Modern Rock Bands

I really haven't heard any rock that I've liked in the post-grunge era, at least nothing "straight-ahead" rock.  I just don't like the sound. (maybe Queens Of The Stone Age but they are pretty experimental for that scene)

The exception is the retro rock scene from Sweden and elsewhere and the progressive rock scene, lots of bands from both those movements that I dig, of course for the most part they are focusing on vintage instrumentation and styles/sounds of the 60s/70s which is my preferred era in general.

Back when I had sattelite radio, I'd occasionally switch the channel to Octane, the modern rock station, just to change things up a bit and perhaps hear something new or different. There might be a song or two that got my hands drumming the steering wheel or bobbing my head, but nothing really stood out to me or made me want to investigate any further. I never recall hearing a single song and thinking "Man, I need to check these guys out STAT!!"

It's been a little over 2 years now since I ditched Sirius and I don't feel like I've missed a thing. Even the last remaining regular rock station in my town. I haven't tuned into that one in 4 or 5 years now and I don't miss it.

I'm just not the demographic "modern rock" programming is going after. And yet, I'm ok with it.

S.D. wrote:

I really haven't heard any rock that I've liked in the post-grunge era, at least nothing "straight-ahead" rock.  I just don't like the sound.

Today's rock sound is in fact very flat, and of course lacking in DR doesn't help. But at the same time it's so slickly produced that there's a coldness about it that detaches me from the experience. And way too much downtuning for the sake of the chug chug chug. I could go on.

I really like Shinedown for some reason, very catchy stuff. I also enjoy some Red and Shadows Fall if they count.

corplhicks wrote:

S.D. wrote:

I really haven't heard any rock that I've liked in the post-grunge era, at least nothing "straight-ahead" rock.  I just don't like the sound.

Today's rock sound is in fact very flat, and of course lacking in DR doesn't help. But at the same time it's so slickly produced that there's a coldness about it that detaches me from the experience. And way too much downtuning for the sake of the chug chug chug. I could go on.

Too much processing on the guitar sounds as well.  I'm so burned out on the scooped midrange, boosted bass, boosted treble, compressed, pre-amped guitar sound.  Blech.  I've been hearing it for 30 years and now it just irritates me.  Then to add insult to injury too many albums are recorded these days with guitars plugged directly into the computer and using all software based processing.

Get a tube amplifier (preferably Orange, Marshall or Sunn), run the guitar (no active pickups please) direct into the amp without any digital pedals (analog pedals are okay), crank the amp to 10, put an excellent microphone in front of the cabinet in a professionally designed studio room.  Click the record button.

What I like about Dave Mustaine's tone is he boosts the mids and lowers the drive, the exact opposite of Kirk Hammett, and Dave's sound is so clear and pure because of this. It's how I tend to set my amp (with a bit more VH brown sound tweaks). And solid state is the most disgusting and disappointing way to play electric guitar. Give me a tube amp and I'll shred until sun-up.

I really like Alter Bridge. I also liked Three Days Grace, Foo Fighters, and Disturbed years ago, but haven't kept up with them. I used to hear them on the radio a lot but the music they play on the radio my co-workers listened to in recent years didn't play their music. It would play Foster the People, Gotye, Fun, Of Monsters And Men (I hate that song they play all the time), Mumford & Sons (can't stand their songs either). Stuff I either didn't like or liked but soon disliked because I got sick of hearing them all the time.

S.D. wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

EDIT: I prefer to call Live "alternative." Does anyone remember that genre tag?

Yes, that was what we used to call stuff like R.E.M. in the late 80s...or basically any band featured on MTV's "120 minutes".  I also remember hearing people describe it as "College Rock" or variations thereof.

These days I would think the alternative tag would make sense for bands like The Fleet Foxes or My Morning Jacket.  

I listened to a lot of those alternative bands in the 1990s. Most of the CDs I bought were by bands I heard on 120 Minutes. I asked a friend years ago if there was an "alternative" scene like that anymore. It seemed to disappear so quickly during a time I was no longer paying attention.

I always forget about Foo Fighters. Okay, so then it's QOTSA and Foo Fighters.

For the most part I give modern rock a pass. The heavy down-tuning and minor chord progressions just seem very limiting in scope to my untrained ears. I have stuff from bands like Chevelle and 3 Doors down, but they don't get very much spin time from me. The bands that I do like are 3 Doors Down, Day of Fire, Fireflight and Decyfer Down. I have not listened to Chevelle in years tho, they just sound very one-dimensional to me. The other thing that bugs me about the modern rock scene, besides sounding very contrived is multi-word band title names, 3 Doors Down being a prime example. I will step out and disagree however, Volbeat does not fit any of the aforementioned criteria and should not be lumped in with the "modern rock scene".

jettafiend wrote:

For the most part I give modern rock a pass. The heavy down-tuning and minor chord progressions just seem very limiting in scope to my untrained ears. I have stuff from bands like Chevelle and 3 Doors down, but they don't get very much spin time from me. The bands that I do like are 3 Doors Down, Day of Fire, Fireflight and Decyfer Down. I have not listened to Chevelle in years tho, they just sound very one-dimensional to me. The other thing that bugs me about the modern rock scene, besides sounding very contrived is multi-word band title names, 3 Doors Down being a prime example. I will step out and disagree however, Volbeat does not fit any of the aforementioned criteria and should not be lumped in with the "modern rock scene".

