The effects of metal music.

[Martín Zalacaín]

I've listened to metal music since I was fourteen. I started with bands like Stratovarius and Pantera, but I've very much listened to all styles of metal throughout my life: death metal (Morbid Angel, Suffocation, Entombed, Dismember, ...), black metal (Mayhem, Burzum, Summoning, Darkthrone, Shining, ...), thrash metal (Celtic Frost, Destruction, Nuclear Assault, ...), prog metal (Arcturus, Opeth, Agalloch...), doom metal (My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, Anathema, Shape Of Despair), grindcore (Napalm Death, Terrorizer, Repulsion, ...).

For six or seven years I listened to nothing but metal. However, three or four years ago I started to listen to classical music from time to time. At first I could only get into very easy listenings, like Mozart's quartets and piano sonatas. But nowadays I can enjoy almost anything from Monteverdi to Brahms. Nowadays I can say that I've completely left aside metal music.

Specifically I want to speak about the effects of metal music on the psyche. I've noticed that metal music arouses in me obscure thoughts, I tend to get pessimistic, tense and melancholic (even though I enjoy listening to it a lot). However, when I listen to classical music, even if it's something dark and sad like Mozart's Requiem, Brahm's Ein Deutsches Requiem or Chopin's Nocturnes, my soul lightens up, I truly enjoy the music without bad feelings showing up.


Has any of you ever felt like this, or notice these effects in other people? I'd very much like to read about your experience on this matter. Thanks in advance.

[Vincent]

I can only share your experience. Back some years ago, metal music was the most important part of my life, and it gave me extremely black thoughts (Or was it my morbide and 'black' character that made me listen to this music?). Anyway... Now I don't have such a lifestyle, though I didn't completly stop the listening to metal, and I still enjoy it in some occasions. But overall, nowdays I more enjoy the classic tunes, the sound of a piano and violin, more than an electric guitar and drums. I guess this is a normal process, coming while your aging. Or? The interesting thing here, that I've noticed, is that many people who listen, and find their pleasure in classic music, listened to metal (or at least some kind fo rock) in their youth. It's not a rule without exceptions, but still, it happens very often. Metal music is on a lower level than classic, yes, but I guess it still isn't bad for a human brain in development. Or let's say that in the right meassures, metal bands (not all, many are garbege) can have a possitive effect on your intellect. My opinion at least.

P.S: Listen to music of our member Heretik!

[Strengthandhonour]

haha that is extremely funny, because I was the same way too.
i still listen to metal, just not as seriously as before. I have grown to enjoy other genres as well. neo-folk and classical being the main ones. The mid teen years tend to be rough years for some of us and metal seems to help magnify that anger of the period. Then as I got a bit older and things got a little better in life I started thinking "what the hell am I so angry about anyways?" and things started to change.
good thread imo.

[Marcus Marulus]

Similar with me...although I was never a big metal fan, just occasionally used to listen to some of the bands...now not any more, now I prefer classical music...

In fact, with every day I grow increasingly disgusted with all "modern" music, rock and pop included. I can listen to (some) older things (eg. Eurythmics), but the new one repel me.

But everywhere you go, you are almost forced to listen to this ugly moderm "music"...isn't it awful?

[lunulae]

guess it's the same with me. though i like to listen to the most periphery corners of metal musick. perhaps it can be juxtaposed with the theories of behaviourism. replace john b. watsons clanging steel pipe with nazi black metal and you've got yourself an infant scared of high pitched screaming vocals, down-tuned fuzzy guitar and the thing we call life.

[Vincent]

Originally Posted by Plethon

But everywhere you go, you are almost forced to listen to this ugly moderm "music"...isn't it awful?

More or less, depending on the person. For me, not really. I don't pay attention to it. It's not that I go out because of the music, but just for the need to socialise, some place to talk, and be together with my friends. Ok, I don't visit every bar, pub, club, and making a choice is very influenced by the genre of music they play in it, wich tells you about all other attributes of a meeting point, including the type of people there. But like I said, it's a minor problem to me.

I have my CDs, iPod, and if I feel a inner desire for music, I know what to do.

