9 observations that prove metal is misunderstood

For decades, metal has operated on the fringes of society. Ever since its birth in the 70s, fans and musicians alike were made up of people who never felt quite like fitting in the expected molds of society. And we were very happy and comfortable there. Many of us still are very happy there.

Like punk and the first rock decades, metal became synonymous with resistance to established society, parental control, and the borders in between which we were expected to function. Metalheads would have non of that, sir!

The music became an escape. It became a statement. It became an identity. One we carry on till this very day.

However, the way we expressed these notions with loud and aggressive music quickly came with a flip side - metal was considered barbaric, anarchic, and evil, and soon became public enemy number one in the eyes of the parents, teachers, churchgoers, and politicians. As a result, the genre and its attitudes gave birth to a whole bunch of misconceptions that society created to ignore the fact that metal was and still is one of the most persistent, versatile, community-building, and influential music genres out there.

Funny enough, for a long time we owned this image society had of us. It became part of our identity. It came with the freedom to express ourselves. If people already thought we were outcasts, we may just as well excel in it, right?! We wanted to be different, so here we are! Take it or leave it.

However, times are a-changing, my friend!

Metal bands brake down walls, appear at non-metal events, create collaborations with non-metal artists, and turn up on mainstream radio channels. Not to mention that metal is one of the commercially most successful genres of today’s age.

All of a sudden, the eyes of the world are on a genre that for a long time wanted to avoid its gaze.

And yet, many of the misconceptions remain and it is slowly becoming a bit of an eye-sore. Despite the success of the genre, we still find ourselves explaining to others that most of us are not actually in league with Satan.

So, without further ado, let us set the record straight and dive into 9 misconceptions about metal and its fans.

You’ll soon find out how ridiculous and unfounded most of them are if you’d just take a moment and read about them.

1. Metal is just a phase

Surprisingly, this misconception is most often voiced by those from whom you would expect support, love, and understanding - our parents.

If you would make a round at a metal concert and ask whether their parents were supportive of them listening to metal, I would dare to say that 9 out of 10 metalheads would give you a firm negative.

The whole phrase “metal is just a phase” is just funny coming from our parents. I remember very well it was my father who told me it is just a phase and I would grow out of it. Apart from the fact that 20-odd years later I am still going strong as a passionate metalhead, my father indeed has a collection of vinyl of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Queen, and the like and can still, at the age of 65, passionately describe why these rock bands from the 70s and 80s are eternal.

Knowing my grandparents, I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t approve of my father’s taste in music and most likely didn’t expect Rock to survive the ages either.

An interesting side-note - bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple are widely considered the forefathers of the metal genre. Whether this is true or not is food for a different discussion. Here it is important to realize that the music your kids listen to is a direct descendant of music you most likely listened to as a teenager and still hold dear in your heart.

2. Metal all sounds the same

I get this. If you only scratch the surface of any genre, metal included, you will get the impression it all sounds the same to you. It takes a certain investment of time, willingness, and dedication to truly understand the nuances of any music genre.

If you are not into jazz, all jazz music will sound the same to you. Same with blues, rap, R&B, EBM, and…well, any genre, really.

That being said, when you do look under the hood of metal, you will find that it is arguably one of the most versatile genres out there, with a myriad of subgenres, spanning an enormous spectrum from bordering hard rock to the most extreme (and frankly unintelligible).

I’d wager that there is something out there for anyone to like if they would give it a chance.

And no, before you throw it back at me, metal is not just screams and growls. We also have a knack for classical music, high-pitch clean singing, virtuoso guitar solos, ballads, and…pirate chanties.

See? Even for those who polish their pirate hooks every Saturday, we have a subgenre.

3. Playing metal doesn’t require talent

This is one that surely belongs to the category of “I am out of arguments so…your mother is ugly!”

Let’s get one thing clear. Whether you like it or not, metal is an actual music genre made up of musicians who practice their asses off to be able to play music. Like any other guitarist, drummer, bass player, or singer, regardless of the genre. Sure, one is more talented than the other, but that reality is not limited to metal.

Anyone who ever dabbled in playing any kind of music will know that playing music takes at least a certain grain of talent.

Hell, most people are totally incapable to keep a rhythm with their chopsticks when impatiently waiting for their sushi order, despite fervent attempts at hammering out the latest Ed Sheeran on the restaurant table.

So what makes you think metal, from all other genres out there, is the one where you do not need to have any form of talent in order to make music?

