What a strange article. It obviously has appeal because it's amazing and it's far from weird because the metal scene has always been very international.
"I like Metal" is also similar to saying "I work in AI". There's tons of sub genres. I enjoy the more "melodic" stuff (Savatage, best band of all times).
What I thought was interesting: back in roughly 2000 the word "Metal" had a different vibe to it in the U.S. compared to Europe. I think the popular use of the term in the U.S. tended to include stuff I'd call Rock. My guess would be that the common mainstream answer to "name a metal band" would probably have been something like Iron Maiden in Europe and maybe Led Zeppelin in the U.S.
+it seems like Black and Death Metal were much more common/represented in the European scene. Once again strange because most of the DM bands I liked at the time (still do of course) are from the U.S.
I feel like my view could be highly distorted so I'd love some feedback on this.
I think it's also interesting that some U.S. bands are superstars in the European Metal scene or parts of it but seem to be fairly unrecognized in the U.S. (Savatage, Iced Earth).
South America has a huge Metal scene, too. I think it's mostly similar to the European one.
Don't know much about Asia other than the fact that some German bands are really popular in Japan (Blind Guardian etc.)
It has a level of appeal globally, but not enough to be mainstream most places.
E.g. the top Norwegian death metal bands are amongst the most successful Norwegian musicians ever, yet they don't sell much at home. Yet they do extremely well by Norwegian standards because they sell ok all over the world.
It's mostly a male, working class dominated genre in terms of audience, so it's ignored and ridiculed for not being glamorous enough to fit mainstream media's mindset.
That's a good thing because they would slowly change it if they got their hands on it. Sony buying Century was disappointing but there's alternative labels. Metal should stay underground to protect itself from the people who see it as 'weird'.
As someone in the West who often despairs that popular music has moved to auto-tuning vocals, corporate pop and everything else, this article brings a smile to my face.
Great genre, great to hear it has spread so far despite the perception of it being a genre on its way out perhaps these days in certain countries.
> [Lefutray]’s guitarist, Cristian Olivares, 32, says: “Metal is huge here in Chile, and I think that is because of our history—full of violent acts of repression and injustice.”
It really is big in Chile. After spending a year here, in Santiago and Concepcion, rarely a day goes by without seeing Slayer and/or Iron Maiden T-shirts on someone walking by me on the sidewalk. I've seen 6 year old children with metal shirts.
As a Chilean, I can confirm. I played in 4 metal bands while being between 15 and 26. And enciclopedia metallum is crazy, even I am there! (And we were pretty underground)
Today I still play my instrument (piano) and enjoy metal, jazz (which is also big in chile) and classical music mostly :)
From personal experience I observe that metal has become more present in society than it was some years back.
One of the personal experiences is that only about 10 years ago, it was difficult to find metal music online, even on mainstream services. Today, I have an Apple Music subscription with tons and tons of metal music in it, with curated playlists and really good recommendations based on my listening habits. I wouldn't imagine this would ever happen.
Another anecdote is the ever increasing acceptance of headbangers as regular folks. Yes, with a peculiar musical taste and an unusual lifestyle, but nothing really suprising anymore.
And as for metal itself, I really love how people from all over the world have found in this music style something meaningful and special to them. You can go all around the world, meet fellow metalheads and see their eyes glow and their hearts accelerate as they talk about their favorite bands and the live shows they have seen. It's one of the truly friendliest "communities" I have ever found, way ahead and more welcoming than the tech community.
Ten+ years ago, I used to weird out people by telling them about my favourite technical death band Meshuggah ("It is like modern jazz or something, really complex and interesting. Just faster...")
Today, it seems that half the kids under 25 know more about Meshuggah than I do. :-)
What I don't get is why Finland don't have more famous metal bands? If you check a jukebox in Sweden, typically at least half is factory made pop music made to sell for money. In Finland, half is good hard rock and metal.