[Martín Zalacaín]

Originally Posted by Strengthandhonour

Then as I got a bit older and things got a little better in life I started thinking "what the hell am I so angry about anyways?" and things started to change.

That's it. I do not deny the quality of this style of music (who could deny Arcturus' quality?), but the feelings it helped me to vent are no longer there. Listening to metal takes me back to those times when I was a confused and angry teenager, full of rage against the world. I guess it's very subjective.

[Martín Zalacaín]

Originally Posted by Plethon

But everywhere you go, you are almost forced to listen to this ugly moderm "music"...isn't it awful?

The place where I get more annoyed with this 'modern music' is in the supermarket. You are forced to be there for half an hour, filling your trolley and listening to the last Madonna bs. It's disgusting.

[Numi]

I still listen to metal music from time to time and the problem is it's the only music that makes me happier in some way,on the other hand,listening to happy music makes me sad to death.It's the dilemma.Black metal makes me laughing to hysterics,so I'd rather prefer listening to death metal to depressive black or folk.Doom metal is also my favourite one

[Freebooter]

I'd say it's easy to find oneself consumed by something when they entirely dedicate themselves to it and the lifestyle it promotes. That can definitely include different genres of music as well.

I don't even know how long I've been listening to metal. Maybe 12 years? It started with Down back in 1995 if I remember correctly.

The thing for me is that I don't dedicate myself to a genre of music. I don't dress what most metalheads would consider 'metal', I don't live a lifestyle most metalheads would consider 'metal', and thereby I don't confine my musical taste purely to what can be labeled "metal". Because of this, whatever interest I have in the genre, while being a part of my life, has never consumed me.

Another thing is that I'm extremely particular about the bands I like and choose to listen to. In my 12 years of listening to metal I've really gotten into, maybe, 7 or so bands (my all time favourite being Opeth, as I'm sure you can guess), although I've listened to pieces by innumerable others.

So, similar to the consumption of food, I would suggest that it's ultimately a matter of moderation. I can certainly see how metal can become toxic when it's all a person listens to.

Classical is fantastic, by the way. It was actually Yngwie Malmsteen's neo-classical work that piqued my interest in classical music, and I've become a rather avid fan of such composers as Bach, Paganini, and Mozart (despite the conspiracy theories ). I also very much like folk and traditional music - Paco de Lucía, Luar na Lubre, Milladoiro, Amalia Rodrigues, Sangre Cavallum (although I'm not sure how "traditional" or "folkish" they can be considered...), music of the various Hispanic cancioneiros, and so on and so forth.

[Heretik]

The official Lake of Tears website - As it enters through your breathing...
Pantheist - The Official Homepage
MySpace.com - Cryptal Darkness - Melbourne, Victoria - Metal / Ambient / Gothic - www.myspace.com/cryptaldarkness
Funeral & - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The official Draconian homepage

Then we can talk.

[Martín Zalacaín]

Originally Posted by Heretik

The official Lake of Tears website - As it enters through your breathing...
Pantheist - The Official Homepage
MySpace.com - Cryptal Darkness - Melbourne, Victoria - Metal / Ambient / Gothic - www.myspace.com/cryptaldarkness
Funeral & - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The official Draconian homepage

Then we can talk.

I know some of those groups. I used to love Draconian's "Arcane Rain Fell", very inspiring album with deep and well-written lyrics.

[Heretik]

Suicide soundtracks.

[Martín Zalacaín]

Which one is your band, Heretik?

[Lutiferre]

I still listen to metal and I will keep doing it forever. Perhaps I am still in the metal stage of this effect? Well, we'll know in some years..

[Savorgnan]

Originally Posted by Plethon

In fact, with every day I grow increasingly disgusted with all "modern" music, rock and pop included.

The same as me. My personal nightmare is jazz. I'm not even talking of rap or techno, because it's not even music.

Originally Posted by Plethon

But everywhere you go, you are almost forced to listen to this ugly moderm "music"...isn't it awful?

Yes, in order to keep the brains soft, thus receptive to the Official Desinformation and the advertising.