Metal School
Baron Opal
First Post
I'm looking to expand my metal horizons as well as find some new music for work. Let me explain a bit...
I work in a pharmacy. This is a high-energy environment. While the demand for medications and information may wax and wane, it is always "busy". Having some energetic music in the background assists me and my staff support the rest of the hospital well.
This music should be:
Looking over my CD stacks, I have some "commercially common" music. Rush, Yes, AC/DC, Metallica, Vivaldi, Disturbed, Blue Oyster Cult, Kansas, Godsmack, Holst, Blue Man Group, &c. They're pretty much played out.
I do have an advantage in that the pharmacy and pretty much everyone in it are mine when the sun goes down. I still have to exercise some discretion, we can't have the masses getting their pitchforks and torches to storm the castle. Where the above two groups intersect, however, is free game.
Does anyone have suggestions?
I work in a pharmacy. This is a high-energy environment. While the demand for medications and information may wax and wane, it is always "busy". Having some energetic music in the background assists me and my staff support the rest of the hospital well.
This music should be:
- Free from profanity.
- Free from excessive growling.
- Musically interesting (We have a couple musicians).
- Energetic.
- And, it must rock.
Looking over my CD stacks, I have some "commercially common" music. Rush, Yes, AC/DC, Metallica, Vivaldi, Disturbed, Blue Oyster Cult, Kansas, Godsmack, Holst, Blue Man Group, &c. They're pretty much played out.
I do have an advantage in that the pharmacy and pretty much everyone in it are mine when the sun goes down. I still have to exercise some discretion, we can't have the masses getting their pitchforks and torches to storm the castle. Where the above two groups intersect, however, is free game.
Does anyone have suggestions?
I notice that you have some prog on your list.
Might I suggest:
1) King Crimson, as well as related projects such as Robert Fripp, Fripp/Summers (yes, Andy Summers), California Guitar Trio (completely instrumental guitar music), Tony Geballe, League of Crafty Guitarists. Of note, the album "The Compleat King Crimson" covers 20 years of the band's production, and it's version of "Sleepless" appears nowhere else that I know of. The band's post 1980 work is considerably harder edged- the 80's stuff is comparable to the hardest stuff Yes ever did, the stuff from the 90's and later has some real edge, but is still much more prog-rock than metal.
Artists who are/were members of King Crimson or worked with Robert Fripp: Adrian Belew- solo, Bears, Talking Heads and many more; Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake and Palmer; Tony Levin; Bill Bruford; Trey Gunn and others too numerous to mention.
Also of note would be such artists as David Bowie's guitarist, Reeves Gabrels (with or without Bowie/Tin Machine), Brian Eno, David Sylvan, and the great bassist, Jonas Hellborg (he plays pop, jazz, fusion, metal, etc.).
2) Shredders:
Jennifer Batten, Ronnie Montrose, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Alex Skolnick- for your purposes, stick to his jazz/metal fusion stuff as the A.S. Trio or Trans-Siberian Orchestra, as opposed to his work with Savatage or Testament (despite being of the same genre as Metallica, Chuck Billy's vox for Testament are a bit more growly, though not like the modern grunters).
Other shredders of note- Shawn Lane (the fastest guitarist of all time, and tasteful jazz/metal fusion artist, R.I.P.), and Al DiMeola (solo or with Return To Forever or Miles Davis).
3) Off the beaten path:
Rodrigo y Gabriella- a Mexican guitar duo who rip up Metalica on accoustics, among other things.
Seu Jorge- South American guitarist who was a member of Farofa Carioca, but most famously appeared in "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" as a crewman who played accoustic Portugese versions of David Bowie tunes.
Kronos Quartet- a chamber music group who play all kinds of modern composers from all over the world.
Buckethead- a shredder's shredder, but more than that, too. Careful though- his stuff runs from utter shred to trancelike techno, so you might want to listen to samples of a particular album before you buy it.
Glen Branca- avant garde composer who uses rock instrumentation to do modern metal-classical fusion. This isn't "symphonic metal," this is modern symphony using things like electric guitars in non-standard tuning, multiple drummers and percussionists, unique instruments created for the piece in question, etc.
Might I suggest:
1) King Crimson, as well as related projects such as Robert Fripp, Fripp/Summers (yes, Andy Summers), California Guitar Trio (completely instrumental guitar music), Tony Geballe, League of Crafty Guitarists. Of note, the album "The Compleat King Crimson" covers 20 years of the band's production, and it's version of "Sleepless" appears nowhere else that I know of. The band's post 1980 work is considerably harder edged- the 80's stuff is comparable to the hardest stuff Yes ever did, the stuff from the 90's and later has some real edge, but is still much more prog-rock than metal.
