Rule 3: Leaks and Piracy - No posting illegal download links, leaks or asking for leaks. Memes are permitted within good taste and must be nu-metal themed. You should be able to add your 2 cents to the post and not try and karma mine. Rule 2: Images / Video Links / Memes - Don't spam r/numetal with images and video links without discussion. Give readers a good idea of what the discussion/news entails.įormat: Artist - Song Title (Additional Info Here) If posting a discussion/news, title it appropriately. Posts only - If you are submitting a song include the artist and song name in the title. Rule 1: "Artist - Song (Year)" Format and Informative Titles.This is a place for news, reviews, videos and discussion of your favorite nü metal bands. Also, nu metal derives influence from multiple subgenres of heavy metal including rap metal, funk metal, alternative metal and thrash metal. They went on to better things, but this album was a fantastic start.Bands associated with nü metal derive influence from a variety of diverse styles, including electronica/electronic music, funk, glam rock, gothic rock, grunge, hardcore punk, hip hop, industrial rock, jazz, post punk and synthpop. As I said, the influences of other outcast bands can be heard but really, there’s no one quite like Taproot. It marries Taproot’s heaviness with their off-kilter melodies perfectly, a shining example of what this talented young band could do.Ī great example of nu metal done well. Here, spoken word vocals murmur over violin-like guitars before the dam breaks and the thunder begins. Good work, drummer Jarrod Montague!Īlbum highlights? The atmospheric “Now” deserves a mention, as does the stomping heaviness of “Comeback”, but the true star of the show is “Believed”. It’s really quite an achievement how the drums keep the floating melodies of the album grounded, while still providing interesting and unexpected fills here and there. Bizarre and yet moshable beats dominate the album, anchoring the sound and making this a visceral experience as well as a haunting one. On top of that, the drumming is excellent. It’s almost like alt-rock weirdo kings Failure, and it really sets the album apart. When they are not roaring and crashing in huge Deftones-esque power riffs, they are slithering out of your speakers, carrying strange rhythms and otherworldly melody. I wish I could be a bit more specific and helpful than that, but it’s really all I can say. The guitars on this album really are excellent.
Over the top of the violent and bizarre music, vocalist Stephen Richards adds his strained, echoing harmonies, creating a perfect storm of alienated metal.
Following a tumbling mess of electronic beats, a biting riff begins to grumble and snarl, dragging the components of the song together and pushing them forward. This can probably be seen best in lead single “Again and Again”. For the most part though, this is an album of bludgeoning guitars and hammering grooves. Hints pop up here and there of the shimmering, ethereal quality Taproot would harness to such great effect on later albums like Blue Sky Research and Welcome. The rhythms box the listener in, building the tension until the huge release of the choruses or chugging, explosive riffs. Guitar lines are tightly coiled, almost claustrophobic. What makes this album work so well is the twitchy, awkward quality they bring to the music. Mixing up the disjointed assault of early Korn and the eerie dynamics of Alice In Chains, Taproot always stood out like a gangly youth. But its their most nu metal by a long way, and still excellent in its own right. This is not Taproot’s best album, that honour goes to their progressive masterpiece Blue Sky Research.