Individuality and Happiness as a Metalhead

Human beings enjoy reminiscence.  We like to remember the past and, more often than not, contemplate what we could have become.  Heavy metal embraces this aspect of human nature, but puts a strange twist on these ideas.  Roots, as I have previously explored, are extremely important in the metal culture; the roots of the individual become just as important as the roots of the music itself.  I have been confronted with the antagonizing question, “why do you listen to such angry music?” numerous times.  The source of this happiness from such “angry sounding” music is not necessarily traceable, but it does beg to be explored.
My comments here may seem very contradictory or hypocritical, but take them with consideration.  Metal isn’t angry, but it is the sound of anger.  There are always exceptions, but individuals don’t listen to metal because they want to be angry, they listen to metal because they are angry.  A metalhead uses the music as a catharsis from the real world.  An escape, where the listener controls everything except the notes ringing in the background.  Again, these ideas are different for every listener, but I know I am not alone in these ideas.  Metal music becomes a purging experience of powerful emotions and painful ideas.  This may seem like a scapegoat explanation to the angry sounds of this music, but this truly explains the ideals of heavy metal.
Throughout its history metal has been under accusation of corruption.  The minds of the youth are often susceptible to brainwashing and are heavily influenced by surrounding culture.  In the wake of school killings and teen suicides the metal community came under attack.  Angry music breeds angry youth.  Wrong.  I cannot negate the fact that individuals that do monstrous things sometimes listen to heavy metal, but serial killers have also listened to country, rap, classical, and even Latino music, but the media simply chooses to not exemplify these situations.  Heavy metal is angry, but only because it becomes the ultimate release of that anger and hatred.  We all have days that we don’t like the world, and metal simply embraces that emotion to remove it, again a purging of negative emotion.
This may explain the draw that metal has to certain demographics of individuals.  Broken homes, drug problems, poverty, alcoholism, suffering, etc. gets poured into this music and is essentially released in the powerful aggressive form of a guitar or screaming voice.  My answer, now, to such a question, “why such angry music?” is simply, a smile and to say, “either you feel it or you don’t.”  Metal flows through the veins of its listeners and the community of angry individuals purging our woes in a pit or banging our heads in the car is what makes metal unique.  Loud, angry, and aggressive, musically.

Stronger than all,
Keep it Metal.
Chris Fox

Disturbing Images: Stereotypes Behind Heavy Metal Culture Iconography

Images are a powerful tool in creating icons, defining a culture, and explaining a purpose.  Every culture, and counter culture in existence has its own iconic imagery and art to define itself.  Heavy metal music, and the culture that surrounds it, is no different.  Imagery and iconography are crucial elements to defining this culture.  Often associated with masochism, satanic worship, and the lower class, this culture is defined through its imagery.  Metal music produces art that is evil and dark, but with a Marxist lens it is difficult to understand why associations with low culture are present.  Bethany Bryson says in her essay “Anything But Heavy Metal”: Symbolic Exclusion and Musical Dislikes, “forms of cultural consumption serve as markers for social status” (885).  The question that begs to be asked, then, is: Why is the imagery of heavy metal considered lower class?   What makes the images of metal taboo or offensive?  The idea that this imagery and these icons engulf the culture creates questions about stereotyping and class discrimination.  Everybody thinks they know what a metalhead looks like simply by the stereotype of the imagery.  Evil images are a trademark of metal, but exploring where they come from, and why, sheds light on the origin of the stereotypes.  It is the misconception that mass culture has on this sub-culture, or anti-culture, through imagery that drives metal to create evil icons and immerse itself in the offensive.

