Stone Sour aren’t that bad, please don’t hurt me
When I express my own dislike for a band or artist I would never - never - judge someone else for feeling differently. I mean, we’re talking about nu-metal here for godsakes the worst genre of all time who am I to look down on others for liking other nu-metal bands1? So while Stone Sour - or St Anger or Results May Vary for that matter - aren’t for me and I may occasionally be quite severe critiquing them the key here is those records are not for me and if you feel differently I’m actually happy for you. Liking music is more fun than disliking it after all. Additionally if I come across harsh on certain nu-metal albums it’s not because I don’t like the band it’s because I hold this genre to a high standard. There’s a void of serious nu-metal criticism as much as there is accolades, enough so that I’m wagering someone (a.k.a. meeeeee :32) needs to be doing it full time.
How come you love nu metal but don’t like other sub genres of metal so much?
Couple reasons let’s get the easy one out of the way: nostalgia. Not the biggest reason, the smallest in fact, but as someone that kept the minivan radio on Chicago’s alternative rock stations as much as possible growing up I’d be remiss to pretend that doesn’t factor in. Better though is how aggressively pop it was. I think more than any other heavy music genre nu-metal bands were required to write catchy tunes. I love catchy tunes! I live for catchy tunes! And - this one is important - five years in a well over full time job that frequently pulled my soul out through my toenails I needed catchy tunes more vicious than… indie rock or whatever the hell it is I used to listen to.
Will the nu metal revival break into the mainstream?
Yes. It’s not gonna be what you want probably - I expect Tallah’s commercial fortunes to improve but not exactly waiting on them to hit number one either - but it will happen. The “pop punk revival” is already on borrowed time and “emo” has become a way to sell $10 “sad tequila shots” at emo nite events that play the same handful of songs over and over until you want to puke. So my forewarning is expect something similar with nu-metal. A couple of at least decently successful pop artists will fold nu-metal elements into their songs with good and bad results while even more Korn songs become dance trends on TikTok.
However (and this is important) we need to not be cynical about it. Stay optimistic, welcome people into the agenda, and always be turning others onto lesser known nu-metal bands. I think we’re in a good position to steer this ship at least somewhat in the right direction and should man the sails accordingly.
what made you so interested in nu-metal? what did you listen to before discovering the genre?
Nu-metal was a global phenomenon that was stomped out not just by natural market forces but by an eager music press ready to prove their respectability bona fides slagging off all these hate and pain corny-ass metal acts. Some of this is understandable, I can concede that by 2004 nu-metal’s innovations were tapped out and the genre needed a rest, but it’s the total lack of any serious re-evaluation that captivates me the most. How is this sub-genre, hundreds of millions of albums sold and so much incredible music, still popularly considered a massive mistake? Just one or two good bands and then an ocean of shit? That’s what excites me the most. There’s this vast array of different and incredible nu-metal bands that people know nothing about and the possibility of finding that album that changes your life gets me out of bed every morning.
Pre-numetal I was listening to a loose amalgamation of mall emo, post-hardcore and the occasional indie record. I had defined my life by bands that were critically acclaimed by Pitchfork (naturally it took the same website giving the green light to formally launch me into nu-metal) til 2015 or so when streaming gave me the ability to get into previously derided bands like The Used, My Chemical Romance and AFI but the way the nostalgia machine eventually juiced all those for sustenance I needed to move on. Thus, the nu era dawned.
What are some of your favorite nu styled songs by artists who are not typically of that genre?
“STFU!” by Rina Sawayama, “I Disappear” by Metallica, “Je cours” by Kyo, “What If” by Aaliyah, “Thieves” by Ministry, "Selling Jesus" by Skunk Anansie, “Elevation” by U23. That’s all I got offhand but I’ll come back and edit this if/when I think of more!
I feel the need to mention there’s a line here. Supporting artists credibly accused of abuse (Marilyn Manson) and bigots (Aaron Lewis) is tougher for me. I know people have deep emotional connections to these artists and while I think listening to them on your own time is fine think twice before recommending them to others. And think three times before defending their transgressions. Actually, make that four times.
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Counts.
Rina Sawayama! I know that's right!!!!