Russell Allen: A model for vocal health and consistency???

[@ZachAnsley]

I'm sorry about the video quality guys. If you have any pointers as to how to make it better, I am all ears! www.patreon.com/ZachAnsley

[@superyan4100]

I don't know your room's set up but I would recommend a better camera, record during the day and let natural light in or use stronger lights in your room. Keep up the good work.

[@Alexisdc11]

So we are 6 years after your video. I've seen Russel live a few weeks ago, and he was just as mind blowing as what he was in 1998. The guy hits super high notes (counter C and higher) with great power in every song during a 1+ hour show. And he is always very in tune and doesn't show any fatigue. I know for myself it would already be hard to sing ONE SX song from start to finish. So imo, doing already one complete show is already pretty impressive. Doing a 30 years career of this stuff is almost a miracle.

[@danielrueda3298]

Man, thank you very much, I'm learning A LOT! I used to sing in a metal band and I wish I had listened to your analysis of songs back then. I love the way you explain and how your personality shines with your teaching, I have a good time listening to you.

[@thanksthe5505]

Russ is the best vocalist today. His range goes from 'Im gonna cry' to 'Im gonna kill someone'... Mikael from Opeth is good too, but not this good...

[@lawnboyfreak]

I met Symphony X on that gigantour! It was the first time I heard them. His voice had hardly any rasp. I bought “The Odyssey” there and when I listened to it on the way home, I couldn’t believe how different he sounded! He sounded so much smoother live that night!

[@SaloMikael]

Great content, love the no BS attitude with real facts! I would love you to analyse Hansi Kürsch's voice though, seeing that he has maintained a heavily raspy voice in prime condition into his 50's already. For a recent reference you could check out the Mirror Mirror live performance from 2017 (Nuclear Blast channel).

[@TheRaviotar]

Agreed! Hansi is one of my favorites (as is Russell), really unique and creative voice.

[@TwoandaHater]

He has done Transiberian Orchestra for a few years.

[@jdv77]

Man you're way too smart. Glad you're my bro. I'm always learning from you.

[@thegiftedone7251]

So many vocal insights. Gotta' take notes when I watch these. Thanks for the education, Zach! :)

[@Brockstar]

In regard to your closing comment about the five year check in, it looks like you posted this five years ago, so I'm going to pipe in with my assessment. I saw Russ twice in 2003 when Symphony X was on tour with Devin Townsend (odd pairing!). And I just saw them again last year in 2023, 20 years later (at which point he was almost 51). I've watched most of the videos featuring him on KZbin and I can say with dead certainty he's singing MUCH better now than in 2003. In 2003 he was pitchy at times, he ducked some notes, and he strained to sing the higher parts. In the recent show I saw, they played many of the same songs, and he had zero pitch issues, he only ducked 3 or 4 notes the whole show, and he was entirely relaxed the whole time. I find this a highly unusual trajectory for singers in general, and especially for belters that add distortion. We'll see what the next five years bring, but as now it's incontrovertible that whatever he's doing, he's doing it right! Side note: I can say the exact same about Devin Townsend. I saw him last year, several more times over the past decade, as well tons of online videos - and I can say to the same extraordinary degree, Devin, the same age as Russ, is at the top of his game right now. I'm sure his post-2009 sobriety has a lot to do with it. But, these are two iconic singers defying the odds.

[@steveescher1554]

Russell is a monster and is just so dynamic

[@ibanez33150]

Allen’s is way better the Labrie

[@davidepannone6021]

Imo V The new mythology is their best album. And i never understood the DT comparison. The only thing they have in common is the tempo changes. The rest is completely different. One is more power metal/neoclassical (sym x ofc) one is truly a prog metal band (DT). Tempo changes alone don't make you prog tho lmao. And ofc russell is in a better shape than JLB, he didn't do as many shows as DT did over the years. I bet if we go down to numbers, russel did 1/3rd of the shows JLB did. That takes a toll on the voice, singing 3 hours day in and day out. Not to mention doing half of the world tour with damaged vocal cords. And not to mention, sym x has tuned their instruments a whole step down, so he never really sang nearly as close as the register JLB did. Oh great vid as usual zach. And please consider talking about micheal mills next, i'd love to hear your critique as an expert on the subject.

