03-01-2005, 03:30 AM
I listen to underground metal and its many subgenres (Power, Death, Melodic, Speed, Trash, Symphonic, Gothic, Epic, etc.) 24/7. Now, when I say underground metal I'm referring to what some of us call "True Metal" (that is, no garbage like Slipknot, Korn, Limpz Bizkit, Linkin Park, late Metallica, etc.). The level of musicianship and technicallity that some of the heavy hitters in these subgenres of metal can achieve is simply amazing. To me, metal is the classical music of the 21st Century.
The two main things I like about metal are 1) the band members write, compose and play their own music. The music feels true and pure, like the form of art it's supposed to be (contrast this with a "rapper" tallking to a microphone while a computer-generated drum-loop does endless iterations in the background, and some female voices ocasionally jump in to say "woooo, ahhhh"). And 2), the music is full of substance: (oftentimes) meaningful lyrics, concept albums that tell a story, metal operas, use of orchestration, classical influences (from classical music, obviously), etc.
I really don't have anything against other genres of music, though. It's just that I don't understand how people can find commercial music interesting (and I bet they wouldn't understand how I can find a 12 minute epic metal song with orchestral influences interesting!). I do feel offended when someone mistakes my true metal with the commercial nu-metal that is played on the radiowaves, though.
So, in conclusion, metal is the music that gets to me. I can safely say that I am a warrior of metal, with a heart of steel (as Manowar would say).
The two main things I like about metal are 1) the band members write, compose and play their own music. The music feels true and pure, like the form of art it's supposed to be (contrast this with a "rapper" tallking to a microphone while a computer-generated drum-loop does endless iterations in the background, and some female voices ocasionally jump in to say "woooo, ahhhh"). And 2), the music is full of substance: (oftentimes) meaningful lyrics, concept albums that tell a story, metal operas, use of orchestration, classical influences (from classical music, obviously), etc.
I really don't have anything against other genres of music, though. It's just that I don't understand how people can find commercial music interesting (and I bet they wouldn't understand how I can find a 12 minute epic metal song with orchestral influences interesting!). I do feel offended when someone mistakes my true metal with the commercial nu-metal that is played on the radiowaves, though.
So, in conclusion, metal is the music that gets to me. I can safely say that I am a warrior of metal, with a heart of steel (as Manowar would say).
The gods made heavy metal and they saw that is was good
They said to play it louder than Hell
We promised that we would
When losers say it's over with you know that it's a lie
The gods made heavy metal and it's never gonna die
- Manowar
They said to play it louder than Hell
We promised that we would
When losers say it's over with you know that it's a lie
The gods made heavy metal and it's never gonna die
- Manowar