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"Even before the discussions between nations, Heavy Metal was drawing attention to environmental protection."
by Allan Lima
Long before discussions between nations about the future of the planet, whether at ECO 92 or even the Stockholm Convention, Heavy Metal was already preaching the need for the human race to curb its insanity in the relentless pursuit of profits at the expense of natural resources (basically water, soil, air, animals, and forests). Bands like Nuclear Assault already featured this on their album covers ("Handle With Care" in the form of a stamp on planet Earth) and in their songs, where they proclaimed and drew attention to the protection of the environment, as we can see in the lyrics of "Critical Mass":
“The bio-sphere, the place we live
It seems like we don't give a damn
Other species flushed down the tubes
We need another race to rape
The way we live, we will destroy
Every other living thing
Till none are left except our race
And then we will destroy ourselves
Another oil spill
Atomic waste displaced
Another forest dies
Bring on the acid rain (…)”
(Free translation): The biosphere, the place
we live in, seems to leave us completely indifferent. Other
species end up in the sewers, and we need
another race to destroy. The way we live
, we will kill all living things until nothing
is left but our own race, and then
we will destroy ourselves. Another
oil spill, displaced nuclear waste, and another forest
dies…bring on the acid rain (…)
It's noticeable that, like Nuclear Assault, many Thrash bands have explored this theme at some point in their careers, mainly because good criticism must be accompanied by a good dose of hatred and revolt, feelings always expressed in this style. We can draw a parallel with serious and dedicated NGOs that fight fire with fire, directly combating large corporations responsible for deforestation, water pollution, and other ills. Let's look at the most widely accepted concept of the environment: "it is the set of conditions, laws, influences, and interactions of a physical, chemical, biological, social, cultural, and urban nature that allows, shelters, and governs life in all its forms," as stated in the Brazilian Federal Constitution. Therefore, when comparing both citations and recent environmental disasters (the Gulf of Mexico, the Campos Basin, and the Fukushima nuclear reactors, for example), we see that it is something much more serious than one might imagine.
Speaking of other styles, Heavy Metal was no different: one of the biggest bands, Iron Maiden, quotes the American literary classic "Dune" in the lyrics of "To Tame a Land," from the album "Piece of Mind," talking about non-renewable resources and the wars stemming from the greed for their control. The father of the style, Black Sabbath, also followed the theme in several albums, both in the Ozzy era and the Dio era, such as the albums "Sabotage" and "Dehumanizer." The band Obituary, with their album "The End Complete," cites the human misfortune caused by pollution, greed, and the destruction of water and life. Another great example is the album "Infinite," by Stratovarius, where the theme is addressed in most tracks, including a certain degree of theoretical research: the song "Mother Gaia" brings the ecological reflection contained in the Gaia Theory. Recently, Slayer's latest album, "World Painted Blood," addresses the same theme in the song "Americon" and others: wars caused by greed without concern for other forms of life. Among Brazilian bands, we can cite Sepultura (especially "Chaos AD"), the Rio Claro-based band Mordeth, and the great Dorsal Atlantica, summarizing the revolt in the lyrics of "Violence is Real":
"Because what destroys the human race is the misunderstanding of what it means to be human."
As mentioned, even the most extreme bands contain lyrics referencing chaos and mostly offer massive critiques of the rampant exploitation of the environment, which result in other criticisms related to violence, wars, diseases, and the extermination of the human race… eloquent and subversive themes? Poetic license? No, of course
not… they all follow the same line of thought: if we are the only rational animals, why are we also the only beings who self-destruct and destroy our own home (Earth) in good conscience?
These considerations should have been mentioned a few months ago, when we had the re-edition of the largest forum for discussions on the environment, Rio+20; however, the responsibility for preserving the planet we live on is constant and is everyone's duty. And in Rock and Heavy Metal it couldn't be any different, because as we can see, the
bands mentioned made their contribution with great compositions.
There are numerous other examples within the Rock and Heavy Metal artistic scene: at some point, someone has read about this or that band, regardless of style, that mentions environmental protection in their lyrics. In parallel to all this, we have Rock personalities who are more ardent in their defense of animals and the planet, such as singers Bono Vox, Sting, and John Bush (ex-Anthrax, Armored Saint), and masters Geezer Butler and Glenn Hughes. Furthermore, most Rock and Metal festivals include appeals for environmental protection through recycling and energy conservation initiatives (WOA, SWU, and the last Rock in Rio), pioneering actions never before seen in other similar events.
And you, headbanger? What's your level of environmental commitment? Prioritize saving water, turning off lights in unnecessary places, recycling trash, and educating those around you. We are aware that we are a select group in society who, ignoring prejudice, always set an example of civility, but we also need to practice it,
just as great musicians we admire have done and continue to do.
PS: And don't forget to include the great bands mentioned above in your weekly listening list. It doesn't have to be economical, and the environment will thank you!
*This text was written by a Wikimate and does not necessarily represent the opinions of the site's authors.
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