Metal music (cont)

I love metal music and have found that a lot of people do not seem to understand why. I often hear people trashing the style and frequently end up in discussions with people who want to know what I like about it, what I see in it. People have a lot of misconceptions about it and about the people who listen to it. So i decided to attempt to write about it and hopefully inform ;-). Please note that I am using the term metal loosely, not as a very specific sub genre. (So I am talking about its variations as well... You know what I mean!)

I have thought about the reasons why I (*People*) listen to metal a lot. Mostly because I can understand why somebody wouldn't like it. Even though I love it, I realise that it is not exactly an easy style of music to get into and I can imagine that from the outside looking in it could easily seem like a whole lot of noise. I remember when I used to hear metal music when I was younger I couldn’t imagine

I would say that metal music is very much a form of escapism. It is all about larger than life expression. It takes a normal everyday experience or emotion and makes something bigger out of it. Think back to when you were a kid, all you wanted were excitement and adventure. When you looked to the future you assumed that it was going to be full of amazing things, you thought you were going to make an impression on the world. As you get older you start to realise that this isn't necessarily true. After all between your 9-5, paying your taxes and feeding yourself there isn't much time left over to be adventurous.

This is where metal comes in. It almost a world of its own. A world where people scream and shout, where weird things happen. Its full of strong characters and stronger emotions. It is accepting of anybody that is being truthful. It allows you to indulge your broken heart without somebody telling you to stop feeling sorry for yourself and you can release your anger without ever actually ever hurting somebody. I would liken listening to music like this to reading a fantasy novel or playing a computer game.

Other reasons for enjoying it would be for the virtuosity of the musicians themselves. Many people that play within this style have developed their skills on their chosen instrument to amazing standards and sometimes the sheer difficulty of the individual parts can be a wonder to behold. Especially if it is on an instrument you yourself play.

The metal world (or culture if you will) is also a place where unlike the real world, odd things are often celebrated. So I believe that it attracts people that perhaps aren’t accepted, or at least do not feel a part of, mainstream culture.

Lastly, I think that I should mention that the type of music you listen to is not really a conscious decision, you do not weigh up the pro's and cons of a genre of music and then decide whether you want to listen to it. Rather I guess you could call it an evolution of your thoughts and feelings. A montage of your experiences. Everyone has songs that remind them of specific times, feelings and even other people. Some people grew up and experienced things with metal music around them and so some people are obviously going to associate a lot of good experiences with the sounds associated with it.

On that note I shall end, I hope I have made some sense and that it hasn’t been too much of a chore to read through this.