ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A DEATH METALLER?

Chances are, you probably aren't.

For years, even as early as 1986 when Heavy Metal was the most popular music in the world, it has been undersold by it's opponents as music for a lesser breed of humanity. This sort of elitist, self righteous, my excrement don't stink mentality is exactly why I wanted to start this Webpage/Blog in the first place, to provide a voice of reason to meet the mainstream and the underground in the middle.

Do not misunderstand, I do not believe that ALL metal fans are brilliant T.S. Elliot spouting intellectuals. There will always be a few less than bright 'mammals' that coincidentally happen to listen to my favourite musical genre. If you don't believe me, the next time you are at an event that features heavy metal music, watch for the guys who talk exactly like Spicoli from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and hang out in a pack, the "Surfers without an Ocean" as I call them. Put it this way, if these guys wrote CD reviews, it would have two categories, "THAT SUCKS!" and "THAT RULES!" I'll stop picking on these guys, because if they're going to see Heavy Metal, they must be smarter than they look and behave.

Honestly though, the stereotype over the years has always been one of inferior intelligence, violent aggression against others (outside of a moshpit), and/or suicide. For example, in the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, Marilyn Manson and other forms of metal music were made scapegoats for their actions, when in reality, it was done on that day to supposedly commemorate Hitler's 110th. Perhaps we should condemn marijuana because they chose to do it on April 20th (4/20, trust me, the potheads get it.)

I have said for years that this music DOES NOT inspire violence, depression, and satanism, and I am not the first, but, try as I might there was nothing but my opinion to back it up.

Until last year when numerous studies were documented that had actually looked into the psychology of heavy metal music and its people. Just as I thought, it chimed in just about everywhere with my own personal beliefs.

Unlike former president (thank god!) George W. Bush, I do not make a habit of spewing from my mouth something that someone else has written without giving credit where credit's due. (CLICK HERE FOR THE SYNOPSIS ARTICLE COMPILED FROM THESE STUDIES!)

Even with this information, there will always be opponents to metal music, as there always has been. Even one of metal's root melodies the tri-tone, was banned by the church at one point in history, because it would invoke "Satan" c'mon, if ABBA, Duran Duran, and anything done by Vanilla Ice haven't inspired the rise of the Dark One, metal doesn't stand a chance of doing so.

So, in summary, do yourself a favour, take a minute and listen to some metal and truly listen, not just hear and see it for what it is. Another form of music, that all walks of life can find cathartic, and bearing some correlation to their lives. Especially those whom are gifted intellectually. (see study above)

Not ready to delve into hardcore death metal just yet? That's okay, metal has much to offer, for "the softer side of heavy metal" click this previous posting.

Alright class! Pencils down! Horn's up!