Your King Diamonds, your Warrel Danes, your Attilas; what other vocalists are there in metal who really go heavy on the amateur dramatics with their vocals?
Garm, particularly on 'Vargnatt' when he attempts to do opera. It's ludicrous. I love it.
Ha, yeah, those thin operatic attempts are, if nothing else, extremely unexpected on first listening.
What about Lee Dorrian on the Cathedral demo and 'Forest of Equilibrium'. Could his dying metal vocals- not exactly death metal, but more than one foot in the grave, let's say- sound really cool. I can't think of anyone that sounds like that. Not tuneful exactly, not full on growly, it sounds theatrical to me.
https://youtu.be/i2oJwCQo3R0
Definitely Garm on the early Ulver, Arcturus and Borknagar records. Was listening to the Olden Domain the other night, good example of it.
Early era Garm takes a bit of getting used to, or did for me working backwards from the more accomplished delivery on 'The Sham Mirrors'. Once it clicks, though... magic.
Plenty in BM. Mark of the Devil of CdG and Kark of Dodsengel come to mind.
Yeah, CdG definitely fit the bill. Dodsengel not a band I know very well, must have a dive.
Wouldn't have thought of Lee Dorrian. Even in some of the later, more twee stuff, he definitely makes use of theatrics to make up for the fact that he's a god awful melodic singer.
Jason McMaster, especially on the Howling Sycamore stuff
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on September 17, 2021, 10:59:56 AM
Yeah, CdG definitely fit the bill. Dodsengel not a band I know very well, must have a dive.
Wouldn't have thought of Lee Dorrian. Even in some of the later, more twee stuff, he definitely makes use of theatrics to make up for the fact that he's a god awful melodic singer.
Technicality certainly wouldn't be the boul Lee's strong point, but I really love his vocals on Forest... so croaky, unusual and perfectly imperfect!
Quote from: open face surgery on September 17, 2021, 10:47:23 AM
Plenty in BM. Mark of the Devil of CdG and Kark of Dodsengel come to mind.
Defo Mark of the Devil. Great theatrics in his delivery.
Halford has to be up there for theatricality. He still has the chops too considering his age
Halford is one of my favourite vocalists of all time, and full of passion and histrionics. But, to my ears anyway, it's not theatre that he brings to the music, not in the embodying different characters kind of way that I had in mind anyway. Like, Halford is a "better" vocalist than King Diamond, but King Diamond is far more theatrical.
Bethlehem have just sprung to mind as a band who managed to get their hands on several extreme theatrical vocalists over the years. Competitive levels of theatrics on some of their material!
If you start going down the Silencer route it might end up going out the far side of theatrical and into hysterical and samey... What about the mighty Franta Storm! Kind of sing- song grimness. Winner.
Geoff Tate should get a mention?
https://youtu.be/9oT0yxYBdwg
Good call on Dorrian on Forest/Demo
Pure deadly drama
Class idea for a thread. Mark of The Devil takes the cake for me. Also:
Proscriptor (Absu) - greatest stage banter/wizard bullshit and just over the top in general. There's a compilation on yt of his best live moments.
David Bower (Hell) - see above! Really unique and theatrical performance on record and lepping around on stage like lunatic as well without missing a beat.
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on September 17, 2021, 11:47:22 AM
Bethlehem have just sprung to mind as a band who managed to get their hands on several extreme theatrical vocalists over the years. Competitive levels of theatrics on some of their material!
Onielar is deadly alright on the recent efforts. Sounds like she really stretches her voice in places that's quite unique.
Matt Barlow from Iced Earth was the first that popped into my head when I saw the title thread. Listening to Akercocke's Choronzon just there and Mendonca gets a bit theatrical with cool baritone qualities on songs like Leviathan.
Quote from: blessed1 on September 17, 2021, 10:38:13 AM
https://youtu.be/i2oJwCQo3R0
Sorry, didn't see this one. I tried these guys recently when you posted one of their albums. They're fairly...unusual. Would I be right in thinking that they can take some time to get into??
