Controversial opinions on metal

This isn't rocket science. Being labelled as a gateway band simply means that they appeal to a larger group of people than more specialized underground bands, and are probably more simple and less subtle. There really isn't any room for ifs or buts here.

DOTZILLA

All a gateway band is is a band that tends to be one of the major players within a given context. That does not mean that they are a bad band that you will "get over" once you find "the better stuff." The first Metal CDs I ever bought were the first 5 Metallica CDs and I still listen to all of them and love most of them. Does that mean they were not the gateway through which I PASSED INTO THE LANDS OF THE METAL?! NO.
 
Fuck you. You have betrayed metal.
In all seriousness, Bathory's first was influenced by Sodom and Kreator and stuff, not Venom. After that they were way, way better than Venom so it doesn't even matter.

EDIT: @ virus

@Nec: what about this part?
more simple and less subtle. There really isn't any room for ifs or buts here.
 
Obviously that is not universal, but it is a big part of the "gateway" effect, undoubtedly. Bands with a more universal appeal tend to have, you know, more universally appealing qualities, simplicity being one of them.

Also, I doubt Sodom and Kreator had much influence on Bathory. :zombie: I would not be surprised to hear that Quorthon didn't even know of those bands at the time. The most obvious influences on the first album are Motorhead and GBH. I question whether or not he was earnest when he said that he'd never heard of Venom when he recorded the first album though, that smells like bullshit to me, as has been the case with many of his statements over the years.
 
Quorthon cited them as influences, so you're wrong. Motorhead definitely, and GBH, too. Quorthon cited City Baby Attacked By Rats as his chief influence, iirc. I think he was earnest about the Venom thing, as it seems too ridiculous for him not to have been; they have several songs with the same name.
 
Yes, that's what we're talking about. Many think it's a dubious claim but frankly I can't imagine someone making a claim that hard to believe if it wasn't true, and also you don't rip a band off by writing songs with the same names if you plan to act like you've never heard of them.
 
Yes you do. Also, anybody who thinks that he hadn't heard Venom by the time he'd written Born For Burning off of The Return... has obviously never heard Don't Burn The Witch off of Black Metal.