ohiogrinder
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- Mar 15, 2006
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I've been into extreme music since I was 15, I'm 25 now. does that make me old school?
has the magic of metal faded for you over the years?
- Thread starter Cythraul
- Start date
I've been into extreme music since I was 15, I'm 25 now. does that make me old school?
Not unless "you have been a thrasher since 84."
Yea, I miss that old metal feelings. I miss finding that lo-fi sound the most anti-what ever the fuck you can name thing ever. But I grew older and other music knocked some sense into me about metal. I miss that old feeling a ton.
Zephyrus
Tyrants and Slaves
Hatebreeder
Pizzicato Heartstrings
The first time I truly came face-to-face with metal was through Blind Guardian's "Born In A Mourning Hall"; from the moment I heard the opening riff, I knew I was encountering something that I'd never experienced before. Soon, I hunted down their albums and began delving into the more accessible forms of heavy metal.
Then, my foray into extreme metal began with Children of Bodom's Follow the Reaper, which opened entirely new pathways for my exploration that led me into heavier death metal and black metal, through Death and Mayhem, respectively. It was then that I knew that I had found something that could provide for me true longevity that I had never found in any other musical genre.
Metal has not really lost its mystique for me in the truest sense; though I don't view it as such an enigmatic entity as I once did when I first started listening to extreme metal, it still conjures feelings and responses in me that no other musical genre has, can, or will ever. Also, the fact that I have barely scratched the surface of most metal sub-genres and constantly find new bands to enjoy prolongs the fascination.
Then, my foray into extreme metal began with Children of Bodom's Follow the Reaper, which opened entirely new pathways for my exploration that led me into heavier death metal and black metal, through Death and Mayhem, respectively. It was then that I knew that I had found something that could provide for me true longevity that I had never found in any other musical genre.
Metal has not really lost its mystique for me in the truest sense; though I don't view it as such an enigmatic entity as I once did when I first started listening to extreme metal, it still conjures feelings and responses in me that no other musical genre has, can, or will ever. Also, the fact that I have barely scratched the surface of most metal sub-genres and constantly find new bands to enjoy prolongs the fascination.
Carcassian
Utopian Blaster
I think that I'm much more analytical now than I was when I first got into metal proper, which was about...I don't know, 84 or 85 or so when I was about 10. The real grip got me in 86 when I was 11, and back then I would pore over every lyric, gaze at the album artwork for hours and soak in the whole "mythology" of the music, for want of a better phrase. Back then, a bullet belt or mention of anything occult made it dangerous and therefore exciting to me.
So now I am that much older (and affleunt) some of the excitement has worn off in some ways. I can (by and large) indulge my passion for music much more freely with the downside that I am also less likely to spend as much time with each album.
However, that visceral rush from hearing metal, with all its pomp and over-the-top appeal has never gone. I still get giddy and smile like an utter buffoon when I see live metal. I still get excited at the prospect of seeing Motorhead for literally the umpteenth time.
Metal is always going to be my kind of music - but for the same reason that my enjoyment for Enter the Dragon has changed since I was 11 (I still enjoy it, but for different reasons now than for then), so has my enjoyment for metal. Extremity is seldom a goal in itself now, but back then I remember feeling like an utter bad-ass for making myself listen to early Napalm Death. Truth is, it was fucking garbage.
Is it less exciting then ? Who knows - it doesn't feel like it, just that I'm more jaded maybe. My understanding and appreciation has widenend significantly since my youth. Back in the thrash hey-day, I would have (and did) openly laughed at anyone in a Sabbath or Maiden T-shirt for liking "old mans" metal. Since then, not only have my tastes broadened to enjoy a portion of almost every genre and sub-genre, but also explored the older classics of the scene.
Fuck, I love metal. Seriously.
So now I am that much older (and affleunt) some of the excitement has worn off in some ways. I can (by and large) indulge my passion for music much more freely with the downside that I am also less likely to spend as much time with each album.
However, that visceral rush from hearing metal, with all its pomp and over-the-top appeal has never gone. I still get giddy and smile like an utter buffoon when I see live metal. I still get excited at the prospect of seeing Motorhead for literally the umpteenth time.
Metal is always going to be my kind of music - but for the same reason that my enjoyment for Enter the Dragon has changed since I was 11 (I still enjoy it, but for different reasons now than for then), so has my enjoyment for metal. Extremity is seldom a goal in itself now, but back then I remember feeling like an utter bad-ass for making myself listen to early Napalm Death. Truth is, it was fucking garbage.
Is it less exciting then ? Who knows - it doesn't feel like it, just that I'm more jaded maybe. My understanding and appreciation has widenend significantly since my youth. Back in the thrash hey-day, I would have (and did) openly laughed at anyone in a Sabbath or Maiden T-shirt for liking "old mans" metal. Since then, not only have my tastes broadened to enjoy a portion of almost every genre and sub-genre, but also explored the older classics of the scene.
