We teased it last week and now it is here: an all Nü-Metal episode! We kick it old school, getting all nostalgic on the late 90’s/early 2000’s “metal” your three host started off on. We also bring it back around, talking about some of these bands reuniting, putting out new music, touring, etc., and even view some some new Nü-Metal! Yet, somehow we managed to go through the whole recording without discussing Slipknot or System of a Down, admittedly an oversight, but, well, at least they’re mentioned here. Also, to keep a kind of theme going, Brian’s gonna be sharing some Nü-Metal news over on Google+ (where you should be following him anyway for regular actual-Metal news).
Reviews: lostprophets – Weapons; Spineshank – Anger Denial Acceptance; Taproot – The Episodes
The Sideshow Podcast 
I had always interpreted nu metal as Korn and later rap metal. Did a metal band ever have a DJ? Did they ever rap? If so, then they were nu metal. If not, then they are not nu metal. Is nu metal a style of music or is it simply the time period when a band debuted (1996-2002)? I actually think it is both, meaning that nu metal is rap metal from a band that debuted from 1996 to 2002. My definition excludes from nu metal Rage Against the Machine (first album came out in 1992).
Because I came of age in a generation prior to you guys (with grunge and 90s alt rock), I mostly skipped nu metal. The things that 15 year olds are listening to generally do not appeal to 25 year olds. For me, that meant Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead were more appealing than Korn and Limp Bizkit. Because of that, I am only aware of the most commercially successful nu metal bands because I wasn’t into that style of music and wasn’t seeking out similar bands. I haven’t heard of half the bands you mentioned in this episode.
But there were some bands that caught my attention during that time which I still like to this day. Deftones are one of my favorites, though their catalog sags in the middle. I mostly agree with what you guys said about Disturbed and I think Believe is quite a good album. My favorite nu metal band is Linkin Park. I need someone to explain to me why everyone bad mouths them because I honestly can’t see why. The only reason I can see for the hate is that they were a big commercial success. Or is it because they were a little later to the nu metal scene and by that time all the 15 year olds who liked Korn in 1996 were 20 years old by the time Linkin Park hit it big and by that time too many 13 year olds were into Linkin Park? I also think Linkin Park suffers from the common veteran band catch-22, in that they were criticized because their second album sounded too much like their first, but were also criticized when they changed their sound and style on album number three.
Rawk the Party!