I think when the Djent style (it isnt a genre) is used for a breakdown or a single section of a song, it can be pretty cool. Alot of technical death metal bands like Beyond Creation have mastered the use of the occassional djenty part. Periphery has some cool tunes and so does After the Burial, but this is because those bands already have their sound established and use djent styling to spice up a section here and there. I personally do NOT understand the appeal to Polyphia because of the lack of structure and seemingly endless wiggly wiggly woos. Sure.. the sections are melodic BUT they hardly transition well to each other, making it seem all awkward. Black Sabbath on theri debut album wrote a song called A Bit Of Finger / Sleeping Village / Warning, and the tempo, structure, and feel of the song shifts many times and is 14 minutes. That song has very memorable parts BECAUSE they transition well together and there's a focus on feel and groove... not a technical jack off session.
I totally agree on the importance of songwriting, which is a different skill from just pure technicality. KISS is a great example, because Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons may not be the most amazing musicians technically, even Ace Frehley could probably be bested by many of the young proteges he inspired in the 70s--but those guys are, and continue to be phenomenal songwriters, penning countless hits and fantastic albums. Not to mention the killer live shows, which is another totally different and equally important beast. Although I would like to note for the record I think Mark St. John, who did the studio recordings on Animalize, and Bruce Kulick, who was their main axeman throughout the 80s, were really incredible guitarists. Kulick was really versatile too, nailing the grunge aesthetic on the infamous Carnival of Souls grunge album.
PRRREACH! I agree 100% with everything you said (maybe except I don't care about looks in musicians, but wouldn't ever like those things on myself). It's nice to see another dude who's got his head stuck in the 80s as well, in terms of a certain artistic perspective. You delve into more genres though, I personally stick with thrash and early death. 😊
Thanks! Glad you agree. I've never seen so many negative people freak out in comments over this video haha. I love thrash, death, hair, black, folk, melodic, power and all kinds of other metal and rock genres, but djent isn't even a genre, it's just boring robotic nonsense with no songwriting or feel.
I really have to agree. At least people like Doug alteration Kirk Hammett would come out with some really beautiful clean lead guitar riffs over an acoustic piece. I really miss back in the day when you could hear the first few measures of a song and know who the artist was. Granted a lot of people used the same gear back in the 90s but at least they mixed it up until you could tell who was who.
Happened to me yesterday. I listened a old 60 song by a great guitar player of my country and sounds the same!. I thought wow! Now he is really old and plays totally different guitar and gear and sounds the same.
First time I heard "Why Can't This Be Love?" was on the radio. I had no idea what this was since I hadn't listened to 5150 yet, but my jaw just fucking dropped as low as it could go, in utter disbelief that something could sound this amazing. I knew instantly in that moment there's only one guy who could've written something like this. On a similar note, that's why I'm baffled by all the "Metallica fans" who didn't get the Load through St. Anger eras. or even Black Album for some people. It's crystal clear to any real Metallica fan that those records had the same feel of Metallica--the heaviness, the raw emotions, the sincerity in the voice and the playing. It's just an evolution of the sound and drawing from new inspirations and sources. In St. Anger's case, it was an honest reflection of who they were at that point. Every great album has to be. To me it's just the same unmistakable sound they've had all along. That they moved past thrash is besides the point.
6:15 ok, so what is the name of your band, that is more successful then Animals as Leaders? What is the name of your custom Fishman pickup set? You have your own signature guitar line?
@@9hk38f there's a preview video on my channel of my signature 1987 pickup. I'll have the full neck and bridge pickup set this week and video out about it and when and where you can order out soon.
@@9hk38f well they're handmade and handwound U.S.A. built custom pickups that are as good as bareknuckle pickups at half the price so yeah they couldn't be more high end.
Djent is what happens when all those guys that can play their asses off but can't play with other people to save their lives band up. I.e. Guitar Center refugees.
I agree with your opinions on djent! I'd like to add those 8-9 string guitars are tuned so low and my eardrums vibrate so hard that they give up. I can't listen to "music" that hurts. (The lowest I've ever tuned is drop C, my favorite is 1/2 step down.) Maybe it's an age thing? I"m 38, so maybe dudes in their 30s who don't play djent hate djent. My guitar teacher said something that stuck with me, "You don't see any chicks at those shows."
Seems like maybe you haven't actually listened to any of the music you are talking about, I don't know how else you could possibly be farther from the truth on half of these points. I mean I almost laughed out loud when you brought up harmony and melody. Sure, there are some people who just sit on 1 and 0, but if you actually listened to any of the bands you mentioned you'd realize that that is an extreme that is not actually as popular to people who actually listen to this music as you think. I mean come on, literally every periphery riff is a melody in itself. I hope this is a troll cause it's a really sad argument against the genre in my opinion.
guys a 1,3 thrash cliche - think he's just upset at the syncopation bc he cant play it lol its never 17/8 its almost all 4/4, he cant see how a riff can overlap a measure and still grove - hes gonna miss the point
And clearly you missed my point. A bunch of synchopation even if it is in 4/4 still doesn't sound good or catchy at all. It's just all synchopation and no substance. They still can't write catchy memorable riffs, melodies or songs to save their lives.
Djent isn't a genre. I've always seen it as more of a modifier, a sound, a style. Polyphia isn't djent, which is weird to lump them into that category (not a huge fan of them btw but I do like a couple songs). Honestly, music is just music man. While I agree that riff salads are lame, I still think there's no need to box music in and place all these rules around it. That's just boring and predictable. Im down for a 3 minute mainstream pop song. Im down for a 13 min prog journey too. It doesn't matter, if it resonates, it resonates. Some songs do, some don't. "None of this is going to stand the test of time." Lol man that's the main thing I disagree with and it's weird to make a claim like that. Feels a bit narrow minded but hey it's your opinion and at the end of the day, there's no right or wrong. Just music. Cheers.
, it won't become a legend, things like that are very marketable, and boring, instead of super technical, I don't care, 80s, 90s, are the best in my ears
8:00 you are really going to talk about looks!? When people think of a wanna be rocker, then never amounted to anything, that still lives with their parents, you are the class A look for it!
I'm coming back on to this video because I reconsidered my stance. After listening to the last Periphery album, there is actually a ton of catchy musical hooks, great choruses, and solid structure from a music theory point of view on their latest record. I just think it's easy and lazy to characterize it as dent and I was guilty of this myself, the reality is their music is already evolving past that. I do think there's merit to arguing against Djent is Not a Genre being too long and drawn out, but after listenting to it, and actually opening up to it a bit, I don't think I can lump Periphery in with some of the other bands in this genre. They're probably more of a prog version of nu metal which I don't think of as a bad thing. Also Spencer is underrated as hell as a vocalist. He's a huge part of why I'm not lumping them in with some of the instrumental bands you're rightfully calling out.
Kinda funny how this vid has generated more clicks thank your usual trve stuff. Don't know whats more dated, a UA-cam video on djent in 22 or the look of someone who is stuck in the 80s?!
Fully agree technicality is all good when used tastefully, some djent bands seem like there doing it for technicalitys sake, like it proves something how many time signatures they can chuck into a song. Songwriting goes along way
Never understood the fascination with crazy time signatures. Hell I don't even really understand them much myself. 4/4 or 3/4 is all I need and most good music that people like and listen to falls into that category. I say, if you can do something good outside of that, it should be because you found something that sounded cool, and it just happened to be in that time signature. Not trying to do so for the sake of it. A lot of people point to the M:I theme song as example of 5/4, but I don't hear it and even if I did, it doesn't matter. It's just a catchy piece that happens to be in that signature.
i’m not sure i can agree. i’m not sure what your definition of djent is because no one who actually listens to “djent” calls it that. periphery for example is hailed as the “second greatest djent band after meshugga” but even they make fun of the word djent. their music is just a variation of so much of metal that it’s hard to call it a joke because the composition, if broken down like you said as “melody and rhythm” it has both and almost all their songs have some sort of harmony or melody that one can distinguish. my other point would be that isn’t the point of music to make whatever you want? it’s not about the same four chords that play with a four on the floor beat. the people who make “djent” or progressive metal want more so they made more, is it not done by musicians? is it not played on guitars and basses and drums? does it not have professional studio sounds that make it powerful to listen to. don’t get me wrong i LOVE EVH, 80’s rock and metal is amazing i love everything about it, but sometimes i want to listen to MUSIC that is loud and chaotic and energetic beyond the catchy choruses. no disrespect to your video i just am happy that i can express this opinion! keep doing what you are doing bro! 🤘
@@shredaintdead9323 one of the worst things about the community is no one can dislike the genre cause they all feel they are superior to every other genre.
Djent as a trend is very nerdy. But as with most metal music sub genres it has contributed something to the music. Meshuggah for example added a new way of riffing with their polyrythmic writing. Personally I've always liked Threat Signal better, they took riffing to whole new level and is not as monotone like Meshuggah. Just like hair metal in the 80s, Nu-metal in the late 90s and metalcore in the 2000 Djent have been overdone. I see a trend however on the rise where it is more organic and stripped down. There is always a paradigm shift, allthough Djent have been going for quite some time.
It's been going way too long. Meshuggah is an exception because they actually always have a groove and it's still listenable, but these modern guys don't have anything that actually has groove. It's just terrible songwriting. There is no song.
@@shredaintdead9323 Totally agree there. Meshuggah can be cool to listen to sometimes but it is nothing I put on when I wanna rock out a friday with some friends.
@@shredaintdead9323 bro you say that mwshuggah is ok and you say the same for all of the exact examples. Could you bring an example of just a stupid, unmusical, unemotional, not grooving and way too complex technichally without any reason prog?
I agree with everything, except that I actually like Animals As Leaders. The thing I don’t like about a lot of djent bands is how they pretty much always just rips off Meshuggah in some way. Meshuggah is legitimately an awesome metal band and they actually have groove and put on an amazing show. And Frederik Thordendal actually improvises all of his solos, he never plays the same thing twice live. But so many djent bands are just a bland imitation of Meshuggah and just sound robotic and boring in comparison. It was cool what Meshuggah was doing but now everyone just copies them and has turned that whole thing into boring crap. “Djent” was actually an onomatopoeia that Frederik Thordendal (while he was drunk) used to explain how he wanted his guitar to sound like while chugging. The term “djent” started getting more traction after Periphery became more popular, but Misha got that from Meshuggah and people online were using that to describe the Meshuggah guitar tone back in the 2000s before all those “djent” bands existed.
@@shredaintdead9323 yeah, one time somebody suggested me to listen to some djent bands like The Contortionist, Vildhjarta and some other ones. I listened to them for a little bit, then I just stopped and listened to Meshuggah instead 😂 Periphery is actually pretty decent too, they write actual songs with structure and have groove too. That’s probably the only other one I like.
@@9hk38f it’s pretty much well known that “djent” was an onomatopoeia Frederik and Marten used to explain how they wanted the guitar to sound like in Meshuggah. Nobody denies that or questions that, the band themselves confirm it and even Misha Mansoor confirms it. Misha used to post on the Meshuggah forum all the time talking about “djenty” guitar tones and that word was always understood to have come from Frederik and Marten in Meshuggah to describe the sound of chugging on the bottom 4 strings of a 7 string guitar. It all started on the Meshuggah forum online and it was never anything more than just an onomatopoeia for a certain chugging sound.
@@jb_50w78 Well there are other bands, with different stories. We weren’t there, we don’t know 100%. You might be right, idk. But I believe it’s Periphery, who swears Mesh is full of it.
I would like to suggest you to listen to „October Moon“ by „For Giants“. That Song hasn‘t got a single word in it, but tells a story way beyond the tracks length. Everything has its spectrum. Even Djent. There‘s the generic 1001010010 type of that but on the other end of the spectrum you‘ll find bands like „For Giants“ and „Modern Day Babylon“ who are catchy as hell while still being super djenty.
