Quick Thought: What the Fuck is Metal?!

I'm not what you might call a 'Metalhead'. I suppose it's fair to say my appearance might cause some to assume that I am, and in a way I suppose I am. But I tend to make a distinction between Metalheads and myself. Compared someone who identifies as a Metalhead I listen to comparatively little metal. I'm not a fan of genre, I'm a fan of music and my playlist is varied and confusing. I spent time as a youth listening to little but metal, but I have since grown out of it and realised that there is so much more. I am aware that metal, especially the heavier and more dissonant varieties can confuse and scare the masses, and so I thought I'd write this post to explain my understanding, fascination and love of metal in its many forms.

When I was growing up I looked to my older brother for social cues; he was older, therefore wiser and knew what he was doing (in theory). He grew to love Rock and Metal and the heavier and darker side of music, and as I was exposed to it I grew to love it too. I can't count how many ties I drew Slayer and Metallica logos on my notebooks all throughout my school life. After school, my brother and I would walk to Church, the place where our mother both worshipped and worked as a PA to the pastor and await her to finish work. In the meantime we would entertain ourselves with games, puzzles, toys and anything else our imaginations could come up with. Once my brother had begun to learn drums we began to play with the drum kit and bass guitar that were kept at church and started to jam songs we knew and other things we'd made up. I began guitar lessons at age 11 and never looked back. Those formative years, where I was listening to metal and nothing but, had a great effect on me. I was introduced to the darker side of things, was aware that anger, pain, fear and hatred were normal feelings too, and could be expressed just like happiness and joy.

There's always time to be Metal as Fuck (Source)

Recently, for no damn reason at all, I was reminded of a band, specifically a song, that I used to listen to as a teenager. I immediately sought the song out on YouTube and after a couple of listens had to buy the album. The song was Spheres of Madness by Decapitated, a Polish technical death metal band. I saw this song as the pinnacle of drumming ability, the apex of musicianship, the height of technical skill. I'm aware that many see metal, and especially death metal, as simply noise. I'm gonna come clean here and admit that I don't have a clue what the lyrics are to the Decapitated album, Nihilism that I purchased. I can't understand most of what is being growled. The content, or narrative so to speak, is not the thing that draws me to it though. It's the pure and simple feel; the pit of the stomach tightening, the mind darkening, the skin tingling like a bolt of lightning nearby. Metal is unique in that it allows me to travel to a place that no other music does. I can listen to Chopin's Prelude in E-Minor and feel utter sorrow and despair. Conversely I can listen to Anamanaguchi's Japan Airline and be content and happy as a pig in poop. Metal takes a unique route, it allows me to visit a place much darker than anything else. That doesn't mean I'm a violent psychopath, I simply like to channel through sound. I can appreciate what a more dissonant sound can do for the psyche, the same way people like to listen to depressing or sad music. Sometimes it's nice to let loose and hit something a little heavier.

I have eclectic tastes and love many bands and musicians but will always appreciate the technical skill and power of metal. I don't expect to change anyone's mind about it but hopefully someone will 'get it' a little more than they might have. I also listen to The Dø who I've just bought tickets to see in November, and I recommend you do too! So don't judge me as a demon worshipper if you haven't heard Finnish/French indie music, kay?