Melodic metalcore
| Melodic metalcore | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | Melodic death metal, heavy metal, extreme metal, metalcore, hardcore punk, post-hardcore |
| Typical instruments | Electric guitar, bass guitar, drums (double kick), vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, screaming, growls |
| Fusion genres | |
| Nintendocore, electronicore | |
| Regional scenes | |
| Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, California, United States, United Kingdom, Texas | |
| Other topics | |
| Breakdown, NWOAHM, melodic death metal, metalcore | |
Melodic metalcore is a fusion genre which combines sounds and traits from melodic death metal with hardcore punk, metalcore and occasionally emo.[1]
History
In the early-2000s, melodic metalcore began as a style of music, with certain independent metal labels, including Century Media and Metal Blade, signing these bands. Later on, the genre started to get popular. By 2004, Shadows Fall's The War Within[2] debuted at number 20 on the Billboard album chart. All That Remains' single "Two Weeks" peaked at number 9 at the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the U.S. The song peaked on the Modern Rock Tracks chart at number 38. In 2007, the song "Nothing Left" by As I Lay Dying was nominated for a Grammy award in the "Best Metal Performance" category. An Ocean Between Us (the album that included "Nothing Left") itself was a commercial success, debuting at number 8 on the "Billboard 200". Welsh metalcore band Bullet for My Valentine's third album Fever, which debuted at number 3 selling more than 71,000 copies in its first week in the U.S. and more than 21,000 in the UK during 2010.
The Devil Wears Prada has achieved much commercial success with their album, With Roots Above and Branches Below, peaking at number 11 on the Billboard 200 upon its release.[3] Trivium has met with very strong success, making top 25 positions on the charts in several countries, including the U.S., and top 10 positions in both Australia and the UK, even making Gold status in the UK. The 2011 album Dead Throne by The Devil Wears Prada debuted at number 9 on the Billboard 200, selling 32,400 in its first week.[4] Although it's a very popular genre, it's received some criticism from people who are familiar with heavy metal music, rejecting it as a style of heavy metal.
Melodic metalcore bands include Trivium,[5][6] All That Remains,[7] Atreyu,[1][8][9] Bullet for My Valentine,[10] Bury Tomorrow,[11] Darkest Hour,[8] Asking Alexandria, [12] As I Lay Dying, [13][14] August Burns Red[15][16][17] and The Devil Wears Prada.[18]
Characteristics
Melodic metalcore bands have big influences, guitar riffs, and writing styles from Swedish melodic death metal bands, especially bands like At the Gates,[8] Arch Enemy, In Flames and Soilwork.[19] They tend to have strong use of instrumental melody. Many melodic metalcore can have clean singing as their vocals as well as growls and screaming. It also can feature harmonic guitar riffs, tremolo picking, double bass drums and metalcore-stylized breakdowns.[20][21][22] Some bands also may feature guitar solos.[9] A few of these groups, like Shadows Fall, have some appreciation for 1980s glam metal.[23] Melodic metalcore groups have been described as "embrac[ing] '80s metal clichés", such as "inordinate amounts of smoke machines, rippin' solos, [and] three bass drums."[9]
See Also
References
- ^ a b Lee, Cosmo; Voegtlin, Stewart. "Into the void: Stylus Magazine's Beginner's Guide to Metal - Article - Stylus Magazine". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
- ^ "Shadows Fall to Co-Headline Sounds of the Underground". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ "Lady Antebellum 'Own' the Billboard 200 with Second No. 1 Album". Billboard.com. 2009-09-14. Retrieved 2011-10-20.
- ^ "Trivium". Hard Rock Haven. September 1st 2011.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Text "In Waves CD Review" ignored (help) - ^ ""IN WAVES": LET THE ARGUING ABOUT THE NEW TRIVIUM SONG BEGIN!". MetalSucks. May 23rd 2011.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Overcome review". Allmusic. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
Overcome offers very dependable melodic metalcore in the spirit of All That Remains' albums past, without succumbing to outright stagnation.
- ^ a b c D. Taylor, Jason. "Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses review". Allmusic. Retrieved June 24, 2008.
Atreyu's debut album, Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses, is an invigorating foray into melodic metalcore in the vein of Darkest Hour, Poison the Well, and Eighteen Visions.
- ^ a b c "Taste of Chaos", Revolver, June 2008, p. 110. "This is the Rockstar Taste of Chaos Tour, a night when heavier melodic-metalcore bands like Atreyu and Avenged Sevenfold intend to position themselves as the next generation of bands to actually pack arenas (...)".
- ^ Apar, Corey. "Bullet for My Valentine". Allmusic. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
- ^ Phil Freeman (16 March 2010). "Alternative Press | Reviews | Bury Tomorrow - Portraits". Alternative Press. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
If you're wondering whether they bring anything unique or unexpected to the table, the answer is no. Is Portraits a pleasurable enough melodic metalcore album while it's playing? Absolutely.
- ^ http://www.spinner.com/2010/03/11/asking-alexandria-interview-sxsw-2010/
- ^ "As I Lay Dying - Awakened". Rock n Reel Reviews.
- ^ "Album Review! As I Lay Dying – Awakened". Headbang or GTFO.
- ^ "August Burns Red - Constellations". Way Too Loud!. July 15th 2012.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Eternal Closure". Sputnik. Retrieved January 2nd 2012.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "August Burns Red Burns Red Presents Sleddin' Holiday Album". Bradley Zorgdrager. October 9th 2012.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "The Devil Wears Prada 'Dead Throne' is an Ambush of Sound – Album Review". Audio Ink Radio. September 2011.
- ^ Metal Injection, August 28, 2007. Access date: June 24, 2008.
- ^ "Ignominious Incarceration – Of Winter Born". Way Too Loud!. April 30th 2009.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "It's Through the Approach". El Paisano. September 12, 2007. Archived from the original on January 14, 2009. Retrieved June 24, 2008.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses review". mp3.com. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Dan Epstein, "The Brewtal Truth", Revolver, November 2004, p. 65.