I'll listen to it, but I doubt I'll be that impressed with it. Instrumental is pretty boring with few exceptions, and especially Instrumental djent, but I'm happy to be proven wrong.
Merriam-Webster defines music as: a : vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony choral music piano music recorded music b : the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity. Is djent any of these things? (Asking for a friend)
I dont really see your point. I always loved prog metal bands, my childhood was basically bands like dream theater. For me, before starting studying music, when guys like AAL started to appear, i really felt the way prog metal evolved. You can't say i was hooked by technical hability when i didnt play guitar, neither study any instruments at the time, just liked the sound. With the show thing, i went to see DT two times and we were all standing still looking how we they played. Same with king crimson for what people told me. Each band do their shows at their own way, some just go and do their thing and people like it. Can't compare a niche prog band like this with metallica. I mean, you dont like it dude, but for other people it was an interesting game changer (At least for me with AAL, and some polyphia things). Im open to debate, but i dont really see your points. Edit: There's probably a chance this is a sarcastic vid or a attention seeking one, if that's the case im dumb
@@calonordstoast Damn it's crazy how he only focused on you, rather than giving counter argument to my comment. It looks like this guy open a debate to feel like the winner rather than discuss the topic. Or at least is the impression he gives me
@@cegant Prog and djent aren't the same. I like some Prog like the guys you mentioned. Even though they have technicality there's still songs, structure, melodies and memorable riffs, solos and songs.
What’s the point of insulting multiscale extended range guitars? They literally just give you more options musically, and the multiscale isn’t to look “cool”, it’s to sound better.
The song Cafo by AAL and Buttersnips by Periphery got me hooked on djent. They showed me that you can actually do whatever you want, and that's why they made their own label
I hope for 80's style metal become more popular again, writing catchy songs, playing bad ass riffs and solos in E Standard or E Flat on a six string. Not to mention I'm only 25 and I don't get Djent or Deathcore for that matter either, I agree with your points
It got old dude, so people got creative. There needs to be some sort of creative leap and progress in the genre. Standard 4/4 on top of intro-verse-bridge-chorus-verse-solo-chorus is tried and true, but doesn't push any limits nor redefine the scope of music.
I agree 💯 even if I like 2 or 3 songs of Animals as Leaders I cant stand 1 entire song of Periphery from the beginning to the end is just to boring like you said.
1:32 As a mid-2000's kid, I'd never type something like that. Also, I wonder if djent if considered "technical" if it's a lot of 0's and 1's in the song.
@@shredaintdead9323 Either way, I think your video was pretty understandable. Though I have yet to see live performances like you mentioned, because that part of your video was surprising. Same thing goes with gear.
"Djent" and progressive metal or prog music in general is typically for musicians and people who have taken or want to take their musical skill to its upmost potential. Yes it's enjoyable but not to the average listener that doesn't know much music or rhythmic theory. I don't necessarily think it's for everyone either, but that doesn't make it bad or boring. Stick to what you like if it really bores you that much, and continue writing whatever rendition of the old school songs you prefer, more power to you. I think bashing the music for its lack of musicality is also kind of ignorant as well, a lot of the bands have really amazing riffs and melodic sections throughout songs, including jazzy sections or more classic metal sections as well. Also I'm fairly certain that Animals As Leaders writes everything in standard tuning with extended range guitars so it's easy to think its some wild tuning. Anyway, the main argument of the vid seems to be that it isn't cool to be who you want to be while writing and playing the music you want to play, and it should be uniformly classic metal standards which underhands music as a whole in my opinion. Still can't tell if this video is supposed to be satire given that most of the points made were purely opinion based and none of it seemed to be based in fact, but those are my thoughts.
Perfect example... "djent isn't enjoyable to the "average listener" who "doesn't know theory"....like you somehow have to be evolved and "understand" the complexity to like djent.....it's not about the skill...it's about the music...it's garbage. These guys are just a extension of the evolution of "faster and more complex" is better crowd. The guitar hero wars that started with EVH and Randy Rhoads then evolved into Vai then Satch then Malmsteen...then guys playing seven string guitars...eight string guitars...fan fret guitars....triple neck guitars....etc etc etc. It's all a dick measuring contest between guitarists that finally resulted in shitty music. There is a reason no one knows these djent players just like there is a reason that no one buys their music....because it isn't really music. It's a demonstration of practiced guitar techniques. Nobody is tapping their foot...bobbing their head....singing their "songs" in the shower....because for most people....it isn't music...regardless of the "complexity".
I think that the primary goal of the players are to display their technical abilities. For that and I'm a rock fan prefer to listen Martha Argerich playing Chopin.
I am a similar-aged ally in the fight against djent. I'm with you 100%, although my 7 reasons/roasts are actually nerdy but in an opposite way (might even be giving you a very rough draft of a future vid I want to shoot): 1). *Djent is a band; not a genre* ... cough (Meshuggah)... . 2). *Philosophical observation* : Djent is a symptom of a larger problem at large. It is a troubling phenomena that one youTube video has described as "The Death of Melody" (look it up as the title). We stand on the shoulders of giants who build a ziggurat of melodic and harmonic consciousness that we have yet to tap into and assimilate. Djent looks at this monumental evolution, takes a piss, and walks away. 3). *Extended range guitars usually are designed VERY poorly* . It is all about scale length. Scale length affects playability and tone. If you have a surf board with eight strings and the scale length is completely baritone, then your treble strings are extremely disrespected (as one common example). This is probably why so many "great" djent players prefer to tap their licks rather than shred. Fan-fretting can solve this problem, but then you gain other potential problems, especially on the wallet. Give me a decent HSS strat and I'll write music instead. Even my seven string guitar is more difficult to play than my Charvel So-Cal superstrat, and that same 7-string is a mere half an inch longer in scale length. This is science in action! 4). *Djent hates bassists* . I shouldn't have to say anything, but where would metal bass be without so many great bass players and basslines from Cliff Burton and beyond? Take "Five Magics" by Megadeth. You start off with this amazing bass solo after the introductory riff and you can never NOT hear the power of the bass for the rest of that song. Its already troubling enough being a bass player in a stereotypical boomer to zoomer metal band but then Djent nukes the bassist entirely. 5). *Most fans are zombies that will eat up computer-made material* . I wish I was making this up, but bear with me. They are eating PROCEDURALLY GENERATED DJENT!! Look it up (here is an example: ua-cam.com/video/CqvmUnG25dA/v-deo.html ). If mad-libs programs can create your material, then you and your listeners have multiple serious problems. I give it a listen and it grates on my soul after a couple minutes. It has gotten THAT BAD! 6). *Djent is running out of low notes* . Forget Gore-bal warming or other constantly changing doomsday clocks. This is an actual end-of-the-road problem because the human ear and body cannot perceive the same recycled polymeter riff tuned down much lower than drop A#-2 from a bridge cable. Then djent will have choked their cash cow to a slow and agonizing death as the crowd of 15 amp-photographers involuntarily fills their trousers thanks to the brown note. This is also science, even though "I'm not a biologist" (to quote a recent politician for fun)! 7). *Even good-er djent is more electronic music than metal* . I'm a late bloomer for guitar, as I spent too many years in electronic music. Djent music reminds me too much of the production technique of a sub and mid bass. In the world of synths, you have a sine-wave sub bass that enforces the bottom tone, then you get AT LEAST one middle-frequency dominant synthesizer to add all the grit and character of the bass tone in question. Djent is basically the same thing using a low tuned guitar for the mid-bass and a recruited guitarist to mechanically play the sine-wave sub bass (sorry... I meant Dingwall bass that you spent so much money on). Even this is okay if you admit it, but use the tools to create something memorable (Sleep Token might be close to an example of djent that I would say is closer to electronica, but at least they try to do something memorable). -- True shred will be timeless. Fight the good fight, bro!
This video should be called 'Djent Vent'. 😊 I am going to agree and disagree with you on this one. I do write some music that has elements like polyrhythms and odd time patterns and can be classified as prog metal. However, if an odd time pattern does not have the right 'FEELING' to bring out whatever I am stating in a song, I won't use it. I never use an odd time pattern 'just because'. That same principle applies to a solo, an intro, an outro etc. It has to make sense for the purpose of the song. I do agree with you that watching some bands that are mostly technical live can be boring at times. I respect Dream Theater a lot but yes, their shows are on the dull side. I love a lot of straight-forward rock/metal. I love a lot of over the top progressive/extreme rock/metal. ProgSnob stated it best: 'music is just music'. Its not something to get stressed about. Life is just too short for that. 👍
Haha that's a great title! Dream theater is a Prog band and an exception to this on some levels, but just as guilty on others. Overall though they still have catchy and melodic memorable parts and songs. They aren't just writing boring parts that all sound the same just to be technical or ride the trend wave.
@@shredaintdead9323 Yes! And almost every prog metal band does the same and if you think that prog is just made for some nerds to play their nerdy stuff to show how technichal they are, you are very far from the truth
9:20 Correction. None of these songs, make YOU! Feel anything. Everyone interprets music differently. Only someone with a personality complex/disorder, would make a statement like, "These songs don't make you feel anything" What someone feel's is subjective.
@@shredaintdead9323 I thought your video was bad, but then I saw your passive-agressive answers directed towards anybody who disagrees with you. You really seem like a nice person lol
The online djent “culture” is ridiculous. Everyone owns 50 8-string guitars and has a damn laboratory control room of computer monitors set up behind them with all these intricate programs pulled up. Then it will be a dude who looks like he’s trying to be an H and M model, with neck and hand tattoos who just starts “0, 0, 0, 0, 1,0” Then throws in some obviously fake or sped up tapping/sweeping. Everyone and their cousin is a guitar virtuoso these days because everyone is faking
They all also sound so similar because they all use the same IRs and plugins, and these are the very same people who say 80's metal lacks originality XD
you really care how these other people look? i don't see them on here bashing your personal style. the odd things you think are important are just confusing. as far as songs standing the test of time do you really think the ramones and their 3 chords really deserve to be remembered forever? honestly no. lol music is music, people will find enjoyment in it regardless if you do or not, all of this is opinion based but it seems like you just want to hate. lol
Well when all of the look the same it's kinda hard not to call it out. It honestly seems like satire at this point. And yeah people still listen to the Ramones and acdc so....
I like your Animals as leaders comment saying "it sounds like they are all playing a different thing" because they are playing in polymeters and playing things that is obviously hard to wrap the head around, each member of that band are some of the most gifted musicians ive ever seen in my life, cafo definitely IS music. i think youd LOVE Vildhjharta ;) just released the best album in the last 20 years. I can respect your opinion but a lot of it comes off as whiny and like your opinion is the only opinion thats right and like you can say what is music and what isnt music
What you're failing to grasp is just because everyone is playing in ploymeters doesn't mean they wrote a good or catchy song. Gojira does and they still remain catchy and memorable and have a way bigger fan base for it. Just because you can play a bunch of fancy polymeters, that doesn't automatically make everything you do brilliant.
@@shredaintdead9323 yes a lot of bands in the prog scene try to do this and fail, animals as leaders however is one of the bands along side meshuggah/gojira that do it really well. Also a song doesn’t have to be “catchy” for it to be good
Opinions piss me off too man. Everytime I hear someone’s opinion that goes against mine, I get so angry that I scream like a dog being raped by a Covid-raging skunk ape!
You mentioned that it's boring to watch technical bands such as Polyphia play live. I AGREE. That's not why we like 'em though, playing live is not at all their selling point.