Just give it up. It’s ridiculous.

4. Metal fans are all angry people

The world is a pretty shit place. So, aren’t we all angry at some point in our lives? I am not sure why metal fans would be angrier than your average Beyoncé wannabe for that matter.

Ok, let’s be fair here. I get where you are coming from. A large part of the metal music catalogue is fairly aggressive and in your face (unlike Beyoncé). However, there is a reason for that.

No, we are not aggressive people. We do have anger in ourselves, just like all human beings, regardless of the music they listen to. Instead of going out and hurting people to filter our anger, we found a way to channel that in music. That’s really it.

Some people pick up boxing gloves, start knitting or find peace in horticulture. We pick up a guitar and if we really feel like it, start screaming.

Tell me, how often do you wish you could just scream into the air and let off steam without hurting anyone else?

A metalhead doesn’t scream into a pillow. He screams out loud. That’s the only difference between you and him.

5. Metal promotes violence

Over the past decades, metal got a bad rep for being responsible for the most horrific crimes. The genre has been associated with violent acts by all sides, especially the conservative ones. If it doesn’t fit the mold of politics, religion, society, or family expectations, it must be a bad apple.

So, when a metalhead commits a crime, metal is the true culprit, and parents, church, and even the government should do something about it.

Sure, there are truly bad metalheads. Those are the kind of people that do commit crimes and violent acts. Just as, I am sure, you have wife-beating jazz fans, shop-lifting Beliebers, bank-robbing hip-hoppers, and mafia hitmen who wind down after a hard day of work by listening to Kenny G.

Michael Moynihan and Didrik Søderlind, when talking about the violent history of the Black Metal scene, described it best: “Pulling back the genre’s dark veil reveals a few certifiable loose cannons amidst numerous poseurs; the share of cartoon characters is counterbalanced by some genuine “demons” in human form.”

The same can be said about metal in general.

Some of us tend to act and dress “evil”, all clad in black, long hair, sporting spikes, and studs. None of us, save for some “loose cannons”, are actually evil, however.

Music, especially that of an aggressive nature like some metal genres, can wind you up. I am totally with you on that one. Not sure, though, that it would be fair to hand it the sole responsibility for any crime. Sounds a bit of a stretch, doesn’t it?

I am not an expert but as far as I am concerned, it is often things like social circumstances, psychological and drug/alcohol-related issues, or acts of horror that promote violence in people. There is more going on with that person than just the fact he recently added Cannibal Corpse’s “Fucked with a Knife” to his Spotify playlist…right?

Anyway, to sum it up: when you see a pond full of black swans, do you automatically assume all the swans in the world must be black? Didn’t think so.

So why would you assume that a bad metalhead makes metal bad?

6. Metalheads are all drug and alcohol addicts

It is the fear of every parent. Will their kid do drugs or alcohol? He is a metalhead, after all. That more or less makes him destined for rehab later in life, right? Because…well, isn’t it obvious? Sex, drugs, and rock ’n roll and all that.

Let me enlighten all the parents who read this. Yes, your metalhead son or daughter will most likely use drugs and consume alcohol at some point in their lives, in some form or another, and in various levels. I hate to break it to you but if you think changing them into a Kenny G fan will prevent them from getting high or drunk, you might end up a very disappointed parent.

7. Metal is misogynistic

Kind of an old-fashioned statement, isn’t it?

Anyway, it may be true that 20 or 30 years ago you would be hard-pressed to find a metal band with a member of the fairer sex, let alone a band fronted by one.

Those were different times.

In 2022, however, there is indeed a long list of female metal artists who easily rank among the most respected, most talented, and most successful musicians of today’s scene.

Just to name a handful: Floor Jansen, Angela Gossow, Alissa White-Gluz, Doro, Noora Louhimo, Cristina Scabbia, Simone Simons, Elize Ryd, Amanda Somerville, Tarja Turunen, Amy Lee, Lzzy Hale….

…you know what. Just Google them. I can continue all day long.

Take it from someone who has seen the rise of female metal warriors in front of his eyes over the past 20 years and believe me when I say: I have seen thousands of male metal fans go wild on music from metal bands fronted by women. Both artists and metal fans alike count an enormous amount of highly respected women among their ranks.

8. Metal is bad for children

This is a tricky one.

There are many articles out there that claim metal is indeed bad for children but no one can really prove why that would be the case.

