There are always new riffing possibilities, technology is always changing, there is always something new happening to write about, there are tons of instruments that haven't been used in metal yet, etc, etc...so I don't it will ever get to the point where metal artists will run out of ideas...there are also so many past genres of music that haven't been used in metal...it's all about just doing some research and coming up something new from something old...a continuous cycle...

Behold...The Arctopus: The Future of Metal?

http://www.beholdthearctopus.com

Illogo, and The Ocean, can be symbols of future metal? IMO this parallely progress with metalcore to become modern metal.

the future of Metal is Industrial and Electronic music. there are already some genres like Industrial Metal and Industrial Black Metal or Electro-Black or Techno-Death or Cyber-Grind etc. that trying to evolve the music... and I personally am a supporter of this evolution!

also, another "try" is Ghetto Metal, Death Metal with Rap vocals, check for example Sutter Kain http://www.myspace.com/suicidekingz this is NOT Nu Metal.

Styles of extreme, melodic and alternative metal being fused together in a way we have not heard before.

I think that theres an infinite amount of possibilities for metal to advance and remain original. The problem is that many people seem to really just want metal to stay as it is or "tru" and I think that limits people. Pretty well any new direction metal has taken over the years has been dismissed or criticised for one reason or another. Many possibilities are there as long as people are open to some diversity and maybe even broadening the term 'metal'. The definition of what metal is and what is considered metal has changed drastically over the years. Bands like Aerosmith and Kiss, once described as heavy metal are now seen by many as hard rock. Many years from now many people may consider today's music to not be metal, who knows? As long people are willing to accept them, original ideas will arise.

Written by NOИ on 27.02.2008 at 03:17

the future of Metal is Industrial and Electronic music. there are already some genres like Industrial Metal and Industrial Black Metal or Electro-Black or Techno-Death or Cyber-Grind etc. that trying to evolve the music... and I personally am a supporter of this evolution!

I think the exact opposite. Sure industrial has a futuristic sound, but seeing as folk metal is growing steadily more popular, I think people are going to keep going back and finding cultural music to fuse with metal. Take Tomahawk for example (Ok, not exactly metal), but the were able to fuse native american song types with a bit of rock, I think someone in the future will do that with more metal. Thats just as an example. Or take Diablo Swing Orchestra for another example...

Honestly..I just dont know how much more metal can evolve. Like..there is every type of metal at this point. There is music that doesnt even sound like metal that is metal. I mean..its kind of like we are now repeating ourselves. Thrash became a dead genre but now it is big again. I just dont know..

The only way Metal will realy progress would be by adding a lot more sub-sub genres.
Here is a list of my predictoins:
Country Metal - Steel Guitars, Violins. May include rusty pick-up trucks.
Lumberjack Metal - Includes large men wearing touques and plaid flanel shirts weilding axes.
Techno Metal - Intensely repetitive single bar riffs. lyrics include a single recorded phraze being repeated continuously.
Un-Metal Metal - The exact opposite of Death Metal - So light and peaceful!!!! GAHH!!!!!
Gay Metal - Most brutal of all! Sunshine lolypops and rainbows!!!!
Nature Metal - The most brutal sounds of nature.
Hindu Metal - ....?
Pre-School Metal - A is for Anthrax, B is for Burzum, C is for Cannibal Corpse. Learn to scream the whole alphabet!

Written by Haightredy on 30.03.2008 at 03:54

The only way Metal will realy progress would be by adding a lot more sub-sub genres.
Here is a list of my predictoins:
Country Metal - Steel Guitars, Violins. May include rusty pick-up trucks.
Lumberjack Metal - Includes large men wearing touques and plaid flanel shirts weilding axes.
Techno Metal - Intensely repetitive single bar riffs. lyrics include a single recorded phraze being repeated continuously.
Un-Metal Metal - The exact opposite of Death Metal - So light and peaceful!!!! GAHH!!!!!
Gay Metal - Most brutal of all! Sunshine lolypops and rainbows!!!!
Nature Metal - The most brutal sounds of nature.
Hindu Metal - ....?
Pre-School Metal - A is for Anthrax, B is for Burzum, C is for Cannibal Corpse. Learn to scream the whole alphabet!

