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incarcerated_demon
Metal newbie

Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 3:21 pm
Posts: 147
PostPosted: Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:40 pm 
 

Well, I can't say for certain what came first, metal or my interest in the wider world, but I can say metal shaped some of my philosophy - especially in politics and religion. It got me interested in things I wasn't into before: alternative religion, atheism, Nazism and extremist political philosophy, nihilism, Norse, Irish and Egyptian mythology, gore, history, literature and so much more.

I also think it made me more willing and able to defend and argue my views and choices. It made me think, and not just accept. Because even within the metal community you're almost always constantly defending your choices and backing up your statements, it almost becomes second nature. It also encourages a lot of metalheads to read around the subject and actually become well-versed in it, so that we can speak relatively knowledgably about whatever it is. I think that is the value of metal.

Of course, a lot of it could be "farting on the floor" if you never had the predisposition in the first place, I suppose. I like to think that it was a symbiotic relationship.

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Eugenesmasher
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 1:17 am
Posts: 10
Location: Singapore
PostPosted: Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:25 pm 
 

Heavy metal was initially just a musical genre, when I first heard it I was like, "damn, this shit is nice." Whereas my classical-influenced parents hated it. I think heavy metal kinda revealed the rebel in me, but it didn't give me my rebellious streak. It woke it.

I was always conservative, never really had a favourite genre of music to like the most until that fateful day I bought a Testament album, and now heavy metal's a part of my life that I won't shrug off.

And, I can't stand all those sappy, mushy love songs on radio, they irritate me.

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norilor
Metal newbie

Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:27 pm
Posts: 213
PostPosted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 12:07 am 
 

Metal has changed me in many ways. It has made me "tougher", more ideological, reject my religion, and question the world around me. It has changed me(IMO for the better) and has opened my eyes to things I had no knowledge of before.

This is all I can write, as I do not have the time for an in-depth post.

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reconcile
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:10 pm
Posts: 34
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 3:39 pm 
 

Music to me is a catharsis, so in turn I'm left apathetic after listening to music for several hours. I get so absorbed and transfixed in the music, I tend to forget my obligations and problems.

I can't say it's really changed my thoughts and views, although it has shown me that there truly is beauty in despair, and has formed me to view daily events and occurrences in a different manner.

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Osmium
The Hateful Raven

Joined: Sat Nov 22, 2003 2:18 am
Posts: 474
PostPosted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 3:44 pm 
 

My aesthetic preference, in which metal is primary, co-evolved with my philosophical development. I got a lot of exposure to various non-mainstream perspectives when posting on these very forums, and they in turn have shaped my world-view.

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RevBau
Metalhead

Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2008 6:02 pm
Posts: 1307
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:49 pm 
 

I think its all B/S. These are just stereotypes thrown at the metal society because a few people screwed up in life and they just happened to be metal heads. Some people like to get into the dark make up, gothic hair, black clothes get-up as well wich may give a visual misconception. People always judge the book by its cover. At the same time, Metal has always been like the 'slasher film' of music. It never gets achknowledged for anything positive or by the big time hollywood critics.

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Zakillah
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 10:35 pm
Posts: 381
Location: Austria
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:59 pm 
 

I dont think listening to Metal changed me at all.
Since forever I liked the sound of distorted guitars, even when I was like 6 years old.
In respective, it was obvious that I would end up listening to Metal. Yeah, it was "cool" to listen to Metallica and Slayer when I was 14 or so; but for most others its just been a phase you go through; I always liked the sound with all my heart (I dont care if this sounds fruity); dont ask me why.
As far as lyrics/aesthetics go; dont think that changed me either. Never cared much about lyrics; the sound is what matters to me.

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MercyfulSatyr
Coelacanthine Cadaver

Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 9:22 pm
Posts: 1521
Location: United States
PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:21 pm 
 

Metal has only changed me for the better.

For one thing, before I got into black metal and bands like Nile, I only cared about Greek/Roman mythology. I've expanded into Egyptian and Norse, and it's very interesting. Not to mention it helps me to understand the music itself. I also was very ignorant on anything other than Christianity, which I had been raised on, but had rejected a while back. I now understand more about Paganism, Satanism and the like. I'll stick to my atheist tendencies, but, again, religion and philosophy is a very interesting topic.

