Metal interview with you

[MURAI]

Metal interviews on magazines or fanzines are just band members. How about doing a serious one with just the fans?


1. Favourite subgenre(s) of heavy metal?

2. What do you like/dislike about heavy metal?

3. How do you feel about most other metalheads?

4. What are the core themes of metal?

5. Do you think metal can be a little over-the-top therefore making it seem cheesy? For example, making lyrics about Satan etc..

6. How do you feel about album covers? What artists/illustrators do you like?

7. How do you feel about punk and how metal mingled with it?

8. How do you think metal will turn out in 10, 20 years?

9. Do you read album/concert reviews?

10. Do you get bored of it after years of indulging in it?

 

[Taliesin]

1. Favourite subgenre(s) of heavy metal?
Death Metal, Melodeath, Prog. Also, Dark Wave and some Electro, but that's not really metal, so..

2. What do you like/dislike about heavy metal?
Some people are really narrowminded, some are outright stupid. But then again that can be said about pretty much all of society. What pisses me off about metal is the general fanboyism. A band releases a new album and everyone is like "z0mg it is teh greatest album evaaar!". Only dead fish swim with the stream is what I say.

3. How do you feel about most other metalheads?
Most metalheads are really cool and friendly. Metal Festivals are pretty much free of violence and if you run out of beer.. there is always a nice metalhead around you can ask and who'll gladly provide a little beer

4. What are the core themes of metal?
Uhh.. catharsis to anger and frustration?

5. Do you think metal can be a little over-the-top therefore making it seem cheesy? For example, making lyrics about Satan etc..
Yea sure

6. How do you feel about album covers? What artists/illustrators do you like?
Im buying albums for the music. A good cover can enhance the feeling of an album though

7. How do you feel about punk and how metal mingled with it?
As long as it sounds good Im fine with it

8. How do you think metal will turn out in 10, 20 years?
I think metal will change quite a bit in the next few years because more and more bands realise they can make more money with mainstream but still metallish music the way In Flames did.

9. Do you read album/concert reviews?
Almost never

10. Do you get bored of it after years of indulging in it?
By "it" you mean metal? Yea, quite a bit actually. Metal is still my main genre but I look left and right more and more now.

 

[Pђoenix]

1. Favourite subgenre(s) of heavy metal?
My favourite would be death metal. It explores a very deeply into the world of music I feel it is a way of dealing with all the shit people have in their lives. There are also many branches of death metal that I like equally.

2. What do you like/dislike about heavy metal?
I heavily dislike the fact that bands these days seem to be creating music for the purpose of money and not passion(which is what I believe music is about)Many good bands have deteriated to crap

I like how there are many sub-genres: People say once in a while they need something softer to listen to then metal and then go listen to pop etc, but the joy of having different subgenres is that there is always something different to listen to but still have a thread running through it that is metal. There is a different subgenre for almost every mood imo.

3. How do you feel about most other metalheads?
I like them, most metalheads are real nice people no matter how baddass they seem. But of course you get the odd asshole who thinks hes better then everyone else.

4. What are the core themes of metal?
lol death? I don't no, it's so varied

5. Do you think metal can be a little over-the-top therefore making it seem cheesy? For example, making lyrics about Satan etc..
Sometimes yes, but some bands are actually real hardcore about the satanist stuff and its fucking scary nonetheless I don't mind

6. How do you feel about album covers? What artists/illustrators do you like?
I like album covers. Most of the time they reflect the content of the album and portray a band. My favourite album cover would be Legion of the Damned - Son of the Jackal, it's fucking kickass!

7. How do you feel about punk and how metal mingled with it?
Whatever. What's happened has happened. I don't particularly like punk but alot of the artists I like, do, so in a way I'm thankful.

8. How do you think metal will turn out in 10, 20 years?
I belive and fear it will turn mainstream, more and more festivals have been taken over by emo/screamo bands simply to boost the money they rake in. In the future I fear what I claim to be true metal may be lost in the past.

9. Do you read album/concert reviews?
To be honest, no. Not unless I was at the concert.

10. Do you get bored of it after years of indulging in it?
I love metal, but I must admit after a few years I do get bored as, it becomes harder for bands to create 'fresh' music, and songs start sounded to much the same.

