There are various genres within metal music. Death metal has its own subgenre known as deathcore; blues rock encompasses everything from aggressive death to soothing blues rock. Nu-metal bands such as Slipknot and Korn have extended the genre by including elements from other music styles into their sound such as rap or alternative genres – often wearing baggy jeans with band T-shirts while sporting tattoos or body piercings as fans follow these artists around.
Subcultures
Heavy metal has given birth to numerous subcultures; some mainstream while others extreme and highly esoteric. Its rebellious spirit resonates with listeners worldwide and has inspired many to break barriers, challenge authority figures, and pursue their passions independently. Heavy metal’s influence extends far beyond music into fashion, art, and even literature.
Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin played an influential role in shaping metal music during the 1970s. These pioneering groups blended blues scales and arrangements with amplified distortion for an aggressive sound; additionally they expanded rock’n’roll’s musical vocabulary by including more complex musical terminology.
Heavy metal’s hallmark features, including loud, distorted guitars and vocals, thrash drumming, feedback loops and loud bass guitars were developed during these developments, along with its use. Heavy metal music became associated with power, speed and sleaze images; its music often reminded fundamentalist Christians of Satanism resulting in its reputation becoming negative among them; these bands also frequently engaged in violent or antisocial behaviors which further contributed to its detriment.
Since its inception, metal music has evolved into various subgenres: nu-metal and industrial metal are among the many styles now featured on the scene. Nu-metal is known for its more aggressive, rebellious sound; fans known as maggots typically wear baggy jeans and band t-shirts while often having body modifications like piercings or tattoos.
Other genres, like gothic metal and thrash metal, have drawn inspiration from dark themes and macabre imagery. Bands like Type O Negative have become iconic of their genre; fans often embrace gothic clothing styles – corsets, laces and leather may be seen worn to show their passion for their music.
Heavy metal performers have historically been male; however, female musicians are becoming more prevalent within this genre. Many female musicians have found success performing power metal and symphonic metal music genres, including Nightwish, Delain and Within Temptation – as well as its more violent images attracting young women who find a sense of empowerment through metal music.
Heavy metal has an expansive history, but it does have its critics. Some allege that its roots lie within Satanism or violence promotion; these claims, however, rest upon false assumptions and misinterpretations of what the music is intended to represent.
Music
Heavy metal music is often loud and fast, featuring guitars and drums as its foundation. Additionally, its use of distorted vocals to convey emotion gives this genre its trademark sound; some bands utilize vocal harmony or melodies while others don’t. Heavy metal can be considered a subgenre of rock ‘n’ roll as well as being heavily influenced by punk rock and hardcore punk genres.
A great metal song transports listeners into another realm, one filled with strength and resilience that can inspire resilience in times of personal despair. While less cultured ears may only hear noise and anger, metalheads understand that beneath its grunting bass and growling vocals lie strength and even hope – a rare insight from any less cultured listener.
Metal’s popularity declined during the 1970s, yet saw a revival thanks to Def Leppard and Iron Maiden’s “new wave of British heavy metal,” Eddie Van Halen’s guitar wizardry and hair bands like Motley Crue and Quiet Riot’s flashy styles and seductive sound; while Metallica brought forth fast thrash metal groups which gave headbangers whiplash.
In the 1980s, heavy metal music and its fans came under severe attack from political and academic groups, who blamed them for everything from crime and violence to depression and suicide. Yet its supporters noted that metal’s explorations of madness and horror did not cause these social ills – rather, they simply expressed them.
Some metal songs criticize Christianity directly through criticisms such as Machine Head’s “Death Church” and Iron Maiden’s “Number of the Beast”, both from Iron Maiden. Both songs critique religious hypocrisy while featuring apocalyptic themes; furthermore, black metal subgenre has many Satanic-influenced songs using apocalyptic language, making its attack on Christianity clearer still.
Other metal songs critique sexual activity and use sexualized language, making some listeners find them offensive. Cock and Ball Torture has released an offending track called “Anal Lilly Pissing Chick,” while other groups may use more humor-laced approaches that include fart jokes as part of their lyrics.
Lyrics
Heavy metal lyrics have historically been tied to various negative social traits. Many see its music and imagery as gateways into Satanism, occultism, and misogyny; thus prompting accusations of Satanism, occultism, and misogyny. Over the years however, many metal bands have attempted to disprove these accusations by adding more positive elements into their songs and imagery; for instance Nightwish and Delain both feature classical instruments in their music as well as having female lead vocalists who have become popular in metal scenes across Europe and America.
Heavy metal has had an immense cultural and literary influence. Its themes of rebellion and darkness have inspired authors such as Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft, as well as modern fiction such as those by Chuck Palahniuk. Additionally, its music has helped shape fashion and even had an effect on art world trends.
Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath pioneered metal music during the 1970s by combining distorted power chords, mystical lyrics and guitar/drum solos. As such they set a path for other metal bands to create their own distinct styles such as Alice Cooper/Kiss’ raw, sleazy sound or Aerosmith’s flashy blues-influenced rock sound.
Metal has continually evolved in response to new musical trends by adopting fusion music and other genres, like jazz-metal hybrid bands such as Atheist and Cynic who fuse jazz and metal together, creating death metal subgenres like death metal; while orchestral influences have made their mark through power metal such as Dimmu Borgir. Such innovation ensures heavy metal remains relevant and accessible across a broad audience base.
Early 1980s moral panics over heavy metal music caused widespread alarm among politicians and social services officials, who believed it contributed to everything from child sexual abuse and suicide attempts among young people, to child sex abuse cases in schools and suicide. Since then, heavy metal has undergone considerable maturation, becoming popular with young people from diverse backgrounds – in particular power metal and symphonic metal subgenres where women have achieved prominence within this genre.
No matter your choice of metal music, whether it be local bars or the latest albums, knowing your stuff is essential. That means scouring band websites to gather biographical and tour history information while watching out for any white supremacist codes or dog whistles; an excellent place to begin this research process would be Encyclopedia Metallum.
Social impact
Metal music has an enormous social influence, both for fans and bands who play it. The genre’s themes of violence, power and defiance pervade media coverage as well as society as a whole; its subcultures allow listeners to connect over shared interests; its sound has long been revered for its intensity of sound production, detailed instrumentation and darkly poetic lyrics, leading to progressive rock, jazz fusion and extreme metal (e.g. black metal).
Concerns have been expressed that prolonged exposure to music with aggressive themes could increase aggression, antisocial behavior, substance use and suicidal thoughts and acts among community and psychiatric populations. Unfortunately, most evidence supports these worries with only correlational data providing causal inferences; additionally studies rarely limit observations to participants who explicitly self-identify as metal music fans.
Studies show that listening to heavy metal music can increase feelings of power and resilience while at the same time foster a sense of community and help reduce stress levels. Furthermore, heavy metal can boost positive moods while improving cognitive function – however it’s important to recognize its risks in order to mitigate any harmful side-effects.
Female metal music fans, for instance, may be at greater risk from negative stereotypes because their lyrics depict them as victims of violence and they remain underrepresented both within industry and fan communities – which limits opportunities to feel connected and find meaning in experiences shared.
Researching the relationship between musical taste and mental health remains essential to make informed clinical decisions. Therapists will be able to use this research to identify adaptive and maladaptive trait characteristics and listening behaviors of their clients, so as to make decisions which optimise wellbeing while minimising risks-taking. Furthermore, this research can enable therapists to create tailored interventions for metal music listeners that address their unique needs and challenges.