Legit METAL:
⦁ Proto Metal
⦁ Classic Metal
⦁ Doom Metal
⦁ Thrash Metal
⦁ Death Metal
⦁ Black Metal
⦁ Progressive Metal
⦁ Power Metal
⦁ Gothic Metal
⦁ Glam Metal
⦁ Sludge
⦁ Grindcore*
⦁ Symphonic Metal
⦁ Drone
⦁ Experimental Metal
⦁ Folk Metal
⦁ Industrial Metal*
⦁ Post-Metal*
Those marked with * are very much in the metal family when NOT focused on a basis of alternative, mallcore, nu/rap-"metal", everyday-normal-guy "hard" music, or pop-punk supposed versions. If you have to question if it's got enough metal in it to qualify, then it doesn't, and neither do you in making decisions of what's what.
Note: You might be going "Where's ____ Metal?!" All of these can combine in some form with one another, and have many stylistic variations, that are mere adjectives (brutal, melodic, depressive, horror, NS, Christian, atmospheric,...what the fuck ever) briefly explaining what KIND of whatever form or combination of these incarnations are - which is all that "sub-genres" are, and truly are over-emphasized and debated in vain. "Satanic Melodic Black Thrash" is still BLACK METAL, just like "Goregrind" is still GRINDCORE. Folk Metal encompasses "Viking Metal", "Pagan Metal", be it Scandinavian, Eastern, Western, etc. is still the same Folk Metal pioneered by the likes of Quorthon and Skyclad. So if someone simply calls a "brutal death" band "Death Metal", for instance, they aren't wrong, and shouldn't be met with vehement opposition for it. Some find Possessed to be Thrash, Black, or Death Metal...it can be called one, two, or ALL of them, and it's not worth fighting with each other over. It all boils down to these presented genres, combos, and spinoffs of them, and that's that.
UNACCEPTABLE FORMS (i.e. "poser" styles) in the way of being generalized as METAL, and waaaay too often do:
⦁ metalcore
⦁ deathcore
⦁ post-hardcore
⦁ nu-metal
⦁ "dudebro" metal (a term I use for bands like Godsmack, 5FDP, A7X and that kind of SHIT)
⦁ Post-Grunge (Nickelback, Puddle Of Mudd, Hinder, etc.)
Note: All of these are alternative, which - in itself (just plain alt-rock and it's variations like traditional grunge) is fine on its own, but to be confused - or worse - CALLED "metal" flat out is, in these sad times of dying fathers, a cardinal sin.
The 6 genres listed [which could all just be simply dubbed "mall metal", the metal part being emphasized sarcastically] often express more disdain and make fun of rock-based (from proto and onward) heavy metal than we do of it. Those that argue with us "True Metallers" would scoff at that notion, because we're approached so often by them, they think it's all we dwell on. But, most of us just try to ignore it, pretend it hasn't happened, or nicely try and educate metal and hard rock's TRUE history, only to be met with juvenile insults, jabs, and thuggish name-calling. So, we harden our attitudes to these types, spreading and perpetuating the "elitist" stereotype in their minds, which - if the term is understood for its real implications - is far from an insult. This distaste and stereotyping subjugation that we are subjected to has led to their "we don't dig that gay shit" fashion and thuggish, g-dawg vocabularies and inflections...and attitude that permeates their version of their FALSE "metal". The fashionably short hair (as opposed to bald or long), the ball-caps (usually flat-billed), the plain white T-shirts, the prison-thug neck tattoos, the over-streched earlobes, the sports attire, etc...and yet they still WANT metal as their own, but neutered into non-theatrical, non-star-focused, where everyone appears just slightly tougher or more "subculture" than your normal sports bar junkie, mall-food-court pretty boiz, frat-members, Calvin Klein models (and how these mixed is actually quite hilarious, if not confusing as ALL hell).
Another List For Good Measure -
*Genres That Might Not Be COMPLETELY Metal, But Were Always Peaceful And United Enough To Be Called "METAL"-like, or even in an adjective-driven complimentary way, (like in the same way we'd see a cool motorcycle and say "Dude, that's METAL!")
