Sith]

If I'm not mistaken, Ex Deo has Roman themes in their lyrics.

That, however, is Western History

EDIT: I guess I might as well throw in another vote for Orphaned Land, while I'm here. Also Whispered do a fairly good job of Japanese mythology, should you be interested by that (I'm not really, cause bleh to Japanese history, but the metal is good enough for me not to care).

[Nameless]

Wheeeee, my Infernal Damnation Fest ticket has arrived! :D

[grimbold]

Wheeeee, my Infernal Damnation Fest ticket has arrived! :D

lucky man how i envy you

[cleric_of_BANJO]

Yeah, I'll second Nile for the Babylonian/Ancient Egyptian mythology metal. Pretty much all of their songs deal with that, although if you don't like semi-brutal Death Metal then you probably wont like them.

On an entirely different note, I'm not sure if Baroness' Blue Record has been discussed on these threads yet. Anyways, post-sludge metal FTW. Anyone else think this is one of the most underrated albums ever? It's probably my favorite album of the last few years.

[ex cathedra]

On an entirely different note, I'm not sure if Baroness' Blue Record has been discussed on these threads yet. Anyways, post-sludge metal FTW. Anyone else think this is one of the most underrated albums ever? It's probably my favorite album of the last few years.

I believe that a few people, myself included, have discussed them. I was convinced that they sucked when I first encountered them, but that was live and pre-Blue Record. Now, I completely agree with you, and I'm pretty fond of the live material on the Blue Record, not to mention the Red Album. Also, I adore mister Baizley's art. It makes me want to look into Kvelertak.

Swollen and Halo is probably the best track on the album, though Jake Leg is pretty solid, too. YMMV, though.

[Decoy Lockbox]

Yeah, I'll second Nile for the Babylonian/Ancient Egyptian mythology metal. Pretty much all of their songs deal with that, although if you don't like semi-brutal Death Metal then you probably wont like them.

On an entirely different note, I'm not sure if Baroness' Blue Record has been discussed on these threads yet. Anyways, post-sludge metal FTW. Anyone else think this is one of the most underrated albums ever? It's probably my favorite album of the last few years.

Underrated? The blue album made practically ever critics "best of" list for that year. I loved it!

[cleric_of_BANJO]

Underrated? The blue album made practically ever critics "best of" list for that year. I loved it!

To be honest, I don't know very many people who are into metal, so the only way for me to judge is through this forum and/or MA. I didn't remember it being discussed on here, and it only has 2 reviews on MA (which, now that I think about it, and considering it only came out in 2009, is not that little) so I assumed it was not that widely known. I guess I may have been wrong.

[Decoy Lockbox]

To be honest, I don't know very many people who are into metal, so the only way for me to judge is through this forum and/or MA. I didn't remember it being discussed on here, and it only has 2 reviews on MA (which, now that I think about it, and considering it only came out in 2009, is not that little) so I assumed it was not that widely known. I guess I may have been wrong.

I make a practice of finding critic's year end "best of" lists and giving them all a listen. There are plenty of websites that do metal reviews and such.

[Dragor]

On an entirely different note, I'm not sure if Baroness' Blue Record has been discussed on these threads yet. Anyways, post-sludge metal FTW. Anyone else think this is one of the most underrated albums ever? It's probably my favorite album of the last few years.

Holy crap, they're good. I swear the band name had rung a bell, but I'd never given them a listen... thanks for the lists. *adds band to Spotify*

Might get the chance of seeing Napalm Death soon

[Nameless]

lucky man how i envy you

[toasty]

So i saw Times of Grace and War of Ages today. Not a bad show. War of Ages were killer performers and Times of Grace was fun. What I did NOT like was the first two acts. First band was a local Austin band that kinda just... sucked. Like, they weren't that good, but I wanted to like them, but couldn't. The 2nd band was just... generally all the bad things about American Heavy Metal. Some sort of strange combination of Metalcore and Nu-metal with lots and lots of breakdowns. Honestly, I'm not sure why the crowd liked them, I couldn't get into it at all.

Times of Grace had several fun songs, but IMO they are better on CD. Still, it was cool to see Adam D. up close (FYI he's a REALLY tall guy). I bought a T-shirt, and I'll be buying more albums for sure. Won't be going to a show unless they some better bands to tour with though, honestly.

[Killer Angel]

Gary Moore is no more with us...

[Klose_the_Sith]

Gary Moore is no more with us...

Not metal, but still sad Thin Lizzy are one of the few rock bands I still like these days.

