This is my inaugural post in a category I call Overrated and I am not shying away from big names on this one. No bands in this Overrated category would I ever consider “Bad” and there are even songs by them I enjoy; but I have never been able to see why they’ve reached the levels and acclaim that they have. Will kick it off with one of the top 3 rock bands of all time when it comes to recognition.

Nirvana

Coming out swinging here. I really like Grunge and don’t get me wrong I have a decent amount of Nirvana on my grunge playlist, but this overrated designation has more to do with just how massively renowned Nirvana is. They’ve separated themselves from the big 4 of Grunge (other 3 being Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains) so much and I’d firmly hold them in the 4th rank myself. The other 3 just do their thing much better. Vocally you just have probably the best (or more unarguably best ranged) rock singer in Chris Cornell of Soundgarden (and Layne Staley of AIC is no slouch either), Alice in Chains has that dark and gritty sound just nailed down perfectly (I guess heroin diet may do that), and the guitar playing both rhythm and lead in Pearl Jam is just some of the most unique and technical stuff you’ll hear around. So, when you get to Nirvana you get a distinctive voice but more so probably for being undecipherable half the time, a darkness and grit sure but not as intense, and considerably basic composition. Yet they are the band everyone’s heard of and has transcended rock (many non-rockers have heard of Nirvana), and they even were the one that was probably most emulated in the “post Grunge” genre. They are arguably top 3 of all rock bands in reputation and that “influence” tag and maybe even recognition, but they aren’t even top 3 in their own genre in my mind. That said they do have some decent songs and one INCREDIBLY good song in Smells Like Teen Spirit, which you could make a case is an Underrated song just because without that song I don’t think Nirvana is even close to the recognition they get now. I used to think maybe it was because how Kurt Cobain died and his age that gave this band a big boost in recognition, I don’t necessarily think it is as a big a boost as I did before but I do think it added to the band’s sense of lore (sad to say); and perhaps didn’t allow enough examples to continue to reveal the truly narcissistic tendencies that Kurt Cobain exhibited that may have turned off some fans eventually. So not saying don’t listen to them, just saying don’t go in thinking they are the cream of the Grunge crop.

Despite the pedastool knockdown, give these a listen:

Smells Like Teen Spirit

You Know You’re Right

Heart Shaped Box 

Pantera

I can tolerate aggressive vocals though it’s not exactly my cup of tea, but that’s not why I’d label them overrated. Like other groups I have in this category, I just don’t believe they deserve the reputation of pillars in metal. One thing contributing to the reputation is the supposed master of guitar that Dimebag Darrell is. And don’t get me wrong, he is talented, but you can find talented guitarists in hard rock all over the place. His riffs are very rugged and repetitive and not that awe inspiring in my opinion. Sometimes he gets hits on one, like in Walk, or even Becoming with that scratchy part in the riff; and he is a talented soloist; I love how it harmonizes with the rhythm in sections of the solo in Cowboys From Hell. But while he is good (though I believe overrated) it doesn’t really make up for the deficiencies in the rest of the music they put out. The vocals just sound like it’s coming from a hateful angry person, like a white supremacist (hmm), and while vocals alone aren’t enough to just rule the tone of every song, I think in Pantera’s case it does. So, while I see some good elements taking a back seat to some elements just holding the music back, apparently the world doesn’t agree with me and thus they get a lot of renown in the metal community. In times that they shed the raw aggression (both vocally and rhythmically), they actually put out some pretty decent tracks. They had roots in hair metal (first album or so) and I’d almost put forth that their most famous song (Cowboys From Hell) sounds more hair metal than their other popular tracks (granted with a heavier solo a la Megadeth). Bottom line though I tried to give them multiple chances to break into my lineup but the only reason they finally did was prepping for this Metallica Concert which they are an opener for (and sadly Dimebag Darrell has passed which unfortunately reduces that allure for the concert). But at that concert I will give them credit for really pumping up the crowd, much more so than the opener right before them (which I have part of my “Underappreciated” category); so that has to count for something. Still while I was pumped, I really just heard noise more-so there than ever.

Despite the pedestal knockdown, give these a listen:

Cowboys From Hell

Suicide Note, pt. 1

Walk (for more trademark sound)