Why are so many metalheads so elitist?

I do like metal, but like another user, I think that death and black metal are pretty much useless.

yourmajesty90

[QUOTE="DivergeUnify"][QUOTE="GTR2addict"] Melodic Death Metal sounds "better" than iron maiden, but maiden are still THE force behind pretty much all that is metal

GTR2addict

Nope, No pop voalist will be better than Rob Halford.rockerbikie

Quite a few are and I like some JP.....

[QUOTE="GTR2addict"][QUOTE="DivergeUnify"] Melodic dm is okay. Kind of generic sounding I thinkDivergeUnify

As a huge metal fan this is a problem I recognize as well. I have a theory that it's a result from all the outside persecution that metal receives. I think it makes some of the fans kind of feel they need to protect the music and in turn persecute sub-genres and band they don't deem "worthy" of the metal name. Just an idea.Vennligsinnet

Now for metalheads being elitist to other genres, let me ask you this. We call rap "terrible and crap" and we are being elitist. But then other people call metal "a bunch of talentless idiots bashing drums randomly, screaming into a mic as loud as they can and banging their stupid heads." But they aren't being elitist against metal? It's just a ridiculous double standard other music fans put on metalheads.

Bluestorm-Kalas

I said it was okay to have a self-defense argument, I was confused about metalheads initiating their own ignorant insults on others.

A childrens..heavy..metal band...what have i missed?..

Xx_Hopeless_xX

No, no, no.
Hevisaurus is a heavy metal band in Finland made up from members of Sonata Arctica, Thunderstone and some guy whos been in like 5 different massively popular metal band. They dress up as heavy metal dinosaurs and play power metal/heavy metal songs about school/homework/parents.

I'm only elitist when people call most metalcore, and numetal metal.

Because it really isn't

MasterC5

And you have absolutely no proof or experience to say that. So yes you are an ignorant elitist.

[QUOTE="chessmaster1989"]

You can still of course find a lot of metal with good lyrics and vocals, but of course if those are much more important to you than the instrumental work then metal isn't a great genre for you. I personally listen to music a lot more for the instrumental work than the vocals. :P

FFCYAN

As for instrumental works, I own the album Zero Order Phase, a completely instrumental album. Despite this, the songwriter Jeff Loomis does an amazing job of laying down some great riffing while still injecting soul and emotion through his guitar. Not many metal guitarist in the elitist list are of the "soul" type.

Soul and emotion??? Why do you think I listen to Metal. Sure its usually anger if its not symphonic or power or folk metal (which I listen to half the time in any case,) but anger and energy also serve their purpose; without the energy and ego that I developed from listening to Heavy Metal, I would never have become anything more than a shy and oversensitive massive introvert; the energy, anger and ego in metal balanced me out and I will always be grateful to Metal for that (Yes, Heavy metal is my medicine :D .) How can you say that a metal artist doesn't give every inch of his being into a metal song? Metal is one of the most emotively charged genre I have ever heard, and thankfully its not retrospective or optimistic or sad like most other music with a soul. IO am already optimistic and retrospective, far too much so, the last thing I need is to listen ot music like that.

Because most of them haven't discovered classical music yet.

Why are so many metalheads so elitist?

Because most of them haven't discovered classical music yet.

EolGul2

I have. I prefer metal as it can because it sounds better in my opinion and can also be as complex as classical (yeah it can be very complex, but not in the same way though.)

[QUOTE="EolGul2"]Why are so many metalheads so elitist?

Because most of them haven't discovered classical music yet.

lyeti

I have. I prefer metal as it can because it sounds better in my opinion and can also be as complex as classical (yeah it can be very complex, but not in the same way though.)

Nice. I'm glad I'm not the only one here who loves classical. Who are your favorite contemporary classical composers and what about them do you like? I'm always looking for good recommendations.

I don't think it's possible for metal to be as complex as the most complex classical symphonies, at least based on every metal song I've heard. I would agree that metal can be more complex than string quartets though.

While there are other reasons metal generally isn't as complex, I think sheer numbers are worth mentioning. I could be wrong, but are there any metal bands with this many members, plus a composer?

I'd also like to point out that most of the people on this forum are young men. For the vast majority of them, their interest in metal, especially death and black metal, will wane as they get older. They're at a point in their lives where metal is very appealing. They are also at the point where they think they have all the answers. It's not that metal fans are necessarily elitists. I think enjoying metal and being an elitist are symptoms of where most of the people on this forum are in life.

EolGul2 - why do you pick out metal as not being as complex as an entire orchestra? Surely there's not much out there at all that is! I appreciate a bit of classical, and so do a lot of the bands I listen to. A lot of metal bands have recorded and played with Symphonic Orchestras - Cradle Of Filth, Metallica, Within Temptation and Dimmu Borgir spring to mind immediately. yellerbelly

I was simply responding to someone who said metal can be as complex as classical.

Also, I've had the displeasure of hearing Metallica play with an orchestra. It was pretty bad.

I'd also like to point out that most of the people on this forum are young men. For the vast majority of them, their interest in metal, especially death and black metal, will wane as they get older. They're at a point in their lives where metal is very appealing. They are also at the point where they think they have all the answers. It's not that metal fans are necessarily elitists. I think enjoying metal and being an elitist are symptoms of where most of the people on this forum are in life.

EolGul2

---------------

I like "nu" metal, power metal, hair metal, thrash metal (megadeth is the best band ever) but hate any band that growls and have lyrics that are impossible to distinguish.

