RPG & metal

[Melmoth]

In my country it seems that there is a positive relation with rpg gamers and metal fans. Not everyone who plays rpgs are into metal or every metalhead is into rpgs, of course, but if you go to a con and look at the t-shirts people wear you get a more or less clear idea of what their musical preferences are. Does this happen in your respective countries?



Edit: ortography :oops: my bad...

[Kublai]

Oh, indeed! Take Luke and Drozdal for example - extreme metalheads! Lots of metal represented at the cons, too. Me myself - never liked the stuff.

[Wuxing]

I think so too. I do think, however, that a big part of it has to do with what you "hear" as the soundtrack to the game as it's being played. I think metal leads to a sense of aggression and urgency, that I think most games revolve around. I can see it.

For our Burning Midnight game foxandwarlock "hears" Godsmack. I personally prefer techno/industrial backgrounds when I visualize things. Regardless music is a huge part of it, whether you play with music on or not.

[Yagathai]

It's true. Metal makes us strong (it makes us strong). ;)

[luke]

|=|

Hi Melmoth. I'm a fairly big metal fan, and the some of the sensibilities -- the energy, the embracing of the degenerate and twisted, iconoclasm -- definitely find their way into my work.

However, I'm surprised by what music sissies most rpgers are. I thought we were all brothers in metal. But then I met Pete, who listens to the Beatles and Phish. He's one of my best friends, but his music taste reeks of dirty hippies and spilt bongs. I fear his poor taste is not an isolated incident in the hobby.

:twisted:

Metal serves occasionally as background music for game sessions, but usually it's soundtracks or dark ambient that really sets the mood. Here's a sample of stuff that Dro brought over for our session Sunday night:

Archon Satani
Of Gospels Lost and Forsaken

Bohren Und Der Club Of Gore
Sunset Mission

Children Of The Apocalypse
Ta' Wil

Morthound
This Crying Age

All new stuff to me, actually, but quite brooding and dark stuff. Perfect for the introduction of the BW vampyr.

[Kublai]

But then I met Pete, who listens to the Beatles and Phish. He's one of my best friends, but his music taste reeks of dirty hippies and spilt bongs. I fear his poor taste is not an isolated incident in the hobby.

Why ya harshin', brah?

::take hit off of gravity bong::

[Thor]

However, I'm surprised by what music sissies most rpgers are. I thought we were all brothers in metal. But then I met Pete, who listens to the Beatles and Phish. He's one of my best friends, but his music taste reeks of dirty hippies and spilt bongs. I fear his poor taste is not an isolated incident in the hobby.

:twisted:



Hey man, no need to get defensive just because some of us have more developed musical palettes than your limited sensibilities. Some of us even like stuff like Sepultura and Obituary in addition to jazz, blues, classical, punk, pop, rock, reggae, funk, hip hop, fusion, klezmer, emo, etc... :lol:

[mike_ravenwood]

Ah yes the time honored tradition of RPG's and Klezmer... :wink:

[Thor]

Ah yes the time honored tradition of RPG's and Klezmer... :wink:

Hey, don't look at me. Abzu's the one that included a B'hemah in the MoBu. Klezmer is perfect for a trip to a Souk or the Jewish Quarter of Prague. :wink:

[Melmoth]

Personally I'm more into metal than any other genre though I listen to other bands that have little to do with it (i.e. Nick Cave, Joy Division).
In Spain it seems that the prefered metal subgenre is powermetal (and all the swords, dragons and unicorns) and Manowar. Then there another group of gamers who are more into techno/industrial. At least for what I know.

In my gaming group usually we don't use background music for playing sessions, main reason is that we have no CD player where we play.
By the way, I never heard of any of Drozdal's bands.

[Drozdal]

Hey

By the way, I never heard of any of Drozdal's bands.All those bands mentioned by Abzu are either Ambient or Dark Ambient bands - great for creating background music for gloomy and doomy sessions :) (Just like that which featured Vamphyri :wink: ).
From my experience with rpg scene (in Poland), there is qutie a number of metalheads/goths playing, but they are almost entirely focused on WW world of dorkness stuff and LARP'ing (they are that kind that always wear black and paint their faces when they are gaming - it's just weird). I noticed that people with wider musical horizons are more open-minded about gaming in general, and do not focus on single game/genere but always are willing to try and enjoy something new.
In Spain it seems that the prefered metal subgenre is powermetal (and all the swords, dragons and unicorns) and Manowar No hard feelings Melmoth but, damn I hate power metal (besides Blind Guardian which is awesone), I was raised on pure heavy classic bands, and than descended further into the abbys. (Poland is almost entirely devoted to Black/Death/Grind scene). Just do not mention Rhapsody when I'm around :wink:
However, I'm surprised by what music sissies most rpgers are. I thought we were all brothers in metal.
Me to Abzu - whenever I try to bring up topic on some metal band everyone is soo puzzled (sometimes even you :shock:).

Drozdal

PS. And yeah Pete is a hippie - no doubt abut it :lol:

[mike_ravenwood]

Now that I think about it, the only music I could play during my sessions would almost have to be klezmer. My PC's have violently opposing musical tastes. I like just about anything (save country), and would used music to add mood and dramatic emphasis, if it wouldn't devovle into a War of Music.
:evil: gotta love those PC's ... obviously I 'm exaggerating a bit.

[Melmoth]

No hard feelings Melmoth but, damn I hate power metal

Not at all, me too, although there are exceptions (like Blind Guardian, except their last album). Rhapsody is not one of the exceptions :wink:
I was talking in general about what I've seen this last years around here.

I'm mainly into doom, death and some black and my beginnings into metal are the same as yours, Drozdal.

[Yagathai]

Hey, what do you have against Rhapsody, man? Just because they're so over the top they make Manowar look like Weezer doesn't mean that you can't like them for what they are.

(remember -- other bands play, but MANOWAR KILLS!)

[Drozdal]

Yagathai all that wrote should be followed by IMHO :P
And "Holy Thunderfororce" track always brings tears of laughter to my eyes :P

Drozdal

PS. I know metal = metal, and brothers in metal unite, but everyone has it's own preferences, when we all would listen to the same stuff, this world would be sooo boring. :wink:

[agony]

I know this was long dead but I wasn't around then so maybe we could give it a shock with the defribulator.

Out of curiousity, what kind of Metal do the majority of you Metal-head gamers out there listen to/enjoy?

Obviously Power Metal has a stigma to it judging from previous comments (I don't particularly enjoy it myself unless it is somewhat Thrashy).

Secondly, using Metal as background music for a fantasy campaign has actually proved effective? I thought of doing it once but quickly shot it out of my head and the most Metal background music I've gone to is Burzum's ambient work (which is appropriately Tolkien Influenced anyway).

Stuff like Summoning may prove effective but Godsmack? Or, what about throwing down with a group of orcs to the tune of "Transilvanian Hunger"?

Seems like stuff like straight up Metal and Nu-Metal (like Godsmack) would prove distracting at best and overtly annoying at worst.