Fuck, I love metal. Seriously.
Not really, even after 13-14 years. Perhaps certain records lose their luster while others get better, as my perspective is obviously different now than it was as a teenager. And I'm sure the impact is different nowadays, but I wouldn't say it's lessened. Even with all the other musical avenues that I've explored over time, I always come back to metal and find something new to discover. And it's weird, because I don't check out new stuff nearly as rapidly or as frequently as many of you here , so I probably stick to listening to what I already know more of the time. Yet I still don't tire much of it.
MasterOLightning
Optimator
I think a few things happen after you listen to metal extensively.
You can't help but be desensitized to metal over time. The first album you hear with extreme vocals seems so otherworldly, and that feeling rapidly goes over time, excepting some rare vocalists. If you listen to enough roughly produced albums, then that becomes the norm. A lot of the enjoyment in metal is the exploration and discovery, which can really only be done once.
My next two points are somewhat related. When you're young, you simply have more imagination. A variety of things such as school, work, real life, etc. tend to suppress imagination and creativity as you get older. It's much easier to buy into the fantastic elements found in essentially every genre of metal. As you get older, society strongly pushes you to think in rational or analytic ways rather than creative ways. Listening to metal then has more to do with picking it apart, deciphering influences, rating/ranking/categorizing albums. Listening to metal more often evokes dudes recording in a studio than any actual imagery. Musicians become more like real people, especially when you meet some, or become a musician yourself. As you get more competent, some of the magic behind recordings goes away.
The creativity-to-rational analysis movement is certainly not absolute, but I think it's a common enough trend to explain part of why attitudes about metal change.
You can't help but be desensitized to metal over time. The first album you hear with extreme vocals seems so otherworldly, and that feeling rapidly goes over time, excepting some rare vocalists. If you listen to enough roughly produced albums, then that becomes the norm. A lot of the enjoyment in metal is the exploration and discovery, which can really only be done once.
My next two points are somewhat related. When you're young, you simply have more imagination. A variety of things such as school, work, real life, etc. tend to suppress imagination and creativity as you get older. It's much easier to buy into the fantastic elements found in essentially every genre of metal. As you get older, society strongly pushes you to think in rational or analytic ways rather than creative ways. Listening to metal then has more to do with picking it apart, deciphering influences, rating/ranking/categorizing albums. Listening to metal more often evokes dudes recording in a studio than any actual imagery. Musicians become more like real people, especially when you meet some, or become a musician yourself. As you get more competent, some of the magic behind recordings goes away.
The creativity-to-rational analysis movement is certainly not absolute, but I think it's a common enough trend to explain part of why attitudes about metal change.
hibernal_dream
A Mind Forever Voyaging
For me it was discovering what was unknown in my youth. Back then I'd heard snippets of bands (no net) and when I couldn't find their tapes or CDs, that created the mystery - there was something great out there i'd not yet discovered. When i'd finished exploring all the genres, that mystery disappeared - i'd reached the highest, darkest and heaviest peaks and there was no unknown to go to. I knew, from hearing years of stuff new and old that didn't appeal to me there was nothing out there better than what I had already heard. That's kind of where i'm sitting now. I feel i've been everywhere, like a kid in an amusement park who's been on all the rides and wants to go home. But i'm still fairly hopeful a new wave will bring back the passion.
skeptik
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- Feb 7, 2003
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One thing that I try to do to retain that certain 'magic' that special albums contain is that I play them rarely, and in ideal circumstances. I find that it's more evocative when it still 'feels' new even though you first heard it over a decade ago because you just don't play it enough for you to know it front and back.
Skepticism
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- Feb 14, 2006
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Rabid Headbanger
New Metal Member
Rabid Headbanger
New Metal Member
False Joe
Who cares.
Well, been listening to metal for about a year, and this is a thoroughly depressing thread 
And to the answer the question, of course there is for me. I'm new. I'm always finding new sounds, new vocals, new genres etc. When I first heard Dying Fetus I was like "OMG THIS IS AWESOME". Admittedly it faded, but I'm still getting that feeling atleast twice a month through new bands etc.
And to the answer the question, of course there is for me. I'm new. I'm always finding new sounds, new vocals, new genres etc. When I first heard Dying Fetus I was like "OMG THIS IS AWESOME". Admittedly it faded, but I'm still getting that feeling atleast twice a month through new bands etc.
ShredHeadJHJ
oh noes itz a opinionn
Personally I think you just grow up & don't obsess over the little stuff like you did when you were younger. Your ears grow & expand to suit more music than you did when you were younger. If anything I don't think it has anything to do with the myth that music of recent years is sucking. I think that music still coming out in recent years is many times better than older music. You just have to expand your tastes, & maybe move on to other territories in music that you have yet to delve in. Don't view music as a "status quo" issue. If you don't play an instrument maybe pick one up & study genres beyond metal on your instrument.
I hope I made sense...
I hope I made sense...
skeptik
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Silent_Scream
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