Arch Enemy Guitarist Speaks On Current Metal Scene
Band Photo: Nightwish (?)
Arch Enemy guitarist Michael Ammot recently spoke with Metal-Rules.com. During the interview he gave his own opinions on the current metal scene and acts such as Bullet For My Valentine and Nightwish:
Metal-Rules.com: How much have you been following the Metal scene yourself what's 'hot' or 'in' these days, what kinds of things the media and people in general talk about?
Michael Amott: "Hype is hype, isn't it? I like what I like. I don't really follow it that closely. But now everything's 'Metal.' you know, that band's Metal, this band's Metal, but it doesn't really sound like Metal at all, it doesn't have the atmosphere of extreme Metal. I think people are just calling everything Metal now, they think NIGHTWISH is Metal (laughs). I mean, they're a great band, but they're not a Metal band. They have influences from Metal, but they have a lot of other things going on as well. Everybody is different, but now everything is Metal. NIGHTWISH is a bad example. A band like BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, I wouldn't say is an out-and-out Metal band. I would say they have some influences from Metal, but I wouldn't say they're a Metal band. They have some stuff that's quite commercial, like pop orientated. I haven't heard their new album but I've seen stuff previously on MTV. I know here in Finland you have some bands that are kind of commercial but you could call them Metal. I don't think it's called Metal here, but when it's exported it is. I don't really know what Metal is anymore. To me, Metal is the stuff I grew up on. There's a certain kind of feeling I look for when I listen to Metal."
Read the full article at Metal-Rules.com.
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66 Comments on "Arch Enemy Guitarist Speaks On Current Metal Scene"
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4. writes:
Bullet for my Valentine and Nightwish are both metal bands. They have a metal foundation, and bring in other influences on TOP of it. Eh, most older seasoned metal heads stop keeping up with the scene in general because it changes to the point where it is no longer like it used to be, and that's what they are used to. There are metal bands out that are far more extreme than Arch Enemy will ever be, yet Ammot seems to neglect them entirely, and uses an two bad examples instead.
7. writes:
Fine...but I actually agree all the way with Michael. Don't just think of the bands he spoke of, like Bullet FM Val. or Nightwish...think about everything. Think of the CONCEPT he was trying to get across...the concept: there are so many bands that are called 'metal' when they aren't even exactly metal.
Surely all of you dislike a band that is considered metal when they're not right??? Well if ya do...name 'em off for me!
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8. writes:
There are too many MTV sheep in this thread. Michael is dead on when he says that bands like A7X, BFMV, and other sh** bands AREN'T Metal. I mean, the first lot of you who posted here. Who the hell do you think you are trying to call him and Arch Enemy irrelevant to the Metal scene? I got one word for you if Arch Enemy isn't, CARCASS! And even if he isn't relevant, he's still speaking the truth. Plus there are plenty of metal bands/artists who would stand right behind him, such as Kerry King (Slayer), Karl Sanders (Nile), Angelripper (Sodom), and any Black Metal band that EVER existed. I know the guys in the DC Metal scene (such as myself) will definitely school all of you mallcore kids on what Metal is and isn't. The fact that you kids post here and get 'gasms over sh** bands whose genres end in -core, and have whole phrases and sentences for names, it just makes me sick (And I'm a pretty sick guy).
Rule of thumb: If a band can't use, at most, 2 words for a name, they most likely suck (Within the Lich Gate and High Five For Suicide are one of the exceptions. And this rule excludes bands who use 'the', 'for', 'from', 'of' and such).