Haha amazing predictions! Country Metal could also add Banjos...

Now seriously.
When Mnemic released their first album, they labeled themselves as "Future Fusion metal" I thought it was pretty accurate, until Michael Bogballe left teh band.
I wouldn't really dare to make predictions... only waiting...

I think it may be cool to do a prediction. I think that progessive electronic metal or industrial metal will fuse together with folkmetal and then leave the metal things calling it PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE ELECTRONICAL FOLKMUSIC.

I wonder if people had the same discussions about classical music back in the day... the only way metal won't evolve is if the definition of metal is limited to requirements that must be met, the rules of metal laid down by the original masters.
One way I see the future of metal going is music that will make you uncomfortable, to an extent it will be hard to listen to. It will not sound familiar, the predictable song structures will be gone, and you will be forced to listen to albums on repeat to get your bearings. Music will become an interactive experience, and you will learn new things on your sonic journey into the darkness.
The other way I see music heading is technology enabling musicians to work out songs in their heads and having immediate data transferal to recording software. The right hemisphere's free flowing creative tendencies will be checked by the left hemisphere's sense of logic and structure, but I worry that this would remove some of the magic that comes from the natural process of hearing ideas and crudely trying to transfer them into reality. I wonder if many of the songs we have come to love would be different if they had been exported directly into existence. I'm sure the song ideas develop as they come out naturally, and our limitations only give way to inspiration. It is human nature to make mistakes, and sometimes mistakes turn into pure invention.

Written by Introspekrieg on 06.04.2008 at 00:26

...

One way I see the future of metal going is music that will make you uncomfortable, to an extent it will be hard to listen to. It will not sound familiar, the predictable song structures will be gone, and you will be forced to listen to albums on repeat to get your bearings. Music will become an interactive experience, and you will learn new things on your sonic journey into the darkness.

That's exactly like what Behold... The Arctopus does. Check them out: http://www.beholdthearctopus.com. You've pretty much described their work here.

Written by Introspekrieg on 06.04.2008 at 00:26

The other way I see music heading is technology enabling musicians to work out songs in their heads and having immediate data transferal to recording software. The right hemisphere's free flowing creative tendencies will be checked by the left hemisphere's sense of logic and structure, but I worry that this would remove some of the magic that comes from the natural process of hearing ideas and crudely trying to transfer them into reality. I wonder if many of the songs we have come to love would be different if they had been exported directly into existence. I'm sure the song ideas develop as they come out naturally, and our limitations only give way to inspiration. It is human nature to make mistakes, and sometimes mistakes turn into pure invention.

Fascinating ideas here. I believe that even if direct export of musical composition was possible, it would not be as good as music composed through the traditional trial-and-error process. It's like the old saying that bumps build character - perhaps the same goes for the creative process.

Written by Guest on 28.03.2008 at 23:13

Honestly..I just dont know how much more metal can evolve. Like..there is every type of metal at this point. There is music that doesnt even sound like metal that is metal. I mean..its kind of like we are now repeating ourselves. Thrash became a dead genre but now it is big again. I just dont know..

Bah! Theres always something more. Look at folk metal, bet that wasn't exactly a conventional idea 20 years ago. It just takes 1 person thinking outside the box to spring a lot of inspiration into others to do the same, then mixing that genre with another, and another. Of course there will still be bands coming out in the future playing old school metal for nostalgia sake, like thrash. With the amount of types of music there is in the world, a lot probably neither you or I know about, someone someday will incorporate it into Metal. Thats just my optimistic theory.

Written by Doc G. on 06.04.2008 at 10:05

Written by Guest on 28.03.2008 at 23:13

Honestly..I just dont know how much more metal can evolve. Like..there is every type of metal at this point. There is music that doesnt even sound like metal that is metal. I mean..its kind of like we are now repeating ourselves. Thrash became a dead genre but now it is big again. I just dont know..

