Hard Rock - Bands You Recommend

[DarthAcroyear]

Hammerfall, Stratovarius, Iced Earth, Blind Guardian, Dream Theater, West World.

[Ben]

Dream Theater- get the Images and Words album. Now.

Pearl Jam- I've heard some bootlegs of stuff that's supposed to be on their next album, and it has a distinct flavor to it that I gamble people will either love or hate, as it is with most of Pearl Jam's music.

Iron Maiden- Powerslave, Somewhere in Time, and Seventh Son are some of my favorite albums of all time. They're a little cheesy, but they revel in it. Who else would write a song about Alexander the Great?

Kiss- This was the first band I really liked, and I can't recommend them enough. Good solid rock tunes, if you like songs about screwing and partying.

[Darth Slothus]

quartz striata -it's a good chance of finding a geode

[Thomas Grey]

JesseVader08,

What is "Hard Rock"? Is it diet metal or metal or progressive rock.

I am an old school, thrash/death metal listener and can't really decipher what you mean. Why don't you list some bands you consider hard rock and I'll go from there.

I would say that these 2 bands are clutch, straight-forward bands that definitely rock. The first is pretty obvious, the second a bit more obscure...

QOTSA - Queens of the Stone Age- any and all. Epic stuff.

Fu Man Chu - any and all. They just plain rock.

I also like the later cds by Faith No More. Also epic.

[JesseVader08]

What is "Hard Rock"? Is it diet metal or metal or progressive rock.

I'd say it's all of those.  I try not to narrow down my categories of music too much so I can find out about other bands that I may not have otherwise tried.

[JohnH]

Dream Theater- get the Images and Words album. Now.

I&W is actually a lesser favorite Dream Theater album for me.  I think a lot of it has to do with Portnoy's drums though...that sampled snare drum just *sucks*.  So many hits that should have been ghost notes but ended up with the same dynamics as a solid hit.  Bad bad bad decision on the producer's part.  I think my favorites are Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (particularly the 1st disc) and the song "Change of Seasons". 

So how's the search going?  Are any of these suggestions providing some new favorites?

John

[JesseVader08]

So how's the search going? Are any of these suggestions providing some new favorites?

John

I've found a few that have really impressed me.  I'd previously heard of Dream Theater, but never knew what it was like - but I definitely like what I've heard.

I picked up the newest Audioslave CD, Out of Exile, and am really enjoying it.

On a very different note, does anyone listen to Linkin Park?  They seem to have the right blend of guitars and bass beats that gets me going.  I don't even know what you'd categorize them as - I don't normally like rap, but there's even that too.

[MetalJedi]

If you want some anger music, try Hatebreed or Full Blown Chaos.

[Thomas Grey]

Okay. Got it now.

I personally am not a big Linkin Park fan...

These are the more obscure bands I like - some of them are no longer making music unfortunately... Most are on the heavy side.

Atrophy - any (if you can find them)
Carcass - Heartwork, Swan Song - and the ultra-heavy Discanting the Insilubrious
Coronor - Grin
Dark Angel - Darkness Descends
Death - RIP Chuck Schuldiner - any
Defiance - Any - Beyond Recognition especially
Entombed - any
Exodus - Another Lesson in Violence - live
Faith No More - Album of the Year
Flotsam & Jetsam - Any
Forbidden - Any
Forced Entry - Any
Intruder - Psycho Savant
Kreator
Lamb of God!!! (Burn the Priest)
Machine Head - The More Things Change... and their latest one
Obituary - any and all!!!
Overkill - The Years of Decay
Possessed - Any - former band of Primus guitarist Larry Lelonde
Primus
Sepultura - Any with Max - ROOTS!!!
Slayer...
Soundgarden (obviously Superunknown)
Suicidal Tendencies
Testament - Any
Vio-Lence - Any
Xentrix - Any

I'm sure I left some out, but they were more obvious choices. Hope you can enjoy something here...

[JohnH]

Don't get mad at me, but I hate Linkin Park.    When they first came out I thought they were Ok, decent enough to get their first album.  Then while listening to it I realized they were the single most predictable band on the planet.  I even bought their second album because I'd heard it was better, only to find it further backed up my opinion.  Their arrangements were virtually the same from one song to the next, which only minor variations in a few cases.  Considering my love for songs complex and unpredictable, that didn't settle well with me. 

John

[Famine]

On a very different note, does anyone listen to Linkin Park?  They seem to have the right blend of guitars and bass beats that gets me going.  I don't even know what you'd categorize them as - I don't normally like rap, but there's even that too.

My favorite band.

What would you like to know?

Kevin

[JesseVader08]

On a very different note, does anyone listen to Linkin Park? 

My favorite band.

What would you like to know?

Do you know of anyone similar in style to them?  Some days I like their "newer" sound.

Don't get mad at me, but I hate Linkin Park.   
John

Hey, no worries, everyone's entitled to their opinion.  Other days, I like the "truer" rock sound that I've enjoyed with Audioslave.  It all depends on the mood I'm in, I suppose.

[Famine]

Similar, no.

But, Mike Shinoda, the groups rapper and keyboardist has an Album coming out called The Rising Tied. I'm on the Street Team (promoting), so I have tons of demo material. I can send you a demo disc if you'd like. It might be up your alley, it might not.

Also, Chester Bennington (the lead singer, the one who screams) has a Solo album coming out before Linkin Park comes out with a new album. I've got no info on this album, just that it's starting to come together. Hopefully I'll make myself a member of this street team too.

My favorite Linkin Park CD happens to have come with a DVD. It's Linkin Park Live in Texas. It's absolutley phenominal.

Kevin

[JohnH]

I forgot to mention a good one - Laundry.  Tim "Herb" Alexander plays drums for them.  As far as I know they have two albums out, "Blacktongue" and "Motivator".  Dark and moody stuff, not incredibly heavy and very good. 

John

[JesseVader08]

John, being that you and I are of like mind in our love of prog rock, I'd like to turn you onto Porcupine Tree. They are very heavy in tone and sound, but are considered to be on the fring of prog. I went to a show on a recommendation having never heard a note and was blown away.

Can you guys recommend a good place to download some of their stuff?  I'm having a hard time finding anyone that has any.  I tried yahoo music and download.com.