Great bands with weak vocals?

[WildRanger]

Name some bands that you dig musically, but not vocally.

Sleep and Voivod come to my mind.

[MirrorMask]

All black /extreme metal bands with growls

Grave Digger - Chris Boltendhal is great and fitting to the music, but sometimes I wonder how the songs would sound with a powerhouse singer full of range and power...

[bosk1]

That's a tough one, because bad vocals are generally a turnoff for me, so I tend to not pay much attention to bands with bad vocals. 

Megadeth is probably the most obvious example I can come up with.  Mustaine's style is distinctive and fits the music.  But I don't think anyone would accuse him of being a good singer, Mustaine himself included.

Flying Colors also comes to mind, I guess.  Casey isn't really a "bad" vocalist, but just isn't my thing. 

Depending on what you consider "weak," I guess an argument could also be made for Floyd.  Neither Gilmour nor Waters were technically great singers.  But the thing is, despite neither of them maybe having technical brilliance or being flashy, the used what they had very well, and it fit the music and conveyed a lot of emotion.  Kind of like a Gilmour guitar solo--you may only have three notes used for the entire thing, but lots of emotion conveyed with those three notes.

[Train of Naught]

Wow. Sleep is one of those bands that I cannot imagine any type of vocals fitting better to. Can totally imagine not being into them (hell I don't even like them that much most of the time) but I'm kind of curious what type of vocals you expect to fit even better to their music?

All black /extreme metal bands with growls

You think all black/extreme metal bands are great instrumentally? interesting, that would be some of the most inconsistent genres in my book

This is gonna be weird coming from me out of all people, but Hypno5e. Their cleans are great and while maybe not the most technically talented, they evoke great haunting/melancholic emotions, but the harshes don't always quite live up to the instrumentals. I wish he would develop his lower register growls a bit more. Still top 5 band for me though

[Stadler]

Slash's Snakepit.  I really, REALLY dig Slash's solo work, both the stuff with Myles Kennedy as well as the album with the guest singers.  But whatever reason, Eric Dover's vocals bug me. 

MSG without Barden/Bonnet.   

[Nekov]

For me it's Coheed and Cambria. I listened to some of their albums and while the music was quite good I couldn't stand the singer's voice.

[SoundscapeMN]

not sure I would call their vocals "weak" and would not say their music I consider them "great" but at times interesting.
Facing NewYork/Happy Body Slow Brain/Rate Futures
Cave In

Bands who have some cool instrumental parts/sections, but the vocals just end my interest.
Deftones
Circle Takes Square
Exotic Animal Petting Zoo
Circa Survive
Tame Impala

[Evermind]

For me it's Coheed and Cambria. I listened to some of their albums and while the music was quite good I couldn't stand the singer's voice.

Big yes for this one. I have one album from them which is called something like Sons of Apollo IV: God Help Me I'm A Burning Star (sorry 425, I can't find my CD right now and I don't remember the actual title). The musicianship on that one is fantastic, and there are some songs where the vocals do actually work, but it's a difficult listen because of how weird the singer's voice is.

[Indiscipline]

RHCP, Def Leppard, Motley Crue

[King Postwhore]

Bosk1, agree strongly with Megadeth.   Disagree strongly with Flying Colors.   Casey has an amazing voice.

[The Walrus]

So much prog metal. Not even gonna list names cause it will definitely trigger some people.

[bosk1]

For me it's Coheed and Cambria. I listened to some of their albums and while the music was quite good I couldn't stand the singer's voice.

I tried listening to them a bunch of times, and the vocals were so offputting that I just stopped.  So, yeah.

Bosk1, agree strongly with Megadeth.   Disagree strongly with Flying Colors.   Casey has an amazing voice.

That's fine.  I'm not a fan of the breathy falsetto as a singer's only or main vocal style, in general.  But if you dig it, cool. 

[King Postwhore]

I figured it was a stylistic take.  I get that.

[T-ski]

Smashing Pumpkins.

[LordCost]

For me it's Coheed and Cambria. I listened to some of their albums and while the music was quite good I couldn't stand the singer's voice.

I tried listening to them a bunch of times, and the vocals were so offputting that I just stopped.  So, yeah.

Oh, I'm not alone to think that. I only like the songs Keeping Secret Of Silent Earth 3 and Welcome Home, and if I remember well also some parts of Mother Superior, but whenever I tried to listen them again I did not like the singer at all.