You have to have a very high I.Q. to understand and appreciate djent. Lol. Jokes aside. While people will give pushback on the idea of there being no real harmony or melody, seeing as most things require more than just the chug and the djent (fair point), this does speak to how djent itself is probably not a genre. Just as chugs or pinch harmonics are probably not appropriate genre categories. In the case of djent, all the percussive guitar and bass playing usually requires something in addition for the music to remain memorable. I don’t know why or for sure, why, but there is something about this area of music, that does draw a certain audience. I don’t think it’s the djent noise on its own. I think you have a very good overall argument of music needing an overall catchy and structured appeal as opposed to just pure technical showmanship for its own sake. But whatever. Mehmehmehmehmehbehbehbehebeh don’t be judgy!!1
Yeah it's hilarious how these guys are convinced doing a bunch of ployrthymn stuff is on a higher i.q. level. Well it's not on a high songwriting level. Just cuz these guys can do fancy time signatures together doesn't mean they wrote a catchy or memorable song at all. Quite the opposite actually
Well, I watched it to the end like you asked. I want you to know ahead of time that I don’t say anything out of a place of mean-spiritedness toward you or anybody. I mainly heard a lot of generalizations throughout the video assuming that your personal view was some sort of universal standard. How do you know what music makes people feel things and what doesn’t? How is your definition of music segment any different than Ben Shapiro’s silly jabs at rap and hip-hop, or your own parents/grandparents’ feelings about thrash and power metal (or whatever it is you happen to enjoy)? There’s plenty of Djent bands that don’t do much for me-the same as any style of music-but as an instructor I have seen those very same artists spark something in my students that they hadn’t found elsewhere. I get that change can be scary, especially when the things that you thought were cool growing up become outdated and lame to the younger generations. But those changes are absolutely necessary to keep the art-form alive. Guitar-playing will die without change, and I don’t think any number of 30-50-somethings ranting into a camera for 10+ minutes is going to stop those changes. Eventually it will be the kids’ turns to live through it, and they’ll rant about how Djent was the only true music and whatever the new wave of music is all hacks and posers. I just think that we 30-year-olds have an opportunity to live with dignity and respect for the new tastemakers, and I desperately hope we take it before we alienate all of the newcomers. P.S. on the topic of what newfangled genres the djent people will complain about, I’m hoping for something truly crazy like blackened-math-death-country.
Well this is my channel. So these are simply my opinions on the genre. You don't have to agree. Just my take on the genre as whole. Not gonna break down each djent band and musican individually and make a 3hr video. It's just simply calling it as I see it. If you don't agree that's fine too.
@@shredaintdead9323 I’m definitely not asking for any of that. I don’t think a 3-hour video on any topic could ever be interesting enough to watch. Lol All I’m saying is consider that perhaps the things that you don’t find musical/enjoyable about the genre are things that a significant amount of others actually feel the opposite about. I actually agree with you about songwriting, as I prefer music that sounds like it’s written for a reason. I get a ton of flack from other guitarists for the opinion that good riffs ≠ good songs. That being said, the standards for what is musically good vs. musically bad have changed so much over the thousands of years it has existed that nobody in good faith can really say that their definition is the true authoritative one. Most guitar music will likely not stand the test of time in the grand scheme. With the way that university students have been lately, I doubt that even Beethoven is safe from being mostly forgotten in the next couple of centuries. I think we ought to just have fun with the time that we have and not take art too seriously. Just my two cents.
What an interesting video. Imagine getting to the point where you have to criticise what people look like. Ashamed to say I watched it all, any video where you have to complain that what people dress in "isn't metal enough" loses all validity. Thank you generic 80s/90s metal stereotype. Also nice irony criticising people for using similar set up then advertising your gear and tone coaching to make sure you can get the most generic sound possible. Godspeed sir.
@@shredaintdead9323 I will give some props to the drummer of animals as leaders tho as a drummer and a bass player and a guitarist he got some skills … but I totally agree 101010%lol “djent” is a sound and should not be a subgroup of metal . Only with a tuner can you even tell what key the shits in . It’s like bad jazz had a ugly child with bad prog metal and the hipsters went yeaaaa!!! Rejoice we have made something great no don’t be stupid it’s not great
I'm gonna have to disagree with you on almost everything here. I personally love bands like animals as leaders, polyphia, plini (don't think they're really djent xD but yeah) etc. I think they are probably the future of this shit, at least for me. But we have our own opinions so obviously I wouldn't crap on you for yours. Edit: A minute later I finished the video where you say we are wrong at the end if we disagree. Probably a joke, but if it's not a joke man... an attitude like this is how you lose any points you may have with some people and have them thinking you're some kind of gatekeeper
Agree, this guy here doesn't listen to music, he listens to metal. His perspective is warped only to judge music in a metal view. These bands you listed are very musically complex which it takes time for the ear to mature and fully understand what's going on. These bands are 100% the future and that's what he's scared of, losing his childhood from modern metal because he can't grow up
@@DreamingTheatric exactly. I mean, I'm cut from same cloth as him. I grew up on 80s hair metal and still adore it to this day. But I'm just glad I didn't stay that route and luckily my ears perk up to the sounds of jazz, funk, classical, pop, hip hop, prog, djent, EVERYTHING.
6:05, I don't think it's not ok in other genres, I just feel like prog(djent) players are for the most part, massive gear nerds and so thats something they like to focus on. I remember watching a KSE interview and the Adam literally just said , I don't need all these other options, a bridge humbucker works for me. I just don't think other genres care for gear as much which is fine! I will admit, loads of prog bands do use the same plugins and types of guitars but that's because its usually what works for them and what feels and sounds like the thing they're going for. You don't judge every metal band from before the 2000s for using blockletter 5150s and active pickups in some sort of gibson/dean or smtg, or hard rock bands with their les pauls and jcm100s or whatever so I don't understand why you're judging djent players for using their plugins and superstrats. We do it because we can, that's literally it.
Lol literally all those bands from early 2000s get judged for using 5150s and active pickups all the time. Djent is even worse because now the goal is to Literally all be the same on every level. Early 2000s bands still had their own looks and everyone had a different sound, some were similar of couse but not IDENTICAL like djent. They also had song structure and hooks. Djent has neither. It's just boring downtuned muddy riffs with no song structure or anything catchy or memorable about it.
What's the difference between noodling on a guitar and "extreme technical proficiency"? Polyphia is basically a long form version of Steve Vai's Ballerina 12/24, which is just noodling on a Harmonizer pedal. Every Plini song sounds the same to every person not familiar to the artist. As you said, Animals as Leaders are all over the place when it comes to making a song. Instrumental rock and metal that comes from the djent genre isn't good its just people noodling notes and crossing their fingers hoping people are gullible enough to believe they are hearing a "song".
This is gatekeeping, plain and simple. The whole point of the metal movement was to break boundaries and not give a fuck about what anyone says. It's fine if you prefer the classic style of metal from the 80s, but attempting to de-legitimize modern metal and claim that it's not even music is intentionally divisive. If people want to try new things and innovate, let them, and don't complain about what metal fans nowadays want to hear -- it makes you look ignorant and stuck in your ways. Sorry if this comment comes off as a little antagonistic, but that's my take on what you said. I'm always open for discussion, since I think it's always important to understand others' viewpoints (hence why I watched this video I disagree with). :)
This video was intended to be devisive, amd it's simply an opinion video. I don't care if people disagree, but the point that most people seemed to have missed is all this Boundary pushing and technical ability that these guys are getting praised for means nothing since they can't catchy memorable songs, albums, riffs or harmonies. It's just a boring wank fest. It's like a bodybuilder getting praise for only working out his abnormally huge triceps. The rest of him isn't ripped, only his triceps. Who cares then? It's pointless. Praising these guys for only being super good at one thing is crazy. Technical ability isn't everything. Its just one piece of the puzzle and these guys are missing all the other pieces and being worshipped for it.
@@shredaintdead9323 Okay, that's a decent point -- specialization can leave a lot of room for improvement. That being said, there are definitely modern metal acts out there that aren't just extremely talented in the technical realm, and make memorable music that's fun to listen to. I think you mentioned Periphery as a negative example in the video, but I would say that their stuff is very pleasant on the ears for the most part. Some of their songs are just riff salad, sure, but they range into a lot of different metal territories while keeping a distinctive sound. I would recommend checking out their song "Scarlet" if you haven't -- it's got a good central riff, easy-to-swallow song structure, and everything flows together very nicely. As for the heavy emphasis on the technical aspect for modern metal in general, I personally find it really amazing to see what can actually be done with a musical instrument. I'm a big fan of pushing the boundaries, and bands like Psyopus, Infant Annihilator, and Animals As Leaders are interesting to listen to simply because of how extreme they are. Of course if that's not your thing that's okay too -- I can appreciate the classic stuff for its groove and style as well, and I'm glad you do too. :)
I'm a grumpy old man. I just listened the theme. Just a bunch of random sounds. In the 80 all mocked the Mike Varney shred albums, this is worse. I'm sure that in 10 years never will remember these bands.
Amen. I think djent is same for metal as what dubstep was for EDM (before dying). It's just random effects showoff all over the place without logic. It's eventually gonna reach peak, die and slowly disappear. Although at least dubstep had some structure and it was clearly electronic music. Djent...I'm not 100% sure if it even should be considered metal. I recently tried to force myself to find at least one good djent song by going through Spotify of AAL, Periphery etc. but it's just all same messy palm mute 10101 shit. I'm definitely not a fan of Meshuggah either, but at least what they produce is music and not weird guitar showoff demos.
This is why 70's 80's and early 90's Metal , Rock still rule's etc. The music is memorable ,The songs are catchy and why they continue to sell music and fill stadiums and venues etc.
Bro, Cafo slaps and I have no trouble following it. One of my favorite parts of Djent is that songs don’t follow a conventional pop “verse/chorus/bridge” sequence. If the song flows, it flows. It doesn’t need a verse to flow. But most of them still have choruses and motifs.
Agreed. If you can’t find melody then you’re actively avoiding it. Periphery is a great example of a djent band with plenty of melody and riffs that hit more than the 7th open string. Additionally, they have a double concept album that is absolutely littered with rhythmic, lyrical, and melodic motifs. Animals as leaders has tons of harmony and melody (although most of the harmony is diatonic). The only artist that’s being fairly criticized in this video is Fractalize which is an AWFUL band. As for groove and appearance, there is no “djent uniform”, the people dress basically however they want. As for groove, plenty of the bands actively groove on stage, but some don’t, that’s just how these people play music, and it’s just a weak criticism. And if it sounds like they’re “all messing up together, then you’re either ignorant or you haven’t taken the time to understand what’s happening in the music itself. It’s not for everyone, in fact most people don’t like it, but just because you can’t tell what’s happening after listening to cafo one time doesn’t mean that there’s no value to be had
@@ThePeachBitBack In the end there will be zero value because it will be a genre long forgot and it won’t be remembered at all no one will give a shit. people will still be pumping Panama and Hot for teacher
That’s a terrible argument. The amount of recognition a song receives has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the music, and modern pop music is a great indicator of that. Besides that, songs like these are already fading into obscurity. I’m part of gen Z, and I can confidently say that the vast majority of people my age aren’t familiar with those songs, at least by name. Of course, many people are familiar with those songs, but the average Van Halen fan isn’t getting any younger. To take your argument to its logical conclusion, none of these songs will matter because all will be lost to the unforgiving sands of time. Nobody will be studying Van Halen in school 300 years from now, they will be learning about the global geopolitical events of the time.
@@ThePeachBitBack Well you let me know when periphery gets in the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame. I’m not saying that they’re not influential I’m just saying that misha plays Guitar like a namby-pamby little pantywaist and is afraid to touch it. The genre has become so pretentious. And people still listen to the Beatles and Elvis Presley because it stand the test of time. It literally could have started and ended with Meshuggah and they inadvertently created this whole wave unintentionally.
