I guess my primary issue when reading this (and I do like both articles. Very well written, and very well thought out), is that there wasn't enough of a discussion of the seperation of a metal genre, defined by a style, or elements in music, and metal as a more musical/social movement. There are many groups out there that we call metal, that have nothing in common with Black Sabbath, but are certainly still metal. Perhaps it is their 'loudness' and uncompromising nature, that seperate them from rock... or even just art/progressive rock, free jazz, etc. I think that metal is more than just a musical/social movement, and therefore what might be 'true' or 'false' could lose some relevance.
In the end, we are of course supposed to identify what we like to listen to, and not care about anything else. We should not let the popularity of our band affect our enjoyment of the band. We should not think of it as a travesty that our band isn't more popular. We surely can hope that a band we enjoy earn money, but is that really important? I love ProgPower because it brings in new groups that I otherwise never would have a chance to see. I don't believe that ProgPower is a lucrative business offer for these bands. ProgPower, to me, is a celebration of -metal- and talented metallic artists. While it certaintly can act as a gateway to the American metal audience, solid, devoted, and refreshing live performances is the only real way to break in and to develop a dedicated fan base that will support you as long as you stay honest to them.
