For the most part a lot of European or foreign bands sing in English and not in their native language. Although there are the exceptions that will sing in their native language (what comes to mind is Tyr, Korpiklaani, Moonsorrow, Manegarm) but for the most part it is mainly English lyrics.

For one thing, I was wondering why is this? Whenever I listen to a band and the vocals are anything other than English it just seems more powerful and more natural. Although, on the other hand with English vocals, mostly everyone will know what the lyrical content means. I don't know if this is just me, but how do you feel on this matter?

I don't give a fuck... That's all.

The language is not important as long as it sounds good. Normally I would not like a black metal band singing in.. I don't know, spanish [even if that's my mother tongue] because it will sound stupid.

But I will proably hear in the future a band that sings in spanish and it's black metal and I will say*
I guess I was wrong...

And that happens all the time... Because every language is good as long as it fits the music.

I don't give a flying fuck what they sing in as long as it sounds good.

Take for example Corrupted they sing in Spanish but are Japanese band but the it sounds good. so it works. And that's what is most important to me. It shoudl work for me the listener.

Written by X-Ray Rod on 10.12.2008 at 21:02

I don't give a fuck... That's all.

The language is not important as long as it sounds good. Normally I would not like a black metal band singing in.. I don't know, spanish [even if that's my mother tongue] because it will sound stupid.

But I will proably hear in the future a band that sings in spanish and it's black metal and I will say*
I guess I was wrong...

And that happens all the time... Because every language is good as long as it fits the music.

Perfectly my thoughts dude.

Besides, a band that sings in a different language can help you in learning

I find pretty interesting the "Native tongue" opportunity, it may show how bands can be attached to their cultures.

I swear there was some simmilat poll,
I dont realy care what langauge if song is good and belongs to that chategory metal bands what I like
I can lsiten almoust in each language metal if its good, but somehow Iw ant know song title, hehhe so I dont care ''Doesnt matter as long as it sounds good ''

I always prefer native tounge! I like when a folk metal band sings in its own native language.
but in other genres English is ok. btw I don't care about lyrics too much.

It doesn't matter as long as it sounds good. But honestly, I really prefer it if I can understand the lyrics.

Written by X-Ray Rod on 10.12.2008 at 21:02

I don't give a fuck... That's all.

Enough said! Just needs to sound good.

English
Especially if the vocals are clean. I can dealk with the Scandinavian languages in like Folk and Black Metal.
But it's msotly for singing/roaring along reasons that I preferre English,
Plus
I don't speak other languages, except......
Bahamian Creole (which is what I speak in person). But that's really a form of English, it's just considered "Bahamian Creole" as opposed to "The Queen's English" cuz Americans and Europeans who speak English have trouble understanding alot of it lol.

Whether or not the lyrics are in English or any other language has never swayed me from liking a band or not. I do on a certain level prefer English lyrics because I can connect with the band and learn the lyrics a lot easier. It helps me like a band a bit more and even have a bit more fun at concerts.

Doesnt matter as long as it sounds good...

that's it. even if i don't know what the hell thir saying when they sing (although i like to know what they say), as long as it sounds good and fits my tastes it's good enough. i'd have to say that when it's in spanish i don't like too much the accent from spain, but it doesn't mean i don't listen to it, i just don't like so much.

Makes no difference to me. i think its cooler when bands can integrate their languages to music, especially when its being done to faster paced music.

Written by -Soulreaper- on 10.12.2008 at 19:48

For the most part a lot of European or foreign bands sing in English and not in their native language. Although there are the exceptions that will sing in their native language (what comes to mind is Tyr, Korpiklaani, Moonsorrow, Manegarm) but for the most part it is mainly English lyrics.

For one thing, I was wondering why is this? Whenever I listen to a band and the vocals are anything other than English it just seems more powerful and more natural. Although, on the other hand with English vocals, mostly everyone will know what the lyrical content means. I don't know if this is just me, but how do you feel on this matter?

