I prefer english,but language doesn't matter,sound is the most important in song,not language

I'm sad about the result of this poll..

I think it doesn't really matter, because there are some good songs in all languages and i never thought "That's a cool song, but the language is wrong"

English.. there are just a few other languages/songs that i like so english.

English but there are LOADS of bands from around the globe that sing in their native and the result is really cool and powerful. Many bands that sing in Spanish, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Czechoslovakian, Turkish, German and a few more I might forget now were always among my collecting interests!

Written by Janne on 16.03.2009 at 20:58

I'm sad about the result of this poll..

Why? the option "doesn't matter as long as it sounds good" is winning.
So you actually prefer songs that sound terrible in the band's native language over songs that sound good in English (for non-native English bands)?

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 04.06.2009 at 17:48

Written by Janne on 16.03.2009 at 20:58

I'm sad about the result of this poll..

Why? the option "doesn't matter as long as it sounds good" is winning.
So you actually prefer songs that sound terrible in the band's native language over songs that sound good in English (for non-native English bands)?

I understand your point but I was thinking of mainly folk metal in which is always a plus when a band sing in their own language (at least for me)

Written by Janne on 04.06.2009 at 17:56


I understand your point but I was thinking of mainly folk metal in which is always a plus when a band sing in their own language (at least for me)

Even for folk I wouldn't call it a plus. Because a lot of languages aren't suitable to be used when mixing them with metal (f.e. Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, Xhosa, Punjabi, Urdu, even German is cringeworthy, French horrible as well, just like Spanish and Poruguese and Italian etc etc.) Only somehow Hungarian, Estonian and Finnish mix well, and surprise surprise those three are related.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 04.06.2009 at 18:01

Written by Janne on 04.06.2009 at 17:56


I understand your point but I was thinking of mainly folk metal in which is always a plus when a band sing in their own language (at least for me)

Even for folk I wouldn't call it a plus. Because a lot of languages aren't suitable to be used when mixing them with metal (f.e. Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, Xhosa, Punjabi, Urdu, even German is cringeworthy, French horrible as well, just like Spanish and Poruguese and Italian etc etc.) Only somehow Hungarian, Estonian and Finnish mix well, and surprise surprise those three are related.

I disagree that spanish or german and italian! don't fit to metal. but in general you are right.

I prefer English so everyone can understand your lyrics,or we all just get used to that but it's nice to have some song on your language too except English i like German ,Norwegian..

1st off, I think there used to be a thread and I'm pretty sure there still is, which language best suits to metal (or something like this).

2nd the options in this poll are just blaaah. My vote went to german language and I already said why in that particular thread.

I like any other except english because i prefer to not understand

I like german, it sounds cool

Well, english, but its the only language I know. I want to know what the singer is singing about, thats one of the reasons I dont much care for growling either. Although I would rather hear singing is another language that is good then growling. So its nothing against other languages, and singing metal in them. Its just that I wouldnt understand it.

Germanic (German, Swedish, German, Danish, etc) languages are great for extreme metal, since they come from the throat, while Romance (French, Spanish, Italian, Poruguese, etc) languages seem too beautiful for growling. On the other hand, when it comes to clean vocals, French, Spanish and Italian are heartwrenching, while German and Norwegian sound ridiculous. English is a German language, but it is deeply influenced by Latin, just like Romance languages, so it sound good with both clean and growled vocals. As for other languages, Russian, Romanian and Finnish are wonderful metal tongues, as well as Chinese (ChthoniC include very good Chinese parts in their lyrics, I don't understand why Marcel says Chinese doesn't fit the genre). C'mon, Marcel, you'd really prefer Heidevolk to sing in English?

I don't like German at all in Metal, it just sounds funny to me because it's such a direct language....but as long as it sounds good it really doesn't matter that much. I like Shining's Swedish vocals, Arkona's Russian vocals...etc. Oh, and Moonsorrow has very cool vocals IMO.

I say 'doesn't matter" these days, but it used to be a language I understand more or less (native, English, French, a bit of German). When i discovered the Swedish prog-rockers Anglagard, I dissed them at first as they sing in their native language. Well, I gave them a second chance and enjoyed two of their albums immensely and thought to myself - "wow, how narrow-minded i could be", the music is amazing, surely I don't understand a word, but it didn't matter. The same situation happened with Iceland's Sigur Ros.

So I enjoy Italy's PFM (Premiata Forneria Marconi) and i have some prog-rock bands in my computer that sing in Spanish. I understand a lot of Italian and Spanish, but still not everything, but it's the music that saves the day.