⦁ [TRUE] Hardcore (Agnostic Front, Black Flag, Terror, etc.)
⦁ Crust Punk (Amebix, Doom, Disorder, etc.)
⦁ [most] Horror Punk (Bands derivative of The Misfits, mainly)
⦁ [HEAVY] Industrial (Ministry, Skinny Puppy, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, etc.)
⦁ Gothic Rock (especially the more "evil" or outrageous of the crop)
⦁ [Heavy] Grunge (Alice In Chains, Gruntruck, Helmet, early Soundgarden, etc.)
...and a few others that metaphorically fist-bump our beloved genre almost EVERY time. (And no, Grindcore does not belong down here instead of in the LEGIT list. It's a form of metal, just heavily influenced by hardcore punk, the REAL stuff. It's snotty Death Metal's reflection in the mirror. Barney Greenway calls it metal, and that is authority enough.) These won't necessarily fit in "True Metal"-dedicated groups and forums, but a lot of us literal metalheads DO in fact enjoy them, as they enjoy our music, in return. These are metal's brother genres. They don't ridicule the theatrics, make fun of classic vocals, treat low/horror-style growls "weak" because they aren't pushed out with jockish arrogance, or laugh at the more shrieky/goblin-esque highs found in black metal and retro-thrash. These types almost ALWAYS get along and even work as colleagues on the same stages. That's how it WAS in the beginning of each movement within their musical sub-culture, is struggling to be again today, and should get back to in the future.
I truly believe this the most simplified, yet simultaneously thorough, wrap-up of "what the big deal is", and how to understand it. Mere skimming of these words won't do it for the most oblivious reader, but with ACTIVE reading - complete with referencing research materials on the subjects at hand; metal's history, beginning with hard rock - will undoubtedly clear up a lot of confusion. Sadly, it will not stop those that WANT to be opposed...but we've always wished for peace, since metal grew from the hippie culture (yep, I said it - look into it), and HOPE is never a bad thing.
©TTSNSN 3/8/16
⦁ Proto Metal
⦁ Classic Metal
⦁ Doom Metal
⦁ Thrash Metal
⦁ Death Metal
⦁ Black Metal
⦁ Progressive Metal
⦁ Power Metal
⦁ Gothic Metal
⦁ Glam Metal
⦁ Sludge
⦁ Grindcore*
⦁ Symphonic Metal
⦁ Drone
⦁ Experimental Metal
⦁ Folk Metal
⦁ Industrial Metal*
⦁ Post-Metal*
Those marked with * are very much in the metal family when NOT focused on a basis of alternative, mallcore, nu/rap-"metal", everyday-normal-guy "hard" music, or pop-punk supposed versions. If you have to question if it's got enough metal in it to qualify, then it doesn't, and neither do you in making decisions of what's what.
Note: You might be going "Where's ____ Metal?!" All of these can combine in some form with one another, and have many stylistic variations, that are mere adjectives (brutal, melodic, depressive, horror, NS, Christian, atmospheric,...what the fuck ever) briefly explaining what KIND of whatever form or combination of these incarnations are - which is all that "sub-genres" are, and truly are over-emphasized and debated in vain. "Satanic Melodic Black Thrash" is still BLACK METAL, just like "Goregrind" is still GRINDCORE. Folk Metal encompasses "Viking Metal", "Pagan Metal", be it Scandinavian, Eastern, Western, etc. is still the same Folk Metal pioneered by the likes of Quorthon and Skyclad. So if someone simply calls a "brutal death" band "Death Metal", for instance, they aren't wrong, and shouldn't be met with vehement opposition for it. Some find Possessed to be Thrash, Black, or Death Metal...it can be called one, two, or ALL of them, and it's not worth fighting with each other over. It all boils down to these presented genres, combos, and spinoffs of them, and that's that.