12. writes:
^he said it exculeded articles, so no, they don't suck by that definition lol.
i really can't see how people on here would defend a band like Bullet and try and qualify them as Metal, while others try and say Arch Enemy aren't. Besides, like a few others have basically pointed out, this is MICHAEL AMMOT here we're talking about. I'm not saying he's a Metal god or anything, but he's definetly one of the more qualified people out there to comment on what Metal is today. Coming out of Carcass, which in turn came out of Napalm Death, this man is actually in some ways more qualified than most that seem to want to fill the news with their opinions on Metal(Lars, and Kerry King, i'm looking at you...) The f***er has been part of the underground Metal scene since the 80's, and only recently found mainstream acceptance through AE, if only for the fact that the band now sports a prominent female vocalist that the Metal media, such as it is, adores over more than perhaps deserved. So please, shut the f*** up before you try and belittle Mr. Amott's importance to Metal, REAL METAL btw, and stop listening to that pop-star sensation Bullet For My Valentine, because if that's what you think is Metal, then you need to seriously rethink your musical indulgences, because you're just blatantly wrong.
Now Playing: Carcass- "Heartwork"
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13. writes:
As I recall, Carcass carried on without Micheal and he wasn't there entire soul by a long shot, I'm pretty sure that might be a title given to Jeff. Arch Enemy lost all prominence in the metal scene after that Nu-Metal processed monster that was the Doomsday Machine. I guess my point is that Micheal might be getting senile.
I'll stick up for Nightwish, or at least their albums that were epic prog metal and not the hard goth rock that their new cd was. BFMV is a trend follower; always have been, always will be. But the neo-thrash popularity level will lower again once another trend takes over.
14. writes:
There are lots of flavours and angles of Metal, to say Nightwish and BFMV aren't metal bands is just plain wrong. Both are on a par and maybe even heavier than say Judas Priest who is very much a metal band. I am of the old school and grew up with metal from the late 70's onwards and it puzzles me now with the infighting with different sections of metal. I listen to a wide variety of bands and have kept current with bands like BFMV and Black Tide and I don't understand the critisiscm of them, at least they are keeping the flag flying and putting their own spin on things. I also like Carcass and Arch Enemy but I thing the view point Michael has is a bit out of touch but everyone to their own.
"and stop listening to that pop-star sensation Bullet For My Valentine, because if that's what you think is Metal, then you need to seriously rethink your musical indulgences, because you're just blatantly wrong."
This comment above made me laugh though, people trying to create divisions where all metal should be encouraged even if it isn't quite your thing. BFMV and Nightwish pop? get real folks!!!!
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16. writes:
"There are lots of flavours and angles of Metal, to say Nightwish and BFMV aren't metal bands is just plain wrong. Both are on a par and maybe even heavier than say Judas Priest who is very much a metal band. I am of the old school and grew up with metal from the late 70's onwards and it puzzles me now with the infighting with different sections of metal. I listen to a wide variety of bands and have kept current with bands like BFMV and Black Tide and I don't understand the critisiscm of them, at least they are keeping the flag flying and putting their own spin on things."
I'm glad i'm not the only one who shares this thought.....
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19. writes:
No, I will not let someone tell me BFMV is Metal. Metal-influenced pop rock, sure, i'll readily accept that. But Metal? Hell no. I don't listen to nightwish at all, so I'll stay out of, that, I don't claim any view of whatever the hell they are. However, if someone wants to say that Bullet is on par with Priest, I question your sanity. The innovation and talent gap between these two bands is incredible. Judas Priest is undeniably more Metal by far than these guitar-wielding backstreet boys.
As for flag-wavers, I would more gladly give that title to Black Tide. Even with all my "Napalm Death", and "Dimmu Borgir", these kids still manage to impress me more than I would have thought possible. I just bought their Cd and the only thing that comes to mind in comparison is Iron Maiden, and their cover of Hit the lights by Metallica is fantastic. Their Solo's are pure shenanigans.
At the risk of droning on, I would like to point out that the divisions in Metal are there for a reason. Bands like BFMV, A7x, etc, are justifiably hated by Metalheads in this era just as the glam and hair metal genre was hated in the 80's by the underground death and thrash fans. they are an abomination of an otherwise holy(relatively speaking) portion of music that I love with every fiber of my being. I have every right to hate them. I have every right to want to cause infighting. The enemy in your own camp is a million times more deadly than the enemy outside your walls. So f*** Bullet.
