Be a Fan of Metal Music

Metal music is not to be confused with its cousin, rock music. Metal music draws its inspiration from a variety of musical and cultural sources. Becoming a fan of metal is not easy for many people but it may lead to a greater understanding of one or several more genres of music. Believe it or not, many metal bands have been influenced by classical composers such as Vivaldi, Bach, Beethoven and especially Wagner.

Steps

  1. Browse sites such as Encyclopaedia Metallum, who have large lists of metal bands and their genres, etc, as well as reviews given by the members. Also, on their Forums, you will find many threads asking for recommendations of a specific type of metal, which can give you a lot of good bands to check you, and keep you busy for a long time. Also, if a style of metal you're interested in doesn't have a thread on it, feel free to make one and find more bands that may interest you.
  2. Use internet radio to find bands that you may like, sometimes of a particular genre only. (examples: DeathFM, Snakenet, Pandora)
  3. Find a sound you like and go with it, looking for bands with this sound.
  4. Research the bands and look for influences so you can realize where the sound originated from. You'll become fans of the influences as well.
  5. Also research the location of bands. Bands from the same area usually sound alike in some way. For example, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Boston, etc. Also, many bands incorporate local instruments or musical styles into their music.
  6. When you focus on a number of bands, begin to purchase albums and apparel and go to shows.
  7. Explore the many subgenres of metal, such as:
    • Metal Core (Slipknot, Atreyu, Thy Will Be Done)
    • Thrash metal (Slayer, Megadeth, Sodom)
    • Death metal (Monstrosity, Morbid Angel, Deicide, Nafrat)
    • Melodic Death Metal or Melodeath (At The Gates, Arch Enemy, Hilastherion)
    • Power metal (Iced Earth, Rhapsody of Fire, Helloween)
    • Black metal (Immortal, Mayhem, Dimmu Borgir, Burzum)
    • Technical Death Metal (Atheist, Cynic, Chemical Breath).
  8. Before you know it, you'll be headbanging like there's no tomorrow.

Tips

  • Be aware that metal is a VERY diverse genre of music, with many sub-genres within. There is power metal, known for its speed and major keys, black metal with its harsh sound, and everything in between. Some genres aren't on either end of the spectrum. Folk metal, for example, varies greatly between the two ends.
  • In the words of George Fisher (Cannibal Corpse) " Keep ------ supporting metal!"
  • Metalcore is a completely different genre, they have similar characteristics to metal but is very different. They mix metal with hardcore punk. Killswitch Engage and Parkway Drive are examples of Metalcore bands. Try not to mix up this genre with other ones.
  • Check out the movie Metal: A Headbanger's Journey. It provides lots of interesting information. As a bonus, the extra features have interviews with musicians as well as list different types of metal.
  • Do not feel pressured to listen to a specific type of metal. For example, if you like Slipknot or Korn, you'll get many people saying that "oh, that's not tr00 m3t4l" and stuff like that, and then say you have to listen to Death or Cannibal Corpse or whatnot. If you choose to also listen to those bands because you like them, cool. But if you only like them because they're "br00t4l tr00 m3t4l", and people told you too, it's actually really annoying for fans of both types.
  • Remember, when it comes down to it, the real purpose of all kinds of metal music is to enjoy it.
  • Ease into metal if you're new. Try starting with more mainstream bands, like Disturbed, or Korn, which don't have growled vocals. When you're used to the unusual format of metal, you can advance into deeper and harsher stuff. If the first band you hear is Dying Fetus, when all your life all you've known is soft rock or pop, you'll be turned off forever.
  • Metal can either be relatively light or very heavy. Decide on what you like best.
  • Start off with softer metal like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Disturbed. Then move to Iron Maiden, Slipknot, Judas Priest and Motley Crue. Then go to Metallica, Megadeth, Motorhead, Venom, Anthrax and Slayer. Next, move to death and/or black metal.
  • Try to be a fan of all metal. Thrash, Glam, Shock, Death, Black, (be aware that Black metal usually has their themes on Anti-Christianity, Satanism, and blasphemy, so if you are religious, just be aware.) Doom, Industrial, etc.
  • Be familiar with metal phrases eg. "up the irons" "ist krieg" etc.
  • Remember that a good proportion of metal is not focused on lyrical content, and is instead about the actual music, that is the melody, harmony, and rhythm. Getting used to not understanding lyrics can help. A good band to start with on that note is Rammstein- most (but not all) of their lyrics are in German so most non-German speakers won't understand the lyrics.

Warnings

  • Being an extreme type of music, metal in general is not fully understood and/or tolerated by some people. Discrimination can occur, so it is recommended to avoid trying to make older people (like relatives) understand that listening to metal does not equal being a devil worshiper or anything of the like. Actually, many metalheads happen to be Christian. In fact, there is Christian Metal, and UnBlack Metal (the combination of Black Metal and Christian Metal, which keeps the heavy and harsh sound of Black Metal, but with Christian themes.)
  • Many shows can be dangerous. Generally, the closer to the stage you are standing, the greater the risk of injury from rogue arms and legs being flung in your direction. Also, the front-center of the audience is where "moshing" normally takes place. Moshing is a form of dance that includes the thrashing about of the arms and legs often resulting in the contact between said limbs and the face, torso and other areas of the body. It is advised a show-goer stay clear of this area to avoid bodily harm until the show-goer feels comfortable taking part in the activity. Many metal fans dislike moshing, however, so don't feel pressured to do it. It's only important to know for a punk or hardcore show, rather than a metal one, though it's more common in Thrash metal. If you're going to a Doom Metal show, then don't bother.

Things You'll Need

  • Radio
  • Computer
  • Money for albums
  • A black t-shirt for attending concerts

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