 

[Blue_Jay]

1. Favourite subgenre(s) of heavy metal? Lately 1.Power Metal, 2.Progressive Metal, and 3.Black Metal.

2. What do you like/dislike about heavy metal? A lot of bands are overproduced. There's less good metal albums coming out in the later 0s. Some of the really good metal bands are dying. Bad genres in metal. Some metalheads are really mean and it gives metal a bad repuatation. What some people do for metal like burning churches, etc. But my most serious complaint was overproduction.

3. How do you feel about most other metalheads? I love them as long as they aren't obviously mean. idc if they don't like my favorite genres I love them anyways.

4. What are the core themes of metal? Imo intense lyrics NOT BAD RANDOM LYRICS I HATE THOSE. Sonata Arctica ,Stratovarius, and Iron Maiden are good examples of that. This is why I'm not a big big death metal fan because the lyrics are a bit boring. Rhythm is important. Uniqueness is important. Idc about how heavy a band is just look at Agalloch.

5. Do you think metal can be a little over-the-top therefore making it seem cheesy? For example, making lyrics about Satan etc..: Lyrics about satan do annoy me. It's not that anti religious lyrics are bad I just don't like to hear a band sing about the price of darkness kk. It's beyond bad. Although Deicide is my favorite death metal band. Metal can also be way over the top. Overproduction annoys me a lot. Ghost Reveries from Opeth is a good example of that. It's a good album but the overproduction annoyed me.

6. How do you feel about album covers? What artists/illustrators do you like? Album covers are important to me. Watching the album cover while listening to the music imo makes the music better. My favorite artists atm are Stratovarius, Shadow Gallery, Sonata Arctica, Manowar, Weakling, Urfaust, Burzum, Bathory,

7. How do you feel about punk and how metal mingled with it? I don't like punk but I like the punk influences Darkthrone has. That's all I have to say about it in other words it doesn't effect metal much. Not really a big metal question but the rest were good.

8. How do you think metal will turn out in 10, 20 years? More genres, more fans, but metal as a whole will probably have exausted all origionalness and more black metal bands will become better known as classics. Maybe they will even put some of them on the radio waves who knows. But in the future I think there will be country metal.

9. Do you read album/concert reviews? No, I don't go to concerts yet cause I don't have a job yet.

10. Do you get bored of it after years of indulging in it? I've listened to metal for 3 years. Year 1 was all nu metal. Year 2 Melodic metal, started checking out death,power,progressive,death, doom and you get the point metal. Year 3: Dislike most melodic metal bands and still like all of the other genres about the same like the bands. Started checking out other genres other than metal like classic rock, country, and pop. So far so good I'm not getting bored with metal.

 

[byrne]

Cool / unique thread idea, so here goes.

1. Favourite subgenre(s) of heavy metal?
Thrash / death mainly. But doom and traditional get their fair share of play time as well. Black metal is less regularly spun on my cd player and power metal is hardly ever played at all.

2. What do you like/dislike about heavy metal?
Likes would include the genuine nature of good metal, I don't mind indulging in some technical wankery, killer riffs, the fact that a great album is an entire piece of art meaning there aren't just a few catchy songs, each song fits into an overall context. And so forth.

Dislikes include metal fans in general being complete and utter retards, the plethora of bad metal out there, the general attitude of the Australian metal scene is very much "you are Australian, therefore you must like Australian bands", inability to get t-shirts that fit well (why do all shirt making companies only cater for people 6'6 and 100 + kg???), difficulty in chasing down some albums (still looking for MIASMA CHANGES!!!) etc ..

3. How do you feel about most other metalheads?
Well I genrally don't get along with them. All they ever seem to want to talk about is metal and that gets boring fast. A lot of fans are just fucking spastics and the genre attracts a generally degenerate crowd, which gives the music a generally bad name. This isn't to say there aren't some fantastic guys/gals out there, its just generally, there are too many idiots.

4. What are the core themes of metal?
No particular core themes, more just themes people should steer clear of. Preaching for one, overly cheesy stuff like Manowar material, I've never liked gore lyrics (e.g. Cannibal Corpse) and I don't like it when bands just try to be obscene.

5. Do you think metal can be a little over-the-top therefore making it seem cheesy? For example, making lyrics about Satan etc..
Well, yes. See above. I don't mind the really satanic stuff so much, cheesy for me is when you get guitar wankery and the lyrics paint the image of a guy running round in budgie smugglers wielding an axe or a sword and glisening like he is all baby-oil'd up.