Metal is a musical derivative of the evil and dark orchestrations of the past.  This evil sound is what inspires metalheads to play and artistically express their angst, an effect of relieving their anger, unhappiness, or anxiety.  Knowing what makes metal evil can help explain where the imagery and iconology develops.  The concepts of evil are often associated with power, and this creates the “distinctive and often confrontational style of the genre” (Weinstein, 146).  This concept is what the imagery can be attributed to, and why the culture seems obsessed with the taboo.  Imagery of evil, the dead, and corruption of innocence creates a discomfort among mass culture.  “This kind of discomfort is by no means a universal human trait; indeed that is the dark and fertile subsoil out of which our individual identities spring” (Browne, 72).

This image is the cover to Black Sabbath’s fifth album, Heaven and Hell.  The angels become iconic in this imagery, but it must be understood what they are iconic of.  Through this understanding the reasoning behind condemnation of such images occurs.  The true problem, or rather, the cause of controversy and distaste for such a picture, stems from the mass culture’s view of the icons.  Angels are always portrayed as pure beings, absent of flaws, and inherently good.  This image takes that concept and turns it upside down.  Smoking and gambling are culturally seen as sinful and impure specifically to the religious.  It is the views of the mass culture that make this image dark and controversial in any way.  Metal music creates a culture of individuals that embrace the corrupt and taboo.  The imagery often exemplifies that which the masses choose to ignore or cast aside.  Imagery of smoking angels is a concept that would be ignored, but perhaps not taken offense to.  This is why metal art has evolved to such evil imagery.  The artwork strives to be darker and more evil than its predecessors.
The mass culture has created a monster out of this counter culture, and the metalheads are proud of what they are; hence the darker iconography.  A strong music develops strong characters, as well as evil icons coming from music that thrives on the devil’s note.  Images of early heavy metal, like that of Black Sabbath’s Heaven and Hell album cover, are often ignored, but the metal culture is not one to be passed over easily.
The metal culture has responded to the mass culture’s reference to metal being a lower form of music, and embraced the controversial.  This spawned artists such as Alice Cooper and Twisted Sister, and has further progressed to bands like Lamb of God and Slayer.  “Music has long been considered an important part of social life.  Its [Metal’s] symbolic and ritual powers are used to explain both social cohesion and cultural resistance” (Bryson, 885).  The concept of pride regardless of the ugliness that the stereotype creates only enhances what metal is not.  Metalheads are proud of what they are regardless of the social standard, and this lets the stereotype run wild.

Imagery such as this was created as a response to criticisms of metal and the evil sounds contemporary metal musicians were writing.  This imagery from Slayer was the beginning of the pentagram iconology, alongside bands such as Venom, in metal music.  This embraced metal’s most controversial subject, religion.  The fact that this music is a derivative of the “devil’s note” begs the need for exploration of religious iconography.  Black Sabbath, years earlier, was infamous for having upside down crosses burning on stage during their performances.  This icon, or rather deconstruction of an icon created a lot of controversy that the metal culture has come to embrace.  Imagery, such as this masochistic bones and swords pentagram, enhances some of the stereotype metal creates.  It presents a contradictory and hard personality, but there is no evidence of a lower form of musicality, or the favoring of a lower class.  In fact imagery far more sadistic and evil than this is present in the worlds famed museums, and viewed as high art.  The question is then why is an image such as this, relating to metal music, considered the lowest standard of controversial art while statues of Christ being tortured in the Vatican is considered high art?  It is this social construction of cultural standards that condemns the satanic imagery and condones the Christian icons.  It is obvious that this image looks evil, but the origin of the idea of evil is the real issue.  Alice Cooper says, “Very rarely do you ever find somebody that is truly scary.  The image is just that, an image.  Everyone needs a gimmick.  Let’s see how far you get without one.  We do it to get a rise out of people and the crowd embraces the power to ruffle some feathers.”  The skulls and pentagram images support a stereotype to the mass culture, while within the counter culture of metal there is no question that it is simply art.  The images are there to make audiences want to look, and act as propaganda and advertising for album purchase.

