Approaches to distorted vocals and lyrics

[consumer]

Been wondering how other listeners approach power electronics and death industrial projects that make use of heavily distorted vocals. Do you tend to find them easily understandable? Do you put effort into trying to decipher them over many listens? Do you treat them as just another sound source, and accept the words to be unknowable? From reading reviews in these genres I get the impression that lyrics rarely get much attention, unless they're very obvious, or provided in print (and I've seen reviews with the writer admitting that none of the lyrics were understood).

To anyone who has a project with distorted vocals, how much importance do you place on the words being understood, or obscured? Are you surprised when your listeners are/aren't able to follow the lyrics?

[raato]

i haven't done distorted vocals in my noise stuff (...yet!) but some other projects of mine have dabbled in that area.
for me, vocals are merely another piece of the puzzle rather than a focus point/main event of the song. i tend to focus a lot on the rhythm in vocals, maybe me being a drummer has something to do with that haha. on a more serious note i also see rhythm in language a big part of what makes poetry, well, poetry instead of bunch of words pretensiously sewn together.

i wouldn't focus too much on making sure the listener can easily understand the lyrics; unless spreading a message is that important for you in your music of course. i'd focus more on rhythm, texture, energy et cetera, all the other things that vocals bring into the soup of music.

[raato]

to add, i do not think lyrics are unnecessary and vocals just another sound source per se. lyrics bring meaning to the voice as sound source kinda the same way that, for example, music theory puts the soinds in jazz into context. i see music as a form of communication and lyrics/speech is just a more direct form of that.
i've grown more and more into writing lyrics in my first language (that is not english) even if the material isn't intended for the "home market" only. kinda the same thing as with distorted vocals, most people in the world won't understand shit what i'm screaming/singing about but they might get the message or something like that. it's all about expressing ideas and emotions afterall.

[godnoisegod]

With noise it's fun to make it almost half and half. Sometimes it just blows out from the extreme fury. Others it merely grumbles as you lower your pitch and volume. FLESHLICKER does disorted vocals. I can' understand any of it, but it still sounds heavy and unreal. And I agree with raato: unless you're trying to get a specific message acrossed, just let your microphone have it with all the anger and pain in your voice.

[brutalist]

i like buried distorted vocals, but i have recently become interested in making clean vocals where the lyrics can be heard, as i have certainly been guilty of doing the buried and distorted thing. i love those genocide organ tracks that i will never figure out the lyrics to, though. it's certainly an aesthetic and appreciated when done right.