Downhell is the first Korean metal band I’ve heard. (Metal-archives.com currently lists 147 metal bands in South Korea. The only heavy metal in North Korea seems to be the nuclear bomb-making kind.) The video for their new single, “Karma,” is a fascinating case of culture clash. Drummer Mike Terrana is not Korean, but American, and has played with German power metallers like Gamma Ray, Rage, and Masterplan. He really likes twirling his sticks and overplaying. His performance, which is like one big fill, makes Brann Dailor seem minimal. The bassist is too pretty to be in the band; the camera obliges with silly shots of her in a silly hat. Her bandmates – and the saccharine choruses – seemingly come from an Asian pop video.
Other tunes on Downhell’s MySpace fare better. Until now, I’d never heard of a band influenced by Fight, Rob Halford’s post-Priest band. But lo and behold, it’s true: faceless, thrashy power metal. The band has seemingly traded originality for chops, but even that’s kind of cool – hearing traditional metal in such a non-traditional context. One source claims that Downhell sold 2.5 million copies of their debut in South Korea. Could that be true??? [See correction in comments.] I must hear more Korean metal. Some of the band names seem so promising: Audio Blossom, Darkness House, Humble Ontology, Monkey Head. The most mysterious one of all: Dr. Band.
Related posts:
oh come on, Terrana keeps the groove going excellently. Of course I agree he overplays, but not to the detriment of the material. It’s not like it has much else going for it.
and mandatory chic bassist, haha, awesome!
Fight could actually lay claim to breaking open some form of (lame)-core. Now what I really have never heard any band inspired by is Two!!!
Basses tend to be bigger & shinier than normal guitars.
Anyway, I was just listening to Crash last week–from the sound of their vocalist, he's gotta be the biggest Korean guy ever! Haha, I keed. But just wanted to say that Korea has a little history in metal that goes a ways back. It's not much, but I also dug Sad Legend.
I'm not sure about the 2.5 million sales either (the band is alright listening, for what they do–but I'd be disappointed if some of my favorite metal bands started sounding like this). Maybe something got lost in translation, eg the band may be double platinum in South Korea, but the "platinum" label has different thresholds by country–depending on the population count.
Yeah, I’m not sure any band would admit to being influenced by Two.
Crash seem competent but utterly generic. Sad Legend, on the other hand, have more going on, and Oathean seem like a Korean version of Chthonic. I’d also forgotten about the Korean Burzum, Pyha aka Ruiner. Thanks for the tips, mudiferous.
So, any Korean readers out there to confirm or deny the lingering questions in the final paragraph: was it really 2.5 mil? what’s the verdict on the five bands mentioned? I wanna know!
Always a hoot to hear out how other cultures interpret imported music genres. It’s tempting to assume that the few non-Western bands that fly over our radar define the style of those particular countries (all Japanese metal bands MUST worship the Melvins, like Boris and Corrupted, right?), but my hope is that Downhell just represent one strain of far east heavy metal culture. It’s interesting that a would be the style that would sell millions of copies in Korea — as opposed to the As I Lay Dyings, Shadows Falls and Lamb of Gods of Korea, if indeed they exist. ‘Cuz the last time I checked, power metal (with the exception of Dragonforce) doesn’t do so hot in the US.
Check out Japanese band Grim Force for Bay Area type 80’s thrash metal or Ritual Carnage, sure they had an American on vocals but they’re closer to Agent Steel soundwise. When I lived in Korea for a few months in 2000 it seemed The Scorpions were the most popular metal/hard rock band. In Taiwan, where I lived for five yeats, it was Dream Theater.
Pyha is good stuff. The guy recorded a bunch of his stuff when he was in grade 8. GRADE 8!
A note from the band's A&R; person:
Just checked your blog .. I just wanted to let you know about 2.5 million copies issue.. THAT’S NOT TRUE.
I guess, Misunderstanding was from… Mark (Vocalist of Downhell) was a backing vocal for Korean Artist called KIM KYUNG HO who sold over 2.5 million copies for his catalogs (Especially 2nd.3rd.4th ) Downhell just a underground metal band here in Korea.
We are trying to DO Something. haha !
Hope it helps for your CURIOSITY.
Best Regards
Kevin Kim