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Djent

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Djent
Stylistic origins
Cultural originsMid-1990s in Sweden, England and United States
Typical instruments
  • Electric guitar
  • bass
  • drums
  • vocals
  • synthesizers
Regional scenes
  • Australia
  • Brazil
  • Europe
  • United States
Other topics

Djent(/dʒɛnt/) is a subgenre ofprogressive metal,and anonomatopoeiaof the guitar sound that characterizes it.[1][2][3]Other defining features are its use of complex and heavily syncopated rhythm patterns.[4][5]While sources such asThe GuardianandGuitar Worlddescribe djent as a genre, some notable musicians includingRandy Blythe(Lamb of God) andStephen Carpenter(Deftones) say it is not.[6]

Development[edit]

Fredrik Thordendal,lead guitarist of Swedish bandMeshuggah,is considered the originator of the djent technique.[6]However, the band did not coin the term itself. In a 2018 interview by Rauta, Meshuggah guitaristMårten Hagströmapologised for the band's role in creating the "djent" style of guitar playing, calling it "a drunk misunderstanding".[7][8]

Other bands important in the development of the style areAnimals as Leaders,[5]Periphery,Tesseract,[9][10][11]andTextures.[12]

The scene has grown rapidly,[13]and members of the original online community, including the bandsChimp Spanner,Sithu Aye,andMonuments,have gone on to tour and release albums commercially.[6][14]Other bands influenced by djent includeA Life Once Lost,[15]Veil of Maya,[16]Vildhjarta,[17]andXerath.[18]Born of Osirishave also been described as being inspired by the djent movement.[13]Furthermore,Hacktivist[19][20]andDVSR[21]are djent bands that userappingas a primary vocal style.[22]

Characteristics[edit]

Djent as a style is characterized by progressive, rhythmic, and technical complexity accompanied by a use of polymetric groove. An example is the song "Cafo" by Animals as Leaders.[11]It typically features heavily distorted,palm-mutedguitar chords, syncopatedriffs,[6]andpoly-metersalongsidevirtuosicsoloing.[4]Another common feature is the use of extended range guitars that areseven-string,eight-string,andnine-string,or even more strings.[23]

Reception[edit]

Some members of the metal community have criticized the term "djent", either treating it as a short-lived fad, openly condemning it, or questioning its validity as agenre.However, bands such as Tesseract and Animals as Leaders have received positive critical reception and multiple awards.Post-metalbandRosettais noted as saying, "Maybe we should start callingdoom metal'DUNNN' ".[24]In response to a question about "djent",Lamb of Godvocalist Randy Blythe stated in 2011, "There is no such thing as 'djent'; it's not a genre."[25]Deftonesguitarist Stephen Carpenter similarly opined in 2016 that "I thoroughly can get djent, I even have great appreciation for the bands, and I mean Meshuggah is one of my favorite bands. But it's just not a genre. It's just metal."[26]In an interview with Guitar Messenger,PeripheryguitaristMisha Mansoorsaid:

I was looking for gear that was djenty. I was like: 'Are these pickups djenty?' For some reason it caught on, but completely in the wrong way, because people think it's a style of music and they think it's a style of music I play.[27]

In a later interview with Freethinkers Blog, Mansoor stated that he felt djent had become "this big umbrella term for any sort of progressive band, and also any band that will [use] off-time chugs [...] You also get bands likeScale the Summit[who are referred to as] a djent band [when] 80% of their stuff sounds like clean channel, and it's all beautiful and pretty, you know [...] In that way, I think it's cool because it groups really cool bands together [...] We are surrounded by a lot of bands that I respect, but at the same time, I don't think people know what djent is either [...] It's very unclear. "Later in the interview, he stated," If you call us djent, that's fine. I mean, I would never self-apply the term, but at the same time, it's just so vague that I don't know what to make of it. "[28]In 2023, Periphery directly referenced the term's controversy with the subtitle of their seventh studio album,Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre.

