Textual analysis of Music videos - Metal-core

After deciding on the genre and band, I decided to analysis some music videos and album covers from the metal-core genre. My aim was to see the generic conventions that are mostly always included in an metal-core music video and see what should be on an album cover.

These album covers are "The Fall Of Ideals" by "All That Remains" and "blessthefall" by Witness

"Define The Great Line" by "Underoath" and "The Poison" by " Bullet For My Valentine"

All That Remains - This Calling
Metalcore/ Death Metal
2006
Video Characteristics

• band playing guitar and drums
• man chained/blooded 
• light head banging
• unnatural sunlight only on artist
• underexposed lighting and dark and grey costumes.

                                                                               


















What is the relationship between the lyrics and visuals?
At the start, we see a ground and then, we immediately see the artist screaming which in effect wakes someone in a cave chained down on a chair. The lyrics " My flesh is weakening" matches the visual of the man that his flesh is chained to the floor. The Lyrics "I steel my nerves for temptation at hand again" matches the visual of the man getting up from the chair and moving towards the door, even though he is chained to his flesh. 

What is the relationship between the music and visuals?
There are two rhythms of musical pace through out the music, the verse melody which is usually screamed, and the chorus which is usually sung. These are very important in the metal-core genre. The head banging works well with the music as it goes in time with the heavy beats and melody. The conventions that relates the music to the visuals include fast editing between the band members performing and the actor in the room, which gives the audience a disconcerting feeling especially in the scenes where the actor is pulling him self away from the chains. Other conventions include camera angles, and the band members are seen from a high angle, while the acctor is seen from a low angle even though he is chained. This might signifies his strength. The artists are filmed in different angles through out the music which also adds to the relationship between the music and visuals.

Are there close-ups of the artist and star image motifs?
There are various close-up shots of the actor through out the music video. At the start of the song, as soon as the band starts singing, there is close-up of the actor's face as he opens his eyes. There are also close up shots of the man pulling himself away from the chain which the audience sympathise with him.There are also close-up shots of the lead singing as he screams and the all band members head banging, and are key conventions of metal-core genre and lifestyle.

Are there any intertexual references?
This video makes reference to some movies such as The Underworld and Blade. This could be seen as a convention of this genre as they are always dark and sinister.

Is the video performance base, concept base or narrative base?
It is has a mixture performance and narrative. It is partially performance based with the music matching the visuals. The video is also narrative based with the man struggling to escape for freedom.


 Blessthefall - What's Left of Me
 Post-hardcore
2009
Video characteristic:
Long hair
Shouting
Vintage footage of performance base (some scenes)
Headbanging
Monotone colour scheme (some scenes)

What is the relationship between lyrics and visuals?
There is no relationship between the lyrics as visual as the music video is performance based and so, we only see the band members performing in a studio settings.

What is the relationship between the music and visuals?
Through out the video, there is a relationship between the music and the visuals as we hear heavy drumming and can see the band members jumping and headbanging on stage, which are very important conventions in the metal-core genre. There are also scenes were the music becomes shaky and we can see that through hand-held camera work.

Are there close-ups of the artist and star image motifs?
 The audience see generic conventions of the metal-core genre in close up such as headbanging, close-up shots of  a band member singing. There are also long shot and mid shot which is seen with match-on-action showing the drums and guitar being played.

 Are there any intertexual references?
The video has an idea of behind the scenes footage of photo shot as we can see both the artist and the producers on the video.

Is the video performance base, concept base or narrative base? 
The music video is performance based as we only see the band members performing on in a studio.This is a usual convention for the metal-core genre as it is most common for narrative and performance base.


Underoath - In Division
Metalcore/ Post- metal
2010
Video characteristics

• Headbanging
• white and black footage
• Use of water
• Long hair

 What is the relationship between lyrics and visuals?

The song starts with the lyrics of "I lay in a bed of resistance, chained to either side, this matches the visual scene where they show a picture of a family on the wall. The family looks 'awkward' to be around each other which makes the audience feel uncomfortable. There is also the idea that they are stuck with each other and have no where to go, and so matches the lyrics of "chain to either side". 

What is the relationship between music and visuals?
Fast editing are used during the harmony while there are slow editing are use during some of the chorus. There is also the use of soft beats with still images of water, a family image on the wall which the song is based around it and the band members. As the song quickens, we see panning shot and head-banging of the band members.

  Are there any close-ups of the artists and star image motifs?
They are a lot of mid long shots of the band members performing which is used along side match on action as we see the band members jumping from different angles. The star image motifs are close up shots of the lead band members (Spencer Chamberlain) under water while singing.
 
Are there any intertextual references?
The video makes a lot of references to water which the audience could almost get the idea of "The Titanic" in the where the actors were drowning. 

