Ok here it is
In the beginning there where bands with only clean vocals
Then there where bands with only harsh,growling etc. vocals
Then a few bands started to mix and have one singer doing both harsh and clean vocal
Or they let the singer do the clean vocal and one of the other members do the harsh one or vice versa
NOW a few years back bands has started to get two or more singers in one band doing the singing, screaming growling etc
Is this the future in metal? having a bunch of singers with different abilities singing inone band.
I don't like the idea at all, thats like having one drummer ONLY doing the blast beats and one doing....other kinds of beats

What do you think? do you like bands with two or more singers

One example of a band with two or more singers are amaranthe a swedish band I think with three singers THREE! one male clean vocal, one female clean vocal and one male screaming....none of those is playing an instrument their job is to sing only

I really dig the Amaranthe approach. I adds a lot especially to choruses when they mix male and female vocals. Their only fault is insisting to have EVERY singer in EVERY song, which feels a little forced at times.

Written by beyondtehdarksun on 13.12.2011 at 11:47

I really dig the Amaranthe approach. I adds a lot especially to choruses when they mix male and female vocals. Their only fault is insisting to have EVERY singer in EVERY song, which feels a little forced at times.

That's true and that could be because they have three(!) singers...if one of them also had an instrument to play with then perhaps they didn't have to "force" all three singers to sing in every song
By the way have any one seen these guys live?

Written by arwestromen on 13.12.2011 at 11:34
....none of those is playing an instrument their job is to sing only

What's wrong with that? It's kind of like picking on the guitar player of any band saying "their job is to play guitar only" as if that's a bad thing.

You mentioned how bands have one drummer doing everything but that's not always true. There are plenty of bands who have a drummer and a percussionist doing other things. Then there are bands like Umphrey's McGee who have two actual drummers. One person can't do it all, or at least they can't do it all live, so why not bring in more people to get the sound you want?

Of course, then there are people like Darroh Sudderth from Fair To Midland who can do it all, vocally. Although he is amazingly versatile you can't expect every band to have someone like him.

Along your line of reasoning every band should be a one-man-band. Why bring different people in to play different instruments when one person should be able to do everything? /facepalm

Depends of the band, male=female, clean + grows can be good, same time bad , alld epends of the band, noty from the vox,. so I say good I like it if band is good, nothing more to add

I say only one singer. Now if there is a lead vocalist and the bassist or guitarist does some back up vocals that fine, but you dont need two or three lead singers.

Written by [user id=115824] on 14.12.2011 at 20:13

I say only one singer. Now if there is a lead vocalist and the bassist or guitarist does some back up vocals that fine, but you dont need two or three lead singers.

Why not? If done right, it can add a lot to the music e.g. Unexpect.

If you don't "need" more than one vocalist then you don't "need" more than one guitar player. Etc.

Written by [user id=115335] on 14.12.2011 at 20:20

Written by [user id=115824] on 14.12.2011 at 20:13

I say only one singer. Now if there is a lead vocalist and the bassist or guitarist does some back up vocals that fine, but you dont need two or three lead singers.

Why not? If done right, it can add a lot to the music e.g. Unexpect.

Its just not what i like thats all. Im more used to one singer, two lead guitars that kind of stuff.

It's sometimes awkward to watch bands with 2 vocalists go through entire songs in which one of the vocalists doesn't do anything

Interitus Dei does something like this, the funny thing is the "harsh" vocalist is also the bass player and the other dude is just a vocalist, so he's reduced to just headbanging on stage and stuff for that song.

3 Inches of Blood used to have 2 vocalists, now there's only one left and the guitarist does the more relaxed harsh vocals.

I think when the 2 vocalists aren't that dissimilar from each other it can work quite well, like for example Iced Earth's song Stormrider. Schaffer's vocals were very similar to Barlow's deep low voice and it provided a well-needed break for the guy in live shows. Another good example would be nowadays WASP, where all 3 dudes have a quite similar normal voice and falsetto.

Another really awesome moment of 2-vocalist madness would be Metallica - Creeping Death live in Moscow 1991. The song sounds kickass overall but Jason Newsted's vocals near the end are absolutely devastating.

But imo the band that takes the cake is of course KISS. You might argue whether they are metal or not, but imo they were the best at this business, all 4 guys being talented vocalists (yes, i consider even Gene Simmons to be a good vocalist in his own way).. "You Wanted The Best" is their only song which features all 4 of them on lead vocals and it kicks ass!

Unexpect does that pretty well.

Like the first two posters have said, I think at times it can seem forced which ruins the effect for me. But for bands who do it right, it can provide even more awesome vocals, which can't be a bad thing.

@Lyrinan: I know its off-topic, but thanks for the Fair To Midland reference, just checked them out and was very impressed.

Scar Symmetry do it best.

Written by Susan on 14.12.2011 at 19:45
There are plenty of bands who have a drummer and a percussionist doing other things.

Exactly. Just look at Slipknot. Their drummers not only drum, but dance on their drums.

