United States

Alright.so we all have to go through it but come on.i have been through like 3 bands in the past year and we always come up with some brutal stuff but thats it.something comes up and there are no shows,labels,or anything.so what am i missing?i also live in a redneck town so there arent many of us brutals left,maybe thats it.anyway,anything would help so what do i do.btw musicians always wanted if ur in ky and wanna go through some bullsh1t

Alright.so we all have to go through it but come on.i have been through like 3 bands in the past year and we always come up with some brutal stuff but thats it.something comes up and there are no shows,labels,or anything.so what am i missing?i also live in a redneck town so there arent many of us brutals left,maybe thats it.anyway,anything would help so what do i do.btw musicians always wanted if ur in ky and wanna go through some bullsh1t

3 things

1. crowd
2. scene
3. music

Most "metalheads" just play this newage screaming stuff with "breakdowns" and just random stuff. Most people are not into that. Im a metalhead myself, and I like a lot of different stuff. But truth be told the metal scene is taking a very hard hit because of this newage metal.
I have given up trying to play in a metal band becuase of that.

It seems like 80% of the musicians under 30 are into metal, but 80% of your age group audience falls into other categories, like hip-hop, rap, r & b, techno & emo. Odd, that. Perhaps if you combined some of the various stuff your core age-group likes, you could trick 'em into listening to your metal, too. Try some crossover writing, & find ppl of like progressive minds to play it with, & see what happens.

Evanescense did it by combining rap & rock. So have a few others, like Black Eyed Peas. Do it with metal & something out of the ordinary. You'll likely get a cult following at the very least, if you're any good.

Really man, your lot is no different than the rest of the genre'
Bands are about an explosive mixture of talents, chemistry, and dumb luck. I have observed that over the years and it has been proven over and over to me by just watching the ebb and flow of the musical lives of those on this board.
You have to keep stirring the pot until you find that perfect brew.
Then market the hell out of it.

NEVER FREAKIN STOP !!

At times you may need to back off for a fresh perspective, but
NEVER FREAKIN STOP !!

Problem is that there's so many bands out there playing Metal, and the internet can be your enemy if your'e not all over it.

Have you subscribed to the CDBaby newsletters? There's a ton of informative stuff. I've even ordered a few free catalogs with tips, and a big list of connections. There's tons of resources out there you may not know about(I didn't). It could help you a lot, cause it's all about who notices you these days. Don't let good music sit on the backburner.

I say just keep at it if you love it. Of course try new stuff but don't turn your back on what you love. Find some like minded guys that won't give up if you aren't successful in 6 months and play for the love of the music.

the internet won't make or break you. It's a tool, one of many, that you can use.

What others have said about there being more bands than fans is totally accurate. Nearly all under 30 bands around here are metal or some sub-genre of metal, but most of the crowds are into hip-hop and indie.

There's too much saturation.

I think genre only matters to a point. Eventually, it comes down to this: you have to have the goods. You have to write great material and perform it really well with great stage presence.


The original band I'm in, Audian, labels themselves as "metal" or "progressive metal". They have obvious influences from Opeth, Tool and Devin Townshend. But when you listen to our stuff, I don't think we sound like those bands - I think we sound unique. One of the trademarks to our sound is that both myself and the other guitarist use piezo bridge guitars, so we mix acoustic with electric and we do a lot of acoustic passages to mix in with our more metal stuff. The end result is a lot of songs that have a wide tapestry of sound. We shy away from non-standard arrangements, but we always keep in mind a pop sensibility, so the music overall is very accessible.

The music is the reason I even got involved with the band in the first place. I just think the music kicks ass.


But the main thing is - we play for ourselves. And I think if you're going to get any enjoyment out of being a musician, that's an attitude you need to cultivate. If you're trying to strike it big or get famous, that's the wrong reason to do it. You need to be writing music and playing music for the love of what you do, and if you have that passion and drive and you are very good at it, then the rest will come in time.

But if your goal is to get big and famous then you're just going to be continually disappointed and you're not really going to enjoy the good moments as they come to you.

Heavier music has always been this way.

I dont consider myself a metal head anymore, but I do come from the days where Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Sabbath, Zep, Purple were considered heavy metal.

We couldnt hardle ever get gigs unless we got 2-4 bands together and did a big show, that was the only way to get enough audience together to even ask for a gig. So I dont think its any different now than say gulp 30 yrs ago. Oddly, these days we can play some of those old "heavy metal" songs and the general audience will get up and dance.

