How Heavy Metal Became the Sound of Protest
Contents
How Heavy Metal Became the Sound of Protest
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, heavy metal music became the soundtrack of choice for many young people looking to express their frustration and anger. The genre’s aggressive sound and lyrics spoke to a generation of fans who felt like they didn’t fit in.
Origins of Heavy Metal
It is impossible to overstate the importance of heavy metal in the history of rock music. Metal was the sound of protest in the late 60s and early 70s, and it quickly became the dominant force in rock. With its distorted guitars and aggressive vocals, metal was the perfect soundtrack for the angriest generation.
Hard rock and blues influence
The heaviest and most abrasive kind of rock music, Heavy Metal takes its name from a song by the British hard-rock band Steppenwolf, which was released in 1968. In the song, “Born to Be Wild,” the singer proclaims that he is “a highwayman, a swaggering highwayman,” and then describes his motorcycle as “Heavy Metal Thunder.” The phrase “heavy metal” soon came to be used to describe any music that was loud, aggressive, and youth-oriented.
Heavy Metal began as a hard-rock offshoot in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The first Heavy Metal bands – such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Rainbow – were all inspired by the blues-based Hard Rock of bands such as Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Blue Cheer. These early Heavy Metal bands added a heavier sound to Hard Rock by using distortion on their guitars and adding extended solos. They also often wrote lyrics about dark subjects such as drugs, sex, death, and Satan.
Birth of heavy metal
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States. With roots in blues rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. The genre’s lyrics and performance styles are sometimes associated with aggression and machismo.
In 1970, four pioneers of heavy metal: Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Jimi Hendrix were among the first mainstream acts to sell millions of records and concert tickets to increasingly young audiences around the world. Of these four groups, Sabbath was by far the most commercially successful world-wide, as well as being critically acclaimed; their 1970 self-titled debut topped the UK Albums Chart for eight weeks. Despite being less well-known or commercially successful than their US counterparts – particularly Hendrix – British heavy metal bands were extremely influential on the development of American artists such as Kiss and Van Halen.
The Rise of Heavy Metal
It is no secret that heavy metal has always been considered a rebellious genre of music. It is loud, aggressive, and often depicts dark subject matter in its lyrics. For these reasons, heavy metal has often been censored and banned throughout its history. However, this has only made the genre more popular with its fans.
Heavy metal in the 1970s
The roots of heavy metal can be traced back to the late 1960s and early 1970s, when a number of bands began experimenting with distorted guitars, feedback, and amplifier distortion. These pioneers included Black Sabbath,Blue Cheer, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Iron Butterfly, Led Zeppelin, Steppenwolf, and Cream.
Most of these bands were influenced by the blues and by the British Invasion bands such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. They began to create their own hard-edged sound by cranking up the volume on their guitars and amplifiers and by adding elements of fantasy and horror to their lyrics. This new sound quickly gained popularity with young fans who were looking for something heavier than the standard pop fare.
In the early 1970s, a number of other bands began to emerge that would help define heavy metal. These included Judas Priest, Motörhead, UFO, Scorpions, Rainbow, Kiss, Thin Lizzy,Rush, Aerosmith,Van Halen ,and AC/DC. These bands perfected the heavy metal sound and style with their powerful guitar work, thundering drums, and aggressive vocals. They also began to add more elaborate stage shows and visual effects to their performances.
By the mid-1970s, heavy metal was well established as a distinct genre. It continued to grow in popularity throughout the rest of the decade and into the 1980s. In 1981, MTV launched its first music video channel which gave heavy metal bands a whole new platform to reach their fans. As heavy metal became more mainstream in the 1980s ,a number of subgenres began to emerge including glam metal ,thrash metal ,and speed metal .
Heavy metal in the 1980s
While punk music was enjoying its heyday in the late 1970s, another genre was beginning to take hold with young people. Heavy metal, with its aggressive sound and rebellious lyrics, became the soundtrack for many disaffected youth in the 1980s.
In Britain, the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) was led by bands such as Iron Maiden and Def Leppard. These bands took the existing heavy metal sound and made it louder and more aggressive. They also began to experiment with different sounds and styles, which would lay the foundation for the different subgenres of heavy metal that would emerge in the following decades.