Also, it's opened up my mind to reality. I've always realized the world is fucked up; however, after delving into metal and its criticisms, it's made me much more aware of what our world is coming to. As much as comments like "d00d slipknot iz teh shitz black metal iz just noise" annoy me, I've begun to respect the opinions of others more, no matter how opposed to mine they may be. So I can also say that metal has helped me to mature.

EDIT: Added a comment.
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MasticateTheNecro
Metal newbie

Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 9:29 pm
Posts: 154
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:14 pm 
 

Chaos_Llama wrote:
Kruel wrote:
Metal does make the listeneres more open to the dark, politically incorrect, "evil" things.


Well it's certainly made me much more interested in the whole "dark" aesthetic, but I disagree with the other ideas you say. If anything it's made me appreciate the cathartic ability negative/dark mood & atmosphere can have in music, and how beautiful it can be.


Couldn't have said it beter myself. That cathartic ability you mentioned is what others seem to see as depressed. But I agree with Kruel, he said it makes the listeners more OPEN to those sorts of things. It doesn't necessarily drop those ideas onto you, but it lets you have a much more open minded outlook.
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mikeabo123
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2008 11:40 pm
Posts: 17
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 8:09 pm 
 

norilor wrote:
Metal has changed me in many ways. It has made me "tougher", more ideological, reject my religion, and question the world around me. It has changed me(IMO for the better) and has opened my eyes to things I had no knowledge of before.

This is all I can write, as I do not have the time for an in-depth post.


Exactly how I feel. Down to the last word.

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Noobbot
Mors_Gloria + Thesaurus

Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 4:48 pm
Posts: 344
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:02 pm 
 

Balth wrote:
Metal hasn't really negatively affected me as a person at all, despite the warnings of my parents and other seniors. I'm still Christian, and if anything metal has actually made me slightly more social (which still isn't very social, I'm a very quiet and shy person). Listening to metal suits my personality much better though, I used to listen to hip-hop and when I told people that they were a bit confused as my personality isn't one of a hip hop fan (i.e. loud, confident, perhaps rebellious, etc.). Now people aren't too surprised by my musical taste considering my personality.


I hope you don't listen to black or death metal, lest you be a hypocrite. ;)

Regarding the OP, I think that is somewhat true. Metal does change people, but mostly people must fit a few certain perameters to become "metal heads." They must, for instance, be at least somewhat outcast at some point in their lives, they must differ from the mainstream/society at large, and so forth. If they are popular, and if they do possess many mainstream ideals, then they're likely posers who do it to look "br0000t41z." Look at YouTube videos of, say, Cannibal Corpse to see the words of these dip shits I of which I speak so highly.

But when I got into metal, I was a deist. I was a liberal/libertarian (though not an anarchist, as I am now). I have become, even if only with little 'assistance' by metal, an atheistic anarcho-individualist to categorize myself simply. I've always been skeptical of the word of those we are told to trust, or at least I have been for the past few years. I fervently embrace science and knowledge, but I am an antitheist. I've always been interested in mortality, macabre, and gore as long as I can remember, and I've always been fairly violent. Still, I can firmly say that if I were to be without metal, as RedMisanthrope pointed out (albeit referring to only himself), I would not be the same person. I wouldn't be radically different, I don't think, but I would nonetheless differ. So all-in-all, metal serves to highlight those most extremes within us, I think, and to root a good old bit of nihilistic pessimism in all but a few of us.

I'll admit that, like most everyone in extreme metal, part of the allure was the anti-mainstream, commonly offensive angle. DBettino said, "I want to antagonize people", and that's not off the mark in the slightest. But other than that, as I do listen to classical music and other genres, the other part of the equation is the music itself. Much like an orchestra, a metal band is typically a wall of sound. For some, this makes it indiscernable, almost non-musical, but then again, they're retards in the first place - why would we respect their opinion? So to "enjoy" classical, but to then call metal an "orgy of random noise" is completely hypocritical and not to mention fallacious. Most metal artists with skill could outperform their mainstream counterparts in any way musically. Compositionally, technically, et cetera.

The_Beast_in_Black wrote:
DivineDevil wrote:
Tezcat wrote:
Am I exaggerating when I say Metal is for smart people? Could it be that introspective, intellectual people tend to have certain interests and for some reason end up into Metal and other non-trendy music?


There has been a study in the Netherlands, that was published in a newspaper, that stated that people who listened to more "obscure" music (not only metal) tend to be higher educated. I know that these studies aren't always as reliable, but I still found it good to mention it here.


