The Appeal of Darkness

[Demilich]

This was brought up by... someone... in another thread, and I found it very interesting, so I thought I'd move the discussion out here to where it's more accessible to everyone. Why do 'dark' bands like Opeth (and Katatonia, and leagues of others that many of us are fans of) appeal to us so much?

I'll give my 2 cents:
I live a pretty happy, normal life. My parents are pretty happily still together, we have a pretty good income, a nice house, and everything else is going pretty well. It may be that though this is the preferable way to live (for me), I do want to escape to something else, to experience things 'otherwise'. Music has always been a means of escapism for me, so the dark and fantastic themes in a lot of metal appeal to me. And on the occasion that I am feeling down, the dark music and lyrics of bands like Opeth strike very close to home and I identify with them on an entirely different level.

What do you guys think?

 

[[KOTNO]Narrot]

personally for me the interest in dark themes (also in gothic literature etc), is an expression of nonconformism to a society which aims for fun, wealth and sexuality only.
also it is an expression of a healthy amount of morbidness in ones thoughts

 

[TheMonkeysAteMySoul]

I agrea with the thread starter, I live a pretty good life, I just like the escapism and the atmosphere of the music, atmosphere is important to me in music, no matter what style

 

[ViCyniC]

For me, it more just about the music itself. I find the extreme/underground forms of music are melodically and technically superior to mainstream music. And I guess it doesn't hurt that the themes associated with these types of music are fantastical and thoughtful. That's a bonus.

 

[Demilich]

I hope this doesnt turn into an "OMZ TEH UNDERGROUND ROOLZ TEH MAINSTREAM MUSIX~~)``!!!1!" thread.. it wasn't meant to be. i don't mean any disrespect to you either, your opinion is your own and none of us can touch that, but the "darkness" spoken of in the original post of this thread could exist in mainstream music just as easily as in underground.

 

[[KOTNO]Narrot]

but the "darkness" spoken of in the original post of this thread could exist in mainstream music just as easily as in underground.
>> i doubt that...big time. it's a wonder that evanescane (wtf? dunno about the spelling) made it into the charts...

 

[RavenousDaemon]

OMG NO!!! Evanesence is my absolutely most hated band ever...
No wonder it made it on the charts.

I believe i started hating it when i heard it on the radio and the male singer just sounded so retarded.... he kinda reminded me of a wigger as a matter of fact (don't bother asking why, my mind is too twisted in its explanations).

Ok, as for the topic, I listen to dark music simply because all of the individual elements (elephants ) go very well together. Lets say you are listening to say the Drapery Falls or Dimmu's Progenies of the Apocalypse in a dark room. It just seems so much more fantastic (and in the terms of Drapery, mysterious).

 

[Super Mahrio]

i dunno...it happens...one can blame dissaffected youth but its not the case in metal...those fools turn to punk and end up killing themselves...i cant explain why darker sounds and more morbid lyrics appeal to people...

also it is an expression of a healthy amount of morbidness in ones thoughts

but i think KOTNO is on to something...

 

[Episteme]

OMZ TEH UNDERGROUND ROOLZ TEH MAINSTREAM MUSIX~~)``!!!1!


Nah...I really don't know. It's interesting...I'm interested in religion, the dark side of it, metaphysics, ancient history, occults etc. My family is fine, I'm fine most of the time. I guess in some way, most of us are intrigued by the dark side because although we don't want to be lead by it we want to know abit more of it for knowledge, interest etc. But really I don't care if it's dark or not, it just has to be good for me to listen to.

 

[Leper_/-\ffinity]

My life sucks, about the only happiness I have in my life is my Mom and a few friends, and playing and listening to music, so sometimes I feel like I connect with it, sometimes I dont at all, but either way, I like it, and I really couldn't tell you why.

 

[Evil Ernie]

I remember watching Disney movies when I was a little kid, and I've always prefered the villains to the heroes. I've always had this attraction to evil and fantasy. On the other hand I am a very kind person. People are always surprised to know how deeply I am into metal music and gore movies. That might be a way to balance things up in my life as others posted earlier. But the emotion that I prefer in Opeth's music is despair.

 

[Nico]

I'm glad someone brought this topic out of obscurity, because its a valuable discussion.

It's a different story for everyone. The appeal of something that is, in most cases, taboo in modern society, is pretty self explainitory. You get told not to do something... and it suddenly becomes a curiosity.

Since we can assume that modern society is in fact based on judeo-christian principles and moral codes, it's easy to see where the idea's of 'joy, happyness and fun' base themselves... in principle. Stay away from darkness and the such. It's also the social conditioning we've all endured, which causes certain things to apply to others. For example, the concept of the 'black sheep', being the outcast of society, but subliminaly due to the fact that is isnt 'white and pure'.

For me, these reasons apply. It is a dismissal of what has been taught to me by people who dont know what they're talking about. I aim to teach myself right from wrong, black from white, instead of accpeting untruths.