I like "nu" metal, power metal, hair metal, thrash metal (megadeth is the best band ever) but hate any band that growls and have lyrics that are impossible to distinguish.

immortality20

[QUOTE="DivergeUnify"]

[QUOTE="GTR2addict"] Death metal and all it's subgenres were made to get AWAY from the mainstream, and they sound generic? :| Dark Tranquillity, Insomnium, Children of Bodom, Ensiferum, Kalmah, Carcass, In Flames and so many more, they sound nothing alike eachother, much less like anything elserockerbikie

[QUOTE="immortality20"]

I like "nu" metal, power metal, hair metal, thrash metal (megadeth is the best band ever) but hate any band that growls and have lyrics that are impossible to distinguish.

MillenialFair99

Yeah because we all know using Rock Band as an example totally proves your point.

I don't know exactly why we metalheads are "elitist", but I think it's related to the reason why some people enjoy degrading our genre and insulting our taste in music by insinuating that we're a bunch of tone-deaf, talentless, unsophisticated and infantile morons.

As in, I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact that a lot of people simply like to elevate their artistic preferences over those of others to make themselves feel better about their choices. This phenomenon is hardly specific to metalheads.

Although I think a lot of metalheads are complete morons and I would never consider myself one of them, I'm quite elitist myself when it comes to metal myself. This has more to do with the aesthetic values I attach to the music, and it's not about trying to be 'cool'. I just don't like it when some bands try to use an interesting music styIe solely for commercial benefit and being fashionable.

[QUOTE="Espada12"]

Because metal is one of those things people don't understand. I don't understand it either, which is why I dismiss most of it as rubbish, then again metalheads do that when it comes to pop.

coreybg

You can't compare some pop crap to heavy metal and hardrock such as Judas Priest and AC/DC for example.

And yes, it IS a fact that they're better.

don't ACDC make a joke out of making the same album for years?

A lot of them think they are too extreme for the less awesome types of music. Even heard some of them slamming progressive metal on the basis that "its not fast enough".

[QUOTE="MillenialFair99"]

[QUOTE="immortality20"]

I like "nu" metal, power metal, hair metal, thrash metal (megadeth is the best band ever) but hate any band that growls and have lyrics that are impossible to distinguish.

Yeah because we all know using Rock Band as an example totally proves your point.

You'll find music snobs in almost every genre.

Same thing goes for almost everything else (cars, video game consoles, computers, etc...).

Because we're better than you, we can't help our superiority.markop2003

I agree withwhat he said.

I dislike how there is a big lack of creativity in the genre. How so many bands sound so generic. The vocals obviously.

Crimtmp

Screamo is the worst

maptheninja

They're just sad because all the music is starting to get stale, the bands are losing their hair, their edge, and their creativity. Their fans take up the slack by being horrendous douchebags. See - "Slayer Fans"hillelslovak

Anyone even mildly involved with the modern metal scene would know that the music is not getting stale, and is not slowing down in any way...

[QUOTE="hillelslovak"]They're just sad because all the music is starting to get stale, the bands are losing their hair, their edge, and their creativity. Their fans take up the slack by being horrendous douchebags. See - "Slayer Fans"ToxicBlasphemy

Anyone even mildly involved with the modern metal scene would know that the music is not getting stale, and is not slowing down in any way...

[QUOTE="maptheninja"]

Screamo is the worst

Bluestorm-Kalas

You can't be mad when he just classifies as metal especially when alot of metal bands do that.

[QUOTE="Bluestorm-Kalas"]

[QUOTE="maptheninja"]

Screamo is the worst

Espada12

You can't be mad when he just classifies as metal especially when alot of metal bands do that.

*Disclaimer: That last statement, was in no way aimed at you Espada.

It gets on my nerves also. I usually listen to screamo, metalcore, deathcore. None of these are metal, sans metalcore which has metal/hardcore influence but is not straight metal.

It gets on my nerves also. I usually listen to screamo, metalcore, deathcore. None of these are metal, sans metalcore which has metal/hardcore influence but is not straight metal.

njean777

[QUOTE="njean777"]

It gets on my nerves also. I usually listen to screamo, metalcore, deathcore. None of these are metal, sans metalcore which has metal/hardcore influence but is not straight metal.

SF_KiLLaMaN

[QUOTE="njean777"]

It gets on my nerves also. I usually listen to screamo, metalcore, deathcore. None of these are metal, sans metalcore which has metal/hardcore influence but is not straight metal.

SF_KiLLaMaN

[QUOTE="SF_KiLLaMaN"][QUOTE="njean777"]

It gets on my nerves also. I usually listen to screamo, metalcore, deathcore. None of these are metal, sans metalcore which has metal/hardcore influence but is not straight metal.

Bluestorm-Kalas

[QUOTE="Bluestorm-Kalas"]

[QUOTE="SF_KiLLaMaN"] haha. metalcore? deathcore? WTF is that? Some of the stupidest names for a music genre.frostybanana

To be fair basically all deathcore is awful. :P

[QUOTE="SF_KiLLaMaN"][QUOTE="njean777"]

It gets on my nerves also. I usually listen to screamo, metalcore, deathcore. None of these are metal, sans metalcore which has metal/hardcore influence but is not straight metal.

frostybanana

[QUOTE="frostybanana"][QUOTE="Bluestorm-Kalas"] It gets even better, here is a deathcore bands song.

chessmaster1989

To be fair basically all deathcore is awful. :P

I like "nu" metal, power metal, hair metal, thrash metal (megadeth is the best band ever) but hate any band that growls and have lyrics that are impossible to distinguish.