William_the_Bloody

Neither, heavy metal has always been a commercial endeavor from Sabbath to Maiden to Slayer and on.

When you were signed to the majors at their peak you got a significant amount of support, advanced money for touring and the best recording studios and producers in the nation to put out a historic album

Here's case in point

Metallica - Master of Puppets
Slayer - Reign in Blood
Megadeth - Peace Sells

All three classic metal albums that people still talk about to this day, and most likely will for decades to come.

Discharge - Hear nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing
The Exploited- Troops of Tomorrow
G.B.H. - City Baby Attacked by Rats

All three classic British hardcore punk albums that influenced the above, on small indie labels, all pretty much forgotten relics of the past with poor production quality.

If you want metal to be the former than it has to garner enough interest by the major record companies to take a risk. Those bands get the funding and support to make a good record.

If you want the latter than go for the democratization of music, and you can watch metal die as a niche market for $hitty pagan metal bands over in Europe.

I have different expectations for metal than I do punk. Punk is dead and I really couldn't give a f)ck!. Metal on the other hand (until black metal) always demanded quality musicianship.

I don't want metal to be regulated to some backwater musical genre for fans of gore movies. I want it to rule the fu(kin world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!