Tosin Abasiof Animals as Leaders takes a more lenient view of the term, stating that there are specific characteristics that are common to djent bands, and as a result the term can be legitimately used as a genre. While stating that he personally strives not to subscribe exclusively to any one genre, he makes the point that a genre is defined by the ability to associate common features between different artists. He says that in this way, it is possible to view djent as a genre describing a particular niche of modern progressive metal.[29]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Hammerpublished, Metal (22 July 2017)."Currents: making waves in the djent-metal underground".loudersound.Retrieved20 March2022.
  2. ^"What is Djent | Djent Hub".Djent Hub.Archived fromthe originalon 6 July 2022.Retrieved20 March2022.
  3. ^"Meshuggah - Kings Of Underground Music Scene".UnBumf.Retrieved20 March2022.
  4. ^abBowcott, Nick (26 June 2011)."Meshuggah Share the Secrets of Their Sound".Guitar World.Future US.Archived fromthe originalon 17 May 2016.Retrieved17 October2011.
  5. ^abAngle, Brad (23 July 2011)."Interview: Meshuggah Guitarist Fredrik Thordendal Answers Reader Questions".Guitar World.Future US.Retrieved10 June2020.
  6. ^abcd"Djent, the metal geek's microgenre".The Guardian.3 March 2011. Retrieved 26 June 2011
  7. ^"MESHUGGAH's MÅRTEN HAGSTRÖM On 'Djent': 'We're Very Sorry For Creating That Genre; We Didn't Intend To – Our Bad'".Blabbermouth.23 July 2018.Retrieved23 July2018.
  8. ^Camp, Zoe (24 July 2018)."Meshuggah Apologize for Djent: It Was" Drunk Misunderstanding "".Revolver.Retrieved21 April2020.
  9. ^GuitarWorld Staff Member (16 March 2011)."TesseracT Unveil New Video".Guitar World.Future US.Retrieved17 October2011.
  10. ^Rivadavia, Eduardo."One".AllMusic.Rovi Corporation.Retrieved17 October2011.
  11. ^abRivadavia, Eduardo."Concealing Fate".AllMusic.Rovi Corporation.Retrieved17 October2011.
  12. ^Bland, Ben (3 October 2011)."Textures - Dualism (Album Review)".Stereoboard.Retrieved17 October2011.
  13. ^abColgan, Chris (24 June 2011)."Born of Osiris: The Discovery".PopMatters.Retrieved19 October2011.
  14. ^"TESSERACT's ACLE ON THE BIRTH OF TESSERACT AND THE DJENT MOVEMENT".Metalsucks.Metalsucks.6 October 2010.Retrieved9 November2014.
  15. ^Debenedictis, Matt (23 February 2011)."A Life Once Lost Took 'an Outsider's Point of View' During Time Off".Noisecreep.AOL.Retrieved17 October2011.
  16. ^Heaney, Gregory."[Id]".Allmusic.Rovi Corporation.Retrieved17 October2011.
  17. ^Hart, Josh (6 October 2011)."Vildhjarta Unveil New Album Details, Post Teaser Video".Guitar World.Future US.Retrieved17 October2011.
  18. ^Rivadavia, Eduardo."II review".Allmusic.Rovi Corporation.Retrieved17 October2011.
  19. ^Rosenberg, Axl (17 October 2011)."Djent-rappers Hacktivist Kind Enough to Put the Word Hack Right There in the Name".MetalSucks.Retrieved1 May2015.
  20. ^Islander (9 November 2012)."Hacktivist".No Clean Singing.Retrieved1 May2015.
  21. ^CroOZza (25 November 2013)."DVSR - Got-Djent".Archived fromthe originalon 30 March 2018.Retrieved31 March2017.
  22. ^Pasbani, Robert (5 May 2014)."Is Nü-Djent The Next Big Thing?".Metal Injection.Retrieved22 March2022.
  23. ^Kennelty, Greg (26 February 2014)."Here's Why Everyone Needs To Stop Complaining About Extended Range Guitars".
  24. ^"What is your opinion of Djent?".Rosetta band. Archived fromthe originalon 28 January 2012.Retrieved29 November2011.
  25. ^Blythe, Randy."Lamb of God's Randy Blythe on Djent".smn news. Archived fromthe originalon 8 September 2012.Retrieved29 November2011.
  26. ^"Deftones' Stephen Carpenter On" Gore ":" I Didn't Want To Play On The Record To Begin With "".Theprp.23 February 2016.Retrieved18 March2021.
  27. ^Mansoor, Misha."MARC OKUBO (VEIL OF MAYA) & MISHA MANSOOR (PERIPHERY) INTERVIEW".guitar messenger.Retrieved7 March2012.
  28. ^"Periphery interview part 3 of 3." FreethinkersBlog. 19 February 2012. Web. 28 August 2013. <https:// youtube /watch?v=8bE0Q_9nQ9U>.
  29. ^Abasi, Tosin."Tosin Abasi's Opinion of Djent".YouTube.Retrieved20 October2017.
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