Aggressive music and your mental attitude?

[Extortae]

Hello all,

I have been wondering lately if aggresive music has had an unfavorable affect on my mood, attitude, etc.

I listen to stuff like Alice In Chains, At The Gates, Dark Tranquillity, Death, Dying Fetus, Fear Factory, The Haunted, Merauder, Meshuggah, RATM, Slipknot, Static-X, Vision of Disorder....to name some....

I also listen to some electronic music, dnb, classic rock, etc...

Recently, I have wondered what kind of affect listening to more positive music, or just music where the singer does not scream / yell / shout or where the lyrics are don't reflect someone being in a deep dark chasm or anything else negative....(some depression in my life at the moment.) in order to maybe gain a more positive mental attitude...

Anyone done this, and just abandon metal for a long period of time and found a positive effect on your mental attitude? I really like the stuff above, but if I can be more positive and listen to much less of it, I think I will...

Thanks!

 

[metalcrypt]

Being away from metal threw me into a depression... Well OK that wasn't the only thing but I'd say metal is what keeps me going. I wouldn't say it makes me more negative, more like the opposite, actually.

 

[Extortae]

It just seems like aggressive lyrics and screams would not be good for your head (mentally)

 

[Voice of God]

I don't agree. I've always been rather easily depressed individual, and mainly metal gives me a way to cope with my own feelings. If I'm pissed off I put in something fast and aggressive, listen a few songs and feel much better. If I'm feeling down I might put in something more mellow and gloomy and relax for a while. I think it works the other way. If you're easily depressed / angered person, it drives you to metal, not vice versa.

Don't know about the lyric thing though. English (what most bands use) isn't my native language, so I rarely really think about lyrics when I listen to music. When I read them, I understand what they say, but when I listen to them I rarely think about the lyrics. And if the vocals are screams and growls, I wouldn't understand most of the lyrics even if I paid attention to them.

 

[Vim Fuego]

I just like loud shit.

 

[dill_the_devil]

I usually find aggressive music to be quite therapeutic when I'm in an angry or aggressive mood, much the same as I find doom metal to be the perfect soundtrack to a depressive state of mind. I think looking to change your listening habits in the hope of alleviating your depression is missing the point - I'd say you're avoiding changing things that could be the true cause of your current negativity. The music isn't to blame - find out what really is and change that.

 

[Russell]

I'm tempted to think the music is a mere reflection of how you are feeling at the time - if I'm depressed I listen to depressing music, and I realise how much worse it could be. If I'm angry I listen to louder music and I realise not only are there angrier people than me, its pointless anyway etc...

When I started listening to metal I got scared that it would change my personality alightly but if anything it's had the opposite effect to the one I thought, I'm far more relaxed about things than I used to be

So in short I don't think music affects personality at all... Its just a reflection of how you feel and helps you cope/deal with what you are feeling.

 

[Russell]

Oh, and welcome

 

[dill_the_devil]

So, what mood does listening to Sleep Deprivation and Ultraviolence reflect? I'm sure that would inspire me to suicide... hehehe

 

[Russell]

It of course inspires drug taking and then, as you so rightly say suicide

I really must send you a cd sometime

 

[dill_the_devil]

Oh, sweet Jesus, NO! PLEASE! I'll do anything! I'll promise never to retaliate to a backstabbing session by a Hate Pitter again!
(Have you seen this thread yet?)
http://www.anti-design.co.uk/cgi-bin/ib3/ikonboard.cgi?s=3cd8105e3416ffff;act=ST;f=8;t=3

 

[Russell]

Yub, I was tempter to post a reply but thought better of it...and I can't be arsed to get another account just to insult people.. I have little enough time as it is But I've been following the new hate pit with interest..

 

[Brand]

I think depressing music is what keeps me from being depressed. When I'm feeling down, I just sing along and internalize the lyrics, and its basically like talking to someone about my problems. Then again, when I'm in my car, a little dose of Def Leppard or Van Halen or Jethro Tull always makes me feel good too. Guess I just like music.

But I say, do what makes you happiest. If you suspect you'd be happier listening to more upbeat music, then by all means give it a try.

 

[Burning Darkness]

Whenever I get depressed I listen to defleshed...it lifts my mood for some reason

 

[MetalMaiden1777]

Maybe it isnt metal in general-but what you are listening to that is bothering you... Metal on the whole as these other people have already stated is somewhat of a haven against the world and all the BS we have to endure daily-that is what makes metal so great in essence it absorbs hostillity and anger and pain and gives you a sense of understanding and relation..but some of the bands you listed -in my opinion are lacking in emotion- even anger- they dont sound pissed or hurt they just sound like a bunch of assholes... perhaps widening your metal scope would help!

 

[AjDeath]

I use music in general as my form of therapy(Burning Inside Therapy! ) If I feel I need a lift I will throw in something that rocks, like COC Deliverance, Lost Horizon Awakening the World, or Anthrax, these bands really inspire me to shove all the BS that this world is and go out with the whole world beneath my feet(LH). When I am depressed about life (read, women) I usually listen to the Steely Dan song Reeling in the Years, the "you would'nt know a diamond if you held it in your hands line" rings true every time also, Crowbar does the trick in these situations. If I am feeling killer I will listen to my Favs, Death, Iced Earth, Iron Maiden, CC, Anthrax, and all the old school shit that is timeless.

I use my band as an outlet for the pain and general anguish we all go through in our lives, I write music purely based on letting go of my emotions and frustration with life in general. Like someone said before, it isn't metal that is getting you down, it is something else and you should deal with that before blaming it on the music,Good Luck.

 

[blackheart]

it may be the alice and chains . do not get me wrong i do like to play the music from time to time . but grunge can get pretty damn depressing. Metal in a whole is not going to make you feel anything you are not feeling inside. mass murders like classical is it the music no it is what is inside. maybe you need to let some feeling you are holding inside out. I find metal a good way to relax and be myself when the outside world gets me down. so i do not feel that it is the music per say but whats within.

 

[Extortae]

Well thanks for all the replies to this one. Wow, and this is my first post! Anyway, I have come to the conclusion that it is not the music at all. As others have pointed out, it is something else inside that I need to resolve. Thanks all!

 

[SculptedCold]

But man it's definately true.....listening to music appropriate to your mood (especially negative) helps absorb your feelings and lessen your own burden. The worse i'm feeling, the more depressing and oppressive music I put-on...after a time I may not be jumping around screaming for joy, but i'll be calmer, more relaxed, and more contemplative. Music is a magic like that.

I know one thing for sure, when I have to listen to pop music at a party or bad dance music, I fall into a very grim, lethargic mood. I hate it. I like most music, but bad dance and pop make me want to slaughter people.

 

[7 Dying Trees]

Aggressive music keeps me fairly relaxed and passified. Happy music with a positive message makes me want to go out and punch people...

If I didn't have this, there's be a lot of tension that never got out.