Decyfer Down is a killer band and End of Grey is one of the best modern rock (christian) ever IMO...

I mention Alter Bridge with "modern" rock but those guys are on another planet musically when it comes to Modern Rock...

Volbeat is ALL OVER modern rock radio therefore I lumped them in.

System of a Down, Godsmack, Volbeat, Disturbed, Staind, A7X, and Sevendust, all might be harder but still Modern Rock bands in my eyes...

Seether is another one I enjoy a lot..

What constitutes "modern"? Some of these bands have been around a long time:

Theory Of A Deadman - 11 years
Nickelback - 17 years
Shinedown - 10 years
Skillet - 17 years
Breaking Bejamin - 11 years
Atreyu - 11 years
Thousand Foot Krutch - 16 years
Alter Bridge - 9 years
P.O.D. - 19 years
Disturbed - 13 years

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

What constitutes "modern"? Some of these bands have been around a long time:

Theory Of A Deadman - 11 years
Nickelback - 17 years
Shinedown - 10 years
Skillet - 17 years
Breaking Bejamin - 11 years
Atreyu - 11 years
Thousand Foot Krutch - 16 years
Alter Bridge - 9 years
P.O.D. - 19 years
Disturbed - 13 years

The style of music most of them play is MODERN ROCK.. Production, song structures, simplicity, airplay, it's just a term used to describe a genre within Rock Music. There are also tons of Modern Metal bands as well...

Hell I've been around 32 years and I'm considered modern  

Jeez, System of a Down get lumped in with every insulting genre going! First they were Nu Metal, now they are Modern Rock!!

Just to clarify, they are a great, METAL band.

What I like of the Modern Rock is

Shinedown
Alter Bridge
Chevelle
Nickleback
Seether


otherwise I think all the new Modern stuff is what I call Garbage/Noise.

Boris2008 wrote:

Jeez, System of a Down get lumped in with every insulting genre going! First they were Nu Metal, now they are Modern Rock!!

Just to clarify, they are a great, METAL band.

I agree. Hell, If I would have known they were "modern rock", I would have put them on my list!  

MetalRob331 wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

What constitutes "modern"? Some of these bands have been around a long time:

Theory Of A Deadman - 11 years
Nickelback - 17 years
Shinedown - 10 years
Skillet - 17 years
Breaking Bejamin - 11 years
Atreyu - 11 years
Thousand Foot Krutch - 16 years
Alter Bridge - 9 years
P.O.D. - 19 years
Disturbed - 13 years

The style of music most of them play is MODERN ROCK..  Production, song structures, simplicity, airplay, it's just a term used to describe a genre within Rock Music.  There are also tons of Modern Metal bands as well...

Hell I've been around 32 years and I'm considered modern  

OK...so if it doesn't sound like Classic Rock, or Hair Metal, or AOR, or Grunge, or Post-Grunge, it's Modern Rock....got it.  

Haha in the end if you like the music who cares what genre it is

jettafiend wrote:

The other thing that bugs me about the modern rock scene, besides sounding very contrived is multi-word band title names, 3 Doors Down being a prime example.

Maybe they're running out of names that haven't been used before? I'm surprised there's a fairly modern band named Killers. I would think that name would've already been used.

MetalRob331 wrote:

Seether is another one I enjoy a lot..

Forgot about Seether. I only have one of their albums though, Karma and Effect, but I really like it. It made my Top 100 albums list. The singer reminds me of Kurt Cobain.

Any fans of AFI?

80s Metal Lady wrote:

Any fans of AFI?

Yep. But I only have their older stuff. I got into them with DecemberUnderground and went back to Black Sails In The Sunset. For some reason I never kept up with them after that. I will say that the singer's vocals are an "acquired taste".

I had to triple-take your post because I kept seeing 'Ball Sack In The Sunset'...

80s Metal Lady wrote:

Any fans of AFI?

AFI have some killer songs and are one of those bands I add to my playlists regularly..

80s Metal Lady wrote:

jettafiend wrote:

The other thing that bugs me about the modern rock scene, besides sounding very contrived is multi-word band title names, 3 Doors Down being a prime example.

Maybe they're running out of names that haven't been used before? I'm surprised there's a fairly modern band named Killers. I would think that name would've already been used.

Actually,,,