Heavy metal music, despite its short life compared to genres such as classical, has been able to cross borders and find its fans all over the world. Heavy metal is a powerful type of music that has a great impact on its audience and it can be seen in the behavior it creates in people. It was a consequence of the post-war. Youth wanted to find some sense of identification and belonging. From the beginning of its existence, this music brought its philosophy, fashion, thought, culture, and special subcultures.
We can survey this genre along with some activities or attitudes like sex, alcohol and drug abuse, dropping out of school, suicide, depression, violence, and so on. In teenagers, heavy metal relates to dressing and acting, self-expression, and physical and social activity in a certain way. It reproduces hegemonic relations between and within the sexes. The culture of heavy metal was replete with images of power, violence, and hedonism. Heavy metal is not just a genre; it’s a kind of lifestyle. The fans have certain beliefs and sometimes wear Satanist, pagan, and occult symbols.
Heavy metal music is associated with society in many ways. Two features are mentioned below:
Overthrow or Subversion
Perhaps the best example is the Black Metal subgenre. Although it has its roots in England and other European countries, a band in Norway can be used as a prime example for our discussion. Norway was a rich and extremely religious (Christian) country in the 80s, ruled by a system of political dictatorship. A group of young people, who later became known as the Mayhem band, did not cope well with this situation. They wanted to return to their infidel roots, the Vikings and the god Odin. They started a genre called True Norwegian Black Metal and began making Satan-centric songs. They had racist and neo-Nazi leanings and engaged in activities such as church burning and murder. However, we cannot link all the Black Metal genre bands to misanthropic activities.
Protest
Many heavy metal sub-genres like Thrash Metal, Death Metal and, Nu-Metal protest against social and political anomalies. We can even look at Punk Rock style. Punk T-shirts, shoes, and jackets were intended to protest against luxury, consumerism, capitalism, injustice, and class distance. The Thrash Metal genre is also a branch of protest that talks about chemical warfare, superstitions, poverty, prostitution, serial killers, religion, war, sex, violence, Satan, etc. Death Metal is another sub-genre that protests against many issues in society. There were some Death Metal bands in the beginning (there are still a few) that were accused of misogyny, but people like Chuck Schuldiner, Death band frontman and guitarist, always tried to relay in their interviews that they loved life and love, and they are altruistic, animal-loving people, that their music unveils and releases anger. Another example is the Nu-Metal sub-genre. One of the most famous American bands is Slipknot: Iowa men with scary masks and heavy music protesting against a bad and unjust world.
Some people, especially parents, are pretty cynical about Heavy Metal and believe it’s antisocial. They say metal fans are engaged in rebellious and risky behavior such as stealing, fighting, smoking tobacco, using drugs, and cutting school. Others oppose this view. They believe in rebellion as a critique of policy; as a political act. They believe rejection, alienation, nihilism, and misanthropy are, in fact, the starting point of the cultural practice of Heavy Metal. They reject the deviance label that for many years represented the Heavy Metal in society. What is clear is that we always need more research to understand the complex concepts and philosophy of Heavy Metal music and its implications.
Amir is a guitarist, writer, documentary filmmaker, and researcher in heavy metal music.