[@TheFacilidade]

Davide Pannone Totally agree dude. Take care about the Labrie haters n Russel's fanboys LLLOOOOOLLL... I like the Russel singing clean n low drives as he did on these albuns u mentioned ,but after Paradise is hard 2 listen such a fake drive, bcuz don't do that live exactly like he does on studio. James Labrie for me is one of the best of all time. Super high notes n drives, amazing songs n he has an amazing solo work. I saw this guy live twice almost 3 n a half hours singing I&W , Awake n a lot of songs perfectly . I don't get all of the comparisons with both of them too. I think Russel will crash sooner than the fans think. High notes r pretty hard for him, if we can tell that high notes. I sae him singing 1 hour live n Sea Of Lies he didn't nail easy high notes, always trying the drives overacting n changing the songs !

[@ZachAnsley]

I would hope I didn't come across as a LaBrie hater. I made a video a few weeks ago detailing his singing in depth and defending him against the people who trash talk his singing all the time.

[@TheFacilidade]

Zach Ansley I was just warning him about the haters LOL. I always watch ur videos here or at work.

[@davidepannone6021]

Zach Ansley nono man you're more than cool in my book. Ibwas just saying to the people always bitching. I know you're not a hater. I even saw your vid about JLB and liked it.

[@thegiftedone7251]

"V" is, without a doubt, their best album. Though I do love them all. But yeah, "V" is up there in my top 2 albums of all time.

[@markototev]

I hope Allen goes back to his style of Twilight in Olympus and Star One. What are your thoughts on Damien Wilson by the way?

[@thegiftedone7251]

Man, I love Damien's voice. But it always sounds to me like he's pinching and straining a fair amount to get it to where he wants.

[@AkosKovacs.Author.Musician]

Well he is kinda returning there, the album Underworld has plenty of more melodic stuff on it, don't be decieved by Kiss of Fire.

[@steveescher1554]

Agree, loved his old booze, although his voice us great with TSO. Not a fan of the new Symphony x

[@duorayhea4921]

But what if your voice gets tired from talking? I find my voice to get a lot easier tired and hoarse fron just talking than it would from easy singing. Any good advice about healthy talking voice?

[@gustavomondaini2311]

Great video man! Can you analize D.C. Cooper from Royal Hunt? Can you tell me if he uses falsetto?

[@jamessimpkins433]

I would humbly suggest you check out / analyze Jorn Lande, who has recorded a few albums with Russell

[@avarast]

Well its easy to say, even his speaking voice is good lol

[@clickdraw9762]

Did you listen to underworld? It's incredible.

[@luiscarlosbmonteiro8619]

Faz uma análise vocal do Michael Kiske. Ele está com 53 anos e ainda canta as mesmas notas de quando tinha 25. Mas atualmente com um timbre mais bonito e encorpado. Claro ele tem menos fôlego atualmente, mas sua voz soa tão jovial e melhor que é impossível não relacionar com saúde vocal. Meu inglês é péssimo! Desde já deixo saudações do Brasil 🇧🇷

[@monafam]

YT does not want me to watch this...keeps crashing about 2 minutes in...will keep trying!

[@HollowGolem]

Patrick Mo Yeah, keeps refusing to load the video, like a server error.

[@eztimesaverz]

Some good points but I would have liked more focus on actual technique. Consistency is something that interests me a lot though, and hearing Sting sing past the age of 60 sounding incredible was very inspiring

[@rickgrabneck347]

What style of singing is the most difficult? Is it operetic metal?

