metalcore sucks

Okay...I admit, I don't really know what I'm talking about. Happy? I guess I'm trying to prove how "punk" I am, when that is pointless, and a dubious distinction anyway. Suffice it to say that I believe what I want to, and that it doesn't matter what you play so long as you enjoy it. I mean, even Blink 182 likes the music they play, right? Just because something is popular doesn't mean it's bad. But, when something begins to make money, it becomes an entity beyond the self, and becomes a sort of symbol. No one has bad intentions for signing to a major, or having their stuff in Best Buy, but once they do, it's sort of beyond them. Like, Ian MacKaye is FAR from a sellout. But, when CDs are at a corporate store, or even an indies store, "Minor Threat" becomes a symbol for a certain group, and marketers exploit that. So, I guess that it's impossible to "beat the system", because you have to work within the system to survive. No matter what you do, you're helping someone's bottom line. So, therefore, all or most of my previous arguments are invalid. Just do what you want, and I'll do what I want. Shit, I think I just had an epiphany. Oh, also, I like the link to Hot Topic. It's kinda funny; they give the wring title for "Stations of the Crass". Shows how much they know.

ridiculous....we're getting myspace spam on here now

Cover albums suck. All of them.

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, April 2, 2006 at 6:33 PM (EDT)
My Score:

the original lineup of this disc was good, but they kept adding and adding more bands on it that need the promotion i guess.

does this have the bonus songs on it from some of the bands that did multiple songs (i know planes did a few covers)?

anyway, mall-core, whatever, isn't as vague as emo or punk for the simple fact it isn't based on musical production or anything directly related to the songs, but on motivation and actions of a band toward money and fashion. who the hell uses mall-core or mall-punk anymore, no one goes to malls, thats why their all closing....mall's are so 90's. ebay dewds.

wyzo

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, April 2, 2006 at 10:04 AM (EDT)
My Score:

fuck off metal

I fucking hate metal.

Wow some shitty bands covering Black Flag on this CD, Planes are cool though.

feeding: Shove it.

How condescending, not to mention completely wrong.

-Will

The two people on this site with the worst tastes in music arguing about what they think mallcore is.

Go listen to Crass and pretend you enjoy it.

Hope Conspiracy sound NOTHING like American Nightmare. That's like saying Crass sound like Rudimentary Peni. Vaguely similar lyrical themes and political views, but totally different music and ways of expressing themselves.

Feeding, you have a problem obviously taking music for its artistic merits. Yeah, selling shit in chains is lame, but the Minor Threat discography and Fugazi CD's can be found at Best Buy. I don't doubt that they could be found in Sam Goody. Are they "mallcore?"

If you're going to be against bands for superficial reasons, you should question their artistic integrity. As long as a band isn't making a music to cash in on a trend, they CAN'T be mallcore. If you don't like them because of their lyrics or music, that's a whole other story (although you're an idiot if you think hardcore lyrics should be restricted to crusty sloganeering)- But calling bands that actually form and stay together under legit artistic pretense "mallcore" is incorrect.

I know you want the mad scene cred, but lumping every band together because they have some of the same fans is the wrong way to go about it.

-Will

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Converge on the Warped Tour at some point? And mall-core is one of those undefined, umbrella terms, like "emo" or "hardcore" (or "punk", for that matter). Basically, any band, regardless of quality, that is really popular at the given time, and fits some or all stereotypes of the genre, is considered mall-core. I think the fact that GUTG sings (sung) about bad relationships and depression-y stuff was sort of stereotypical, Converge is actually REALLY well-known, and Hope Conspiracy is sorta like GUTG, but more screamy.

just curious, when you guys have conversations with other people about bands you listen to, have you ever used the term mallcore? i hear that getting thrown around on the internet a lot to shit on bands but i've never heard someone actually go "yea, i don't listen to those guys........they're such a mallcore band."

and what the fuck is mallcore anyways these days? i always thought it was bands like slipknot, korn, and the nu-metal and generic metalcore/emo pop bands you hear on radio and see on ozzfest/warped. i never thought converge and american nightmare would ever be included under that umbrella of bands, even if you can find their records at your local sam goody.

...And in my opinion, the singer from GUTG sounds like he's vomiting, but not in a good way. Kinda like he's trying really hard to make the vocals indecipherable, like Ray Cappo on the first YOT record.

...I bought "Background Music" at the mall. At Sam Goody...I don't know of any store in the mall that isn't catering to the mainstream...except maybe Cinnabon. Oh, and Converge were on one of the digital cable music channels (yes, I AM that rich). Don't remember if it was "Metal" or "Alternative", but it was on there.

Okay, I'm sorry, but I have to call you out on this. In the new "metalcore" movement or whatever, I see tons of high school kids in Zao and Bleeding Through shirts and tons of kids show up for those shows. Do you honestly think Planes Mistaken For Stars or American Nightmare get the same level of recognition as bands that are willing to play the game on the fashion level?