Is it performance based, concept based or narrative based? How much of each? 
The video is performance based with various footage of the band members playing instruments in a studio settings before the video continuous of them playing in water.


Bullet For My Valentine - 4 words (to choke upon)
Metal-core
2005
Video characteristics

•  Headbanging
• white and black footage
• long hair
• monotone colour scheme

What is the relationship between lyrics and visuals?
 The lyrics starts with "betrayed one more time", which looks like the band members are talking directly to their fans, they might be asking for their trust and support. The lyrics "Soon I'm the one on attack" could be also matched with the scenes were the fans are trying to get on stage to meet the band members.

 What is the relationship between the music and visuals?
 Heavy drums and guitar playing is matched with the fans and the band-banging their fans. The fans are also moving to the rhythm of the song of by jumping and head-banging.

 Are there close-ups of the artist and star image motifs?
 There are a lot of close-up shots of individual band member singing. The close up shots are emphasised around their mouth as they scream. They are also mid long shots of both the band members and the fans, and the audience is able to see the stage setting fans. The star image motif is of the band members playing the guitar which is seen in a close up shot.

 Are there any intertexual references?
 The video gives an idea of what it's like performing in front of a life audience.

 Is the video performance base, concept base or narrative base? 
 The video is live performance of the band performing to their fans on stage.



After analysing some metal-core music videos, I decided to analyse Payphone by Maroon 5 to see how they use the above elements such as relationship between lyrics and visuals, and intertexual references. 

Name of track: Payphone

Artist: Maroon 5 and Wiz Khalifa

Director: Benny Blanco and Shellback.

  

Payphone is a pop and hip hop music, and was sung by Maroon 5 and Wiz Khalifa. It was released on April 16 2012 as the lead single from the album Overexposed. This video takes a total approach of how a hip hop would look like such as using guns and police chases.

What is the relationship between lyrics and visuals?

The audience get to see the relationship between the lyrics and the visuals at the start but as the music video progresses, the audience see otherwise. For example, at the start of the music video, Adam Levine, the lead singer of Maroon 5 was stood at a phone booth singing the lyrics that had direct reference to the payphone 'I’m at the payphone trying to call home'.                                                                                  

 

     However, the relationship between the lyrics and visuals fades as the video continues. The start of the video was a flashback of what happened to let him to stand penniless at a phone booth. In the flash back, the audience see robbery in a bank and police chases on a high way. The lyrics does not have a relationship with the visuals because the lyrics talks of a break up of a relationship and the video shows a man (Adam Levine) running from the police after been mistaken for an armed robber.

What is the relationship between the music and visuals?

The relationship between the music and the visuals is unusual. The music and lyrics would be viewed as a break up song or possibly romance, but the visual indicates different. If someone was to watch only the visuals without the sound, they could imagine a different music to reflect the song. This visuals of payphone could be compared to “Bonnie and Clyde” by Jay Z and Beyonce where they are been chased by the police. There is a scene of the song where the audience see the police chasing and stopping a car.                       

  Are there close-ups of the artist and star image motifs?   

Payphone has very few close-ups as compared to compared to 'Bonnie and Clyde'. The first close-up shot is that of Adam Levine as he sits bored in an office. A lady then walks passes his desk and the camera is directed and focused on her to show that she might also be a lead character in the video. There is also a close-up shot on Adam Levine’s lips as he sings the lyrics into the phone. 

Are there any intertexual references?

When the audience watches the music video of payphone, they get an idea of watching a movie. Examples of intertexual films that could be reference to this music video include Fast and Furious, Taken, Wanted, Salt and S.W.A.T.

                                A shot from Fast & Furious, similar to the accident in Payphone
                                   

 Is the video performance base, concept base or narrative base?

The video is a narrative based performance about a man (Adam Levine) who is mistaken by the police as one of the robbers who are robbing a bank. As he tries to rescue himself and a girl in the office, police see him with a gun and thinks he is part of the robbers and so start chasing him. The music video could be seen as post-mordern, story within a story as it’s a flash back of what happened that made him end up in a phone booth penniless.

 Finding from metal-core analysis
After analysing a variety of metal-core songs released in different years, I found that almost all the songs have generic conventions. This will gave us an idea of what metal-core conventions we could include in our own video when doing our storyboard, and we are open to the idea of challenging some of the metal-core conventions.

Research on our chosen band: Remember The Ruined

Remember The Ruined.

Remember the Ruined are a metal-core band based in Bristol made up of 5 teenage boys. They were formed in September 2011 and perform locally mostly in the Fleece Bristol were other bands such as The Killers have performed in.

Band members

Edward Seccombe: Lead vocalist 

Jake Fox: Lead guitarist

Pro Roy: guitarist

James Atherton: Bass and clean vocals.



