Difference is Glam was intended to be cheesy and fun and embrace the silly look. These djent nerds actually think man buns and v necks look cool. It's so overly serious while looking totally ridiculous.
I agree with this, djent is the dumbest thing ever. We need to get back to musicality in songs and not just percussion, leave percussion to the drummer.
This might be a pointless comment to make since this video is 8 months old, but why not. I personally disagree with nearly every point you make in this video, but I can understand where your point comes from. The points I heard the most in this video were people care too much about gear, technicality doesn't make it a song, it doesn't have melodies, the rythms doesn't make it interesting, and the songs in general doesn't make you feel anything. I wanna say that I understand exactly why you feel like this, but it's more of a personal preference thing, this genre really isn't for anyone. When it comes to the arguments about melody, rythm and harmony, I feel the exact same way but for other genres of metal, they just aren't for me. If I listen to any metal music from the 80s for example, it doesn't make me feel anything, the rythms are very straight ant pretty boring to me, and the melodies and harmonies are just in general not for me. When I listen to Djent, I can get some rythms that feel amazing to headbang to (Example: After The Burial - My Frailty) I get songs that have certain atmospheres that make me feel like no other songs (Example: Spiritbox - Eternal Blue) When I listen to the genre, I always feel like I can discover something new (Example: TesseracT - Of Reality) If I want something technical, I can always get some sick leads/fast melodies that somehow stand out from each other every time (Periphery - Racecar) And last but not least, this genre actually helped me get into Jazz 😎👌 (And I am now a jazz student) However, this is all personal preference, if you don't like the the genre that is perfectly fine, that's what makes metal great, you can always find something that suits what you wanna listen to 👍 Oh and about the gear thing, yeah I agree, we do care too much about gear
As for the definition of music, any combination of sounds which is ordered with intention and to arouse certain ideas and feelings is music. If the dictionary definition of music which was cited insists that it must have harmony and melody, it’s an idiotic definition of music. As for structure, compositions can be like songs with verse, bridge, chorus, verse, etc. or they can be absolutely free-form and even improvised. These are just two examples, but this video reflects more one’s prejudices and biases about Djent. Many of these points aren’t even sensible or legitimate. Hearing things you perhaps do not understand, like several time signatures, polymeters, or unusual counterpoints - doesn’t mean that the music doesn’t make sense. It just doesn’t make sense to you. The real issue is whether a composition is inspired or not, and even if it is inspired, some things are just a matter of taste. But if there’s something Djent is guilty of - it’s that much of it doesn’t sound inspired and the ideas are simply over saturated.
"I don't like Djent so you shouldn't either" My favorite part is how he chose a song from a decade ago for one of his points not realizing he was actually highlighting how influential and ahead of their time Animals As Leaders were. In fact, I'm not entirely convinced this isn't a late April Fool's joke.
@@shredaintdead9323 That's real rich(hypocritical) coming from the guy who wishes all music sounded the same as it did 40 years ago. It doesn't matter what they sounded like then or now, you completely missed the point. Your argument is bad because it's the same argument people stuck in the past have been making for years "Everything new sucks and only the old stuff I grew up with is good"
You could have just said you "hate jazz". Funny, some of Tosin Abasi's techniques were learned from Victor Wooten. I can see your points here, but more interesting, you couldn't follow it up with the positive points. Yes, those poly rhythms can get drawn out and boring. We also went through this phase in music progression though too. Many remember it as "Dream Pop", but most knew it as "Shoegaze", where it dragged on, and on, and on..... But on the rhythms part, it does teach fundementals of playing with a metronome, and having good timing. I also find guys on the other spectrum so obsessed with being a good solo player, they can't keep in time rhythm, which is most, if not all of guitar playing. My biggest complaint of Djent is many of them can't seem to figure out how to mute the strings properly for tight playing.... Which Djent is quite heavily reliant on using a gate.... Some of them can't figure that one out either. Far as gear, you can look behind you. I saw guys flock to the EVH stuff, like it was gold. Djent music is not the only suspect to the latest, and greatest gear..... EVH heads are dime a dozen now like Marshall JCM800s used to be. If the tone works for the player though, let them use what they want. I'm just as guilty using Mesa gear through the years. And my last point, is Baroque music exists. Music always progresses, just sometimes in ways we might not enjoy. Keep Rocking dude!
The first time I heard CAFO, I thought it was great..... but yeah, now it's just boring. A lot of these kinds of songs sound like intro all the way through, where you never actually get to the song part.
Yeah djent...Im the same as you. I think its a joke sometimes cos song after song is all djent on some bands. Listened to Cafo. The drum timing wiht the instruments is impressive but musically, yeah its not for me. 13 million views tho wow
9:42 the whole point of music is to be timeless? For some people, the point of music, is to pass time. Others, a financial career. Here you go again, thinking you can dictate, other's emotional responses. On a narcissism scale, 1-10, you are, YOU NEED A THERAPIST 3 YEARS AGO!!! Based on this video alone, you honestly believe, you are the center of the universe. You don't think it consciously, but sub consciously. And it comes out aggressively, in your "absolute" way of thinking. When something like music, is more so a reflective glass sculpture. Some people see it at different angles, with different lighting's. 100 people can look at the same statue, and all see a different picture. No one is right, no one is wrong.
@@shredaintdead9323 Yeah…. f’ing hate people having opinions that shit music without a real melody or time signature isn’t music but rather noise. 😆 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@johnsguitarmusicanddemos There is a difference between expression, and dismissing something altogether, simply because you don’t appreciate it. Like you dismissing it as “not real music” “just noise” well technically and literally, that’s what music is. Just noise. And just because you don’t like it, doesn’t give you the respective authority, to say it’s not something.
Do you think those guys down there are limp and lifeless like the D tune guitars they play LOL whatever happened to rock ‘n’ roll being you know about rock ‘n’ roll and having a good time I’d like to see the backstage at one of those shows they probably all have their guitars out because they never stop perfecting Their craft
There’s really nothing wrong with writing technical music for the sake of technical difficulty and complexity. There’s also nothing wrong with using traditionally melodic or harmonic instruments to produce atonal rhythm based music. The western definition of music is honestly pretty stale, too restrictive, and it’s a disservice to a rather large audience who appreciates something that falls into “other.” But everyone is allowed an opinion on anything.
I agree to an extent, I just think it's crazy how much praise these guys get, and they can't write memorable or catchy songs to save their lives. It's complicated and technical, but that doesn't mean it's a song. It all sounds the same and gets boring 30 secs in.
I think when the Djent style (it isnt a genre) is used for a breakdown or a single section of a song, it can be pretty cool. Alot of technical death metal bands like Beyond Creation have mastered the use of the occassional djenty part. Periphery has some cool tunes and so does After the Burial, but this is because those bands already have their sound established and use djent styling to spice up a section here and there. I personally do NOT understand the appeal to Polyphia because of the lack of structure and seemingly endless wiggly wiggly woos. Sure.. the sections are melodic BUT they hardly transition well to each other, making it seem all awkward. Black Sabbath on theri debut album wrote a song called A Bit Of Finger / Sleeping Village / Warning, and the tempo, structure, and feel of the song shifts many times and is 14 minutes. That song has very memorable parts BECAUSE they transition well together and there's a focus on feel and groove... not a technical jack off session.
Exactly. When did the technical jackoff worship begin and become more important then the songs? It's so insanely backwards
Djent is most certainly a genre and is completely separate from the metal,rock, blues, and punk ethos musically and culturally.
@@billybobthekidiswack Djent is not a genre get over it!!................. Djent is life !!
George Lynch, Vito Bratta, Warren Demartini, Jimmy Page, John Sykes, Mic Mars, Criss Oliva, and Randy Rhodes are true timeless guitarists,!!!
I love this speaking facts! 1970's and 1980's guitar players rule!!!!
Thanks! They sure do!!
I totally agree on the importance of songwriting, which is a different skill from just pure technicality. KISS is a great example, because Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons may not be the most amazing musicians technically, even Ace Frehley could probably be bested by many of the young proteges he inspired in the 70s--but those guys are, and continue to be phenomenal songwriters, penning countless hits and fantastic albums. Not to mention the killer live shows, which is another totally different and equally important beast. Although I would like to note for the record I think Mark St. John, who did the studio recordings on Animalize, and Bruce Kulick, who was their main axeman throughout the 80s, were really incredible guitarists. Kulick was really versatile too, nailing the grunge aesthetic on the infamous Carnival of Souls grunge album.
Great video! I think a Djent uniform would be a great Halloween costume!
Thanks! And Haha might have to do that this year...
PRRREACH! I agree 100% with everything you said (maybe except I don't care about looks in musicians, but wouldn't ever like those things on myself).
It's nice to see another dude who's got his head stuck in the 80s as well, in terms of a certain artistic perspective. You delve into more genres though, I personally stick with thrash and early death. 😊
Thanks! Glad you agree. I've never seen so many negative people freak out in comments over this video haha. I love thrash, death, hair, black, folk, melodic, power and all kinds of other metal and rock genres, but djent isn't even a genre, it's just boring robotic nonsense with no songwriting or feel.
I really have to agree. At least people like Doug alteration Kirk Hammett would come out with some really beautiful clean lead guitar riffs over an acoustic piece. I really miss back in the day when you could hear the first few measures of a song and know who the artist was. Granted a lot of people used the same gear back in the 90s but at least they mixed it up until you could tell who was who.
Exactly. Every player had their own unique tone, playing a different phrasing.
Happened to me yesterday. I listened a old 60 song by a great guitar player of my country and sounds the same!. I thought wow! Now he is really old and plays totally different guitar and gear and sounds the same.
First time I heard "Why Can't This Be Love?" was on the radio. I had no idea what this was since I hadn't listened to 5150 yet, but my jaw just fucking dropped as low as it could go, in utter disbelief that something could sound this amazing. I knew instantly in that moment there's only one guy who could've written something like this.
On a similar note, that's why I'm baffled by all the "Metallica fans" who didn't get the Load through St. Anger eras. or even Black Album for some people. It's crystal clear to any real Metallica fan that those records had the same feel of Metallica--the heaviness, the raw emotions, the sincerity in the voice and the playing. It's just an evolution of the sound and drawing from new inspirations and sources. In St. Anger's case, it was an honest reflection of who they were at that point. Every great album has to be. To me it's just the same unmistakable sound they've had all along. That they moved past thrash is besides the point.
So glad I’ve never had to watch that stuff live, the 30 seconds was enough!
I enjoyed this thoroughly.
Rock on brother!
Thanks and you too!
6:15 ok, so what is the name of your band, that is more successful then Animals as Leaders? What is the name of your custom Fishman pickup set? You have your own signature guitar line?
I have my own signature pickup set. Do you?
@@shredaintdead9323 Ok, what are your signature pickups? I’d even be happy to possibly buy some. Assuming you are telling the truth.
@@9hk38f there's a preview video on my channel of my signature 1987 pickup. I'll have the full neck and bridge pickup set this week and video out about it and when and where you can order out soon.
@@shredaintdead9323 Are they high end? Like Fishman, or Juggernauts?
@@9hk38f well they're handmade and handwound U.S.A. built custom pickups that are as good as bareknuckle pickups at half the price so yeah they couldn't be more high end.
Love the thumbnail and the numbering system. I see what you did there...
It's subtle but perfect....
LOL you said riff salad I’m fucking using that now that’s excellent
Haha glad you like it! That's what it is
There are good Djent artists but they really are far and few in between. Check out Disperse and I Built The Sky.
Djent is what happens when all those guys that can play their asses off but can't play with other people to save their lives band up. I.e. Guitar Center refugees.
