Is Nik Nocturnal WRONG about everything?? 

Use code FINN60 to get 60% off your first Factor box at bit.ly/3MOQX26 Thanks Factor for Sponsoring!

Whether you agree with Nik or not, you gotta appreciate his passion and excitement for metal.

I can see shoegaze getting big for the exact reason that I enjoy it; it sounds dreamy, and sometimes a sonic aesthetic matters more than some easily-recalled musical substance, like a hook or a breakdown.

Bad omens is perfect for younger crowds. The melodic almost edm construction, and chunky guitars. I find that the vocalist is perfect for younger people. Very unique and contrasting multiple times per song.

I used to be a genre nerd but I’ve pretty much just have been seeing all of these sub genres kind of just prove to me that it’s just all metal but with maybe some Deathcore in there or hardcore etc. I love how diverse metal has become and I’m all for it

I think that Shoegaze is something that will influence more of the production side of the metal scene than the writing. The wall of sound signature of the genre is something I see becoming popular with metal people if it mixes with heavier things like breakdowns to create heavy but melodic vibeier songs while also not being as jam heavy as what shoegaze usually is. All the stuff with pedals can be done with digital modelers now.

Saw the Loathe and Static Dress tour twice and it was easily one of the best and most fun shows I’ve been two. A lot of ppl that were there were in their early to mid twenties and it’s crazy how popular Loathe’s “I Let It In And It Took Everything” is for being two and half years old

Fit For An Autopsy is easily the deathcore band that's best at incorporating emotion. Like, "Your Pain is Mine" literally made me cry. A deathcore song. Made me cry.

Finn: I like hooks, I like emotion, I like melody, I like catchy poppy tunes. Power metal: We have those. Finn: No, not like that. :p

I think shoegaze, despite not being that catchy, definitely has the potential to take off. A lot of people care a lot about the "vibes" now, rather than just caring about hooks

Yes

Shoegaze-metal and post-hardcore is something that I can see becoming big in this year and decade too. As for Post-hardcore, checkout this group called Static Dress and their album Rogue Carpet Disaster. That whole album is just one big post-hardcore resurgence. The last song Cubicle Dialogue reminds me so much of old Underoath and Hopes Die Last's first album.

Nik is the one true prophet, and metal is His church. Loved both of your comments on this.

Shoegaze can be really catchy there’s a reason why that and Dreampop have a lot of crossover bands

I predict that this is the year King Diamond will take over mainstream radio! I can't wait \m/

loving the Abigail Williams shoutout. and speaking of Winds Of Plague: i saw them play with Abigail Williams around 2008 in NW FL, and WOP’s drummer was out, so Abigail’s drummer stepped up and played their set with them on that tour after like two weeks of prep. homies don’t let homies drop sets.

I've got to say, Lorna Shore definitely happened lol. I have some pretty hefty anxiety issues with crowds, they're the first band to get me to get out to a concert in like 10 years. heard they were in town from a coworker and knew i had to go.

i hear lots of bands that mix shoegaze stuff w more grunge elements and poppy song structures. i think it could work. new band moodring could do it i think

Spiritbox absolutely needs to have a good release in 2023 because Rotoscope was really good but very polarizing.

I think loathe is gonna blow tf up this year. Same with static dress. They both toured the US in the fall and basically every show sold out. As far as frontmen go, only from static dress seems pretty damn charismatic.

The whole shoegaze metal thing had its 5 mins about 10 years ago. The UK had a big ambient metal scene. Devil sold his soul, Rinoa, Bossk, Between the Screams, The Mire. It didn't last long.

I just wanna see metal hit that sweet spot of art-for-artists and art-for-audiences - I think loathe are doing that best as of now, mixing big ambient shoegaze and extreme metal aggression with catchy hooks, memorable structures and absolutely exceptional live shows.

I said on a Justin Hawkins video that Turnstile’s GLOW ON was one of the best post hardcore albums since Sing The Sorrow… blokes buried me in the comments saying that GLOW ON isn’t post hardcore. What I want to say here is if we’re considering that album to be post hardcore, I absolutely see post hardcore becoming a huge genre in the scene. I think that there are enough DGD-type bands to legitimize “Swancore” as its own genre. When I think of posthxc I think of early 2000s AFI, Blood Brothers, Static Dress, If I Die First, Turnstile, Glassjaw, and Old Wounds.

