The thing you hate most about metal?

I'm worried about metal fans in general. I'm seeing more and more closed mindedness and girly squirmishness about bands that aren't "THEIR" bands with a lot of metal fans. Nowadays it's like, they only listen to metal from a certain country, or with a certain underground status, or only the most weird progressive metal out there and shun everything else as inferior, or only the old school metal, or......etc... I understand different tastes but this is getting a bit extreme, what happened to just digging metal in general? If a band like say, Savatage started out right now instead of the early 80's, I doubt they would be embraced like they were. Because they would be not progressive enough, or not heavy enough, or not this, or not that, this is wrong that is wrong, their hair is gay and that's wrong, they're labelled as power (or whatever else) metal and that's wrong..... blah. The poor guys couldn't get a break based on good songwriting, they'd have to be Black, or Power, or Death, or Prog, or whatever first. I'm not saying the fans of today are crappy or what have you, but back in the 80's, if there was a good metal show, you went to it and you had fun. W.A.S.P. played with Metallica and you wouldn't just piss on W.A.S.P. because they were labelled glam by some idiots or because they weren't the same style as Metallica. You got completely wasted and wore yourself out at the show and enjoyed every minute of it. And those same people also dug WatchTower, Maiden, any good metal band out there. I'm NOT saying you have to like everything that comes out, but there was just a certain positive energy and openmindedness and a hunger that I feel is missing a bit..There is too much narrow mindedness and quick, harsh criticism, why can't we loosen up a little bit and enjoy the music like we did when we first got into it with Priest or Maiden or whoever?
 
Timmeth said:
No no! You're allowed to like him. But to worship him? Kinda' get's on my nerves...

Some Yngwie fans are a little strange indeed. I saw YM open for DIo a couple of years ago. I put on my Odyssee rag that was once a t-shirt and went to the show. I am a fan of both YM and Dio, but the YM fans seemed to be looking around for other fans with with YM shirts on and stuff. After YM's set, a few people were checking me out while talking amongst themselves. I could see their intentions..."yeah he's one of us"... then they asked me if I was going to go outside and get an autograph and talk to him. There was no way in hell I was going to miss Ronnie's opening song, so I just walked to the exit and stuck my head out the door to see if YM was actually out there talking to fans and struff and he was.
The YM hard core fans certainly are just that, but you can say the same thing about the Dio fans. I don't know that I have ever been to a metal show featruring a national metal act, where there wasn't someone there with a Dio shirt on. Ronnie has some loyal fans.

Bryant
 
Hmm, what is there to hate about metal? Well, I agree on the "true" fanatics, to whom anyone who is moderately successful are sellout whores. Also, being a big fan of black metal, I dislike black metals nazi/racist image.
 
Most of all, hot topic punks. There are SO MANY where I live, its really terrible. I would say tr00ness, but I whip out my black leather trenchcoat to freak out the posers :)
The only other thing really is the connection to national socialism, but thats mostly black metal...
 
I have hardly any problems with metal music - it's one of the most wonderful forms of artistic expression and I dig it. Most of the things I hate about metal are related to image and the 'people' side of things:

What I hate about metal:
-There is some racism in the scene (but thankfully pretty much restricted to the black metal scene).
-Sexism as can be seen by how some fans think metal is only for a male audience, and also the sexist imagery used in some band's lyrics.
-Some fans are extremely narrow minded and will refuse to be seen with anyone who's not into metal.
-The people who say that they dress the way they do because they want to be different, but end up wearing the same stereotypical metal clothing as so many other metalheads, so they are not individualistic at all.
-People who walk around with a shitload of tattoos, piercings, spikes etc thinking they're so hardcore and looking down on everyone else.
-The prevalence of posers in the scene.
-People who are like, 'You listen to <insert band here>? They're a sell out radio band you fucking idiot'.
-People who complain about their favourite bands not getting any media coverage or touring in their area, then accuse them of selling out when they have a fan base with more than 100 people in it.
-Many fan's complete intolerance for other styles of music, or even any subgenre of metal other than their preferred one.
-Fans who are over preoccupied with their image. I don't have a problem with people wearing 'metal' type clothes, but at least don't back it up by saying that you want to be different. And just because some fans don't dress up in a stereotypical way, don't question how 'metal' they are the first time you meet them.
-People who go to gigs just to cause trouble.
-Bands that try too hard to look scary and 'necro', but just end up looking dumb.
-The stereotypical image of metalheads being constantly drunk or stoned, intellectually deficient, devil worshipping, violent etc. It's bad enough that people who don't understand metal go by these stereotypes, but unfortunately some metalheads even impose them on other metal fans. They think that if you don't fit this stereotype then you are not metal at all.
-Glam metal - I personally don't like this music, too shallow for me, but at least I don't make a big deal out of it, unlike the 'tr00' metalheads.
 
