I was already doubting religion before I got into Metal, but Metal helped me be proud of doubting blind faith and it helped me admit it to myself and others. Metal has somewhat affected my way of thinking through some of the lyrics I've heard by inducing in me a more logical mindset as well as a tendency to over-analyze everything around me.

Other than this, I guess I've become more tolerant to the kind of things people do to each other and of graphic lyrics or images.

That seems to be the case of many people who post in this thread

If metal has done anything, it's helped me release pent-up anger without hurting anyone. I mean, unless blasting Overkill hurts people, I was a more violent person before I got seriously into metal than after. I got into more fights in 5th grade, when I was listening to Deep Purple, the Beatles, and Van Halen, than in my first two years of high school, when I was listening to Metallica, Ozzy, and Dream Theater.

My religious views haven't changed all that much - I'm still a pantheist/deist who goes to synagogue sometimes. It's just a little harder to get the yarmulke to stay on my head, what with all the hair.

Don't you think it might have something to do with growing up?

I tend to find more people fight in high school due to a flux in hormones, rather then growing up [from a personal experience].

For as long as I can remember, I have always been drawn to dark things. When I was still in elementary school, I always chose to wear the black shirts instead of the bright colored ones. I remember going to shopping malls with my mom and whenever I'd pass Hot Topic, I'd peek inside. Course, I was a bit scared but sometimes my curiosity would overcome my fear and I'd go inside for a look. My mom would pull me out quickly though.

I'm very sure metal has changed me as a person, though it is definitely not the only reason for my change in personality. Many personal experiences have shaped my character. I discovered new metal when I was around 5th or 6th grade, and I gradually went from bands like Slipknot and Limp Bizkit into darker and heavier things. I was going through a lot of negativity during that period of my life so I'm pretty sure it fed into my interest in metal.

As I got into the more extreme stuff, I also started broadening my musical taste overall. I now listen to non-metal stuff that I'm sure I would not have even give a try if f I hadn't approached metal at all.

The lyrical topics have also touched and influenced me on many levels. The music was what drew me into metal at first, but as I started reading the lyrics, I discovered it to be quite interesting. It was like seeing my own feelings of hate and anger being written out. Therefore I started pursuing more bands with similar lyrical topics. The ideology and philosophies of certain bands also shaped my worldview and personal beliefs. In turn, I also started thinking more deeply about the issues mentioned in the lyrics.

Basically, the personality I was born with shaped my musical tastes, and in turn, my musical tastes, shaped my personality. Nature and nurture.

I never used to be like that until I watched the first Saw movie when I was 13. It messed me up a bit and started to be dubbed a goth.
Since I saw that movie I have been fasinated with being scared and "dark things" and has shaped my interest in metal to a small extent.

@ Fearphobia

The thing that sort of got me into dark stuff had to be the Thriller music video by Michael Jackson. I was pretty much scared shitless by those zombies, but it was so fascinating to watch.

You're a fuckin' badass

1000 posts... damn

Metal did not choose me... I chose Metal...

hahaha

Seriously, I've been listening metal for seven years now, and I'm still the same person as I was seven years earlier... just longer hair...