Good Luck and just Keep On Rockin is all the advice I can give anyone. Do it cause you enjoy it and feel it, in other words be real no matter what music genre you decide on.

Its kinda funny last night our bassist neighbor came over to talk to him about playing with him and making some pickup money. He told our bassist he would handle everything. Booking, Pa marketing etc and would pay our bassist $100 a night just to show up and play. Me and our drummer looked at each other and said hey man you can get drums, bass and guitar as a package if you pay us all that for every gig.

It seems like 80% of the musicians under 30 are into metal, but 80% of your age group audience falls into other categories, like hip-hop, rap, r & b, techno & emo. Odd, that. Perhaps if you combined some of the various stuff your core age-group likes, you could trick 'em into listening to your metal, too. Try some crossover writing, & find ppl of like progressive minds to play it with, & see what happens.

Evanescense did it by combining rap & rock. So have a few others, like Black Eyed Peas. Do it with metal & something out of the ordinary. You'll likely get a cult following at the very least, if you're any good.

This is a very good point. Actually I prefer the fusion of styles. There was a country singer, can't recall his name, but he combined country with rap and it was good. My son is into both, hip-hop and metal ... he is also into Evanescence. Mix it up and you might get a larger following than your greatest dreams.

ugggh please no more rock and rap mix.


It's like a night a beer and then drinking vodka.

(you are going to be sick and your head will pound)

Few do that well. Only positive example I can come up with is THE DEF TONES. (but that's a vampire/goth/undead vibe as far as I know)

Things used to be real good for metal bands when they did local band shows. A lot of college and high school radio would play demos from people all over the globe.

Now it's all internet radio, and it doesen't seem like that many people listen to it. I mean, there's nothing better than driving down the road and discovering cool new bands.

Oh no, I'm really getting older! Time Machine please! I need one!

Post of the day for me Krul.
I totally agree and its not an age thing either, its the business thats changed altogether. I know some people listen to Internet radio but I know a vast number that don't too, they watch films and play games, not listen to the radio.

When I was younger there were always new songs on the radio. Some because they had made the bottom end of the charts but they always got played as newcomers. Then there was local spotlights and other stuff. It's further proof to me at least that most are not getting enough wheat in their daily diet of music and thus are becoming fat in gray matter.

Things used to be real good for metal bands when they did local band shows. A lot of college and high school radio would play demos from people all over the globe. Now it's all internet radio, and it doesen't seem like that many people listen to it. I mean, there's nothing better than driving down the road and discovering cool new bands.

Oh no, I'm really getting older! Time Machine please! I need one!

Sometimes the thought of getting a professional recording and selling it confuses me. What I mean is...is there a point to printing up CDs? And will they sell? Or is online the route I'm being forced to go?

I think making a tangible product with artwork and all that other cool stuff makes it authentic. It's like a reward or a trophy to see something you made, being all over the internet isn't that exciting to me.

There's not as many collectors out there. Everyone wants everything now. They're missing out on the excitement of waiting, going to the store, reading everything in the album, and listening to every song. Now it's all about 30 second samples and MP3 format.

Don't get me wrong, I like to have the option of buying a couple songs from time to time, and the option to sell online, but a lot of fans of music these days are taking the fun out of the party, so to speak.

Maybe things will change around again, and we'll have more vinyl coming out(I love records). I don't see how the way things are can stay the same forever. It's too darn boring.

Alright.so we all have to go through it but come on.i have been through like 3 bands in the past year and we always come up with some brutal stuff but thats it.something comes up and there are no shows,labels,or anything.so what am i missing?i also live in a redneck town so there arent many of us brutals left,maybe thats it.anyway,anything would help so what do i do.btw musicians always wanted if ur in ky and wanna go through some bullsh1t

I think the problem is that you're trying to sound brutal instead of making original music. Metal is more than shitty death growls, tremolo picking, and guitar wank.

Learn some songs/listen to these bands and get inspired:
Krallice
Kylesa
Fudge Tunnel
Giant Squid
Dissection
1349
Negura Bunget
Carpathian Forest
Witch
A Storm of Light
The Angelic Process
Alcest
Ameseours
Godflesh
Jesu
Silent Stream of Godless Elegy
Portal
Subterranean Masquerade