IOfTheStorm said:
first of all my greatest favourite bands of me , are not underground at all (Queensryche, Manowar, Black Sabbath, Psychotic Waltz)...so my fav bands are not underground as you see...
secondly ...

did i say anywhere that i dont want an underground to be heard?
did i say anywhere that i just like it because it is underground?
why are you asking me questions , when you made your conclusions about me already..
i just made a comment about underground power/prog (my fav gengres) bands that sadly noone pays attention to them while they slay well known bands..
all i see here is that today's metalhead is lazy..
he doesnt want to search for bands , far from what ultimatemetal.com or other well known websites provide him ..
high quality bands with amazing musicianship , technique and feeling die because of the real CLOSE MINDED metalheads who dont want to search a little bit more the music that they love, they are just ok with what they are given.If i had a band and we released a demo , i would have made very sad thought considering that in metal , everything works as a perfect copy of mainstream music industry .
so dont give me lessons about underground , of course underground is to be talked ..what difference makes for a major and famous heavy metal band (iced earth for example) another talk about them ...when nothing is said about bands that need to be promoted and they dont, because their music is out of fashion , even in metal ....

ok.. maybe i made my own conclussions about you.. i'm sorry for that.

But let me tell you why i had to make my own conclusions. First you started throwing shit at some bands, maybe the most "comercial" metal band right now. And.. maybe those bands are the most known, but... those are good bands as well. People wouldn't like them if they were a big piece of shit. Thats why i tought that your favorite bands were underground, and that you hated the most "comercial bands" just becose they were... hummm... "famous"
rolleyes.gif
... you have to agree with me that there is a lot of "die-hard-fans"... who, as long as its underground its good, but if it gets a little more publicity, then its "sellout". (please excuse my bad inglish)

Buuuut.. with all of this.. comes a dilema: Many people like Black Sabath and Opeth.. so, this means its a good band???... but, a lot people likes Limp Bizkit too. For them, limp bizkit rules, and opeth-black sabath sux... for us, its something totally difrent.

Sorry again man... i think i tend to make my own conclussions too soon. Its not the first time that happens.
 
I'm worried about metal fans in general. I'm seeing more and more closed mindedness and girly squirmishness about bands that aren't "THEIR" bands with a lot of metal fans. Nowadays it's like, they only listen to metal from a certain country, or with a certain underground status, or only the most weird progressive metal out there and shun everything else as inferior, or only the old school metal, or......etc... I understand different tastes but this is getting a bit extreme, what happened to just digging metal in general?

Hey Orion, I enjoy your usually intelligent posts, but I have to disagree with you to a small degree on this one. I think it's normal for many of the younger metal-heads to be a bit biased toward the stuff they prefer, but as fans get more exposure into different styles they open up more.
My favorite genre of metal is prog and several of my favorite bands are German, but I don't let that close my ears to non-German or non-prog bands. Some might disagree, but sometimes some metal bands are an "aquired taste." I stated that I love German metal, but when I first heard Accept, I could barely tolerate Udo's vocals. Now he is one of my all-time favorites. Many metal-heads will "grow" into different genres.


Bryant
 
Slaughter Of The Soul said:
I hate the closeminded metallers, plus the ..................I hate it when bands enter the mainstream and change their sound just for sale.