Cannibal Corpse has become infamous for their cover art and the controversy it draws.  It is obvious why these images are considered taboo and are often censored from the public eye, but the idea is that it is art.  An image such as this drives the common citizen to a conclusion about metal and its fans that is unrealistic and stereotypical.  The lower class, masochist becomes a poster child for the metal culture through these images.  This stereotype has been pushed so hard by the music industry and throughout the mass media that during most of the 90’s, bands that were clearly heavy metal refused to refer to themselves as such.  When 2000 hit, a revolution occurred and metal artists, like Cannibal Corpse, used their vivid and masochistic art to shatter the stereotype by embracing it. An image such as this becomes attractive to a metal fan, not because of the disgusting and perverse nature of the image, but rather the reaction the image creates outside of the metal counter culture.  Alex Webster of Cannibal Corpse states in Dunn’s documentary, “the first time somebody who knows nothing about the death metal scene sees one of our album covers, or something like that, it is going to shock them.  If it doesn’t then we didn’t make a very good album cover.  It’s art, just look at is as art.  Yeah, it can be disgusting, but there are lots of things… look at church art, that’s something that can happen, that’s real.  Whoa, now that’s perverse.  I don’t think monsters are going to rip out of people’s bodies anytime soon.”  Art like this has caused Cannibal Corpse to be banned from performing or distributing any of their songs off this album, as well as three other albums, anywhere in Germany, Korea, and Italy.  The censors never heard the album; they simply banned the music based on the stereotype and imagery of the album.  There is a desire in metal to explore that which is dangerous; that which is scary.  The mass culture, then, inadvertently causes art from bands like Cannibal Corpse to develop.  It is our cultural censorship of life through death that drives the desire to find this kind of imagery.  “In the past we knew that death was a part of the very essence of life, and as our culture forgets that, we seem to desire more vivid images of death,” says Keith Kahn-Harris, a sociologist from Dunn’s documentary, “this is why we see forms of mortality in all of our art through the ages.”   Metal isn’t the imagery, it is the concept behind the imagery and the iconology which the art creates that Heavy Metal and its culture embraces.

These images are the darkest and perhaps the most frightening of metal’s icons.  The band Slipknot wears masks for every photo shoot, every performance, and any public appearance.  All of these images were taken for promotional posters to spread the word about one of the band’s albums, The Subliminal Verses.  Again, the iconology of these characters creates a rise in the media and mass culture.  The use of masking, both literally and metaphorically creates icons out of these band members.  Masking allows metal fans to relate to these characters, while alienating the mass culture.  Bryson talks about “High-Status Exclusiveness” which is exemplified as, “knowledge of the fine arts, literature, and upper-class etiquette signals wealth and prestige” (885).  Iconology such as this is a response to these stereotypes.  The mentality is that if mass culture is going to call us low class for what we do and enjoy, then we are going to embrace that, and become the lowest form of any class imaginable.  This explains the crude, and ever changing masks of the band.  The group shot even portrays the band standing in a gritty, impoverished area.  The background and coloring cause the dark image to get even darker.

The image of the singer, again, creates a very gritty and disturbing background.  In this image the lack of objects in the backdrop creates a feeling of intimidation.  This feeling is not welcomed by the mass culture and therefore becomes denoted and dark and evil.  This image portraying their minority of evil overpowering the majority of self-proclaimed morality is a triumph that all metal imagery strives for.  The images that enhance the stereotypes are pushing to overcome them through force.

The image of the clown denotes many concepts of evil.  This portrays corruption of innocence with the contorted smile of a childhood entertainer that appears even more disturbing with the lighting.  The pentagram carved into the face creates both a satanic and masochistic image.  The horns and the number 6 complete the satanic image.  The images of evil and darkness are synonymous with power as shown in The Satanic Bible.  The nine satanic statements say, “4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it, instead of love wasted on ingrates! / 5. Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek!” (LaVey, 25).  Embracing these inner evils creates power and allows for cultural resistance.  The mask creates a stylistic pictorial symbol that is relatable, identifiable, and most of all, powerful.  It is this very power that the imagery of metal tries to portray.

