Metal for the Parents

[Valerie]

I want a wormhole.

 

[CAIRATH]

When it's taken to the point that an utterly talentless band, which clearly could not write accessible music to save their lives, can make a black metal album which is considered "good" by its target audience, I would call that a level of absurdity.

I don't really see how this directly relates to minimalism at all. Minimalism isn't some by-product of ineptitude or something. It sounds more like you're just talking about shitty black metal rather than bands that actually deliberately create minimalist music. I'm kind of curious to know which bands you're talking about, actually.

Also, underground black metal bands have a target audience?

 

[ThisIsACoolName]

I want a wormhole.

I want your wormhole.

 

[Ender Rises]

 

[Valerie]

I want your wormhole.

You can travel to magical places in the universe.

 

[Ender Rises]

That's pretty much the most magical place ever.

 

[Rabid Headbanger]

Nec, for someone who was once shoved headfirst through a vagina, you're acting awfully dignified.

 

[cookiecutter]

One night, I'm gonna come inside your house, wherever you're sleeping, and I'm gonna cut your throat.

 

[Matt]

My father liked most 60's rock, especially the Beatles in the latter half of the decade, but starting in the 70's he stopped caring and gave his full focus on classical. I think he liked some blues in his youth, but he wouldn't actively listen it now.

:zombie: The 70's was the best decade in the history ov Earth d00d

Why do people always give the '80s so much shit? It's not like the '90s and '00s were any better.

80's rock music was horrible, for the most part. 90's and 00's mainstream music is far worse, obviously.

 

[Matt]

One night, I'm gonna come inside your house, wherever you're sleeping, and I'm gonna cut your throat.

And then you'll rape and devour the corpse, right?

 

[Rabid Headbanger]

One night, I'm gonna come inside your house, wherever you're sleeping, and I'm gonna cut your throat.

Will you stay for tea?

 

[cookiecutter]

I drink your MILKSHAKE! I drink it up!

 

[Rabid Headbanger]

Someone needs to drive Cookie home...

 

[Valerie]

I would like to eat Cookie.

 

[zabu of nΩd]

I don't really see how this directly relates to minimalism at all. Minimalism isn't some by-product of ineptitude or something. It sounds more like you're just talking about shitty black metal rather than bands that actually deliberately create minimalist music. I'm kind of curious to know which bands you're talking about, actually.

I guess all I'm really doing is disguising my opinion as an argument. I'm not sure if I'll ever understand how people can get so much enjoyment out of such a barren and simplistic art form as black metal. When compared to the vast spectrum of musical ideas present in other genres, black metal just seems like sensory deprivation in comparison.

I have to ask - what exactly distinguishes shitty minimalism from good minimalism? How do you know that if I record myself dropping a pebbles on the ground for an hour, or flushing toilets for an hour, that it's supposed to be art and not garbage? I keep hearing people talk about how you have to "train your ear" for black metal, but it seems to me like the same thing as training your ear to find beauty in the splashing of water or the noise of traffic. At a certain point, minimalism offers no greater aesthetic value than natural ambient noises do. And that goes against the whole reason I listen to music, which is to be stimulated and to be given lots of different ideas.

I'm not saying black metal is worthless - but if minimalism is really a central feature in the genre, then how is it anything more than just background music?

Also, underground black metal bands have a target audience?

Anyone who produces a work of art and distributes it to others has a target audience, tbh. But that's beside the main point I was making.

 

[cookiecutter]

Someone needs to drive Cookie home...

Someone needs to see the best movie of the year

I would like to eat Cookie.

hot

I guess all I'm really doing is disguising my opinion as an argument. I'm not sure if I'll ever understand how people can get so much enjoyment out of such a barren and simplistic art form as black metal. When compared to the vast spectrum of musical ideas present in other genres, black metal just seems like sensory deprivation in comparison.

I have to ask - what exactly distinguishes shitty minimalism from good minimalism? How do you know that if I record myself dropping a pebbles on the ground for an hour, or flushing toilets for an hour, that it's supposed to be art and not garbage? I keep hearing people talk about how you have to "train your ear" for black metal, but it seems to me like the same thing as training your ear to find beauty in the splashing of water or the noise of traffic. At a certain point, minimalism offers no greater aesthetic value than natural ambient noises do. And that goes against the whole reason I listen to music, which is to be stimulated and to be given lots of different ideas.

I'm not saying black metal is worthless - but if minimalism is really a central feature in the genre, then how is it anything more than just background music?



Anyone who produces a work of art and distributes it to others has a target audience, tbh. But that's beside the main point I was making.

Black metal uses minimalism to create atmosphere as well as to create a connection between artist and listener, which, at least for me, is really important for black metal. Most black metal though is not nearly minimalistic enough to be background music. Certainly not Limbonic Art or Nokturnal Mortum.

 

[CAIRATH]

It is also a misconception that minimalist music is supposed to be or is automatically relegated to "background music". That is not its intent at all. Ask Philip Glass or Steve Reich if their compositions were meant to be "background music". Or the huge amount of ambient music that is rooted in minimalism (Eno, Lustmord, etc.)

The fact that some people lack either the attention span or the interest to listen to that type music or are unable to see the beauty in it doesn't mean it is therefor background music.

 

[zabu of nΩd]

Well said. I've never really thought of it in those terms, and I do find Philip Glass's music quite fascinating (although I haven't yet taken the time to listen to it in-depth). Of course, I don't think many minimalists outside of black metal would limit themselves to such a narrow range of sounds as many black metal musicians do, and there seems to be a general sentiment of anti-experimentalism throughout the black metal scene.

I would think that if a highly-talented minimalist like Glass had started out doing black metal, he would have long since moved on to other sounds after an album or two. There doesn't seem to be that kind of musical evolution in most black metal bands, however.

Let me know if you think that makes sense, or if I'm just being biased again.

 

[ShredHeadJHJ]

Did you try at all explaining to him that technical proficiency is essentially antithetical to most forms of Metal and that the amateurish performance tends to be half of the charm of the music in its efforts to thwart the traditionally held notions of what is acceptable music? That's the only way that I can possibly see him finding any appreciation whatsoever with 'traditional' singing in Metal. By the way, his response reads a lot like I would expect a response from my philosophy professor, whose expertise is in aesthetics, primarily the study of the aesthetics of classical music. You know, except without the slight dogmatic undertones. I didn't mean to come off as a bit obtuse before regarding his response, and if I did I'm sorry for that. I think it's really cool that he would actually put any marginal amount of effort into attempting to understand this music, regardless of how short I feel he's fallen from 'getting it'.

Bro, his review wasn't bad or negative at all. He seemed to appreciate the music, he just pointed out the things he did not like as well. You can't expect everyone to feel how you do about music. You could explain your tastes to him & the reasons he 'should' like it & that won't make him obligated to "get it". You just take metal too seriously & you're lost in your sea of musical tastes from what I've gathered. There are listerally BILLIONS of people on the planet who probably think that stuff that Zeph sent his Dad was pure garbage music.

 

[skeptik]

You're just talking about vocals right?

No.

Bro, his review wasn't bad or negative at all. He seemed to appreciate the music, he just pointed out the things he did not like as well. You can't expect everyone to feel how you do about music. You could explain your tastes to him & the reasons he 'should' like it & that won't make him obligated to "get it". You just take metal too seriously & you're lost in your sea of musical tastes from what I've gathered. There are listerally BILLIONS of people on the planet who probably think that stuff that Zeph sent his Dad was pure garbage music.

You either didn't read what I wrote at all or completely and humorously misinterpreted it.