Well, I find that since metal is harder to "get into", it tends to attract mostly intelligent, or at least thoughtful, people. The same goes for most underground, unusual or contemplative musical styles.

People with less intelligence, or less prone to think about their music, will gravitate more towards something that offers instant gratification, thus they're generally into accessible genres.


Aye. It's not only instant gratification, however, but the simplicity of pop music. There's no real substance; the deepest symbolism in those cases tend to be only much exhausted metaphor or simile. And within pop music, there are few exceptions of that. The musicianship, lyrics, and performances are all terrible, and they dwell in music solely to earn a living. Not for the art form, not for enjoyment. That is not to say that all popular artists/bands are necessarily poor; Rush and Pink Floyd are both very awesome despite being two of the highest selling [rock] acts ever. They are also, however, skilled and thoughtful musicians, separating them from the droning masses.

Chaos_Llama wrote:
Kruel wrote:
Metal does make the listeneres more open to the dark, politically incorrect, "evil" things.


Well it's certainly made me much more interested in the whole "dark" aesthetic, but I disagree with the other ideas you say. If anything it's made me appreciate the cathartic ability negative/dark mood & atmosphere can have in music, and how beautiful it can be.


One of the greatest paradoxes in music, next to the harmonious walls of music we are all so familiar with. But life itself is a most grand paradox, so such things are to be expected.

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Isra_IKC
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 10:08 pm
Posts: 1
Location: Mexico
PostPosted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:38 pm 
 

I think listening to metal does change someone's personality, although it affects everyone (meaning people in general, not just us metalheads) differently, some may change just a little bit, while others become someone else entirely. Now, this can be for the better or worse, it all depends on the person, on his personality before he was introduced to metal, on his beliefs and such.

For example, metal has changed me in some ways, while in some others i've stayed the same Like, while i enjoy the slightly blasphemic/pagan lyrics of moonspell in their earlier works as well as dimmu borgir's in their newest album i have stayed a christian all the way. Also, metal made me more confident, hell it even helped me get a girlfriend! (by the way, she's really hot...i just wanted to point that out and make myself feel good...).

Now, answering Tezcat's question, i do believe metal appeals to certain people, the most common type being the classic "outsider" that everyone sees as a "weirdo" or "freak" for the way he acts around people, commonly being shy and sort of "afraid" of the world rejecting him for his choice or entertainment or the way he dresses. For me, i think metal suits me because of all my other favorite things, these being videogames and technology mainly, thus being a "nerd" who likes stuff most people don't. I also think metal appeals to a rather "smarter" crowd (i remember seeing an article somewhere on the internet that said that people who listen to metal (no genre specified) tend to be smarter than their peers (meaning a metalhead and a "normal" guy working at the same place, studying at the same school, and so forth...), i have seen this for myself at school, i'm currently studying software engineering at a local university, and the most skilled programmers i have known turned out to be metalheads, many people say those people being metalheads has no relation to their intelligence, but i think it's more than a lucky concidence, don't you?

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Grimmortality
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 3:41 pm
Posts: 3
PostPosted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 7:32 pm 
 

Well, I think that metal finds most satanists, nihilists, etc. instead of the other way around. Hell, not all of satanists are for metal and not all chrisitans are against it either. It's like saying all rap & hip-hop musicians are black. Most of them are, but they grew up on that type of music (as horrible as it is) the same same way white rappers did. It depends on your lifestyles and the way you were raised to think and adapt to certain aspects of life. As a fan of black metal, I admit, it did change the way I see people and learn to show hate towards things that aggravate me, but religion wise? No, it never changed my opinion towards it at all (I always thought it was a load of shit ;]). In all honesty though, if people were true to themselves, then they wouldn't change their beliefs and opinions just because of the music they listen to.

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Gooner
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:57 am
Posts: 13
Location: Australia
PostPosted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:53 am 
 

I personally don't think metal significantly changed my life, I'm still pretty much the same person as I was before. What it did do was make me look at the world in a different way then I used to before, it has helped me mature, and become a more open minded person that what I used to be.
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intothevoid
Metal newbie

Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:35 am
Posts: 30
Location: Antarctica
PostPosted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:39 am 
 

I believe I was a calmer, more optimistic person before I started listening to metal. I used to be into funk, so I wasn't interested in politics, society or history, and I was always content of just being who I am.
But now with metal, I've started getting more interested in things qualified as "evil" and such, I've turned more religion aware (now I am agnostic) and I am a far more pessimistic and cynic person than I used to be.
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Scourge441
Metalhead

Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:38 am
Posts: 864
Location: United States
PostPosted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:52 pm 
 

I started changing my beliefs about the world before I really got into metal; the shift came at a time when the only heavy bands I knew were Slayer, Metallica, Children of Bodom, Mushroomhead, Killswitch Engage, and Lamb of God. There's also the fact that a few of my personal beliefs go against what is typically viewed as "metal."

