Comments on: 10 Biggest WTF? Style Changes in Metal

By: Ricieri

Ricieri — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 22:30:35 +0000

I wiil add the finish band Xysma to this list becouse their change was really WTF. They were a gore grindcore band like Carcass and became a rock n roll band whose songs were featured in the soundtrack of hollywood movies. Even their images were dramatically changed to reflect pop like artists.

By: Jay

Jay — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 21:15:32 +0000

Maybe my eyes are a little blurred today but did anybody say Venom and the power metal years? Pretty big WTF. I still remember getting way into them in the earlier half of the 90s and then grabbing Calm Before the Storm. It was definitely not what I was expecting nor wanted.

I like the Carcass WTFs. Last two albums (pre-Surgical Steel, which I dig quite a bit) are a blast, even though I prefer the earlier stuff. Also agree that “Same Difference” is horrible, but I’m all for Uprising and Morning Star. Really dug, the covers album in that period though. The Captain Beyond one especially, but I’m a sucker for anything on Man’s Ruin Records. ANYTHING.

By: Gus

Gus — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 15:18:35 +0000

few additions to the list..

1.Αnathema
2.Paradise Lost
2.Opeth
3.In Flames
4.Mastodon

By: E. Thomas

E. Thomas — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 18:22:52 +0000

we might just do a new one….

By: Callum

Callum — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 09:35:42 +0000

Almost all the links are gone so I have to give up on this list, please update it !

By: Kc70

Kc70 — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 02:28:43 +0000

Some more that also come to mind:

Belial – never again to 3
Morgoth – resistance to feel sorry for the fanatic
Anorexia nervosa – exile to drudenhaus
Masters hammer – jilemnice to slagry

By: rycro

rycro — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 21:42:10 +0000

Good article. I enjoyed Covenant before the “K”. And even though Ulver changed, the albums they came out with are interesting, but hard to find for purchase.

One band I think that was missed is Moonspell. They went from satanic death/black metal, to Gothic metal, to cyber gothic metal, then gothic death metal. All in all, some good albums in there, especially at the beginning and end of their collection.

By: Blackwater Park

Blackwater Park — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 04:47:06 +0000

I think Metallica is a serious WTF. When Justice came out that album was about as progressive as metal could get. Then when the Black Album hit, it was all trimmed down to about as straight forward as it gets. I think the whole Metal world did a WTF upon its release. Load took it a step further, not music wise, but in terms of image. The eye-liner, fur coat bullshit was definitely NOT “recognizable” as the Metallica we knew in the 80s.

By: ETPY

ETPY — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 22:26:26 +0000

disillusion is number one for me simply because back in the times of splendor is still one of my personal favorite cds.
Another one that sticks out to me personally since i love hardcore is No warning NYHC inspired on Ill blood to the linkin park garbage on suffer, survive. that is still one of the worst cds ever made.
Early neurosis is pretty different too, listen to pain of mind then listen to the eye of every storm.
Dillinger escape plan to some degree.

By: Gabaghoul

Gabaghoul — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 20:59:38 +0000

Great feature. Others you could have added:

Extol. Compare the harsh progressive black metal of Burial and Undeceived to the smoother progressive metal of The Blueprint Dives and beyond.

Cave In. From the spazzcore of Until Your Heart Stops to the spacey program of Jupiter to the indie rock of Antenna.

By: mccumberv

mccumberv — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:14:31 +0000

Enslaved had a major style change from their Eld album to what you are hearing on Axioma, its all still good but I think its a pretty big change.

My Dying Bride’s 34.7888% complete was pretty messed up, even though I thought it had a few good tunes.

Immortal going from Diabolical Fullmoon… to All Shall Fall, haha, that is a huge WTF.

This is a great subject..

By: seaofcartilage

seaofcartilage — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 22:48:19 +0000

holy shit later Therion SUCKS.

By: Biff _Tannen

Biff _Tannen — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 19:52:35 +0000

Yeah, Voivod was fucking awesome for most of their career. You really should check out “killing technology” or “Dimension Hatross” ASAP. If you can get past Snake’s vocals, there is some major genius at work.

By: Stevhan The Invincible

Stevhan The Invincible — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 08:21:12 +0000

Erik, seriously: “And [for] some reason i never actually got into Voivod, never heard an actual Voidvod album.” Isn’t there some TotD staffer that can school you a little? This band is so diverse and churned out some really awesome (and borderline atrocious) stuff.

By: Biff_Tannen

Biff_Tannen — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:00:16 +0000

I thought that Mayhem’s “Grand Declaration of War” would be the number one (or number 10 for the big reveal) WTF album of all time ??!!

Decent write-up, overall. We need more stuff like this around here, keep it coming !

By: Biff_Tannen

Biff_Tannen — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:56:50 +0000

‘Left Hand Path’ and ‘Clandestine’ are both solid gold stamped CLASSICS. I don’t think anyone would argue against them being called classics, especially the former.

By: Erik Thomas

Erik Thomas — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:13:30 +0000

Good comments guys; a couple of things on my end- I never heard Cold Lake, just read the reviews, so i cant personally speak to that shift. And some reason i never actually got into Voivod, never heard an actual Voidvod album. Paradise Lost was actually on my list- it was typed up with youtube links and everything- but I had to put Carcass in that spot.

By: Staylow

Staylow — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:01:30 +0000

Another one on top of my list: Amoral – ‘Reptile Ride’ to ‘Show Your Colors’ – seriously, what a horrendous change.

By: stevhan the invincible

stevhan the invincible — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 10:31:04 +0000

Oh and thee ultimate WTF band are The Melvins right?
With their latest surprise being that they released three consecutive records with more or less same style and the same line-up.

By: Andy Synn

Andy Synn — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 23:48:22 +0000

“Amorphis, In Flames, Katatonia, The Gathering (that vocalist in Almost a Dance is hilarious), Sigh, Moonspell, Paradise Lost, Anathema, Sentenced are other bands that come to mind.”

Amorphis/In Flames/Katatonia were all pretty steady changes imo, certainly not WTF-worthy.

Anathema and Sentenced were drastic, but generally well-done, shifts in style – not really WTF, but more pleasantly surprising!

Paradise Lost though… yeah, forgot that one, their shift to Depeche Mode-influenced music was a definite WTF moment for most of us. Big shift and a bit harshly done.

^ also Tiamat. Black/Pink FLoyd was one thing, but the mid-period dancey-ness was wayyyyyy too much.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:19:47 +0000

Though still death metal, Decrepit Birth going from brutal DM to Death-inspired tech death was a WTF moment to many.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:10:56 +0000

Love the Carcass transition. Hate grind, but love their last two releases. Heartwork is an undisputed classic.

By: stevhan the invincible

stevhan the invincible — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:58:10 +0000

Tiamat from black to pink floyd (and back)

Darkthrone death metal >cult black > punk metal

Pestilence: from straight up thrash to great fucking death metal to Jazz metal that is W.T.F? if you ask me

You didn’t even mention VoiVod, that sort of makes this post worhtless, I’m sorry to say so…

By: Clauricaune

Clauricaune — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:40:50 +0000

Amorphis, In Flames, Katatonia, The Gathering (that vocalist in Almost a Dance is hilarious), Sigh, Moonspell, Paradise Lost, Anathema, Sentenced are other bands that come to mind.

By: gordeth

gordeth — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:01:12 +0000

Another band that should be on this list is Afflicted for abruptly switching from unique progressive death to cheesy power metal over the course of only a single year.