Ok, the topic title may seem a little vague, so let me explain.

Iron Maiden is just an example name, the greatest example I could find. Iron Maiden is one of those few metal bands that acquired mainstream success/mass appeal while still retaining the respect from the more elitist of metalheads. No one gets called a "poser" for being an Iron Maiden fan, yet they are waaay bigger than almost every band everyone deems as "sellouts".

So the more descriptive question is this: Who will be the next metal band (lets say bands that have formed in the last 10-15 years), that acquires mass appeal globally, while at the same time still holds respect from more elitist people?

Not such an easy question to answer. Due to the fact that the music business has completely changed since Iron Maidens prime, it's doubtful any other band in metal will reach the level of Iron Maiden again, so lets say the next mainstream band that everyone would be proud to be waving the "metal flag". Some possible answers that went through my head: Children Of Bodom - No, sure they are possibly one of the biggest metal bands to come out in the past 15 years, but once again they don't get much respect from the more learned of metalheads. Opeth maybe?

The reason I made this a topic is because I have no idea! In 25-30 years, Whats that one metal band thats not going to be known for selling out (*cough* *cough* Metallica *cough*), the band where all the kids are going to be wearing shirts of and referring to as "classic"? Any ideas anyone?

Wow good question.

Hmmm maybe Machine Head? Pretty popular (the Blackening was best album of 07 according to many sources) and pretty well respected at least from what I've seen.

Now maybe I'm saying this just cuz they came on the radio, but yeah I think they're a solid bet...

I'm going to go with Opeth. Just look at their page on metalstorm, not a single album is rated below a 8.7, and 5 out of 9 of their studio albums are consistently in the top 100 albums of all time. Plus, they are only second to Iron Maiden on here in number of fans.

Judging by the Opeth thread on metalstorm, they seem to have already reached the point of "how could you not like Opeth?!?!?! are you crazy or something!?!?!" being a common point of view.

The only strike against them really for being the next Iron Maiden is that they don't get radio play (not that I know of anyways), but I think that that doesn't matter as much as long as there is that there are a large number of people that are passionate listeners. That dedication gives bands longevity.

The fact of the matter is that there will always be that select group of people who dislike something based solely on the positive feedback of others, to appear more unique and retain a sense of individuality, elitism. I agree that the closest band right now to this "Iron Maiden phenomena" is Opeth, even though I'm not sure we are reading the same forum on MS, it is very understandable for people not to like Opeth. There's the criticism of Damnation, the "soft" appeal to females, and the post-Blackwater Park emo invasion that repel many metalheads (although there are many who dislike it for the 1337 reasons discussed initially).

If Gojira keeps releasing solid albums like they have, i can see them getting big but still remaining tr00 to their r00ts.

Written by LeChron James on 29.10.2008 at 06:29

If Gojira keeps releasing solid albums like they have, i can see them getting big but still remaining tr00 to their r00ts.

I could see Gojira going very far as well.

Maybe Lamb of God. I see their shirts everywhere I go. I could also see Devildriver getting pretty popular as well

Written by -DC-002- on 29.10.2008 at 07:26

Written by LeChron James on 29.10.2008 at 06:29

If Gojira keeps releasing solid albums like they have, i can see them getting big but still remaining tr00 to their r00ts.

I could see Gojira going very far as well.

Maybe Lamb of God. I see their shirts everywhere I go. I could also see Devildriver getting pretty popular as well

Lamb of God is already too mainstream. that and they BLATANTLY stole lyrics from Metallica.

Lamb of God
Devildriver
Opeth
Machine Head
Children Of Bodom
etc.

These are bands that either never had the respect of the majority of the metal underground, or have long since lost it.

Gojira might be a slightly better answer but they still have many hipster/post-rock leanings that disqualify from being some sort of pure metal heroes. I think some newer projects of scene veterans like Down or High On Fire could be candidates to become the main metal headlining acts once the Maidens and Sabbaths are all dead or retired. I might be tempted to throw Skyclad in there if Walkyier had stuck around.

It's hard to imagine a respectable metal band breaking into the mainstream at a massive level in this age. Just listen to your local rock radio station, can you really imagine a credible metal band with the respect of metalheads from the casual listeners to the underground flourishing in that context?

Also part of it is that right now many of the big bands from the 1970s and 80s are still going strong, once some of those bands start to hang it up there will be room for others to rise to the top. But never mind mainstream success, it's hard to even think of moderately popular metal bands that aren't met with derision in more purist metal circles...

