South African Metal Scene
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Posts: 77
Visited by: 109 users
Original post
Posted by Stuart, 04.08.2008 - 02:39
What I find even more surprising though is that none of these bands seem to make it big in the international metal scene. There have been plenty of great South African metal bands over the years, you would think at least one would have done something. I wonder if this is because the largest metal market is Europe/America and that these markets are very un-accepting of vastly foreign metal imports. But then again even Australia has had one or two bands who've made it.
Nevertheless the local scene is currently experiencing massive growth (probably because the country is 20 years behind the rest of the world), I thought I'd like to hear some other people's opinions so I've put below some Myspace Links to some of the bigger SA bands from a wide variety of metal genres in no particular order. Let us know what you think.
http://www.myspace.com/noctivian
http://www.myspace.com/warthaneband
http://www.myspace.com/sanguinariusblackmetal
http://www.myspace.com/aoa666
http://www.myspace.com/betraytheemissary
http://www.myspace.com/mindassaulttheband
http://www.myspace.com/sacrifistband
http://www.myspace.com/semyazahband
http://www.myspace.com/insek
http://www.myspace.com/misericord
CrowKiller Posts: 37 |
26.01.2009 - 11:05
I have to agree with you about the song writing. It truly can be awful. But some bands do have the talent, and the song writing ability. I mean lets look at the band Autumn Sun. They are fantastic. I personally know a couple of the members. Their music is unique and has been influenced by the symphonic black/melo death sound of Scandinavia. If you hear them and see their show, there is no doubt they have what it takes to be huge. I mean they even played overseas with Cradle of Filth. The point is the same that you made. No money, no interest etc. However, I believe that metal is a lot bigger, globally not just locally, and it is expanding here and overseas with each day. This is why there is hope that the scene can get bigger eventually and we can have more local bands making it big. If you look at how many more international bands are starting to be interested in playing here in South Africa, is a good indication of positive things. Underoath (even though they are terrible emo band, but still globally recognised) and Carcass played last year. Bullet for my Valentine (also terrible but pretty well known) and DevilDriver will be coming this year. There is also talk of Children of Bodom and In Flames hitting witchfest this year. I think this will help the scene grow and it is a positive sign.
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Valaskjalf Account deleted |
26.01.2009 - 13:02 Valaskjalf
Account deleted Written by CrowKiller on 26.01.2009 at 11:05 The only thing is....for those bands like In Flames and COB to come here they need to know that local metal cds are sold well also. They need to be assured of big turn-outs for festivals because unlike Europe where all countries are pretty close to one another - they will have to travel 10 or 15 times further to get to SA. That puts even MORE pressure on the turn-outs because now the bands will have to cover travel expenses they're not accustomed to (unless they go to the US but they get to play at like 30 gigs over there because of the fanbase) and if they dont get their money back from festivals then their trip to SA will most likely be a once-off occurance. In Flames especially might be doing quite well...but Im pretty sure their record label wont just throw around money to have them travel to Africa where they will probably end up making a loss financially. And thats why so many gay bands come here, like the ones you mentioed, because they are seriously HUGE and absolutely SWIM in the money. Look at what happened to Nile....they were coming to SA and then pulled out because they realised they werent gonna make any money whatsoever.....So in the end, as much as we want to deny it, these bands have to make a living and perhaps SA is just too much of a financial risk to most of them. And Im pretty sure it wont get better for a long long time...
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Stuart MiseryKing |
27.01.2009 - 00:03
Let us remember Entombed came to South Africa.... TWICE
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CrowKiller Posts: 37 |
27.01.2009 - 09:44
Sepultura and The Haunted were here too. Iron Maiden...
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Stuart MiseryKing |
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Valaskjalf Account deleted |
30.01.2009 - 17:08 Valaskjalf
Account deleted
Exactly my point....Soulfly, The Haunted, Sepultura - not exactly UBER good bands or bands I would like to see. Perhaps some people like them but thats highschool metal. Im talking about seriously good metal bands that are taking over the world, not the ones that are sort of on their way out or the ones who just come here cozz they cant make the awesome fesitivals overseas anymore. Sorry this might sound cynical, but I want quality bands to come over here for a change.