6. How do you feel about album covers? What artists/illustrators do you like?
I really like metal covers that have been done well. I typically prefer either old drawing/painting style covers (such as Windir or Argohslent), simple yet effective (Mournful Congregation or Aeternus), and others that probably don't have any specific appealing characteristics, but I just like for some reason (Elysian Blaze etc.) No particular artists tickly my fancy though.

7. How do you feel about punk and how metal mingled with it?
I like some punk, I find the genre generally unrewarding though. However, it was an important step for metal when it crossed over with punk. It is the same for nearly every genre of music though, I don't think there is a need to limit metal within rigid boundaries.

8. How do you think metal will turn out in 10, 20 years?
In my opinion it will become stale and slowly die. There will always be a semi underground element for the anti-mainstream to appreciate, but these true (had to be said) fans will be fewer and further in between. Quasi-metal (i.e. the mainstream stuff) will become more popular in the sense that it will be more pop-esque, just churning out more and more shit for people who have passing interests in "obscure music" - which I don't see metal as being.

9. Do you read album/concert reviews?
Yep. Read one recently re: Blind Guardian in aus. Great review - people flew all over the country to see them (they only played in Melb the fucksticks). Sounded like it would have been a killer 2 nights

10. Do you get bored of it after years of indulging in it?
Nope. I do find that I'm starting to a little more mainstream music though these days as a result of spending endless drunk'en nights in bars that only play stuff like Sneaky Soundsystem and other such dance / techno stuff, as well as having a girlfriend that is into bands like Eskimo Joe meaning I am starting to tolerate a broader variety of music, and I assume slowly I'll probably get into some of it.

 

[Mort Divine]

1. Favourite subgenre(s) of heavy metal?

I've found that I tend to prefer black and doom metal, but I have a pretty damned rising interest in old school death metal.

2. What do you like/dislike about heavy metal?

I really dislike the hypocrisy that I tend to fine in great numbers within the metal scene. You hear everyone bitching about "Oh, but you have to go underground to know what real metal is about" and they will get bad every time someone unfairly judges metal by the mainstream yet they will go do the same fucking thing when it comes to non-metal, be it indie rock, rap, pop, etc.

I also really fucking hate this purism that exists, where people think that if anything significantly different is done that it sucks and is an abomination.


3. How do you feel about most other metalheads?

Most metalheads are a complete waste of life - but there are a good few that I enjoy talking to, being friends with, etc.

The ratio of genuine dumbasses to intelligent people is just fucking annoyingly unbalanced, but I'm sure that is really just speaking for the general population anyways.

4. What are the core themes of metal?

There are no "themes" that are mandatory, but I've found that (despite the herd mentality in a lot of subgenres) that individualism is often stressed, rebellion (whether with purpose or not) is also prevalent.

5. Do you think metal can be a little over-the-top therefore making it seem cheesy? For example, making lyrics about Satan etc..

It is often over-the-top but I think that is what makes so much of it as entertaining as it is, but then again you have the bands such as Agalloch and Primordial that know how to convey their message perfectly without once becoming ridiculous in their delivery or content and those are also great to have around.

6. How do you feel about album covers? What artists/illustrators do you like?

Three dimensional cover art is horrible, bands that use it need to stop now - it very rarely ever is done well and even when done well a great hand drawn cover will always be better as will well taken photographs. I'm not very familiar with any artists, but whoever did the art for Emperor - In The Nightside Eclipse is fantastic.

7. How do you feel about punk and how metal mingled with it?

I like alot of punk, particularly emo and post-hardcore. I think that the mixture of metal was a great and particularly important one - for had it never happened thrash, death, or black metal would never have come to be in their current form.

8. How do you think metal will turn out in 10, 20 years?

Hell if I know, but I do see it thriving - as it is today. Perhaps it will never become "glorious" like it supposedly was in the 80s, but it won't die.

9. Do you read album/concert reviews?

Album reviews - yeah, concert reviews - never read one in my life.

10. Do you get bored of it after years of indulging in it?

Not really, I mean it isn't as if all I do is listen to nothing but metal all day long. I do have interests in underground rap, indie rock, folk music, and a good amount of punk - so I'm not just cramming my ass full of nothing but metal. I like to (as much as I hate this phrase) mix things up a bit.

 

[Slayed Necros]

1. Favourite subgenre(s) of heavy metal?

Black Metal, Old-School Death Metal.

