Are "Decapitated" actually a serious band?

[Zerimski]

Answers on a postcard please. Are these guys actually a serious band? And if so, do we have any fans here?

I don't intend this to be insulting to anyone, and I apologise in advance if anyone is offended. But that image cracks me up every single time. The look on the face of the guy on the far left, priceless. The fact that they obviously all spent a long time thinking up scary sounding names (nice one, Sauron :thumbs: ) apart from...Martin. They are hardly doing anything to further the rather nasty stereotypes (or indeed the genre, as far as I can tell, and yes, I have listened) are they? They just seem to be trying too hard in just about every aspect.

Admittedly, they aren't quite as bad as Usurper (I recommend checking out the names of this motley crew - Joe Apocalyptic Warlord, for example), but they're probably kings of another sub-sub-genre entirely.

 

[SupremePain]

I'd hit them with sticks... hard.

 

[Zerimski]

Not really the response I was after...

 

[Axyon]

Might as well add here what I said in IRC. Yes, they're serious, and yes some take them seriously. Their music is decent, but that doesn't stop them from looking like a bunch of idiots sometimes.

 

[Laivasse]

Probably better to listen to them properly before you pass judgement. Of course they're a serious band, and they used to be a really good one. Unfortunately in recent times they've sacrifced themselves to become something of a gateway band to other death-metal - so that kids who've recently graduated upwards from Slipknot can say "omgf d00d heav u herd Decrepitated tehy R PHAT!!!"

Their first album, "Winds of Creation", was only a little bit short of a masterpiece but the second, "Nihility" was abysmal and a massive disappointment to me. Conversely, it's the one that all their current fans prefer - always a bad sign. Their third album, "The Negation", I didn't even bother listening to properly, but what I heard did nothing to restore my faith in the band.

They are criminally talented, though. Have a listen to some tracks from their first album - I recommend "Human's Dust", "Winds of Creation", "The Eye of Horus", "nine Steps"....almost every track is a killer. Try 'Human's Dust' for technicality, though. Then once you have listened, try and reconcile what you have just heard with the fact that the drummer (Vitek) was just ***14***!!! at the time of recording (12, when it was written ), and the rest of the band not no more than 2 years older at most. They are all pretty much virtuosos, except for Sauron (vocalist), who tends to be the one gurning in the pics and making them look silly. You've made me want to relisten to Winds of Creation now...

Usurper are fun too, although I've listened to very little. Warriors of metal!! :farmer:

 

[Zerimski]

I'd listened to "Nine Steps" a couple of other tracks before making my initial post, but I still wasn't sure whether or not they were the death metal Spinal Tap, and I was missing the jokes As I said to Axyon on IRC, there's some decent guitar work in the songs that I've heard, and the drumming is impressive for a 14 year old. Having said that, I can't really distinguish one death metal drummer from another (admittedly, I haven't listened to a lot of death metal, but enough different bands to be able to qualify that statement). To me it's all just very fast, very aggressive. The speed is impressive, but beyond that I'm having trouble picking out anything else. As you say though, Human's Dust is technically impressive considering their age at the time.

Another thing that really turns me off is the vocals. I just can't...do growled vocals. It's not that I can't make out the lyrics, it's just that it doesn't sound very good to me.

 

[Laivasse]

I'd listened to "Nine Steps" a couple of other tracks before making my initial post, but I still wasn't sure whether or not they were the death metal Spinal Tap, and I was missing the jokes As I said to Axyon on IRC, there's some decent guitar work in the songs that I've heard, and the drumming is impressive for a 14 year old. Having said that, I can't really distinguish one death metal drummer from another (admittedly, I haven't listened to a lot of death metal, but enough different bands to be able to qualify that statement). To me it's all just very fast, very aggressive. The speed is impressive, but beyond that I'm having trouble picking out anything else. As you say though, Human's Dust is technically impressive considering their age at the time.

Another thing that really turns me off is the vocals. I just can't...do growled vocals. It's not that I can't make out the lyrics, it's just that it doesn't sound very good to me.

Personal preference is fair enough. It's good that you can at least pick out the technical proficiency without completely dismissing it as "noise", like somebody's grandma. And Sauron's vox actually got much more annoying after Winds of Creation. I quite like growled vox - inhuman, mesmeric, menacing, extreme. But as I said in another thread I don't find vocals all that important in extreme metal.