Heavy metal has a vast array of imagery and iconography associated with it.  The images created are related to metal’s evil and blues ridden origins, dating as far back as the dark ages and the devil’s note, or the tritone.  This is where the imagery of evil originates and develops into the masochistic and dark images that many people associate with heavy metal music today.  The products, specifically visual art, that develop from a culture dictate the social class that group is associated with.  The dismissal and condemnation of metal art by both mass culture and upper-class scholars leaves only a small counter culture of individuals.  Due to the opposition, this anti-culture becomes stereotyped as lower class and ignorant.  The art and imagery of Heavy Metal is responsible for creating this stereotype, but has also succeeded in tearing it down through over indulgence of the iconography.   Bryson says, “musical taste provides a good test for questions about symbolic boundaries” (885), and Heavy Metal tears down every boundary laid down.  The many misinterpretations of metal art by the mass culture and creations of skewed stereotypes pushes the metal culture to indulge in their evil icons.  Metalheads take on the evil and darkness that surrounds their culture.  Metal icons and images embrace their stereotype and allow the misconceptions to fuel the power of their ever growing and changing counter culture.

“Your trust is is whiskey, and weed, and Slayer, it’s goddamn electric!”

-Pantera

Sources:

Bryson, Bethany. “Anything But Heavy Metal”: Symbolic Exclusion and Musical Dislikes. American Sociology Review 61.5 (1996).

LaVey, Anton S. The Satanic Bible. New York: Avon Books, 1969.

Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey.  Dir. Sam Dunn, Scot McFadyen. DVD. Banger Productions Inc. 2006

Weinstein, Deena. Heavy Metal: The Music and Its Culture. Da Capo Press, 2000.

Leather Clad and Proud: Metal’s Fans and Stereotypes

We all know the stereotype of a heavy metal fan. Some angry kid decides he hates his parents and starts wearing black t-shirts with no sleeves. That kid gets old enough to grow a beard, and grows it as long as possible, gets a real job so he can afford a studded leather jacket and a few tattoos. That kid forever has a chip on his shoulder and acts like he has something to prove; often a fan of the WWF, or a run-in with the law, or drugs, or alcoholism, or all of the above. Like the music itself, the fans have several genres of stereotypes; goth, biker, skid, Aryan, and punk. These certainly don’t cover everything, but my concentration here is attempting to avoid the stereotype. I don’t discredit these choices in entertainment, attire, or lifestyle; in fact, they have helped make me who I am today. I now choose John Milton over The Rock, but I think you understand what I’m driving at here.
Negative stereotypes grow, like spreading cancer, from the media. I will only tackle one here, but be aware that many wrongfully exist. Skinheads, neo-Nazis, or otherwise known as the Aryan nation is often associated with heavy metal. To each their own, in opinions, but I personally disagree with what these groups represent. (Don’t judge, do your research before making accusations, but the vast majority of the world views these individuals in a very negative light. There are commendable organizations that use these terms, but universally it is a negative stereotype). This negative stereotype has plagued many heavy metalists. Pantera, in their early years, was attacked with this label. As a band from Texas, dubbing themselves the Cowboys From Hell, and Dimebag Darrell (lead guitarist) often toting a guitar with the confederate flag, these stereotypes were bound to happen. The media, like most of our country, does little more than scratch the surface. Beyond the surfaces images it isn’t hard to realize that Pantera, and bands like them, are all about freedom from oppression and equality among all races, genders, ages, and economic positions. Many of Phillip Anselmo’s (lead singer) lyrics were about the corruption in the system, and disregard for the people. These guys are simply from the south; heritage and roots, like most metal musicians, are important and this is where their emblems and demeanor come from. Not the KKK or a ridiculous Nazi ideal. Bands like Rage Against the Machine carry flags like this as well, and have helped in breaking down this mislabeled typecast. This stereotype is just one of many that gets thrown around, and if you’re a metalhead you understand, if you’re just a reader, I ask you to ALWAYS dig deeper.
The negative connotations that derive from heavy metal are always misplaced, and misguided. In the eighties, metal was a prime target for the Parents Music Resource Center or PMRC. The best reason for their action(I am, by no means, justifying the PMRC) is that these adults saw something different, and something that embraced everything taboo, and thrived on controversy. These parents, Tipper Gore leading them, saw things that they had long suppressed and therefore feared. I won’t attempt to get terribly Freudian here, but metal has been dubbed music for the eternal sixteen year old. This title is often attributed to immaturity, but is, in reality, because metal helps its listeners see the world through a new set of eyes, or rather, an ever-changing set of eyes. When we are teenagers we all come to a point of revelation about the world, and begin to see things a bit clearer. For example, we suddenly recognize our parents as other human beings rather than authority figures, capable of making mistakes, lying, cheating, and loving. It is realizations such as this that occur consistently in metal because it embraces those taboo subjects and things that we, as “rational adults,” just don’t talk about. Heavy metal throws up an unapologetic “Fuck You” to anything tries to enslave it, its listeners, or its culture.
This all comes back around to what heavy metal is, both as a genre in music and as a culture, freedom. Heavy metal is about following gut feeling, raw emotion, and disregarding what the outside world thinks. This is why heavy metal attracts and breeds strong characters; not only in appearance but convictions as well. In an interview by Sam Dunn, Rob Zombie says, “I’ve never met anybody that said, ‘yeah, I was into Slayer, one summer,’ I’ve only met the guy with Slayer carved across his chest.” Metalheads are not casual in the musical choice and culture, and whether they are labeled with any stereotype or actually are a stereotype they don’t care what you think. Thus is the glory of heavy metal.  Whether they are the smelly kid with dreads, or the bald guy with tattoo covered arms, or the lady wearing leather lingerie in public, metalheads know who they are and what they stand for. The true essence of metal is in its culture… the unified masses; in the pit, if you will. We are a massive community, and yet Britney Spears and Hannah Montana hardly know we exist. We wouldn’t have it any other way!

