Your Controversial Opinions on DT

[Nel_Annette]

Actually, thinking about the vocal melody, I can picture Hetfield singing it. I can very much see how that song sounds like Metallica.

The vocal melody is so far from Metallica, I don't even know where to start. It has a range of an octave rather than grunting out the root note, and it's not at all a scale Hetfield has ever sung in. And whatever key you put the song in, it would be way out of Hetfield's range anyway. If you can picture Hetfield singing that, you have an amazing imagination, my friend.

I'm not talking about octaves or ranges or whatever, I can simply picture him singing the song the way he sings songs. It's not that hard. 

[Jaq]

Actually, thinking about the vocal melody, I can picture Hetfield singing it. I can very much see how that song sounds like Metallica.

The vocal melody is so far from Metallica, I don't even know where to start. It has a range of an octave rather than grunting out the root note, and it's not at all a scale Hetfield has ever sung in. And whatever key you put the song in, it would be way out of Hetfield's range anyway. If you can picture Hetfield singing that, you have an amazing imagination, my friend.

I'm not talking about octaves or ranges or whatever, I can simply picture him singing the song the way he sings songs. It's not that hard. 

Blob always says that about As I Am, even though it's blatantly obvious that Metallica is a huge influence on that song.  He seems to think because it's in a different range that it doesn't sound like Metallica. Just smile pleasantly and nod.

[BlobVanDam]

Actually, thinking about the vocal melody, I can picture Hetfield singing it. I can very much see how that song sounds like Metallica.

The vocal melody is so far from Metallica, I don't even know where to start. It has a range of an octave rather than grunting out the root note, and it's not at all a scale Hetfield has ever sung in. And whatever key you put the song in, it would be way out of Hetfield's range anyway. If you can picture Hetfield singing that, you have an amazing imagination, my friend.

I'm not talking about octaves or ranges or whatever, I can simply picture him singing the song the way he sings songs. It's not that hard. 

Blob always says that about As I Am, even though it's blatantly obvious that Metallica is a huge influence on that song.  He seems to think because it's in a different range that it doesn't sound like Metallica. Just smile pleasantly and nod.

There's nothing blatant about the influence imo. In this thread and in the past I have given good explanations for why it's actually nothing at all like Metallica well beyond "it's in a different range", so it's not as simplistic as you want to make it at all. I guess you don't understand the technical musical talk?
And don't be so insulting in future.

[jakepriest]

As I Am sounds nothing like Metallica. I don't know what you're on if you think it does.

[?]

I can hear some Hetfieldisms in the way JLB sings the chorus, but musically AIA doesn't sound (much) like Metallica to my ears. On the other hand, Constant Motion has a clear Metallica vibe.

[TheGreatPretender]

I think the main riff is very much in the style of Metallica's black album. I can almost start singing, "Say your prayers, little one!"

[Nel_Annette]

Did I win the argument? I'm just going to assume I won the argument.

[Zook]

The only part that sounds like Metallica on Train of Thought is the Blackened section in This Dying Soul.

[Sycsa]

In this thread and in the past I have given good explanations for why it's actually nothing at all like Metallica well beyond "it's in a different range", so it's not as simplistic as you want to make it at all. I guess you don't understand the technical musical talk?

I think the problem is precisely that you're overanalyzing it. I was in a car with some musically braindead friends of mine and when As I Am came up they immediately went "zomg, this totally sounds like Metallica". If it happens to this many people, it cannot be a coincidence.

[JayOctavarium]

I think  As I AM and Constant Motion both show strong Metallica influences.



Oh and I'm sure I've said this before but Systematic Chaos is still a top (4?) album. Behind Awake , Images and maybe Scenes.

[Implode]

As I Am has stronger influences than Metallica.

https://youtu.be/7sYae25hnKI

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

In this thread and in the past I have given good explanations for why it's actually nothing at all like Metallica well beyond "it's in a different range", so it's not as simplistic as you want to make it at all. I guess you don't understand the technical musical talk?

I think the problem is precisely that you're overanalyzing it. I was in a car with some musically braindead friends of mine and when As I Am came up they immediately went "zomg, this totally sounds like Metallica". If it happens to this many people, it cannot be a coincidence.

Dude, people who aren't familiar with a band will say all kinds of crap. People I show Dream Theater to say they sound like DragonForce.

[BlobVanDam]

In this thread and in the past I have given good explanations for why it's actually nothing at all like Metallica well beyond "it's in a different range", so it's not as simplistic as you want to make it at all. I guess you don't understand the technical musical talk?

I think the problem is precisely that you're overanalyzing it. I was in a car with some musically braindead friends of mine and when As I Am came up they immediately went "zomg, this totally sounds like Metallica". If it happens to this many people, it cannot be a coincidence.

I'm not overanalyzing, it just has very little Metallica influence at all beyond being a heavy song. I get the feeling that people who aren't into metal often just use Metallica/Megadeth as generic catch all comparisons of something sounding metal-ish.
Musically the song is so un-Metallica, and the few parts that sound like Metallica could have played them are no more Metallica than any other similar metal band. My first thought when hearing the song was only the obvious Black Sabbath similarity.

[hefdaddy42]

Don't know what to tell you, Blob.  I've always thought that As I Am had a Metallica vibe.