2. What do you like/dislike about heavy metal?

Likes: Spirit, emotion and dedication. The evocative feelings and atmospheres, and sometimes, just the plain fucking heaviness of Death Metal, the blazing riffs of Thrash Metal and the raw, scathing hatred of Black Metal. Dislikes: Bands devoid of aforementioned feelings. Gimmick bands.

3. How do you feel about most other metalheads?

I try to remain indifferent, but the plain idiocy of some is insufferable. Idiot Black Metal "elitists" (Yeah, right...) who think they're above the genre's originators (Mostly the early Norwegian scene) and tend to listen to some obscure, modern nobodies because it sets them apart from others. Assholes who turn music listening into some kind of fucking competition.

4. What are the core themes of metal?

...Piss off, I'm drinking!

5. Do you think metal can be a little over-the-top therefore making it seem cheesy? For example, making lyrics about Satan etc..

Somewhat. But this can also work in a band's favour. Example; Gehennah - Hardrocker.


6. How do you feel about album covers? What artists/illustrators do you like?

Kris Verwimp

Kristian Wahlin

Chris Moyen

7. How do you feel about punk and how metal mingled with it?

I fucking loathe punk. Nothing further.

8. How do you think metal will turn out in 10, 20 years?

Completely crap.

9. Do you read album/concert reviews?

Albums reviews, yeah. I couldn't care less about concert reviews.

10. Do you get bored of it after years of indulging in it?

Not even remotely! I can't see myself being so involved in any other genre.

 

[Mort Divine]

Idiot Black Metal "elitists" (Yeah, right...) who think they're above the genre's originators (Mostly the early Norwegian scene) and tend to listen to some obscure, modern nobodies because it sets them apart from others.

This made me a bit, because I really do find the French scene better than early Norwegian one.

 

[Reaping Clarity]

1. Favourite subgenre(s) of heavy metal?
Death, Melo-Death, Thrash, Black, Progressive, Doom

2. What do you like/dislike about heavy metal?
Likes: The insanity, intensity, headbanging, solos, lyrics, deep emotion, the use of all instruments to their full potential.
Dislikes:When bands become more commercial and make their once great music a lot more mainstream (In Flames for example).

3. How do you feel about most other metalheads?
Even though metal-heads are a rarity in the place I'm in, I only know two metal heads, and they're my two best friends. I think the metal community has the most unity and brotherhood amongst anything else, they live for the music.

4. What are the core themes of metal?
...........................Satan *sips wine* (Not really ), but a majority of the themes are dark.

5. Do you think metal can be a little over-the-top therefore making it seem cheesy? For example, making lyrics about Satan etc..
I don't think bands make music about Satan to prove how evil they are, I think it's more on the basis of their strong upheaval against Christianity or sometimes even religion in general. You want cheesy? Look at Trivium lyrics...

"All the pain in this world won't stop us now
For we have each other
All the hate in this world can't tear us apart
This love is forever"

6. How do you feel about album covers? What artists/illustrators do you like?
I love most album covers especially when they're very artistic or generally cool looking. I'm not sure about most of the album artists, but the bands: Opeth, Daylight Dies, Amon Amarth, Suidakra, Insomnium, Swallow The Sun, Summoning, Rotting Christ.

7. How do you feel about punk and how metal mingled with it?
I'm not quite sure what is meant by this question, unless you're talking about Metal's influence on punk, I stand by 'Punk is dead'

8. How do you think metal will turn out in 10, 20 years?
Hopefully it will be exactly the same with few alterations I'd imagine. There will be many new bands being introduced, somewhat replacing the bands we know and love now, but we will always know who the pioneers/heroes were.

9. Do you read album/concert reviews?
I don't particularly read concert reviews, I do however read many album reviews, especially if it's for one I'm planning to buy. I will often look all over the internet to see how all the opinions are varied, but if a majority say the album is shit, I'm likely not to buy it.

10. Do you get bored of it after years of indulging in it?
Bored of metal? Ha that's like asking if I get bored of food. Metal is something that is and always will be apart of my life, from my youth to my final days.

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

1. Favourite subgenre(s) of heavy metal?
Death metal (specifically, old-school death, tech-death new and old, brutal/slam death), black metal (all 3 waves and BEYOND, fuck the purists!), doom metal (sludge, funeral, old-school, stoner, death/doom, etc.). I like fucking everything. I even like stuff no one likes, such as goregrind (big fucking fan) and metalcore (also a bigger fan than most people here!).

2. What do you like/dislike about heavy metal?
Not very much, I'm optimistic about its future and I like the past and current stuff...I'm really open to all metal, for the most part.

