u/Technical_Fill4653

The music sounds high‑quality, melodic, and free of chaotic riffs, yet it’s energetic and atmospheric.

And the absence of extreme vocals didn’t alienate the listener, while at the same time this genre isn’t overloaded with its “heaviness”.

What do you say? Do you allow this option?

I really love metalcore with vocals, and my favorites are Killswitch Engage, Architects, blessthefall, and others...BUT!

Personally, I really like how metalcore sounds without any vocals, because you can directly feel all the drive of the track, all the melody, the power of the riffs and breakdowns.

And I started wondering: are there many fans of this genre at all? Or is it a very “niche” genre?

А то мне как-то доказывали, что чисто инструментальный метал сейчас слушают 1,5 человека😄 Много ли здесь таких людей, кто включат мелодичный гитарный кач без слов и не скучает?

https://preview.redd.it/brk4zquc8djh1.png?width=599&format=png&auto=webp&s=7f5bbbeec58328fb71e08dbccf35d4c008779528

I’ve been spinning a lot of instrumental tracks and it hit me how wildly unfair it is that instrumental metalcore doesn't get even a fraction of the hype that vocal-led bands get. 😵‍💫

We love guitar playing (melodic parts and techniques), breakdowns,interesting and groovy drums, but when a band releases a purely instrumental album, it's often perceived as a "feature" or just bonus tracks.

Why does the lack of a vocalist push instrumentalists into the underground? 🤔

I've found the following pros and cons of instrumental metalcore 👇

✅ The Pros (Why It Deserves More Love):

• Pure Sonic Freedom: Without lyrics dictating what a song is about, the music becomes a blank canvas. Your brain paints the pictures. It’s full atmospheric immersion.
• Only Musicianship: There is nowhere to hide. Every riff, every technical breakdown, and every drum fill is front and center. The guitars are the vocals.
• No Language Barrier: It’s a universal language. A heavy riff hits just as hard in Tokyo as it does in Ohio, no translation needed.
• The Ultimate Focus Fuel: It works perfectly as high-energy soundtrack material for gaming, gym sessions, or coding without vocal tracks distracting your brain.

❌ The Cons (Why It Struggles to Blow Up):

• The Missing "Hook": Let's be honest, the human brain is wired to connect with human voices. Without a catchy chorus or a well-placed BLEGH, casual listeners find it hard to anchor themselves to the song structure.
• The Lyrical Catharsis is Gone: Metalcore is therapy for a lot of us. We love shouting back lyrics at shows to release trauma. Instrumental tracks don't give you that specific crowd-vocal punch.
• The "Frontman Factor": Marketing an instrumental band is tough. There’s no charismatic leader to dominate music videos, do interviews, or command the crowd from the stage.

As a Result: Complete Injustice and Prejudice 😞

To be honest, it's frustrating to see good tool projects rejected.

Composers put insane effort into making their instruments literally weep and scream. Perhaps a more thorough immersion is required, but if you still manage to experience everything that the author puts into the instrumental track, I think that the attitude towards the instrumental subgenre will become more loyal.

What Do You Think Needs to Happen for Instrumental Metalcore to Really Become More Popular and Mainstream? 🤔

Do instrumental metalcore music need to improve the visual design, try harder to integrate into video game/anime soundtracks, or maybe add elements of electronics, orchestration, etc.?