Bands Whose Tone you like, But Don't Like Their Music? Or Like their Music, not tone?

[JohnIce]

There are times on Erotic Cakes where I think "that is awesome tone" but it's usually in the clean parts, I don't like his overdriven tone at all.

I see... I always figured his tone was pretty standard, as in "competent but generic", and his playing is what makes it interesting. Listening to him right now and I don't really hear anything that stands out tonewise.

That doesn't mean I wouldn't kill kittens to have his Suhr sig.

 

[Scar Symmetry]

The clean tone in Ner Ner is amazing

 

[Riff Obsessed]

The first two Destruction albums. Really good thrash metal with rather inventive riffs, but the rhythm tone sounds like a 50cc 2-cylinder dirtbike.

 

[xmetalhead69]

The clean tone in Ner Ner is amazing

 

[g93]

BFMV. I kinda dig the riffs, but Matt Tuck needs to stick to screaming. His voice makes him sound like a megafag.

 

[DreamState]

In terms of "love music, hate tone":

Stanley Jordan. I know he's kind of a one trick pony, but I can't help but love his music. His tone however, leaves much to be desired. Kind of the stereotypical solid state clean that you would hear on any smooth jazz station.

Faith No More. Jim Martin's tones sound as if he recorded in a tin can

This one I'm not too keen on the music for since I've kind of outgrown metal, but definitely Darkest Hour. Chops for days, great compositions, but that tone was just horrendous. Kris Norris's lead tone was pretty damn good, however.

 

[Quantumface]

+1
i think rusty cooley is a god among men but his tone is horrible...IMO.
on that same token the same goes for bloodbath! WTF is that tone supposed to be? i could literally plug my guitar into my mouth and use my asshole as a speaker and get a better tone but their music is SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK.

good ol swedish death metal sunlight studio tone hahah

 

[scottro202]

I had no idea this thread would be this popular!!

+1
WTF is that tone supposed to be? i could literally plug my guitar into my mouth and use my asshole as a speaker and get a better tone but their music is SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK.

But what would be your preamp?? your colon??

 

[Samer]

For me Hypocrisy, i really like the note selection and songs but Peters guitar tone has to much reverb or something, it sounds to muddy.

 

[Quantumface]

^^ virus is still the sickest piece o swede dm. but agreed his tone is balls

 

[Static]

i really dig the band Baroness , but hate their guitar tone....take their song Jake leg for example, awesome song. but the lead right after the intro makes me cringe because of the tone.

 

[shredfreak]

Cannibal Corpse: Like the wretched spawn a lot but the sound is kinda a killer for me there. Kill as an amazing sounds for them (their best imo) but has lots of filler tracks on it alas.

 

[Cadavuh]

I love Born of Osiris but I cant stand the tone on The New Reign. Its sounds good in the mix but buy itself its just awful.

 

[groph]

Suffocation. Definitely one of my favorite death metal bands but the only good tones they have are on Despise the Sun. Pierced from Within I guess as well, if just for the disgustingness factor.

Most of the deathcore I've heard - Hate the music, but the tone is usually CRUSHING.

 

[vampiregenocide]

I don't particularly like Tosin's clean tone, but I do love his music. I love Bulb/Periphery but I don't like his rhythm tone.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Periphery. *Gets ready to dodge heavy objects.*

I really dig their music and playing, but I can't get into their tone to save my life. It's not awful, just not my cup of tea.

 

[TheSleeper]

I love Pain of Salvation, but all their records have sounded really bland to me. They sound like they stole the gear from a jazz quartet and started playing metal on it.

Most of the tones on Remedy Lane are great, I fucking LOVE that warm, organic dryness on songs like Beyond the Pale. I don't think the other albums sound that bad either, but I kinda get the jazz quartet analogy.


I'm surprised no one's mentioned ISIS. I absolutely adore most of their music, and the clean guitars and especially the drums sound excellent, but their distorted tone is pretty much crap. That and the singer is what keeps me from fully embracing them.

 

[Xaios]

I don't particularly like Tosin's clean tone, but I do love his music. I love Bulb/Periphery but I don't like his rhythm tone.

Agreed, to a point. Sometimes I love his clean tone, sometimes I hate it. Sometimes these moments are back to back. Like on the song "On Impulse," the tone starts the song is just lovely, but then a couple riffs in, it shifts to this brittle, dry weirdness that sounds like the strings are being plucked with a frying pan. The intro to "Point to Point" sounds beautiful, but "Song of Solomon" sounds way too dry.

The redeeming song, tone-wise, is "Modern Meat." I think it's played on a classical guitar, but it just sounds gorgeous.

Also, +1 on Pain of Salvation. Their first 5 albums are total works of art, but boy does the tone SUCK.

 

[vampiregenocide]

Agreed, to a point. Sometimes I love his clean tone, sometimes I hate it. Sometimes these moments are back to back. Like on the song "On Impulse," the tone starts the song is just lovely, but then a couple riffs in, it shifts to this brittle, dry weirdness that sounds like the strings are being plucked with a frying pan. The intro to "Point to Point" sounds beautiful, but "Song of Solomon" sounds way too dry.

Yeah thas pretty much my issue. Kinda harsh on the ears. Sometimes it's fine though. On the complete flipside though, his rhythm tone (Wave Of Babies main groove) is godly.

 

[Andii]

Great Music bad tone:
I like animals as leaders, but the rhythm tone on the album is bad. The clean tones are awesome. Bulb who recorded the album, got better at dialing in the pod after that album was recorded, but it was too late.

Blotted Science. I don't have much to say about the guitar on the Machinations of Dementia other than it's awful.

Nile. How can they make it so far into their careers without realizing that music is sound? Black Seeds of Vengeance and Annihilation of the Wicked were both listenable(but certainly not good), but everything else in their career before Those Whom the Gods Detest had awful tones.

Good tone, music I don't care for:
Almost everything that has been recorded at Audio Hammer sounds perfect. Joey Sturgis who records a lot of hardcore pop gets great sounds.