UNACCEPTABLE FORMS (i.e. "poser" styles) in the way of being generalized as METAL, and waaaay too often do:
⦁ metalcore
⦁ deathcore
⦁ post-hardcore
⦁ nu-metal
⦁ "dudebro" metal (a term I use for bands like Godsmack, 5FDP, A7X and that kind of SHIT)
⦁ Post-Grunge (Nickelback, Puddle Of Mudd, Hinder, etc.)
Note: All of these are alternative, which - in itself (just plain alt-rock and it's variations like traditional grunge) is fine on its own, but to be confused - or worse - CALLED "metal" flat out is, in these sad times of dying fathers, a cardinal sin.
The 6 genres listed [which could all just be simply dubbed "mall metal", the metal part being emphasized sarcastically] often express more disdain and make fun of rock-based (from proto and onward) heavy metal than we do of it. Those that argue with us "True Metallers" would scoff at that notion, because we're approached so often by them, they think it's all we dwell on. But, most of us just try to ignore it, pretend it hasn't happened, or nicely try and educate metal and hard rock's TRUE history, only to be met with juvenile insults, jabs, and thuggish name-calling. So, we harden our attitudes to these types, spreading and perpetuating the "elitist" stereotype in their minds, which - if the term is understood for its real implications - is far from an insult. This distaste and stereotyping subjugation that we are subjected to has led to their "we don't dig that gay shit" fashion and thuggish, g-dawg vocabularies and inflections...and attitude that permeates their version of their FALSE "metal". The fashionably short hair (as opposed to bald or long), the ball-caps (usually flat-billed), the plain white T-shirts, the prison-thug neck tattoos, the over-streched earlobes, the sports attire, etc...and yet they still WANT metal as their own, but neutered into non-theatrical, non-star-focused, where everyone appears just slightly tougher or more "subculture" than your normal sports bar junkie, mall-food-court pretty boiz, frat-members, Calvin Klein models (and how these mixed is actually quite hilarious, if not confusing as ALL hell).
Another List For Good Measure -
*Genres That Might Not Be COMPLETELY Metal, But Were Always Peaceful And United Enough To Be Called "METAL"-like, or even in an adjective-driven complimentary way, (like in the same way we'd see a cool motorcycle and say "Dude, that's METAL!")
⦁ [TRUE] Hardcore (Agnostic Front, Black Flag, Terror, etc.)
⦁ Crust Punk (Amebix, Doom, Disorder, etc.)
⦁ [most] Horror Punk (Bands derivative of The Misfits, mainly)
⦁ [HEAVY] Industrial (Ministry, Skinny Puppy, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, etc.)
⦁ Gothic Rock (especially the more "evil" or outrageous of the crop)
⦁ [Heavy] Grunge (Alice In Chains, Gruntruck, Helmet, early Soundgarden, etc.)
...and a few others that metaphorically fist-bump our beloved genre almost EVERY time. (And no, Grindcore does not belong down here instead of in the LEGIT list. It's a form of metal, just heavily influenced by hardcore punk, the REAL stuff. It's snotty Death Metal's reflection in the mirror. Barney Greenway calls it metal, and that is authority enough.) These won't necessarily fit in "True Metal"-dedicated groups and forums, but a lot of us literal metalheads DO in fact enjoy them, as they enjoy our music, in return. These are metal's brother genres. They don't ridicule the theatrics, make fun of classic vocals, treat low/horror-style growls "weak" because they aren't pushed out with jockish arrogance, or laugh at the more shrieky/goblin-esque highs found in black metal and retro-thrash. These types almost ALWAYS get along and even work as colleagues on the same stages. That's how it WAS in the beginning of each movement within their musical sub-culture, is struggling to be again today, and should get back to in the future.
I truly believe this the most simplified, yet simultaneously thorough, wrap-up of "what the big deal is", and how to understand it. Mere skimming of these words won't do it for the most oblivious reader, but with ACTIVE reading - complete with referencing research materials on the subjects at hand; metal's history, beginning with hard rock - will undoubtedly clear up a lot of confusion. Sadly, it will not stop those that WANT to be opposed...but we've always wished for peace, since metal grew from the hippie culture (yep, I said it - look into it), and HOPE is never a bad thing.
©TTSNSN 3/8/16