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Post by Madelyn on Jan 3, 2018 7:19:41 GMT -6
I'm not really that big on Black Metal personally, but I've come to find myself in the position where I have to make a Black Metal band. In order to do this properly, I need some help with a few things.
Firstly, what to call an all-girl Black Metal band. My first idea was Rabid Vampire Princesses, but that sounds a bit too emo or scene or something. I don't want it to seem like it's some kind of poppier version of Black Metal. Any suggestions would be welcome.
Also I need to be taught how to write Black Metal lyrics. Just basically how the genre is lyrically constructed. I've seen a lot of evidence that the song structure is significantly different from most of what I know, so I need to understand how it's built.
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Post by Kaiheijinshu on Jan 3, 2018 7:56:49 GMT -6
I have noticed that many all-female/mostly-female/female-fronted black metal bands are named for female figures in folklore, mythology, and/or history. For example, Astarte is named for a goddess in several Middle Eastern pantheons. Even the Christian band Deborah follows this naming convention, being named for the Biblical figure.
Keep in mind that not all female-involved black metal bands need to follow such a convention. My advice would be that choosing a good black metal band name should be the priority over choosing a name strictly to reference female membership. Finding a name that fits your lyrical themes is a good place to begin.
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Post by Borndead on Jan 3, 2018 10:21:55 GMT -6
not really that big on Black Metal I wouldn't bother too much about the fact that there´s only females in the band, but rather focus on what You girls want to say with it. For me black metal is about the feeling, atmosphere & meaning behind the music. Focus on these things and when you have material to work with, then you can see what name best represents you. What I´ve seen a lot of bands do, they choose a name and then limit themselves to fulfill the meaning of the name instead of the name complimenting the music.
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Post by nocturnaliridescence on Jan 3, 2018 12:11:54 GMT -6
Firstly, what to call an all-girl Black Metal band. My first idea was Rabid Vampire Princesses, but that sounds a bit too emo or scene or something. I don't want it to seem like it's some kind of poppier version of Black Metal. Any suggestions would be welcome. Also I need to be taught how to write Black Metal lyrics. Just basically how the genre is lyrically constructed. I've seen a lot of evidence that the song structure is significantly different from most of what I know, so I need to understand how it's built. Call it anything. All-female bands were a novelty/gimmick a few years ago, but I think it's about time we start just treating them like all-male bands or bands with both genders As for how to write black metal lyrics....... hahahahaha, in my experience, there isn't really a structure to black metal lyrics. Some bands write actual poetry; some write verse-chorus-verse-chorus songs; a lot of them just write whatever. Me personally, I've done all three over the years. If you want to go the simplest route, just write four-line stanzas that don't rhyme, and no one will bat an eyelash. Although I like the way you structure lyrics in the "Sharing Lyrics" thread, and it'd be a shame to have that talent go to waste, so I'd say, just write the lyrics how you already do.
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Post by avjr on Jan 3, 2018 12:27:58 GMT -6
Firstly, what to call an all-girl Black Metal band. My first idea was Rabid Vampire Princesses, but that sounds a bit too emo or scene or something. I don't want it to seem like it's some kind of poppier version of Black Metal. Any suggestions would be welcome. Also I need to be taught how to write Black Metal lyrics. Just basically how the genre is lyrically constructed. I've seen a lot of evidence that the song structure is significantly different from most of what I know, so I need to understand how it's built. Call it anything. All-female bands were a novelty/gimmick a few years ago, but I think it's about time we start just treating them like all-male bands or bands with both genders As for how to write black metal lyrics....... hahahahaha, in my experience, there isn't really a structure to black metal lyrics. Some bands write actual poetry; some write verse-chorus-verse-chorus songs; a lot of them just write whatever. Me personally, I've done all three over the years. If you want to go the simplest route, just write four-line stanzas that don't rhyme, and no one will bat an eyelash. Although I like the way you structure lyrics in the "Sharing Lyrics" thread, and it'd be a shame to have that talent go to waste, so I'd say, just write the lyrics how you already do. I agree. 🙂
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Post by Madelyn on Jan 3, 2018 18:54:41 GMT -6
Thanks for all the advice, though I've never heard standard song structures used by Black metal bands.
*le gasp* Can I name my band after an anime character? Half-joking, but now I'm thinking of the name Tanya. I just don't want to fall into all the cliches and have it just be another one of a bunch or just be a weird gimmick. I want it to stand out without being a joke.
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Post by Bartimaeus on Jan 4, 2018 11:49:19 GMT -6
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Post by Madelyn on Jan 4, 2018 17:58:16 GMT -6
I love the Cthulhu Mythos, so I'll probably focus on that lyrically.
