Who is your favorite metal lyricist/vocalist?

[glassmoon0fo]

Im a huge fan of Jens Kidman's STUDIO voice, live is hit or miss though, but i LOVE meshuggah's lyrics. they always got something to say bout the human condition, and it usually hits a bit too close to home. check out "organic shadow", bout the moment of death and what it's like to know you're staring at a new dimension of absoloutly nothing (assuming you aren't terribly religious. they arent AFAIK ). heavy stuff.

 

[Stealth7]

Chuck Schuldiner
Martin Walkyier (Sabbat, Ex-Skyclad) One of the best and most underrated lyricists in Metal IMO.
Matt Barlow/Jon Schaffer
James Hetfield used to write great lyrics.
Lord Worm the lyrics on None So Vile are amazing.
Devin Townsend
Steve Harris/Bruce Dickinson/Adrian Smith

 

[Miek]

Alphabetically:

Akerfeldt, Masvidal, Townsend, Wilson.

Dont know about whether you'd count porcupine tree here under metal but w/e. His lyric writing skills kinda blows the other 3 guys out of the water, but theyre all great tbh.

Yo, are you the same Mop from MX?

Anyway, I'd count Wilson, but his lyrics are kinda hit or miss for me. Paul does write some great lyrics. Some of his lyrics are things I'd personally toss out, but he takes them and makes them work.

 

[DLG]

 

[ry_z]

Devin Townsend.
His voice is amazing, and he writes songs that range from hilarious to heart wrenching.

I'd also add Jonas Renkse, though I really don't think of Katatonia as metal anymore.

 

[The_Mop]

Yo, are you the same Mop from MX?

Anyway, I'd count Wilson, but his lyrics are kinda hit or miss for me. Paul does write some great lyrics. Some of his lyrics are things I'd personally toss out, but he takes them and makes them work.

yup, thats me! you purp?

jeezus, mx is so fucking dead now. took a month to get to a new page of the 'lod.

 

[Sebastian]

My all time favorite has to be John Bush Armored Saint/Anthrax - great voice, and I find his lyrics (at least the one's I read ) to be very real/interesting - especially Anthrax.

some other vocalists I like:
Phil Anselmo, James Hetfield, Patrick Lachman (Damageplan ), Chad Gray, and obviously Burton C Bell as he is from my fav band Fear Factory
Probably I'd add some more to the list, but that's just what comes to my mind.

 

[Guitarman700]

I'd also add Jonas Renkse, though I really don't think of Katatonia as metal anymore.

I'm so disappointed in myself. I'm the biggest Katatonia fan there is, how could I forget him?

 

[yingmin]

Wow, really? Jonas Renkse? I think his lyrics are catastrophically bad.

 

[Guitarman700]

Wow, really? Jonas Renkse? I think his lyrics are catastrophically bad.

Well, that's why I love music. So subjective, and, like stuff.


Yeah.

 

[ittoa666]

For vocals, it's Akerfeldt.

For lyrics, it's JR Hayes.


"I hold your hands in mine
the rest of you is scattered
all over
your rib cage is open
like a great white's jaws
your legs look so sexy out of context"

 

[yingmin]

Well, that's why I love music. So subjective, and, like stuff.


Yeah.

Lyrics:

I really like Disillusion's lyrics, and think that Vurtox's occasional troubles with English further emphasize the poetic imagery he gets out of a language he obviously doesn't understand perfectly.

Daylight Dies. I relate to their lyrics more than I'd rather admit.

Phil Anselmo can be extremely hit-or-miss, but when he's good, he's great.

At the Gates, not necessarily because the lyrics are good, but they are just SO. FUCKING. METAL. "I feel my soul grow cold, only the dead are smiling". "Slaughter of the soul, suicidal final art. Children born of sin, tear your souls apart". God DAMN.