[@ZachAnsley]

That's a really good question. Technically? Probably Modernist art song, like Ives. In terms of physical demand on the voice? Probably metal that uses harsh vocals.

[@ShatteredWindowpane]

I really appreciate these singer analyses videos you're doing, it's very insightful. I'll definitely donate to your patreon when I can, but one thing I would recommend in regards to your video style is to format it into a more linear series of bullet points, because sometimes it felt like you were talking about a few different things at once, instead of focusing on one point at a time. It would make it easier to follow along with what you're saying, especially if it ends up being a longer video. Keep up the good work and good luck to you! Edit* I would like to hear your opinion on Mikael Akerfeldt from Opeth as well! His singing voice has been consistently good throughout his career, but his death growls have gone up in down from being decent at the beginning of his career, to consistently good for a while, and then he dropped off for a few years but now he's starting to sound good again! It's a peculiar case for sure.

[@ZachAnsley]

Thank you for the feedback! Mikael is definitely going to be the subject of an upcoming video!

[@ledfooteband2925]

Check out who comes on stage at the timestamp at 4 minutes and 32 seconds on this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZTMi5-vbK2Fhq8 Even though he was ill, we got a taste of his amazing vibrato :-)

[@Stunter353]

Amazing video! Any plans on doing a video on Devin Townsend?

[@ZachAnsley]

Wish no more! Devin video coming soon! :)

[@DELHERBEDISAR]

I think the healthy singing is spot on regarding the case of Russell Allen. But thats not meaning in anycase that he is doing the best aesthetic vocals. Its a great singer, but need more chestvoice, in the Ken Tamplin/David Coverdale's way- not healthy but aesthetic this last case.

[@rafaelmassanori3779]

Nice video. Any chance you would do a analysis of Floor Jansen's vocal technique?

[@blancat8465]

so...do you think that growls cant be done in a healthy way??

[@ZachAnsley]

I posit that there is no conclusive evidence that proves a method that is safe long term. All of the studies that are out there are dishonest, insufficient, or flat out poorly done.

[@hardyrulez96]

great video! Id love to hear your thoughts on some of the newer prog/post hardcore singers like elliot coleman, jonny craig, and even jeff buckley

[@juancarlos-dx1or]

Best singer in the Metal business right now Imho , Jord Lande is also very good.Two lesser known guys who deserve respect in the genre are Ronnie Romero and Diego Valdez.

[@dagoelius]

Enjoy Symphony X for a long time, but some of his best vocal work has been with Arjen Lucassen- Star One, Ayreon etc. Arjen has recorded some really great performances out of him.

[@justinesdepiscis343]

Arjen knows where each voice fits, I have the sensation that Allen's voice does not match the music (Allen Lande and the last SX albums), thing that didn't happend when I listen to Dawn Of A Million Souls, song which was practically made for Allen, the same with The Source.

[@pellemoe72]

Arjen has that strange ability to bring out the best in his guest musicians.

[@Lengsel7]

Great. So we should talk/sing like William Shattner.

[@martingimenez339]

Russell is my favourite vocalist. Could you make a video about Sammy Hagar and Glenn Hughes? They are still so gifted at their age I'd like to hear your opinion on them.

[@sametal847]

Nice video! Missing an important point that Russell Allen is not just another singer, however. Perhaps you're not familiar enough with his work to be able to explain to us commoners, the hows and whys. As soon as he started with Adrenaline Mob, I feared the worst was going to happen within a year (plenty of videos out here as proof). Surprisingly he pulled it back and is now singing with more power, growl and control. If you ever do another video on him or a similar singer, I'd be very interested in your analysis of two things- One, that he's able to growl at high registers (live too!), and two, the explosive "shouty" decibel power he's able to deliver as he sings in the high registers. He's able to do this live, as can be seen on the non Sym X projects such as the Monster Rock Cruise etc. He seems to have become more comfortable singing out of his comfort zone as the years have gone by (find the video of him singing Livin on a prayer with Joel Hoekstra and Michael Sweeting for evidence). Thank you again for your time and the knowledge! Looking forward to more, esp Mikael Akerfeldt!