Bah! Theres always something more. Look at folk metal, bet that wasn't exactly a conventional idea 20 years ago. It just takes 1 person thinking outside the box to spring a lot of inspiration into others to do the same, then mixing that genre with another, and another. Of course there will still be bands coming out in the future playing old school metal for nostalgia sake, like thrash. With the amount of types of music there is in the world, a lot probably neither you or I know about, someone someday will incorporate it into Metal. Thats just my optimistic theory.

Well I definitely like your sense of hope

Written by Guest on 07.04.2008 at 08:25

Written by Doc G. on 06.04.2008 at 10:05

Written by Guest on 28.03.2008 at 23:13

Honestly..I just dont know how much more metal can evolve. Like..there is every type of metal at this point. There is music that doesnt even sound like metal that is metal. I mean..its kind of like we are now repeating ourselves. Thrash became a dead genre but now it is big again. I just dont know..

Bah! Theres always something more. Look at folk metal, bet that wasn't exactly a conventional idea 20 years ago. It just takes 1 person thinking outside the box to spring a lot of inspiration into others to do the same, then mixing that genre with another, and another. Of course there will still be bands coming out in the future playing old school metal for nostalgia sake, like thrash. With the amount of types of music there is in the world, a lot probably neither you or I know about, someone someday will incorporate it into Metal. Thats just my optimistic theory.

Well I definitely like your sense of hope

Well, when you think about it, even if metal came to a complete stop, it would take 2 life times to explore all the bands and albums worth listening to out there, so do you really think thats just going to die off?

The ideas of styles change dramaticly. In the nineties there was a band, Believer, that played with a lot of violins, on the Dimensions album for example, and that was considdered progressive. Today, the violin is much more used in the folkmetal scene, I think, than in the progressive metal. These ideas change pretty much. Probably soon some wicked guy will stand up make some great brutal new kindametal style music somehow, but I don't really know how.

Written by Doc G. on 07.04.2008 at 09:59

Written by Guest on 07.04.2008 at 08:25

Written by Doc G. on 06.04.2008 at 10:05

Written by Guest on 28.03.2008 at 23:13

Honestly..I just dont know how much more metal can evolve. Like..there is every type of metal at this point. There is music that doesnt even sound like metal that is metal. I mean..its kind of like we are now repeating ourselves. Thrash became a dead genre but now it is big again. I just dont know..

Bah! Theres always something more. Look at folk metal, bet that wasn't exactly a conventional idea 20 years ago. It just takes 1 person thinking outside the box to spring a lot of inspiration into others to do the same, then mixing that genre with another, and another. Of course there will still be bands coming out in the future playing old school metal for nostalgia sake, like thrash. With the amount of types of music there is in the world, a lot probably neither you or I know about, someone someday will incorporate it into Metal. Thats just my optimistic theory.

Well I definitely like your sense of hope

Well, when you think about it, even if metal came to a complete stop, it would take 2 life times to explore all the bands and albums worth listening to out there, so do you really think thats just going to die off?

I never said it was going to die off..I just said that I dont think it can change much. I mean..I think it will start repeating itself thats all.

Written by Guest on 08.04.2008 at 05:26

Written by Doc G. on 07.04.2008 at 09:59

Written by Guest on 07.04.2008 at 08:25

Written by Doc G. on 06.04.2008 at 10:05

Written by Guest on 28.03.2008 at 23:13

Honestly..I just dont know how much more metal can evolve. Like..there is every type of metal at this point. There is music that doesnt even sound like metal that is metal. I mean..its kind of like we are now repeating ourselves. Thrash became a dead genre but now it is big again. I just dont know..

Bah! Theres always something more. Look at folk metal, bet that wasn't exactly a conventional idea 20 years ago. It just takes 1 person thinking outside the box to spring a lot of inspiration into others to do the same, then mixing that genre with another, and another. Of course there will still be bands coming out in the future playing old school metal for nostalgia sake, like thrash. With the amount of types of music there is in the world, a lot probably neither you or I know about, someone someday will incorporate it into Metal. Thats just my optimistic theory.

Well I definitely like your sense of hope

Well, when you think about it, even if metal came to a complete stop, it would take 2 life times to explore all the bands and albums worth listening to out there, so do you really think thats just going to die off?