Stronger Than All
Keep It Metal

I leave you with one of my favorite Pantera songs – Domination

Roots and Foundation of Heavy Metal

In an attempt to explore what is “wrong” with heavy metal, or to discover why this form of music is consistently undercut as a legitimate form of music we must understand what IS musically legitimate about metal. The best place to start is at the basis of most heavy music. Now, I won’t be cataloging or attempting to make a tree of all the sub-genres of heavy metal (an endless pursuit), but rather justifying everything from the distorted bass lines of early Metallica to the screaming wails of Judas Priest as a legitimate musical form and one to be respected as well.

The orchestrated musings of bands like Opeth and Iced Earth (who became the famed Transiberian Orchestra) bring about the first basis of metal’s musical roots. Drawing, again, on the ideas from Sam Dunn in his documentary, Mozart, Bach, and Vivaldi were known as improvisers much like revolutionaries of metal such as Edward Van Halen and “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott. Complex layering and creating a wall of sound was standard for Beethoven and Wagner as well as Megadeth and Metallica. Metal is infamous for creating progressions, chords, and solos based in the Minor Pentatonic, Hungarian Minor, Enigmatic Minor, and Melodic Minor scales. These same scales were created and used in some of the darkest music of the romantic and middle ages. These great composers also had a tendency to push the allowable standard in music. The flat fifth, or the tritone was known, then, as the devil’s note, and was actually banned in several countries. The superstitious believed that this interval was used to summon the devil as it made the hairs on their arms rise. Metal heavily relies upon this interval to create the dark music and arousing sound that hits fans in the chest. In this sense, heavy metal is the next progression in lasting classical music.
To understand the musical basis of heavy metal the earliest stages of this music must be explored, and the roots of the earliest versions revealed. I look to three major contributors as the first: Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin. Many may argue with me as to the very beginning of the “heavy metal sound,” but these three will be MY reference point. Black Sabbath began as a blues band called Earth before they developed something darker and heavier in Sabbath. Early Deep Purple songs are littered with blues licks and common blues guitar sounds of the 60’s. Zeppelin was known for using harmonica, twelve-string guitars, classical guitars, and various percussion that are all related to early blues music. “When the Levee Breaks” is a premier example of the blues sound that Zeppelin became so famous for. The roots of metal clearly lie heavily in the realm of the great American south, and the traditional blues sound.
Not only is the blues “sound” clear in much of heavy metal, but so is the message that the music presents. Hold on tight because this may get complicated and even a bit philosophical. The roots of the blues lie in slave chants from the cotton plantations and ideas of salvation from oppression. The blues developed from the working class, blue-collar workers of the south. Great guitarists like Robert Johnson were said to have sold their soul to the devil at the crossroads, hence the legend surrounding the blues. As most of us know, heavy metal as the demonic and masochistic imagery surrounding it as well. It is the message of nonconformity and resistance to that which we don’t agree with that makes both of these kinds of music so abrasive. The happy coincidence is the similar sound that the blues and metal share. The shout of resistance and the call for freedom comes from the gospel fields as well as the screaming guitar.
