While Progressive Rock was my first love, from an early age I was also a Metalhead, though there were only certain types of metal I listened to. Nothing “extreme” appealed to me, particularly the vocals. If a singer screamed, screeched, roared or grunted, hissed or shrieked or was otherwise unintelligible to me, I didn't want to know. Iron Maiden, Saxon, Virgin Steele – I was all over that s
hit. Power Metal, NWOBHM, Progressive Metal of course, Symphonic/Gothic – all these subgenres I could listen to. But throw a Thrash or Speed Metal album my way, or a Doom or Death one, not a chance. I was, I guess to some extent, a Metal lightweight (an aluminium Metaller?) or any other derogatory or derisory name you wish to call me. I liked Metal, but only
some Metal.
Then I came here, and with the help of some of the guys I started to listen to, and appreciate the Metal I had disregarded and written off. Over a period of three years I decided to delve deeper into the Metal that had been, up to then, unknown to me, and ran Metal Month, which was exactly what it says on the tin: a whole month dedicated to Metal. Initially, this consisted of a month of basic reviews of albums, but during Metal Month II this was expanded greatly, widening the scope, both of what I listened to, and of what I wrote, so that there were dedicated sections to particular subgenres, featured artistes, examinations of Metal across the world, and a whole lot more. I'll be reprinting what I consider the best parts here, spread out over the journal.
Now, there's no way I would presume to consider myself as versed in Metal at this point as, say, Batlord or Mondo or Frownland, but at least now when someone says “Ulver” or “Blut Aus Nord” or “Darkthrone” to me, I know what they're talking about and can remember the music they play. Subgenres that have been a mystery to me – Black Metal, Viking Metal, Doom Metal, Death Metal to name but a few – are slowly beginning to give up their secrets and allow me to enjoy them. No longer do I shudder when I hear a death growl or a screech, and stop the track. It's still not my preferred form of vocals, I admit, but I've learned to appreciate all the “extreme” vocals and not only endure them but actually, well, not enjoy them exactly, but let's say appreciate them. I don't run off screaming into the night when I hear Emperor, for instance, let's put it that way.
Here I will be sharing my relatively newfound love of Heavy Metal, and inviting you to come along as I continue my education in this varied and diverse subgenre of music. I will be reposting stuff that has been in my main journal, which is now being transferred (but not removed) from that journal to this one, in order to keep all my Metal articles together where they can be more easily located, and I will of course be writing new material too. There will be a linked table of contents so that finding the article you want will be a lot easier than it is at present in my current journal (which is to say, damn near impossible) and it will be constantly updated as I add new stuff. Anything that has been previously posted elsewhere I will be clearly marking with my trademarked logo, and also noting where it originally appeared.
Rather oddly, I don't appear to be treading on anyone's toes here. I assumed that with the general love for Metal around here that someone would by now have written a Metal journal, but it appears nobody has, apart from my “1001 Metal Albums You Should Hear Before You Die”, which will be getting absorbed into this journal, and which is, anyway, mine. So if I'm treading on any toes, they're my own. Ow!
Anyone is of course welcome to comment, suggest, even maybe participate if they wish. I'm always open to recommendations, though how soon I get to them depends on my workload, which as usual is quite heavy. Metal.
I would also like to warn any purists against telling me that this or that album/artiste is not metal. I will be researching all the stuff I put in here, but in general if it has “metal” in its description and if I can find the band on any of the main metal sites, it'll be considered acceptable to be featured here. You may argue that, of course, but don't expect to change my mind.
