Post-Metal

Post- Metal is a arisen in the post-hardcore environment subgenre of doom metal under substantial influence of progressive music structures. Similar to the post-rock issue in post-metal is to create music beyond conventional metal schemes despite the use of conventional instruments. The style originated in parallel with the sludge and is another often traded as Substil of sludge due to the proximity and called Atmospheric Sludge.

Stylistic classification

The post-metal is an instrumental -dominated style of music in which the vocals over other metal styles occurs clearly in the background. Some representatives, such as Pelican or Red Sparowes dispense entirely with the use of a singer. On the other hand dominate particularly complex played rhythm instruments, and often several guitars, which are arranged in layers, the sound of music.

An important aspect of the music is to create a deep atmosphere over a long construction of the individual pieces, which many titles compared to common rock and metal music appear longer than average. The emotional weight and depth of the pieces is generated primarily through an arrangement on the root B or lower, and the frequent use of the Tongeschlechts minor. Thus, a typical post-metal piece is in similar tones arranged like most blues, gothic and doom pieces. This brings the music often the reputation of emotional weariness. In addition, are often involved in addition to the standard instruments such as drums, bass and guitar, other instruments such as different wind or string instruments in the sound.

The style itself is bordered by the lead vocal and the extravagant use of instruments from Doom, but also contents and concepts related to the two styles differ. Compared to the Sludge insists the post-metal at a higher melody and catchy harmony. Is used primarily clean vocals, which is paired with a deep growling or the usual hardcore shouting. Other representatives to completely eliminate the vocals. Those titles that involve singing, these often use, as well as the precursor of tool targeted. As a complementary element of the creation of a dense and deep atmosphere, whereby the sound of the voice assumes a greater importance in relation to the content of the text Especially the exchange between loud and quiet, clear and distorted, and the rare made exchange between a male and female voice is more likely to lift the mood of the entire work to give as the single song special. In addition Coming the overall style is characterized by long quiet and atmospheric passages, which certainly can extend over several titles to be interrupted by mostly short, but intense and sometimes noise -like Fortissimoausbrüchen. Contrary Haydn wakes or not frighten the music to the audience at that moment, but cathartic discharges the tension built up to this moment.

Another close to post-rock results from the use of recurrent motifs in the various pieces of individual albums. Selected melodic fragments are often found in several parts of a studio album.

Style Influential works

Isis - Oceanic (2002, Ipecac )
Pelican - Australasia (2003, Hydra Head )

Precursor

Important precursors of the style were both The Melvins, the alternative metal band Tool and the post- hardcore band Helmet.

Already the early work of the band Tool played on 1993 darker and more aggressive, but also sarcastic and ironic, as the hitherto popular, high-quality craftsmanship, but sometimes perceived as kitsch melodies of well-known progressive metal bands such as Dream Theater. Accordingly, the attitude of the band rather the content of punk, hardcore, or of the then rising Crossovers reflected, as those of the usual Prog Metal.

It was the same with the jazz -influenced hardcore band Helmet, who already in 1992 with the album Meantime a mixture of hardcore punk, noise and jazz elements vorlegten but less radical than the later tool or even were the representatives of the post- Metals.

As an important occasion for its creative opening and musical development Aaron Turner called repeatedly bands Godflesh and Napalm Death and the Beastie Boys, who, apart from Godflesh, although no direct influence on later music of Isis, or the titles of Hydra Head took, but with their musical orientation, contrary to the hitherto dominant rock and metal music, in the early 90 's, extended not only his musical horizons. However, Godflesh would have paved the way their music. Other musicians are related to the phase at the beginning of the 90s to explain their interest and commitment to discovering new musical paths.

Development

The style itself originated in the orbit of some experimental doom and hardcore bands like Godflesh, Neurosis, Isis and The Melvins. Neurosis made in 1992 with Souls at Zero and to confuse 1993 Enemy of the Sun Progressive Metal, Doom and Hardcore. No later than the album Through Silver in Blood with titles such as Aeon and Purify, shall constitute the final spark for the post-metal. Meanwhile, particularly Neurosis and the Melvins were initially attributed to the sludge, only with the publication of Isis Oceanic album, there was a new independent naming. As an important factor in the development of the band Isis through to post-metal is probably also true collaboration with singer Mike Patton and his Ipecac label, founded in 1999, which the individual bands granted the freedom of self-development and 1999 The Melvins took them under contract.

Isis played with their first releases still brutal doom metal which corresponded to the early work of Neurosis, already the second album Oceanic in 2002 provided the first bonds to more harmony and musical experiments. Since then, the album is often cited as the initial spark for the musical genre of Post -Metal, much like Nevermind is used for the grunge. Aaron Turner, singer and mastermind of the band, commented on the newly created style simply as " thinking man 's metal", which should sometimes be an intellectual claim the music.

Turner continued to contribute to the development towards an independent genre in by taking on the 1993 gegründetem from him several label style related bands like Pelican, Jesus or Cable under contract. This unconventional bands like Pelican from 2003 with their debut Australasia without singing within the fan community of the sludge and post- Metals could be marketed also popular by then, which seem to continue closely linked both music areas. Thus, the post-metal is also often referred to as Atmospheric Sludge.

Slight time offset some began, influenced by American bands, Scandinavian bands like burst, and Callisto Cult of Luna their style through to post-metal to expand. Importantly for the development and dissemination of the style in Europe is mainly the better-known Swedish Cult of Luna Formation, which became a significant moderate success in Europe and America with the 2004 album Salvation. Other European bands like The Ocean German or French or Dirge Year Of No Light created in a similar period, but were less successful.

In the 2010s decade, the basic style ideas were taken up by other artists. In particular, a blending of musical style elements of the Norwegian Black Metal was often carried out without the ideological satanic reference. Artists such as Callisto, Year of No Light or Altar of Plagues mixed the ideas of post- Metals with those for the second wave of Black Metal usual elements such as the Screaming and blast beats. The interpreters of this crossover are sometimes referred to Post-Black Metal or Blackgaze.

Some interpreters of the post- Metals developed into a more progressive and occasionally verspielterem sound, such as publications of the bands Isis - Wavering Radiant 2009, The Ocean - Heliocentric 2010 or Callisto - Providence in 2009 demonstrate.

Content

Thematically corresponds to a majority of the post-metal bands to the ideals of the pioneers. In addition, however, topics such as mysticism, metaphysics, philosophy and existentialism play a major role in the texts of the different bands. So treated, for example, Isis on her third studio album Panopticon among others, the power theories of the French philosopher Michel Foucault, while Callisto treat predominantly religious themes. Besides, many of the bands used recurring motifs and allegories. So Isis and Giant Squid endeavor frequently Ocean and Wasserallegorien. Neurosis use as elements of nature, and especially the sun. Cult of Luna are concerned mainly with the general topics of globalization and propaganda.

Political and ideological core of the scene, however, always remains the commitment to one's own roots in the ideals of hardcore.