Originally Posted by RB
well, I think sounding the same is all relative. I think that country music all sounds the same, but to a country fan it can be drastically different. If someone is a fan of pop rock/alternative/etc, they'll easily be able to tell the difference between two bands that you think sound identical.
Personally I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Megadeath, Anthrax, or Slayer, but that doesn't mean they sound the same.
I have an ear for music, I've taken over 6 years of music classes and have been playing music for over 12 years. You'd be hard pressed to find people who aren't professional who are more versed in music than I am.