Of Taste and Suppression – Afterthoughts

Since I posted my first outburst of private history, I have been wondering about why parents actually want to keep their children away from Heavy Metal so urgently. This is hard to answer even in my personal case. I guess my parents never wanted me to change in order to be cool or fashionable, if it wasn’t really me behind the mask. I understand that perfectly. I think my mother was afraid that I might dress in black only, turn radical and change personally. I didn’t.

However, I suppose that many a parent’s concerns are of a different nature. Drug abuse, violence, bitter thoughts, hatred for the world, depression, suicide, affinity towards weapons, self-mutilation, occult rituals, misanthropy, early sex, older friends, rape, alcoholism, leather, chains and spikes – there is hardly any controversial topic which has NOT been associated with Metal, its underground scene and respective musicians. Since there is no evidence behind most accusations, Heavy Metal carries its black reputation undeservedly. The music is not the source of trouble. It is not a catalyst for misfortune, and no cause for evil character traits in its admirers. As human beings tend to do, parents attribute too much significance to what others say – be it the media, schools or fellow carers – instead of asking their youngsters themselves. If we see danger in Heavy Metal, we have to see danger in virtually every instance of popular culture, in every kind of modern music, art, literature and film. Do we?

Personally, I am inclined to believe that other kinds of culture might be harmful. Just take all those chart song video clips revealing so much naked skin and bearing testimony to that what youngsters should naturally do is party. Has it ever occurred to the anxious parents that their girls and boys might be even more distressed by what society demands of them – which is being sexy to the point of bodily perfection, being rich, thin, long-legged, trendy, up-to-date with regard to every tiny technical gadget, and sexually acrobatic? Heavy Metal might include lyrical violence, aggressive vocals and brutal noise, but Heavy Metal never dictates, never enthrones unachievable ideals and never excludes a single person for what they are. Heavy Metal can provide a great, versatile community and be home to those who feel an outsider in the mainstream world. Heavy Metal embraces the young and the old, the fat and the slender, the grim and the tender-hearted, the show-off and the mouse. This might sound like Metal was the solution to all our problems, but this is not what I want to express. Heavy Metal, as every other kind of music, can become part of its listeners, can be a source of comfort and courage. Why then should we attempt to talk our children out of a music that belongs to them?

By the way: even if we try, we cannot succeed. A headbanger stays a headbanger, whatever may come.

NWoAHM: The Core of It All

It was in the late 1980s when Hardcore Punk angrily raised its fists for the first time. American teenage bands violently expressed their rage at the American adolescent norms, school system and political situation. Black Flag, the Misfits and Die Kreuzen were among the first to rebel with a cheap, distorted and simple sound. Many records were produced by young bands on their own, sold for little money and promoted during ceaseless local club tours. New young and aggressive bands emerged every other day. However, these musicians did not lose their temper in blind rage and uncontrolled rantings, but lyrics were subtly political, critically attacking “the more earthly Satans” (Ian Christe). It is no surprise that Hardcore Punk soon found its way also into Metal-heads, and traditional Metal bands such as Metallica and Megadeth started to employ its elements. Especially Hardcore Punk’s appealing political lyrics attracted interest and were soon used to attack the system, the Metal world’s new Satan.

Doyle, guitarist of the Misfits, accompanied by the Misfits-skull

 

Several (former) members of the world famous Thrashers Anthrax started a successful side-project in 1985: S.O.D. (Stormtroopers of Death) were born and raised by Scott Ian, Charlie Benante and Dan Lilker. “Speak English or Die” (1985) hit the Metal world like a bomb. The enormously controversial album engaged in politics and society in a mode ranging from dead serious to hilariously trivial. S.O.D. encouraged Metalheads and Punks to approach each other and unite. A first step towards this goal was already taken: Hardcore (Punk) had invaded Metal. In a second step, Metal invaded Hardcore as well, resulting in bands like Suicidal Tendencies and Discharge getting heavier. The process of uniting, however, proved to be a slow one, brought to a halt now and then by seemingly unbridgeable gaps or misunderstandings.

