"Unlikely" Music Recommendations

If you're feeling bored or uninspired (which is how I mostly feel these days) I invite you to check out some good music that will spice things up, hopefully if you haven't thought I can like/ recommend it!


I like to dwell in genres that I would otherwise dislike, because good music can be found everywhere independently of genre. If you restrict yourself to genres and categories - you're missing out on a lot out there.

1. Pierce The Veil 

Pierce The Veil / Selfish Machines (full album)

No, I did not have an emo phase when I was 14, nor did I ever listen to post-hardcore as a teenager (only classical music and Visual Kei for me). But I have always liked a few songs here and there and I couldn't leave Pierce The Veil alone, not after hearing Vic Fuentes' voice. He's a great singer and all the guys in the band are really talented, and if you're really smart ass like me, you could hear someone trying to sound like At The Drive In/ early The Mars Volta in this album (which culturally make so much sense for this band).

Gotta love the South America (Latino? Oh god I have no idea) influences that they've sadly dropped in later albums. I especially love songs like A New National Anthem and Fast Times In Clairmont High. The romantic themes get to me. I almost feel 10 years younger, and I wan to sing absolutely every tune on this album.
Also - I would have loved to sing/play in a post hardcore band!

2. Motionless In White

Where should I begin? Let's see what we have:

1. A goth-looking frontman with nothing less than drag makeup.
2. Painfully obvious Cradle Of Filth, Slipknot (and presumably other metal[core]/post hardcore/ something something) and later on Marylin Manson influences (influences being a very moderate word).
3. Shameless (yeah, make it shameless instead of "influences") quoting of Morrisey which hints on other musical inspirations than mentioned above.

And it all made me so happy. Why? Because it shows how people who grew up on music from the late 90s and beginning of 00s have created something kind of new, interpreting newer bands into their own contemporary stuff. Musicians have been doing this since forever, and it made me happy to see that the legacy of certain bands lives on, just like with modern interpretation of synthpop and 80s music, for example.

I loved the look, I loved the agenda - "open your mind before your mouth" - a bit aggressive, but better than most metalcore machos. And of course the classic "I am a poor victim of societal norms". I loved a few songs here and there. I would love to go to a concert too!
And how could you resist Chris Motionless' Jewish-Italian looking face? I don't care what descent he actually is but that is some epic face right there. 

And speaking of which:

3. (early) Cradle Of Filth

Story time: The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh was the first ever black metal song I heard, and could only find it years later because I heard it on an obscure internet source at the time. The second COF song I heard was the one above and I loved it immensely. Years later I had a phase when I was 19 (army time, urghh...) when I violently listened to Cradle Of Filth drinking every word like it was b l o o d.

And you know that if you listen to COF seriously you have a problem. But all humor aside - Cradle are were actually a pretty good band, I could always hear a little bit more than just ridiculousness in their music. I simply like it, and how can you not adore Dani Filth's insane squeals? I think it demands a lot of skill and talent to be able to sing like that, and oh well I admit - I find it sexy.

Lord Abortion is one of my favorite songs from Midian, which is a masterpiece album! All the Lovecraft and Dahmer references, I mean c'mon...

4. Blind Guardian 

best band photo ever

Story time #2: in 10th grade, the person who introduced me to Opeth, also (among other bands) introduced me to Blind Guardian. And before you laugh your ass off, yes - I do find most Power Metal completely laughable, but oh not this band (who I am surprised are German!).

BG are happy music for me, well - if you exclude the song above, which could easily be sung by Whitney Huston, because it's so beautiful and requires amazing vocal technique! 

Blind Guardian always amaze me when it comes to technical playing, I admire each and everyone in this band! 

Some of the most amazing guitar solos I have heard were from this band, for example like in the song Noldor (and pretty much the entire Nighfall In Middle Earth).

Some people don't actually take this band's eternal Tolkien Fanfiction seriously, but ironically I take Blind Guardian 100% seriously. Every music that happens to touch me deeply is serious to me, also their ballads bring you to tears (like The Bard's Song!).

So, did I surprise you? Could this be just my early teenage metal days talking? Do I happen to fancy bands with high male vocals? 

Share your opinions and other guilty pleasure music in the comments, I am curious :P

Have a great almost-weekend everyone!

Maria