I heard artists say that what determines the succes of a song is if it is used in popular playlists and since most playlists on spotify are curated by genres, I guess genres still matter quite a bit. At least that's my guess

I think the production side of things is going to get reaaaaally interesting. Bands and artists like Brand of Sacrifice or Methwitch have been using more modern production and almost edm type writing with their songs for years (throwing everything in there to make the song as hype and crazy as it gets without thinking "oh can we play this live? Shouldn't we use less electronics?"). I'd love to see more bands and artists in metal really utilizing their DAWs to make the craziest stuff we've ever heard Edit: I think it's kinda crazy that bands have taken a lot of influence by og djent bands like periphery and tesseract who've been utilizing pads, synths and other electronics that were used in pop, edm and hip hop for years without really trying to actually get their own approach at it and really utilizing their DAWs and modern music production tools to create new and crazy things in metal. I mean it's not easy to write a good song or track but given the possibilities there should be at least a ton of shitty underground songs that try out weird shit like that but most of the underground metal that didn't come from one person projects on soundcloud or youtube rarely uses music influence from music in the 21st century while literally EVERY other alternative movement has borrowed heavily from all sorts of music styles (including rock and metal) over the past few years.

Really can't wait for more Job For A Cowboy this year!

I am also going to make a prediction for 2023 and beyond. I think we are going to see a lot more independence in artists without the need for record labels or industry labels. With the great technology, that’s out there easily accessible and platforms like music streaming, RU-vid, twitch, tick-tock, etc., I don’t see a need for a label anymore. And if the band can acquire a good manager who can promote the artist getting into things like venues and shows and tours, etc. it’s not that hard to achieve.

I think Turnstile has been bringing in shoegaze a lot more. But the way they do it sounds good and catchy. Theres guitar riffs that are very shoegaze that are memorable. I dont think shoegaze will ever be more popuular but i def see more metal, hardcore and punk incorporating more shoegaze in their music.

first vid of 2023 lets go! happy new year! personally im looking forward to more new school old school death metal from hardcore band members for example the nnew sanguisuggabogg comes out this year. as far as metal probably more strings on the guitars drums that are so insane only computers can do them and insane levels of vocal peformance. there will be more nu metal influence ibanez annd mesa boogie might have a record year lol. more hardcore band memebers will be doing shoe gazey grungy type rock side projects like spice or something similar, tik tok will continue to be a huge influence which i think might finally bring some shorter less dramatic songs, no one needs an 8 minute epic anymore

It’s nice to see Underoath finally get more of the recognition they deserve

I really hope Spiritbox puts out more stuff. Ive been addicted. As much as people love the Lorna and deathcore stuff it feels oversaturated to me now. But I'm not really into deathcore, so it is what it is. Im glad some people enjoy it and its gaining popularity. Apparently I mostly like post hard-core influenced metal? I guess that makes sense. I want my breakdowns but I want my catchy hooks and choruses too. And you can throw in some of the shoegaze elements. Like Loathe is ok, but I struggle to get into them because they have so much deathcore influence compared to Deftones/Spiritbox etc. I'm also curious if we get another banger instrumental album with influence from bands like Polyphia and Intervals. Maybe Unprocessed puts something out? Maybe Chon comes back? Hope 2023 is full of lots of new stuff to enjoy. Thanks for your videos in 2022 Finn.

Humanity’s Last Breath was my first extreme band, back when the other heaviest band I listened to was maybe early Pestillence, and some other death-thrash, more thrash bands. I definitelly prefer thall over djent. At the time I could hardly tell difference between deathcore and death metal, it all sounded just heavier and louder music than anything else. Now of course I can tell the difference, but still don’t prefer either over the other. There’s great deathcore, great death metal, terrible deathcore and terrible death metal.

Anyone heard of Holy Fawn? They released a pretty solid album last year. The genre may not be spot on, but it definitely has the ambient shoegazey vibes to it.