What I hate are all these fans that through around this term "Close Minded." So basically if you don't think like the person who is "open minded" you must be close minded. Hmmm.... Doesn't sound like what some one might call "Close Minded." I try to obstain from using that phrase. It seems that people that use the term as a crutch for an insult at some one who doesn't like something.

I do agree you shouldn't compromise your musical integrity for more money but just because a band goes into the mainstream doesn't make them shit. It's the comprimising for money that does it.

@Timmeth - Define too techniqual? Are you talking about Math Metal or any thing with a solo because their is nothing wrong with guitar solos. They compliment the music and give it texture and definition. If any one is against solos its usually because:
1. They can't play them.
2. They don't have an appreciation for viturosity.

Now to the things I hate about metal, that is, for those of you who are still reading. First off, I hate the negative Steroetype that comes with it. Alot of people see some one with a Megadeth shirt and automatically they are a satan worshipper. It really doesn't bother us though, otherwise we'd wouldn't listen to it right? Secondly, I don't like the overtly Satanic crap alot of bands put out. It almost like a contest to see which band can have the most pentagrams and upside down crosses both on their album covers and on their persons which leads to my next point. Its shows a lack unoriginallity. Thirdly, the fucking clown make up that alot of Black Metalers wear. I'm sorry but it detracts from the music. Its basically the "lets scare the parents" look that puts attention on the image and away from what should have the attention, the music. Lets face it, If kiss didn't wear make up would they have been as big? I'm in no way saying that Immortal is a Kiss rip off, I'm saying that that use a simmilar idea that lets push our music with an Image boost. I have hard time taking clowns seriously as musicians. But most importantly what bothers me is the disunity in the metal community which I've began to notice. Its always people saying Opeth fans are fan boys or I hear Nevermore fans shiting on Iced Earth fans. Can't we all just get along (I can't believe I just said that.) I mean this is an underground. We take what we can get. We are the life of blood and metal now, we shouldn't fight amongst our self.

Remember our anthem.

Metal Militia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Bryant said:
I'm worried about metal fans in general. I'm seeing more and more closed mindedness and girly squirmishness about bands that aren't "THEIR" bands with a lot of metal fans. Nowadays it's like, they only listen to metal from a certain country, or with a certain underground status, or only the most weird progressive metal out there and shun everything else as inferior, or only the old school metal, or......etc... I understand different tastes but this is getting a bit extreme, what happened to just digging metal in general?

Hey Orion, I enjoy your usually intelligent posts, but I have to disagree with you to a small degree on this one. I think it's normal for many of the younger metal-heads to be a bit biased toward the stuff they prefer, but as fans get more exposure into different styles they open up more.
My favorite genre of metal is prog and several of my favorite bands are German, but I don't let that close my ears to non-German or non-prog bands. Some might disagree, but sometimes some metal bands are an "aquired taste." I stated that I love German metal, but when I first heard Accept, I could barely tolerate Udo's vocals. Now he is one of my all-time favorites. Many metal-heads will "grow" into different genres.


Bryant

j00 are correct, although... I suppose my point was more the way a lot of people into just this one thing show no respect or the time of day to anything else...like you have the kvlt black metallers, and then the pr0g snobs, and then the grindcore fanatics, and so forth... if the music is simpler, they bash it, if the music is more complex, they bash it, if the music is more uplifting, they bash it, if the music falls under this certain genre, they bash it, if the music isn't the absolute most original thing in the world, they dismiss it......stuff like that. Bitch bitch bitch, moan moan moan...Sad that one of the biggest banes to an artist at times is the fans, I don't think it should be that way in metal, but it's gotten that way more and more with a lot of people unfortunately. So that's really what I mean as far as why can't a band just get recognition and respect from plain good songwriting sometimes...It's like some fans think they're too good for the bands, and the enjoyment is lost in the shuffle.
 
Orion Crystal Ice said:
j00 are correct, although... I suppose my point was more the way a lot of people into just this one thing show no respect or the time of day to anything else...like you have the kvlt black metallers, and then the pr0g snobs, and then the grindcore fanatics, and so forth... if the music is simpler, they bash it, if the music is more complex, they bash it, if the music is more uplifting, they bash it, if the music falls under this certain genre, they bash it, if the music isn't the absolute most original thing in the world, they dismiss it......stuff like that. Bitch bitch bitch, moan moan moan...