3. How do you feel about most other metalheads?
If this forum is any indication, they are an interesting, opinionated bunch...well, actually I knew that about 5 minutes into visiting metal forums, nevermind modding them! But yeah, I like the "brotherhood" aspect inherent in metal. It's nice, and even though we all kinda hate each other and argue, I think a lot of this board, and, indeed, PLENTY of metal fans around the world, are very brotherly...or something?

4. What are the core themes of metal?
WHATEVER YOU WANT THEM TO BE. I do not believe in stupid limitations on a genre so diverse, rich in musical progression, and so productive of brilliant musicians and composers.

5. Do you think metal can be a little over-the-top therefore making it seem cheesy? For example, making lyrics about Satan etc..
Uh, yeah? Like 99% of all metal is cheesy. That does not make it any less artistically tasetful, compositionally excellent, or anything. The music is excessive and often extreme; why can't the lyrics be?

6. How do you feel about album covers? What artists/illustrators do you like?
I am not really polarized here (bet you didn't see that one coming!)...I equally like the old pencil-drawn/watercolor stuff like Seagrave other old-school death style covers, the black and white "necro" BM stuff, and the Photoshop-laden "arty" new style. I'm picky when it comes to SPECIFIC covers, but overall I like at least a bunch of every style available!

7. How do you feel about punk and how metal mingled with it?
I like metalcore, but not the gay mainstream shit, really. That should sum that up. Then again, modern metalcore very often has nothing to really do with traditional hardcore punk. Things change...

8. How do you think metal will turn out in 10, 20 years?
No telling, but I see it flourishing still. It'll be weird to see old stuff as "forgotten" or otherwise obsolete'd, and stuff from the last 10 years "classic", though!!

9. Do you read album/concert reviews?
I hardly ever find myself caring about concert reviews, and I sit down for a good album review here and there, provided it isn't totally subjective garbage (as in, it must describe the band and firmly REVIEW all positive and negative aspects before judging from experience and taste) and that it is well done in other senses, such as how it uses metaphors and relations to other artists. I write my own reviews, also, so I obviously look for these things in my own!

10. Do you get bored of it after years of indulging in it?
I've been into metal since 2nd quarter 2003; I have not even become CLOSE to being bored of it. That means a lot.

 

[Zephyrus]

1. Favourite subgenre(s) of heavy metal?

Definitely black metal. It satisfies my need for aggressiveness and heaviness to work out my stress, while at the same time creates a pleasing atmosphere and piques my interest with a classical appeal. I enjoy the full range of black metal's permutations, from brutal norsecore to minimalist atmospheric BM and all the crazy shit in between.


2. What do you like/dislike about heavy metal?

I have a profound hatred for many things in this world, particularly in mainstream culture, and metal doesn't only calm my anger by matching it in sound, but reflects my contempt for pop culture and through that I am given an identity to be proud of, rather than just a drone in the populist herd.

What I dislike about metal is the recent merger with the mainstream that so many bands have been complicit in; an act that I feel is retroactive to metal's inherent meaning.


3. How do you feel about most other metalheads?

I respect most metalheads above those who are enslaved to mainstream trends. Although most metalheads around where I live listen to semi-trendy stuff like metalcore, I can still find a common bond through our need to channel our aggressions through a passion for violent yet meaningful music.

4. What are the core themes of metal?

While the traditional themes of violence, death and anti-religion are still prevalent, lyrical/thematic content need not adhere to these themes in order to be true to metal. Metal is defined by the nature of the music, and anything else is secondary.

5. Do you think metal can be a little over-the-top therefore making it seem cheesy? For example, making lyrics about Satan etc..

In metal, I find two categories of cheesy. The first are the elements common to most power metal bands, who vocally and musically tend to seem over-the-top and almost a reversal of what I set to accomplish by listening to metal.
The second category of cheesiness is when bands broadcast an overly-pretentious image, such as blatant Satan/Anti-Christian album covers that imply less of a focus on musical quality and too much focus on ideology, especially when it's not taken seriously.


6. How do you feel about album covers? What artists/illustrators do you like?

I'm partial to album covers that go beyond the generic metal themes such as gore and satan. Especially in black metal, I prefer album covers that try to convey the atmosphere/aesthetics of the musical content, with dreamy landscapes and castles. Indeed I will listen to any band that puts a castle in their cover art (In the Nightside Eclipse, For All Tid, The Grand Psychotic Castle to name a few).

7. How do you feel about punk and how metal mingled with it?

I am not a fan at all of punk in any of its stages, but I respect it's contribution to early metal and the ramifications of that intercourse.

8. How do you think metal will turn out in 10, 20 years?

As will most music, more metal bands will adopt a more futuristic sound, incorporating electronica and industrial. What may also happen is a merger of metal with pop by this regard, only more widespread than it is today. Bands of the traditional schools of heavy, death, black and thrash will continue to put out music, but their numbers may decline as originality will run dry.

9. Do you read album/concert reviews?

I read album reviews every day on mainly Metal-Observer and Metal-Archives. I am constantly exploring new bands and reading reviews satisfied my need to explore.
I only occasionally read concert reviews, but that's only when I happen to see one with a band I like playing in it. I don't actively search for concert reviews as I would album reviews.


10. Do you get bored of it after years of indulging in it?

I've been into metal for 3 years and I'm fortunate that very little monotony has set in. Bands that first introduced me to extreme metal are still commonplace in my playlists, their music sounding just as fresh as newer acquisitions.

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

This is a fucking awesome thread, by the way. I have somehow learned more about a lot of the people who post here, despite "thinking" I knew them from taste and posting habit alone...cheers!!

 

[Zephyrus]

This is a fucking awesome thread, by the way. I have somehow learned more about a lot of the people who post here, despite "thinking" I knew them from taste and posting habit alone...cheers!!

Indeed.

And it's a great feeling having taken the time and thought to answer those questions, resulting in truly meaningful posts rather just a terse response.

 

[Alter]

1. Favourite subgenre(s) of heavy metal?
Death metal becuase of the raw power of it. Death metal has the best bands and fans.

2. What do you like/dislike about heavy metal?
I like how the music has a good idea of whats metal and whats not. There is rarely any gray area. I dislike the assholes who hate a band becuase of change.

3. How do you feel about most other metalheads?
Most metalheads are cool fun people who enjoy the same music as you.

4. What are the core themes of metal?
the core themes are pure rawness and total deditaction

5. Do you think metal can be a little over-the-top therefore making it seem cheesy? For example, making lyrics about Satan etc..
Yes but that is just what metal is

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

Indeed, big thumbs up here...we need more shit like this (well, not in a thread-subject-redundancy kind of way, but you get the picture!).

 

[Alter]

Indeed, big thumbs up here...we need more shit like this (well, not in a thread-subject-redundancy kind of way, but you get the picture!).

are you talking about my post? or everyones in general?

also i am interested in your music project vvvvv is there some mp3s i could listion to?

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

Everyone, really. Yours was less comprehensive, but still, every bit counts.

You can click the .gif image with the logo in my signature (if you can see signatures?) to check out samples from upcoming stuff. All of my released works are available direct from me or downloadable from me on SLSK. Thanks for your interest!

 

[Gilotina v cvetakh]

1. Favourite subgenre(s) of heavy metal?
black, power, 80's, viking/folk, death, really I like it all.. to be honest!

2. What do you like/dislike about heavy metal?
I do not like that I don't have enough time to listen too all the bands I want too. Metal for me has always been an escape and there is something about the growls, and speed, or happy vocals with flutes that just gets to me.

3. How do you feel about most other metalheads?
there is something very mellow about just sitting back enjoying a beer and talking metal with others, not to mention its like above mentioned a brother[sister]hood, metalheads stick together and i love that!

4. What are the core themes of metal?
it varies!

5. Do you think metal can be a little over-the-top therefore making it seem cheesy? For example, making lyrics about Satan etc..
of course, but i dont take it serious..im not going to find virgins and murder them in odins or satans name...

6. How do you feel about album covers? What artists/illustrators do you like?
I love album covers, I'm a visual gal and I like to see something great inside and out on the cd booklet thus I may look through it and listen!

7. How do you feel about punk and how metal mingled with it?
Not so much into punk, ok not at all..I feel my favourite band Carpathian forest has some elements of punk, but thats as far as I go.

8. How do you think metal will turn out in 10, 20 years?
I hope we will get more fans, which mean more tours and hopefully more fests. I'm sure metal will improve, I know it.. I see it with bands that push the limits.

9. Do you read album/concert reviews?
Always, and thats how i usually find new bands besides word of mouth.

10. Do you get bored of it after years of indulging in it?
No, metal is my heart [tacky as that sounds] Its something I wake up too, calm down with, go out to see, and listen to before bed.