Hahaha guitar center refugees. Brilliantly said and super true!
I agree with your opinions on djent! I'd like to add those 8-9 string guitars are tuned so low and my eardrums vibrate so hard that they give up. I can't listen to "music" that hurts. (The lowest I've ever tuned is drop C, my favorite is 1/2 step down.) Maybe it's an age thing? I"m 38, so maybe dudes in their 30s who don't play djent hate djent. My guitar teacher said something that stuck with me, "You don't see any chicks at those shows."
EXACTLY and you never will. It's nerdy guitar music for nerds
Seems like maybe you haven't actually listened to any of the music you are talking about, I don't know how else you could possibly be farther from the truth on half of these points. I mean I almost laughed out loud when you brought up harmony and melody. Sure, there are some people who just sit on 1 and 0, but if you actually listened to any of the bands you mentioned you'd realize that that is an extreme that is not actually as popular to people who actually listen to this music as you think. I mean come on, literally every periphery riff is a melody in itself. I hope this is a troll cause it's a really sad argument against the genre in my opinion.
K
guys a 1,3 thrash cliche - think he's just upset at the syncopation bc he cant play it
lol its never 17/8 its almost all 4/4, he cant see how a riff can overlap a measure and still grove - hes gonna miss the point
And clearly you missed my point. A bunch of synchopation even if it is in 4/4 still doesn't sound good or catchy at all. It's just all synchopation and no substance. They still can't write catchy memorable riffs, melodies or songs to save their lives.
music structures like midi and robot, boring, 80s, 90s, are the best music and guitar solos in my ears
Just from the intro song everyone could guess these argument
Pretty sick though!
Djent isn't a genre. I've always seen it as more of a modifier, a sound, a style. Polyphia isn't djent, which is weird to lump them into that category (not a huge fan of them btw but I do like a couple songs).
Honestly, music is just music man. While I agree that riff salads are lame, I still think there's no need to box music in and place all these rules around it. That's just boring and predictable. Im down for a 3 minute mainstream pop song. Im down for a 13 min prog journey too. It doesn't matter, if it resonates, it resonates. Some songs do, some don't. "None of this is going to stand the test of time." Lol man that's the main thing I disagree with and it's weird to make a claim like that. Feels a bit narrow minded but hey it's your opinion and at the end of the day, there's no right or wrong. Just music. Cheers.
You are spot on seen Polyphia, Animals as leaders, Arch Echoes live! I can't remember nothing from their shows!
EXACTLY. So boring and forgettable
, it won't become a legend, things like that are very marketable, and boring, instead of super technical, I don't care, 80s, 90s, are the best in my ears
Agreed.Great video speaking nothing but truth.
Thanks dude! And yeah someone had to say this stuff finally
8:00 you are really going to talk about looks!? When people think of a wanna be rocker, then never amounted to anything, that still lives with their parents, you are the class A look for it!
I own my own home and live their with my fiance. Let's see your cool looks and house
Dude has more experience than you do playing at your pedifile-concerts for grandpa. RE:Don
I'm coming back on to this video because I reconsidered my stance. After listening to the last Periphery album, there is actually a ton of catchy musical hooks, great choruses, and solid structure from a music theory point of view on their latest record. I just think it's easy and lazy to characterize it as dent and I was guilty of this myself, the reality is their music is already evolving past that. I do think there's merit to arguing against Djent is Not a Genre being too long and drawn out, but after listenting to it, and actually opening up to it a bit, I don't think I can lump Periphery in with some of the other bands in this genre. They're probably more of a prog version of nu metal which I don't think of as a bad thing. Also Spencer is underrated as hell as a vocalist. He's a huge part of why I'm not lumping them in with some of the instrumental bands you're rightfully calling out.
Definitely something to think about.
Something to djent about...
@@shredaintdead9323 yup, I’m a good bit older than you bud and agree on some points for sure. I do dig some of it but it not an everyday music for me.
Kinda funny how this vid has generated more clicks thank your usual trve stuff.
Don't know whats more dated, a UA-cam video on djent in 22 or the look of someone who is stuck in the 80s?!
Thanks!
Fully agree technicality is all good when used tastefully, some djent bands seem like there doing it for technicalitys sake, like it proves something how many time signatures they can chuck into a song. Songwriting goes along way
Never understood the fascination with crazy time signatures. Hell I don't even really understand them much myself. 4/4 or 3/4 is all I need and most good music that people like and listen to falls into that category. I say, if you can do something good outside of that, it should be because you found something that sounded cool, and it just happened to be in that time signature. Not trying to do so for the sake of it. A lot of people point to the M:I theme song as example of 5/4, but I don't hear it and even if I did, it doesn't matter. It's just a catchy piece that happens to be in that signature.
i’m not sure i can agree. i’m not sure what your definition of djent is because no one who actually listens to “djent” calls it that. periphery for example is hailed as the “second greatest djent band after meshugga” but even they make fun of the word djent. their music is just a variation of so much of metal that it’s hard to call it a joke because the composition, if broken down like you said as “melody and rhythm” it has both and almost all their songs have some sort of harmony or melody that one can distinguish. my other point would be that isn’t the point of music to make whatever you want? it’s not about the same four chords that play with a four on the floor beat. the people who make “djent” or progressive metal want more so they made more, is it not done by musicians? is it not played on guitars and basses and drums? does it not have professional studio sounds that make it powerful to listen to. don’t get me wrong i LOVE EVH, 80’s rock and metal is amazing i love everything about it, but sometimes i want to listen to MUSIC that is loud and chaotic and energetic beyond the catchy choruses. no disrespect to your video i just am happy that i can express this opinion! keep doing what you are doing bro! 🤘
We don't have to agree. Just my opinion!
@@shredaintdead9323 understandable bro just thought i would give my take from someone who is into that style of music. thanks for the reply!
@@ccaskey24 thanks for being reasonable and not freaking out like all these other butthurt dudes in these comments
@@shredaintdead9323 one of the worst things about the community is no one can dislike the genre cause they all feel they are superior to every other genre.
@@ccaskey24 EXACTLY. It's literally insane.
Djent as a trend is very nerdy. But as with most metal music sub genres it has contributed something to the music. Meshuggah for example added a new way of riffing with their polyrythmic writing. Personally I've always liked Threat Signal better, they took riffing to whole new level and is not as monotone like Meshuggah. Just like hair metal in the 80s, Nu-metal in the late 90s and metalcore in the 2000 Djent have been overdone. I see a trend however on the rise where it is more organic and stripped down. There is always a paradigm shift, allthough Djent have been going for quite some time.
It's been going way too long. Meshuggah is an exception because they actually always have a groove and it's still listenable, but these modern guys don't have anything that actually has groove. It's just terrible songwriting. There is no song.
@@shredaintdead9323 Totally agree there. Meshuggah can be cool to listen to sometimes but it is nothing I put on when I wanna rock out a friday with some friends.
The new meshuggah album is heavy af. loving it. They are the Djent Kings
@@shredaintdead9323 bro you say that mwshuggah is ok and you say the same for all of the exact examples. Could you bring an example of just a stupid, unmusical, unemotional, not grooving and way too complex technichally without any reason prog?
meshuggah ain't djent, djent is a ripoff of meshuggah's style.
I agree with everything, except that I actually like Animals As Leaders.
The thing I don’t like about a lot of djent bands is how they pretty much always just rips off Meshuggah in some way. Meshuggah is legitimately an awesome metal band and they actually have groove and put on an amazing show. And Frederik Thordendal actually improvises all of his solos, he never plays the same thing twice live. But so many djent bands are just a bland imitation of Meshuggah and just sound robotic and boring in comparison. It was cool what Meshuggah was doing but now everyone just copies them and has turned that whole thing into boring crap.
“Djent” was actually an onomatopoeia that Frederik Thordendal (while he was drunk) used to explain how he wanted his guitar to sound like while chugging. The term “djent” started getting more traction after Periphery became more popular, but Misha got that from Meshuggah and people online were using that to describe the Meshuggah guitar tone back in the 2000s before all those “djent” bands existed.
Yeah mesuggah still hss groove though and actually writes good songs with structure so they're the exception for sure.
@@shredaintdead9323 yeah, one time somebody suggested me to listen to some djent bands like The Contortionist, Vildhjarta and some other ones. I listened to them for a little bit, then I just stopped and listened to Meshuggah instead 😂
Periphery is actually pretty decent too, they write actual songs with structure and have groove too. That’s probably the only other one I like.
Nobody knows 100% the truth of where the word djent came from. Multiple people have claimed to start it.
@@9hk38f it’s pretty much well known that “djent” was an onomatopoeia Frederik and Marten used to explain how they wanted the guitar to sound like in Meshuggah. Nobody denies that or questions that, the band themselves confirm it and even Misha Mansoor confirms it. Misha used to post on the Meshuggah forum all the time talking about “djenty” guitar tones and that word was always understood to have come from Frederik and Marten in Meshuggah to describe the sound of chugging on the bottom 4 strings of a 7 string guitar. It all started on the Meshuggah forum online and it was never anything more than just an onomatopoeia for a certain chugging sound.
@@jb_50w78 Well there are other bands, with different stories. We weren’t there, we don’t know 100%. You might be right, idk. But I believe it’s Periphery, who swears Mesh is full of it.
Thank you for helping me with my psychology project. We are studying narcissism, and its effects on society.
This.
You're welcome!!!
Damnnn 😂😂😂
I would like to suggest you to listen to „October Moon“ by „For Giants“.
That Song hasn‘t got a single word in it, but tells a story way beyond the tracks length.
Everything has its spectrum. Even Djent. There‘s the generic 1001010010 type of that but on the other end of the spectrum you‘ll find bands like „For Giants“ and „Modern Day Babylon“ who are catchy as hell while still being super djenty.
I'll listen to it, but I doubt I'll be that impressed with it. Instrumental is pretty boring with few exceptions, and especially Instrumental djent, but I'm happy to be proven wrong.
@@oTEMPE5To Well, that just made my day. Enjoy, my friend!
Merriam-Webster defines music as:
a : vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony
choral music
piano music
recorded music
b : the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity.
Is djent any of these things? (Asking for a friend)
Nopes nopes and nopes 🙅🏻
I dont really see your point. I always loved prog metal bands, my childhood was basically bands like dream theater. For me, before starting studying music, when guys like AAL started to appear, i really felt the way prog metal evolved. You can't say i was hooked by technical hability when i didnt play guitar, neither study any instruments at the time, just liked the sound.
With the show thing, i went to see DT two times and we were all standing still looking how we they played. Same with king crimson for what people told me. Each band do their shows at their own way, some just go and do their thing and people like it. Can't compare a niche prog band like this with metallica.
I mean, you dont like it dude, but for other people it was an interesting game changer (At least for me with AAL, and some polyphia things). Im open to debate, but i dont really see your points.
Edit: There's probably a chance this is a sarcastic vid or a attention seeking one, if that's the case im dumb
I watched a bit of his other stuff and I'm convinced this is all his real personality/opinion. It's quite cringe in all
Thanks!
@@calonordstoast Damn it's crazy how he only focused on you, rather than giving counter argument to my comment. It looks like this guy open a debate to feel like the winner rather than discuss the topic. Or at least is the impression he gives me
@@cegant Prog and djent aren't the same. I like some Prog like the guys you mentioned. Even though they have technicality there's still songs, structure, melodies and memorable riffs, solos and songs.
What’s the point of insulting multiscale extended range guitars? They literally just give you more options musically, and the multiscale isn’t to look “cool”, it’s to sound better.
But it doesn't sound better
@@shredaintdead9323 lol, iF yOu SaY sO
@@shredaintdead9323 do you even know the point of a multiscale/ fanned fret guitar
@@chrisgonzalez1605 yeah I do. Does it magically make djent better either way though?
