I have never known the exact genre that I loved the most. I mostly just called it all metal, but then I listen to a lot of songs in this thread that is considered metal, and yet I consider it hard rock or something else.

But it seems apparent now that the genres I tend to like are Nu-metal and metalcore.

For example I listen to a band recently called Alestorm. These guys are considered Power Metal, Folk Metal, "Pirate Metal". But they have many songs in different genres in my opinion and they also have some humor in them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ_eVIZkjZE - Metalcore and Folk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11CKOAQDsbg - Metalcore and parody of Lady Gaga song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th4Czv1j3F8 - Not sure, but best lyrics in any song haha.

I simply can't get into the angsty lyrical and musical themes, among other reasons. It's not something I can relate to, nor does it sound good to my ears. And it just sounds too simplistic to my ears. I did have a brief stint of listening to Coal Chamber in the late 90s, but even now I can't go back and listen to it.  Just not a style that gels with me, and it hasn't aged well to these ears, either.

Whether people consider it metal is irrelevant to me.  I consider some Korn, Disturbed, Slipknot, Coal Chamber, etc. to be metal. But I can't really get behind calling Linkin Park metal though.  Adding guitars over pop rock music doesn't make it metal. They may have been a decent gateway band, I don't know, as I was well into metal by the time their first album hit.  But they're still just a rock band.

One of my favorite Folk Metal songs:

Dragonheads by Ensiferum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GWpg9QFwWI

I adore this song. So beautiful, also reminds me a bit of early CD-based JRPG music:

I often listen to music by Adrian Von Ziegler. He composes folk music, motly 'Celtic music'. Sometimes he also makes songs that combine his typical folk songs with metal.

Oh my God, I've only started listening to this yesterday, but it's been on repeat for hours. The whole album's great, but I love this song in particular. Great song, and a good message too.

We are here to drink your beer 
And steal your rum at a point of a gun 
Your alcohol to us will fall 
'Cause we are here to drink your beer

Drink Drink Drink

The national anthem for any student that drinks beer

Yeah funny lyrics for most of their big songs. Mexico is just as ridiculous haha.

I love this band, probably my favourite Japanese band!! Some great alternative metal:

Album of the week: Stryer - The Yellow and Black Attack! (1984)

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv-iBTs9zt8

Now it's time for some good old ass-kicking heavy metal from the 1980s! Stryper were one of the very first overtly-Christian metal bands to gain mainstream success, leading to much derision both from the conservatives Christians and the metalheads. However, what does it matter, if the music's great? And that's what this is! Now, there may be some sappy songs on here, but overall it's a nice speedy metal album. My favourite track is probably From Wrong to Right, I remember listening that to that song quite a bit a few months ago. Give it a listen you guys, if you like Judas Priest in particular I think you'll enjoy this. Glam metal fans should also be able to get into this fairly easily.