Music

Even though I don't play any instruments of my own, I'm very picky when it comes to music, loud is not always the best for me, the primary qualities I look for is the lyrics, a song without a decent set of lyrics behind it is like a computer without IP - no destination. I have listened, and still have some of laurie's preferred music festering on my hard-drives, Nile, Anaal Nathrakh and Immortal, however they never seem to deliver when it comes to the lyrics, just seems to be noise, even though I do like metal very much, and wouldn't swap it for anything, not even a bag of candy. My life is dominated by bands such as:

Sinergy - Powerful, profound lyrics
Nightwish - Power Symphonic, lyrics are well thought
Opeth - Sheer brilliance, lyrics and the music variation is superb
Lacuna Coil - New to these, they seem to deliver
Katatonia - (Not the UK Welsh band), never found a band to beat these on lyrics, music style changes from each album, very good.

As well as different types of metal I always like to dabble in technical music too, usually computer generated such as Teque and Adam Fielding. Music has always been my escape.

I agree, lyrics are crucial - otherwise what's the point of the song? However every now and again a track comes along that is just so brilliant that pathetic or even non-existent lyrics can be overlooked. For example, I once heard a track by a punk artist called Pat Nobody. The track was titled 'Dissertation', which of course is a highly intelligent and learned exposition of some kind. So the lyrics to the whole track were nonsense syllables and words delivered as only a crazed punk singer (singer?) can do them. It was superb!

Two words....

Dream Theater

Ouch! Hit the nail on the head there sahirh, I adore Dream Theater, I feel so guility for not mentioning them in my list, they're well up there with Katatonia on lyrics and music.

Music to my ears - literally. Petrucci is the one of the finest musicians i've ever come across.

Yes, Petrucci and Jordan Rudess are probably among the most gifted composers on the planet.. have you heard the guitars and keys section somewhere towards the end of Blind Faith ? Probably the best 45 seconds of music I've ever heard !

The Berzerker
Machine Head
Otep
and many many more
(Proud to be a Metal Head)