From past there are only fiew like Ac/Dc . MDB , but from bands who start nowdays there wont be those who live, thay simly cant be good bands, people shood feel and live in past to understand , and get some education not pilot but some eduaction

I think Gojira are the most likely candidate, the way they're been portrayed in the media as "the saviours of metal" and the like combined with the fact they are genuinely impressive, both on record and live. I guess to some extent they epitomise a fairly unique and new style of metal (if you ignore Meshuggah), like Maiden did back then, and the whole "green" thing they have going on is absolutely perfect, politically speaking, to get them noticed in mainstream media. I never would have guessed though, listening to 'The Link' many moons ago that they'd get so huge especially considering that a lot of their music is pretty heavy stuff.

I think any metal band with growl vocals will never grow that much and wiil never have major mainstream success and mass appeal cause many people don't accept that kind of music or even consider listening to it, keep that idea aside i would have to say Opeth:maniac:

Written by LeChron James on 29.10.2008 at 06:29

If Gojira keeps releasing solid albums like they have, i can see them getting big but still remaining tr00 to their r00ts.

Agreed. I don't see them changing anytime soon, and they will continue to get good recognition I hope. Who knows though, they prove us wrong.

Lamb Of God and Machine Head IMO are not that respected band as Iron Maiden...from the mentioned Opeth is a right comparison...about Gojira, well they are young, we'll see.

Bah. if only Bodom would return to what they were doing on their first 2 albums, though their last one was pretty awesome. i've heard people accuse both Machine Head and Bodom of selling out tho

Written by Valentin B on 29.10.2008 at 16:52

Bah. if only Bodom would return to what they were doing on their first 2 albums, though their last one was pretty awesome. i've heard people accuse both Machine Head and Bodom of selling out tho

I won't judge on the Chicken of Boredom but Machine Head actually did sell out after their second album and have only returned to that sound on the last two albums more or less.

Written by LeChron James on 29.10.2008 at 06:29

If Gojira keeps releasing solid albums like they have, i can see them getting big but still remaining tr00 to their r00ts.

I must say, I never would have seen that one coming, but it makes sense. I believe Someone mentioned Down and High On Fire, though I doubt HoF will reach the same plateau I could really see Down doing it...

I don't think Gojira could ever reach that kind of public acclaim because their music is just not appealing enough to the general public, same goes for High on Fiire imo

IMO non of bands will even tahy have 10000 fans or sold 1000000 million albums, its not posible, nowdays media made 2-3 years top bands and after it those bands disapreare, I hasnt seen after 2000 band who can be such huge(IMO IM didnt know thay play so long , tyhay just play)

Napalm Death bass player sad:''we didnt think about carear we just played'', nowdays people think about carear after 1 demo who sucks

Its my opinium about it

I agree regarding High on Fire. the band has metal "cred", spawning from the death of Sleep. But after four albums, which seem to get positive acclaim from the press, when left to their own to tour, they don't exactly play big venues. When they played in my neck of the woods back in January of this year they played a tiny club with a room slightly larger than a two car garage... we have larger venues in town, ranging from good sized clubs to an arena Iron Maidnen once played in the mid-80's...

i just don't see their fanbase growing too terribly much. the tour with Megadeth will likely have helped, but i cannot see them making that much of a leap.


Down - perhaps. the fact their vocalist was from an extremely popular metal band will certainly help.

Enslaved is a band that has the back catalog to pass the quality litmus test for credibility and they are continuing to evolve in a direction that is easier to listen to (thus perhaps securing a larger fan base), but as mentioned above, the vocals. Grutle's throatwork is probably just a tad too much to gather a huge fanbase.


honestly, i just don't really see it happening. the metal landscape has changed a considerable amount over 25 years, and with so many subgenre's and different fanbases... and i don't really see how a band could adjust their sound in such a way as to gain mass appeal without pissing off a huge chunk of the core fan base. I am convinced a lot of people don't hate popular bands as much as they hate the fans of said popular bands.

iron maiden came out at a perfect time - metal was a resurgent force and eMpTy Vee was just still taking off... i remember them running Iron Maiden promos during commercial breaks at least like once an hour. that's how big Maiden was.

i just don't see that happening again.

Yeah, thats what I figured, anything with harsh vocals I doubt would do it (aside from Opeth), so Gojira is out and HoF doesn't have the catchy anthems that would be necessary.

I have always been thinking of Opeth as probably the best band of nowadays, but they are just not as popular as Iron Maiden, and I am surprised not many people in my country know of them, but that's probably cause they are no as mainstream as COB for instance. The only other big band I can think to match the characteristic is Nightwish. They are widely known among various listener kinds...

Written by K✞ulu on 29.10.2008 at 19:00

I have always been thinking of Opeth as probably the best band of nowadays, but they are just not as popular as Iron Maiden, and I am surprised not many people in my country know of them, but that's probably cause they are no as mainstream as COB for instance. The only other big band I can think to match the characteristic is Nightwish. They are widely known among various listener kinds...