@@shredaintdead9323 not saying that but when it comes to playability at low tunings on 6,7, 8 strings it makes life easier
The song Cafo by AAL and Buttersnips by Periphery got me hooked on djent. They showed me that you can actually do whatever you want, and that's why they made their own label
Of alll the flavors you could be you chose salty. 😂😂😂😂
Salty and true 😉😘
I left the drums behind and bought a guitar to play Djent. The chaos calms me down. If I can do it any one can.
Except Matt. He sucks
I hope for 80's style metal become more popular again, writing catchy songs, playing bad ass riffs and solos in E Standard or E Flat on a six string. Not to mention I'm only 25 and I don't get Djent or Deathcore for that matter either, I agree with your points
You and Me both dude! And good there's hope for the younger generation haha!
@@shredaintdead9323 🤘
It got old dude, so people got creative. There needs to be some sort of creative leap and progress in the genre. Standard 4/4 on top of intro-verse-bridge-chorus-verse-solo-chorus is tried and true, but doesn't push any limits nor redefine the scope of music.
I agree 💯 even if I like 2 or 3 songs of Animals as Leaders I cant stand 1 entire song of Periphery from the beginning to the end is just to boring like you said.
Yep. Insanely boring and all sounds the same
1:32
As a mid-2000's kid, I'd never type something like that.
Also, I wonder if djent if considered "technical" if it's a lot of 0's and 1's in the song.
You wouldn't, but half the comments here did
@@shredaintdead9323 Either way, I think your video was pretty understandable. Though I have yet to see live performances like you mentioned, because that part of your video was surprising. Same thing goes with gear.
Preach brother Greg preach 🤟🏻 I totally agree🤟🏻🤟🏻
"Djent" and progressive metal or prog music in general is typically for musicians and people who have taken or want to take their musical skill to its upmost potential. Yes it's enjoyable but not to the average listener that doesn't know much music or rhythmic theory. I don't necessarily think it's for everyone either, but that doesn't make it bad or boring. Stick to what you like if it really bores you that much, and continue writing whatever rendition of the old school songs you prefer, more power to you. I think bashing the music for its lack of musicality is also kind of ignorant as well, a lot of the bands have really amazing riffs and melodic sections throughout songs, including jazzy sections or more classic metal sections as well. Also I'm fairly certain that Animals As Leaders writes everything in standard tuning with extended range guitars so it's easy to think its some wild tuning. Anyway, the main argument of the vid seems to be that it isn't cool to be who you want to be while writing and playing the music you want to play, and it should be uniformly classic metal standards which underhands music as a whole in my opinion. Still can't tell if this video is supposed to be satire given that most of the points made were purely opinion based and none of it seemed to be based in fact, but those are my thoughts.
You missed the point. This is asking If djent is satire by pointing these things out.
Perfect example... "djent isn't enjoyable to the "average listener" who "doesn't know theory"....like you somehow have to be evolved and "understand" the complexity to like djent.....it's not about the skill...it's about the music...it's garbage. These guys are just a extension of the evolution of "faster and more complex" is better crowd. The guitar hero wars that started with EVH and Randy Rhoads then evolved into Vai then Satch then Malmsteen...then guys playing seven string guitars...eight string guitars...fan fret guitars....triple neck guitars....etc etc etc. It's all a dick measuring contest between guitarists that finally resulted in shitty music. There is a reason no one knows these djent players just like there is a reason that no one buys their music....because it isn't really music. It's a demonstration of practiced guitar techniques. Nobody is tapping their foot...bobbing their head....singing their "songs" in the shower....because for most people....it isn't music...regardless of the "complexity".
I think that the primary goal of the players are to display their technical abilities. For that and I'm a rock fan prefer to listen Martha Argerich playing Chopin.
I am a similar-aged ally in the fight against djent. I'm with you 100%, although my 7 reasons/roasts are actually nerdy but in an opposite way (might even be giving you a very rough draft of a future vid I want to shoot):
1). *Djent is a band; not a genre* ... cough (Meshuggah)... .
2). *Philosophical observation* : Djent is a symptom of a larger problem at large. It is a troubling phenomena that one youTube video has described as "The Death of Melody" (look it up as the title). We stand on the shoulders of giants who build a ziggurat of melodic and harmonic consciousness that we have yet to tap into and assimilate. Djent looks at this monumental evolution, takes a piss, and walks away.
3). *Extended range guitars usually are designed VERY poorly* . It is all about scale length. Scale length affects playability and tone. If you have a surf board with eight strings and the scale length is completely baritone, then your treble strings are extremely disrespected (as one common example). This is probably why so many "great" djent players prefer to tap their licks rather than shred. Fan-fretting can solve this problem, but then you gain other potential problems, especially on the wallet. Give me a decent HSS strat and I'll write music instead. Even my seven string guitar is more difficult to play than my Charvel So-Cal superstrat, and that same 7-string is a mere half an inch longer in scale length. This is science in action!
4). *Djent hates bassists* . I shouldn't have to say anything, but where would metal bass be without so many great bass players and basslines from Cliff Burton and beyond? Take "Five Magics" by Megadeth. You start off with this amazing bass solo after the introductory riff and you can never NOT hear the power of the bass for the rest of that song. Its already troubling enough being a bass player in a stereotypical boomer to zoomer metal band but then Djent nukes the bassist entirely.
5). *Most fans are zombies that will eat up computer-made material* . I wish I was making this up, but bear with me. They are eating PROCEDURALLY GENERATED DJENT!! Look it up (here is an example: ua-cam.com/video/CqvmUnG25dA/v-deo.html ). If mad-libs programs can create your material, then you and your listeners have multiple serious problems. I give it a listen and it grates on my soul after a couple minutes. It has gotten THAT BAD!
6). *Djent is running out of low notes* . Forget Gore-bal warming or other constantly changing doomsday clocks. This is an actual end-of-the-road problem because the human ear and body cannot perceive the same recycled polymeter riff tuned down much lower than drop A#-2 from a bridge cable. Then djent will have choked their cash cow to a slow and agonizing death as the crowd of 15 amp-photographers involuntarily fills their trousers thanks to the brown note. This is also science, even though "I'm not a biologist" (to quote a recent politician for fun)!
7). *Even good-er djent is more electronic music than metal* . I'm a late bloomer for guitar, as I spent too many years in electronic music. Djent music reminds me too much of the production technique of a sub and mid bass. In the world of synths, you have a sine-wave sub bass that enforces the bottom tone, then you get AT LEAST one middle-frequency dominant synthesizer to add all the grit and character of the bass tone in question. Djent is basically the same thing using a low tuned guitar for the mid-bass and a recruited guitarist to mechanically play the sine-wave sub bass (sorry... I meant Dingwall bass that you spent so much money on). Even this is okay if you admit it, but use the tools to create something memorable (Sleep Token might be close to an example of djent that I would say is closer to electronica, but at least they try to do something memorable).
--
True shred will be timeless. Fight the good fight, bro!
Hahaha dude I love this! This is more thorough then my video lol 😆
This video should be called 'Djent Vent'. 😊 I am going to agree and disagree with you on this one. I do write some music that has elements like polyrhythms and odd time patterns and can be classified as prog metal. However, if an odd time pattern does not have the right 'FEELING' to bring out whatever I am stating in a song, I won't use it. I never use an odd time pattern 'just because'. That same principle applies to a solo, an intro, an outro etc. It has to make sense for the purpose of the song.
I do agree with you that watching some bands that are mostly technical live can be boring at times. I respect Dream Theater a lot but yes, their shows are on the dull side. I love a lot of straight-forward rock/metal. I love a lot of over the top progressive/extreme rock/metal. ProgSnob stated it best: 'music is just music'. Its not something to get stressed about. Life is just too short for that. 👍
Haha that's a great title! Dream theater is a Prog band and an exception to this on some levels, but just as guilty on others. Overall though they still have catchy and melodic memorable parts and songs. They aren't just writing boring parts that all sound the same just to be technical or ride the trend wave.
@@shredaintdead9323 Yes! And almost every prog metal band does the same and if you think that prog is just made for some nerds to play their nerdy stuff to show how technichal they are, you are very far from the truth
Just..so much yes. I approve this video.
You sir are awesome
9:20 Correction. None of these songs, make YOU! Feel anything. Everyone interprets music differently. Only someone with a personality complex/disorder, would make a statement like, "These songs don't make you feel anything" What someone feel's is subjective.
I think we're coming to the conclusion that this guy may have some personality disorder and this video is more of a case study.
Sure dude
@@shredaintdead9323 I thought your video was bad, but then I saw your passive-agressive answers directed towards anybody who disagrees with you. You really seem like a nice person lol
@@XxNoMErcY99xX thanks!
All pretty valid points.
Yep yet nobody says this stuff
The online djent “culture” is ridiculous. Everyone owns 50 8-string guitars and has a damn laboratory control room of computer monitors set up behind them with all these intricate programs pulled up.
Then it will be a dude who looks like he’s trying to be an H and M model, with neck and hand tattoos who just starts “0, 0, 0, 0, 1,0”
Then throws in some obviously fake or sped up tapping/sweeping.
Everyone and their cousin is a guitar virtuoso these days because everyone is faking
EXACTLY it's the lamest and fakes thing ever
They all also sound so similar because they all use the same IRs and plugins, and these are the very same people who say 80's metal lacks originality XD
This is me playing is this okay to you? ua-cam.com/video/9plH_CM8X2g/v-deo.html
you really care how these other people look? i don't see them on here bashing your personal style. the odd things you think are important are just confusing. as far as songs standing the test of time do you really think the ramones and their 3 chords really deserve to be remembered forever? honestly no. lol music is music, people will find enjoyment in it regardless if you do or not, all of this is opinion based but it seems like you just want to hate. lol
That’s why people love the ramones and they’ll always be remembered, because a good song doesn’t need to be technical. Aka 3 chords
Well when all of the look the same it's kinda hard not to call it out. It honestly seems like satire at this point. And yeah people still listen to the Ramones and acdc so....
I like your Animals as leaders comment saying "it sounds like they are all playing a different thing" because they are playing in polymeters and playing things that is obviously hard to wrap the head around, each member of that band are some of the most gifted musicians ive ever seen in my life, cafo definitely IS music. i think youd LOVE Vildhjharta ;) just released the best album in the last 20 years. I can respect your opinion but a lot of it comes off as whiny and like your opinion is the only opinion thats right and like you can say what is music and what isnt music
What you're failing to grasp is just because everyone is playing in ploymeters doesn't mean they wrote a good or catchy song. Gojira does and they still remain catchy and memorable and have a way bigger fan base for it. Just because you can play a bunch of fancy polymeters, that doesn't automatically make everything you do brilliant.
@@shredaintdead9323 yes a lot of bands in the prog scene try to do this and fail, animals as leaders however is one of the bands along side meshuggah/gojira that do it really well. Also a song doesn’t have to be “catchy” for it to be good
5:45 AND NOW you are the authority on why people start/join bands!
Opinions piss me off too man. Everytime I hear someone’s opinion that goes against mine, I get so angry that I scream like a dog being raped by a Covid-raging skunk ape!
You mentioned that it's boring to watch technical bands such as Polyphia play live. I AGREE. That's not why we like 'em though, playing live is not at all their selling point.
Well they're a band so it kinda should be dude
I’m just a drummer. I don’t know anything about guitar. I listen to djent to get better at polyrhythms.
10:05 this 100% confirms all of my suspicions.
Nobody cares
@@shredaintdead9323 And nobody cares about your 12 minute opinion. And yet here we are!
@@9hk38f well you do. You commented 20 times on this video so clearly you do!
