Fade to Black- Help or Hinder

[Acujer]

Great Iron Maidens show at Paladinos last Saturday! Everyone was in top form with an exciting and interesting setlist.

The opening band was a mediocre Metallica tribute band called Motorbreath. They were playing Fade to Black and although this was one of my favorites back in high school, I was just thinking, has this song got some people to just blow their brains out? I've heard Metallica on an interview saying they have had people tell them how much it helped them, but come on, there must have been lots of people who listened to this and it just gave them the courage to finally pull the trigger. I am willing to bet that people actually put it on as their final song when they were tying the noose around their neck. What do you think?

I couldn't help feel that as I get older and wiser, Metallica seems a bit gimmicky and somewhat juvenile. Its got a tad of that American rebellious teenager tough guy testosterone filled "Uhhuhuhuh yeah chicks and beer and head bangin' dude uhuhuhuhuh!" vibe going on. With all the squinting and eyebrows curved down with the Hetfeld grunts, errrrrrrr "I'm an ANGRY BADASS MUTHER FUCKER!!!!" I don't know man. Some velveeta cheese factor in there. They just don't have the finesse or intrigue or class that the bands from England carried. The Maidens playing after this Metallica tribute was like reading Dickens after Twilight. Most American bands just can't write poetry and melodies the way the British bands can. And a bit heavy on power chords, don't you think?

Having said all that, I still like Pre-Black Album Metallica, because sometimes, all I want is chicks and beer and headbanging anyway.

So the question remains, how many kids have died due to Fade to Black?

 

[Danny rctv]

I saw an interview with lars on MTV where he mentioned there have been "Incidents" involving that song but for every "Incident" there have been thousands who've written to the band saying that song had gotten them through hard times so I belive it has.

 

[Johann von Marck]

"How many kids have died due to fade to black?" Answer is zero. They died due to their own problems, not a song. I had CREEPING DEATH painted on the guntube of my tank in the army. It didn't cause me to kill all the first born sons I encountered. Too many power chords? Disagree. Cheesy? Disagree. The only song I didn't care for pre black was damage inc. I thought the rest had good lyrics and melodies as well. Just because every metallica song isn't about a historical event doesn't mean the lyrics aren't good or interesting. The notion that songs cause these deaths is nonsense, proven at least twice in US courts, and I'm surprised this is comming up again. If people are going to off themselves and want a soundtrack while doing it, that's their choice not the bands responsibilty.

 

[Johann von Marck]

 

[Johann von Marck]

^^ Approved for kids 14 and under. And Emo's (all ages) ^^

 

[Acujer]

A kid is suicidal. He may or may not do it, but he is low. Then hears Fade to Black, and it was the perfect song to push him over the edge to slit his wrists.
I'm just wondering if it has actually happened. My guess is this must have happened a lot. This is a straight detailed suicide song.

 

[Acujer]

I had CREEPING DEATH painted on the guntube of my tank in the army.

Thank you for illustrating what I said, "Its got a tad of that American rebellious teenager tough guy testosterone filled ... "I'm an ANGRY BADASS MUTHER FUCKER!!!!" "

 

[Johann von Marck]

All tanks in Charlie company had to have a name that started with the letter C. One of my favorite songs is infact Creeping Death. My buddy named his tank Call of Cuthlu (sp?). What is your point? Your older now and have reached a higher level of lyrical enlightenment and now metallica is just mindless power chords for raging teenagers? Personally I think their first three albums are near masterpieces. As far as a death count for suicides while listening to fade to black, not sure where you'll find that info. You have to bear in mind that when all this alleged sucide by FTB was during the height of the PMRC campaign against metal. There are other songs that mention it, but. The aforementioned group was bent on fade to black and I don't trust anything the media put out in regards to that. For the record, I was 29 when I named it Creeping Death. Juvenile or angry, no but I will agree with your statement badass mutherfucker...the M1A1 was that for sure my friend.

 

[Johann von Marck]

No toughguy, just doing a job and paying a little homage to a cool song.

 

[Acujer]

I happened to like pre-black album Metallica. But I can still point out the ridiculousness of some of it, can't I? Maybe as you get a bit older you will feel the same. I assuming you are in your 20s. It doesn't mean it's bad, but I can enjoy it and laugh at it at the same time. It comes across as cheesy to me, but I say this in a funny way, not a degrading way. What I like about Metallica is their thumping rhythm. They actually have some good lyrics, but I think most American rock bands can't write with the finesse of how they write in the UK or Europe. I mean Metallica has a song like you mentioned Call of Cathulu, giving homage to HP Lovecraft and his Mythos. Now that's cool! For Whom the Bell Tolls, great! But the attitude and energy of them reminds me of late 80s Metal Up Your Ass T Shirts and lots of Mexi seedy green buds and lines of speed breaking Jack Daniels bottles over your girlfriend's head in the trailer park. (Not that I actually did this) Where the energy of Iron Maiden reminds me of something much more elegant and dainty and cultured.
Dio is an exception, where he comes across to me as more European, but it probably has something to do with the Brits he associated himself with. Cozy Powell and Ritchie Blackmoore were both English and Rainbow reflects that. Then of course Sabbath was English. I think it shows.
Even The Stones and Zeppeelin played American blues rock better than any American band at the time. Hell, Beggars Banquet is a fuckin country album for a lot of it. There are some great American songwriters too, like Springsteen and The Grateful Dead, but the Brits just outweigh them.