Damn it, Finn. I didn't notice the twist tie till you mentioned it and now it's all I see

narrow head and soul blind are just 2 names off the top of my head that are blending shoegaze elements with hardcore and it sounds awesome

I agree with you Finn that Metal and Rock music needs to be less nerdy and more accessible. But going full mid 00’s Emo, Pop Punk, Post Hardcore revival is NOT the way it should go about it. In fact while I was growing up in the mid to late 00’s, you would get bullied and teased if you listened to stuff like Green Day, MCR or Paramore. I would love to hear bands experiment with genres like Rave, Trance, Eurodance and Trip Hop music with Metal and Rock. Something like Tiesto Metal, Prodigy Metal, Cascada Metal. I would love to hear stuff like that.

If you ever forget when Winds of Plague's Era was, just remember, THIS IS WINDS OF PLAGUE ON THAT 2008 SHIT!!

Idk if anyone mentioned this band when talking about shoegaze but there’s this band called Narrow Head that I saw recently and I think they have perfected the shoegaze sound. Catchy riffs and choruses, very melodic and the occasional heavy part. Highly recommend.

This video inspired me to start a melodic deathgaze shoe-core band

a crazy 2023 would be awesome. We haven't had a truly amazing year since 2017. I'd be hyped.

When the front man looked like he could crush your head between his hands dude was diesel! - winds of plague that is

Disagree with the Shoegaze thing, yes its not inherently catchy but there is a lot of shoegaze nostalgia, people just going back and listening to the 90's stuff and like Japanese stuff and even outside metal you are seeing plenty of shoegaze infused with hard rock and indie rock that is actually getting pretty popular in some cases e.g. Wolf Alice, also the success of Dream pop imo among Gen Z can rlly help people get used to more modern shoegaze influenced stuff, if kids are already liking old stuff like Slowdrive, My bloody Valentine and the dream pop acts like Beach house, what's stopping them from enjoying the new stuff.

The game, "Cyberpunk 2077", back in the late 80s/90s version of the tabletop rpg was named, "Cyberpunk 2020"... in reference to the the 2020s being a sci-fi concept

0:51 literally back to the future 2 when they have hover board skateboards😂

Deftones is getting really huge w younger people. I think that’s a indication that Shoegaze is going to have its moment

Winds of Plague, The Great Stone War. One of my favorite metal albums.

lol! I have the same twist tie sticking up on my mic arm holding the cable in place, now I'm self conscious about it.

If Loathe can manage to release some new material this year in the same vein as Dimorphous Display (single from early 2022), then they will have a huge year. One of their guitarists left the band. My guess is that has put a hurting on the songwriting process.

Noise gate in this video is so intense it's cutting off your ghost.

Saw the Lotus Eater comment. We need a video on them, Finn.

As being the one friend outta ten that listens to rock/metal/alt/punk, etc. Surrounded by peers that predominantly listen to edm/house/tech. Shoegaze really bridges the gap in the strangest way.

Around 19:20 Finn almost perfectly describes Bilmuri. When is Finn gonna get on the no wipe train?

@19:10 Pretty much what Bilmuri's been doing for a bit now, it's still clearly anchored in post-hardcore/metalcore, but the man's a genius with how he's so naturally implemented and combined other genres and sounds.

Shoegaze = vibe music, which is why I always liked it. Still love hooks and listen to a lot of other stuff, but I’ve always personally liked the more chill, downtempo stuff. And this current generation is alllll about “vibe”. So yea. Shoegaze FTW 😂

The plot of Back to the Future 2 was them going to the future (2015). I watched this movie when it was new to vhs.

I hope Humanity’s Last Breath gets the recognition they deserve. I got into them before they released Abyssal. Thall is probably one of the heavier genres I’ve found and I hope it gets the status deathcore has.

that ad placement was amazing.