[@DougBrito]

Another Singer that have a similar approach to sing, and people seems to compare with Russel, is Jorn Lande. Jorn uses a lot of DRIVE and is a prolific and busy guy in the Rock/Metal Scene, always on tour with various bands and projects that he is invited to...and almost a non-stop recording vocal man.....can you do a video making an analysis on Jorn Lande's voice?

[@jayrusnak]

Did I hear you say James LaBrie's voice has "held up"???? I thought you did a vid recently where you showed how diminished he's become.

[@evanfont913]

Those are important extrinsic factors, but more than anything the guys just uses perfect technique. Everything else is important, but if you aren't singing properly you're gonna get screwed.

[@ZachAnsley]

He is very good, but I certainly wouldn't call his technique perfect. He isn't Pavarotti.

[@evanfont913]

@@ZachAnsley to use that rough style of singing, he absolutely is. If not done properly, screaming with that level of harshness and power will completely fuck up your voice in a matter of years. Doing it consistently for 20+ shows he knows what he's doing. No need to compare apples to oranges.

[@ZachAnsley]

There isn't really a 'healthy' technique for raspy singing. All of it puts wear and tear on your voice. The singers who do it for decades on end just have extremely resilient vocal mechanisms. A lot of it is linked to genetics.

[@evanfont913]

@@ZachAnsley I'm sorry but this is absolutely incorrect. I would seriously encourage you to broaden your understanding of hard rock/metal vocals and concepts like fry scream, false cord screaming, and vocal rasp. There are vocal coaches whose entire specialty is doing these styles of vocals saftely and specifically because so many people don't.

[@ZachAnsley]

@@evanfont913 Yeah, I am aware of all of that stuff, and all of those teachers teach pseudoscience that has no peer reviewed research backing it.

[@protyay]

This is super helpful! However, I'd love some insight into his actual technique, especially his unbelievable power. Is some of that just because of his big physical stature. I know he's a big Dio fan, so I wonder if there's something in his breathing technique that he borrows from Dio that allows him to pull off those super gritty passages at high ranges.

[@ZachAnsley]

Power in the sound typically comes from a well supported breathing mechanism and a low larynx position. I haven't listened to a ton of Dio - just enough to be vaguely familiar with his most popular stuff, but with regards to Allen I am sure that good support has a lot to do with it. I made a video explaining the support structures if you want to check it out!

[@harveyadams8520]

Around 9 minutes you talk a lot about how you ought to be singing in a frequency near what's natural. So if you have a low voice you ought to be singing low? It's a hard pill to swallow because pretty much all rock/pop singing is high and there's a clear popular preference for high singing.

[@ZachAnsley]

It's a bit more of a nuanced answer than I am about to give, but essentially yes. You should base your vocalization around the most efficient point of your range if you want to be the most sustainable. But sometimes people don't even speak in the proper ranges, so it's a much more complicated issue than I can elaborate on here.

[@Severindk87]

It is complicated yes. But no you are not limited to your speaking voice range however as much as yoi can extend your speaking style to higher pitches, the healthier. Again. Point one. Avoid strain

[@justinesdepiscis343]

@@ZachAnsley But Russell speaks low compared to the easy mid-high 4th octave singing he does.

[@justinesdepiscis343]

@prefer noto yes, even he has some very D5 and notes around that sounding pretty chesty and lightly.

[@Merle1987]

I saw him live a long time ago and his clean voice was excellent and his gritty voice was hard to hear, i.e. it sucked.

[@armandblake]

LABBRIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

[@worldz_of_visions]

7:50 Brett Manning would call that "speech level". As far as the screaming, there is a technique that teachers such as Melissa Cross teach. But listen to the end of Underworld, he is full on SCREAMING like he hasn't done before.