Ian Gregory: Drums

Chosen Song

Here are the lyrics of the song we will be using. We went to a live perormance to watch Remember the Ruined perform. We also watched other bands of the metal-core genre to get more ideas of how the performers relates to their audience. The name of the song is Stubborn Memories and was written by band members Edward and James.

Stubborn Memories:

every look just reminds me, its permanent, theres no going back
my head is a fucking mess
just a fucking mess like youu
will you carve, that four letter word
into your arm one last time

*chorus* torn from those memories (memories) 
this is goodbye (this is goodbye)
ripped up and broken, broken from the past, time to die
time to die

now dont bother with me
you're already, the voice inside my head
i cant take this chaos in my head anymore
these thoughst are ripping me apart

*chorus* torn from those memories (memories) 
this is goodbye (this is goodbye)
ripped up and broken, broken from the past, time to die
time to die

now all these feelings in my mind, like paranoia and rage inside
all these things in my head need to stop before im dead
the chaos reigns in my head
of burning flesh and rivers running red
all this in my head needs to stop before im dead
before im dead
oh

We decided to analyse the lyrics (Stubborn Memories) of the song in depth to understand the connotation behind the words.

By doing this, we started coming up with initial ideas of what should be included in our music video. We found analyzing the lyrics of the song very useful because it is important for the visuals to have a relationship to the lyrics.

 


Life footage of the band performing in the Fleece Bristol.

Analysis of album covers

As a group we decided to analyse some album covers from different music genres. We did the first two covers in class as a group. When analysing the covers, I focused on the Mise-En-Scene, camera angles, framing, text and costume.



We analysed the album cover
Mumford and Sons-Babel
Folk Rock
2011

 

 

 

 

 

We also analysed the back of an album cover.

Red Hot Chili Pepper- Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Funk Rock

1991

Rihanna- Russian Roulette
R&B and Hip Hop
2009

Colours:

The colours used in this album are black and white. This is quit abstract and different compared to her other album covers. The thick eyeliner and black lipstick shows that they might be a twist in the album’s original connotation of dark and a morbid element which is seen in the lead single "Russian Roulette" of the album cover.

Lighting:

The lighting on the album looks very natural apart of the extra brightness on Rihanna’s face which brings out the thick painting of her eyeliner. The lighting in the songs on the Rated R album are just as dark and dim as the cover; with the use of red lighting which is usually connoted as danger.

Writing and Costume:

Rihanna covering the side of her face might show that she doesn’t wants to be revealed fully to her audience which emphasis the mystery and darkness of the songs in the album. Closing her face might also show that she doesn’t wants to be exposed like other artist in the R&B genre. Rihanna also wears a lot of heavy jewellery which increases the intensity and darkness of albums as she looks like someone who cannot be push around easily. She is also wearing a black leather top which continuous the connotation of wildness. 

The album's name is witten at the bottom of the album in very small letters which does not stand out as the rest of the text, and so might so that she was not emphasising the title.

The R on the cover is sharp shape which is the representation of her name and is usually use as her logo. The sharpness of the R looks like something that has been carved by a sharp object. This emphasis the dimness of the album but it might also be showing her determination and strength from her comeback after being affected by some aspect of her personal life.

Camera angle/shot size/framing:
The picture is a close up and she is on the centre of the cover which is usually the case for the R&B genre. This reflects the mainstream of this genre unlike other genres such as metal-core which might usually use an object on their album cover. Rihanna is looking directly into the camera which could be showing the aim of the album by trying to intimidate her audiences.  

 These are usual album covers of R&B and Hip Hop genre. 

  Paramore- Riot
  Rock

  2007

Lighting/ colour:

There are three colours used on this album cover; whit, black and red. The use of graffiti  and the the use of red makes the album stands out compared to other covers that uses a lot of colour. The album title “Riot” is written in red which immediately allows the audience to put the two together. Red might be used to show the after effect of rioting.

Style pattern/ writing:

Riot is a very busy album cover with a lot of graffiti/writing. All the words in black on the cover is “riot” which emphasis the name of the album and their intention. The writing on the cover is handwritten/ graphitised and the connotation of this might be anger towards something. The different style of graffiti writing shows creativeness behind Paramore which might be represented in the songs on the album. The name of the band is written in a formal style compared to the way the name of the album is written. This might mean that this particular album is sending out a message or aiming for something different to their other albums.  

Eminem: Recover
Rapper
 2010

Colour:

Very few colours are used in this cover. The main colours are white and red even though the audience is able to see other colours in the background. The colours used on the cover are meant to make it looks simple and easy to look at. This is usually the case with rap album covers. The colour Eminem is also wearing blends in with the background colour. The colours could also represent the journey of the album, the connotation of red could be danger, and white, purity which together connotes his journey to Recovery.

