TOP FIVE SONGS THAT SHOULD BE METALCORE COVERS VOL. I
For many years now, I’ve had the concept of a metalcore cover band that exists in fantasy (it even has a name: 2Hype JamZ); in this series I will alternate between vicariously acting out what songs the band would cover, in what style, and why; bands I’d like to see do the covers; and/or just floating a general idea out into the ether. Let’s take a walk through these five tracks on this first installment of what will be a semi-regular series, until I run out of ideas.
5. 311-"Hive"
A band like Fox Lake would have a field day with this song. It’s already pretty aggressive and grooves with the rap-rock foundation that lends itself to that style of "pissedcore" perfectly, as do the lyrics. "Hive," like our next track, is already primed to simply be ratcheted up a few new notches and it would kill. An honorable mention from the 311 catalog I’d love to see an intrepid metalcore band tackle is the song "Galaxy" from Transistor.
4. Sugar Ray-"American Pig"
This song is actually already hard as fuck. That lead riff is crunchy and disgusting, the bass sounds like it was pulled from Bury Your Dead, and the drums are locked in. There are two ways you could go with this one: 1) with that Egyptian-type riff you could kick it to an After the Burial sound, or, given the inherent crunchiness, more of a Disembodied kind of sound, which would be nirvana for me to hear. In either case, have the vocals be screamed and down-tune this bad boy and we’re in business.
3. Michael and Janet Jackson-"Scream"
Lyrically, vocally (including the fact there is literally screaming), and with the hard beat, we’re already in the ballpark with this one. Its inherent aggression and groove lends itself perfectly to RnB-core, especially more in the Volumes realm of that subgenre. A Veil of Maya djentcore treatment, particuarly in the vein of a song like "Outrun" with its RnB-core/The Weeknd elements, would also be interesting.
2. Shannon-"Let the Music Play"
Same concept as above, but the beat is even fatter.
1. Eurythmics-"Here Comes the Rain Again"
This one is more melodic hardcore with some metallic influence, but I’ve always felt this song lends itself perfectly to a cover by Sundowning-era This Is Hell, not least of which because of the song title, but also tonally if not necessarily lyrically.