[Ben_Jamin]

That's a tough one, because bad vocals are generally a turnoff for me, so I tend to not pay much attention to bands with bad vocals. 

Megadeth is probably the most obvious example I can come up with.  Mustaine's style is distinctive and fits the music.  But I don't think anyone would accuse him of being a good singer, Mustaine himself included.

Flying Colors also comes to mind, I guess.  Casey isn't really a "bad" vocalist, but just isn't my thing. 

Depending on what you consider "weak," I guess an argument could also be made for Floyd.  Neither Gilmour nor Waters were technically great singers.  But the thing is, despite neither of them maybe having technical brilliance or being flashy, the used what they had very well, and it fit the music and conveyed a lot of emotion.  Kind of like a Gilmour guitar solo--you may only have three notes used for the entire thing, but lots of emotion conveyed with those three notes.

A good example of the Gilmours vocals fitting the music, The end of A Saucerful of Secrets on Live at Pompeii.

[Zook]

While I agree Dave Mustaine has one of the silliest singing voices in music history, for some reason it has never detracted from the music. I never once thought, "wow, this singer sucks" while listening to Megadeth. And while it took a very long time to warm up to Iced Earth's original singer, and while his voice doesn't hurt the music for me, he definitely sucks.

Speaking of Iced Earth, they would fit the thread title in a live setting. Stu is pretty good in studio. He's nowhere near the greatness of Barlow, but he's serviceable.

Vocals make or break a band for me, so I generally don't pursue any further if the vocals are weak or bad. I've made exceptions (none I can think of at the moment) but I'm content with losing out on hearing great music if it means I don't have to hear atrocious singing on top of it.

[425]

For me it's Coheed and Cambria. I listened to some of their albums and while the music was quite good I couldn't stand the singer's voice.

Big yes for this one. I have one album from them which is called something like Sons of Apollo IV: God Help Me I'm A Burning Star (sorry 425, I can't find my CD right now and I don't remember the actual title). The musicianship on that one is fantastic, and there are some songs where the vocals do actually work, but it's a difficult listen because of how weird the singer's voice is.

Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness

(And that's without checking!)

I completely understand why people wouldn't like Claudio's voice. I happen to like it.

With early Rush (another obvious "good music, bad vocals" band), I'm on the other side. I understand why people wouldn't mind Geddy's voice, but I think he has a lot of sections that don't sound good on the early albums. I think he starts to get better around A Farewell to Kings, with some good parts and only a few bad parts, and by Signals I'm totally on board. Just the earliest material.

As for Pink Floyd: I like Gilmour's singing, I often do not like Waters'.

[bosk1]

While I agree Dave Mustaine has one of the silliest singing voices in music history, for some reason it has never detracted from the music. I never once thought, "wow, this singer sucks" while listening to Megadeth.

I have.  Many times.    But that has never stopped me from liking them either because, as you said, it doesn't take away from the music and what they are trying to accomplish.

[pg1067]

That's a tough one, because bad vocals are generally a turnoff for me, so I tend to not pay much attention to bands with bad vocals. 

This is me.  If I don't like the vocals, I probably won't ever get to the point where I "dig [the band] musically."

That being said, Motorhead is a band with shitty vocals that I kinda like musically (not a huge fan).  I also recall the first Prog Nation tour with Opeth, Redemption and some other band opening for DT.  The "other band" sounded pretty good until the singer opened his mouth, at which point my friend and I left our seats and went to the bar to wait for the next band.  I pretty much felt the same way about Opeth.

[TAC]

While I agree Dave Mustaine has one of the silliest singing voices in music history, for some reason it has never detracted from the music. I never once thought, "wow, this singer sucks" while listening to Megadeth.

I have.  Many times.    But that has never stopped me from liking them either because, as you said, it doesn't take away from the music and what they are trying to accomplish.

I think with Megadeth, the vocals are part of the appeal. They are so unique. I mean like them of not, those vocals are a trademark for the band.

[DTA]

Glass Hammer are really good musically but their earlier albums have such weak vocals. I only have Lex Rex and Shadowlands and the actual musical portion is great, but the vocals just sound nasally, lispy, and underproduced. I know they've had some actual singers since then so they're not completely off my radar, but I don't have them high on my list because of the vocals.

[TAC]

Disagree strongly with Flying Colors.   Casey has an amazing voice.

WUT? That voice is so f'n wimpy. How could anyone listen to that?

[King Postwhore]

Disagree strongly with Flying Colors.   Casey has an amazing voice.

