• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Need Metal/Prog Metal Suggestions w/ CLEAN Vocals!

jebfour

jebfour

New Member
Sorry if this has been posted before, but I didn't see it in a search...

So the other night my wife came into the “music room” as I was combing through my CD's and then as our conversation progressed, I moved on to the LP's. I looked up at her and said “I don't have anything to listen to”. She immediately rolled her eyes, shook her head, and left me to my task.

It's clear to me that the only solution is to add to my collection. :thmbsp: I've been a “hard rock & metal guy” for around 30 years, and I need to discover some new bands. I'm not a big fan of the “growling” type vocal (though I'll go there on occasion). Bands that I've gotten into over the past few years are Evergrey, Pagan's Mind, and Symphony X, along with old favorites such as Fate's Warning, Iron Maiden, Dream Theater, etc. If that gives you any idea.

Ideas? Please help me to discover something new! Links/YouTube is most appreciated! :D
 
Register to hide this ad
I will second Mastodon. Torche is great as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd0b9kbG8g0

Truckfighters... their name is awesome, and the music matches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpz-pDwDWWM

And if you like those ^ guys, you might also like Kyuss.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBAjybFwgOA

Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats are a somewhat Sabbath-esq band, which I also really enjoy. And this album comes on a fancy picture disc, which is a plus (to me, anyway)!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjO5PuXJO48

The Melvins! You mentioned Symphony X (great band, btw), so I'm not sure if you want slow sludgy stuff, but I figure they're at least worth a mention.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0EzlcRPTL8

Katatonia's first albums were heavier death/doom stuff, but I believe the vocalist had trouble sticking to the harsh vocals, so they changed style a bit and stick to clean vocals now. I prefer the "new" Katatonia, actually.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNFnl66jmnU

More slow, doomy stuff--sorry if this isn't what you're looking for! But Electric Wizard is great.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7roMflBITE

Karnivool is more rock than metal, but they're still great and somewhat Tool-esq if you like them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeohN5JMeYY



Would you be interested in instrumental bands?

Russian Circles is yet another of my favorite bands (all of the bands I've mentioned are "favorites" of mine). I just ordered their new album, as it's fantastic post-metal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klVU-O5M-jA

Somewhat similar to those guys ^ is Pelican. And this is probably my favorite song from them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWrJGqz6nZ4

Lastly (because I need to go to bed), here's Cloudkicker, the one-man-band. Well, he programs the drums--but as a drummer, I can say he's pretty good at programming. And I still really enjoy his tunes, all of which can be legally downloaded for free through his bandcamp page.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUWr3FXKCug
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the responses! I never gave Mastadon a fair shot - I don't know why :scratch2:

Lots to go through and I appreciate the suggestions. I DO like the slower stuff (NOLA style being a favorite) and have a lot of it, but not what you mention - I'll check them out!

:thmbsp:
 
Porcupine Tree....borderline metal, definitely progressive, outstanding musicians. Take four parts Tool/Perfect Circle, three parts Pink Floyd, two parts Radiohead, one part Coldplay (personally not a big fan, for the record) and you'd wind up with Porcupine Tree. The fusion is very effective. You'll be hard pressed to fine cleaner vocals in the genre.

Knee, I saw you responded and thought surely your rec would be PT. Did you think them not heavy enough for the OP?

This would be representative of middle ground for them...they go harder and softer from here in their catalog....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeegedVToRQ

- Michael
 
Last edited:
Good call on the Porcupine Tree! I just recently discovered them and planned to pick some up. The vinyl is crazy as far as price (from what I've seen) so I'm going to grab a couple CD's - maybe this afternoon.
 
Surely...you have some of the pillars of the genre??? Sabbath, Priest, Zeppelin...etc?

Or are you more interested in 'current' artists?
 
Erik Tracy said:
Surely...you have some of the pillars of the genre??? Sabbath, Priest, Zeppelin...etc?

Or are you more interested in 'current' artists?
Click to expand...

I have pretty much complete catalogs of the "greats". I'm ALWAYS open to discovering bands I should have discovered 25 years ago (actually just picked up 5 Michael Schenker LP's - I was heavily into thrash at the time and totally "missed it").

