Musical Talent

It feels like you can't open a music magazine these days without being confronted by Trivium, and a whole plethora of similar bands, all devoted to being as "metal" and "hardcore" as is humanly possible without trading in body parts for mechanical alternatives. While I'm certainly impressed by the sheer technical virtuosity and musicianship displayed by many, if not all, of these bands, I can't help thinking that there's something missing. They're all hailed as being the next Pantera, or the new Metallica, and this in itself concerns me - shouldn't we be celebrating them for having their own sound, their own image, their own indefineable presence, without standing them behind the greats, or denying them their own identity? Surely if they were that brilliant, they would be competing with Metallica, not waiting to inherit their thrones.

My flatmate and I had a discussion about this. Will we still be listening to these bands in twenty years time? Will they even make second, third, or fourth albums? Or is this all typical of the "flash in the pan" syndrome currently afflicting music? These bands are all very talented, but they're also all the same. There's nothing especially memorable about them. They might be able to bash out an album full of syncopation, alternate tunings and more pentatonic licks than you can shake a stick at, but do you find yourself humming their songs while you're doing the washing up? No? Didn't think so.

On the other hand, I've found that Green Day's American Idiot album has been permanently lodged in my brain since I bought it last year, particularly their Jesus of Suburbia epic. Billie Joe Armstrong is clearly a talented guitarist, and his work has been getting better and better, but it's obvious that he isn't as technically strong as Children of Bodom's Alexi Laiho. Whether this is due simply to the differing requirements of metal and punk, I'm not sure, but one thing's for certain - he might not be a virtuoso, but he is a supremely talented songwriter.

So which band is 'better', the technically talented but emotionally cold band like Trivium, or the Green Day-esque band who concentrate on writing amazing songs that you'll be singing 'til the grave? It seems to me that the former bands make music for other musicians, and it all becomes somewhat elitist, as people snootily declare their love for "real" bands who make "difficult" music. On the other hand, the songwriter bands are more democratic, and thus usually more mainstream, appealing to a broader audience and possibly facing accusations of (shock horror) selling out. For young kids just getting into the music and trying to establish themselves in the scene hierachy, it's almost taboo to admit a liking for the catchy bands, and they compete as to who can like the most technical (and usually obscure) bands.

Obviously some bands manage to set up tents in both camps - Metallica are technically astounding, but also manage to write catchy songs with memorable lyrics and riffs, and they have a huge fanbase as a result. If Trivium truly are to be the next Metallica, they might want to concentrate on the latter, instead of simply impressing us with their ability.