Alt rock

Selection of contemporary alt rock bands, from top left to bottom right: Aara (Kamura), Trisula (Sokoku), Sawa (Kusawen), Perpaduan Rasa (Sokoku), Bakaka (Rhadria), Koki Gila (Sokoku), Anduraya (Kamura), Zentopan Y (Koskiya) and Semu Sumu (Sokoku)

Alt rock, also alt rock music, Altaian rock or Altaian rock music, is a broad genre of popular music that originated in Altaia and has spread around the world since then. Even though the most common point of view today is that all rock music has its roots in Altaian rock, nowadays only rock music from Altaia or heavily influenced by it is referred to as alt rock.

It is generally seen as a counter movement against Anarian (popular) music and as such an important cultural part in the decolonisation movement and Altaian recent heritage. As such, its status is quite different between nations like Sokoku, where it is the main music culture and heavily supported by the government as cultural heritage, or Mirapan and Transelfasland, where it is banned as an outing of subversive and revolutionary nature.

Rock music has gained ground and popularity on other continents as well, not in the least in large parts of Anaria where it more often is a distinctive part of counter culture associated with political activism and youth revolt. Most rock music from Kamura is considered to be alt rock as well, due to the tight ethnic and cultural links with Altaia through Kusawen.

Characteristics

The sound of (alt) rock is traditionally centered on the amplified electric guitar, which emerged in its modern form in the 7620s. The sound of an electric guitar in rock music is typically supported by an electric bass guitar and by percussion produced from a drum kit that combines drums and cymbals. This trio of instruments has often been complemented by the inclusion of other instruments, particularly keyboards such as the piano and the synthesizer. One or more singers complete the basic line-up, even though there also is instrumental rock music.

Alt rock music is traditionally built on a foundation of simple syncopated rhythms in a 4/4 time signature, with a repetitive snare drum back beat on beats two and four. Melodies often originate from older musical modes, as well as major and minor modes. Harmonies range from the common triad to parallel perfect fourths and fifths and dissonant harmonic progressions. Alt rock music often uses the verse–chorus structure derived, but there has been considerable variation from this model. Critics have stressed the eclecticism and stylistic diversity of rock. Because of its complex history and its tendency to borrow from other musical and cultural forms, it has been argued that it is impossible to bind rock music to a rigidly delineated musical definition.

The music carries the lyrics, which in alt rock are about self realisation, becoming of age (and even growing older) including romantic love.

Origins

Alt rock has its origins in Anarian folk music brought by settlers in the 76th century. Three developments in society have contributed to the Altaian population adapting these roots to a particular own style and genre. The first is the ongoing industrialisation, accompanied by urbanisation, where large parts of the population resettled and lost connection to traditional culture. Industrialisation also led to the development of the main instrument of the genre, starting with the electric guitar, followed by the electric bass and keyboards. With these instruments, Altaians were able to transform, even ridicule Anarian music and use it to define a new and modern heritage among the native population. Music performances became both entertainment as well as protests against the societal norms of the time. The third factor was war, or rather wars, ranging from the decolonisation wars of Sokoku in the 7620's and First Coalition War in the 7630's to the Second Coalition War in the 7660's. While the first can be seen as the foundation of the genre, the latter coincides with the emerging popularity alt rock, as well as the starting point for its diversification that is continuing up to this day.

Up until the 7660's alt rock was mainly a regional genre, heavily used in the process of decolonisation, celebrating the liberation from colonial rule. This explains the up-tempo and uplifting character of the music, as well as the high accessibility through easy melodies and simple verse-chorus structures. Both contributed to a quickly growing popularity of alt rock as a defining factor in newly found autonomy and self realisation.

The term "rock" has been in use as early as the late 7620's. It is both a reference to the loud nature of the music, making a rock solid impact, as well as a reference to the literal common ground of all Altaians. With the use of this term in all the different languages, the music was actively promoted as a modern common denominator among and between populations that had suffered from oppression and warfare.

Popularisation

The Second Coalition War was truly a global conflict, with the Altaian decolonised nations fighting side by side with former Anarian colonisers for the first time. Altaian governments used popular music like alt rock to gather support for the war effort, as well as motivating those going to battle. This way, deployed military from D'Runia and Anaria came into contact with it. They brought it back to their own nations where they started using it themselves.

