Music of the Empowered

Heavy Metal.

These words are enough to conjure the satanic imagery of a musical genre that seems, on the surface, to glorify aggression, violence, and questionable morals. The knee-jerk reaction of many people is to stereotype metal music as “screaming” and “overly aggressive and loud”. However, heavy metal has a rabid and loyal fanbase to rival, and perhaps exceed, any other genre. There must be more to it.

The '80s was an exceptional era for music, and this was true for heavy metal as well. Metal can trace its origins back to the ’60s but some of the biggest and most famous bands rose to notoriety during the ’80s. Bands that shaped my love of music like Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Guns & Roses, Metallica, Slayer and others. These bands challenged the musical norm and pushed the boundaries towards areas that many considered extreme. They took the beats of rock, the improvisation of jazz and structural complexities of classical music, and created something truly special.

There are many sub-genres to heavy metal and there is something for everyone, no matter your musical tastes. From early metal like Led Zeppelin and Jimmy Hendrix to the "Power Metal" of the ’80s like Rainbow, Scorpions, and Judas Priest to "Nu-Metal" like Slipknot and Limp Bizkit or even "Norwegian Black Metal" like Dimmu Borgir and Gorgoroth. Perhaps you would be surprised to hear that "Grunge", the musical style of the ultra-popular band Nirvana is a sub-genre of heavy metal?

Those most attracted to heavy metal were the marginalised, the outcasts, the vulnerable. People who felt like they had no place in the mainstream and felt lost and directionless. People who felt small and insignificant in the great, wide world. People with depression and non-existent self-esteem. People desperately searching for something they made them feel understood. I know because I was one of these people.

I still remember the excitement I felt when I purchased my first metal album: "Fear of the Dark" by Iron Maiden. This excitement gave way to an indescribable feeling of freedom when I began listening to music that directly gripped my soul and wrapped me in an aura of invincibility.

When you listen to heavy metal you can’t help but feel powerful and in control, covered head-to-foot in a metaphorical, metal suit of armour. Metal has helped many of us through the most difficult parts of our lives. It speaks to our frustrations, our sadness, our anger. Emotions that many cannot, or refuse, to speak about or acknowledge are often the subject of metal songs. Whether headbanging alone in our rooms or going wild in a mosh pit at a metal concert, we finally have the means to work through our feelings. After all, is it not better for people to let their anger and frustrations out by going wild at a metal concert rather than by illegal means?

Of course, heavy metal has been mired in controversy for everything from their song lyrics, album covers, to their live shows. Some parents and even government officials were incensed, as always, by this new, extreme genre. The stage antics of Alice Cooper and Ozzy Osbourne, alongside song lyrics covering subjects like suicide and death, only fuelled the fires. Much like the previous generation reacted to Elvis, and parents in the ’90s would react to gangster Rap, they cried that censorship was the only answer. Members of certain bands were dragged in front of the US Congress to explain themselves, including Dee Snyder of Twisted Sister who delivered an eloquent and impassioned speech and offered rebuttals that none of the seasoned politicians could refute. Heavy metal musicians were, again, challenging the mainstream perceptions of themselves and their music.

Despite the stereotyping, metal musicians and fans alike are often generous, gentle, and kind with a deep insight into the human condition. The camaraderie and familial bond between fans is another reason why metal is such a powerful force of change in the lives of so many.

The ’80s did not only bring heavy metal into the global spotlight, but it also birthed a movement that would define multiple generations. Metal bands have continued to play to sold-out stadiums around the world and more than a few became some of the best-selling bands in history. Metal is still going strong today and has a bigger fanbase than ever before. As fans, we still battle society's perception of a genre we love so much, but this does not diminish what heavy metal means to us and does not quell our desire to blast our favourite band's albums at full volume.

Metal will continue to be a champion standing squarely between us and our demons, empowering us with the strength we need and the knowledge that we will never walk alone. Never again.

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