The musically elite that disband metal as a mindless form of music disregard all of these roots and influences. They base their judgments on the sound that they dislike, often a distorted string instrument or screaming vocalist. Discrediting heavy metal as a musical force then becomes a simple matter of opinion. I personally hate the screech of a solo violin playing long drawn out notes, and a symphony is amazing, but I don’t discredit the talent or musicality of either. The true irony is when you take the distortion and screams from metal and put it onto a more traditional instrument the music has a very classical sound with a blues twist. Groups like Apocalyptica are breaking down these barriers as they play heavy metal on a quartet of cellos. They have been so successful playing covers that they have now started writing heavy metal pieces only for a cello quartet, seen in the first video. The following video exemplifies what happens when you take away the distortion to a great metal song. I could play this piano video of “Cemetery Gates” for my grandmother (a polka fan that’s 90 years of age) and she would love it, but playing the original Pantera version (below) she would scoff and walk away. I leave you with these three incredible works of music…

Keep it Metal

Chris Fox

Beginnings of Definition: Understanding Heavy Metal

I had to include this bit of video just to provide comic relief for this topic. The characters in this clip are hilarious, but very stereotypical. They reinforce misconceptions about this music, and its fans. So, let’s explore.

First off, I need to affirm that these ideas are my own, and I don’t expect anybody to adhere to or adopt them. I simply want to explain what metal is to me, through personal research, exploration, and experience. If your opinion differs, let me know what you think, but interpretation is everything in this world, so take this bit of knowledge with everything else you experience in life. Metal is NOT about hate, as much as the image may portray (to be explored later), so please don’t hate, but constructive criticism and progressive viewpoints are more than welcome in the comments area of this page. Thank you.

Before I can begin any of this research process, we must first explore what it means to be metal. What makes music metal? The most ignorant definition, unfortunately the one used by the parents of countless teenagers – past, present, and future – is loud, wailing noise on guitars with an offbeat drum pounding in the background. I, like many metalheads, have found myself needing to defend this music to my parents, teachers, peers, and even fellow musicians. This defense is a never-ending battle, and one of the pinnacles of metal. The instruments used to play it do not define this music, nor do the subjects it speaks of; though these are pertinent to the essence of metal, they do NOT define this music.

It often becomes an argument among metalheads, “such-and-such a band is not metal at all” to which another responds, “they are too man, they shred.” Insert band name and cliché anywhere you prefer, but bands often jump in and out of being “metal” by their changing styles, lyrics, religious orientation, or even popularity. A wonderful example of this is the band Slipknot. They burst onto the scene in the late 90’s and quickly rose to the favorite lists of many teenagers. Their popularity quickly made them a target for both parents and grassroots metal fans. Parents began to blame these artists, as well as many other heavy musicians, for shootings and suicides. The frightening imagery is what makes Slipknot a threat, but I will explore that more at a later time. The intriguing grudge comes from within the metal culture, and really surfaced around the time Slipknot put out their second album. Online posts, radio conversation, and concert conversations surface arguments about Slipknot selling out, stealing their music, and even comments as ignorant as, “who uses a beer keg for an instrument?”