WUT? That voice is so f'n wimpy. How could anyone listen to that?

Everyone seeing this post will understand Tim who just asked this.

[The Walrus]

I agree with TAC actually. His voice ruins a lot of FC for me - and the songs I do like are dragged down by his voice. Only time it works for me is on Peaceful Harbor because that's a very atmospheric and gentle tune. I don't find myself listening to anything from the first album anymore, even. Except Blue Ocean occasionally.

Another one (but it doesn't really count) is Kamelot's first two albums with Mark Vanderbilt. I say it doesn't count because the songwriting isn't even good, but still, I'd almost - ALMOST! - rather hear Wing sing it instead.

[TAC]

I found out where Casey learned how to sing:

[WildRanger]

So much prog metal. Not even gonna list names cause it will definitely trigger some people.

Opeth?

[bosk1]

Motorhead is a band with shitty vocals that I kinda like musically (not a huge fan).

Oh yeah, good call!

And I will second Opeth as well.   

[The Walrus]

So much prog metal. Not even gonna list names cause it will definitely trigger some people.

Opeth?

Bosk is on his own because Opeth is like the one exception to the growl rule I have (although I can't stomach like 4 of their albums, everything else is magical). So, no.

[Crow]

The first Oceans of Slumber album is probably their best overall but I'll freely admit the decision to get a new lead vocalist was the best thing they could've done
Shame the musical direction had to change a lot too 

[King Postwhore]

I found out where Casey learned how to sing:

 Tim you remind me of my dad. We go to this ice cream shop and he's ordered the same ice cream for 25 years,  Chocolate marshmallow. My brother and I have a conversation wondering is dad missing anything by having the same ice cream every time.  He doesn't even wanna go to other ice cream stops.

 So is he happy giving the same thing all the time already missing out on life?  Your musical tastes remind me of him.  Never stray and everything else can't match up.

I believe,  like my dad, you are both missing out in life but you are both extremely happy.

[bosk1]

So much prog metal. Not even gonna list names cause it will definitely trigger some people.

Opeth?

Bosk is on his own because Opeth is like the one exception to the growl rule I have (although I can't stomach like 4 of their albums, everything else is magical). So, no.

Growls are funny for people who aren't REALLY into the type of music that uses them, from what I have seen.  I mean, if you are into them, you are into them.  If you aren't, it's interesting how people use so many different criteria for what they like and what they don't.  For me, I fall into the "not really into it" category.  But I like them in Epica, whereas a lot of people think Mark's growls are terrible. 

[TAC]

Tim you remind me of my dad.

Taken as a compliment, brother.


Actually, you're dead wrong though. In my roulette last year, I only invited young guns who I didn't know at all, looking for something different.

Then I proceeded to join roulettes of people I didn't know to challenge myself, and fared pretty well. 4th in Pup's and Train's, 3rd in Elite's and 2nd in Parama's.

I've actually tried a lot of new things this year that have been out of my comfort zone.

[The Walrus]

So much prog metal. Not even gonna list names cause it will definitely trigger some people.

Opeth?

Bosk is on his own because Opeth is like the one exception to the growl rule I have (although I can't stomach like 4 of their albums, everything else is magical). So, no.

Growls are funny for people who aren't REALLY into the type of music that uses them, from what I have seen.  I mean, if you are into them, you are into them.  If you aren't, it's interesting how people use so many different criteria for what they like and what they don't.  For me, I fall into the "not really into it" category.  But I like them in Epica, whereas a lot of people think Mark's growls are terrible.

Opeth is the only artist that has consistently used growls that I still love to this day. I like growls when they're a garnish on the dish that is the song, not one of the main features. That's why I don't listen to much Epica these days, I'm sick of hearing Mark (and the same template choir/string section stuff) as much as Simone. Other than that it's impossible to determine when I'll like them. I should loathe Alyssa's growling on Angra's new album, yet I have no problem with it. Devin Townsend? Oh, lord, when he transitions seamlessly into screaming in Kingdom, or in Grace... I broke a sweat just thinking about those. Beautiful. There's even a Kardashev song I heard around these parts last year that was drop dead beautiful and it used growls underneath some shimmering synths and over thunderous double bass drumming. That was nice.

In other words, yeah, it's quite impossible for me to describe what I like about growls and when they'll work. You never know, but generally it's best if I avoid them. 

[jingle.boy]

Tell me I'm not the only one thinking current day Dream Theater?

Otherwise, this one's for Katt.... Voyager.