Daniel Gildenloew of Pain of Salvation pre-Scarsick

Vocals:

Black metal - Ihsahn (Emperor), Jens Ryden (Naglfar)
Death metal - Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth, Bloodbath), David Vincent (Morbid Angel's Domination and beyond), Anders Friden (In Flames, Colony & Clayman albums)
Clean/harsh clean - Daniel Gildenloew (Pain of Salvation), Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth), Phil Anselmo (Pantera), Rody Walker (Protest the Hero), Erik Kalsbeek (Textures)

 

[Blind Theory]

Trevor Strnad. Seriously, the lyrics off of Ritual are amazing. You can literally see what he is talking about.

Hernan "Eddie" Hermida. At least the lyrics from the last two ASP albums (TPOE/ATD) where awesome. Haven't really read the lyrics off the new album.

Went and got some examples of both guys:

Trevor Strnad:
I fill the mouth with semen while the head still blinks and shakes,
Ten seconds is the window,
Another child has met his fate.
I hold the grisly treasure skyward,
Have a laugh into its face,
Bless all Earth’s most precious children with my blackened love insane.

Eddie Hermida:
Brothers take hands
It's our time to give this nation it's only chance.
Not one step back
A true man will take a stand.
Liberty rings
Echoing through the streets the beginning of everything.
Take pride for this is the picture we must live by or die, or die
They're coming
Begin to light we must ignite we creed to fight begin our night
They're coming
Wake up the dreamers we demand the need of rights

The first one is really graphic. Probably should have said that before the lyrics but whatever. Both are just great lyricists.

And for clarity due to some words sent through the rep system, I realize the first example of lyrics are a bit juvenile. My point was that he is able to create a great visual picture through the usage of his words. I am not saying, "I luv theez lyricks bcuz they are the brutz mayne!"

 

[Miek]

yup, thats me! you purp?

jeezus, mx is so fucking dead now. took a month to get to a new page of the 'lod.

No...it's Mike/miek.

How the fuck are you?

Back on topic I love Textures' lyrics, I'm pretty sure Eric wrote the lyrics on Silhouettes and holy fuck omg

 

[yingmin]

And for clarity due to some words sent through the rep system, I realize the first example of lyrics are a bit juvenile. My point was that he is able to create a great visual picture through the usage of his words. I am not saying, "I luv theez lyricks bcuz they are the brutz mayne!"

I can get on board with Trevor Strnad, actually, because Funeral Thirst is the first gory death metal song about zombies I'd heard where I actually felt like there was some emotional content. Yes, there's violence and horror, but at its heart, the song is about the (un)human condition.

 

[DLG]

No...it's Mike/miek.

How the fuck are you?

Back on topic I love Textures' lyrics, I'm pretty sure Eric wrote the lyrics on Silhouettes and holy fuck omg

you think so?

the fact that the lyrics are really consistent theme-wise and the vocal melodies similar in style from album to album kinda gives me the impression the main guitarist writes most of them.

 

[Miek]

I think it's possible, I was just talking out of my ass. In any case I loved Erics vocals and the lyrics he used.

 

[BucketheadRules]

Martin Walkyier from Sabbat.

For Those Who Died (written about the "witch" burnings in the UK in the 1600s)

Our tongues they could not silence,
with their malicious lies,
their unforgotten violence,
remember those who died.

And as my flesh is put to fire,
I hear their voices still,
their unjust accusations,
demanding I am killed.

''We shall show no mercy to heathen
such as thee,
who stand accused and have refused
the Church''s clemency,
your wicked acts are endless,
though the crimes they cannot name,
innocent or guilty proved,
we''ll burn you just the same.''

Burning, into the fire.
Burning, a funeral pyre.
Burning, into the fire.
Burning, a funeral pyre.

This self-righteous inquisition,
is a plague upon our land,
as false as the confessions they force
from shattered hands.

Abused my broken body is cleansed
by righteous flame,
their God a ''God of Mercy'' -
yet in whose name I''m slain.

My innocence the victim of their
superstitious fears,
religious persecution for the past
three hundred years,
preaching peace and mercy ''neath the
shadow of the knife,
a papal reign of terror -
slaughter in the name of Christ.

 

[anomynous]

The lack of Dio is disturbing

 

[ilyti]

Lou Reed.

Sry guys, too soon?