Written by LeChron James on 23.10.2008 at 04:42

Im actually gonna go with Damnated on this one. every style of music is different and one style that might be appropriate for one genre might not be appropriate for another. its completely subjective.

I'm going to go a step further and say it isn't just the genre, but what fits the specific band.

My top five favourite bands are Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Equilibrium, Into Eternity an Kataklysm... I love growls, it sounds so savage and vicious, nothing can canalize metal's brutal enegy like well-mastered screams and grunts. Though I think the best metal vocalists are the ones who can perform both styles, like Into Eternity's Stu Block or Scar Symmetry's singer. But to me Dani Filth's voice is a sweet melody that allows me to dive into the depths of my most wild and dark instincts... FWAHAHAHA!

Tough question but I went with clean vocals.
When I'm not listening to black metal, I prefer to be able to understand what the hell bands are singing about.

I chose Clean Vocals, no doubt...

The only way I listen to growls with pleasure is when the instrumental part is really cool..

Of course it depends on the growls, some are nice and smooth, some are screaming shit, but overall i preffer clean vocals XD

Clean vocals are better in general, though i like growls too. Some growls get repetitious because there isnt as much diversity as clean.

The growl!!! I like everything that sounds evil.

Written by Dark Cornatus on 08.11.2008 at 09:18

Clean vocals are better in general, though i like growls too. Some growls get repetitious because there isnt as much diversity as clean.

Not as mush diversity? Surely Dani Filth's voice is too annoying for you and you didn't listen to a lot of COF's stuff, cause there is a LOT of diversity in there! Listen to Lord Abortion or Presents from the Poison-Hearted: there are like 20 different voices in each of these tracks...

...of course growls!!!
...i like listening to some clean vocals once in a while but i do get bored

Clean Voice i prefer, but i like growl really much to but more Black Metal growl.
Read lyrics is good for the brain and like to look at the text when im play BM and Death Metal.
I prefer Thrash over all othe genre anyway.

Written by MétalNoir on 19.11.2008 at 23:31

Written by Dark Cornatus on 08.11.2008 at 09:18

Clean vocals are better in general, though i like growls too. Some growls get repetitious because there isnt as much diversity as clean.

Not as mush diversity? Surely Dani Filth's voice is too annoying for you and you didn't listen to a lot of COF's stuff, cause there is a LOT of diversity in there! Listen to Lord Abortion or Presents from the Poison-Hearted: there are like 20 different voices in each of these tracks...

Your kidding? Im not talking about the range! Deep to High pitch is not being diverse! Its about what you can do with different techniques of vocals. Your voicebox has a vast range of clean notes, and only a limited area for growls, as they are only modified notes with throat ulcerations.

Written by Dark Cornatus on 23.11.2008 at 14:30

Written by MétalNoir on 19.11.2008 at 23:31

Written by Dark Cornatus on 08.11.2008 at 09:18

Clean vocals are better in general, though i like growls too. Some growls get repetitious because there isnt as much diversity as clean.

Not as mush diversity? Surely Dani Filth's voice is too annoying for you and you didn't listen to a lot of COF's stuff, cause there is a LOT of diversity in there! Listen to Lord Abortion or Presents from the Poison-Hearted: there are like 20 different voices in each of these tracks...

Your kidding? Im not talking about the range! Deep to High pitch is not being diverse! Its about what you can do with different techniques of vocals. Your voicebox has a vast range of clean notes, and only a limited area for growls, as they are only modified notes with throat ulcerations.

It's pretty about a vocalist being compared to another one, I guess... I mean, the difference between two clean voices (two vocalists) is usually much more obvious than the difference between two growlers. Only trained ears can make the difference between two growl vocalists, in general. I think that's what you meant, right?

Written by MétalNoir on 23.11.2008 at 19:08

Written by Dark Cornatus on 23.11.2008 at 14:30

Written by MétalNoir on 19.11.2008 at 23:31

Written by Dark Cornatus on 08.11.2008 at 09:18

Clean vocals are better in general, though i like growls too. Some growls get repetitious because there isnt as much diversity as clean.

Not as mush diversity? Surely Dani Filth's voice is too annoying for you and you didn't listen to a lot of COF's stuff, cause there is a LOT of diversity in there! Listen to Lord Abortion or Presents from the Poison-Hearted: there are like 20 different voices in each of these tracks...

Your kidding? Im not talking about the range! Deep to High pitch is not being diverse! Its about what you can do with different techniques of vocals. Your voicebox has a vast range of clean notes, and only a limited area for growls, as they are only modified notes with throat ulcerations.

It's pretty about a vocalist being compared to another one, I guess... I mean, the difference between two clean voices (two vocalists) is usually much more obvious than the difference between two growlers. Only trained ears can make the difference between two growl vocalists, in general. I think that's what you meant, right?

