Ever feel too old to be into extreme metal?

[Satanstoenail]

I'm 39 and I still wear band shirts a lot of the time. Of course they are fused into my extraordinarily amazing sense of style though, so I don't really look like a typical metalhead. I hate this 'oh gosh, I'm age X now, so I have to act/look this way' shit. Unless you're 60 and wearing candy raver gear or something.

 

[EternalMetal]

^^ On days off I fully agree, but if your trying to pick up chicks (I guess it depends) or look professional in your job/career, the metal style really isnt the best way to do it. I think career image is the usual reason why people 'upgrade' from the styles they grew up wearing to something more socially acceptable.

That's the main thing. When we're old are we gonna still be listening to what we grew up with, or will we keep on listening to new/young bands? I'm guessing the former.

In my experience I will probably be listening to different things from a variety of eras, so neither. A lot of my favorite music predates my generation and some of it has even been released in the past few years. Im not one of those types of people who will listen to the same 10-15 albums for the rest of their life, and I already dont listen to most of the stuff I grew up with.

One time I was wearing a non-gay band shirt and this other dude wearing a non-gay band shirt was like "Yeah dude! Nice non-gay band shirt" and then I was like "Haha, thanks man" and walked away.

lol, when I was a teen I thought it was cool to walk around repping my favorite band t-shirts in hopes that someone would recognize. Now I basically just wear my metal shirts to shows and when im hanging out with friends.

As far as feeling too old for metal, I definitely have my moments when I wonder why I am only listening to music that is angry, dark, about death or satan, etc. I also question what it is exactly that draws me to the black and death metal aesthetic and makes me keep coming back year after year for more of the same. Im only 25, but im a forward thinking analytical type who is always looking to expand my perspective on things, so these types of thoughts are normal and dont mean im going to turn my back on metal and stop listening to it. It does mean, however, that my eye for good metal keeps getting more critical and it takes a lot more to impress me these days than it did in the past. Metal will most likely always be my main genre, and I definitely dont see myself preferring the mellower stuff with age, but I listen to a wider variety of music now than I used to.

 

[Balls McHoolihan]

@Balls, nice tattoo.

Thanks man

 

[METAL GOD]

I am 47 and been listening to metal since 1973. When I was 8. My aunt played Black Sabbath- Paranoid and been a fan ever since. I am retired military (2012) and been going to shows since 1982.

I wear all my death metal, black metal, doom metal shirts proudly. I also have military, Hard Café, and Marvel Comics button down shirts.

In fact, next show is: Suffocation, Exhumed, Jungle Rot in Spokane, WA on 9 April. I still jump in the pit.

If you feel you are too old, then maybe you should quit listening to metal and go to the hip hop scene and hang out there.

 

[DyingWorld]

I don't understand how anybody can say they're too old to do anything. Come on! Granted I'm still 19 but I feel it has more to do with the pressures of society and it's expectations of those in their 30's and above.

If you don't want to, don't but don't stop doing something just because the half-baked, 9-5 masses think you're too old. It's not like you're wearing a Darkthrone shirt to a job interview.

I'm pretty sure that if I make it to 40, I'll still be sporting my Celtic Frost and Sabbath shirts. Then again, I'm looking into careers that don't require me to cut my hair, play dress up and converse with idiots.

 

[Psychonaut]

41 here. Still wear band shirts, still go to shows. At this point don't see any of it changing. I like metal, old and new and will still continue to explore it and find new and exciting stuff.

 

[Nephilim96]

This is a depressing ass thread.

 

[Death Aflame]

I'm 26 and I stopped with most the cultural aspects (long hair, band shirts) around 23-4. But I love the music more than ever. My tastes have changed a lot since then (more variety of music mostly), but I don't think I'll ever stop listening to metal.

 

[Master_Yoda77]

41 here. Still wear band shirts, still go to shows. At this point don't see any of it changing. I like metal, old and new and will still continue to explore it and find new and exciting stuff.

I aspire to be you in the future. Including having such an awesome DCD collection.

 

[EspaDa]

Love wearing Burzum shirt near fucking churches.

 

[damnromulans]

I don't think I've ever really been CURRENT on anything, including metal, so I imagine I will continue finding things and discovering new stuff at my own pace indefinitely.