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Post by Kaiheijinshu on Jan 4, 2018 18:26:15 GMT -6
Plenty of interesting names have been spawned from Lovecraft.
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Post by Madelyn on Jan 4, 2018 19:09:59 GMT -6
Aphoomza? Uvhash? Ghroth?
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Post by thevociferator on Jan 6, 2018 11:53:44 GMT -6
those last two are perfect! I'd probably say don't overthink anything, but practice everything.
When it comes to lyrics, (1) listen to the bands that influence you most lyrically and then (2) take what is on your heart and just go after writing. It can be pretty dry and annoying at first trying to write lyrics. And if it comes off emo, don't worry, just keep writing. Worry less about appearances and focus more on perfecting your art. Get to the point where expressing yourself through black metal can put in place where you are comfortable while at the same time connecting with God and worshiping in Him with your screams.
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Post by Madelyn on Jan 6, 2018 21:00:40 GMT -6
Generally my musical focus started as Hard Rock in the vein of Bon Jovi, Green Day, Guns N Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Midnight Oil. When I first heard Ride The Lightning, it changed my perspective on how to write music, and I've been moving along from that point since then. Influences have been Metallica, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Nightwish. More recently, Dragonforce, Rhapsody, Edguy, Helloween, Blind Guardian, Sabaton, and Powerwolf have been the bands driving my creative process the most recently, and Slayer has started to take an effect.
Lyrically, I like to write about fiction stories, sci-fi and fantasy, and also historical political lyrics. I recently passed 800 songs that I've written.
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Post by Madelyn on Jan 7, 2018 23:30:04 GMT -6
Explosion Wizard. That there's a name. I want Explosion Wizard to be my band name. Black Metal songs about anime.
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Post by thevociferator on Jan 8, 2018 18:08:46 GMT -6
i feel like explosion wizard would be better for psych-metal or stoner doom
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Post by Kaiheijinshu on Jan 8, 2018 19:19:17 GMT -6
I had the same initial reaction, but that may be due to bands like Electric Wizard and Wizard Rifle playing heavy psychedelic/stoner music.
As was mentioned above, do not be afraid to be the Party Cannon of your scene if that is what you want to do.
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Post by Madelyn on Jan 9, 2018 6:17:25 GMT -6
I feel you're probably right when it comes to the word Wizard, but the Explosion part doesn't sound to me like anything Stoner or Psychedelic.
I've decided on Puella Magi for my Power Metal ventures, and if ever I do Death Metal I absolutely have to use the name Bacon. Black Metal is just the subgenre farthest away from my experience, so I need some guidance, coaching, help, whatever you want to call it.
What, uh... musically, what would you say are the most important elements key to Black Metal?
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Post by Kaiheijinshu on Jan 9, 2018 7:52:38 GMT -6
Minor keys; tremolo picking; high-gain, distorted guitar tone; and healthy use of diminished chords are the primary hallmarks of the genre in my opinion.
One can play black metal at pretty much any tempo. Stereotypically it is played at a fast tempo, but plenty of bands play mid-tempo and even very low-tempo. Plenty of bands change tempo within a single track.
Down-tuning and palm mutes are optional. Generally more death metal-, thrash metal-, and doom metal-influenced bands will use at least one of them more often, but many tend to favor atmosphere over heaviness. That is not to say they cannot co-exist, but it is a common tradeoff.
There are exceptions to every rule, but I recommend trying to work within a standard framework to familiarize yourself with writing the genre. In my experience, it will be easier to add other elements afterwards.
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Post by Borndead on Jan 9, 2018 8:14:25 GMT -6
Kaiheijinshu basically said everything. I´d recommend just to listen/find bands you enjoy and then see what inspiration comes up. Are there any bm bands you listen to?
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Post by Madelyn on Jan 9, 2018 9:45:30 GMT -6
Minor keys; tremolo picking; high-gain, distorted guitar tone; and healthy use of diminished chords [drumming] I'm not sure what most of those words mean. I'm a drummer and vocalist. I've been working hard to figure out what terms mean what, though. I'm best at the doing part of music. (and I mostly use sound effects to describe parts of the music, like 'bwow' 'crunch' and 'zwooo') Are there any bm bands you listen to? I looked into the most extreme metal bands I like. I knew Amon Amarth was Death, I didn't realize Hypocrisy was Death. Judging from that I think Undead Corporation is probably Death. Probably same for Blood Stain Child then... I thought at least Kalmah would be, but nope, that's Death too.