I like genres simply because it helps me explain music to people or because it helps me know whether or not im likely to like something. But i love bands that blend genres and get creative. So to me it's really not that serious but it is a useful tool

The Age of Melodic Death Core was the first record to which Costco bought the rights for 2024. How great are those samples are going to taste with a little soundtrack?

the breakdown in the Great Stone War will forever be one of my favorites i love WOP

Shoegaze probably isn’t gonna pick up for recreational music but for something to listen to while you’re working, 100%. It fits in with ambient, Lofi, and classical. What’s different is it’s music with vocals that you can still listen to while writing an email.

On post-hardcore coming back. Bad Omens and Devil Wears Prada released post hardcore albums this year and honestly theyve been two of my favorites this year

It's funny that I got an ad for some zombie mobile game at the end of this right after Finn talks about wanting to be killed before the ska virus takes hold if he gets bit. Hahaha! 😂 Loved that part anyway and then getting that ad just took it to the moon for me. Lmao. Love ya Finn!!

I do like Loathe, but I agree that the Shoegaze-y portions of the music are weak to me. Once it comes on my brain drifts off and I'm no longer hyper-focused on the music but the sound.

As someone who has almost always needed melody in his music... hearing nik say "I think it might be the year of melodic deathcore"...... In flames Clayman... was the first time I was introduced to a band that was "heavier" than Metallica (in 2002 so yes, a couple years after it's release)... and they were so heavy (at the time)... but it had so much melody to it. In flames may have been what kickstarted my heavy side... but it also somewhat forced melody into my desires. Which is something deathcore didn't have as much as... and then to the hellfire came out... and oh man my life has changed in the last 20 years

I don't love everything shoegaze, but I definitely like a lot of it. Bands like spotlights that just envelope you, also Deftones incorporating shoegaze into heavy music was genius. But I do agree about the lack of 'hooks' in it. I don't think a lot of the shoegaze vocalists are big 'singers', and they sing quite low and low energy, which for the most part fits the vibe of the music, but I'd be a lot more interested if the vocalists had more dynamics, and used more 'pop style' melodies. My band Terminals (we got together just last year) love shoegaze, but also enjoy putting together pop melodies with different genres of rock and metal. This is an attempt at making shoegaze a bit more 'Melodic' ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7d0UaV6hc78.html&ab_channel=Terminals-Topic There is also the A side to the release called 'Solitude' which mixes some pop style melodies with more of a grunge/metalcore kinda sound ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UurtYwmtrHg.html&ab_channel=Terminals-Topic

I hear a lot of bands doing the emmure weedly weedlys with the guitars

Never forget back to the future 2 had us with hoverboards and flying cars for 2015 😅

Moodring is the perfect example mixing shoegaze and metal. Stuff like Constrict (from Moodring) rips pretty hard.

So excited to see more post hardcore content!

Finn, I'm also terrified by 2023 because I'll Turn 45 in April. Or maybe 39 for the seventh time... Anyway, what do you think about artists like Hardy or Jelly Roll and their country rock crissover? I mean, country is gigantic in Anerica... for whatever reason. And what should we do if you'll get infected by a Ska-Sabaton Virus?

I'm interested to see what happens with Paleface in 2023 now that they will do doing their first ever tour of the states soon. Wish them crazy Swedish gents the best

Yo how Finn talked about Ska at the end freaking killed me and made my day 🤣🤣 lmaoo

I appreciate the consistency with working on what you set to work on dude

Regarding the post-hardcore comeback, I don't believe I've ever heard Finn talk about the band Drug Church, but they've been around since about 2012 and would love to hear his opinion on them. I listen to and like a lot of different kinds of music, but they really stand out to me, and I hope they get more attention in the coming years.

Looking forward for more bands like Ten-56, Darko US, and Paleface that incorporate more hip hop and rap elements.

I recently got into Bad Omens. I can agree it's kinda popping off rn

Man winds of plague was so sick live i got lucky to have seen them when they tourred the first album another band that was also super melodic then was born of Osiris who doesn't get the recognition they deserve i got to see them play a skate rink in San jose California I think 2007 ish that was sick

It's weird how no one brings up how Greg Puciato from Dillinger Escspe Plan and The Black Queen; his newer contributions to how the scenes and genres are changing and evolving.