Yeah, you really are an American to call all the world out of USA "foreign"... Anyway, I personnally don't give a fuck what language is used, as long as the non-English vocalists master English well enough. I think about old Nightwish, for example, wherein Tarja's accent is HUGE. I have a preference for Folk metal bands who sing in their native language, though, but besides, I don't care. I can't wait for a band from Quebec to growl in French, damn shit!

I just can't understand why Finntroll sing in swedish. I also love Sweden and swedish folk and culture and language but they are FINNS! I know that it's the second official language in Finland but they are not even from the western part of the country...
I would love them more if they sang in finnish.

Written by Janne on 11.12.2008 at 22:25

I just can't understand why Finntroll sing in swedish. I also love Sweden and swedish folk and culture and language but they are FINNS! I know that it's the second official language in Finland but they are not even from the western part of the country...
I would love them more if they sang in finnish.

What I heard was that a couple of the Fintroll guys are of the Swedish speaking variety

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 11.12.2008 at 22:28

Written by Janne on 11.12.2008 at 22:25

I just can't understand why Finntroll sing in swedish. I also love Sweden and swedish folk and culture and language but they are FINNS! I know that it's the second official language in Finland but they are not even from the western part of the country...
I would love them more if they sang in finnish.

What I heard was that a couple of the Fintroll guys are of the Swedish speaking variety

Yeah, but the main reason was that Swedish is more "Trollish" (not joking)

Written by Elio on 11.12.2008 at 22:34

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 11.12.2008 at 22:28

Written by Janne on 11.12.2008 at 22:25

I just can't understand why Finntroll sing in swedish. I also love Sweden and swedish folk and culture and language but they are FINNS! I know that it's the second official language in Finland but they are not even from the western part of the country...
I would love them more if they sang in finnish.

What I heard was that a couple of the Fintroll guys are of the Swedish speaking variety

Yeah, but the main reason was that Swedish is more "Trollish" (not joking)

I know they said that, but for me it would not enough reason. and if I'm right the band is from Helsinki.

Written by Janne on 11.12.2008 at 23:06

. and if I'm right the band is from Helsinki.

Yes and your point being?
I have a couple of Finnish friends who live here in The Netherlands who also speak Swedish as more or less their first language and they are also from Helsinki.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 11.12.2008 at 23:10

Written by Janne on 11.12.2008 at 23:06

. and if I'm right the band is from Helsinki.

Yes and your point being?
I have a couple of Finnish friends who live here in The Netherlands who also speak Swedish as more or less their first language and they are also from Helsinki.

But swedish is their mother tounge or they have learned it? I don't know the exact situation in Helsinki but I guess mainly finnish speaking men live there.

If the option " Doesnt matter as long as it sounds good " wasn't in the poll I voted for native language.. But now, I say Doesnt matter as long as it sounds good, because I'm listening to music not speech.. And if I want to understand the band I read the lyrics.. Release a good music no matter that it's in C++ language or tribal..

Written by Janne on 11.12.2008 at 23:21

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 11.12.2008 at 23:10

Written by Janne on 11.12.2008 at 23:06

. and if I'm right the band is from Helsinki.

Yes and your point being?
I have a couple of Finnish friends who live here in The Netherlands who also speak Swedish as more or less their first language and they are also from Helsinki.

But swedish is their mother tounge or they have learned it? I don't know the exact situation in Helsinki but I guess mainly finnish speaking men live there.

Correct me, if I'm wrong, but as far as I know, in Finland - so especially in Helsinki - there is a swedish minority! So there are definitely people, who speak both languages like first.

Concerning the topic: I'm always a bit irritated, when a band does not sing in english - that's somehow a sign of liberty, and adds lots of atmosphere imo. Best example might be Tyr! But I really appreciate that. When the singer is growling, you won't mind it anyways. When there are clean vocals the mother tongue rises the level of interest by miles!