I never said it was going to die off..I just said that I dont think it can change much. I mean..I think it will start repeating itself thats all.

I yes I see what you mean. Yeah I think it will happen a lot more, but then I have a feeling something is gonna come around the corner and blow everyones mind. Its just a matter of one hell of a creative mind...

Written by Haightredy on 30.03.2008 at 03:54

The only way Metal will realy progress would be by adding a lot more sub-sub genres.
Here is a list of my predictoins:
Country Metal - Steel Guitars, Violins. May include rusty pick-up trucks.

If you want "country metal", you should try Rebel Meets Rebel, a collaboration between Pantera and D.A.C.

Written by Doc G. on 08.04.2008 at 05:55

Written by Guest on 08.04.2008 at 05:26

Written by Doc G. on 07.04.2008 at 09:59

Written by Guest on 07.04.2008 at 08:25

Written by Doc G. on 06.04.2008 at 10:05

Written by Guest on 28.03.2008 at 23:13

Honestly..I just dont know how much more metal can evolve. Like..there is every type of metal at this point. There is music that doesnt even sound like metal that is metal. I mean..its kind of like we are now repeating ourselves. Thrash became a dead genre but now it is big again. I just dont know..

Bah! Theres always something more. Look at folk metal, bet that wasn't exactly a conventional idea 20 years ago. It just takes 1 person thinking outside the box to spring a lot of inspiration into others to do the same, then mixing that genre with another, and another. Of course there will still be bands coming out in the future playing old school metal for nostalgia sake, like thrash. With the amount of types of music there is in the world, a lot probably neither you or I know about, someone someday will incorporate it into Metal. Thats just my optimistic theory.

Well I definitely like your sense of hope

Well, when you think about it, even if metal came to a complete stop, it would take 2 life times to explore all the bands and albums worth listening to out there, so do you really think thats just going to die off?

I never said it was going to die off..I just said that I dont think it can change much. I mean..I think it will start repeating itself thats all.

I yes I see what you mean. Yeah I think it will happen a lot more, but then I have a feeling something is gonna come around the corner and blow everyones mind. Its just a matter of one hell of a creative mind...

Ah well then..we shall see

Written by Guest on 11.04.2008 at 07:38

Written by Doc G. on 08.04.2008 at 05:55

Written by Guest on 08.04.2008 at 05:26

Written by Doc G. on 07.04.2008 at 09:59

Written by Guest on 07.04.2008 at 08:25

Written by Doc G. on 06.04.2008 at 10:05

Written by Guest on 28.03.2008 at 23:13

Honestly..I just dont know how much more metal can evolve. Like..there is every type of metal at this point. There is music that doesnt even sound like metal that is metal. I mean..its kind of like we are now repeating ourselves. Thrash became a dead genre but now it is big again. I just dont know..

Bah! Theres always something more. Look at folk metal, bet that wasn't exactly a conventional idea 20 years ago. It just takes 1 person thinking outside the box to spring a lot of inspiration into others to do the same, then mixing that genre with another, and another. Of course there will still be bands coming out in the future playing old school metal for nostalgia sake, like thrash. With the amount of types of music there is in the world, a lot probably neither you or I know about, someone someday will incorporate it into Metal. Thats just my optimistic theory.

Well I definitely like your sense of hope

Well, when you think about it, even if metal came to a complete stop, it would take 2 life times to explore all the bands and albums worth listening to out there, so do you really think thats just going to die off?

I never said it was going to die off..I just said that I dont think it can change much. I mean..I think it will start repeating itself thats all.

I yes I see what you mean. Yeah I think it will happen a lot more, but then I have a feeling something is gonna come around the corner and blow everyones mind. Its just a matter of one hell of a creative mind...

Ah well then..we shall see

Let's hope it will remain a little worth listening still. For me it doesn't have to be that really nasty stuff.