Beside a large popularisation, the worldwide distribution and post-war development also led to a huge diversification of the genre, even within alt rock. Different subgenres of rock were adopted by, and became central to, the identity of a large number of sub-cultures. This applied to both regional subcultures, like the emergence of southern alt rock in the Sokokan states of Shaaniaah and Diyin Tsidii, as well as subcultures within a region, like punk or emo as countercultures in Anaria.

The genre gained a recent boost through the cult tv-series MEPA-12X and the accompanying international music release "Unsafe at any speed" from 7690, which sparked a renewed interest in alt rock in large parts of Anaria.

Subgenres

Three main subgenres or gatherings of subgenres tend to be defined within alt rock: pop rock (batu kayan), hard rock (batu keras or buta asli, "true rock") and metal (logam). Pop rock emphasises the entertainment value of music and usually is of a lighter, more accessible nature. Hard rock focuses on the artistic message in instrumentation, composition and lyrics and is usually played with a distorted guitar sound. Metal (or heavy metal) ha less focus on melodies or syncopation, always combining a rhythm and lead guitar, both with a distorted sound. While hard rock maintained a some swing in the back beat and riffs that tended to outline chord progressions in their hooks, heavy metal's riffs often function as stand-alone melodies and have no swing in them.

Styles

• "Billy" (udik) - one of the earliest styles of rock music with its root in the Altaian countryside, originally played with hollow body guitar and standing bass in higher tempo. The Sokokan band Gatal-Gatal is a prominent band in this genre.
• Black metal (logam hitam) - extreme subgenre of heavy metal music, including fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw (lo-fi) recording, unconventional song structures, and an emphasis on atmosphere. An example is the Sokokan metal band Kekaisaran Keempat.
• Core - fusion genre combining elements of extreme metal like black metal and hardcore punk, that originated in the late 7680s. Noted for its use of slow breakdowns, intense passages conducive to moshing, guitar riffs and double bass drumming.
• Death (logam ketamian) - extreme subgenre with heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; most often deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, featuring double kick and blast beat techniques; minor keys or atonality; abrupt tempo, key, and time signature changes; and chromatic chord progressions.
• Doom (kiamat, both rock and metal) - subgenre influenced by hard rock, early metal, progressive rock and blues; commonly incorporating lyrics referencing the occult or supernatural; often in a very slow tempo with distorted guitars tuned down. Particular popular in some congregations of Guso, like Yakoko.
• Grunge (gemuk in both rock and metal) - modern subgenre and subculture with its roots in Berewan in the late 7680's, a mid tempo hybrid between punk and metal with slowed down guitar riffs and atonal chord progressions and dissonant harmonies. Important ambassador for the genre is Kodi Sandi from Sokoku, even though they're sometimes referred to as "doom rock" as well.
• Industrial (meka, short for mekanisasi, both rock and metal) - fusion of heavy metal and heavier dance music, typically employing repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines. Prominent example is the Sokokan artist Dar'ga and the Guso soulkeeper Murasaki Yu, while even Tenji Sa Reta's hit single Helreich fits the genre.
• Progressive (maju, both rock and metal), sometimes also labelled symphonic - genre outside the standard pop and traditions in favour of instrumentation and compositional techniques more frequently associated with jazz, Altaian folk or Anarian classical music, creating music for listening rather than dancing.
• Power (daya, both rock and metal) - characterised by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound in anthemic songs with strong choruses, creating a theatrical, dramatic and emotionally "powerful" sound. The Sokokan band Gigitan Cinta is an example.
• Psycho (jiwani) - high tempo, often a combination of billy and punk, with lyrics about the supernatural like horror and sci-fi, as such more of a pop genre than rock or metal.
• Punk (tak, both rock and metal) - short, fast-paced songs with hard-edged melodies and singing styles with stripped-down instrumentation, as an expression of rejecting the corporate nature of mainstream music. The most puristic version only applies two chords in any progression, but in punk pop regular chord progressions are applied as well.
• Symphonic (simfo, both rock and metal) - subgenre of progressive, focusing on classical Anarian music.
• Trap (lapun) - rock and metal style leaning heavily on modern dance genres, including typical build-ups, drops, dense production with rave music synthesizers, and breakdowns. In metal form also referred to as "electronic dance metal".

Note that most of these genres can and have been merged, for example "psychobilly punk rock" which combines elements of all three styles.

