This post was inspired by some recent shit-shooting with NCS writer Israel Flanders and Quigs over at The Number of the Blog. By coincidence, they both sent me links to metal bands who feature stringed instruments. I don’t mean guitars and bass. I mean other instruments with strings, the kind you don’t usually see in metal bands. And the music they sent made me think of another example of string metal, so I’m adding that to the post, too.

I can’t say I usually go for this kind of music, though it does give us a change of pace in what we usually cover around here. What do you think of metal that features strings? And do you have any other recommendations along these lines? Think about that as we move into today’s examples:

IN LEGEND

In Legend is a 3-man band from Berlin who just released their debut album Ballads ‘n’ Bullets. Israel sent me a link to one of their songs, asking the question, “piano metal?” And yes, that’s possibly one label that would fit, because the piano is the lead instrument in this music. Largely self-taught pianist Bastian Emig (who can’t read music) uses the keys as much as a percussion-generator as a melody generator, and it’s that hammering attack which may qualify this music as metal. Perhaps this isn’t surprising since Emig is also a drummer (and plays in that capacity with a capella metal band Van Canto).

And before any piano-savvy readers jump my ass, I do realize that the piano is in fact a percussion instrument, its notes produced by hammers striking strings, which is why I’m including this band’s music in a post called “String Metal”. (more after the jump . . .) Continue reading »