(Edit: For a good take on metal, search for the interviews with the Darkthrone drummer on Youtube. See both the old and new ones. It gives a strange feeling how he dismisses everything I like... :-) )
The "globalisation" of metal happened a long time ago, it's definitely not attributable to the world wide web or the Internet by any means, the explosive growth perhaps, but not the initial seed in a lot of countries.
There are so many derivatives that are accepted. I don't see why not this one. I would understand if it were watered down or something. Could you elaborate?
For anyone into metal looking for a way to discover new stuff they haven't heard before, I recently discovered that there's a pretty great selection available on Bandcamp if you're willing to sift through the various metal-related tags and/or find some good users to follow. There's a lot of stuff on there that easily rivals mainstream "big label" metal. All the music there is available as DRM-free mp3/ogg/lossless often with a name-your-own-price tag.
I'm not much of a metal fan, but I'm just glad the Internet has kept a genre of music alive and thriving. Oddly enough, surf rock has a bit of a global following. Nothing compared to metal but I was surprised when I bumped into a surf rock band from Brazil of all places on Jamendo. I think the Internet definitely has opened more genres to people than radio and record companies ever did.
Ah, the rebirth of heavy metal.
It reminds me of that old Marx's quote:
"History repeats itself - first as tragedy, then as farce"
edit for the downvoters: I've listened to a lot of heavy metal in my teens. It kind of had sense at the time (late eighties, early nineties) - heavy metal had evolved naturally from other genres, and probably it's a type of music that appeals to a certain kind of person in a certain environment and age range (and that would explain its persistence). Nonetheless, it's a pretty ridiculous and backwards musical genre, extremely rigid and codified and, in my view, hardly evolving at all. The sight of the idols of my youth, now well aged but still dressed like satanists, monks or ancient warriors, and still singing the same stuff after decades, is a sorry one.
Did it ever occur to you that you certainly wasn't interested at all in that music?
I know some people who where only interested in metal because it made them more rebellious. Their interests quickly fade always as they grew up and now they are the first to tell everybody how it's a music for teen.
I remark that your souvenir is about your idols and how they acted/are dressed and not that much about the music.
But some people are genuinely interested in metal and if you happen to be a bit curious, it's easy to see that it's not more rigid, codified or stalled that any other genre.
I'm curious what you've listened to that makes you think it hasn't evolved since those times. Bathory, Cradle Of Filth, Napalm Death, Belphegor, Skeletonwitch, Dream Theatre, Watain, Kalmah, Exodus, Daylight Dies? Because there's a lot of new stuff that broke out cleanly into sub-genres (Insomnium, In Flames, Amon Amarth, Septicflesh, Avantasia, Blind Guardian, Eluveite, Sleep, Abagail Williams, Alestorm etc) and now there's quite a few bands that blur those lines as a form of counter-culture (Deafhaven, Fallujah, Meshuggah, Atoma).
I would if I could, and i think we both understand why. what you describe as yourself is "fashion metal listener" to me, unfortunately probably most popular type, especially in late '90s/early '00s.
what many of us are is deeper - in hard rock & heavy metal I found something that works with me, makes me happy etc. The genre itself is slowly evolving, but this is not something I care for - I listen it for same reasons as before, and expect same effect as before... which is delivered, 110%.
if I pick 1 out of gazillions of bands - Iron Maiden - take their album from 80s, take any recent and compare. Technical quality aside (which went from stone age to 21st century) - some say not as good as before, some say better, for me - same quality, delivered in a bit different way.
Hmm. I wouldn't say it's backwards. It's nothing more than another art form (sounds so cliche, but true nonetheless). If it is backwards, what is considered the defacto standard? The same could be said for Jazz, Pop, Classical when compared to others. I happen to love metal (older 80s to 90s), but listen to anything newer that gets me through a good workout in the garage ;) Maximum the Hormone has interesting sounds, but I could care less about having the t-shirt or taking the lyrics seriously. I love listening to and playing classical guitar, and for me at least metal is not something that you necessarily grow out of.