Styles like rap (damprat) or screamo (teriyaki) only apply to the styles of vocals applied, where the first indicates rhythmically applied spoken word instead of song, and the latter for high pitched growls as the vocal style. But rap and screamo are present in many subgenres (some more than other) and can even be applied within the same song together with so-called clean vocals.

Even though a term like "Guso rock" (batu guso) is being used, it's not so much a genre on its own but more a different type of goals trying to be reached by it. Where state supported alt rock in places like Sokoku is focusing on nationalism and entertainment, Guso congregations focus on the spiritual aspect. See below.

The same applies to the container term "scrap metal" (besi tua), which is used for artists not supported by any authorities. It's in use for underground acts not seeking any artistic or popular recognition, Altaian counterculture groups and anti-autoritarians, as well as a badge of honor by amateur artists and bands playing music as pass time beside their regular work assignment. Few groups make it from "scrap metal" status to any popularity, one of the few exceptions is G:Putaran from Kyusigai which was started by rejects from music school, playing underground punk rock as guerilla street performances in 7675. By 7682 they were accepted into music academy for developing songwriting skills. Their status was confirmed when they were invited to contribute a song to the major TV production MEPA-12X in 7686.

Regional variations

• S-Rock or Shu-rock (batushu) - pop rock style associated with Shuuen and especially its largest cities Kyusigai and Berewan, applied heavily in modern entertainment like TV-series, anime but also music-only TV shows. Bands with some fame outside Altaia include Perpuadan Rasa and B.I.D. (Bunga Itu Dingin) both from Sokoku. According to some critics it is not so much a genre, but just a geographical denominator, including most pop rock and power rock from these cities.
• Southern rock (selatan or shadiaah) - easily identifiable subgenre with mid-tempo songs with a lot of syncopation and backbeat swing, commonly associated with the countryside of southern Altaia. This includes the Sokokan mainland states Diyin Tsidii and Shaaniaah, from which bands like Kuruc and Bahijii are coming, but also the nations in between.

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  Southern rock band Bahijii from mainland Sokoku.

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  Southern rock band Kuruc from Sokoku.

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  Shu-rock band B.I.D. from Kyusigai, Sokoku.

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  Shu-pop rock band Perpaduan Rasa from Kyusigai, Sokoku.

Social impact

There is a clear distinction between the social impact of alt rock in Altaia compared to the influence of (alt) rock in other regions. In Altaia, alt rock has contributed hugely to the raised self awareness and pride in newly formed nation, even as a factor contributing to the integration of different ethnicities into new national constructs or urban environments. It helped coping with the social challenges of decolonisation and post-war restoration for large communities on state and national levels. Alt rock tends to get government support, enabling talented youngsters to persuade a career in modern music and entertainment as musicians, songwriters or performers, often in the form of self-owned co-ops or through privately owned companies.

Alt rock and Guso

Being a relatively modern religion, Guso has embraced alt rock as one of the ways to establish a following and spreading the message. It is not uncommon that only soul keepers appear on stage, although they're often accompanied by a backing band with skilled, trained and educated professional musicians. The separation between songwriting skills, musical recording and stage performance is the largest within Guso, where several congregations have a large clergy taking care of these duties in a similar way as worldly entertainment production companies. Some of the Guso alt rock groups have some international recognition, like ERIS and Shingeki in Auresia and Anisora, as well as ERIS and MOZU in Kamura, but they're not prominent ambassadors of alt rock abroad.

Even most of the leading figures in the religion, like the head of the Kakuri chapter of Guso Murasaki Yu has made a name for herself using alt rock, in her case industrial metal, to reach out to an audience.

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  MOZU, a Yukue shirezu tsure zure Guso rock group with some popularity in Kamura.

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  The Guso rock band Shingeki, a Kuso denomination rock group with some following in Auresia and Anisora.

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  The Guso performers ERIS, main act of the Erisu branch with some recognition in Anisora, Kamura and Auresia.

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  Yakosei no Konchuu's primary performers group, simply baring the name of the congregation, is one of the most prominent names in power rock, black metal and rap metal.

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  Murasaki Yu, leading figure in the Kakuri chapter, gained a name for herself as a soul keeper performing industrial metal.

