Is it bad that the stuff I considered Heavy Metal back in the 80's and 70's is just
hard rock in comparison to the metal scene that is out there now? Grindcore, Blackened Thrash, Crossover, Death Metal and the like are all about as brutal now as I've ever seen, since the 90's. I leave Black Metal out because in all honesty it feels like the genre is dead, and that hurts me to say. Unfortunately all the true progenitors of Black Metal are pretty much either sellouts or dead [a la Mayhem]. The local scene here is pretty awesome though, full of talented guys with a passion for complex and quite importantly, brutal metal. Metal is waning and being corrupted by the likes of Hardcore and Deathcore acting like they are metal, but those kids are all moving over to Dubstep or some shit now so it'll just get better, not like '07 where I couldn't go to a Death Metal show without getting into a fight with some guy with hair extensions for windmilling in a moshpit and showing respect to noone.
But I tend listen to Emperor, Enslaved, Windir, Skeletonwitch or Ensiferum/Wintersun if I ever do partake in solo-rocking out, but that's mostly behind me. Emperor, Enslaved, and Windir to me are the premier Scandinavian Black metal bands to enjoy, Emperor for epic forest-freezing intensity, Enslaved for their intricate [older stuff here!] songwriting and amazing vocalist, and Windir for being the best black metal I've ever had the experience of listening to. Which is hard to say considering I know so many Black Metal bands! But Valfar is an icon of mine, through and through. Wish I could've been at his farewell concert.
Well, actually, there's a band from around here I feel should be shared:
Doom Lit Sky. They're broken up now, but this band is just amazing. The drummer is one of the fastest gravity blasters and double-bass playing machines I've gotten to see in person. The man is ridiculous, and I've had the pleasure of even hanging out with these guys from time to time.
Go ahead, give them a go. You won't regret it. Disgust still makes me want to fight someone, while An End To All Days
made me cry at their final concert.