Now Playing: Metallica- "For Whom The bell Tolls" (i have it on repeat, for anyone who would notice, the song is one of my favorites)
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20. writes:
I have been around the metal scene for my entire 23 years. Metal has had its major ups and major downs for as long as I can remember. Metal has many sub genres that have been born in that time and somd better than others. I myself have strickt rules as to what metal I listen to and one thing it must have is strength. I think that bands like B4MV and A7X lack that not only in their music, but in apperance too and therefore put them in the "pop metal" catagory. I will give all metal bands a chance, but if they dont grab my attention the chances of them ever doing so is very small if that.
Former Contributor
21. writes:
ARRGHH!! I'd just like to say I've never been a fan of Micheal Amott for a few reasons but one has quite obviously popped up in this thread. People horrendously overstate what he did in Carcass, like he was a founding songwriter or something.
Bzzzt, wrong. Amott was picked up as a hired gun for lead guitar before "Descanting The Insalubrious" was written. And even then, despite the album credits all he did was play solos on the album. Bill Steer and Jeff Walker were Carcass, not Amott. He had more of an influence on the MDM albums but in the end he was only in Carcass for 3 years.
Now Playing: Earth - "High Command"
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22. writes:
I must also add that for the older metallers we have been given bands like Maiden, Priest, Metallica(old,)Black sabbath, Zepplin and the alike who have not only been big influances that have raised the bar, but even set it themselfs. Our opinions maybe harsh, but truly understanding the roots of metal makes for a picky metaller.
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26. writes:
For the record, I never overstated what he did. I pointed out that he has been a part of the scene for a long-ass time, and in bands like Carcass and Arch-enemy no less. He's toured wityh Morbid Angel, Bolt Thrower, and another incarnation of Napalm Death. His other guitarist in Carcass was formerly FROM Napalm Death. He was alos in his own death metal band Carnage before Carcass came into realization. the manmay not be a musical genius, I never said that, but he is quite talented as far as death/grind goes, and his opinion has been bred from years actually IN the underground, supporting music that, for a while, nobody really liked. If say, Shane Embury wanted to comment on the music scene, I would much more readily accept what he has to say, but as far as Metal commentators are concerned, Mr. ammot is the best you can get right now.
Now Playing: Evile- Thrasher
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27. writes:
Nightwish, in the distant past, did not SUCK. It was a unique hybrid of metal - mix of opera with metal riffs....how cool is that! I think very cool. I still miss Taja. Anway, yes, there are bands that should be labeled "pop rock" or "pop metal". No doubt about it, the Foo Fighters, Nickelback, and 3 Doors Down are probably "pop rock". "Pop metal" would be bands like A7X, and Bullet for my Valentine. A7X, for instance, is CONSTANTLY played on the radio..and unfortunately I have to listen to it, because my speakers are fukked in my car. Other pop metal bands are NIN, KORN, and I hate to say it - Mudvayne....sucks, I know. LD 50 was the shXt! I completely agree with ChristF, KALIS, and FAN....for sure. I still listen to old NIGHTWISH..that is some good power metal.
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29. writes:
I'm sure I'll probably get criticized for saying this, seeing as Arch Enemy is really considered "pop-metal" or something like that these days, but I like them. And I like Michael Amott. I know he wasn't a chief songwriter in Carcass or anything like that, but he brought his own style of guitar playing to that band and to Arch Enemy.
Now playing: Carcass - "No Love Lost" ..lol
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33. writes:
To ToG, "seeing as Arch Enemy is really considered "pop-metal"- Arch Enemy may not be in contention for "best ever" but they're definitely not "pop-metal". I've never heard AE on mainstream radio, unless you count XM's metal channel, where you can hear every band mentioned here except B4MV, A7X, Nightwish and I might be missing a few.
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Former Contributor
37. writes:
"Extreme metal is ...Machine Head" - Ahhh, speak for yourself there Txmetalhead, since when did extreme metal bands release borderline nu-metal albums? Arch Enemy are definately metal, but personally I think they're the poster child for banal modern metal (save Gossow).
Now Playing: Burzum - "Key To The Gate"
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38. writes:
Cynic u read my mind in post 21. Amott is a great guitarist but his use was overestimated in Carcass.