You are right about that Orion, but you have to take into consideration the incredible array of styles out there in metal today. My fav band, Vanden Plas is simply "lightweight" for some to deal with. I might go from Vanden Plas to Slayer, or I could go to AOR like Kansas or even AC/DC might be the next CD I put in, who knows ? My variety of choices I have are due to simply experience.
I am starting to sound like a fucking Grandpa. "When I was youir age" yada yada Uggghh !! Anyway, you aren't such a young buck yourself compared to some. It's people like you and I that will help mold these young minds into the future of metal. Help them become more open minded in place of closing them out by degrading them. It is people like us (veteran metal-heads) that can make the difference in some of the young fans.


Bryant
 
There are a few things about the metal scene that irk me greatly.

-Alot(majority) of metal fans automatically dismiss Christian bands because they dont like how the Christian bands "Force their views" on them. This is the most bullshit reasoning ever. How come its okay for satanic bands/etc to sing about their religious views but not okay for Christian bands?Simply because you dont agree with it?I dont agree the majority of metal bands lyrics, but I listen to them anyway because I enjoy/appreciate the music.
-Radio/MTV/Industry/etc. I have to sit in school everyday and listen to kids talk about how awesome Godsmack is how hardcore Korn is. I dont really mind nu-metal that much, but to have millions of teenage kids think that these bands are the best the metal scene has to offer makes me mad. If only more bands with talent that make good music were exposed(Opeth, Symphony X, Porcupine Tree, etc etc) to the public, then people would maybe realize there is more to metal than slipknot and linkin park(lol). But then again...."d00d, opeht iz aw0sme!!u sohuld heer thier roars11lolllll h@rc0re" would get annoying. I dont think the public would appreciate good metal bands for how they should be appreciated.The public would look at Opeth and see how they have death metal and classical elements,etc in the same song, give it some kind of stupid hybrid name, and force them into a niche.
Take for instance Tool. Tool is a fairly popular band and even the majority of the average joe's have heard a few singles and seen their videos. The reason Tool is even played on MTV/radio is because Tool has an unique style that is easy for people to enjoy and not to mention creative videos. The average joe probably doesnt appreciate the time signatures, lyrical depths, etc.For example: I have a friend who is a stereotypical radio-rock fan.He thinks Tool is cool because 1. They are weird 2. Sing about Jesus coming off his cross."all teh pieces fit.lol.woah thtas deEp"
-Pop-punk-look-at-me-i-shop-at-hot-topic-and-wear-emofag-boxframe-glasses-i-am-hardcore-omg-simpleplan-are-hotties-lol
-Elitist bastards(you know who you are)
 

"@Timmeth - Define too techniqual? Are you talking about Math Metal or any thing with a solo because their is nothing wrong with guitar solos. They compliment the music and give it texture and definition. If any one is against solos its usually because:
1. They can't play them.
2. They don't have an appreciation for viturosity."



I am not against solos in general, but you can't generalize such reasons like that. While virtuosity can be a cool and valid expression of skill and excellence on the part of the musician, there are points where it becomes excessive. Yes, most guitar solos add texture and definition to songs, but by no means all of them. Virtuosity can just be wankery, at which point it becomes detrimental to the mood or meaning of a song, and instead becomes a lame vanity stage for the virtuoso. One example that comes to mind is Arch Enemy; Arch Enemy is another name for Satan. They have dark, morbid, violent lyrics and generally some pretty aggressive and harsh melodies. So what happens in at least a third of their songs on Wages of Sin? Mike cuts-in with his purely show-off soloing that sounds HAPPY and shatters the mood of the song. Yeah, it's impressive, yeah, it's great that he can do that, but does a dark, brooding song like Savage Messiah benefit from a joyous, fast, melodic and soaring guitar solo? Well, no, not really. And don't even get me started on someone like Malmsteen; technically blinding and utterly uninteresting soloing doesn't constitute a song.