1. Rebellion
Period. It is about revolting against the establishment. Sometimes just for the fun of it. But it applies everywhere. For example, metal-heads are often labeled as satanists. Flip side, if everybody was a satanist, metal heads would be priests and prophets and seers.
photo : .....And Justice For All (Metallica)......go listen.
2. Realm of the Untouchable
We fear what we don't understand. And that is heavy metal territory. Metal gives you the right and the channel to fantasize about something that "normal" people would never think of. Think death metal, black metal. Its gory, macabre. As is some aspect of every art form. So nothing is ever off limits for metal. In short, the true unlimited wings of imagination.
image : Wretched Spawn (Cannibal Corpse).........go beserk.
3. Honest
What do you want to do when you are pissed and disturbed? You want to scream, curse and shout. What do you do in heavy metal? You scream, curse and shout. And lot of people can identify with it. Restraint and self control is good, but healthy release of such pent up angst is even better. And not just getting in everybody's face, but also be true to what you feel. Popular is not always good. As I said above, nothing is off limits with metal.
image : Live in UK (Rage Against the Machine).... go scream!
4. Excellence
And yes, its about excellence. Heavy metal demands excellence. A sloppy guitarist or a poor singer can never cut it in heavy metal. They go pop!....very literally. Metal music demands you put your energies into it. And teaches you that it's the same with everything you do. Then it can be playing blazing guitar solos or cranking up good grades in school. Dedication to what you do, is of utmost importance. (On the subject of good grades.......i know we metal heads are not famous for that......but still, there is always hope.....:D)
image : Systematic Chaos (Dream Theater).....go work hard and be as good!
5. Identity and Integrity
Above all, it is being what you are, as yourself, than becoming a moronic copy of the hordes. To preserve what is the quintessence of you and being true to it. If you believe something is right and true, then stick to your guns and never back down. Your own lyrics, your riff and your song. Now, thats very very metal!
image : Piece of Mind (Iron Maiden)....go fucking be yourself!
These are true life qualities and attributes that are deified/diabolized by metal. People can embody these principles and still not be metal heads. And you know what, metal heads are the only people who can understand that feeling. That is why heavy metal rules!
\m/ What a post!!!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant, brilliant, brilliant! Changes my perspective totally... Thanks and Kudos to this post.
A big thumbs Manan! I am really taken away by the brilliance of the way you have put this one down
Nice post .. liked it because you have put various aspects of 'metal' there ... :)
ReplyDeleteHowever, I don't like metal in general .. to say in short .. I (may be unfortunately :D )don't appreciate very rough harsh sounds produced by humans and man-made instruments (metallic ones .. ? :P )... I don't get a message out of it .. But I do like guitar solos if I can identify some clear tune and melody (e.g Comfortably Numb Pulse version (9min one)) ... not just the dexterity (of course I can't do anything of it :P )... (similarly I don't /can't appreciate just plain "alapi" in Indian classical music .. but of course like it much more than metal... )
To conclude, I admit that because of my aversion to metallic sounds my sample set is not as large as those of fans like you and so I am ready to try out the songs you've mentioned above .. thanks for that .. :) ... After all ... any music which feels good in the right places is always welcome .. :)
Btw : about that satanism part ... is it just about being bad or just anti-church ?
about macabre etc ... well .. what are the roots of such a form of expression ? I agree we fear what we don't know though... but there are many things that we don't know then ... (also there is no asbolute good/bad etc so its ok .. :P)
about anti-establishment and rebel and etc .. yah ok .. may be ..
about honest and excellency - well thats required everywhere really ...
about "be your self" .. absolutely .. in your own way ... not just because a metalhead or anybody says so ... because you truely feel better that way ...
@Satanism....its a little bit of both....revolting against the establishment and also charting into unknown territory......metal heads just do not conform to any rigid form of belief....that is true for any and all religions.....
ReplyDelete@honesty and excellence....it is needed everywhere.....but there are very less music forms where you can actually see honesty in the music....definitely not in pop music....the only other example I can think of is Classical music.....Indian and western.....
@Being yourself....Of course it feels better that way!....but how many musicians produce their music that way.....they make what the people want to hear....thats not happens in heavy metal......here, the musicians make what they want and then people who like it gravitate towards it.......