P.S. no downvote from me because not everyone can or should be expected to love every form of music
This is quite a surprising view. "Not evolving" bit especially. As a factual example of evolution in the non-satanist non-warrior sense Nightwish's latest album 'Endless forms most beautiful' "was primarily inspired by the work of naturalist Charles Darwin". [1]
i agree that lots of music is ridiculous and backwards, extremely rigid and codified, hardly evolving at all. have you heard any blues lately? :)
but seriously, the impression you describe is of your own making. metal is much wider musically and lyrically than the narrow subsection you used to listen to as a kid.
Why weird? A music with the technical demands of classical music, channeling the angst and rebellion into unity. A music with power - the brotherhood adversarial nature of the mosh is something to be experienced - everybody is doing their best to crush all of your bones, except when you stumble or fall - then literally 20 hands will pick your up and throw you away to safety. A music that is good for training, fragging people in Quake, sex or invading neighboring country. A music with infinite variability and versatility. Why is weird that it transcends borders, cultures and generations?
[+] [-] kriro|10 years ago|reply
What I thought was interesting: back in roughly 2000 the word "Metal" had a different vibe to it in the U.S. compared to Europe. I think the popular use of the term in the U.S. tended to include stuff I'd call Rock. My guess would be that the common mainstream answer to "name a metal band" would probably have been something like Iron Maiden in Europe and maybe Led Zeppelin in the U.S. +it seems like Black and Death Metal were much more common/represented in the European scene. Once again strange because most of the DM bands I liked at the time (still do of course) are from the U.S. I feel like my view could be highly distorted so I'd love some feedback on this.
I think it's also interesting that some U.S. bands are superstars in the European Metal scene or parts of it but seem to be fairly unrecognized in the U.S. (Savatage, Iced Earth).
South America has a huge Metal scene, too. I think it's mostly similar to the European one. Don't know much about Asia other than the fact that some German bands are really popular in Japan (Blind Guardian etc.)
[+] [-] elthran|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] vidarh|10 years ago|reply
E.g. the top Norwegian death metal bands are amongst the most successful Norwegian musicians ever, yet they don't sell much at home. Yet they do extremely well by Norwegian standards because they sell ok all over the world.
[+] [-] malsun|10 years ago|reply
That's a good thing because they would slowly change it if they got their hands on it. Sony buying Century was disappointing but there's alternative labels. Metal should stay underground to protect itself from the people who see it as 'weird'.
[+] [-] fsloth|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] raverbashing|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gypsy_boots|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] antod|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] moonshinefe|10 years ago|reply
Great genre, great to hear it has spread so far despite the perception of it being a genre on its way out perhaps these days in certain countries.
[+] [-] privong|10 years ago|reply
It really is big in Chile. After spending a year here, in Santiago and Concepcion, rarely a day goes by without seeing Slayer and/or Iron Maiden T-shirts on someone walking by me on the sidewalk. I've seen 6 year old children with metal shirts.
[+] [-] MrGando|10 years ago|reply
Today I still play my instrument (piano) and enjoy metal, jazz (which is also big in chile) and classical music mostly :)
[+] [-] orblivion|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] elthran|10 years ago|reply
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal:_A_Headbanger%27s_Journe...
[+] [-] wmat|10 years ago|reply
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Metal
[+] [-] Illniyar|10 years ago|reply
I mean is pop, rock, hiphop, dance or even dubstep any less global?
Is it weird because heavy metal still has the "satanist' label attached to it in jurnalist minds?
[+] [-] radiorental|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] iagooar|10 years ago|reply
One of the personal experiences is that only about 10 years ago, it was difficult to find metal music online, even on mainstream services. Today, I have an Apple Music subscription with tons and tons of metal music in it, with curated playlists and really good recommendations based on my listening habits. I wouldn't imagine this would ever happen.
Another anecdote is the ever increasing acceptance of headbangers as regular folks. Yes, with a peculiar musical taste and an unusual lifestyle, but nothing really suprising anymore.
And as for metal itself, I really love how people from all over the world have found in this music style something meaningful and special to them. You can go all around the world, meet fellow metalheads and see their eyes glow and their hearts accelerate as they talk about their favorite bands and the live shows they have seen. It's one of the truly friendliest "communities" I have ever found, way ahead and more welcoming than the tech community.