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Post by Borndead on Jan 9, 2018 10:14:39 GMT -6
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Post by Kaiheijinshu on Jan 9, 2018 10:35:56 GMT -6
Even as a vocalist, at least a minor key should be a familiar concept. The simplest way to describe would be a generally “sad” or “ominous” key. Minor scales are also commonly used. I like to use harmonic minor.
Tremolo picking is a playing style in which the guitarist plays the note/chord/whatever repeatedly while strumming up and down. Many black metal guitarists combine this with “reversed” power chords (playing the highest note in the chord first by strumming upward) to create musical atmosphere.
Pretty much every sub-genre of metal (and hard music in general) will employ guitar distortion/overdrive to some extent. High gain distortion produces a “fuzzier” sound from the guitar. Play around with your guitar tone until you arrive at something you like.
A diminished chord is a dissonant chord that is generally used to make the music sound even “darker”, so to speak.
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Post by Madelyn on Jan 9, 2018 11:19:39 GMT -6
So... I absolutely love that song by Saor. For someone like me, that's just about the perfect gateway song, and I could certainly see me making songs like that. (especially the Celtic influences and the length of the song) It's worth mentioning that flutes like those ones are the kind of thing that got me into both Power Metal and Folk music in general.
I see a lot of merits in the Urfaust one, but it fit my preconceived notion of Black Metal almost not at all. And Anaal Nathrakh just didn't sound like anything I wanted. Mgla was pretty enjoyable. The Mayhem one was blacked in my country on copyright grounds. Darkthrone was... well, still not quite what I think of when I think Black Metal. It wasn't bad, but not something I'm going to be clamoring to hear again. Blut aus nord was different... that's all I got. I'm not big on a long droning instrumental. Dark Ambient, I guess? Crimson Moonlight wasn't bad, but it seemed very similar to the Death bands I know.
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Post by Madelyn on Jan 9, 2018 11:29:02 GMT -6
Even as a vocalist, at least a minor key should be a familiar concept. The simplest way to describe would be a generally “sad” or “ominous” key. Minor scales are also commonly used. I like to use harmonic minor. Ah... confusing words. I'm not incredibly technical when it comes to music terminology. I doubt it looks good, but I'm seriously not always sure what 'key' means. However, I know the difference between minors and majors. I'm just not great at figuring out which one a sound is. Basically, the words often elude me. I can perform, not so much tell other people how to perform.
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Post by Borndead on Jan 9, 2018 11:43:51 GMT -6
Glad to hear that, then I´d recommend checking Saor´s whole discography because this guy creates some amazing pieces. And basically look into "folk/black metal" in general because there are some great black metal bands that combine folk music with black metal
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Post by nocturnaliridescence on Jan 9, 2018 11:47:10 GMT -6
Eh, I have the same problem, more or less. I can write/perform, but I don't know much in the way of terminology. I've been writing music most of my life and I don't honestly know some of the words in Kaiheijinshu's post : D I'm not even sure which notes are minor and which are major. If I had to guess, C#, E, F#, G#, A, and B are "major". Because they tend to sound "happier". Although I don't think that's even right. If you want a really basic, by-the-numbers "black metal" song to use as an example, I would recommend this song by Crucifijo Impudico Edit: Oh, note, despite how the cover art may look at first glance, Crucifijo Impudico are a Christian band.
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Post by Madelyn on Jan 9, 2018 12:06:32 GMT -6
I'm pretty sure A, B, C, D, E, F, and G are the majors. Anything that's sharp or flat is minor. At least, that's what my sense of logic tells me. I understand Crescendo and Fortissimo, but other than that, if you want to make sure I know what you mean, you're pretty much going to have to say things like 'a little higher'. I´d recommend checking Saor´s whole discography Trust me, that is definitely happening. I have determined that the two most extreme pieces of music in my library are Behind The Wonderland by Undead Corporation and MikuSabbath by Utsu-p. *sigh* Japan...
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Post by avjr on Jan 9, 2018 12:17:46 GMT -6
Crimson Moonlight wasn't bad, but it seemed very similar to the Death bands I know. I listened a song from Crimson Moonlight last year, and I like it. I need to check them out. 😏
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Post by Borndead on Jan 9, 2018 12:19:47 GMT -6
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Post by avjr on Jan 9, 2018 12:20:36 GMT -6
If you want a really basic, by-the-numbers "black metal" song to use as an example, I would recommend this song by Crucifijo Impudico Edit: Oh, note, despite how the cover art may look at first glance, Crucifijo Impudico are a Christian band. Good song! I need some Spanish Black Metal in my life! I know Exousia and Deborah has those elements in their music. I need to check them out too. 😏
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Post by Madelyn on Jan 9, 2018 12:32:44 GMT -6
I just realized that Keillen Allith might be Black Metal... at least partially.
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