Written by NOИ on 27.02.2008 at 03:17

the future of Metal is Industrial and Electronic music. there are already some genres like Industrial Metal and Industrial Black Metal or Electro-Black or Techno-Death or Cyber-Grind etc. that trying to evolve the music... and I personally am a supporter of this evolution!

also, another "try" is Ghetto Metal, Death Metal with Rap vocals, check for example Sutter Kain http://www.myspace.com/suicidekingz this is NOT Nu Metal.

I get your point, but I don't think that parasiting on other genres is the solution of Metal evolution..
I'm not against the electronic aspect getting more and more involved in Metal, but I think metal should stick to its four primordial elements, deepening the possibilities of the instruments and transpassing the boundaries of the instrument supposed potential...
Metal may technically breath through Jazz (as last copies reveal) but Metal is a sound, a frenquency... So even Jazzy-Metal should look like progressive technical/experimental Death or Metalcore...
Necrophagist are deeply Jazz, Meshuggah too!! as I see of course... Polyrythmics are a good element to serve metal, but for me it shouldn't be a cut and copy Rags-Metal...
Metal Future is all about creativity through interpretation and inspiration from/of fertile musical registers, so that metal should remain fertile, being verile or fragile.. coz it's human..

Check out Textures "Drawning Circles" Necrophagist "Epitaph" Decapitated "Organic Hallucinosis"
Between The Buried And Me "Alaska" or an old cool heavy Judas Priest PainKiller will wash the future problem from the mechanical brains.. Remember, It's Human

I personally think metal can still evolve a bit, but what is mostly going on the scene today can't really be described as evolution. New bands today aren't focused so much in the progression of music, they're more focused on MIXING the (sub)generes, which is actually nothing new. Although I understand the bands because I know it's very hard to come up with something completley new.

Though it is near impossible to come up with something completely new and original, I've often found myself thinking that I'll never find another black metal band (just an example) that doesn't rip off other music. And then, I find something new and inovative, something special, and as long as people try to make their music personal, originality will never die. If you are a musician, you should make your music as personal as possible, to reflect you. No two people are the same, and in the same way, no two musical ideas should be the same, unless of course, you are attempting to gain popularity by being a clone of some popular band,

If the internet existed in 1930 then there would probably have been a site called "www.swingstorm.ee" with a thread in the general swing forum, with the title "Future Swing - Original or not?"... and people might say "swing has evolved as much as it could, there's not much room for evolution anymore". then 20 years later rock n roll exploded fusing blues instrumentation with swing attitude and dancing. then another website would be made named "www.rocknrollstorm.ee", etc.

everyone thinks at some point that there's not room for innovation, but there ALWAYS is. people thought rock n roll was dead in 1969, but 1-2 years later the first rock opera album and the first heavy metal album were released. 20 years from now people will be asking themselves the same thing, is future music gonna be original? YES, as long as we stay human, we'll innovate. it's in our spirit. if robots take over, then maybe they will start repeating themselves.

I probably know what Marcel thinks of this "future metal" idea...probably something like "old metal > all" lol

I agree with Valentin B, awesome post dude. We're creative beings and as long as we're around someone will want to push the envelope and do something original and new. Then again im not really the nostalgic type who faffs around over the classic metal bands so fuck it...to the future and beyond!! ha

Written by Guest on 11.01.2010 at 18:17

I probably know what Marcel thinks of this "future metal" idea...probably something like "old metal > all" lol

i think it would be something like (old metal>good new metal>most metal out there)<<<<<<<<<<< his obscure demo collection

Written by Valentin B on 11.01.2010 at 18:33

Written by Guest on 11.01.2010 at 18:17

I probably know what Marcel thinks of this "future metal" idea...probably something like "old metal > all" lol

i think it would be something like (old metal>good new metal>most metal out there)<<<<<<<<<<< his obscure demo collection

HA! Shit yeah I forgot about those...*shriek

Ya know... looking at how far metal has come in the years that it has, I'm excited for a couple things. One: the more the years go on, the more the subgenres get better. Power metal is more epic than ever, Thrash is more aggressive than ever and so on. So in that light, I'm excited for the future generations mission to perfect the genre just as we have done. But I'm also excited for the people who will do things nobody has ever heard of before. Who will stand on their own and never be copied. I think Metal has a bright future.