I think the shoegaze revival is already dying out. First there was the jangly reverb indie Mac demarco stuff in the mid 2010’s then you had title fight and many other punk/hardcore adjacent bands going shoegaze. And most of that scene is going more straight up indie or into a more pop punk sound. The deftones-core stuff is pretty new but I don’t think that will shift into full blown ride and slowdive sounding bands.

I'm not exactly sure if it works like this on spotify but if you listen to just one song from one band does that count you as a monthly listener of the band? Someone having 2 million monthly listeners does not mean its people actively listening your songs it might be because they heard your biggest hit one time on some playlist and now you are "a listener". I think the system needs to be reworked somehow so it shows people who are actually fans of said bands.

Sleeptalk is a 10/10 album. Please give it a full listen Finn. It’s there!

I've never heard of any of the bamds mentioned in this video except Lorna Shore lol.

Fin sir, did you just say Barriers? you mean Barrier Lol. 2011 was a trip I talked to one of the members on the phone. one of them is doing quite for themselves now. I might see them in March. I watched both Sworn in and Barrier grow before everyone knew who they were since 2011. My first local show of theirs, I knew they were gonna take off and they did. Now, were kind of all doing our own thing in life.

I love how talented everyone is in the scene now but there’s something about listening to something that’s not as technical and more chaotic that I miss.

Loathe is cool. I absolutely love sleep token though. Such a different vibe. Borrows from deftones a bit but not as much as loathe does. At least I don’t think. Much more unique imo.

I want a jazz style bass solo during the breakdown and I expect nothing less.

Noice vid lol I was dying at the end!

I def see it. It’s happening as we speak. Convictions used to be Underoath type metalcore. Now it’s the noises with their new song Stigmata. I like it though.

First off I believe that this year that symphonic metal bands are breaking the ceiling such as Gloyhammer, Angus Mcsix, Sabaton, Ad Infinity, Wind Rose, Kamelot, Epica, and list goes on and on. Secondly, I like the hard core music style in vain of Slaughter to Prevail but honestly when you get older hitting your 40’s and older you will start liking to music going back to the golden era of the 70’s and upward years classic rock, pop, country, possibly hip hop and disco that remain strong till this day and all this current death core trap music will become a distant phase in your life like what happened to me. Lol, I consider Metallica oldies music like listening to Led Zeppelin along with Megadeth. Slayer and others are either retired, dead, or just former versions of themselves like Sepultura and Max and Igor Cavalera spin off bands. Overall, music is changing over the years but to think that K-Pop is trying to overtake the American music scene I honestly hope the Rock and Metal music makes a comeback and Hip Hop Rap dies like Disco music just like what happened to the *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys boy bands. 😂

“The specter of Death inches closer every day” Most metal Finn McKenty quote ever….

Shoesgaze is just being more incorporated in metal like post hardcore. Thousand below does lots of reverby fuitar stuff. Or this lesser known band called Acres was incredible with doing a postcore and intense reverb guitars with all the melodic tremolo picking stuff

Wasn’t expecting a Ska segment In this video lol. 2023 the year of Ska haha let’s goo 🏁

When I was in High school I first heard winds of plague. And it was gutteral and filthy with very rugged production. And I loved that album. Then a couple years went by and my friend “introduced me” to Winds of Plague. And it was the same record. But the production was insanely tight and shiny and sounded like an entirely new band. It was still good. But it was kinda a bummer Cause I think I preferred the older production

Crazy how back to the future takes place in 2015

Brutal Death Metal deserves more credit for their influence on deathcore. Listen to Eternal Suffering if you like Lucker era Suicide Silence for example.

I'm having a really hard time imagining metal of any kind influenced by Slowdive. That's what I think of when somebody says "shoegaze," so maybe the term has come to refer to something else than it used to. I'm old. I can't keep up anymore, I guess.

THANK YOU FOR THE WOP SHOUT Decimate The Weak was one of the albums of my high school years

He really has a point about drummers in the metal genre. I can hang when it comes to playing the classics, but this new age stuff is just too quick and precise. Props to any metal drummer today.

3:50 to get to fashion. Shocking.