Yes to the first part, but its not all about trained ears, if you listen to anything long enough you make observational differences. Obviously if you play a random person two vocalists who sound similar in style, they will think they sound the same. Play songs that differ greatly in technique, and they will say they sound different.

I really can't decide this....both are awesome, but together it makes magic, I think.... so separating it by saying what's best would make no sense to me...

It depends on the song... but i prefer clean vocals because sometimes growls can destroy songs (like alot of children of bodom songs). Growls in bands like Opeth really contribute alot to the bands performance

Written by Guest on 24.11.2008 at 08:01

It depends on the song... but i prefer clean vocals because sometimes growls can destroy songs (like alot of children of bodom songs). Growls in bands like Opeth really contribute alot to the bands performance

That's because Alexi Laiho's voice sucks. You can hardly call what he does deathgrunt, it's just plain screaming. Petri Lindros from Norther and Ensiferum has a similar style that becomes annoying after a while. It's too high-pitched to be death, but not rumbling enough to be black... I guess that's an extreme power metal voice, since Wintersun, Norther and COB all have a similar voice, though Wintersun has the best vocalist.

I'm not gonna vote on this until I have a good think about it. Growls can sound very good, and yes, I'm going to use CoB as an example, on Bodom's earlier works it really did add to the feel of the song. When Alexi's voice was kinda Black Metaly. Clean vocals do often sound too plain, as they are very common in mainstream music and nowadays artists do very little with them other than just singing. Not that growlers are any better, you get sick of the monotone growl that some people do quite quickly when they don't vary it.
As far as growling/screaming goes... Randy Blythe has to be one of the best around nowadays. He's actually doing different thing with his vocals. It entirely depends on the mood of the song and I don't expect to have an answer for a while.

Written by mortjoyeux on 07.11.2008 at 02:23

Tough question but I went with clean vocals.
When I'm not listening to black metal, I prefer to be able to understand what the hell bands are singing about.

Jejejeje, At some point I thought that Black Metal was fucking hard to understand the vocals... But after hearing a lot of Grindcore I can safely say that Black metal is really easy

I like a mixture of both with a bit more growls them clean. I appreciate good clean vocals a lot and they can really help create a good mood. Growls are just classic though and they (in my opinion) help create an even better mood then clean, If done right.

EEEEEEEEYA! or YEEEAAAAAAAAHH! or URRRRGHHH! or "she knows she's lo-o-ost. in isolation"

It depends. Opeth are mine choice, (vocally) matured brutality and sublime melodies.

Clean, Grunts are often the same and grunts can not really become deep - but I prefer a combination of both.

Wow i cant believe most of you guys picked clean vocals..see im no clean vocal hater but i think once you bring the heavyness of the drums and guitar and smother it in singing it kinda ruins the feel of the song. i only like clean vocals on the softer parts of the song. but i also perfer mixed vocals.

I like clean vocals most because I can hear what the singer sings. But I like more growl for example Amon Amarth.

A question like this seems almost unfair to ask. Both are nice in their respective places. There is just some Metal where growls just should not be. A prime example would be Queensryche. Could anyone here honestly say that "Silent Lucidity" would sound good with growling? Of course not! Likewise, would souring Tate-style vocals be appropriate Darkthrone?


To say that growling makes the music heavier is not always the case. Led Zeppelin II is far heavier than any Death or Black Metal album I have ever heard and their is not growling there.

I choose..screeeeeaaaaaam)))))) this voice is more agressive..)

I can live with both of them in metal music, but personally I like more clean vocals. Symmetric In Design, album by Scar Symmetry, starts with strong growl style, and it's sounds great! But the first time when I heard the song Chaosweaver, and when it comes time for the clean vocals....Jesus, the force of his voice lifts the song into whole new atomsphere! Yeah, Chrstian is my favourite vocalist.

My vocal career began with growling, but after six months it changed clean. Simply 'cause I (and dear sister) like more my clean vocals.

I like growls more than clean vocals.
In my early days it was only growl, but now I can listen to more understandable types of vocals too

Growling vocals rule!!!! I don't know why, I just love them...

Most of the music I listen to uses growling. Therefore I choose growling. People like Rob Halford, Mark Shelton, Bruce Dickinsson, Eric Adams and Ronnie James Dio are still on par with the greatest growling vocalists though.

I really don't think you can compare them.

Of all the vocal forms, I like the growling the least. I voted for clean, but I like shreaking/screaming more. And what Dani from Cradle of Filth does with his voice is impossible to replace by anything else for me. Poor guy, though. Screaming that much certanly isn't good for you.

I choose Christian Älvestam - he's perfect in both.