The fact that this question is even raised I believe has more to do with the actual subject of this article - misconceptions that lead to misassumptions - than having any scientific relevance. Prejudiced ideas about metal don’t automatically make the music physically or psychologically harmful to others, kids or adults alike.

I can not tell you whether there is a correlation between certain types of music and the development of a child. I did not study for it, so I do not feel I have the credentials to make any claims on the subject.

What I do know, however, is that I am a father of two myself. As of writing this article, Ella is close to turning four and my boy Dorian is two. Metal is part of our household and therefore part of their upbringing. So, from the earliest age onward they have been exposed to metal.

When we are in the car, they themselves ask specifically for “daddy’s music”. When my wife is out of the house, we play metal over the speakers. I don’t distinguish between metal genres when I play it for them. And they don’t care. As extreme as the music may sound, they dance and laugh to their heart’s delight until the moment I turn off the music and they ask for more.

They enjoy an upbringing that is filled with music, either mine or my wife’s. There is an enormous benefit in that, regardless of the genre. They both show signs of creativity and musicality and have a knack for dancing. I believe music, any music, has a big impact on that.

So far I can only say that metal does not seem to be harmful to my kids. The opposite appears to be true, in fact. It helps shape them into creative, open-minded human beings. Exactly what we would wish for them to become.

9. Metal is satanic and anti-Christian

I saved the best one for last because it is the most common one. To many, the metal industry as a whole is nothing but a bunch of devil-worshipping, church-burning, God-hating criminals.

Sorry, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

I guess, if you fear something or if it goes against everything you believe in, it is easier to write it off as evil than to make the effort to try to understand it. It makes for an easier, albeit the wrong narrative.

Whatever it was, I’d wager this belief of metalheads worshipping Satan is a direct product of the conservative, God-fearing communities around the world, starting in the 60s. It is not a secret that the most conservative ones consider everything that goes against the grain of their religious beliefs to be in league with the Devil.

Metal is music for the opposition. It has long been about breaking the rules. No wonder it got associated with the devil pretty much as soon as Black Sabbath started throwing those haunting notes of Black Sabbath’s opening track into the ether in 1970.

Be it rock, punk, grunge, or metal. It all represented a “threat” to conservative society. Yet, metal is the only genre that was deemed truly “anti-Christian” and sparked all kinds of ludicrous myths, aided by the satanic panic of that time.

No, the majority of metalheads do not worship the Devil. We do not have altars in our houses, nor do we sacrifice children to the Dark Lord.

True, our appearance may put you on the wrong path. Dark clothes, long hair, spikes, and studs - however stereotypical these are, I can see why, out of all “rebelling” genres, metal was picked out as being anti-religious.

Also true, there is a branch of metal music that is indeed defined by anti-Christian beliefs, Satanic worship, and ritualistic behaviour. I can not deny or ignore that because Black Metal is out there for everyone to see. It would be wise, though, to take these “beliefs” with a pinch of salt, as especially this scene is chock-full of poseurs who just like to play pretense.

However, at the end of the day, metal counts over a hundred subgenres. I’d say that only a small portion of these genres may be considered as having outspoken anti-Christian sympathies (especially those of the black metal kind). That means that the majority of metal bands and fans alike are falsely accused of being something they most categorically are not.

Let’s round this up, shall we?

We have come to the end of this long rant.

I know it is hard to change people’s minds and I don’t have the illusion that this article will have done exactly that. So let me just leave you with one final point.

At the end of the day, it is just a numbers game.

I have seen a study that claims about 17% of the American population listens to metal. I don’t know what the statistics were based on but it is an intriguing number. You are talking about 56 million potential metalheads in the USA alone!

In Finland, there are about 50+ metal bands for every 100.000 inhabitants. Finland has 5.5 million inhabitants. That would add up to ca. 2750 metal bands, not counting the fans.

Iceland, with a total population that comfortably fits in Bristol (UK - 366.000 to be exact), counts 20-odd bands per 100.000 inhabitants. In other words, there are roughly 70 active metal bands on that small island alone.

Norway: 26 on 100.000; Sweden: 37 on 100.000; the Netherlands: 10 on 100.000.

Shall I continue?

Although these numbers may look small, the math should tell you that there are hundreds of thousands of active metal bands and tens (if not hundreds) of millions of metal fans around the globe.

That’s a whole lot of angry, crime-loving, drug-addicted, misogynistic, anti-Christian, society-shunning people that are just going through a phase, isn’t it?