So no, I don't think metal has really affected me that much. It's certainly made me realize how utterly pointless most mainstream music is, but I think the shift in my beliefs came from growing up and developing an identity, which started to happen before metal was really introduced to me.

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delayedreaction
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:30 am
Posts: 13
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 1:46 pm 
 

I was already an atheist when I got into metal, and I was really into punk rock before metal reached my ears. Really the only way I can think of that it has changed me is that now I am more nihilistic instead of idealistic and confrontational.

I see a more notable change in writing as well, it's opened me up to more complex lyrics and I challenge myself to avoid all cliches as well as to use a more expanded vocabulary (though not to a really obnoxious point like Carcass, although they are one of my favorite bands.)

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~Guest 132623
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2007 1:17 am
Posts: 7
PostPosted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:15 am 
 

I used to be Christian now I'm Agnostic, but that wasn't because of any music. Apart from people being scared of me, and me thinking more open minded than before, nothing has really changed.

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opprobrium_9
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2005 8:44 pm
Posts: 27
Location: Heard and McDonald Islands
PostPosted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:36 pm 
 

My introduction to Metal was a slow progression from Modern aggresso-Rock, namely Nu-Metal stuff (which i am, not surprisingly, bored by now), to Fear Factory, and then i hit Nile's "In their Darkened Shrines" - i had never heard anything like it in my entire life and i was a changed man.

I have always been an aggressive, violent, emotionally diverse, independent, free thinking, open-minded and intellectually curious human being. Always had a taste for just about all of the intellectual pursuits i have been introduced to, which span the whole map: History, Linguistics, Math, Science, Philosophy, Mythology, Sociology, Politics (though i am less active now as i have become disillusioned with the system), Much literature (a lot of Poetry), and many Arts, not to mention Music. When i heard Nile and realized, not only the musicality, but the subject matter, i was enthralled. I have always not only been proponent of, but also indulgent in, Mythology and from that moment on the sky was the limit.

Intellectualism coupled with visceral violence and rage of the highest order has kept my attention fixated on this genre since my introduction to it. I believe that this genre and all its sub-counterparts define Ideological Superiority. This Ideological Superiority radiates not just from the music itself, or the lyrics themselves, or the combination of the two, or the musicians involved, but ALL the individuals that make up the ideological structure of this movement - idiot (and those indifferent to ideology - though not necessarily being idiots themselves) and elite and all in between. Clearly, the elitist (there is much room for discrepancy here for many idiots claim elite status) obviously maintains, nurtures, expands, and protracts the ideologies this music form demands. However, the idiot and those indifferent to ideology too reward this genre in their own way. They demand the music, demand the core values even if misunderstanding them in their entirety, or at all. For the idiot or ideologically indifferent, as proponents of Metal, they demand more music, support the artists therein, and maintain a visceral connection to what have become core intellectual and musical values (again even if the intellectualism is misunderstood, or not understood).

Yes i am a nihilist, yes i am militantly anti-humanist, yes i am atheist, yes i hate freely. These are core values, these were core values before i listened to Metal, and will remain core values for the rest of my life. However, also being a realist i have come to realize that living in society one must adopt contrary actions to the above stated ideologies, if only to get through the day. However, none of my views informed my introduction to this music form. In fact, my curiosities (and Amazon.com) led me into a newer, and as i judge, better musical pursuit that lined up far more with my ideologies than any previous music form i had experience. However, more important still was the diverse emotional values that this music form presented and possessed, and this above all other reasons is why i still listen and started listening to Metal.

Since my inception as a metalhead, i have only grown as an individual due to many internal and external factors, but also partly due to our beloved music. I will say, that whatever intellectual pursuits i was interested in prior to my interest in Metal were thereafter enhanced - specifically due to the Ideological Superiority i spoke of. I have since branched out, and now listen to many music forms, many different genres, many which i had appreciated previously, but after really getting into Metal i appreciate and enjoy them far more (i still loathe Country music though).

