"It's music for people who don't want to conform and are looking for kindred spirits who yearn to share the same visceral experience."
Heavy metal can be a good thing for you.
By Daniel Dystyler
If a text with a title like that is published on the Wikimetal Portal, it's certainly nothing out of the ordinary. It's entirely expected.
But if this is published on the website of one of the world's most traditional newspapers, the famous "The Wall Street Journal," then the situation changes and it immediately attracts attention.
We already know that we're everywhere (click here to read my latest article and confirm this). But if we're in the Wall Street Journal, then there's no doubt about it:
We are absolutely EVERYWHERE!!!
The text bearing this title was published on the 26th and is authored by Jon Wiederhorn.
He begins by describing the “Rockstar Energy Mayhem” , which, according to him, zigzags across the United States, where “it’s possible to see Metal fans in the parking lot, shirtless, already drunk in the middle of the afternoon .
Unlike any other form of rock, from punk to new wave, Heavy Metal never faded into darkness.
He continues the description of the Festival saying that “inside there is a horde of boys in black adorned with macabre and occult images” and completes the scene by describing the 3 stages where “a variety of bands such as Five Finger Death Punch, Mastodon, Machine Head and Amon Amarth, play with noisy guitars, drums that sound like weapons and vocalists who scream with the intensity of prisoners who have been tortured and are crying out for help” .
Okay… When I read that first paragraph I thought: “Here comes another superficial analysis from someone who hasn’t the slightest idea what the world of Heavy Metal is all about .
But then Jon Wiederhorn continues his analysis and, surprisingly, takes a turn in the content of the text.
He says that to outsiders, the world of Metal may seem "an ugly scene, inhabited by misfits who challenge authority at every opportunity. However, even with its hostility, Metal is the only way to make sense of a chaotic society where these fans don't fit in .
Among metal fans, you'll find a friendly group of people, almost always knowledgeable about music, who listen to heavy metal for the catharsis, the energy, and the feeling of intensity.
Wiederhorn continues: “Disregard sporadic incidents where people with mental health issues who happened to like Metal did something terrible, and you’ll be surprised because, however negative the music may seem, Metal is ultimately a very positive force for those who embrace it. Unlike pop music, which preaches a herd mentality, with everyone thinking and acting the same way, Metal speaks to those who struggle to find their own path. It’s music for people who don’t want to conform and seek kindred spirits who yearn to share the same visceral experience .
Wow!!! Not since the "Headbanger's Journey" by the brilliant Sam Dunn , whom we interviewed here , have I seen anyone describe so well what Heavy Metal is, at its core!!!
Excited, I decided to keep reading… He continues:
“Look inside the Metal scene of any city in the world and you will find a community of individuals who come together and connect through the type of music they enjoy. If you get past the armor of monstrous tattoos, tribal piercings, and band t-shirts that typically define the generalized image of Metal fans, you will find a group of affable people, almost always knowledgeable about music, who listen to Heavy Metal for the catharsis, the energy, and the feeling of intensity.”.
In the text, Jon Wiederhorn explains how a mosh pit works, its code of conduct, the therapeutic effect it brings, and the protective procedure for headbangers if someone falls to the ground. He also discusses how this is often misunderstood by people outside the world of metal.
He also says that at a Justin Bieber concert it's easy to see thousands of young people in that "herd" model, and some parents who brought their children, visibly annoyed. While at a Metal concert, young people who are still in school nod their heads side-by-side with successful professionals who have never abandoned their love for Metal.
At a metal show, young people who are still in school headbang side-by-side with successful professionals who have never abandoned their love for metal.
To conclude the text, Jon Wiederhorn cites the main reason why, in his opinion, Metal has remained alive for more than 40 years:
“Those who don’t understand Heavy Metal culture argue that the music encourages violence, drug use, and Satanism. And if you consider some lyrics from bands like Slayer, Marilyn Manson, and Behemoth, that’s basically true. But Metal, like horror movies, is a form of entertainment based on extremes. It was created to disturb and agitate, and it’s this desire to provoke that has kept Metal alive for over 40 years. It’s the diversity of Heavy Metal that has allowed Metal to thrive and keep fans united like family. Unlike any other form of rock, from punk to new wave, Heavy Metal has never fallen into darkness.”.
It's great to be a Metal fan and see people from all over the world, from all walks of life, from all classes, in all media outlets, even in the Wall Street Journal , recognizing the value of this cultural movement that continues to advance.
And yes, without a doubt, we are everywhere.
Click here to read the full text by Jon Wiederhorn.
Click here to see other texts written by Daniel Dystyler.
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