[Decoy Lockbox]

Might get the chance of seeing Napalm Death soon

If you get the chance, take it! "Time Waits for No Slave" was a great album. I don't know about you guys, but I really dig the sound that they have right now. "Smear Campaign" is definitely one of my all-time favorite metal albums.

The 2nd band was just... generally all the bad things about American Heavy Metal. Some sort of strange combination of Metalcore and Nu-metal with lots and lots of breakdowns. Honestly, I'm not sure why the crowd liked them, I couldn't get into it at all.

The crowd liked them because they were stupid. You aren't stupid, so you couldn't get into them. Congratulations!

[grimbold]

not exactly metal but

Spoiler

Show

I GOT ROGER WATERS TICKETS

[Nameless]

not exactly metal but

Spoiler

Show

I GOT ROGER WATERS TICKETS

Saw him when in '09. Was awesome.

[toasty]

The crowd liked them because they were stupid. You aren't stupid, so you couldn't get into them. Congratulations!

But that's not entirely fair because I liked War of Ages and they are very much a metalcore band. Perhaps the difference was they had a tighter show? Their frontperson (previous band was a girl) didn't appear near as much a tool (actually, that's probably a good way for me to recognize how bad a band is. If the frontperson is a tool, they are a bad band. ) and... they just appeared better. Which is sad, because the previous band appeared to be doing some interesting things with their bass (I couldn't really hear it, but he was slapping the neck and tapping and stuff at certain points).

Also: yeah, War of Ages did have less breakdowns and there were no elements of nu-metal (IE semi-rapped vocals) so I guess that is there.

[RationalGoblin]

More questions, hurrah!

Nah, just one. Is there such thing as "Wild Western" or "country" metal? Just curious. I hate country music, so I was wondering if there was any metal attempts to make it more tolerable.

[zeratul]

Ayup, there's some western metal, as well as blues metal stuff

Tough as John Jacobs ~ Maylene and The Sons of Disaster

Stone The Crow ~ Down (Something of a southern metal supergroup)

Temptation Come My Way ~ The Showdown

Plus here's a finnish gothic metal band doing something in this vein
Despair Ridden Hearts ~ Sentenced

and a finnish folk metal band doing it
Stone Cold Metal ~ Ensiferum

[Nameless]

Didn't the old Bassist from Eluveitie for some kind of Western Rock/Metal band?

[Mythestopheles]

Didn't the old Bassist from Eluveitie for some kind of Western Rock/Metal band?

I dunno, According to metal-archives, there were three bands he was in. Deathrope, Vintersphrøst, and Red Shamrock. From what I can tell without access to youtube (and a bunch of other sites), Deathrope seems to be a blues band, so unlikely. Vintersphrøst seems to be some sort of viking metal band, and Red Shamrock seems to be some sort of Celtic folk band.

Also Nameless, you've gotten me hooked on Deathstars, I'd curse you, but they're awesome.

[Decoy Lockbox]

But that's not entirely fair because I liked War of Ages and they are very much a metalcore band. Perhaps the difference was they had a tighter show? Their frontperson (previous band was a girl) didn't appear near as much a tool (actually, that's probably a good way for me to recognize how bad a band is. If the frontperson is a tool, they are a bad band. ) and... they just appeared better. Which is sad, because the previous band appeared to be doing some interesting things with their bass (I couldn't really hear it, but he was slapping the neck and tapping and stuff at certain points).

Also: yeah, War of Ages did have less breakdowns and there were no elements of nu-metal (IE semi-rapped vocals) so I guess that is there.

Look man, I've never heard of any of these bands and I just assumed they were all crap. I was just trying to make you feel like you were "the man" for a while

Way to ruin the vibe, dude.

[toasty]

Look man, I've never heard of any of these bands and I just assumed they were all crap. I was just trying to make you feel like you were "the man" for a while

Way to ruin the vibe, dude.

Straight Line Stitch 90% sure they played this song at that concert. Yeah, its pretty much terrible.

War of Ages They played this song live, I wish they have played it twice. In fact, I wish they had been the headliners and played a full hour instead of a measly 30 minutes.

Also: thank you for trying to make me feel awesome. I'm too serious to see your humor.

Anyways, I'm going through "I like metalcore" stage. War of Ages, Demon Hunter, As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage (older stuff stuff is better), and whatever Pandora plays that I find tasteful on my Metalcore Station. Yeah, a lot of metalcore is horrible, but I like the 10% that's actually mostly good.