[+] [-] dimman|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] antod|10 years ago|reply
Entombed was my favourite Swedish band - esp the Clandestine album.
[+] [-] Narishma|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] berntb|10 years ago|reply
Today, it seems that half the kids under 25 know more about Meshuggah than I do. :-)
As a fellow Swede, this is a bit funny:
http://www.deathmetal.org/wp-content/uploads/Metal_bands_per...
What I don't get is why Finland don't have more famous metal bands? If you check a jukebox in Sweden, typically at least half is factory made pop music made to sell for money. In Finland, half is good hard rock and metal.
(Edit: For a good take on metal, search for the interviews with the Darkthrone drummer on Youtube. See both the old and new ones. It gives a strange feeling how he dismisses everything I like... :-) )
[+] [-] seivan|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] roryrjb|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ekianjo|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mirimir|10 years ago|reply
Is Turbonegro metal?
[+] [-] orblivion|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] venomsnake|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] PlzSnow|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Rudism|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Ras_|10 years ago|reply
http://noisey.vice.com/en_au/blog/meet-hevisaurus-from-finla...
[+] [-] cholantesh|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Nr7|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] norea-armozel|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] peterashford|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] madengr|10 years ago|reply
Death to all but metal!
http://youtu.be/yfB7vF7nCdA
[+] [-] zorked|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Udik|10 years ago|reply
"History repeats itself - first as tragedy, then as farce"
edit for the downvoters: I've listened to a lot of heavy metal in my teens. It kind of had sense at the time (late eighties, early nineties) - heavy metal had evolved naturally from other genres, and probably it's a type of music that appeals to a certain kind of person in a certain environment and age range (and that would explain its persistence). Nonetheless, it's a pretty ridiculous and backwards musical genre, extremely rigid and codified and, in my view, hardly evolving at all. The sight of the idols of my youth, now well aged but still dressed like satanists, monks or ancient warriors, and still singing the same stuff after decades, is a sorry one.
Now you can downvote me more :)
[+] [-] teps|10 years ago|reply
I know some people who where only interested in metal because it made them more rebellious. Their interests quickly fade always as they grew up and now they are the first to tell everybody how it's a music for teen. I remark that your souvenir is about your idols and how they acted/are dressed and not that much about the music.
But some people are genuinely interested in metal and if you happen to be a bit curious, it's easy to see that it's not more rigid, codified or stalled that any other genre.
[+] [-] cjslep|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] saiya-jin|10 years ago|reply
what many of us are is deeper - in hard rock & heavy metal I found something that works with me, makes me happy etc. The genre itself is slowly evolving, but this is not something I care for - I listen it for same reasons as before, and expect same effect as before... which is delivered, 110%.
if I pick 1 out of gazillions of bands - Iron Maiden - take their album from 80s, take any recent and compare. Technical quality aside (which went from stone age to 21st century) - some say not as good as before, some say better, for me - same quality, delivered in a bit different way.
[+] [-] mclovinit|10 years ago|reply
P.S. no downvote from me because not everyone can or should be expected to love every form of music
[+] [-] venomsnake|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] fsloth|10 years ago|reply
Pun intended :)
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endless_Forms_Most_Beautiful_(...
[+] [-] hrnnnnnn|10 years ago|reply
Have you heard Between the Buried and Me, Animals as Leaders, Meshuggah, Intronaut or Haken?
[+] [-] vacri|10 years ago|reply
I imagine you consider classical music backwards, then, and look down upon it. It's stayed the same for centuries...
[+] [-] ta0967|10 years ago|reply
but seriously, the impression you describe is of your own making. metal is much wider musically and lyrically than the narrow subsection you used to listen to as a kid.
try UneXpect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVwl3kZwRX0
[+] [-] gaius|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rogersmith|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] venomsnake|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] saiya-jin|10 years ago|reply
(btw that sex part works only if both have same attitude :))