Bands You Think Are Under-Rated?

[Axel]

At the Gates - sure most people know about them but they just don't get the credit they deserve. They pioneered a style that is copied by 90% of the relevant metal bands of today.

Shai Hulud - again, they deserve more credit than they get. Also pioneers of a style. I wish they had grown a little more (writing wise) but their first 2 albums are classics and were a huge influence on many bands that borrowed from their style.

Acturus - already mentioned in this thread but I wanted to share the song that really got me into them



Winds - another amazing band who don't get the recognition they deserve.



Bal-Sagoth - these guys just plain own!

 

[Joose]

Dude I'm a huge Sevendust fan as I've said in a thread I began a while ago they have some issues with songwriting but when they are at their best they destroy the competition!
In the UK/Europe they are pretty much unknown due to TVT never releasing their old albums here and not letting them tour over here when they were on their label imo it really damaged their potential.

I agree, except about the songwriting part. But I suppose that's all opinion. Besides, they have Clint Lowery back now, thank God. First album with him on it since Seasons/Southside Double-Wide. Due out early next year.

 

[Landsi]

I was gonna say Meshuggah because not nearly enough people give them the respect they deserve. We on this site are in a fishbowl with that kinda thing because in our eyes, they're true pioneers and one of the greatest bands on the planet. They clearly are and more people should feel that way.

I couldn't have said it better myself. I still consider them a very much 'underground' band really. Only because they don't get enough appreciation as they should deserve.

 

[-TheWickerMan-]

At the Gates - sure most people know about them but they just don't get the credit they deserve. They pioneered a style that is copied by 90% of the relevant metal bands of today.

thats a massive overstatement
90% of melodic death bands yeah maybe, but not 90% of metal

i do agree that they get a lot less credit to in flames and dark tranquility but i'd hardly call them underrated

 

[CrushingAnvil]

I know they've sold 14 million albums but a lot of metal listeners these days just don't appreciate their roots and more so just aren't aware of the real roots of metal.

So, that is why I'm going to go with one band, and that would be Blue Öyster Cult.

 

[FoxZero]

This is a fun thread!

I don't look this band up much on the internet but whenever I talk to someone that listens to black metal they never heard of Bathory! What the fuck? This band is amazing and they got me into black metal.

I also gotta say I feel the new Sepultura is underrated. All I ever hear from friends is bitching about how Max left, I think he is the most overrated singer ever. Derrick fits their new style so much better. People change, bands change, life changes, deal with it.

and some others...

Exodus
SYX (metalcore? yes. awesome? fuck yes!)
Sikth
Venom (I know they have a following but a lot of my friends bash them)

And if we're gonna mention underground bands...

Trephination

 

[heineken_fretwalker]

^^^
Yeah, I agree with Sikth. The closest I've seen to recognition for Sikth is Luke Hoskin name dropping them in a Protest the Hero lesson for Bloodmeat.

 

[FoxZero]

lol I started listening to Sikth a month before they announced breaking up last year. I was pissed! They sounded so sick live, pity I can never see them now I found them on Havoc on demand. There's a lot of fairly unknown or underrated bands on that channel if anyone has digital cable.

Does 1349 have much of a following? No one I know has heard of em, good shit.

And some more.

Unleashed
Vio-lence (I never hear this band mentioned when talking about major thrash bands!)
Trust Company
Str8jackit (Canada)
Rob Dougan
It Dies Today

 

[Triple-J]

I also gotta say I feel the new Sepultura is underrated. All I ever hear from friends is bitching about how Max left, I think he is the most overrated singer ever. Derrick fits their new style so much better. People change, bands change, life changes, deal with it.

In terms of creativity the balance of material and the overall flow of an album Nation destroys anything Soulfly can come up with plus Andreas Kisser is incredibly underrated as a player.

 

[yingmin]

While I don't know if I'd call them "underrated", Muse and A Perfect Circle are often unfairly derided for being clones of Radiohead and Tool, respectively. Muse and Radiohead are nothing alike musically; the only similarity they have as far as I'm concerned is that Matt Bellamy's voice is KIND OF similar to Thom Yorke's. The Tool/APC comparison is a little easier to understand, because they both make dark, moody music and have the same vocalist, but even then, I can't think of a single APC song that wouldn't sound out of place on a Tool album, and vice versa.

 

[heineken_fretwalker]

Really? Muse and Radiohead nothing alike musically? I don't buy it.

 

[SamSam]

Sikth
Cynic
Textures


Metallica... yea right

 

[heineken_fretwalker]

Sikth
Cynic
Textures


Metallica... yea right

Speaking of Cynic, I would've given anything to see them with Meshuggah and the Faceless. Unfortunately, that tour didn't come remotely close to me.

 

[yingmin]

Really? Muse and Radiohead nothing alike musically? I don't buy it.

I certainly don't hear it. The two bands are clearly identifiable at even a brief listen. Radiohead is more conceptual and textural, and never has the raw aggression that even slower Muse tracks have. Even "heavier" Radiohead songs like Creep and Paranoid Android are more about the mood than sheer power. Even when Muse is moody and conceptual, it's in a distinctly different way than Radiohead. Also, Radiohead's music is more chordal, whereas Muse is heavily riff-oriented. The one similarity I will grant - the vocalists' voices - isn't even very strong in my opinion. Matt's voice is much more powerful than Thom's, and Thom never wails like Matt does.

 

[Adamh1331]

Umphrey's McGee.

 

[Scar Symmetry]

Sikth
Cynic
Textures

truth, these guys are (in my mind) the 3 most under-rated bands out there today (or were in Sikth's case).

 

[FoxZero]

In terms of creativity the balance of material and the overall flow of an album Nation destroys anything Soulfly can come up with plus Andreas Kisser is incredibly underrated as a player.

I agree, Andreas Kisser is one of my all time favorite guitarists. Even when he's just playing simple thrash songs all his solos stand out from one another and nothing feels recycled. I can't say that for many hard hitting thrash bands, especially Slayer, I love em to death but the solos rarely stand out from one another.

 

[yingmin]

Umphrey's McGee.

What the hell? That is not at ALL what I expected that band to sound like. Is this typical of their sound?

 

[poopyalligator]

I think Thrice is a really underrated band. I think Vhiessu was one of the best cds i have ever heard.

 

[Piro]

RX Bandits. By far one of the best bands out there. Check out their songs called In Her Drawer (insane drumming) and Republic.