EDIT: and i still am so very bored by the insipid mainstream sludge

You could say "Metal found me" as someone has suggested before. Or you could say that i was really a "Metalhead" all along, it was only just a matter of time before I found IT. Or you could just say i was me and I fuckin love this music!
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Burzukur
Metal newbie

Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 11:13 am
Posts: 88
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:34 pm 
 

I don't think metal causes an attitude that alternates from social norms, I think having the afformentioned disposition makes one more accepting of metal.
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DarkenedOne
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri May 07, 2004 2:45 am
Posts: 49
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:18 am 
 

Heavy metal is something my subconcious being was looking for since my early teenage years. I was listening to some other type of music which belongs to the genre of rock but I wasn't satisfied till I've discovered heavy metal.

This music is something that relieves my emotion. When it comes to religion and belief of an external god, it just gives me some sort of inspiration. I've been a skeptic of the existence of any deity even before I've been listening to heavy metal.
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BobSaget
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 1:40 pm
Posts: 24
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:30 am 
 

Metal has created a lot of intellectual stimuli on my part, delving into subjects of existentialism and theology, ontology, eschatology. Subjects pertaining to death, existence, philosophies, et cetera, after a consequence of lyrical and histrionic encapsulation of that matter.

I have observed that, although intellectually provocative the music is, the metal-intelligentsia, if you will, does not exist. Metal has a unanimity of idiots and blockheads, that have no real objective, and use metal as a pretext to their social and intellectual shortcomings. Bands with perplexing, provocative themes, theater and lyrical content are met with a barrage of idiot fans that persist in "you fucking rock, bros" or "KEEP IT METAL!!!!!", rather than possibly engage in some intellectual dialogue.. I'm sure bands appreciate that.

Or maybe I'm wrong.

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NeglectedField
Onwards to Camulodunum!

Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2005 6:19 am
Posts: 1080
Location: United Kingdom
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:42 am 
 

BobSaget wrote:
Metal has created a lot of intellectual stimuli on my part, delving into subjects of existentialism and theology, ontology, eschatology. Subjects pertaining to death, existence, philosophies, et cetera, after a consequence of lyrical and histrionic encapsulation of that matter.

I have observed that, although intellectually provocative the music is, the metal-intelligentsia, if you will, does not exist. Metal has a unanimity of idiots and blockheads, that have no real objective, and use metal as a pretext to their social and intellectual shortcomings. Bands with perplexing, provocative themes, theater and lyrical content are met with a barrage of idiot fans that persist in "you fucking rock, bros" or "KEEP IT METAL!!!!!", rather than possibly engage in some intellectual dialogue.. I'm sure bands appreciate that.

Or maybe I'm wrong.


There's an element of truth in it, though fringe views do take a lot of thinking about to defend, so fans of metal bands with fringe views are probably more likely to have given it some thought than say, a Slayer or Metallica fan. I think questioning that wishy-washy, happy-go-lucky mentality (that I guess both me and you might find deplorable) is more conducive to thought than being a supposedly well-adjusted citizen of society. I also wouldn't think metalheads are any thicker than the average citizen, just sometimes they're no better in that they have that mindless hedonistic "fuck yeah man, metal! \m/" attitude.

Also, regarding "social and intellectual shortcomings", I hear such phrases with concern as, even where there's truth, they're always used as an ad hominem with the smug confidence that it nullifies the views that are espoused. For me it's no different than "well you're just jealous cos you're fat and ugly so nerr".
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BobSaget
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 1:40 pm
Posts: 24
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:29 am 
 

ad hominem is an earmark of metalheads, not like I am committing a taboo of precedence by claiming that most are block heads and socially/intellectually inept.

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WakeLift
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 2:00 am
Posts: 11
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:31 pm 
 

Music doesn't provide any more of an influence than anything else we do repeatedly in our lives. You can't blame metal for fucking teen violence, nor can you blame movies. At least not alone, you can't. But it pretty much will seem to directly cause a person to do something against the law and sociopathic.....ignoring the fact that that person probably got beaten as a child, teased at school, and never developed a true sense of self....but yea....blame the fucking music!

wooooo!

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BobSaget
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2005 1:40 pm
Posts: 24
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:54 pm 
 

I did not suggest that. I said metal is a pretext, not a cause and effect. What I meant is, one can justify their stupidness and block headed proclivities by contending that it is a product of their musical expression, a false pretense to fig leaf their true stupidity..

