It’s been a strange few months. Our heros are leaving us in one form or another. It has led to speculation of what the future holds for Rock / Metal, if there is one. It appears to many that there is a simple lack of fresh talent. More and more I see the following:
Rockstar “A” makes a statement: “Metal is dead.”
A few days will pass and then another article will come out by a statement from Rockstar “B” of similar popularity that goes like this: “Rockstar “A” is an asshole. Just look at all those fans in the audience yadda yadda. Metal isn’t dead.”
Now, I’m not a psychologist. I don’t have a degree of any kind in human behavior and I don’t have statistical data to backup my claims. This is purely my opinion and opinions are like assholes and you know where I’m going with this.
What I DO have is years of experience in this subject. I’ve seen a million faces and I’ve rocked them all. (Sorry)
Here is my feeling on the whole “Metal is dead” theory. A: I’m hurt. I didn’t hear about the funeral and why wasn’t I invited and B: Shut up.
Here is why I don’t think Metal is going anywhere. I’ll let Kris Gethin explain:
So what are you saying, Kris? Justin Bieber doesn’t want to make you crush that last rep? No Beyoncé for that little extra something to put that bar back up on the rack? For Kris, and most of you reading this, Metal actually does something that most other genres can’t accomplish. It releases something primal in us. You drive your car a little bit faster. You punch holes in your bedroom wall. You do a few more reps at the gym. You know what Adele is good at acheiving? Sadness.
So, if Metal fails to evoke that primal aggression in us, then it isn’t doing its job and it will simply disappear. But we all WANT to feel those feelings and for most of us, Metal is the only constructive way to get there. So no, Metal isn’t dead. Energy cannot be created nor destroyed (Science). But like every other genre, Metal must evolve in order to survive. We can all agree that Disco is dead, right? Right.
“Dead”
What did people want to do when they heard Disco back in the 70’s? They wanted to go to the club, dance all night and do tons of drugs! Well we all know that went away, right? RIGHT?
Oh wait, no it didn’t.
Disco was dance music and dance music evolved. People still still want to dance, they want to still want to go clubbing and they still do drugs.
If we want to say Metal is dead, then you can easily say Country music is dead as well. All Country is now is Pop music with a banjo. But that was the natural course of that genre and I don’t hear many Country fans bitching about it.
So fear not. Metal isn’t going anywhere. You can loosen that grip on your Among the Living cassette tape now.
PS – I don’t think Kerry King ever proclaimed that Metal is dead, but if he does, I’d be worried.