I will take these comments one by one. First, selling out. There is not a single band out there that does not want to make money from what they are doing. It is every person’s dream to make money doing what they love, even metalheads. When bands become successful it is pure idiocy that causes undergrounders (as I will dub them) to discredit them. It is those undergrounders that pushed the band to their position, and it is simple selfishness when they don’t want to share the garage band they helped discover.

Second, stealing. This is common among all genres of music. A band uses a similar gimmick, or the same rhythm, or even a similar chord progression and this label begins to fly. Another glorifying moment in metal music is the recognition of roots. There are artists that will credit anything and everything that exists in metal to Black Sabbath. The truth about this whole matter is that every band, every musician, EVERY creative individual on the planet has their influences. They are all bound to show reflections of their creative past and preference. Stealing does not exist in the creative world; it is simple borrowing and rearranging.

The final comment is a never-ending fear of change. When turntables hit the scene bands were criticized for using them, as were keyboards in power metal bands, and even distortion when it was first used decades ago. My only response is, innovation. Creativity will always cause change, and as humans we don’t like to see things differ from what we are used to. In true metal fashion I simply say – get over it

Please take my analysis of Slipknot with a grain of salt, as they say. This is not the first metal band to be scrutinized in such a way, nor will it be the last. In fact, the list of criticized metalheads and bands is endless. This band is just a premier example of what happens within the culture. Whether you, as a reader or a metalhead, agree or disagree, it cannot be denied that the criticisms and understanding of my statements is pertinent to the culture of heavy metal.

So, what makes music metal? This, in all reality, is a question about opinion, but I will define what I feel is metal to clarify for further understanding. Feel free to disagree with me, and I reserve the right to revise this definition over time (because it will change) but for the sake of this blog, this is the definition of metal. Metal is a powerful form of music, generally played with a four or five piece band, including but NOT LIMITED TO: drums, bass guitar, one or two standard guitars, and a vocalist. The overwhelming majority is heavily distorted, but this is not invariable. Metal is not “angry music,” but rather music about aggression, power, and the purest form of release possible. Music you can bang your head to and throw the horns in the air. Metal gives the proper listener an overwhelming surge of energy, unity, and power. As Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden once said, “it’s meant to get people leaping off of furniture and stuff like that” – you just feel it.

The melting of faces will continue…

Chris Fox

Hello world!

This is where it begins.  Just to get an understanding of what my attempts are, this first post will simply be an explanation, but more will follow.  Please check back if you’re interested, and opinions are ALWAYS welcome.  I plan to explore the inner reaches of the counter culture that derives from metal music.  As a metalhead, and musician, the ideas I will explore have always intrigued me, and I’m positive I’m not alone.  As Pantera says in their song The Underground In American, it’s “a lifestyle that’s unexplainable… the trend is dead.”  My hope is to explore two major aspects of this lifestyle, I refuse to limit myself to these categories, but they are a launching point.  First, as explored by Sam Dunn in his documentary Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey, I hope to delve into and investigate why “metal” is consistently looked down upon, slandered, and condemned by many persons, households, and communities.  What is wrong with this form of music?  With this I hope to understand what makes metal, metal.  This leads me to my second perspective, the culture of metal, or, more accurately, the fans of this ear shattering music.  The personality of this genre (I hate the term genre but for the time being it will do) breeds a unique type of fan, and they can often be easily recognized in a crowd.  My question is, what develops these personalities, and why?

I hope you return to read more.  I am excited to see where this takes me as I progress through it, as well as my many other ventures in life.  Rock on!

Chris Fox