Nevertheless, new bands hit the stages with metallic music while keeping their listeners busy with serious lyrics, and dismissing traditional leather-and-rivet uniform. They produced a style that was soon named Metalcore, a direct fusion of the melodies and precision of Heavy Metal and the brute power and anthem-like song quality of Hardcore. Bands such as Prong, The Accüsed, Hirax and S.O.D. were “too dirty and noisy to be heavy metal, too technically adept to be Punk” (Ian Christe) – and they filled the emerging space of interference perfectly. Metalcore bands are well-known for shaved heads next to long hair, and for their artistic use of breakdowns – intersections between slower, intense passages and brutal requests for a moshpit. Moshing became popluar during this era, although it was called slam-dancing back then. Anthrax used the moshpit as a metaphor for human struggles in life. Stagediving revived as well. At times, stunts were so dangerous and violent that clubs were forced to ban moshing and stagediving altogether.

The wave of Metalcore relentlessly rolling on, Grindcore emerged from deep waters and carried Core music to its limits in speed, noise and voice. The famous bedroom label Earache Records (nomen est omen…) published albums of Napalm Death, Extreme Noise Terror, Carcass, Bolt Thrower and other ear-splitting and heart-racingly fast acts. Although Grindcore makes use of hardly any song structure, it has a lot in common with Black Metal (despite differing strongly with respect to lyrics…).

Like many Core bands, German Metalcore pioneers Caliban enjoy using theatrical material, dramatic lyrics and singing. Caliban’s “Destruction” from their 1999 album “A Small Boy and a Grey Heaven” starts with a Shakespeare quote. It is Tybalt saying: “[…] peace? I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee” (Act I, Scene 1), after which quote he draws his sword to fight Romeo.

 

During the later 1990s and into the early 21^st century, the Core styles have developed ceaselessly. America’s As I Lay Dying and Hatebreed as well as German bands Caliban  and Heaven Shall Burn have brought musical glory to their nations, having developed Metal- and Hardcore intensively and spread it all over the world into numerous headbangers’ and moshers’ hearts. America provided Killswitch Engage and the great Chimaira (founded 1998). Unfortunately, today Chimaira are left with only one remaining original member, singer Mark Hunter, who does not manage to urge his new band to old grandeur. My first ever Chimaira album was their self-titled record from 2005. They succeeded in combining musical violence, brutal vocals with unbelievable technical skill, and solos who rank among the coolest in my entire shelf of records. Chimaira’s albums are recorded in a wonderfully clear fashion, every single note is precisely where it has to be. Their clean sound and melodic creativity are nearly unrivalled.

My first ever favourite Chimaira song, “Everything you love” is part of their thrashier self-titled album. I enjoy its driving riff and relentless double-bass.

NWoAHM: Renewed Attack

Masses of flying hair…

Heavy musical developments from the late eighties into the 21^st century were diverse, and entwined with almost any other genre. Metal suffered drawbacks and phases of depression, luxuriated in grandiose upswings and mated with many alternative styles. Today, all these exciting events and new bands are subsumed under the heading of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal, in short NWoAHM. The name is inspired by the famous New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWoBHM), and describes Middle American musical developments from the early 1990s into the new century. This movement’s roots lie in Nu Metal and Neo Thrash as played by Pantera, Biohazard, Machine Head and Slipknot, who were the first to help Metal back onto its former throne. During this era, Metal was accompanied by countless influences, among them Hardcore and Punk Rock. In turn, Hardcore bands included heavier material into their sound as well.

Over decades, the NWoAHM has generated numerous subgenres of Heavy Metal, such as Melodic Death Metal (also called Göteborger Schule), Progressive Metal, Metalcore, Emo and Screamo, Groove Metal, Alternative Metal, White (Christian) Metal, and Hardcore Punk.

Other, more independent genres also benefitted from the renewed upswing of Heavy Metal. Hardcore gave birth to Metalcore, while Grindcore constituted the most extreme variant of this music which was ever produced.

For a better order and shorter posts I have decided to feed this wave to you in several parts. The Core styles will be the first to do the honour.