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WakeLift
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 2:00 am
Posts: 11
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:17 pm 
 

My post wasn't a response, just a rhetoric rant of mines.

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Danthrax_Nasty
Metal newbie

Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2003 7:50 am
Posts: 86
Location: United States
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:52 pm 
 

To the opening post. As far as the effects of Metal upon my psyche as an individually isolated term covering years, and years, of my awareness of, and my devoted audiophile based obsession with the said term's associated genre's and, historically speaking, linear evolution unto and beyond, I would have to say that it has been wholly consuming, and as such, with an air of gormandizing profundity, like a wall of support to the ego from which it, and many other environmental factors, propagated. Not to mention because of stupid friends I'm sure I did, and participated in tons of dumb shit "in the name of", or with some intention of defining, and putting forth some self righteous mutinous declaration against authority and establishment, simply because "Metal" is such a omni-factorable, verging on religious, commitment to my daily happenings and concerns. Interesting question. I would think though, those more inclined towards rebellious action, and thought will obviously be more open to effects from something like Metal music.

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vhailor303
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Wed Jan 30, 2008 11:56 am
Posts: 3
Location: Poland
PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:41 pm 
 

Did Metal change me? Umm... maybe. By metal I got more interested in guitar playing and music in general. It opened for me some new, interesting ways.
Metal calms me down, mostly makes me think optimistic (!) about my future (except when it's something reaaaaaaaaaaally depressive, like some Iced Earth or Sonata Arctica songs).
And helps me to express myself.

Havent changed my religion - I'm still christian, and I believe in it even stronger (but it's not caused by metal, though).

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orionmetalhead
Metalhead

Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2006 9:54 am
Posts: 2327
Location: United States
PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:20 pm 
 

vhailor303 wrote:
(except when it's something reaaaaaaaaaaally depressive, like some Iced Earth or Sonata Arctica songs).


I Objurgate!
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PlagueRages
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2007 4:31 pm
Posts: 142
Location: United Kingdom
PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 6:05 pm 
 

vondskapens_makt wrote:
Well, Metal has opened some doors for me. From Metal arose an interest in philosophy, psychology, etc. It's led me to become a more mature, cynical person as well.


That's pretty much the same for me as well. Before I listened to metal i took little interest in philosophy, religion, or even political issues. For me metal made me question things such as religion, questions that I had never really asked myself before.

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PlagueRages
Metal newbie

Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2007 4:31 pm
Posts: 142
Location: United Kingdom
PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 6:09 pm 
 

Chaos_Llama wrote:
If anything it's made me appreciate the cathartic ability negative/dark mood & atmosphere can have in music, and how beautiful it can be.


This is true for me also.

I love dark/depressing music, which is something none of my friends can understand.

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chrissaysuptheirons
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:59 pm
Posts: 9
Location: United Kingdom
PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 6:24 am 
 

i've always been a nihilist and athiest. my tastes in music haven't changed me in the slightest, all it does is give me something to talk about with my friends. classical music and heavy metal just focuses me and helps me to work, which is why it really pissed me off back in high school when the teachers told me to turn my mp3 player off. i'm pretty sure i went on a rant at one saying something like "would you rather i wasn't working and was talking to my friends?" ahhh good times.
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goatmanejy
Village Idiot

Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2008 12:38 am
Posts: 158
PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:51 pm 
 

No, but since metal features more satanist/nihlist lyrics than other genres, most satanist/nihlist people listen to metal. Besides, in some way or another, all rock (except maybe emo) caters to some form of rebellion. And surely nihlism is rebellios against socioty?
I have noticed myself becoming more agnostic since I picked up metal, but I link that to specefic bands rather than metal.
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goatmanejy
Village Idiot

Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2008 12:38 am
Posts: 158
PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:53 pm 
 

Danthrax_Nasty wrote:
To the opening post. As far as the effects of Metal upon my psyche as an individually isolated term covering years, and years, of my awareness of, and my devoted audiophile based obsession with the said term's associated genre's and, historically speaking, linear evolution unto and beyond, I would have to say that it has been wholly consuming, and as such, with an air of gormandizing profundity, like a wall of support to the ego from which it, and many other environmental factors, propagated. Not to mention because of stupid friends I'm sure I did, and participated in tons of dumb shit "in the name of", or with some intention of defining, and putting forth some self righteous mutinous declaration against authority and establishment, simply because "Metal" is such a omni-factorable, verging on religious, commitment to my daily happenings and concerns. Interesting question. I would think though, those more inclined towards rebellious action, and thought will obviously be more open to effects from something like Metal music.