 

[Johann von Marck]

Yes I agree some of the behavior was kinda showboat or look how extreme I am. But the europeans have their share of cheese too. What about iced earth? Or Jag Panzer? There's some great writing as well? Not just the english invaders.

 

[Acujer]

Maiden super cheesed out with the song Number of the Beast for sure. A lot of Bruce's solo stuff is questionable as well. But Metallica just seems very American macho to me. Look at the facial expressions of the fans during the songs. It's priceless. I admit, I make those same facial expressions and air guitar it too when I listen to them. Isn't the hoakyness kind of the point? Don't you think they are kind of in character?

Old rock bands- King Crimson, Yes, Genesis (Gabriel era), Sabbath, The Who, The Beatles, Priest's Sin After Sin and Sad Wings of Destiny, Rainbow, (British for the most part), Zeppelin, Pink Floyd.
I just don't think these could have been created by Americans. Well, now, interestingly, Crimson is mainly American though besides Fripp. Compare these song structures to Metallica or Death Angel. Even modern bands like Muse and Radiohead, just have a flow to them that is characteristically English.
One of my favorite albums ever is Kansas- Point of No Return which is very American yet has that British progressive feel to it. If you never heard this album you should check it out and listen to it all the way through. It's a concept album.

 

[Johann von Marck]

I think ACCIDENT OF BIRTH is a solid album, infact I like it a lot. The Brits have produced some good bands but I don't discount American metal bands either. Some of the differences you cite however can be said of most music across the pond so to speak. British vs American punk, Ska, etc. Armored Saint, Queensryche ( stopping after mindcrime) , Anthrax ( spreading.the disease is awesome) Anthrax with John Bush ( sound of white noise) , etc. There is good stuff here as well. But for me lyrics don't make or break a song, I tune more into the music itself. If Aces High's lyrics were about the differences between metric and SAE wrenches, I would still like it. When the lyrics are great as well, its added bonus...but that's speaking for me.

 

[Acujer]

I am talking about lyrics and song compositions, melodies, heart and soul, and just overall songwriting. I think Anthrax is juvenile and Operation Mindcrime is ok, but not great. Definitely their best. Anthrax just isn't a great band. You may love them, but it's more of a scene then a band. These bands don't compare to like Old Genesis in song composition, and they weren't meant to be. Anthrax was there to thrash.

Look at Dream Theater. Great musicians but they seem kind of textbook to me. I think they lack a soul, especially John Patruchi. He is amazing, but to me it's soulless. Jimmy Page may not be as fast or proficient but his heart pours out of those solos. You don't get better than Jeff Beck and the quite parts is just as important as the fast loud parts.

Punk we are in different territory as the basis of punk is not good songwriting, so I don't judge them the same. I think a lot of the American hardcore did a much better job than the poppy British stuff. Sex Pistols, although I love them, they are kind of like a producer formed boy band. Compare that to Black Flag, Minor Threat or 7 Seconds. Still the American stuff is very unpolished, but their hearts are what made it.

I have Accident at Birth, but I can't say I know it well.
Back to Fade to Black...

 

[Johann von Marck]

That's funny, I considered Rage For Order to be the more original album, maybe not entirely "metal" but very original and well written. I will agree on the scene comment for anthrax later in their career but when they first came out at least on the west coast I thought their earlier stuff was good and the I'm the man killer bees stuff was still a little ways off. As far as the fade to black goes here, looks like limited action on that. Many may discount their early material nowdays or consider it juvenile, but when ride the lighting and master hit, it was the best.

 

[Acujer]

I never heard Rage for Order actually. Don't you think Sin After Sin and Sad Wings of Destiny are the best Priest?

How about the countless amount of suicides caused by Judas Priest deceptively sneaking in "DO IT!" in their records when played backwards? Have they ever been held accountable?

 

[Johann von Marck]

I would recommend another look at accident of birth and check out rage. I like priest early as well. Especially the early 70's appearance on the grey whistle. As far as accountabilty, that's already been proven in court. Personal responsibility rests soley on the listener in my opinion. Songs are an art form, each views and perceives in their own way. A catalyst for one may be anothers deterrent. Each person is responsible for their own acts. If a 35 year old man has sex with a seventeen.year old girl, can he use wingers song seventeen and the beatles, saw her standing there as defense? Obviously no. I believe the same holds true with any song.

 

[Acujer]

I tell you bro. This is the most boring forum on the net. I added that Judas Priest comment to get a response. Of course that whole suicide thing was bullshit! I was totally joking. Just shows how boring this forum is that only you replied. Its funny now that you know I was joking, right?

 

[Johann von Marck]

Your new name will be Sarcastro. I've read so much weird shit on FB, I doubt nothing now.

 

[Acujer]

My Fade to Black comments are real though. I bet it gave inspiration for a number of suicides. The "Do it!" thing I was joking.