I guess I should say this...what might I have missed or what is new that I need to give a chance? I've always like the Fates Warning type stuff (new album - "Darkness in a Different Light" is great BTW)...which lead me to Evergrey, Pagan's Mind, etc. Not too long ago I got into Charred Walls of the Damned. Now that I'm typing this, why didn't I ever get into Iced Earth? I'll need to look into that....

I'm working through the list that spooon put together and the later Katatonia is sounding pretty good :music: I'm "wide open" in regards to the level of heaviness, but I'd like clean vocal suggestions as I have a hard time finding stuff like that...and suggestions always help!
 
Protest the Hero and Tesseract are both hugely innovative prog metal bands with clean vocals.

If you can stomach growling vocals you should really give Between the Buried and Me a listen (the album "Colors" is a good place to start). They really are one of the best metal bands out there right now.
 
I can do growling vocals from time to time (I'm a big fan of later era Carcass). I believe I've heard them, but I'll revisit them as well as Protest the Hero (I think I've heard a bit of them too).

I don't think I've heard Tesseract. I'll check 'em out!
 
 
Last edited:
Storm Corrosion

album_cover.jpg


Collaboration of both PT and Opeth .... I believe those are already on the list.
 
+ a million spooon, Electric Wizard rules. Maybe not the cleanest vocals as OP requested, but I think they're far and away the heaviest band on the planet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwFzkL8Wj4Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TdjognCZfg
the Witchcult Today record spooon posted has got more of the cleaner vocals perhaps

If you like them, check out Sleep. Classic vibe, great stuff. And their monolithic masterpiece Dopesmoker is unbelievable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj9IAvv32wE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJhRNnG65ps

Om is Sleep's drummer and bassist, they rule as well. A bit more laid back and they groove hard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCc9kvSIAqI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgBQwqi1OYU

Alcest is a French band, really shoegaze influenced with atmospheric leanings as well as a heavier edge at times
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVzLJqZY3lo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk_gIOSHviA

I love Earth, they span so many styles and pioneered drone music in the early 90s, now they play this really cool western sounding music. And if you like their drone material, the band Sunn O))) is a giant among drone bands.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls1OYn_xGzM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buG8_LOgMOY
The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull is a great Earth album

Gordian Knot is a good prog metal band, they're a supergroup with, among other people, Bill Bruford from King Crimson and Yes, Steve Hackett from Genesis, and Sean Malone from Cynic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2tIUzoQwcQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oUzUCIv1Vk

Pelican owns, great simple heavy metal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9ARnRtC-2k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWrJGqz6nZ4

Shrinebuilder is another cool band and another supergroup, they've got Al Cisneros from Sleep and Om, Scott Kelly from Neurosis, Wino from Saint Vitus, and Dale Crover from Melvins (All of which are bands worth looking at, though I don't know Saint Vitus or Neruosis as well as I'd like to)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MOvk-dNLRY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7dArwDri4Y

That's what I've got for now in the cleaner vocals category, though there are some great bands with more aggressive vocals that I love as well.
 
Wow! I just came in from working in the yard to find this! Thanks for the great, well laid out suggestions! It's going to take me a while to get through all of these. I LOVE IT! Seems like a great bunch of people on this site!
 
Last edited:
Bruce Dickinson @ Iron Maiden? I regard Hetfield's vocals as (mostly) "clean". And then there's Dio, with Sabbath, Dio, and Heaven & Hell. Very clean, darned operatically so.
 
Music

New music suggestions Trapeze,Badlands,Dead Soul Tribe,Thunder,Fastway, Rough Cutt,just off the top of my head. They are some somewhat lesser known but have some great stuff. Don't forget Saxxon,XYZ,and maybe some Helloween, and Lucifer's Friend.All of the above are in your rock taste.
 
How do you feel about female fronted metal bands? I love goth/symphonic metal bands with great female vocals such as Nightwish, Delain, Epica, Lacuna Coil, Sirenia, Leaves Eyes, Within Temptation...to name a few.
 
comish4 said:
Fastway
Click to expand...

One of my favorite Fastway albums is the soundtrack for Trick or Treat from 1987, very dark, great vocals it actually one of my all time favorites. I saw Budgie was mentioned also, definitely worth listening to, start with the song Breadfan.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom