The Angry Angry Genre

My music library needs an angry album. This might seem like an odd statement coming from a guy whose CD collection is comprised of more and more ska/punk as time goes on, but there is a big difference between "happy angry" and "angry angry," and what I need right now is a dose of "angry angry."

But the field of angry angry in the music industry is a tough one to become a fan of. Angry angry music is too often filled with poor lyrics, or associated with emo or death metal, neither of which appeal to my ear. Sometimes angry angry music utilizes poor lyrics, emo, AND death metal, and then you have something that is just FRIGHTENING.

But I think the problem, if you boil it down, is really just bad vocals. I don't like hearing somebody whining or yelling along with the music; I'd prefer to just hear the music, because it usually isn't too bad. Vocals can really break a song, you know. Does anybody else remember that Saturday Night Live episode where Ashley Simpson messed up her song and had to leave the stage in embarrassment? Now, I've never liked any of Simpson's songs, but once she left the stage her band started doing some improv and I realized that they were REALLY GOOD. It's too bad that they have to live in her substandard shadow because for those few seconds before they cut to an embarrassed commercial break I found myself really jamming.

Obviously, Simpson's music could hardly be called angry angry, but I think it's a good example of how good music can be held back by a lackluster vocalist. Which (spontaneously) brings me back to my point: angry angry music and the bad vocals attributed to it. So many bands opt for a rather unnecessary vocal element when they should just be concentrating on their instruments. I'd prefer to pick up an angry angry album that has fucking XXX hardcore guitars than one with a singer who sings about how life sucks and he wants to kill your chickens.

It's like the difference between the pillow's "Nightmare" and FLCL's edit of the song. The song is fucking awesome, but honestly Sawao's vocals are just annoying, so I like FLCL's instrumental version better. Another good example is 7minutes from the Cowboy Bebop movie soundtrack. No singer, just hardcore bad-assery.

That's all I want. Angry angry hardcore bad-assery with little to no vocals. And maybe some cookies. Is that too much to ask for?