[BlobVanDam]

Don't know what to tell you, Blob.  I've always thought that As I Am had a Metallica vibe.

And I don't know what to tell you, but I'd been a big Metallica fan for years by that point, and never got the slightest feeling of a Metallica vibe from it. SO NOW WHAT??
Like, what Metallica song do people think it even sounds similar to? I really want to know. It's not like Constant Motion where I can pick out a section of No Remorse here, or a bit of Disposable Heroes there, or the signature Hetfield melody in the verse. In As I Am, I hear nothing that makes me think of Metallica, even at a surface level.

[hefdaddy42]

It doesn't sound like a particular song.  It just sounds and feels like something that Metallica would do.  Or that they would WANT to do.  It feels in their wheelhouse.

[JiM-Xtreme]

The main riff reminds me a lot of the one from Enter Sandman.

[Laughingplace56]

The most Metallica sounding songs from them i think are Constant Motion and the first verse of The Glass Prison with MP/JLB going back and forth.

[TheGreatPretender]

The main riff reminds me a lot of the one from Enter Sandman.

This. I'm tempted to try and do a cover of Enter Sandman using As I Am as the background music, just to see how wll it fits. 

[Prog Snob]

The main riff reminds me a lot of the one from Enter Sandman.

This. I'm tempted to try and do a cover of Enter Sandman using As I Am as the background music, just to see how wll it fits. 

Can I fill in JH's YEAHH HEAHHHHH

[Cable]

I forgot that structurally and stylistically, ES and SoC share ideas with WH and Orion respectively. Kind of like I&W and ADTOE. Sound the same... not really at all.

[Cable]

I forgot that structurally and stylistically, ES and SoC share ideas with WH(S) and Orion respectively. Kind of like I&W and ADTOE. Sound the same... not really at all.

[Implode]

The main riff reminds me a lot of the one from Enter Sandman.

It sounds more like the song from the link I posted.

[TheGreatPretender]

The main riff reminds me a lot of the one from Enter Sandman.

It sounds more like the song from the link I posted.

The opening certainly does, but once the song gets going, the riff right before the verse, around 1:25 ish, has a very Enter Sandmanish vibe to it.

[Sycsa]

The main riff, which is the most important aspect of the song has such a strong Enter Sandman vibe to it that it makes me think that "as I aaaam...yeeeah" is an intentional nod.

[TheGreatPretender]

The main riff, which is the most important aspect of the song has such a strong Enter Sandman vibe to it that it makes me think that "as I aaaam...yeeeah" is an intentional nod.

Same here. I wouldn't be all too surprised if it was intentional.

[BlobVanDam]

There's nowhere near enough similarity to make me think that there was any intentional reference.

[hefdaddy42]

There's nowhere near enough similarity to make me think that there was any intentional reference.

I agree.  Even though I get a Metallica "vibe" I don't think there was any intentional reference on the part of the band.

[rickhawk80]

The main riff reminds me a lot of the one from Enter Sandman.

It sounds more like the song from the link I posted.

The opening certainly does, but once the song gets going, the riff right before the verse, around 1:25 ish, has a very Enter Sandmanish vibe to it.

Gotta join in on the "Metallica vibe" side here and agree after re-listening to the song.  At 1:25 I instinctively feel compelled to sing, "Say your prayers little one, don't forget my son, to include every one."  Later in the song it loses it's Metallica vibe, but the opening is very Metallica-y. 

[KevShmev]

Like, what Metallica song do people think it even sounds similar to? I really want to know. 

That's what I always say when people tell me I Walk Beside You sounds like U2.

[Prog Snob]

I don't think it needs to be a specific song.  If the sound is there, and enough people pick up on it, then maybe they are hearing something others aren't.  Breaking it down like: the Bm is conflicting with the A#Major because the 31/32 time signature is not feasible with their style is completely meaningless.   I personally don't hear the Metallica much in As I Am, but that's me.  People told me I was wrong when I said the opening riff to Behind The Veil sounded almost identical to Creeping Death, yet a dozen people I played it for, without giving them any clues as to what I was doing, heard Creeping Death immediately. 

With I Walk Beside You, I hear a U2 influence.  But it's not so much where I'd say they ripped them off.  It's really arduous to not have influences come out in your music at some point.

[Zook]

It sounds like Bono could sing IWBY, but it doesn't sound like a particular U2 song.

[davidolson22]

I always though As I am started as a Black Sabbath style song for the first 1 and a half minutes, then it turns into a Metallica. It's not just the guitar that sounds like Metallica, in the chorus Labrie uses a very limited range of notes much like Hetfield does.

And the intro to Vacant sounds a awful lot like One from Justice for All, except the guitar has been changed into a piano. It's weird though cause I can't imagine Jordan Rudess listening to Metallica.

My impression of Train of Thought was they listened to a ton of Metallica then sat down to write some music.

[Cable]

Even though I don't hear Enter Sandman in the main riff personally, for what it's worth; the two share the same notes. AIA is obviously in C standard and a different rhythm. I hear more ES in a riff from Opeth in April Eretheral  than AIA.

[sneakyblueberry]

As I Am is awesome, and definitely has a Metallica vibe.  But as far as definite 'nods' (i'd prefer to call them 'rips') Enter Sandman = Peruvian Skies.