I'm quite the fan of nontraditional metal instruments being used in metal (i.e. Many things "folk metal" (bagpipes, penny whistle, hurdygurdy, mandola, etc.), Ihsahn/Deadlock/Dream Theater's use of saxophone; Apocalyptica: cellos; Van Canto: vocals). I'm curious as to whether there is any bluegrass/metal experimentation or anything along similarly strange veins of fringe instrument useage out there (specifically banjo, but really open to anything: steel drums? oboe? didgeridoo? marimba? anything?). Thoughts/recommendations?

Check out the band Slaughter Of The Blugrass from Gothenburg, a bluegrass/folk band that covers metal songs. It's really awesome.

Twilight Of The Thunder God - Amon Amarth cover


Punish my heaven - Dark Tranquillity cover


Blinded By Fear - At The Gates cover

Thanks. While that's not exactly what I'm looking for, I like them a lot and am intrigued to see them do more...

Non-traditional instruments can be interesting in metal sometimes. I think the only instrument I hate is sax. But I don't hate it only in metal, I hate it in every kind of music. I can't stand the 'whiny' sound this instrument has.

Check out maudlin of the well and kayo dot. they use a wide variety of instruments.

Oh man...
All these 3 covers are absolutly awesome Thanks for sharing that !

Written by Lord_Regnier on 12.03.2010 at 13:12

Non-traditional instruments can be interesting in metal sometimes. I think the only instrument I hate is sax. But I don't hate it only in metal, I hate it in every kind of music. I can't stand the 'whiny' sound this instrument has.

Weird...I actually enjoy the inclusion of sax in metal more than any other non-conventional instrument. The problem is, its very easy for it to sound shitty and out of place if not used correctly/overused. I love the way it was used in the latest Ihsahn and possibly even more when Suspyre used it in the song "Reign" on their latest album "When Time Fades". The key is, the guy who plays it should know what he's doing otherwise it can be severely detrimental to the music.

The pipes interlude in Blind Guardian's Somewhere Far Beyond from 3:50 destroys everything

Dude slaughter of the bluegrass FTW!!! so cool. bluegrass in general is awesome. Cadillac Sky is like power metal with banjos. Those guys are so fast...

Of course Nile uses ancient Egyptian instruments in many songs.

Amorphis has used sitar in a couple of songs, and also saw in "Grieve Stricken Heart".

What I totally like are pianos in metal, even though they are probably not alternative. Amorphis and DT as case in point they create a shitload of atmosphere.

This is not technically metal but as far as alternate instruments go, it doesn't get any better

Written by Risto on 03.04.2010 at 22:12

Amorphis has used sitar in a couple of songs, and also saw in "Grieve Stricken Heart".

I think they used a kantele not a sitar. A sitar wouldn't make much sense to use by a Finnish band which is proud of its Finnish roots.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 05.04.2010 at 17:59
I think they used a kantele not a sitar. A sitar wouldn't make much sense to use by a Finnish band which is proud of its Finnish roots.

The use of sitar in "Greed" is confirmed in the official band biography: "Even the album's one "pure" metal track, "Greed", was playfully introduced by an Indian-style melody, performed by Tomi (Koivusaari) on sitar."

Sitar also features in "Better Unborn" and the acoustic reprise of "My Kantele", this time performed by Holopainen. Ironically I can't recall them actually using the kantele in any of their songs.

Unusual instruments? Here you go!

The band is called Acne, they're from China, they've replaced the regular drum set by the percussions of the traditional Peking opera and they play Death/Thrash Metal with Cantonese and Mandarin vocals.
Enjoy.

Written by Starvynth on 26.10.2019 at 03:03

Unusual instruments? Here you go!

The band is called Acne, they're from China, they've replaced the regular drum set by the percussions of the traditional Peking opera and they play Death/Thrash Metal with Cantonese and Mandarin vocals.
Enjoy.

haha! That's amusing

It reminds me of Somnolence which uses a cello as primary instrument

Written by Karlabos on 26.10.2019 at 03:41

It reminds me of Somnolence which uses a cello as primary instrument

Listening to Somnolence's anarcho chamber-thrash right now...

Not bad, but somehow it feels a bit incomplete, at least to my ears. I guess Apocalyptica are to blame - my brain demands at least three Cellos playing simultaneously to get rid of the feeling that something is missing and the sound is too thin.
But it's probably just a matter of familiarization. Listen to this continuously for a couple of days and you will either go nuts or question the general raison d'être of any guitars in rock and metal music.