Great call on David Bower from Hell; that's exactly the kind of thing I had in mind!
What about Dave Halliday? His vocals were maybe less trained theatrical, but still fairly... expressive!
Messiah Marcolin, obviously.
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on September 17, 2021, 12:28:12 PM
Great call on David Bower from Hell; that's exactly the kind of thing I had in mind!
Harry Conklin from Satans Host should get a mention as we are going with the theatrics/hellish themes :D
What about Fenriz on Isengard. Theatrical or just retarded? Maybe the perfect middle point!
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on September 17, 2021, 10:59:56 AM
Yeah, CdG definitely fit the bill. Dodsengel not a band I know very well, must have a dive.
Mirium Occultum is a bona fide classic in my book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSy7C9_hfVE
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on September 17, 2021, 12:28:12 PM
Quote from: blessed1 on September 17, 2021, 10:38:13 AM
https://youtu.be/i2oJwCQo3R0
Sorry, didn't see this one. I tried these guys recently when you posted one of their albums. They're fairly...unusual. Would I be right in thinking that they can take some time to get into??
Great call on David Bower from Hell; that's exactly the kind of thing I had in mind!
I dunno I thought they were unreal from the minute I heard them lol
Their album far from the madding crowd is one of those rare 10 out of 10 albums for me. Great autumn atmosphere on that album.
The singer reminds me of metal loaf in places and the music is proper heavy for power metal.
Quote from: The Butcher on September 17, 2021, 12:41:46 PM
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on September 17, 2021, 12:28:12 PM
Great call on David Bower from Hell; that's exactly the kind of thing I had in mind!
Harry Conklin from Satans Host should get a mention as we are going with the theatrics/hellish themes :D
They are pretty cool with Harry but I find they get tiring fairly fast.
Quote from: The Butcher on September 17, 2021, 12:27:11 PM
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on September 17, 2021, 11:47:22 AM
Bethlehem have just sprung to mind as a band who managed to get their hands on several extreme theatrical vocalists over the years. Competitive levels of theatrics on some of their material!
Onielar is deadly alright on the recent efforts. Sounds like she really stretches her voice in places that's quite unique.
Matt Barlow from Iced Earth was the first that popped into my head when I saw the title thread. Listening to Akercocke's Choronzon just there and Mendonca gets a bit theatrical with cool baritone qualities on songs like Leviathan.
Mendonca is class. He gets even more theatrical on Words that go Unspoken...
The 2 part title track or Shelter from the Sand are decent examples of his talent
Not sure if it's exactly what you're looking for but I'd say Slough Feg would be one
Big Boss from Root comes to mind. The opposite of the falsetto style. A huge voice.
Not a metal vocalist but Carl McCoy from Fields of The Nephilim did venture into a more metal style with the side project Nefilim album. The semi harsh goth vocals worked a treat. Pity that was a one off.
Quote from: Petardo on September 17, 2021, 07:37:44 PM
Not a metal vocalist but Carl McCoy from Fields of The Nephilim did venture into a more metal style with the side project Nefilim album. The semi harsh goth vocals worked a treat. Pity that was a one off.
Wow, must check that out. I had Elizium on last night while panning out post-smoke and I think it partly inspired this thread! :abbath:
Quote from: Petardo on September 17, 2021, 07:37:44 PM
Big Boss from Root comes to mind. The opposite of the falsetto style. A huge voice.
Not a metal vocalist but Carl McCoy from Fields of The Nephilim did venture into a more metal style with the side project Nefilim album. The semi harsh goth vocals worked a treat. Pity that was a one off.
Great call on Carl McCoy...probably one of my favourite vocalists of all time...
I'm having a few cans and listening to Virgin Steele. Does David DeFeis fit the criteria?
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on September 17, 2021, 08:01:03 PM
Quote from: Petardo on September 17, 2021, 07:37:44 PM
Not a metal vocalist but Carl McCoy from Fields of The Nephilim did venture into a more metal style with the side project Nefilim album. The semi harsh goth vocals worked a treat. Pity that was a one off.