Kali Owen getting a double base peddle was the reason Bill Steer, the main songwriter, began taking Carcass more seriously and left Napalm Death. Ken Owen was far more important to Carcass than just his talent.
Arch Enemy, the only thing I really care about that they did was Wages of Sin, but I'd rather take Heartwork or any other Carcass album over it. Their good musicians, Amott bros are great guitarists and Danial is a good drummer, but I think we established a while ago that u need more than good musicians to be a good band with good music.
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Former Contributor
40. writes:
Haha, it's so funny you say that cruor cuz I have a wee story from when I was about 15. I had just bought this album "Human" by a funny named band called Death and was obsessed. Trawling the net for similar bands I came across some fella's called "At The Gates" and downloaded a track called "All Life Ends".
"Holy god!" I exclaimed in rapture, reading further about the band while blasting said track, "What genre could these bands be?" and it was found. I had a new god, Melodic Death Metal be thy name. Anyway, long story slightly shorter it took me a few years to realize that At The Gates would be the only MDM act I got into as I found all the others painfully derivative (especially so since from learning many ATG tracks I could pick the riff similarities). Even stranger to me, despite tracks like "Lack Of Comprehension" no-one seemed to consider Death as part of the genre. Oh well. Carcass and Dissection are some exceptions, but I discovered them much later.
I've read good things about them but that's about it sorry, jeez can't believe I'm coming up empty on this one! From what I remember I probably didn't give them a second look because I thought they fit into the Bloodbath, Kataklysm type of "simpler" modern DM. I owe it to myself to look them up now! Just have to wait til I'm back on broadband, dial-up is a real fun killer.
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41. writes:
I use to call MDM my god also, I delved into bands like Soilwork and Arch Enemy. Now I really only listen to ATG, Hypocrisy, early In Flames, Carcass, Dissection (I call them more Melodic Black than Death but I guess its applicable), and Dark Tranquillity.
With Hypocrisy I've been listenin to Virus, The Arrival, and the remastered version of Catch 22, Virus has to be my favorite tho.
Writer, Reviewer
42. writes:
^Those are all good. Not huge on Arch Enemy (Jesus that chick's hot though! Good roar, too!). I dig a few songs, but overall, not majorly into them.
Hypocrisy, At The Gates, In Flames (as above, only the early stuff) and Dissection are my fav's. Still getting around to Carcass :( Someone tell me where to start with them hahah. Dark Tranquility are very hit and miss for me.
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48. writes:
49. writes:
rofl machine head - extreme metal. I'll be dead before that ever happens. I love machine head and I really digged the blackening. But every album they come out with just seems to match whatever trendy sound is happening. "Old" sounds just like a 2nd grade pantera song. They are a great band, but they are definitely not extreme metal. As far as Gojira being "technical extreme metal" I would say more along the lines of death,thrash,prog or even as far a groove metal.
Member
50. writes:
when i think of gojira i think of enviro-metal! i'm surprised they didnt play 7.7.07
MH extreme metal? nah. i liked the blackening for a while though till i realized that i liked european metal so much more than american metal.
American metal is so f***ing trendy, aforementioned MH adapting and playing whatever's cool, then there's bands like avenged sevenfold, bullet for my valantine, and job for a cowboy who would love to be called metal but it just isnt so. I have become detatched from american music, realizing now that most of the bands i love don't originate from america.(immortal, dark funeral, mayhem, carcass, at the gates, hypocrisy, satyricon, sepultura, behemoth, dimmu borgir to name several).