Give Winds of Creation a few more spins and you might find the riffs and rhythms growing on you. Might - personal pref after all.

 

[DeusExMachina]

They can't be as bad as Gwar.

 

[Hot Soup]

And now a word from our sponsors.


AHAHAHHAAHAHAHAAAH

Good god .. that looks like every dodgy , posing , generic metal band put together.

"Sauron" ?

I mean really .. "Sauron" by all thats dark and holy. ( the very least he could have worked in some kind of amusing pun involving the mouth of sauron )
He looks like on of the junkie twats from East 17 ..........
Martin looks like some kind of bizarre transexual and someones obviously stole viteks last chocolate muffin.

Anyway for all I know they do good music .... carry on!

 

[poksmote]

They've been touring (I believe) since age 14. They are also one of the best death metal bands around, not to mention that EVERY metal band will take such "angry" press photos. They're great live, too.

 

[Hot Soup]

EVERY metal band will take such "angry" press photos.

I know they just lack even a single ounce of originality

 

[Axyon]

I know they just lack even a single ounce of originality

Well, some bands will elaborate on it somewhat - fancy costumes and the like (popular with black metal bands). Some do achieve the effect well, but many just end up looking really stupid... as you have witnessed.

 

[poksmote]

Why do photos matter so much to you? Go listen to their albums before judging their originality.

 

[Hot Soup]

Why shouldnt they? They may well play "good" "music" but when they look like a bad 70's throwback pub impersonator band , I reserve my right to mock and make fun of! So ner.

 

[Laivasse]

I know they just lack even a single ounce of originality

No you don't, you haven't even listened to them.

 

[Hot Soup]

No you don't, you haven't even listened to them.

quote me where I mock the music!

 

[CrazyHarij]

Judging a band based on their photos and selfdescription would make Edguy the greatest band ever:

EDGUY is the greatest band in the world. Epic, intelligent, good-looking, bombastic, heavy, seriously hard rocking and nevertheless quite entertaining. They are one of a kind in melodic heavy music. EdguyEdguy kick major ass and if you give them a chance they will tear you a second asshole!!! Now go and buy their albums! All of them, 20 copies of each. Hurry up before they sell out!

 

[Zerimski]

They actually don't look too bad. I may try out some of their stuff soon, because I've been looking for another good death metal band (well, not really, but more is always nice). Why judge a band based on photos? Immortal have some terrible photos, but their music is excellent.

But at least Immortal are making an effort. They have a sense of showmanship, whereas that picture of Decapitated just shows a bunch of blokes trying desperately hard to look angry, and failing miserably.

 

[Axyon]

But at least Immortal are making an effort. They have a sense of showmanship, whereas that picture of Decapitated just shows a bunch of blokes trying desperately hard to look angry, and failing miserably.

As I said earlier, it's the seperation of the styles. Black metal bands opt more for the whole facepaint and costumes (black, spiked etc.) to look dark, mysterious and evil. Death metal bands like Decapitated will often opt to just dress out in a t-shirt and trousers and try to look 'hard' and menacing. There are of course exceptions to both causes - For example Behemoth, now a Death metal band (although they used to be Black) often rely on costumes, trenchcoats and paint.

 

[knut]

They actually don't look too bad. I may try out some of their stuff soon, because I've been looking for another good death metal band (well, not really, but more is always nice). Why judge a band based on photos? Immortal have some terrible photos, but their music is excellent.

Check out some Vader, too. Way better than Decapitated, but on the same levels of, if you may, technical death metal. But yes, definitly check out Decapitated.

 

[Axyon]

Check out some Vader, too. Way better than Decapitated, but on the same levels of, if you may, technical death metal. But yes, definitly check out Decapitated.

I like Decapitated, but Vader are lightyears ahead.

 

[Laivasse]

I like Decapitated, but Vader are lightyears ahead.

I like Winds of Creation better than most stuff Vader have done, but yeah, Decapitated are not even on par with Vader with the stuff they're knocking out atm.

 

[knut]

totall grym and frostbitten \m/\m/\m/\m/\m\/// rawr

 

[CptStern]

meh, doesnt even compare to GWAR ...just look at this guy:

his name is Oderus Urungus

 

[Laivasse]

Gorgoroth have an awesome aesthetic.

As for bad photos, please don't make me post a link to the awful Profanatica one...

Google image search :thumbs: :thumbs:

edit - oh for shame, it doesn't turn up on google image search any more ;(