I was recently reading the January 2008 issue of Terrorizer magazine. It was the first time in quite a while that I had read any metal media outside of the internet as i like to read all of my stories and news online. However, whilst reading a section on upcoming band news for 2008, they deemed Arch Enemy as “Ozzfest-bothering sell-outs” which pissed me off more than I would have liked.

Aside from the fact that I don’t think I’ve called anyone a sell-out since 1999 (because I kind of think the term died in the ass), at the end of the day we’re most probably all sell-outs. As one man famously put it, “I sold out before you ever knew my name.”

So selling out is swapping to a bigger label to put dinner on the table. Or playing at Ozzfest to spread the word of the band outside of your home country to earn a decent buck in an industry that is only soldiering on by the support of it’s fans. Sure, it fucking sucks when bands change their sound completely to be more commercial under advice of their newer shinier record label. But they were never truly metal in the first place and therefore, not worth worrying about.

To be honest, I think that magazines like Terrorizer have to lead by example. Sure, people are going to make their own decisions at the end of the day but it doesn’t mean that they have to join the minority of dickheads who slag off other bands just for trying to earn a living in the metal industry. Perhaps they describe certain bands as sell outs because they feel that it’s only just - and to appear in tune with their fellow metal heads. But I believe that calling fellow metallers sell-outs is NOT endorsing the attitude of being truly metal and therefore they should keep their juvenille “sell-out” thoughts to themselves.

we will return to regular programming as soon as i get this new laptop up and running.

x

I don’t really have many interesting things to say at the moment other than the usual shit: I’m hungry. I’m tired. Burp Me. All that fun crap. Or.. really.. I just want to focus on the last entry.

Since my last post. I’ve had a lot of visitors and a lot of comments. A lot of them positive. A few were just silly. One person wrote and said “I don’t like metal because mostly it just sounds shit. No hard feelings?” Blah blah. Well, at first I was going to just approve the comment but then it would just go against everything I just said.

I don’t put people down if they don’t like metal. Every person is different and if we can’t accept that EVER… than we are all fucked. If someone doesn’t like it, they don’t like it. My last entry was to simply present facts and opinions about metal that may have not been considered by those who do  not like the music.

You can think it sounds like shit, but that’s too easy. That’s not even trying to give it a chance - which the last entry was about. How is it possible that someone can comment on that entry about how it sounds like shit without taking into consideration anything I said in the first place?

So at the end of the day, there are no hard feelings. I just wish some people weren’t so freaking stupid.

Metal music gets a lot of crap. The music and its listeners are constantly stereotyped and have to often correct a lot of misconceptions about the music (and sometimes ourselves). As a metalhead, I often find myself in a position where i have to defend what I listen to which is a shame. Of course, I never mind doing it! I feel that a lot of people who don’t like metal because of various misconceptions are truly missing out on a diverse genre of music that they could get to like.

So here I present: 10 Reasons Why You Don’t Like Metal - And Why You Should.

1. I don’t like Metal because… It is the music of the Devil.
You should like metal because… Black Sabbath were constantly greeted with Church protesters at their gigs and condemned for their “satanic” lyrics. There are some bands such as Gorgoroth and Mayhem who ARE actually Satanists, a lot of more mainstream bands such as Slayer and Black Sabbath merely use imagery to garner attention and make an impact. Just like more than half of commercial female performers sing half naked.

2. I don’t like Metal because… The lyrics are always so angry.
You should like metal because… Often times people dismiss Metal because they believe that the lyrics are grotesque and constantly angry. Is there any other kind of music out there that conveys the feelings of the despair of soldiers, the destruction of wars, sadness of a depressed person, anger over the death of a friend in such a way that moves you? Commercial songs cover these topics, but never to such a great and detailed extent that makes you sit back and truly take it all in.

3. I don’t like Metal because… I just like music to be fun!
You should like metal because… There are some metal bands out there that you should never take seriously and just have fun with. Cannibal Corpse makes me laugh. Their lyrics are so over the top, it’s clear that they’re having fun themselves. I can’t honestly believe that people take them so seriously. Then there is the more lighthearted side like Static-X and Rob Zombie - horror/industrial metal that is more fun to dance around to and never take seriously. It’s not just the music, but the scene is fun too!

4. I don’t like Metal because… People who like Metal are serial killers/druggies/drunks/FREAKS.
You should like metal because… Once on my way to a Suffocation gig, a couple moved so far away from me on the pathway they were practically walking on the road. Just like any other niche in society, we have our dunderheads and our barbarians. But on the most part, metalheads are the friendliest bunch of people you will ever meet. There are plenty of gigs and clubs I have gone to where you are free to start talking to anyone you choose without that person giving you a look. We are like a huge family - so don’t let the excessive black fool or scare you. But we do like Jack Daniels (some of us).

5. I don’t like Metal because… The music is way too loud! There’s no rhythm.
You should like metal because… Some have argued that Metal is heavily influenced by Classical music. Solos have been likened with masterpieces in Classical history. Black Metal is highly melodic. Progressive metal has mixed rhythms - bands such as Meshuggah are known to use more than two time signatures in a song at any given time. Death Metal is a difficult genre to enjoy as it may sound unmelodious at first, but can turn out the most melodic songs in the broad genre. Metal contains one of the most broad collection of subgenres that can cater for any tastes whether it be fast/slow/loud/quiet.

6. I don’t like Metal because… It makes kids kill themselves or each other.
You should like metal because… Any decisions you make in life, are yours and yours alone to make. Someone has to be incredibly mentally unstable to have a metal song influence their behavior to act out violently against one another. Society constantly looks for a scapegoat and often times, Metal is that scapegoat. It always has been since 1969 (or.. earlier?). People kill people - not metal.

7. I don’t like Metal because… It makes people depressed.
You should like metal because… Metal music is aggressive and empowering. People do not listen to metal to feel helpless or more alone - they listen to it to feel empowered. Metal music has helped me in many times of need and I can safely say that I am not alone. It’s a short therapy session that you can’t get from listening to your favourite songs on the radio. It understands that life is not just a field of ignorant rainbows and oblivious lollipops - shit happens and metal is always there to make you feel empowered and pumped up again.

8. I don’t like Metal because… I can’t be bothered listening to it.
You should like metal because… Metal music doesn’t gloss over the pretty things in life. It’s a lot more complex and diverse than meets the eye. You can write it off, but only because it’s easier than peering inside and seeing the thousands of layers that make up metal. Just like exploitation films were labeled trash, metal music leaves a lot more to be uncovered. A rare feat of metal is that you can listen to a song a hundred times and sometimes never even scratch the surface of the structure of the lyrics and the composition.

9. I don’t like Metal because… Metal seems like a very niche genre.
You should like metal because… Metal is ONLY and ALL about the music. Unlike the indie music crowd where people look down on you for what you’re wearing or what you look like, we don’t care about those things! We don’t care if you don’t have long hair, we don’t care if you’re not wearing black. Metalheads don’t respond well to posers and much prefer for people to just be themselves. Metal is all about having fun and not being pretentious.

10. I don’t like Metal because… It just seems like really simple music.
You should like metal because… A lot of bands such as Emperor, Meshuggah, Immortal and Cannibal Corpse are a bunch of talented musicians. It takes a lot of practice to be able to sing and play their instruments like they do. Musicians like these are always overlooked by record companies and the public in general which is sad. If you ever come to a time where you listen to one of these bands, you will soon understand that metal music is not just a simple type of music at all.

Check out this link for more info.

Cryptic message for the day: Perfect that shit eating grin of yours, because it’s a lot better than coming to blows.