However. there are several american bands that i enjoy although i might not like the most recent releases by them. 1. chimaira: the impossibility of reason and chimaira were solid albums! resurrection was too differant for me, even though andols came back. 2. God forbid: i'm from jersey, i gotta love em. I talk to byron everytime they play at sayreville or the stone pony, they're cool dudes. 3. Death. Death metal pioneers. self explanatory. 4.slayer-self explanatory. 5. strapping young lad
Metal's doing good though, especially with the reformation of at the gates, carcass, and immortal is playing in russia for the first time. There are many acclaimed releases from many bands, judas priest, and the upcoming metallica album has certainly built enough hype hasnt it?
np: Dimmu Borgir- the maelstrom mephisto
Former Contributor
51. writes:
"Machine Head's BURN MY EYES is extreme thrash metal". No, I'd disagree. "Burn My Eyes" is obviously Machine Head's best case for a Thrash album, but what makes it extreme? The groove metal part of it? Lol. What makes "Burn My Eyes" MORE extreme than "Reign In Blood"? I mean, I don't even think I've heard the term before, and if I had I'd use it to describe Kreator's "Pleasure To Kill" or Slaughter's "Strappado" or Morbid Saint or Aggression or... anything but Machine Head.
Gojira technical extreme metal? I'd disagree again, more of a death/thrash/groove band.
Oh and cruor, once I get my broadband connection back up tomorrow I will upload a few songs for you to hear, it's from a MDM that sounds a lot like ATG but I can't guess who they are, though you might know. Was from a burnt mix cd from a friend of a friend so it's been driving me crazy!!
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55. writes:
Ummm... Machine Head? 'The Burning Red'? Completely and utterly Nu-metal. Also their worst album. By far. As for a genre, I guess they're built on Thrash, with nuances of groove and extreme metal.
When I think of 'extreme metal,' Deicide always pops up into my head hahah
Now Playing: Sevendust - "Angel's Son"
Former Contributor
56. writes:
I think extreme can be used either as an umbrella term (normally by people who don't know too much about the different 'extreme' genres) to describe thrash death and black metal (or variants), or I think a better use is to use it as an adjective. Say for example, Bal-Sagoth. They're a folk/symphonic powerish sort of metal band. But they're more than that, they're more extreme and contain traces of the more extreme genres. So hence, I'd say extreme symphonic metal, which is a pretty good description.
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58. writes:
"Oh and cruor, once I get my broadband connection back up tomorrow I will upload a few songs for you to hear, it's from a MDM that sounds a lot like ATG but I can't guess who they are, though you might know. Was from a burnt mix cd from a friend of a friend so it's been driving me crazy!!"
Ok ill take a crack at it. How u gonna upload it so I can hear?
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60. writes:
"Ummm... Machine Head? 'The Burning Red'? Completely and utterly Nu-metal. Also their worst album."
Gonna have to call bullsh** on that one. Actually, I (halfway) take that back, it was total Nu Metal. However, The Burning Red was at least tolerable. SUPERCHARGER, on the other hand, was just a f***ing abomination. I was absolutely disgusted when I listened to that album. Luckily they have three great albums and one above-average one to make up for the nu metal phase.
62. writes:
I've usually seen the term "extreme" applied to bands around death and grindcore labeleling, since they have all the gore/blood/blatantly offensive lyrics and the music is generally extreme-ly fast and whatnot.
I think really though, it's more than just a bands musical encampment that qualifies it as such, but more the response it pulls out of their fans(i.e. crazy fans/pits doin crazy sh** and everyone is wasted or are at least covered in other people's beer/blood) Under this, I would qualify Slayer, Devildriver, LoG, and Machine Head as "extreme" but not musically.
As far as a purely Sound catogorization, I would really only put bands like Napalm Death and Pig destroyer in there, and maybe Dimmu, if only because they use a piano, and Piano's are FVCKIN METAL!
Now Playing: Queen- "Mustapha"
Former Contributor
63. writes:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=T6QDG9YH
If anyone wants to take a guess at who these tracks are I'd appreciate it. Now that I listen I think the last two tracks are from a different band as the first 3. Sounds like early Swedish stuff, or at least someone doing a good ATG impression.
Now Playing: Ne Obliviscaris - "Tapestry of the Starless Abstract"
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1. MetallicPunk writes:
Yeah well last time I checked Arch Enemy aren't very um releavant anymore but anyway Nightwish is a metal band and a amazing one at that and put out albums better then any Arch Enemy album I have ever heard!