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Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite |
30.01.2009 - 17:17 Written by [user id=1909] on 30.01.2009 at 17:08 You mean folk metal bands? And the extreme power metal bands? The sort of music no-one will be talking about any more in 5 years time. Exactly the sort of metal that is immensely popular in high schools here cause it is easy on the ears.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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Valaskjalf Account deleted |
30.01.2009 - 17:33 Valaskjalf
Account deleted Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 30.01.2009 at 17:17 not exactly...more along the lines of Behemoth, Keep of Kalessin or Miseration etc - and Im not talking about "highschool" music as those being easy on the ears, Im refering to bands that involve seriously little technicality or imagination to their music or sing about redundant shit like "oppression" in every freeking album ie Soulfly. I would even enjoy it if we at least get some prog bands over here, be it easy on the ears or not, perhaps Seventh Wonder or Symphony X or Circus Maximus...dont really give a rats ass if its easy to listen to. Just because a band is the heaviest or the least-liked by "highschool" kids doesnt mean its any good.
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Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite |
30.01.2009 - 17:40 Written by [user id=1909] on 30.01.2009 at 17:33 Aha I see, but the problem with the bands you mentioned is that they are realtively small and don't get that much label support, hence travelling all the way to South Africa will be one hell of an expensive journey cause they won't be able to combine that trip with a tour in the region (unlike when bands go to Australia and New Zealand)
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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Valaskjalf Account deleted |
30.01.2009 - 17:48 Valaskjalf
Account deleted Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 30.01.2009 at 17:40 Yeap Touche... And thats my problem with metal on this side and Ive brought it up before....no matter how good our metal scene is gonna get, it doesnt change our geopraphy: We're still gonna be on the other side of the earth to most of these bands. And I guess since Ive lived in the UK and have gone to The Netherlands to see some of my favourite bands ie Hypocrisy, Naglfar etc, I cant help but feel disgruntled about the metal situation over here. Every idiot and his friend listens to Nile and end up making a band that sounds like Lamb of God. (wtf!?) I cant help being prejudiced about it all....having experienced the "metalness" of Europe and coming back here and seeing what a shit excuse for a scene we have, its normal for me to laugh off the sorry excuses for "overseas bands" that get shipped off here once in a while for a show.
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Stuart MiseryKing |
30.01.2009 - 22:40 Written by [user id=1909] on 30.01.2009 at 17:33 I hate to disagree with you man, I've lived in the UK for quite a few years and I've been to HUNDREDS of gigs, seen Behemoth, seen Hypocrisy, seen Keep of Kalessin a few times and many, many others, and I've seen South African bands that easily rival them in terms of intensity of a live gig. what you're saying is simply about your personal taste in music. I personaly happen to think that folk metal and power metal are quite shit in general and I happen to absolutely love Entombed live shows and Soulfly live shows... remember that this thread is not about an individual's take on metal, but the metal scene as a whole in South Africa. This is maybe the problem with the south african metal scene and just bloody south africans in general, they're too self obsessed with their own opinions and fail to see the bigger picture. You've nicely summarised by your opinions why the south african seen never makes it big. thanks
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Stuart MiseryKing |
30.01.2009 - 22:42
Ok maybe none that rival Hypocrisy, that was pushing it.
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Valaskjalf Account deleted |
31.01.2009 - 00:24 Valaskjalf
Account deleted Written by Stuart on 30.01.2009 at 22:40 Well yeah I am very opinionated and I know what I like...and I obviously dont like what most SA metallers like. And like I said, and this is something people keep missing when I say it: To me its not about the intensity, its about the songwriting - but I guess thats too much "me" in this equation again isnt it? But it just so happens that theres very few South Africans on this forum and ur unlucky enough to be stuck with me - who instead of headbanging mindlessly to Soulfly Id much rather just chill in the back, smoke a ciggy and admire a nice solo from a good band. And is it really such a bad thing that my personal taste is vaslty different from most South Africans? Hell, I really dont think so.....and about the reason why South African bands dont make it big, Im pretty sure its not because of people like me because from where I sit theres a shitload of people out the who just LOVE the metal in South Africa - the majority Im quite sure.
