Like any genre of music, talented rock and heavy metal bands receive less exposure as many mainstream artists. This could be due to being at the wrong place at the wrong time when it came to advertising their music or not being in very successful labels. For whatever the reason is, these are a list of bands whom i thought were underrated:
* Static X - The band is a blend of Nu-metal and industrial metal. First time i've seen them perform was in the animated film "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker." Static X relies on heavily distorted sounds, electronic keyboards, pounding bass riffs, heavy synths, and fast paced aggressive metal vocals. Static X has had connections with the band "Korn" so it's easy to see how they both are similar. However, Static X did not receive as much attention as Korn despite being a year older.
* SOIL - The lead vocalist of Drowning Pool was the frontman for a band called SOIL. Drawn from influences of death metal, SOIL is born as a hard-hitting, heavy, and aggressive rock band. SOIL writes emotionally charged lyrics while playing tuneful yet powerful instrumentals. While i'm not a huge fan of Drowning Pool, i do love Ryan McCombs' contributing work to the band.
* AM Conspiracy - Ryan McCombs was also in the band "AM Conspiracy." Despite releasing only one self titled debut album, i found the band gave everything they had in that album. The album was more emotional and somehow more vocally powerful than Ryan's other projects. The instrumentals are also more melodic and slower paced.
* Stereomud - A heavy metal band full of aggressive metal vocals, hard hitting lyrics, and low-tuned rhythmical instrumentals in their album "Every Given Moment." Although they released only two albums, i believe this was all we needed. The album "Perfect Self" was softer but still a solid release. "Every Given Moment" was old school heavy metal but it did not impress critics. I imagine that the band felt discouraged and decided to go their separate ways into other bands. Either way, i loved the music they left behind.
* Earshot - This metal band has been widely compared to "Tool" but mistakenly so. For one, Earshot is a darker version of Tool. Another is that Earshot is one of the few bands managing to bring the sound of post-grunge metal into the rock scene.
* Device - David Draiman (Disturbed's vocalist) worked on a side project known as Device. Overall, the band is much heavier than Disturbed being an industrial metal band with hard hitting guitar riffs and loud drum solos.
These are all the bands that i can think of at the top of my head. There are many underrated and freshly tuneful bands out there that you can listen to if you did extensive research.
While this might sound like just another angry rebellious anti-religious song, it's message is profound and symbolic. Stereomud's "Anything but Jesus" is a song using biblical symbolism to illustrate anger and frustration towards people who expect you to be perfect. The screams, rhythm, instruments, all paint the picture of someone having an outburst. An outburst against those who put others on a high pedestal of moral and spiritual perfection. It's an outburst that we can relate to. The lyrics are basic but profoundly speak to our emotions.
Lyrics:
"I'm not your savior I'm as simple as a lost sheep! But you think I know everything! I'm just like you I'm trying to figure out this bullsh*t! So why ya looking up to me!
"I don't want to hear! Don't want to hear the questions! I got no answers anyway! See I don't know! See I don't know what you want! I never said I knew everything!"
The artist opens up beautifully and powerfully. He begins by stating that he is not a personal savior. He is just as frail as any morally corrupt person. He is just as confused and ignorant as a person void of morals. He cannot be a guide or a leader who tends to your every need. He is limited.
"I don't want to be! I don't want to be Jesus in your lost head! I don't want to be! I don't want to be Jesus! Your Jesus I said! Anything! Anything but Jesus in your lost head! I don't want to be! I don't want to be Jesus! Your Jesus I said!"
Someone who makes another person into a being of perfection is "lost" by biblical terms. He or she fails to understand the original purpose Jesus came to the earth. The artist in his agitation, anger, and fears of criticism says "Are you listening to me?!? I don't want you to be your personal savior!"
"There's no mistakes there's only lessons I believe that You've got to find out your own way! So, don't you make me into someone that I can't be! That will never appeal to me!
I don't want to hear! Don't want to hear the questions! I got no answers anyway! See I don't know! See I don't know what you want! I never said I knew everything!"
The songwriter doesn't believe that mistakes define you. It's the wisdom in experiences that mold you into the person you are now. How do you gain this? Explore the darkest sides of life. Discover the evil within you and realize your just as vulnerable as anyone else.
"Strike down on me when I don't have the answers! Don't strike out at me look for the answers!"
When someone fails to be a perfect role model, he or she get attacked for their mistakes. The wisdom in this lyric is rather than channel negative energy, use that energy for personal self growth. Meditate and find the answers you seek to life's greatest problems. Truth can be attained when a person has an open mind and soul. The song-writer ends in such a powerful note:
"I'm not your savior i can't help you so why ya looking up to me!"
What makes this song so great is the strong connection it builds with it's listeners. Society will often hold many people to such a high degree of perfection that they leave no room for mistakes. The symbolic usage of Jesus in this song reminds us that he came to cover human imperfections, not bring a "holier than thou" attitude. To break away from the moral expectations and the stigma of being a scapegoat. This is genuine rebellion against society.