@@shredaintdead9323 Your poor ego is so delusional!
@@9hk38f haha but yours isn't? You're more butthurt then everyone who's Commented combined. Nobody else commented that much. It's just a video dude.
Very well said I totally agree
Thanks!
You have to have a very high I.Q. to understand and appreciate djent.
Lol. Jokes aside. While people will give pushback on the idea of there being no real harmony or melody, seeing as most things require more than just the chug and the djent (fair point), this does speak to how djent itself is probably not a genre. Just as chugs or pinch harmonics are probably not appropriate genre categories. In the case of djent, all the percussive guitar and bass playing usually requires something in addition for the music to remain memorable.
I don’t know why or for sure, why, but there is something about this area of music, that does draw a certain audience. I don’t think it’s the djent noise on its own. I think you have a very good overall argument of music needing an overall catchy and structured appeal as opposed to just pure technical showmanship for its own sake.
But whatever. Mehmehmehmehmehbehbehbehebeh don’t be judgy!!1
Yeah it's hilarious how these guys are convinced doing a bunch of ployrthymn stuff is on a higher i.q. level. Well it's not on a high songwriting level. Just cuz these guys can do fancy time signatures together doesn't mean they wrote a catchy or memorable song at all. Quite the opposite actually
I like how you used binary to number the list as a sort of mockery towards djent. Clever.
Thanks!
Well, I watched it to the end like you asked. I want you to know ahead of time that I don’t say anything out of a place of mean-spiritedness toward you or anybody.
I mainly heard a lot of generalizations throughout the video assuming that your personal view was some sort of universal standard. How do you know what music makes people feel things and what doesn’t? How is your definition of music segment any different than Ben Shapiro’s silly jabs at rap and hip-hop, or your own parents/grandparents’ feelings about thrash and power metal (or whatever it is you happen to enjoy)? There’s plenty of Djent bands that don’t do much for me-the same as any style of music-but as an instructor I have seen those very same artists spark something in my students that they hadn’t found elsewhere.
I get that change can be scary, especially when the things that you thought were cool growing up become outdated and lame to the younger generations. But those changes are absolutely necessary to keep the art-form alive. Guitar-playing will die without change, and I don’t think any number of 30-50-somethings ranting into a camera for 10+ minutes is going to stop those changes.
Eventually it will be the kids’ turns to live through it, and they’ll rant about how Djent was the only true music and whatever the new wave of music is all hacks and posers. I just think that we 30-year-olds have an opportunity to live with dignity and respect for the new tastemakers, and I desperately hope we take it before we alienate all of the newcomers.
P.S. on the topic of what newfangled genres the djent people will complain about, I’m hoping for something truly crazy like blackened-math-death-country.
Well this is my channel. So these are simply my opinions on the genre. You don't have to agree. Just my take on the genre as whole. Not gonna break down each djent band and musican individually and make a 3hr video. It's just simply calling it as I see it. If you don't agree that's fine too.
@@shredaintdead9323 I’m definitely not asking for any of that. I don’t think a 3-hour video on any topic could ever be interesting enough to watch. Lol
All I’m saying is consider that perhaps the things that you don’t find musical/enjoyable about the genre are things that a significant amount of others actually feel the opposite about.
I actually agree with you about songwriting, as I prefer music that sounds like it’s written for a reason. I get a ton of flack from other guitarists for the opinion that good riffs ≠ good songs. That being said, the standards for what is musically good vs. musically bad have changed so much over the thousands of years it has existed that nobody in good faith can really say that their definition is the true authoritative one. Most guitar music will likely not stand the test of time in the grand scheme. With the way that university students have been lately, I doubt that even Beethoven is safe from being mostly forgotten in the next couple of centuries. I think we ought to just have fun with the time that we have and not take art too seriously. Just my two cents.
I literally just saw a guy say "a good song needs 10-20 unique riffs" I check his page and lo and behold he's a Periphery fan......
What an interesting video. Imagine getting to the point where you have to criticise what people look like. Ashamed to say I watched it all, any video where you have to complain that what people dress in "isn't metal enough" loses all validity. Thank you generic 80s/90s metal stereotype. Also nice irony criticising people for using similar set up then advertising your gear and tone coaching to make sure you can get the most generic sound possible. Godspeed sir.
Thanks! You'll be happy to know new people did sign up after this video too!
@@shredaintdead9323 I’ll be there soon. Can you teach me to play a 10 string and make it sound out of sync and like crap?
@@johnsguitarmusicanddemos sure!!
Djent is like binary code 010101011001 what key was that idk I’m down tuned to floppy
Exactly hahaha
@@shredaintdead9323 I will give some props to the drummer of animals as leaders tho as a drummer and a bass player and a guitarist he got some skills … but I totally agree 101010%lol “djent” is a sound and should not be a subgroup of metal . Only with a tuner can you even tell what key the shits in . It’s like bad jazz had a ugly child with bad prog metal and the hipsters went yeaaaa!!! Rejoice we have made something great no don’t be stupid it’s not great
@@ronswary hahaha 1000% agree!
“I’m tuned to floppy” lol 😂
@@Flipside-music all 62 gauge I assume lmfao
I'm gonna have to disagree with you on almost everything here. I personally love bands like animals as leaders, polyphia, plini (don't think they're really djent xD but yeah) etc. I think they are probably the future of this shit, at least for me. But we have our own opinions so obviously I wouldn't crap on you for yours.
Edit: A minute later I finished the video where you say we are wrong at the end if we disagree. Probably a joke, but if it's not a joke man... an attitude like this is how you lose any points you may have with some people and have them thinking you're some kind of gatekeeper
shit like this channel makes me glad I can enjoy so many types of genres and wonder how others are so funneled in scope
@@DreamingTheatric these dudes stuck in the past lol. guy doesn't care about the genre so of course he is going to talk shit on it.
Agree, this guy here doesn't listen to music, he listens to metal. His perspective is warped only to judge music in a metal view. These bands you listed are very musically complex which it takes time for the ear to mature and fully understand what's going on. These bands are 100% the future and that's what he's scared of, losing his childhood from modern metal because he can't grow up
@@DreamingTheatric exactly. I mean, I'm cut from same cloth as him. I grew up on 80s hair metal and still adore it to this day. But I'm just glad I didn't stay that route and luckily my ears perk up to the sounds of jazz, funk, classical, pop, hip hop, prog, djent, EVERYTHING.
It's literally a metal genre. My perspective is from someone who likes metal and not binary code riffs and boring robotic playing
6:05, I don't think it's not ok in other genres, I just feel like prog(djent) players are for the most part, massive gear nerds and so thats something they like to focus on. I remember watching a KSE interview and the Adam literally just said , I don't need all these other options, a bridge humbucker works for me. I just don't think other genres care for gear as much which is fine!
I will admit, loads of prog bands do use the same plugins and types of guitars but that's because its usually what works for them and what feels and sounds like the thing they're going for. You don't judge every metal band from before the 2000s for using blockletter 5150s and active pickups in some sort of gibson/dean or smtg, or hard rock bands with their les pauls and jcm100s or whatever so I don't understand why you're judging djent players for using their plugins and superstrats.
We do it because we can, that's literally it.
Lol literally all those bands from early 2000s get judged for using 5150s and active pickups all the time. Djent is even worse because now the goal is to Literally all be the same on every level. Early 2000s bands still had their own looks and everyone had a different sound, some were similar of couse but not IDENTICAL like djent. They also had song structure and hooks. Djent has neither. It's just boring downtuned muddy riffs with no song structure or anything catchy or memorable about it.
Not to be pedantic, but music is defined as THREE things: melody, harmony, and *rhythm.*
Cool still missing the first two
What's the difference between noodling on a guitar and "extreme technical proficiency"?
Polyphia is basically a long form version of Steve Vai's Ballerina 12/24, which is just noodling on a Harmonizer pedal.
Every Plini song sounds the same to every person not familiar to the artist.
As you said, Animals as Leaders are all over the place when it comes to making a song.
Instrumental rock and metal that comes from the djent genre isn't good its just people noodling notes and crossing their fingers hoping people are gullible enough to believe they are hearing a "song".
This is gatekeeping, plain and simple. The whole point of the metal movement was to break boundaries and not give a fuck about what anyone says. It's fine if you prefer the classic style of metal from the 80s, but attempting to de-legitimize modern metal and claim that it's not even music is intentionally divisive. If people want to try new things and innovate, let them, and don't complain about what metal fans nowadays want to hear -- it makes you look ignorant and stuck in your ways.
Sorry if this comment comes off as a little antagonistic, but that's my take on what you said. I'm always open for discussion, since I think it's always important to understand others' viewpoints (hence why I watched this video I disagree with). :)
This video was intended to be devisive, amd it's simply an opinion video. I don't care if people disagree, but the point that most people seemed to have missed is all this Boundary pushing and technical ability that these guys are getting praised for means nothing since they can't catchy memorable songs, albums, riffs or harmonies. It's just a boring wank fest. It's like a bodybuilder getting praise for only working out his abnormally huge triceps. The rest of him isn't ripped, only his triceps. Who cares then? It's pointless. Praising these guys for only being super good at one thing is crazy. Technical ability isn't everything. Its just one piece of the puzzle and these guys are missing all the other pieces and being worshipped for it.
@@shredaintdead9323 Okay, that's a decent point -- specialization can leave a lot of room for improvement. That being said, there are definitely modern metal acts out there that aren't just extremely talented in the technical realm, and make memorable music that's fun to listen to. I think you mentioned Periphery as a negative example in the video, but I would say that their stuff is very pleasant on the ears for the most part. Some of their songs are just riff salad, sure, but they range into a lot of different metal territories while keeping a distinctive sound. I would recommend checking out their song "Scarlet" if you haven't -- it's got a good central riff, easy-to-swallow song structure, and everything flows together very nicely.
As for the heavy emphasis on the technical aspect for modern metal in general, I personally find it really amazing to see what can actually be done with a musical instrument. I'm a big fan of pushing the boundaries, and bands like Psyopus, Infant Annihilator, and Animals As Leaders are interesting to listen to simply because of how extreme they are. Of course if that's not your thing that's okay too -- I can appreciate the classic stuff for its groove and style as well, and I'm glad you do too. :)
Make some more videos!
Alot contradictions here..Seems like satire
bro i wish it was lmfao
It's not. Djent seems like satire though
Hey now, why you bringing Michael Bay into this? Bad Boys, The Rock, Pearl Harbor…. *looks at imdb* transformers? Ok, fair…
Hahaha exactly
I'm a grumpy old man. I just listened the theme. Just a bunch of random sounds. In the 80 all mocked the Mike Varney shred albums, this is worse. I'm sure that in 10 years never will remember these bands.
100% agree
Amen. I think djent is same for metal as what dubstep was for EDM (before dying). It's just random effects showoff all over the place without logic. It's eventually gonna reach peak, die and slowly disappear.
Although at least dubstep had some structure and it was clearly electronic music. Djent...I'm not 100% sure if it even should be considered metal.
I recently tried to force myself to find at least one good djent song by going through Spotify of AAL, Periphery etc. but it's just all same messy palm mute 10101 shit. I'm definitely not a fan of Meshuggah either, but at least what they produce is music and not weird guitar showoff demos.
Shouldn't be considered metal or music. It's nonsense
This is why 70's 80's and early 90's Metal , Rock still rule's etc. The music is memorable ,The songs are catchy and why they continue to sell music and fill stadiums and venues etc.
EXACTLY meanwhile djent bands play the tiniest venues in the world to all nerdy dudes...