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Stuart MiseryKing |
31.01.2009 - 00:38 Quote:Written by [user id=1909] on 31.01.2009 at 00:24 Well no, you're someone who knows what they like it's fair enough. I mean I personally dislike most Finnish bands except for 1 or 2 I think they're pretty rubbish. But do I think the Finnish scene is rubbish? no I think it's a strong scene, just not really my cup of tea, I find it too fantasy orientated. I don't like fantasy in music as a rule, but that's my opinion and is no reflection on reality. What I'm trying to say is you have to compare like for like. I'm not gonna compare Erebus with Slayer, because well I basicaly worship Slayer and that would be a silly comparison. but I could quite easily compare Erebus with many Scandanivian BM bands and in that case, they come up very well. Whether I like black metal or not is irrelevant. You're saying there are no bands in the scene you like simply based on genre and not based on what the music is. Intensity is always a must in metal, its what metal is about. By intensity I don't mean the hardest fastest, heaviest shit out there. Slow chilled, out prog bands can be equally intense in a different way. I happen to think Van Der Graaf generator (nothing to do with metal, but 70's prog nevertheless) are one of the most intense bands i have ever heard. but they're intense in a different way to say Slayer. Everything in this world has its place, and you may think headbanging to Soulfly is mindless and people who do are mindless, but that's just plain wrong. I personaly think one should be able to appreciate everything in its own unique way. Sometimes its good to be mindless, sometimes its good to be angry and pissed off and other times, well its cool just to sit back and silently enjoy the sun and the breeze with some chilled out vibes. Unfortunately some people are so into what they deem to be good, they forget the wonders of open-mindedness.
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Valaskjalf Account deleted |
31.01.2009 - 13:06 Valaskjalf
Account deleted Quote:Written by Stuart on 31.01.2009 at 00:38 Dude...do you live in South Africa? Do you live in Finland? No...Im pretty sure I have a better idea of whats going on in the scene than you do. And sure there are a few bands out there who I enjoy to watch who are entertaining even if they play thrash metal, which I dont like. TheWarInsane is a good example, ive checked them a couple of time when they played here in Cape Town and its a good laugh and fun and they are very tight. But I wont go buying their album I dont think.... I dont know which bands you have seen or where you hang out when ur in SA but the bands Ive seen would make you think twice about calling me closed-minded. I consider myself fairly open-minded actually....I dont ONLY listen to metal, shit I even listen to Coleske (if you dont know them, google it) which in all respects are really gay but I love it. And the same for metal as well....I dont like Death Metal generally but if I hear a good Death Metal band play live and I think its tight and professional and good I will say that. Dont get the wrong idea about me....Im not trying to be all "elite" or anything and shoot everything down which isnt in my taste. I just happen to always hear music that isnt ONLY not my taste, but seriously bad as well around here. Believe me...Id love to be able to pimp some local band and tell people about it but no...havent foudn it yet.
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CrowKiller Posts: 37 |
01.02.2009 - 09:33
You live in Cape Town dude. All the good metal bands are in Jo'burg. I go to many gigs when I'm down there and am always impressed by what I see. Sure, the bands might not appeal to your tastes but that doesn't make the scene bad or terrible. In fact, from what I see, many people there actually are really into it and the attendances always become higher and higher. The Jo'burg scene is very "core" oriented. On the other hand, the Durban scene is much heavier and brutal. Bands like Contrast the Water, Reverand Henry Kane etc present a much more "European" influenced sound (from the little I have heard). The point is, if you don't like it, it doesn't make the scene shit, it just makes it not appeal to your tastes. Power metal (which I really hate) and folk metal (which I like) are not popular genre's in this country, hence you will not be likely to see such bands travel here.
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Valaskjalf Account deleted |
01.02.2009 - 12:57 Valaskjalf
Account deleted Written by CrowKiller on 01.02.2009 at 09:33 why do people on this damn forum think I only like powermetal and folkmetal??
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Stuart MiseryKing |
01.02.2009 - 14:45 Quote:Written by [user id=1909] on 31.01.2009 at 13:06 No I don't live in South Africa, but I spend a month of every year there and go out to clubs/gigs every single night in that month... and my mates always tell me their experiences of bands and gigs when I'm not there so I think I have a pretty good idea of the scene in South Africa, the question is how often do you actualy go see bands? or have you decided they're all shit and you don't put in the effort? You don't need to live in Finland to know anything about the Finnish metal scene, thats a silly statement.
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Valaskjalf Account deleted |
01.02.2009 - 15:13 Valaskjalf
Account deleted Quote:Written by Stuart on 01.02.2009 at 14:45 Well if you read further you would have had your answer....I do go to gigs and shows and there are some bands I like, especially Warthane and Warinsane, I guess it all comes down to me being way more picky about the music I like, and I wont just listen to anything just for the sake of hearing something new - or better yet, lets just say Im not as easily impressed as you guys.