 

[Hatebreeder]

1. Favourite subgenre(s) of heavy metal?
Black and Death, with a bit of power, some old school underground thrash, and a small bit of grindcore.

2. What do you like/dislike about heavy metal?
I like its unearthly, supernatural vibe and primarily minor-key chord progression (at least in black and death) and relatively intelligent lyrics. Can't say I really dislike anything about it, but the thousands of clone bands get annoying sometimes.

3. How do you feel about most other metalheads?
Depends on how they are as a person.

4. What are the core themes of metal?
That is a vague question, but basically it's about delving into taboo subjects that most musical genres avoid (religion, death, etc.)

5. Do you think metal can be a little over-the-top therefore making it seem cheesy? For example, making lyrics about Satan etc..
Fuck yes it can be cheesy, but that is no matter to me. Most of my favorite bands could easily fit into the cheesy category (Norwegian black metal FTW).

6. How do you feel about album covers? What artists/illustrators do you like?
Album covers are somewhat important to me (especially when deciding how I feel about a band I've never heard that I just discovered while browsing) and I appreciate the art. My favorite album artists are Kristian Wåhlin, Andreas Marschall and Dan Seagrave.

7. How do you feel about punk and how metal mingled with it?
Through my appreciation for grindcore/early BM and my roots in the 80s hardcore scene (didn't live it, but it was among my first popular music choices), I'm okay with it. Most early underground metal bands were heavily influenced by punk and NWOBHM (Venom, Napalm Death, etc), so I can't deny its presence.

8. How do you think metal will turn out in 10, 20 years?
I don't really know, but I just hope it never gets banned or anything.

9. Do you read album/concert reviews?
Only when I'm interested in buying the album or seeing the particular band.

10. Do you get bored of it after years of indulging in it?
Not really; I've only been actively interested in it for about two years, but I don't see any end to my obsession.

 

[Valerie]

1. Favourite subgenre(s) of heavy metal?
There are genres that I listen to more than others, but I don't think I have a definite favorite sub-genre; I pretty much enjoy most of them (Death, Gothic, Progressive, Thrash, Doom, Heavy, some Black, Avant-Garde). I love how metal is very diverse.

2. What do you like/dislike about heavy metal?
Well, the aforementioned diversity is something I like. I like the musical and technical complexity that a lot of metal bands have, because for me and other musicians (professional or just a hobbyist) it opens up a whole new world of playing techniques to master.

There isn't much I dislike about metal. I suppose I dislike the intentional bad production on some black metal albums, and I dislike the "We must stay underground, so underground that no one knows who we are!" idea.

3. How do you feel about most other metalheads?
I don't like the extreme elitism that some people have, but other than that, most other metalheads are cool and good people.

4. What are the core themes of metal?
I agree with V5; they're whatever you want them to be.

5. Do you think metal can be a little over-the-top therefore making it seem cheesy? For example, making lyrics about Satan etc..
Anything in metal can seem cheesy to people, especially those that don't listen to metal or understand anything about it. But as a person who listens to metal regularly, I suppose what I find cheesy is are costumes. I don't like GWAR's music, I don't like they're costumes, and at least in my opinion, given that I don't like their music, I think the image is supposed to make up for the lack of truly good music. It might be fun to listen to... but it's not great. Same with Slipknot, even though they're not real metal, and thus I suppose don't belong in this discussion.

6. How do you feel about album covers? What artists/illustrators do you like?
I like album covers that foreshadow something about the music, and give you somewhat of a clue about the music's atmosphere/themes. I don't know the names of any of the people that do the covers, except the guy that does Opeth's artwork which I suddenly can't remember...

7. How do you feel about punk and how metal mingled with it?
I don't like punk. Two genres that have branched off from punk, Gothic rock and Death rock, I love. I like Thrash, which I know was influenced by punk, but that's about it. I don't like metalcore.

8. How do you think metal will turn out in 10, 20 years?
Who knows, really?

9. Do you read album/concert reviews?
I don't ever read concert reviews, but I just scan the reviews on metal-archives when trying to figure out which album to buy by a band I haven't listened to before.

10. Do you get bored of it after years of indulging in it?
I've only been into metal as a whole for about 3 years, so it hasn't gotten old yet. When I was younger I was really into Grunge, like Soundgarden and Alice in Chains, which are metal bands (according to MA), but that was the extent of my metalness at the time.