Nicely put. Im putting this on my signature. Thats how awesome it is :hail:
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NeglectedField
Onwards to Camulodunum!

Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2005 6:19 am
Posts: 1080
Location: United Kingdom
PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:46 pm 
 

BobSaget wrote:
ad hominem is an earmark of metalheads, not like I am committing a taboo of precedence by claiming that most are block heads and socially/intellectually inept.


Fair enough, however, that's not my observation. Most of the properly socially/intellectually inept people I've met were too inept to even have any dedication to any subculture. And even metalheads I've met that even failed their GCSEs had some more salient observations than a lot of people I come across that are being let into university these days. They might not have the airs and graces of the Abercrombie-wearer, but the words I've heard from people who'd describe themselves as metal fans are more golden than anything that comes out of the mouths of the latter. That's only my (undoubtably biased) impression, though.

On the other hand, what supports your belief are a lot of death/gore/grind metal fans I meet. The sort that just can't comprehend black metal because of its production values, and find the ideologies contained within to be too pretentious, in fact they generally find anything that isn't "br00tal" to either be "pompous", "pretentious" or "gimmicky". People who are largely into black metal as opposed to death metal I find more easy to bounce off, with exceptions of course. Sure some black metallers are a bit pretentious and don't question or reflect on their own beliefs much, but because black metal has that ideological component, there's more to discuss.

And you get those people whose tastes seem to focus on just one very specific niche within metal (like, even within a substyle), and there seems to be absolutely nothing else of note about them. You usually get these types in London and they'll be there for this one-off obscure gig. They might look cool but they're not particularly approachable. When you come across them online they seem incredibly myopic in attitude.

Again, all down to my personal experience, and only among UK metalheads.

chrissaysuptheirons wrote:
i've always been a nihilist and athiest. my tastes in music haven't changed me in the slightest, all it does is give me something to talk about with my friends. classical music and heavy metal just focuses me and helps me to work, which is why it really pissed me off back in high school when the teachers told me to turn my mp3 player off. i'm pretty sure i went on a rant at one saying something like "would you rather i wasn't working and was talking to my friends?" ahhh good times.


Whilst music helps me work at home (sometimes), I think it's perfectly reasonable of a school to ask pupils not to listen to music in lessons, if you kick up a fuss you're just being a pain in the arse. When you're in such an environment, you work on their terms. Everyone has different methods of sitting down and doing academic work, but teachers need to be able to scrutinise each child's work by making everyone adhere to certain rules as a control factor. That's why I tried to be avoid being a prick to teachers at school unless some serious injustice was done.
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chrislyles15
Metalhead

Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:08 pm
Posts: 731
Location: Aumsville, Oregon
PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:19 pm 
 

Metal is just like everything else in the world. If you let it change you, it changes you. If you are strong and do not allow it to change you, it won't. it's that simple my friend.

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truvelocity
Metal newbie

Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2007 11:01 am
Posts: 281
Location: Egypt
PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:32 pm 
 

Metal for me has drastically changed my thinking and continues to do so.
I'm much more cynical than i was but also more smarter in a way-not taking things at face value and being more open-minded.
I love this music so much.

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Resident_Hazard
Possessed by Starscream's Ghost

Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 2:33 pm
Posts: 2905
Location: United States
PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:48 pm 
 

I didn't used to burn down churches and murder minorities for the purposes of blood rituals to Satan, but then I started listening to Metal and now that's just what I do in my free time.






Nah, I kid.


It's hard to say if Metal changed me at all. I don't think so. I mean, I was a pretty pissed of, moody, brooding teenager when I found it, so...

Some of my beliefs and views have changed over the years, but that's all from different influences, not the least of which is maturity. My view on the Iraq war changed after joining the military. My view on children, babies, and abortion changed after my son was born. It took major things brought changes to my life, beliefs, and views--not Metal.


Metal is just the music that fit who I was already. I've probably been more influenced by the History Channel or Science Channel.
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gomorro
Too Slow to Owl

Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 3:54 pm
Posts: 964
Location: Peru
PostPosted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 7:21 pm 
 

for me it makes me more self-confident, reflexible and open-minded

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