In the United States, Metallica emerged as one of the most popular heavy metal bands of the 1980s. Their 1986 album, Master of Puppets, is widely considered to be one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time. Metallica’s success helped to propel other American bands, such as Megadeth and Anthrax, to international fame.
The 1980s also saw the rise of extreme metal, a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized by its extremely fast tempo and distorted sound. Extreme metal bands such as Venom, Slayer, and Bathory were influenced by earlier punk bands like the Sex Pistols and The Damned. They took the punk DIY aesthetic and applied it to their music, making it darker and more violent.
While heavy metal has often been associated with violence and delinquency, in reality it is a genre that has been used by many to express their anger at social injustice and oppression. In the 1980s, heavy metal became the sound of protest for many young people who were struggling to find their place in a difficult world.
Heavy metal in the 1990s and 2000s
In the 1990s and 2000s, heavy metal music continued to evolve, with bands experimenting with different sounds, styles and images. Many heavy metal bands developed a more “mainstream” sound, while others stayed true to the heavier, more extreme sound of metal. In the 1990s and 2000s, metalcore and deathcore were two subgenres that emerged from the heavy metal scene. Metalcore is a hybrid genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. Deathcore is a subgenre of metalcore that is characterized by its use of deathmetal elements.
Heavy Metal as a Sound of Protest
It is no secret that metal music and those who listen to it are often misunderstood. For many, heavy metal is seen as a form of protest. It is a way to lash out against society, to stand up for what they believe in, and to release their anger and frustration. It is a genre that is full of passion and intensity, and it often reflects the struggles and hardships of life.
Heavy metal and politics
Since its inception in the 1970s, heavy metal music has been associated with rebellion and anti-establishment sentiments. For many metalheads, the music is a way to express their frustration with the world around them. As such, it should come as no surprise that heavy metal has often been used as a platform for political protest.
Throughout the years, there have been numerous metal songs that have tackled political issues head-on. For example, Metallica’s “One” is an anti-war song that criticizes the horrors of war, while Megadeth’s “Peace Sells” is a sarcastic commentary on the Reagan-era politics of the 1980s. More recently, bands like System of a Down and Rage Against the Machine have used their music to protest the Iraq War and other social injustices.
While not all metal bands are overtly political, many use their music to express their dissatisfaction with the status quo. In this way, heavy metal can be seen as the sound of protest against those who seek to control us through fear and violence.
Since its inception in the 1970s, heavy metal music has been associated with rebellion and social issues. The genre is often seen as a way for young people to express their frustration with the world around them.
Heavy metal lyrics often deal with topics like individualism, mental health, political corruption, and war. The music is often seen as a way to vent frustrations and address social issues.
Many heavy metal bands use their platform to support various causes. For example, Metallica has been active in supporting veterans through their foundation “Metallica: All Within My Hands”. In 2018, the band raised over $1 million dollars for veteran organizations. Additionally, Metallica has also supported environmental causes such as reforestation through their foundation “Metallica: Reforesting the Planet”.
Other heavy metal bands have also used their platform to support social causes. For example, Slayer has been outspoken about their support for animal rights and have even worked with PETA on various campaigns. Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and has even spoken at the National Rifle Association’s annual conference.
While not all heavy metal fans agree with the political views of their favorite bands, the genre remains a way for people to express their frustration with the world around them.
Heavy metal and the counterculture
Heavy metal music has often been linked to the counterculture, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s. In many ways, heavy metal was the antithesis of the hippie movement that dominated the early part of the decade. Where hippies espoused peace and love, heavy metal championed aggression and violence. And while hippies celebrated drug use as a way to achieve spiritual enlightenment, heavy metal fans used drugs as a way to escape reality.
Despite (or perhaps because of) these differences, heavy metal found a place within the counterculture. For many young people, metal provided an outlet for their frustration and anger. It was a way to rebel against the mainstream culture that they felt was stifling their individualism. And it gave them a community of like-minded people with whom they could share their love of music.
In recent years, heavy metal has once again become the sound of protest. With the rise of right-wing populism around the world, many metal bands have used their music to speak out against racism, sexism, and bigotry. Others have addressed more personal themes, such as mental health and addiction. But whatever the topic, heavy metal remains a powerful voice for those who feel like they don’t belong in mainstream society.