Lyrics in your own language sounds a lot more personal to me.
Since I'm the vocalist in a band I also write all the lyrics. I once tried to write some in Swedish but gave up after a while. It was really hard to make it sound good. I guess english is either an easy language to sing or that we're so used to hear english lyrics.

I don't care as long as I understand what the song is about. It's harder with other bands who sing in their native language, such as Ajattara, some stuff from Taake or Shining... well, then I can rate only the music.
There aren't many band which sing in Latvian but I like that, for example, Skyforger does like that - of course lyrics in Latvian will sound a lot better than in English because other people probably have problems with understanding what the songs are about.

Lyrics in English are also good because then I can quote something what sounds cool or just keep in mind some saying I can't translate in Latvian (it just doesn't sound right), after all, I'm still learning English and lyrics should help.

Written by Ragana on 19.11.2009 at 19:52

I don't care as long as I understand what the song is about. It's harder with other bands who sing in their native language, such as Ajattara, some stuff from Taake or Shining... well, then I can rate only the music.

Too bad about Shining. Those lyrics are sometimes half the joy for me. Kvarforth is one of my favourites when it comes to words.

IMO it doesn't matter as long as it sounds good, but most of the time I prefer them in English.

I think it's also better for the lyrics to be in a language I can't understand if they're stupid. I have some Russian Pop songs that I listen to and if I knew what they were saying I would never listen, but because I can't understand it remains mysterious.

Written by Warman on 19.11.2009 at 19:55

Written by Ragana on 19.11.2009 at 19:52

I don't care as long as I understand what the song is about. It's harder with other bands who sing in their native language, such as Ajattara, some stuff from Taake or Shining... well, then I can rate only the music.

Too bad about Shining. Those lyrics are sometimes half the joy for me. Kvarforth is one of my favourites when it comes to words.

Of course it's sad, but no one is going to teach me Swedish just because I'd want to understand the words (and translations aren't cool).

Pop songs in general are the same no matter in what language they're sung in. Mostly about love and with pretty cheap lyrics, well, you can't say there's some big meaning in pop songs, hah. But sometimes it's good to listen to pretty stupid songs, aye (especially when being drunk).

I think it's cool when a non-English band explain their lyrics in the CD booklets. Arkona does that, for example. Instead of translating all the songs, they summarize (in English) what the song is about, and translate the chorus. That way, you actually have shivers when you listen to a touching song, even though you don't understand anything.

Written by Warman on 19.11.2009 at 19:01

Lyrics in your own language sounds a lot more personal to me.
Since I'm the vocalist in a band I also write all the lyrics. I once tried to write some in Swedish but gave up after a while. It was really hard to make it sound good. I guess english is either an easy language to sing or that we're so used to hear english lyrics.

I dont know so good lyrics, to discuss Shinking, Abramis Brama ok Mamma Taller is simple for me and mjolk n Honnug LOL even i can get whit out dictinary, but write lyrics in nativ langueg is much harder how english, you need be lil talanted, soem gift to do it because sometimes engish is easyer for do it because its nr. 1 langauge in metal

Written by Bad English on 20.11.2009 at 01:15

Written by Warman on 19.11.2009 at 19:01

Lyrics in your own language sounds a lot more personal to me.
Since I'm the vocalist in a band I also write all the lyrics. I once tried to write some in Swedish but gave up after a while. It was really hard to make it sound good. I guess english is either an easy language to sing or that we're so used to hear english lyrics.

I dont know so good lyrics, to discuss Shinking, Abramis Brama ok Mamma Taller is simple for me and mjolk n Honnug LOL even i can get whit out dictinary, but write lyrics in nativ langueg is much harder how english, you need be lil talanted, soem gift to do it because sometimes engish is easyer for do it because its nr. 1 langauge in metal

Come on, it's nothing to do with difficulty, the bands write their songs in English just because they want to get commercial as soon as possible. English music is easier to sell. I'm not so bad in English, but I still find it much easier to write in French, since it's my mother tongue. But I'm not sure I would take the risk to found a French metal band. $$$

It's not important as long as it sunds OK... and what the bands got us accustomed to. For Example three german bands: Blind Guardian, Rammstein and In Extremo.
I don't think Blind Guardian would sound as awesome in german, hell, even Hansi talking in german sounds weird.
Rammstein in english sounds awful, take teh cover they made of Stripped (Depeche Mode) or teh english version of Du Hast.
IN Extremo sings in a shitload of languajes, but they do sound better in german than in teh others (Spanish, Latin, french)

I preferer in english so everybody can understand

Strictly English. Lyrics play an important role for me, so if I can't understand them, to hell with it.

ALL ENGELESH ... ALL ZA TIME !!!