BURIED IN A SEA OF ROCK GRAVEYARDS

So many bands are experimenting and fusing genres that the list of music sub-genres is endless.

I made a mistake. Last week the title for our Concert Watch was “Graveyard’s stoner metal hotboxes Gothic” and it had one flaw in it—not a big one, but noticeable enough that it was brought to my attention.

Well, my last week self made a mistake, not me. I right now am a much more improved person who doesn’t make miss steaks.

Staff writer/photographer/one of our resident music knower’s at the Advocate Larson Baird—who was at the show—pointed out that the band Graveyard isn’t stoner metal, but stoner rock.

After telling me this he rubbed it in my face and then continued to beat the shit out of me, kicking me in the ribs while I was in the fetal position, so I would remember next time. Thanks for the—urgh, ouch—friendly reminder.

In my defense I wasn’t at the show, but I did edit his article. I also read up on Graveyard and the Gothic Theatre website said they were stoner rock/metal. In a headline it’s important to conserve words, and I went with metal instead of rock.

Metal has to be one of the most mislabeled genres in music. It always annoys me when people label bands like Linkin Park—nu metal—as metal when they are barely even rock. Screaming on occasion isn’t metal.

Sub-genres can be tricky though, but the difference between metal and rock is easily noticeable. Stoner rock is like Led Zeppelin and stoner metal is like Pantera or Weedeater. Now I should know the difference because a large percentage of what I listen to is rock and metal while I’m stoned, and stoner rock and stoner metal while I’m sober—stoned.

Sub-genres can be debated, and the Gothic Theatre website probably put Graveyard down as stoner rock/metal because it has elements of metal in its music. But when making this headline I should have used rock because it is a lot more rock than metal. Stoner rock has slowed down and magnified guitar riffs, while stoner metal has a lot more choppy heavy guitar and screaming.

This isn’t my first mistake, but it will be my last mistake, after I return the friendly reminder the next time Larson makes a mistake.