Screamo. The noise a garbage disposal makes. Angry emo crap. There are a plethora of names that non metal heads call metal music. And I’ll be honest, I totally get why people call it that. Metal is a very abrasive genre of music, and has not been given a kind image from media. But I am hoping I will be able to dispel some of those stereotypes that outsiders have, and explain how in the hell someone can like metal music.
First and foremost, I call myself a “riff bitch”. I love a good guitar riff that gets your head bobbing and fingers grooving on the air guitar. Inception of the End by Trivium or Weaponized by Make Them Suffer are two examples of killer riffs. Guitar is what originally got me into metal, a desire to learn how to make the guitar sound something like the Animals As Leaders song Physical Education. Instruments are a huge magnet for people to metal, and I even have a few friends who enjoy the instrumental on songs, but just can’t get into the vocals.
The musicianship in metal is unrivaled. It is so invigorating that it’s no surprise how common metal songs are on a workout mix, giving you the last bit of energy you need to push through that last rep. And it’s not just the instruments that are incredible, but the vocals too.
Sure, there is a lot of screaming. I get that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but you have to admit that there is a lot of expression, passion and dedication behind it. Ben Duerr of Shadow of Intent and David Simonich of Signs of the Swarm are two of my all time favorite vocalists who continue to find ways to stretch their vocal range and push the boundaries. It takes a lot of time to master your vocals to not absolutely obliterate your vocal cords and ruin your voice for weeks (maybe even for years). But fear not, because there are a ton of angelic, beautiful singing voices in metal as well.
There are hundreds of sub genres within metal, all with their own quirks and personalities. One of the more mainstream ones, metalcore, is known for melodic choruses that hypnotize you. Rory Rodrigues of Dayseeker and Caleb Shomo of Beartooth are two guys who know exactly how to craft the perfect chorus, one that worms it’s way inside and never lets go. Just listen to Disease by Beartooth or Without Me by Dayseeker and you will understand. Might even find a new favorite song.
While we are on the topic of choruses, another major draw for metal are the lyrics. Now I know what you are thinking, and yes. There are a lot of hate filled, angry lyrics. But there is just as much self expression, sadness, and happiness. Every single emotion that a living being can feel, there are one hundred metal songs that describes it perfectly. There is such a deep and profound connection to the music that metalheads feel, that it is quite common to hear that a specific band changed someone’s life, or saved them from super dark times. It happened to me with Architects, a UK metalcore band that will forever and always be my favorite band. Modern Misery off of their album “Holy Hell” flipped a switch in me that put me on a completely different trajectory in life. Memento Mori off their record “All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us” introduced me to Alan Watts, who I still listen to lectures from to calm me down. Ask a metalhead what their favorite lyric is and what it means to them, and you will not be disappointed by the answer.
The feeling that you are not alone and that someone else is going through (or has gone through) the exact same emotions that you have is why metal creates such a strong kinship between listeners, and why I implore everyone to go out to a metal concert. Not only is the atmosphere exciting, but the energy is infectious and even if you don’t know a single word or song, you will have an amazing time, I guarantee it. Plus, most shows are incredibly cheap, which is a huge bonus in this economy.
From the instruments, to the vocals and lyrics, all the way to the live shows, it is almost innate to the human condition to be attracted to metal music. There is quite literally something for everyone within metal, the wide array of sub genres covers all of the different reasons why people love music, and I know that if you give it a shot, you too will find a song or two that is a permanent stay on your playlist.
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