I’m not a metal head, I’m a rock chick, but Alternative Metal is dear to me. The genre emerged & gained popularity in the 90’s and by the 2000’s it was everywhere. You couldn’t go to a festival or a radio rock concert without seeing bands like Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown, Seether & Chevelle. A decade later these bands are still going strong. They’re not very radio friendly, even with rock stations. Hard core, more mainstream, metal bands like Metallica will always get more air play, but if you’ve listened to any of these artists, you know they have substance. Lyrically alone they are very strong but combined with in your face harmonies they are a force to be reckoned with.
Working for a rock radio station I’ve had a chance to see some of these bands live. This past year a very small in studio acoustic session with Shinedown where they performed Lynyrd Skynyrd’s classic “Simple Man” featured on their debut album Leave a Whisper. This was very early morning radio and front man Brent Smith’s voice was on fire (before 9am mind you) and the band couldn’t have been more genuine.
Shinedown followed up their first album with Us and Them. It featured singles “Save Me,” “Heroes,” & “Dare You,” which got much notoriety when American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry performed it. Their third album The Sound of Madness, produced the biggest hit to date, “Second Chance,” and has gone double platinum. Through the years, Shinedown has consistently produced chart toping singles that hold meaning. In March 2012, the band released their 4th album, Amaryllis. “Bully,” the first single, a very powerful song with lyrics that resonate with anyone not just young people. A children’s choir sings “We don’t have to take this / We can end it all.”The band collectively represents the every day people. Very down to earth and real and it shows through in their music.
Breaking Benjamin’s lead singer Benjamin Burnely’s voice i
s raw, dark, & sends chills down your spine. He is the Vincent Price of singing. Not only does their music give off a bit of the creepy vibe, but their appearance as well. It isn’t an in your face Kiss or Insane Clown Posse look, but a very intense “you don’t want to mess with me” vibe. That in combination with their eerie melodies and somber lyrics their songs were sure hits at Halloween parties. “So Cold,” the lead single off their second album We Are Not Alone, was said to be inspired by the movie 28 Days Later. “The Diary of Jane,” first single off their third album Phobia, (and the bands most successful) revealed love’s desperation and searching for its truth after death. My favorite Breaking Benjamin song is “Breath,” the second single of Phobia, and their first #1 hit. Although every song is up for interpretation and front man Benjamin Burnely never divulges the meaning behind his songs. To me, “Breath” is about an inner torture to give in to someone you feel unworthy of. Lately, Benjamin Burnely has been doing some solo acoustic touring, and “Breath,” “So Cold, & “Give Me a Sign,” can now be enjoyed on the Guitar Hero app for iPhone & iPad touch.
Moving along within the inner torture theme, Seether front man Shaun Morgan seemed to embody it and then some. He had the whole intense and scary look down pat. I must admit that I never wanted to like this band. For some reason they rubbed me the wrong way, maybe it was the cockiness they exuded, but every song they released was good. You can’t deny the magnitude and depth in Sean’s lyrical writing. I have a decent amount of Seether on my iPod that I can listen to on repeat. I think I first took note of them with some seriousness was when they released the revised version of “Broken” with Evanescence singer and Shaun Morgan’s then girlfriend Amy Lee. Evanescence was already a house hold name with their debut global hit single “Bring Me to Life.” Amy Lee’s operatic vocals joined with Morgan’s rough edge resulted in a beautiful melodic ballad. “Broken” was a huge success and got major radio play which helped Seether expand to a larger fan base and to an audience that frankly wouldn’t have known of them otherwise. “Broken,” along with “Sold Me” (both off Disclaimer II) were featured on the soundtrack for the 2004 movie The Punisher, and from there they just kept dishing out catchy songs. “Fake it”, & “Rise Above This” from Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces. Strangely enough releasing a version of Wham!’s “Careless Whisper”, as a joke or not they made it work. Seether’s most recent album Holding onto Strings Better Left to Fray, surprised me yet again. The album rose to the # 2 position on the US Billboard 200 in 2011. “Country Song,” was an instant hit, but other tracks on the album “Tonight,” and “Here and Now,” are I think, exceptional.
My favorite band during this time of emergence was Chevelle. A family affair 
originally formed by brothers Pete & Sam Loeffler. Chevelle is not an overly intense ban,. but lead singer Pete Loeffler has the screaming vocals that I am drawn to. There’s an art to the vocal screaming and Pete Loeffler has got it. Now, I’m not one to mosh but I would do some serious boppin’ (nicely, in one place) and head banging seeing Chevelle live. I only need to hear “Well Enough Alone,” (Vena Sera) and I’m off. The song, a fine example of the art of screaming I was referring to. The intro alone is awesome. The band has a gift for intertwining melodic tones and louder vocals so seamlessly, much like in “Send the Pain Below,” (Wonder What’s Next). Chevelle has released 6 studio Albums. The latest in 2011, Hats Off to the Bull, which incorporated a heavier & more controlled sound. The band will be releasing a compilation album of favorites called Stray Arrows: A collection of Favorites, due out December 4th, 2012. I look forward to hearing that.