Many times, music is tossed to the side because of its inability to follow the standards of popular music. While having a unique sound can be helpful in the search for success, many artists fall behind in this search due to the fine line between unique and too different.
From Douglasville, Georgia emerged The Chariot, a metalcore band that is heavily characterized by their dissonant sound and screaming vocals. Noted by MTV as “the thing of metalcore legend,” The Chariot has debuted at number 85 on the Billboard 200 with their album “One Wing” and is considered to be a Christian band.
Despite their reputation, they aren’t very prominent among the masses. Jonathan Shriver, senior Longwood student, attributes this to their harsh sound.
“They play a sound that isn’t particularly catchy. If you’re not used to it and haven’t read the lyrics then you probably won’t understand it. So, on the surface it’s not relatable.” Shriver said.
So, if it’s not relatable on the surface, then what’s the big draw? The Chariot makes a point to keep their musical integrity. They aren’t playing a certain sound to appease a particular audience in order to make money. In addition to this, Shriver admires their candor.
“It’s really honest. It doesn’t care what you think about it. They’d be playing the same stuff if no one was listening.” Shriver said.
The Chariot has a very unique sound, albeit an abrasive one. The song “Evan Perks” begins with a fast, dissonant guitar work, which leads into incomprehensible screaming by the lead singer. Shriver also praises their writing ability.
“They… benefit from the songwriter being a genius.” He said.
Oftentimes, bands like The Chariot aren’t ever heard by many people because they don’t fit the standards of popular music. Shriver criticizes this gap between popular music and underrepresented music.
“Too many times popular music is based off of what you’re told is popular, how catchy it is… Underrepresented boils down to miscommunicated.” Shriver said.
While The Chariot’s intense sound makes them unique, Shriver says this unique sound is the reason that they have such a select audience.
“It’s like nothing I had ever heard before. Not a lot of people try to put out a similar sound, which is justifiable.” He said.
Knowing that The Chariot’s music is an acquired taste, Shriver says that it’s not for everyone.
“I don’t think everyone should listen to it because not everyone is going to like it,” Shriver said, “But the idea that you shouldn’t listen to it just because it’s different and aggressive is ridiculous.”