Therion manage to pull it off pretty well, I think it all depends on the band if it's done right it can really add to the music the same way adding different instruments together can

If you have more than one GOOD singer, why the hell not?

Heidevolk has 2 singers that only sing and they sound almost exactly alike lol.

Written by Valentin B on 14.12.2011 at 20:59

I think when the 2 vocalists aren't that dissimilar from each other it can work quite well, like for example Iced Earth's song Stormrider. Schaffer's vocals were very similar to Barlow's deep low voice and it provided a well-needed break for the guy in live shows. Another good example would be nowadays WASP, where all 3 dudes have a quite similar normal voice and falsetto.

Another really awesome moment of 2-vocalist madness would be Metallica - Creeping Death live in Moscow 1991. The song sounds kickass overall but Jason Newsted's vocals near the end are absolutely devastating.

But imo the band that takes the cake is of course KISS. You might argue whether they are metal or not, but imo they were the best at this business, all 4 guys being talented vocalists (yes, i consider even Gene Simmons to be a good vocalist in his own way).. "You Wanted The Best" is their only song which features all 4 of them on lead vocals and it kicks ass!

Tarot on their last few albums are like that, I had trouble telling both singers apart when I first got Crows Fly Black. And Gallhammer used that technique on their first 2 albums, one would do a line then the other would do the next line but both sounded pretty much identical.
But 2 singers who sound nothing like eachother can work just as well - either way, it all depends on how good the singers sound.

Does anyone know of a band that does a reverse of the beuty and the beast vocal approach? A Kiske/Gossow style vocal pairing.

Written by Susan on 14.12.2011 at 19:45

Written by arwestromen on 13.12.2011 at 11:34
....none of those is playing an instrument their job is to sing only

What's wrong with that? It's kind of like picking on the guitar player of any band saying "their job is to play guitar only" as if that's a bad thing.

I just think it's kind of weird to have two or three lead singers who just sing.....usually if a band have more then one singer at least one of them is playing an instrument so they are "doing" something live between the singing (does this make any sense at all?)
I think I just have a hard time watching people on stage just running around on stage doing nothing

Written by arwestromen on 15.12.2011 at 10:02
I just think it's kind of weird to have two or three lead singers who just sing...

I take it you aren't a fan of Van Canto.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 10:04

Written by arwestromen on 15.12.2011 at 10:02
I just think it's kind of weird to have two or three lead singers who just sing...

I take it you aren't a fan of Van Canto.

Don't even know what you're talking about....sounds like a family car

Written by arwestromen on 15.12.2011 at 10:08
Don't even know what you're talking about....sounds like a family car

"One does not simply riddley diddley into Mordor."

Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 10:04

Written by arwestromen on 15.12.2011 at 10:02
I just think it's kind of weird to have two or three lead singers who just sing...

I take it you aren't a fan of Van Canto.

Sorry but if there is one horrendous band cosisting of more than one vocalist it's Van canto. Technically great of course, but my god how cringeworthy.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 15.12.2011 at 10:26
Sorry but if there is one horrendous band cosisting of more than one vocalist it's Van canto.

You don't have to convince me. As talented as they may be, the "music" they make is godawful.

You two give me a sad.

Tarot on the newer albums is pretty awesome - if there's anyone who is awesome enough to sing alongside Marco, it's mr. Salmela for sure. And I'd like to see a reversed beauty and the beast approach, although it would be about as useful as the original one I myself have always wanted to learn growling or any other form of harsh vocals.

Being a killjoy: You're doing it right.

Written by arwestromen on 15.12.2011 at 10:08

Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 10:04

Written by arwestromen on 15.12.2011 at 10:02
I just think it's kind of weird to have two or three lead singers who just sing...

I take it you aren't a fan of Van Canto.

Don't even know what you're talking about....sounds like a family car

haha, awesome retort.. anyway imo they're not even that interesting at what they do (though they are obviously great vocalists) and are the perfect example of a gimmick band: all gimmick and no bite. At least Apocalyptica has some kickass songs.

But back on topic, I saw Grave Digger live performing "The Clans Are Marching" with Van Canto and Hansi Kursch as back-up vocalists and the harmonies from VC and vocal trade-offs between Kursch and Boltendahl sounded absolutely BEASTLY along with the tens of thousands of people singing along. Definitely an example of doing the whole "multi-vocalist" thing right.

Another really cool partly multi-vocalist band would be Accept. Peter Baltes stopped doing full songs quite some time ago but seeing as aside from Udo/Tornilo he is the only guy in the band who does good vocals, I love how they do Monsterman live nowadays switching between gang vocals, Peter and Tornillo. Awesome stuff

Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 10:09

Written by arwestromen on 15.12.2011 at 10:08
Don't even know what you're talking about....sounds like a family car

Oh god make it stop!!!

Vocals are like instruments to me. if they have different singers that employ different singing styles, there's no problem with that. Like some bands have one guitarist, some of two, some have none.

What matters most, is the songwriting and the performance. How good the songs are, how well the different timbre of the voices are incorporated into the music and interact with each other, and obviously the vocalists' abilities.