Can You Bang Your Head To It?

Oh music snob, or more specifically the metal snob in this case, how you never cease to amaze me. Now before I start making incredibly hypocritical statements(Because I'm guiltier than hell of saying things like "Fuck that deathcore/breakdown bullshit") Let me be clear when I say that I'm not about to argue that there isn't a fine line between what is "metal" and what isn't, hell I'll even go ahead and say that I believe that there are degrees of metalness, or better put, some metal is just purer than others. I suppose that along with the admission of saying elitist things(see above) makes me somewhat of an elitist(the pot is calling the kettle black for sure),but where I differ from the snobby elitist folks who write off/hate/talk shit about bands who they find aesthetically unpleasing or not being metal enough is that at the end of the day...I DON'T GIVE A SHIT! IT'S METAL.

(Matt Heafy and Nick Augusto of Trivium @ Mayhem Festival 2012. (Photographed by Duel Guess))


There are a myriad of bands that I not only listen to, but love who in my opinion are totally metal but don't necessarily conform to what metal should so clearly always look and sound like. One example I have always used is Trivium. Anyone who has ever listened to a Trivium album knows that Matt Heafy and Corey Beaulieu are just simply gifted played the guitar, simply put these are bad mo' fo's. If you need convincing just listen to the "Shogun" album from start finish, it's quite possibly one of my favorite metal albums ever in no small part to the fantastic guitar work and totally engrossing riffage from beginning to end. Sure, Trivium has some poppy songs and alot of melody going on, SO?

Ghost is another band that has been receiving shit for not being heavy enough. Absolutely no one can hate on their image. A satanic pope, nameless ghouls for musicians and some of the most overtly satanic lyrics I've heard since electric wizard. However, I keep hearing the argument that because Ghost writes songs that sound closer to merciful fate than Dimmu Borgir(And merciful fate are quite metal) that they are not truly metal. I could not disagree more. I think Ghost is one of the most metal bands to come out in a long time because not only are they still heavy(some of the kids might sayheavy the older way ) but their unabashedly dark and occult inspired lyrics and appearance(Things that are often integrally tied to heavy metal) are reaching new height because of their accesibility. Seriously, there is nothing wrong with writing actual songs. Has anyone heard Cannibal Corpse recently, there are hooks a plenty in their songs and those are usually their best("Death Walking Terror" anyone?)

(Suicide Silence at Mayhem Festival 2012. Another band that receives alot of hate, even from me, but then I saw them live and was converted.(Photography by Duel Guess))

Can we please as metalheads move past some small-minded quibbles as "those bands are gay because they sing too much"(Have you forgotten the splash Cryptopsy's latest album received for having AGAHST!! Clean singing in death metal?BLASPHEMOUS!!) Such narrow mindedness only keeps people from liking and listening to and by extension supporting new bands that they may have written off as "Not metal enough." If we can do that, then metal can grow beyond the underground and achieve mainstream acceptance....if we even want that