Everyone hates symphonic metal
 

Seems to me that this genre is significantly more reviled than even nu-metal in here. Could it be that I'm the only one who actually likes some of this stuff?

What's so horrible about it?

I want to know why it sucks so bad, in great, mean, detail.

While I wait, here's some good stuff that none of you horrible people will appreciate:

AMBERIAN DAWN - I'm The One

Never liked this band before, but their new singer seems quite likeable to me (she may have been there for a couple albums already, but this feels different from what I've heard with her before).
I'm liking this new track they just put out.

The Dark Element - "My Sweet Mystery"

Sounds like Abba on steroids. Pretty fun!

Dark Sarah - Little Men

This **** is ridiculous. And pretty fun.

ARVEN - Black Is The Colour Full Album

This whole album is good. I've owned it since it came out and listened to it a lot. I hate the fact that they disbanded after just two albums.

After Forever - Boundaries Are Open

This band sucked. That is, until their main writer left the band for a while. They did one good album, then they began sucking again.
This is my favorite track of theirs, from their only decent album. This singer would go on to become the 3rd and current singer for Nightwish.

NIGHTWISH - Ghost Love Score - (Live at Wacken in 2013)

This is great - it really is.
No?
Whatever.

The music is often cut-rate power metal or at least tepid ****e for 14-year-old girls who cut themselves, the vocals are gimmicky and cringey, and it's all artlessly jumbled together in one of the most tedious forms of pop metal on earth.

Other than that, it's fantastic.

I personally have no problem with SM; the one thing I get weary with is operatic over the top vocals, usually female. And the idea of pairing "unclean" vocals with clean ones. Two things. The two things I get weary with are operatic over the top vocals, usually female. And the idea of pairing "unclean" vocals with clean ones. And overly long epics. Three things. The three things I get weary with are operatic over the top vocals, usually female. And the idea of pairing "unclean" vocals with clean ones. And overly long epics. And overused ideas. Four things. Among the things I get weary about symphonic metal are ...

Bands I like:
Within Temptation
Epica
Edenbridge
Leaves' Eyes
Lacuna Coil (more Gothic Metal but still...)

I haven't heard much of it to be honest. My impression is that it's pretty cheesy, but I'm open to recommendations that might change that impression.

Ouch. Generally speaking, the genre suffers from bad vocals, but the above are exceptions in my eyes. Problem is, I think most people, especially metal and rock fans, have some irrational hatred of overtly melodic and powerful singing, unless it has some hint of aggression to it.

For some reason I had the impression that you hated the genre. Probably a particularly venomous entry in your 2017 Albums thread.

I personally don't include Lacuna Coil at all, plus they're guilty of the clean/grrrr duality. They should fire the growly guy. Cristina Scabbia has a great voice though.

Haven't actually learned to appreciate the other 3 bands you mentioned yet. I did have a very short lived romance with Leave's Eyes once.

If the inherently grandiose tendencies of the genre and the vocal stylings of the genre strike you as cheesy, then I'm not sure I could come up with anything that would change your mind.

For those who see no redeeming qualities in the genre whatsoever, grant me just a few minutes and I will show you how symphonic metal can be pretty legit - by way of Nightwish of all things! The thing with Nightwish is, that while I like all of their albums outside of their debut, I really think they've become a much better band with their two later singers. Everyone knows them with the original singer, Tarja, but their best output is, in my opinion, from the Anette Olzon and Floor Jansen eras. Not least, I also find these two ladies to be much more appealing singers than Tarja.

Anyway, I've picked two songs and a starting point for each. All you have to do is go to the suggested time code and you will start right as the best part is about to begin. Personally, I think everything after the marked point is fantastic in both of these songs. I love the music here and Floor really sells the vocals too. I'm even going to venture as far as to say that I can't see anything cheesy about these two songs either. It's just legit good music to me. No guilty pleasures in sight.

So, will anyone indulge me? Then you can tell me how wrong I am afterwards.

7 Days to The Wolves (Live with Floor Jansen)
Start from 03:20.


Ghost Love Score (live with Floor Jansen)
Start from 05:35.

SM ****ing sucks. It's also boring as hell.

It's not that it's too cheesy, it's that the cheese has the wrong aesthetics for me to care I guess. It's not fun cheese. It's wannabe goth cheese.

Imaginaerum is one of the most god awful albums I've heard in forever and I wouldn't use it as a coaster. I actually like Comalies from Lacuna Coil, even if the guitar is cringey nu metal schlock. Riffs are still fun though and Cristina Scabbia is miles away from a Tarja or a Floor Jansen.

Oh ****, Really? That bad? It's probably my second favorite Nightwish album!

I do have a few of their songs on my hard drive. A good half of them are from Comalies. While I like Floor Jansen quite a bit, I still actually agree that Scabbia is better. It's just that her band mostly bores me. They really dropped the ball after the first few albums.

Because I like something you don't like. Ok.