Rock versus Alt rock

Cultural status

Rock music has generally been associated with rebellion against social and political norms in Anaria, the counterculture's rejection of consumerism and conformity and punk's rejection of all forms of social convention. In countries like Vittmark, rock music has become subject of commercial exploitation of such ideas and of diverting youth away from political action. There are many mainstream applications, which can be easily identified by its lyrical context, often with poetry about romantic love. In Anaria, the music and entertainment industry of Vittmark has proven pivotal for the distribution of rock (and pop) across that continent, including the use of Wortsproke as part of the identifier for rock and pop culture.

Alt rock however is ingrained in the modern, popular culture of many Altaian nations, especially those with a colonial past. Here, the music is seen as a cultural identifier of an entire continent and intrinsically mainstream in nature. As such, the status as the "anti-colonial standard" contributes to the rebellious image rock music has in Anaria or Kamura.

Gender equality

This also makes rock outside Altaia quiet male dominated, while in Altaia there is a more equal representation. About 20% of the bands in Sokoku are all female, 30% mixed and just under 50% male only (not including bands with female vocalists not playing an instrument). The Sokokan government is however aiming at 25-50-25 through education and labelled investment in entertainment production companies. But with the status of counter-cultural element in Anarian rock, musicianship often started as an unpaid side activity, thus engaging men to a larger extent as musicians. Rock music in Anaria is quiet male dominated, with about 12% of musicians being female according to a survey of charting artists and bands in Vittmark.

Multi-artists or specialised roles

The lack of status in Anaria often leads to bands and groups managing songwriting, playing instruments and performing with the same group of 4-5 people, of which a relatively small part is able to make a living as a rock artist. In many Altaian nations, most rock bands on stage consist of the most entertaining performers, aided in the studio by the best musicians, recording music written by the most skilled songwriters. This type of specialisation on the work floor is typical for e.g. Sokokan alt rock, even though there are plenty of examples of self produced and self recorded artists and bands as well. In Anaria, this practice is generally frowned upon as "selling out" given the rebellious nature of rock music there.

Instrumentation and effects

Comparison of Anarian styled guitars and bass (left) and Altaian instruments (right).

Anarian built instruments are used more often in Anarian rock, while alt rock is dominated by the heavier Altaian instruments. Even though there are more and more hybrid versions between both types, the Anarian guitar type with single coil pick-ups in combination with alder or ash guitar bodies creates a balanced and brighter tone, often with quite pronounced upper-mid range frequencies. Usually, alder and ash are also lighter than mahogany. Altaian guitars are built with a mahogany body and a maple top (or all mahogany) which gives a slightly darker sound; a little richer, warmer and usually with more sustain. Single coil was the standard in these guitars as well until well into the 7650's, but since then the double coil has become the standard, addressing the problems with hum or buzz affecting Altaian guitars back then. Tuning knobs on an Altaian guitar tend to be on the top side of the head, while Altaian instruments have an equal amount on both sides.

A similar difference can be seen in electric bass guitars, which is a Sokokan invention if you look at the most used type of bass guitars these days. The original Altaian bass guitar has a more symmetrical body shape with a single split coil pick-up element (see the wood coloured bass guitar furthest to the right in the picture). When Anarian instrument builder started manufacturing bass guitars, they adapted it to typical Anarian music styles, like Mellanhand Orkanan hymns and Stoldavian folk songs. It resulted in a lay-out with two single coil pick-ups and an asymmetrical body shape that fitted Anarian playing techniques better (see the white bass guitar in the picture above). The Anarian bass has a sleek offset waist that moves the guitar body away from the player’s picking arm. It also tapers (more) towards the nut, while Altaian basses tend to have a similar thickness across the entire neck. This is also one of the reasons why the Anarian bass tends to get played with a pick more often, while the Altaian bass is played through fingering. Recently, both techniques are more and more equally applied to both types. However, tapping, popping and slapping are generally seen as Altaian playing techniques.

Other differences between Altaia and (mainly) Anaria is the use of the terms "true rock" or "hard rock" for the almost identical subgenres on both continents. Within that subgenre, alt rock applies overdrive effects on guitar, while Anarian guitarists prefer the more raw, cut-off sound of a distortion effect. In Altaia, distortion is associated with metal, not so much true rock. Also typically Altaian is the use of fuzz guitar effects, using transistors for affecting the guitar sound. This effect is used elsewhere as well of course, but generally leads to the designation alt rock for the music in question, regardless of place of origin.