Have been completely obsessed with dark themes, goth shit and Moby Dick forever, so won't ever outgrow metal.

I'm actually really curious to see what all these candy kids and dubstep whores grow up to be.

Middle management. Hah.

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

I am 47 and been listening to metal since 1973. When I was 8. My aunt played Black Sabbath- Paranoid and been a fan ever since. I am retired military (2012) and been going to shows since 1982.

I wear all my death metal, black metal, doom metal shirts proudly. I also have military, Hard Café, and Marvel Comics button down shirts.

In fact, next show is: Suffocation, Exhumed, Jungle Rot in Spokane, WA on 9 April. I still jump in the pit.

If you feel you are too old, then maybe you should quit listening to metal and go to the hip hop scene and hang out there.

I like this guy

 

[Baroque]

In short, no. Music is ageless.

Would you feel too young to listen to Beethoven?

 

[death-metal]

I kinda get the feeling I'll have to abandon my band shirts myself in the near future. The music has been the only constant in my life since things went haywire my sophmore year of highschool though... and I love it as much as ever.

You may have to ditch the tshirts, abandon the hair (or have it fall out) and possibly even stop going to shows so frequently.

However, it never leaves you. It's also a better surprise for someone to find a metalhead in an unexpected place, than to find someone hanging on to the surface manifestations of a great love at the expense of not resenting it because it obstructs their progress in life.

 

[Westsiyeed]

Not at all.

I've come full circle back to metal, of sorts.

Started off as a teen liking glam, then punk, then heavier metal, then thrash, then death, and lots of heavier stuff. Left it for a while and discovered lots of other (mainly) alternative music.

Now 40 and back into more metal, mainly progressive or those bands with a bit of a difference. Also listen to other stuff.

But happy enough to go down to the shops in an Opeth, Iron Maiden shirt, whatever. I'm kind of proud I like this music. And if it starts up a conversation on it, even better.

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

Never, metal is a part of me and who i am, and always will be.

I don't think wearing a band shirt is that out of the norm, especially with all the colorful shit people are throwing on nowadays. I'm always wearing my thrash and OSDM shirts and honestly i dont think they're even that noticable.

29 here

really enojoyed going through this thread so far.

 

[Balls McHoolihan]

I'm always wearing my thrash and OSDM shirts and honestly i dont think they're even that noticable.

This. I wear band shirts everyday. They are pretty much all I have! I don't think they're noticeable either. With all the random clothing these days, they just blend in with all the other shirts with graphics on them. Most people probably don't even think the images/writing on my shirts are metal bands...Unless I'm wearing a Metallica shirt or some shit like that. No one knows who or what the fuck Devourment is. And that's if they can even read the font...

 

[EffigyForgotten]

This. I wear band shirts everyday. They are pretty much all I have! I don't think they're noticeable either. With all the random clothing these days, they just blend in with all the other shirts with graphics on them. Most people probably don't even think the images/writing on my shirts are metal bands...Unless I'm wearing a Metallica shirt or some shit like that. No one knows who or what the fuck Devourment is. And that's if they can even read the font...

Yeah I can't even count how many times back in school someone would literally stare at my shirt trying to figure out what it said, and then ask, "well why do the people have to be dead?"

Music is a memory that never dies

 

[MasterpieceMesias]

I don't understand how anybody can say they're too old to do anything. Come on! Granted I'm still 19 but I feel it has more to do with the pressures of society and it's expectations of those in their 30's and above.

If you don't want to, don't but don't stop doing something just because the half-baked, 9-5 masses think you're too old. It's not like you're wearing a Darkthrone shirt to a job interview.

I'm pretty sure that if I make it to 40, I'll still be sporting my Celtic Frost and Sabbath shirts. Then again, I'm looking into careers that don't require me to cut my hair, play dress up and converse with idiots.

I think this guy said it better than anything I could've put into words

 

[ehntvatre]

Wearing metal t-shirts was never my thing when I was a teen, however, way past teen years, I would consider wearing one now.

No matter how old I am, will never be too old to listen to extreme metal. I do however, listen to a lot of different kinds of music, not only extreme metal.