 

[Demoke]

Talking about Disney movies, in "The Lion King" Mufasa tells his son Simba not to go where the darkness is (this is beyond "our kingdom"). Full stop. Of course this makes the boy curious and the first thing he tries to do is to go there to find an elephant cemetery. As somebody else pointed out, this forbidden thing makes me really CURIOUS for a start. Then, for some reason I hate the music my brothers and sisters listen to (mainstream) because it's too simple and joyful most of the times. There's some kind of "rebellion" in my liking for dark music, gothic literature, the dead, etc too. Finally, there's some good deal of COUNTERBALANCE: you know, I'm a teacher, I must behave, must avoid shouting at people, have to have a standard life... Dark music helps me get rid of these inhibitions, too, and I can scream with it.... like now: aghrghaghghahghagshsghtrghrghrgrrrhrr red sun risiiiiiiing!

 

[estimate]

I don't think Opeth are very 'dark'. My life isn't that great either.

 

[_Transparent_]

i just think they sound good.

 

[Hubster]

Given the anonomous aspect of the internet, I think it's all safe for me to write the following:

I have a reasonably good life. I won't say it's brilliant, because it's not. My upbringing was reasonably strict, and my life in school (both primary and secondary school) was pure hell, and that was fuelled with racism. So in short, growing up, until I started my twenties, was not good. Infact, it was horrible.

But enough of that, that's not what this BBS is for, but it gives you enough of a background to relate to this topic.

In general, I'm reasonably shy, unless it's around people I know. Around them, I am loud, clumsy and a bit of a clown. However, I have always had a darker side to my personality: I am a brooder, a thinker, and on emotional extremes.

In general, I find most people in this world do not like to think, especially when it comes to emotions, namely, darker emotions: heartache, depression, guilt, remorse, and in some cases, anger.

Most people assume that darker emotions have no positivity in them, and it is here that I beg to differ.

I believe that darker emotions hold as much, if not more, positive aspects than your usual mindless idiot who runs around with a smile on their face 24/7, claiming they are forever happy.

Tragedy is a strong teacher, and combined with darker emotions, you can learn an amazing amount about yourself. Knowing oneself is extremely important, and comes with time, age and patience.

Tapping into your darker emotions enables you to explore a reasonably "unchartered" realm of the self, and of the human psyche imo. Most people are too afraid, and run from fear, pain and hurt.

On the contrary, I say, dive into it. Explore it, learn from it, and take the knowledge you can gain from it, and add it to what you already know. Exploration of this enables one to know more of their limits, their strengths, and it also creates more strength.

How does this all relate to the topic? I guess in a way, darker music enables me to learn more. The songwriters obviously are thinking along the same lines as I am, right? After all, they have written this stuff. They are sharing their gained strength through their lyrics, and sharing of knowledge is positive, not negative.

So I guess, while most people think that darker music stands for the morbid and sad, I don't think it does. Because underneath it all, it explores another side of emotion, and because of that, I think it's a good thing that darker music exists.

In summary, heartache, pain, etc, these all hold a certain beauty. The lyrics we growl along to, they explore, verbalise and help to depict that beauty in the form of beautiful music.

In short, if people tell me that I'm morbid for listening to Opeth, Katatonia, Iron Maiden, Behind the Scenery, etc etc, well, they're still stuck in the same shoebox as most others are, beause they're limiting their knowledge imo: shun the fear, dive in and learn, because you'll come out on top, brand spanking new and recharged!

Anyone else agree with my opinion on all this?

 

[Nico]

Excelent stuff Hubster. Your descriptions are accurate with my beleifs, and your description of yourself hits me on the head also, though I've had a decent school-life.

Great thinking material there, I couldnt have said it better myself. Keep up the good work.

 

[Hubster]

Excelent stuff Hubster. Your descriptions are accurate with my beleifs, and your description of yourself hits me on the head also, though I've had a decent school-life.

Great thinking material there, I couldnt have said it better myself. Keep up the good work.

Cheers again mate...

PS - could sure use some of that NT weather down here in Sydney, it's bloody freezing dude!

 

[Korlich]

I like the darkness for more than one reason. I like the violent energy in some songs i.e. Deliverance, and in others it is the melancholy feeling or just plain beauty of the song. And finally what i love the most a crossover between the above mentioned. The darkness of the songs comes with this I guess. It would be quite impossible to make deliverance with lyrics as a love song, or at least rather cheesy.

 

[Hubster]

I'm glad someone brought this topic out of obscurity, because its a valuable discussion.

It's a different story for everyone. The appeal of something that is, in most cases, taboo in modern society, is pretty self explainitory. You get told not to do something... and it suddenly becomes a curiosity.

Since we can assume that modern society is in fact based on judeo-christian principles and moral codes, it's easy to see where the idea's of 'joy, happyness and fun' base themselves... in principle. Stay away from darkness and the such. It's also the social conditioning we've all endured, which causes certain things to apply to others. For example, the concept of the 'black sheep', being the outcast of society, but subliminaly due to the fact that is isnt 'white and pure'.

For me, these reasons apply. It is a dismissal of what has been taught to me by people who dont know what they're talking about. I aim to teach myself right from wrong, black from white, instead of accpeting untruths.

I strongly agree with you ShroudOfDusk.

People have been taught "dark is bad/dark is wrong" etc etc.

How limiting is that?!

Social conditioning condones lack of individuality, it promotes "genericism", and creates a boring world, in which the majority (or what I coin, "The Blind Ones") prefer to exist because it gives them less reason to think and explore themselves, other people and the world around them.

It just goes to show, that a minority, such as some of us here, are not afraid of, nor adhere to, such limitations.