They album recovery is also written in plain colours apart of the “o” which is written in red with a cross in the middle. This sign could be a representation of hospital and the audience immediately questions whether Eminem is recovering of drugs or alcohol addiction due to his personal life.  

Lighting:

The lighting used for the cover is very natural fitting with the understanding of the album. This lighting is continuously used in the songs on the album especially the first track on the album “Not Afraid”. The connotation of the light is new beginnings and moving on which is emphasis on the songs in the album. Even though the lighting looks natural at first glance, it looks like the light has been dimmed to make it look like at the time it was taken, it was getting dark and so draws out the lyrics of some of the songs on the cover.

Costume and writing:

Eminem is dressed in normal clothing which is pretty usual to see with rap artist. They are usually dressed in clothing that they could use on stage to perform.                                                                                          
 The album does not reveal anything about the artist. However, the “E” turn backwards could be easily recognised as Eminem’s album even though his name is not printed on it. This is because Eminem, trademark is having a backward “E” and is usually used on some of his album covers.                                     
The “parents advisory” is also used to warn parents of whether the album is appropriate for their children. This shows that even though this genre is usually seen as a bad influence on young people, there is a sign of maturity to the fact that it has been printed on the cover.

Camera angle/ shot/framing:

The camera angle is almost a low angle. This might show the slight vulnerability of the artist/ person on the cover of the album. The shot used is a long shot, but the subject on the cover is a mid-close up. This might represent the journey to his recovery and how much he still has to go to get there. He is also framed to the left angle of the camera and making the audience focus less on him and almost more on the road.

From analysing these covers, I have learned that the genre of music has a big influence on how the album covers should look like, for example, R&B and Hip Hop artist are likely than any other genre to have picture of themself on the cover. Facial/bodily album covers usually helps promote the album because the audience immediately knows which artist it is without reading any other information on the the cover. 

Research into Metalcore and Life Style

What is it? Metal-core is a broad fusion genre of extreme metal and hardcore punk. Some sub-genre of metal-core include; melodic metal-core, math-core and death-core.

History of metal-core:

Metal-core started in the 1980's with bands such as Agnostic Front and Suicidal Tendencies mixing together hardcore, thrash and punk together. At the end of 1990 the genre became much more popular. Underth, Killswhich Engage and All that Remains have made themselves popular and achieve large album sales and heads of major festivals.
  
Sub-genres in Metal-core:

•   Melodic metal-core started in the 1990s and have great emphasis on the melody.  Melodic metal-core frequently makes use of clean vocals. Melodic metal-core bands include Trivium, All That Remains, Atreyu, Bullet for My Valentine, Bury Tomorrow, Darkest Hour,  Eighteen Visions,  Killswitch Engage and Poison the Well.

Bullets for my Valentine-Waking the Demon

•      Math-core began with the mid-'90s work of Converge, Botch and The Dillinger Escape Plan. The term math-core is suggested by analogy with math rock. Math-core is characterised by speed, technical riffing, and unusual time signatures. Bands such as Fear Before incorporate metal-core standards along with odd time signatures and progressive elements.

Fear Before- Should Have Stayed in the Shallow

 

•  Death-core is a combination of metal-core, hardcore punk and death metal. Death-core is defined by breakdowns, blast beats and death metal riffs. Bands also incorporate guitar solos and melodic riffs similar to those in metal-core. One of the biggest influences of death-core New York base group Suffocation. 

 Suffocation-Abomination Reborn

    Music style:  Metal-core is structured linearly, with the songwriting consisting of aggressive verses and melodic choruses. Breakdowns are a vital part of the genre, usually used to invoke moshing at live shows. A good portion of the bands in the genre have recently added in solos and a greater emphasis on technical guitar playing, including a heavy use of palm muting. Double bass drumming is prevalent in the genre as well. The sound is polished and the lyrics range from personal to political issues.                                                                                                                                                                                            Vocal Style: Most vocalists scream and growl, with some saving the clean vocals for selected points in the song (chorus, bridge). 


We did some research into the metal-core lifestyle. Along the research, Rebecca and myself went to watch a live performance of our chosen band "Remember the Ruined". We also had the opportunity of meeting their fans, which gave us an sight of how the metal core is and how the fans behave when listening to the music. We were also able to get some live footage and pictures on the band which could be seen on another post.

Metal-core Lifestyle
When it comes to metal-core genre, it's not just about the music; it consist of a whole lifestyle. Aspects of the metal-core lifestyle include;

• heavy tattoos and lots of piercings
•  black clothing and skinny jeans
• heavy black eye linear
• moshing gigs
• head-banging (convention which is always included in music videos)
•  carefree and rebellious attitude
• care for the environment
• supportive of other bands in the metal-core genre

  Even though "Remember the Ruined" are teenagers, we found that most of their older fans, like them self also follow the lifestyle.