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Stuart MiseryKing |
02.02.2009 - 15:05 Quote:Quote:Written by [user id=1909] on 01.02.2009 at 15:13 yeah I could see that you go to gigs but its more the matter of what gigs I was referring to... i like the way you seem to think that anyone who has something good to say about the scene is easily impressed, i'm definitely not easily impressed and yeah there are alot of shit bands in SA but that can be said about any country in the world... bands like Selfmoord, architecture of aggression are fucking tight live death bands... if you can't see that well then its simply bias. I'm not speaking from the point of view of someone who hasn't seen the international scene, I have probably alot more than you. Now if you're talking about bands like Tyburn, Rhutz and all that shit, I totally agree with you, those are the bigger bands in SA (I haven't heard about Tyburn for awhile so I could be wrong, but they're not even on my radar) but not the better bands. I just doubt you've had the correct exposure. as I said earlier on in the thread the SA bands strength lies in the live show, not the recordings, maybe the cape town scene is just shit. I don't know i never go to cape town. Merely because someone listens to something else apart from metal, it doesn't make them open minded.
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Valaskjalf Account deleted |
02.02.2009 - 17:26 Valaskjalf
Account deleted Written by Stuart on 02.02.2009 at 15:05 Well there you go....we could have saved both of us a lot of time if you had mentioned that earlier. MANY people in this thread have mentioned that the Joburg scene is way better than Cape Town, so your argument is based on comparing apples to oranges at the moment. And I dont know what the big deal is....yes Im biased, so what? If I dont like the SA metal scene (or Cape Town if we wanna get down to the nitty gritty) then so be it, as you say the scene is obviously healthy and flourishing - so all the best to them. Its a matter of opinion as all these things are, you like it, I dont and perhaps you should check out the Cape Town scene next time youre here then perhaps you will better understand where Im coming from. Until then, we're just pissing into the wind...
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Stuart MiseryKing |
03.02.2009 - 22:31
Ok, you are prepared to acknowledge a good, tight death band then go on to say that are biased against SA metal? Right kids, there we have it, johannesburg and pretoria are the places to be. Yeah I've been meaning to go down to CT again, i think i will do it this year. i heard that gandalfs is supposed to be good. although i looked at their website and it looks a bit shit.... might just stick around other kind of places, hell maybe i'll do vortex... that's more a ct kind of thing...
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Valaskjalf Account deleted |
09.02.2009 - 00:21 Valaskjalf
Account deleted Written by Stuart on 03.02.2009 at 22:31 Well yeah dont go to Gandalfs....unless you want to listen to radio friendly "metal" or System of a Down and the likes and no real metal bands of note will play there. And Im not being a douche when Im saying it, I mean it: You wont find metal there.
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Throne Dweller |
14.02.2009 - 08:47
I was hoping to find a new meaning for the term 'black' metal. Seriously, I've never seen any negros in any metal bands that aren't nu-metal. [I don't delve into Nu-metal, friends, etc.]
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Syk myspace/bonerama |
14.02.2009 - 10:28 Written by Throne Dweller on 14.02.2009 at 08:47 Suffocation <- drums | vox -> God Forbid, Leng Tch'e/Ackros
---- death ? thrash ? death/doom/prog ? Hail Zoldon! he's not the kind you have to [url=../bands/album.php?album_id=28982]wind up[/url] on Sundays
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Throne Dweller |
14.02.2009 - 10:59
Heh, nothing special then aye. I don't know what I was expecting. x]
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Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite |
14.02.2009 - 13:42 Written by Throne Dweller on 14.02.2009 at 10:59 Hirax, Cyclone Temple, Magnacult, Thin Lizzy... all have dark people in the bands...
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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rageing atheist Account deleted |
14.02.2009 - 13:52 rageing atheist
Account deleted Written by Throne Dweller on 14.02.2009 at 08:47 Blasphemy and Mystifier. Also Judas Priest had a black drummer at one point in their career.
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Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite |
14.02.2009 - 13:55 Written by [user id=23267] on 14.02.2009 at 13:52 Metallica has a balck guitarist on the original version of Hit The Lights on Metal Massacre 1 as well
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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rageing atheist Account deleted |
14.02.2009 - 13:57 rageing atheist
Account deleted Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 14.02.2009 at 13:55 Didn't know that.
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