Busting the Myth around Heavy Metal

If you’ve been following the blog, I’ve been promoting and chatting with people who are part of Metal in the Mountains. Something that doesn’t come to a surprise is the backlash and threats the promoters of Metal in the Mountains are receiving because some people like to think that Heavy Metal is Satan’s music and pure evil.

Why am I not surprised?

Well, I think back into the ’80s when people claimed that if you played Judas Priest’s albums backward on the record player, you are indeed summoning the devil.

There are always going to be people who will take things to the extreme. I’ve asked some of my readers to share the stereotype they’ve received because of the type of music they listen too and here are some of the things they had to say:

Definitely one thing is the way some people just won’t bother to listen and expand their tastes, and in doing so completely isolate a lot of music because of how, say a metal band doesn’t sound like traditional metal. Because a band is trying to branch out with different ideas that might not appeal to everyone, the majority of listeners are shut off by various aspects of their sound. Metal music doesn’t always have to be huge riffs, blast beats and harsh vocals.

T.E.

I get told that I don’t seem like the typical kind of person to listen to metal as I’m too smiley. They don’t understand why I would listen to such depressing music. Obviously, they have no clue what they are talking about, as most of the music I listen to is far from depressing.

C.F.

One that has come up many times is “but why is all metal about killing babies and super depressive slit your wrist stuff”. Clearly, people haven’t actually taken the time to read lyrics and have stereotyped a whole genre. 

K.Y.

And you know, I am not surprised again. This conversation started because of the letter the promoter’s received in reference to Metal in the Mountains. Check out Anthony’s video here

But in all seriousness, what is being claimed in this video is simply not true. Heavy Metal Music is a genre of music just like Country, Blue Grass, Hip Hop, R&B and so on. Heavy Metal emerged as a genre during the 1950s and 1960s with its roots being in blues-rock, acid rock and psychedelic rock.

And how amazing is it that someone thought “Hey let’s see what we can do with our instruments and our voices and stretch the current genre of music”! I mean that is perhaps the essence of evolution because someone somewhere will ask “let’s see how we can stretch and push and infuse more creativity”.

It’s music that can and has helped save live’s It has helped people deal with their emotions. It has created friendships that lasted a lifetime. And it creates a community where people come from all walks of life and faith with something in common – the music.

I for one, have been listening to heavy metal and it’s various spin-off genres since I was 13 and one thing I can tell you is that I, just like other people, am a good human, a loving mother, a caring individual that wants to do good in this world.

I don’t go around being spewing hate and discontent. It’s music that has helped me through some dark shit because it touched me in ways that well other music doesn’t. It’s helped me lift myself up and has the ability to turn a difficult morning into a smashing day of awesomeness.

And let’s not forget about the fact that they have been studies done as it relates to heavy metal music and found that there are benefits to Mental Health when you listen to this genre because it helps you address your feelings straight on. So listening to Heavy Metal is actually good for you!

It literally has SAVED lives!

And I just wanted to point out there are in fact several Christian Heavy Metal Bands that share their faith and beliefs through their music. They are not afraid to make it known they are in fact a Christian Band within the genre.

There’s something that comes alive within you that you can feel in every fiber in your being. Sometimes it’s the tune and sometimes it’s the words and when you combine them it touches your soul in such a way that words will never be able to encompass what is happening.

And let’s just acknowledge that Satanism does not believe in or worship Satan as an actual entity, but instead sees Satan as a symbol of independence, individuality, etc. – but that may end up being an entirely different post.

I am not delusional enough to think that we are always going to make other people happy or that there will always be people that have something negative to say about faith, a genre of music and a lifestyle. Someone always wants to push their own ideals onto someone else.

It’s been happening this humanity began. But let’s also not forget that we are all individuals with a right to our own opinion and just because you don’t like something doesn’t give you the power to call names, threaten someone’s livelihood and tremple on people’s choices.