Plenty of modern metal songs are way more memorable but ok
@@sebastiansantolalla9184 there's no reality where that's true
@@shredaintdead9323 bro, listen to “para mexer” by aal
And “absolomb” by periphery
You should do a video about how to write better music and how to better include melodies and harmonies and etc in it
I've definitely thought about it. Seems like people completely don't know how to do that anymore.
@@shredaintdead9323 yea because i can shred and do all of that stuff but i don't know any music theory really. feel lost when trying write stuff
You also do lessons right
@@froggy1333 I used but now I do sales at sweetwater.
Near death comment section
Bro, Cafo slaps and I have no trouble following it. One of my favorite parts of Djent is that songs don’t follow a conventional pop “verse/chorus/bridge” sequence. If the song flows, it flows. It doesn’t need a verse to flow. But most of them still have choruses and motifs.
That song doesn't have anything that flows or any motif other then sloppy fast sweeps over breakdowns
Agreed. If you can’t find melody then you’re actively avoiding it. Periphery is a great example of a djent band with plenty of melody and riffs that hit more than the 7th open string. Additionally, they have a double concept album that is absolutely littered with rhythmic, lyrical, and melodic motifs. Animals as leaders has tons of harmony and melody (although most of the harmony is diatonic). The only artist that’s being fairly criticized in this video is Fractalize which is an AWFUL band. As for groove and appearance, there is no “djent uniform”, the people dress basically however they want. As for groove, plenty of the bands actively groove on stage, but some don’t, that’s just how these people play music, and it’s just a weak criticism. And if it sounds like they’re “all messing up together, then you’re either ignorant or you haven’t taken the time to understand what’s happening in the music itself. It’s not for everyone, in fact most people don’t like it, but just because you can’t tell what’s happening after listening to cafo one time doesn’t mean that there’s no value to be had
@@ThePeachBitBack In the end there will be zero value because it will be a genre long forgot and it won’t be remembered at all no one will give a shit. people will still be pumping Panama and Hot for teacher
That’s a terrible argument. The amount of recognition a song receives has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the music, and modern pop music is a great indicator of that. Besides that, songs like these are already fading into obscurity. I’m part of gen Z, and I can confidently say that the vast majority of people my age aren’t familiar with those songs, at least by name. Of course, many people are familiar with those songs, but the average Van Halen fan isn’t getting any younger. To take your argument to its logical conclusion, none of these songs will matter because all will be lost to the unforgiving sands of time. Nobody will be studying Van Halen in school 300 years from now, they will be learning about the global geopolitical events of the time.
@@ThePeachBitBack Well you let me know when periphery gets in the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame. I’m not saying that they’re not influential I’m just saying that misha plays Guitar like a namby-pamby little pantywaist and is afraid to touch it. The genre has become so pretentious. And people still listen to the Beatles and Elvis Presley because it stand the test of time. It literally could have started and ended with Meshuggah and they inadvertently created this whole wave unintentionally.
What if the game is figure skating and not hockey?
Doesn't make djent suck any less
7:34, counter-argument, Most people also think the glam metal aesthetic was weird / cringe, just let people dress the way they want lmao
Difference is Glam was intended to be cheesy and fun and embrace the silly look. These djent nerds actually think man buns and v necks look cool. It's so overly serious while looking totally ridiculous.
I agree with this, djent is the dumbest thing ever. We need to get back to musicality in songs and not just percussion, leave percussion to the drummer.
Yep!
This might be a pointless comment to make since this video is 8 months old, but why not. I personally disagree with nearly every point you make in this video, but I can understand where your point comes from.
The points I heard the most in this video were people care too much about gear, technicality doesn't make it a song, it doesn't have melodies, the rythms doesn't make it interesting, and the songs in general doesn't make you feel anything. I wanna say that I understand exactly why you feel like this, but it's more of a personal preference thing, this genre really isn't for anyone.
When it comes to the arguments about melody, rythm and harmony, I feel the exact same way but for other genres of metal, they just aren't for me. If I listen to any metal music from the 80s for example, it doesn't make me feel anything, the rythms are very straight ant pretty boring to me, and the melodies and harmonies are just in general not for me.
When I listen to Djent, I can get some rythms that feel amazing to headbang to (Example: After The Burial - My Frailty)
I get songs that have certain atmospheres that make me feel like no other songs (Example: Spiritbox - Eternal Blue)
When I listen to the genre, I always feel like I can discover something new (Example: TesseracT - Of Reality)
If I want something technical, I can always get some sick leads/fast melodies that somehow stand out from each other every time (Periphery - Racecar)
And last but not least, this genre actually helped me get into Jazz 😎👌 (And I am now a jazz student)
However, this is all personal preference, if you don't like the the genre that is perfectly fine, that's what makes metal great, you can always find something that suits what you wanna listen to 👍
Oh and about the gear thing, yeah I agree, we do care too much about gear
But what about the song titles from bands like Alpha Male Tea Party? I don’t have to actually listen to them to be entertained by them? 🤔
Perfect! Music so entertaining it doesn't even need to be listened to!!!
This is the most limited perspective on music i've ever seen. Old school metalheads aren't driving any creativity in metal.
if it ain't common time and pentatonic scale it aint muzak /s
@@DreamingTheatric lies!
Haha so the genre that all copies each other and all look and sound the same isn't limited, just the person recognizing it? SUPER makes sense!,
Maybe true, but is forced "creativity" and "innovation" by producting shit any better?
@@fearportal Exactly!!!
Your points are valid, but sometimes I want to step away from vocals and emotion and just try to solve an audio math equation. Can’t we enjoy both?
Haha if that's your thing I guess? 🤣
But isn’t listening to same old 80s rock/metal getting boring? I will literally pause and skip the song when I hear that pentatonic bend next time
Never said that's all I'm listening to. Just not listening to djent
If you have to make mocking voices of the opinion you are criticizing to get your point across then it's probably not a very strong point. Just saying
Meh meh meh!
As for the definition of music, any combination of sounds which is ordered with intention and to arouse certain ideas and feelings is music. If the dictionary definition of music which was cited insists that it must have harmony and melody, it’s an idiotic definition of music.
As for structure, compositions can be like songs with verse, bridge, chorus, verse, etc. or they can be absolutely free-form and even improvised. These are just two examples, but this video reflects more one’s prejudices and biases about Djent. Many of these points aren’t even sensible or legitimate. Hearing things you perhaps do not understand, like several time signatures, polymeters, or unusual counterpoints - doesn’t mean that the music doesn’t make sense. It just doesn’t make sense to you.
The real issue is whether a composition is inspired or not, and even if it is inspired, some things are just a matter of taste. But if there’s something Djent is guilty of - it’s that much of it doesn’t sound inspired and the ideas are simply over saturated.
"I don't like Djent so you shouldn't either"
My favorite part is how he chose a song from a decade ago for one of his points not realizing he was actually highlighting how influential and ahead of their time Animals As Leaders were.
In fact, I'm not entirely convinced this isn't a late April Fool's joke.
Yeah modern animals as leaders is SUPER different!
@@shredaintdead9323 That's real rich(hypocritical) coming from the guy who wishes all music sounded the same as it did 40 years ago. It doesn't matter what they sounded like then or now, you completely missed the point. Your argument is bad because it's the same argument people stuck in the past have been making for years "Everything new sucks and only the old stuff I grew up with is good"
You could have just said you "hate jazz". Funny, some of Tosin Abasi's techniques were learned from Victor Wooten.
I can see your points here, but more interesting, you couldn't follow it up with the positive points. Yes, those poly rhythms can get drawn out and boring. We also went through this phase in music progression though too. Many remember it as "Dream Pop", but most knew it as "Shoegaze", where it dragged on, and on, and on..... But on the rhythms part, it does teach fundementals of playing with a metronome, and having good timing. I also find guys on the other spectrum so obsessed with being a good solo player, they can't keep in time rhythm, which is most, if not all of guitar playing. My biggest complaint of Djent is many of them can't seem to figure out how to mute the strings properly for tight playing.... Which Djent is quite heavily reliant on using a gate.... Some of them can't figure that one out either.
Far as gear, you can look behind you. I saw guys flock to the EVH stuff, like it was gold. Djent music is not the only suspect to the latest, and greatest gear..... EVH heads are dime a dozen now like Marshall JCM800s used to be. If the tone works for the player though, let them use what they want. I'm just as guilty using Mesa gear through the years.
And my last point, is Baroque music exists. Music always progresses, just sometimes in ways we might not enjoy. Keep Rocking dude!
The first time I heard CAFO, I thought it was great..... but yeah, now it's just boring. A lot of these kinds of songs sound like intro all the way through, where you never actually get to the song part.
EXACTLY. Just a intro they stretched to go on forever and never actually get to the song
I could watch this over and over lmfao blehbleblebleh
Haha me too!
@@shredaintdead9323 My favorite video! 😆
YES! Thank you!!!
You're welcome!!!
"I have no desire to listen to their "music" But i do have strong desire to write a comment about it.
Haha 😄
Tbh this video starts out good, but goes full boomer when you say setting the strap high is lame
Haha that's where you draw the line? The other parts were lame but that wasn't? OK noob
Should have been able to tell this video is a shitpost, nvm
@@steliosm2691 I think it’s funny that the same people who cannot write a song or they enjoy it can’t come up with a new insult besides boomer
10000% right
You sir are awesome
Yeah djent...Im the same as you. I think its a joke sometimes cos song after song is all djent on some bands.
Listened to Cafo. The drum timing wiht the instruments is impressive but musically, yeah its not for me. 13 million views tho wow
I have no idea how so many people could listen to that boring repetitive "song."
9:42 the whole point of music is to be timeless? For some people, the point of music, is to pass time. Others, a financial career. Here you go again, thinking you can dictate, other's emotional responses. On a narcissism scale, 1-10, you are, YOU NEED A THERAPIST 3 YEARS AGO!!! Based on this video alone, you honestly believe, you are the center of the universe. You don't think it consciously, but sub consciously. And it comes out aggressively, in your "absolute" way of thinking. When something like music, is more so a reflective glass sculpture. Some people see it at different angles, with different lighting's. 100 people can look at the same statue, and all see a different picture. No one is right, no one is wrong.
K
@@shredaintdead9323 Yeah…. f’ing hate people having opinions that shit music without a real melody or time signature isn’t music but rather noise. 😆 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@GDCDGC I’m a year and a half away from becoming a therapist. But thank you for the concern. I appreciate the wellness check!
@@johnsguitarmusicanddemos There is a difference between expression, and dismissing something altogether, simply because you don’t appreciate it. Like you dismissing it as “not real music” “just noise” well technically and literally, that’s what music is. Just noise. And just because you don’t like it, doesn’t give you the respective authority, to say it’s not something.
I like my music to be a journey not stop and go traffic
Haha perfectly said!
Happy to hear this brave opinnion. Some people like some don’t but Djent is far away from a song to sing a whole day :)
Thanks!
Do you think those guys down there are limp and lifeless like the D tune guitars they play LOL whatever happened to rock ‘n’ roll being you know about rock ‘n’ roll and having a good time I’d like to see the backstage at one of those shows they probably all have their guitars out because they never stop perfecting Their craft
Haha probably
Preach
There’s really nothing wrong with writing technical music for the sake of technical difficulty and complexity. There’s also nothing wrong with using traditionally melodic or harmonic instruments to produce atonal rhythm based music. The western definition of music is honestly pretty stale, too restrictive, and it’s a disservice to a rather large audience who appreciates something that falls into “other.” But everyone is allowed an opinion on anything.
I agree to an extent, I just think it's crazy how much praise these guys get, and they can't write memorable or catchy songs to save their lives. It's complicated and technical, but that doesn't mean it's a song. It all sounds the same and gets boring 30 secs in.
And that’s a perfectly acceptable opinion to have. But so is the opinion that this is the greatest wave of guitar based extreme music.