Maybe Nightwish would be, whit Traja, now its Tarja and I would say iron maiden whit out Bruce was bigger how NW whit out her, but Tarja its lil more female Bruce Dickinson

Written by Bad English on 29.10.2008 at 19:13

Written by K✞ulu on 29.10.2008 at 19:00

I have always been thinking of Opeth as probably the best band of nowadays, but they are just not as popular as Iron Maiden, and I am surprised not many people in my country know of them, but that's probably cause they are no as mainstream as COB for instance. The only other big band I can think to match the characteristic is Nightwish. They are widely known among various listener kinds...

Maybe Nightwish would be, whit Traja, now its Tarja and I would say iron maiden whit out Bruce was bigger how NW whit out her, but Tarja its lil more female Bruce Dickinson

Do you mean Nightwish is now worse because Tarja left? I still think they made a very good album with Anette - different, but good, that's an example of a great band; no matter what happens they still make good music.

I honestly think that no band will ever be able to touch what Maiden have done. I hate to sound cliche, but they are "originators" and thus they are instantly "classic." It'd have to be a band who could change up the genre of metal enough to make it interesting and grab fans from all demos, but also it has to be within strict parameters. For example, a band from an "extreme" brand of metal couldn't do it because the general population won't accept the harsh vocals. I believe it would have to be a very innovative "Heavy" or "Melodic" band. A band like Dragonforce, only not as gay so that the "actual" metal community could stomach them better

If the thread didn't require actual metal heads to like the band, I think my vote would go to Slipknot. They brainwash kids into loving their stuff and telling them it is "extreme, brutal, satanic, death/black metal!!!" One year I went to Oz Fest because I got free tickets, and I swear their were a million little "maggots" running around in coveralls and masks, telling people how "brutal death" Slipknot are. So lame. Modern day KISS, only not nearly as cool haha. But I'd say it would either have to be them or some other crappy band like CoB haha.

But as far as any band today, I don't see a single one who can touch Maiden. No one has accomplished what they have. Not even remotely. Maybe in 15 years we'll know more.

What about a band like Megadeth? They acquired mainstream success/mass appeal while still retaining the respect from the more elitist of metalheads...maybe even Arch Enemy...

Written by [user id=2084] on 29.10.2008 at 19:31

What about a band like Megadeth? They acquired mainstream success/mass appeal while still retaining the respect from the more elitist of metalheads...maybe even Arch Enemy...

Megadeth is a little too old for what I was originally thinking about...

Arch Enemy I could comprehend a bit....though I'm not sure what the tr00 metal stance is on them?

Arch Enemy loses points for the gimmickery (you may see their shirts everywhere but the fact is that if they had a male frontman you wouldn't even see half of those)... plus many don't think their music is that great.
The paradox of these requirements is that in order for a band to reach the Maiden level of popularity they have to "sell-out", thus negating their tr00 credibility.

Written by Introspekrieg on 29.10.2008 at 20:06

Arch Enemy loses points for the gimmickery... plus many don't think their music is that great.
The paradox of these requirements is that in order for a band to reach the Maiden level of popularity they have to "sell-out", thus negating their tr00 credibility.

Thats the whole conundrum.

So I think the question has been answered eh? The next "Iron Maiden"? Opeth only really...when I first saw this thread, I took a little while to skim through metal bands A-Z (yep...slow day at the office) to see which bands might attain this title and none really stood out...except for Opeth...but they could never be as big as Iron Maiden right?

Written by [user id=2084] on 29.10.2008 at 20:09

So I think the question has been answered eh? The next "Iron Maiden"? Opeth only really...when I first saw this thread, I took a little while to skim through metal bands A-Z (yep...slow day at the office) to see which bands might attain this title and none really stood out...except for Opeth...but they could never be as big as Iron Maiden right?

Opeth's music reaches different demographics than Iron Maiden, i.e. emo kids, hardcore proggies, death fans, so I think it will take about 10 more years before they reach the same level (as long as the continue to avoid developing their sound or changing their style drastically). If Opeth puts a song in Guitar Hero or Rock Band expect them to get the Dragonforce effect, and you will see a lot more Opeth tees but this definitely removes all tr00 credibility (if they have any left). Ever since Iron Maiden has had songs on Guitar Hero I see all the skaters in my area wearing their shirts now- it's hilarious, having a video game be your channel to new music, but who knows... maybe I am just witnessing the paradigm shift. Anyways at least it is helping guitar-driven music become more popular, no matter how asinine it may be.