Written by Janne on 11.12.2008 at 22:25

I just can't understand why Finntroll sing in swedish. I also love Sweden and swedish folk and culture and language but they are FINNS! I know that it's the second official language in Finland but they are not even from the western part of the country...
I would love them more if they sang in finnish.

In Finland there a huge fins who speek at swedish , same like in Sweden are people who speek finish(first langauge) its big swedish comunity in Finland, if you ever had been into Helsinki you will see even finisha nd swedish on street sighs, all info be in boath langauges, etc all fins can speek swedish , but Finltroll belongs to swedish talking comunity like some trivie in home side or else where says

Generally I don't care...of course english is the most understandable language, but it's cool to hear sometimes lyrics and singing in other unusual languages (especially scandinavians and russian). Although, I have to say that I don't realy pay so much attention to lyrics and language, but mostly to music and the sound of instruments...

Well, i prefer vocals in english, though if they sound good then i wouldn't really care. the reason i like english more is that i can easily sing along from the first moment and i don't have to learn the song phonetically like i tried to get the last part of Nightwish-Creek Mary's Blood, or learning the song is much easier than with german and french lyrics(languages which i know a bit of, but not really conversation level)

I usually prefer english, but any language vocals can sound just as good (depending on the music of course).

It doesn't matter to me. Most albums I have are in English, but for example I like Totenmond in German and
Brujeria in Spanish. Belphegor did a fine job in Austrian on "Blutsabbath" and Impaled Nazarene does it in Finnish from time to time,
so I have no problem with one or another language in metal.

I just wonder from time to time, how all these greek, german, swedish, french,.. bands get all their lyrics in english?! I mean, not how - that's manageable, but how they translate their thoughts in another language. In literature for example this is something, that more or less never happens - for good reasons!

Isn't this all a bit unauthentic?! If you like meaningful texts.

Doesn't really matter to me.
I like English so I can understand what the song's theme is and shit, but native tongue just adds more emotion to the song, makes me WANT to hear more from them
and makes me want to find out what dah fuck they're saying.

Written by Janne on 11.12.2008 at 22:25

I just can't understand why Finntroll sing in swedish. I also love Sweden and swedish folk and culture and language but they are FINNS! I know that it's the second official language in Finland but they are not even from the western part of the country...
I would love them more if they sang in finnish.

Why? do the western part speak swedish? maybe the singer was froma different part. the band members don't ALWAYS grow up in the same towns ya know.

Written by MétalNoir on 11.12.2008 at 21:46

I can't wait for a band from Quebec to growl in French, damn shit!

Meanwhile try out Aes Dana from France...they growl in French....

Written by Janne on 11.12.2008 at 22:25

I just can't understand why Finntroll sing in swedish. I also love Sweden and swedish folk and culture and language but they are FINNS! I know that it's the second official language in Finland but they are not even from the western part of the country...
I would love them more if they sang in finnish.

Swedish is an official language of Finland just like English is an official language in Ireland....
Somehow Irish bands don't sing in Irish, but in English instead and, usually it's better that way....for instance Cruachan ruined the folk song "Teir Abhaile Ru" with their horrid distorted Irish language....why should they sing in a language they suck at....Primordial sings in English...thank God, I listened to them singing Irish and it was awful...these dudes cannot speak nor sing Irish text....and they're Irish people, not English, nevertheless, their first language is English....
Therefore, since Finntroll members are obviously Swedish-speaking, why should they be singing in Finnish....
Yes, the ethnic Swedes inhabit the western Finland and the archipelago of Aland but besides ethnic Swedes, there are, for sure, a considerable number of Finns who speak Swedish as their first language...

In general I don't pay attention to the language as long as the music and the vocals sound fine together....of course, if the language sounds interesting and when a group sings in their native language or in whatever language other than english, I consider it a huge advantage....I think it adds a lot....