Wow, must check that out. I had Elizium on last night while panning out post-smoke and I think it partly inspired this thread! :abbath:
It's likely out of print and only partially on YouTube, but you'd pick it up on eBay pretty easily.
Such a shame he didn't do more of this. Lots of Ministry in there.
It's on spotify if that's an option.
https://open.spotify.com/album/2rrSuFGULsxX9YmU9OFdf5?si=6h0GW5bZRu-A2WrNdPpCow&dl_branch=1
IX from Urfaust
Midnight from the band Crimson Glory.
Quote from: Petardo on September 17, 2021, 09:05:42 PM
It's likely out of print and only partially on YouTube, but you'd pick it up on eBay pretty easily.
Such a shame he didn't do more of this. Lots of Ministry in there.
It's on spotify if that's an option.
https://open.spotify.com/album/2rrSuFGULsxX9YmU9OFdf5?si=6h0GW5bZRu-A2WrNdPpCow&dl_branch=1
Man, this is class. This was definitely worth starting the thread to discover!! :abbath:
Nice one!
Quote from: Eoin McLove on September 17, 2021, 12:49:00 PM
What about Fenriz on Isengard. Theatrical or just retarded? Maybe the perfect middle point!
That's being drunk only :laugh:. He stated in interviews that he tried doing vocals after having 6 cans and they sounded shite, so the next day he tried 12 and the rest is history.
Ronnie James Dio hasn't been mentioned yet. I guess Tobias Forge from Ghost has to be the most theatrical alongside King Diamond and Alice Cooper, their career depend on it. Good shout on Dave DeFeis though...
Jon Oliva
I'll add Ragne Wahlquist of Heavy Load too!
This one doesn't quite fit the bill of the OP I don't think, although it's certainly theatrical but not on the cheesy side. I didn't know where else to put it in the board, but I've just watched this on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSnUjihnPQw
I've never heard him sing this any better in a live setting (or on record actually). A truly powerful vocal performance that only gets better and animated as the tune goes on. No Grave Deep Enough from the same show is also up there and it's a belter as well.
Can't remember if it was in real life or on MI or both, but I definitely recall discussing this very topic with Nemty years ago and him saying it (a theatric element) was something that was missing, or something that newer metal could do with more of anyway. I think it was when with respect to one of his side projects though, Dread Sovereign, or the history lesson band, can't remember the name.
The guy from Arkha Sva and Avsolutized can get pretty crazy at times going from a black metal scream to full blown falsetto with the occasional bit of opera
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vtVSjAX3JI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl39cdL49xY
I always thought Fairyland was as over-the-top as you can get too when it comes power metal
https://youtu.be/_irSTG6Yowc?t=456
Quote from: Ealaín on September 19, 2021, 10:49:44 PM
I'll add Ragne Wahlquist of Heavy Load too!
Good call that, I was spinning Death or Glory today actually.
I suppose for me when I think of OTT frontman I instantly think of Blackie in his heyday. However when I saw him in Dublin after his conversion he was as dull as ditchwater, aloof even, standing with his back to the crowd , zero between song banter, totally had my bubble burst.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on September 17, 2021, 11:22:55 AM
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on September 17, 2021, 10:59:56 AM
Technicality certainly wouldn't be the boul Lee's strong point, but I really love his vocals on Forest... so croaky, unusual and perfectly imperfect!
Forest is friggin' class. I remember buying it back in the day and going woah....what the he'll is this ? At that time I was losing my shit to Carcass, Morbid Angel and Pestilence etc. So it was a real bolt out of the blue for me. Loved his vocals on it. Lost interest later as he got progressively more "groovy ".
Forest is a masterpiece.
Listening to a compilation of your man Proscriptor's live banter here, in absolute stitches.
Ya, only got into Forest in the last year or so. Savage. Can definitely hear where Rev Biz took some influence.