There is a long, but fortunately not gone, tradition among established rock/Metal bands that is to present new bands to their audience. That’s one of the reasons there are opening bands. The list of opening bands that got huge is long and impossible to address here. Matt Heafy talked about this subject to Heavy Consequences and he’s absolutely right! With you the words:
“I think the metal scene is going great, but the bands that have a fanbase need to be bringing up young, cool bands and giving them a platform to grow.
“Rock and metal also need to stay away from doing what everybody else is doing. I’m not saying this is all rock, but a portion of rock is trying to sound like these alternative and pop bands.
“There are some great new rock bands, but some bands are looking to what is currently successful on the alternative and pop radio charts and working with songwriters outside of their bands to sound like that.
“Bands need to take the power back in their own hands, make their own music and do something different. Rock and metal music are supposed to be a rebellion to everyone else, not doing what everyone else is doing.
“So, I would say to metal bands to keep being rebellious and doing what is uniquely their. While being rebellious to what the mainstream is doing, bands should also cultivate and grow the community within. It’s important to help lay the groundwork for what future generations should do.
“Trivium are always bringing younger bands out on tour, and that’s something the bigger bands in the scene need to do. They need to bring out young, promising bands and not just the bands that are always booked on the festivals.
“We’ve always had the musical attitude that it’s about bringing your friends up, too, because when your friends do well, you do well. It’s about carrying the torch for not just your band but the whole metal genre of music.”
On new bands:
“I think it’s up to the bands to take the control back into their hands. Typically, the band has to control all of these things. They need to write their music for themselves and not look around at what’s popular.
“People see through it. It all starts to sound kind of the same because it’s written by the same people and songwriters. That’s what pop does, but not rock or metal. When I hear that, I’m disgruntled by it.
“I see it as a problem but don’t see how it can be fixed. That’s why I love the metal and hardcore and modern metal and metalcore genres – you don’t have to sound like anyone else.”
Favorite albums of 2018:
“There are so many great albums. Ihsahn, who is the frontman from Emperor, had a solo record, ‘Ámr,’ and that’s my favorite album of the year.
“The new Behemoth record, ‘I Loved You at Your Darkest,’ is great, and I love everything that band has done. Architects‘ new album, ‘Holy Hell,’ I think is one of the best of the year.
“Also, the new albums from Light the Torch [Revival], Avatar [Avatar Country], Ice Nine Kills [The Silver Scream], Polyphia [New Levels New Devils] and Silent Planet [When the End Began].”