-Will

i don't think mainstream necessarily has to do with the sound of a band, more about recognition and how many people actually know about them. Converge are pretty well known at this point, but then again so are Dillinger, AN, Hope Con, Planes Mistaken For Stars, etc....and of course, all the new bands they added to this comp....Bleeding Through, Zao, MPB....

I think within the context of hardcore and metal in 2006 (though we could then go into all the little arguments about which of these bands is truly hardcore or metal) all of these bands are pretty mainstream by now

"The most mainstream one of those bands is Converge"

are you fucking joking?

Have you ever HEARD Jane Doe? Or any of their material for that matter?

There is nothing mainstream about any of those 3 bands. But especially Converge.

****

Mainstream can also reflect the bands popularity.

still one of the many bands that i never got into, i have alot of respect for them and what they did but still could not listen to more than a few tracks before i just kinda forgot they were even playin, went in one ear and out the other

Posted by conduit on 2006-04-01 07:04:10
My Score:

"The most mainstream one of those bands is Converge"

are you fucking joking?

Have you ever HEARD Jane Doe? Or any of their material for that matter?

There is nothing mainstream about any of those 3 bands. But especially Converge.

Yeah Feeeding, if you're going to try and go with the whole asshole/elitist shtick at least have the smarts to back it up.

"Will, even AN, Hope Conspiracy, and Converge are mall-core. I Would consider GUTG/AN "emo-core" because of the god-awful vocals and the kinda whiny lyrics. Same w/ HC. Converge...everyone loves them, but they're just a metal band. THAT'S IT."

Uh, I am no big fan of those bands, but mallcore? The most mainstream one of those bands is Converge, and I don't see many fahioncore kids listening to them.

Just because it's not overtly political and on popular indie labels doesn't make it "mallcore." That notion is fucking ridiculous and your description of American Nightmare has me convinced you must have listened to the metal band.

That's all.

-Will

hey kids talking about NA, check this out
http://www.myspace.com/easyaction

John's current band, they are touring for a bit in May, really awesome live

Will, even AN, Hope Conspiracy, and Converge are mall-core. I Would consider GUTG/AN "emo-core" because of the god-awful vocals and the kinda whiny lyrics. Same w/ HC. Converge...everyone loves them, but they're just a metal band. THAT'S IT.

Posted by rinjonjori on 2006-03-31 17:06:07
My Score:

This album is horrible, i had it when it was first released. There are a couple of good tracks, but this is fodder for the most part.

Of the new songs, I like the Most Precious Blood cover.

Oh yeah, and I have to add that by "these bands" I mean American Nightmare, Converge, Hope Conspiracy, etc.- Not the mall emo bands on this shit.

I don't know, it seems like lately Punknews' scoring system is getting coopted. This shit doesn't deserve the score it got for the fact that it has 4 bands that blow on it and was released to get money from their fans.

-Will

"I just found out that there was a Negative Approach tribute at one point. I downloaded the Kill Your Idols, Converge and Ensign songs from it and they're all cool"

Seriously, I could probably assemble a 15-20 song comp of Negative Approach covers from various hardcore bands' covers.

I'd like to hear these bands cover the Negative FX album... That would be awesome, each band could get a couple songs and just do the whole album.

-Will

american nothing cover rules thats about it

Everyone knows they can't match up to Black Flag, its just their small way of paying homage. Fuck, let it go dude.

These bands can't hold a candle to Flag.....they can put as many breakdowns and growls into it as they want to but they'll never reach the "creepy crawl" level of intensity that the Flag did. Hell, they won't even get within earshot. These bands are not scary....Black Flag was.

I just found out that there was a Negative Approach tribute at one point. I downloaded the Kill Your Idols, Converge and Ensign songs from it and they're all cool. And out of morbid cutiosity I downloaded the Thursday song and it was absolutly god awful.

Pretty sure the Converge track is the best track on the cd, but have to go with Black Flag on the more famous argument.

Posted by ElVaquero on 2006-03-31 01:52:51
My Score:

You're going WAY TOO EASY on this tribute album. It's really not going to stick with you at all.

"pretty sure Converge is more famous than Black Flag"

pretty sure you don't know shiitte

no way converge is more famous than black flag

you're crazy, mr. anonymous

pretty sure Converge is more famous than Black Flag

All of the bands on this comp performed felatio on me.

Blasphemy

You don't think its a little pre-mature?

sickboi: Well, it's kind of a warranted reissue in that the original is out of print since Initial went under.

i'm surprised rise against's fix me isn't on here

Posted by sickboi on 2006-03-31 00:23:43
My Score:

You know reissue are getting absurd when a tribute album in the past 5 years gets the treatment...

Score is for the DEP and Hope Conspiracy covers...