Artists who are/were members of King Crimson or worked with Robert Fripp: Adrian Belew- solo, Bears, Talking Heads and many more; Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake and Palmer; Tony Levin; Bill Bruford; Trey Gunn and others too numerous to mention.
Also of note would be such artists as David Bowie's guitarist, Reeves Gabrels (with or without Bowie/Tin Machine), Brian Eno, David Sylvan, and the great bassist, Jonas Hellborg (he plays pop, jazz, fusion, metal, etc.).
2) Shredders:
Jennifer Batten, Ronnie Montrose, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Alex Skolnick- for your purposes, stick to his jazz/metal fusion stuff as the A.S. Trio or Trans-Siberian Orchestra, as opposed to his work with Savatage or Testament (despite being of the same genre as Metallica, Chuck Billy's vox for Testament are a bit more growly, though not like the modern grunters).
Other shredders of note- Shawn Lane (the fastest guitarist of all time, and tasteful jazz/metal fusion artist, R.I.P.), and Al DiMeola (solo or with Return To Forever or Miles Davis).
3) Off the beaten path:
Rodrigo y Gabriella- a Mexican guitar duo who rip up Metalica on accoustics, among other things.
Seu Jorge- South American guitarist who was a member of Farofa Carioca, but most famously appeared in "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" as a crewman who played accoustic Portugese versions of David Bowie tunes.
Kronos Quartet- a chamber music group who play all kinds of modern composers from all over the world.
Buckethead- a shredder's shredder, but more than that, too. Careful though- his stuff runs from utter shred to trancelike techno, so you might want to listen to samples of a particular album before you buy it.
Glen Branca- avant garde composer who uses rock instrumentation to do modern metal-classical fusion. This isn't "symphonic metal," this is modern symphony using things like electric guitars in non-standard tuning, multiple drummers and percussionists, unique instruments created for the piece in question, etc.
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If you like prog, one of the better standard-bearers of the form on the rock side is Dream Theater. I've also been enjoying Symphony X lately.
On the more Christian side of things, there is the great band out of Houston, King's X.
Side note- I've only seen one video from Pelican, but I liked both its music and the video's humor- its the one for the instrumental where the lead singer shows up just in time for the video to end. How does the rest of their stuff stack up? What are the vox like?
On the more Christian side of things, there is the great band out of Houston, King's X.
Side note- I've only seen one video from Pelican, but I liked both its music and the video's humor- its the one for the instrumental where the lead singer shows up just in time for the video to end. How does the rest of their stuff stack up? What are the vox like?
Thunderfoot
Hero
I can't believe that DA forgot to add Tony McAlpine and Yngwie Malmsteen to the list of shredders. While some of the lyrical stuff might be questionable, their instrumentals are some of the best.
Also, Zebra and Triumph are rockin' and for the most part work friendly. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond my control I am unable to scan my catalogue and give you a really good list. Hopefully you have enough direction to keep you sustained until I can rectify that.
Which leads me in to this apology and situation update. I am currently back home in Southern Illinois for an undetermined period of time. The reasons are personal but it doesn't involve sickness or death, so please don't pry. My activity may be sporadic so please be patient if I don't immediately answer any questions posed in direction. Until then, keep rockin'
Also, Zebra and Triumph are rockin' and for the most part work friendly. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond my control I am unable to scan my catalogue and give you a really good list. Hopefully you have enough direction to keep you sustained until I can rectify that.
Which leads me in to this apology and situation update. I am currently back home in Southern Illinois for an undetermined period of time. The reasons are personal but it doesn't involve sickness or death, so please don't pry. My activity may be sporadic so please be patient if I don't immediately answer any questions posed in direction. Until then, keep rockin'
Well, kind of like how you limited your band/genre histories, I limited my list of shredders.
I could have added Chris Impelliteri, Michael Angelo Battio (solo and Nitro), David Chastain...the list goes on.
I could have added Chris Impelliteri, Michael Angelo Battio (solo and Nitro), David Chastain...the list goes on.
Kurashu
First Post
They don't have a vocalist. It's all instrumental. As for the rest of the stuff, it's very ambient, rolling, lots of use of cresendos. It's very very good. Think Isis without the preteniousness.
Also: Dream Theater doesn't write, their songs are the result of the band's musical wankery being recorded. =p
Kurashu, if that's your opinion of Dream Theater, don't try Steve Vai. Or Buckethead.
Another couple of good choices. If you like Blues-Rock/Rock, you can't really beat Stevie Ray Vaughan. Right behind him, at least here in Texas, would be Eric Johnson and then Andy Timmons.
Another couple of good choices. If you like Blues-Rock/Rock, you can't really beat Stevie Ray Vaughan. Right behind him, at least here in Texas, would be Eric Johnson and then Andy Timmons.
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