What the HELL is the appeal of Heavy Metal music?

J

Jay

New member
It ALL sounds the same, it's corny as hell, scream-singing sounds bad 100% of the time, headbanging has been scientifically proven an unattractive form of dance, and the associated fashion is irreconcilably ugly. It seems like an art medium so void of emotion, inventiveness and meaning could only emerge from middle-class, urban/suburban white kids with all their basic wants and needs met but simultaneously enormous ignorance of the world around them

The only thing I can imagine is that metalheads find the music exciting for its speed and soulless intensity, and they're able to overlook the cheesy guitar licks and solos and daft sci-fi/fantasy themes.

And it's not like I listen to tame music, either. My favorite band is The Mars Volta, which is easily as or more intense than any metal except its intensity comes not from witless decibels and mere speed but rather from intense emotion, rhythmic, melodic and ambient innovation, vocal versatility, technical proficiency, influences spanning diverse genre's and cultures, etc. Metal all sounds the fucking same.

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So I realize at this point that I have made a huge rant about metal and that anyone who is truly enthusiastic about the genre will probably reply with equal blunt angst, but despite my tone this whole time I'm actually genuinely curious about how metal appeals to people. So feel free to insult me and whatnot, but please set aside an honest explanation from your perspective if that's not too much to ask.
 
I hate it too, trust me, but just so you know, people like different things. Even if that means pointless sex absorbed heavy guitar riffs or some annoying techno beat or an Orchestra, no one cares. Like what you like, don't question the others.
 
It appeals to people the same way what ever you listen to appeals to you.
I happen to be a musician and play for a living. I listen to pretty much every genre you can think of. Metal, Electronic, Hip Hop, country, blues, classical, opera i can go on and on. It ALL appeals to me. Maybe its because I just simply love music and I know im in a small minority of people who listen to any type of music and play it too. Most music appeals to me because of either the skill involved in the music most (screamo/metal and classical music takes a lot of skill to play) or because of perhaps the skill in the rhythms(hip hop) see where i'm going with this?
 
I have never been a fan of metal. Truthfully, I don't see the appeal music-wise. However, metal came about because people had this "angst." Metal is (or used to be) about spouting out your anger and being able to rage about the terrors of teenage life. Even now, strict parenting, schooling, and the job industry have left people with tons of stress and daily pain. Without using drugs or alcohol, what else besides listening to other people's pain would help them feel better about themselves? This is all just one side of the problem though (my personal use of metal) but I am sure some people just like the way it sounds.
 
Because,

All music is expression through emotion. Emotions come from how you as a person interpret the world, both good and bad events. Metal is how some people filter these negative or positive feelings into a tolerable group event that they can call their own and unique. Contrary to belief, metal heads feel united by the music as it represents a "tribal call" to rise up as an organised body of people all with a common quality to go against the troubles and problems of the world. The culture of metal is just subjective to the type of people that listen to it. If you don't understand that, then you won't understand why people like any kind of music.
 
it could be worse. you could be stuck listening to rap, which really takes no talent. someone else writes the lyrics for them, and they speak them, no singing. anyone can be a rapper. look at p diddy. almost all his big songs were just rip offs of other songs, all he did was change the lyrics. at least people in metal bands can play an instrument
 
You want to call this heavy metal band bad? It's got a female singer, is melodic, has rhythm, and musically is EXTREMELY complex. Plus, these guys went to college for Music Theory, and they're EXTREMELY smart people. This is an extremely beautiful song, and just because it's heavy metal doesn't mean a god damned thing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3ntHpYocc0

I'd give it a chance before you generalize all heavy metal.

Oh, and plus, they use the orchestra and choir from Lord of the Rings. They must be bad if they have that much money.. (sarcasm..)
 
1st reaction- Woah dude chill the fck out.
2nd reaction- Ok, your just curious. That I can deal with.
I agree with you. Some metal bands just plain suck but there are some really good exceptional bands. I find metal (not regular pansy metal) really calming. Thats my personal view. Maybe you should check out other bands before you start ranting about how all metal sounds the same. Your lucky I didn't say anything about The Mars Volta. :)
 
I will agree, most metal music is trash. But there are really really good bands that really can pull it off. Bands like I Am Ghost, As I Lay Dying, and Dream Theater all have the greatest metal music ever. The appeal of it to me is the astounding musicianship of the instrumentalists. As a guitarist, I am frequently amazed at what they can do with their instruments. If you stop and think about just how hard it would be to play it, you will have a new respect for it. Think about it, can you pound out 32nd nots on two bass drums for 3-4 minutes, keeping a beat and doing something different with your arms? Could you go from the breakdown to a solo with all the sweeps, hammer ons, pull offs, bends, and slides and do it well? I always try to have a respect for whatever any musician does, even if I do not like it, because I know I could never do it myself.
 
Well to you it may all sound the same, but you've been pretty straight forward about the fact that it doesn't appeal to you, so you really have no incentive to listen to it close enough to accurately judge it.

To most people who don't listen to jazz, it all sounds the same.

To most people who don't listen to electronic music, it all sounds the same.

It takes time to learn the nuances and forms of a style to fully appreciate it.

I enjoy all different styles of metal for varying reasons. It's aggressive, which makes it very cathartic. The song structures are often quite complex, which is fascinating from a songwriting/composing perspective. It's fast, which gets me pumped up... there's lots of reasons. There's also lots of metal that doesn't have any of those qualities I mentioned. It's a very diverse and interesting form of music, but it's not for everybody.

So basically, shut up and let us enjoy our music.
 
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