Metal for a reason!

Hey everyone,

I always try to tell my friends about some great metal bands that I either just found or have been listening to for years. It always comes down to people saying "I don't like old school metal, I like newer metal." Then they don't even want to listen or check it out. Worse, if it has a hint of "old school metal" sound, they just write it off as crap.

I understand "Iron Maiden" or "Black Sabbath" is considered old school metal. Though I am talking about bands such as "Nevermore" (Broke up), "Kamelot", "Iced Earth" and even "Brainstorm". But what do you all think is considered "Old School Metal?"

I mean, what determines a band to fall into that category? Ultimately, even the band "K O R N" is going to be thrown into that group. But what do you all feel, collectively, places a band into "Old School Metal"?

i'd say anything earlier than 1990 would do it.

^What he said.

For me, the cutoff is some period between 1994-1996. I would agree that most subgenres of Metal could be cutoff earlier, but Black and Death Metal were huge during this time, and I would consider those bands to be old-school.

By contrast, a band like Edguy formed in 1992, but they really weren't rolling until the late 90's. I wouldn't say they are "new-school", but I definitely don't consider them to be from the same era as the early 90's Death Metal bands.

Pre-grunge is old school.

mc666 wrote:

i'd say anything earlier than 1990 would do it.

kmorg wrote:

Pre-grunge is old school.

Listen to these gentlemen. They gots the wisdom.

Fat Freddy wrote:

mc666 wrote:

i'd say anything earlier than 1990 would do it.

kmorg wrote:

Pre-grunge is old school.

Listen to these gentlemen. They gots the wisdom.

All of this, though some people will call things made yesterday old school. It's just another way for someone to have an excuse not to listen to music they just don't feel like listening to. It'd be like an old school metalhead saying "Ah, well, I'm not into that nu metal stuff."; it's a bit close-minded, but hey, people know what they like.

I would say majority of the bands and albums I have in my collection would fall under the "old school metal" category.

I listen to a lot of pre-90s/grunge era metal and pre-Euro metal explosion. I also have newer favorites although for me 'newer metal' is from about mid-90s onwards. At least anything in the last 10 years I would consider new.

I am not very familiar with all the newest acts, which I would classify as acts that have emerged in the last 2 - 3 years. In terms of the newest acts I know of, it's more the 'retro-thrash' stuff like Havok, Toxic Holocaust, Evile and the like.

I am not big on power or black metal so I am don't follow much of what goes on in those scenes unless it is something that is truly a modern day must have classic.

For me, metal is like a fine wine - the older the better. When I say 'older' I mean the longevity and legacy of the band. For me it's also a matter of originality / uniqueness and I find that a lot of new bands (even bands I mentioned above) sound like recycled 2nd rate versions of their old school counterparts. Not all but many in any case.

Good music is timeless. I find myself listening to the "old school" daily.

holydiver97595 wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

mc666 wrote:

i'd say anything earlier than 1990 would do it.

kmorg wrote:

Pre-grunge is old school.

Listen to these gentlemen. They gots the wisdom.

All of this, though some people will call things made yesterday old school.

One time in high school, this girl was giving me a ride home and one of her friends was riding with us also. She let her friend pick the music and she wanted to listen to Christina Aguilera and "go old-school today".

Wait, that's not all, there was one time when I was talking about music with this girl and my then-co-worker chimed in, "I like old-school rock...\"thebandthatshallneverbementionedagain\", Limp Bizkit..." I explained to him that those bands weren't old-school and he said, "Yeah, 6th and 7th grade".

These episodes occured five or six years ago, mind you.

Thanks so much every one, your input was more than helpful. I agree that anything before the 1990's is considered old school metal.

I guess when it comes down to it, when telling people, nothing new can become old school metal, since that era was defined by the creators of what we now call "Old School Metal"!

I knew I could always count on the Heart Of Metal people. I tell everyone about this site. I say, if you want to know metal, go to HOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

------------ "Wait, that's not all, there was one time when I was talking about music with this girl and my then-co-worker chimed in, "I like old-school rock...\"thebandthatshallneverbementionedagain\", Limp Bizkit..." I explained to him that those bands weren't old-school and he said, "Yeah, 6th and 7th grade"

LMAO!

One time, at a Metallica concert, they were playing "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and some kid behind me said "Oh man, I wonder if this is a cover or a new song that's going to be on the next album." Mind you, this was during the "LOAD" album tour. I almost went to jail for killing a person... but I thought better of it and said "Dude, you need to leave now before someone with less control hears you repeat or mention anything else idiotic." lol

I kind of know the mentality of not wanting to hear anything old school, because I used to be like that. That's back when I was really into bands like Slipknot, Mudvayne, Static-X, etc. I would say I liked a band more for their image and not the actual music.

Yeah, some times when we are young it is about finding an image to associate with, as you get older you realize you want to hear something that can last forever in the mind with good music!

Funny how the older we get the more open our minds are to different types of music.
Then again I'm old-school so your friends probably don't want to listen to me…..

mc666 wrote:

i'd say anything earlier than 1990 would do it.

Even 1990's metal is somewhat considered as old school now.

Bands like ENFORCER, CAULDRON, WHITE WIZZARD etc...play all old school metal and are bands of today.

onrypt wrote:

Funny how the older we get the more open our minds are to different types of music.
Then again I'm old-school so your friends probably don't want to listen to me…..

LOL I want to listen to you, so it's all good haha