Is Rock and Heavy Metal DYING?

Welcome back to the Randomizer!

As many of you will know, I am quite the rock/heavy metal fan.

Actually to be honest, it has been over ten years since I properly immersed myself into the genre itself. From first listening to Within Temptation's 'Angels' to having a big collection of albums from the likes of the dreadfully under-rated Judas Priest (seriously as far as I know, they've never headlined a big festival.......what the f***?) to Metallica's pretty awesome concert with the late Michael Kamen, to Pink Floyd's magnum opus: Dark Side of the Moon. Sometimes I wonder if I was born in the wrong year to see these bands live! So as you see, I could say I live and breathe rock and heavy metal (along with some other bits of music I'll add).

But then something interesting caught my ears. Otitis media. It's a bitch of an ear infection. But another thing that caught my ears was when I was listening to digital radio station Team Rock Radio a few weeks back. Presenters Miss Rach and Dewsbury (yep, just accept it) promoted Classic Rock Magazine with an interesting article inside with featured guest musicians about a certain question:

Is Rock Dying?

Now on hearing that question, I can guess your answer can go one of few ways:

1)      F*** OFF ROCK ISN'T DEAD!!!!! HOW DARE YOU SAY SUCH A THING?!?!

2)      Well I've heard better stuff coming out of Nicki Minaj. Now where's my hoe at? I need to explain to her how she needs me in her life for her to stay.

3)      Rock music is just noise.

4)      Well, let me get just this out........(click, gunshot)

5)      Erm........whatever

I think number 4 is the most plausible.

But it has raised some quotes from rock musicians. On the Classic Rock Magazine website, Scott Rowley wrote a blog called 'Is Rock Dying?' and has featured words from a number of band members. Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie said in a interview for BBC 4'S Review Show: "It's strange in rock culture just now. It's kinda dead, I think. It's over". Echoing that sentiment is former Buckcherry bassist Jimmy Ashhurst: "Rock n' Roll has died, and nobody's really that pissed because we caught it in a box and can look at it whenever we want."

Upon hearing those words, you get the impression that Rock music is something that has, effectively, passed its sell-by-date. Something nostalgic that can be reminisced about when we're all in our middle ages and pensioner years. Yet there are still a good number of bands who are still playing rock and heavy metal music today, still adored by old and young generations alike, even if said bands are no longer playing together.

So.........is Rock and Heavy Metal TRULY Dying out?

What I'm going to do for this article is do and FOR and AGAINST section, to see what points are valid and go up against each other in a all out brawl to the death, with chainsaws, flamethrowers and anvils.

Let's not waste anytime!

Digitally removed are said chainsaws, flamethrowers and anvils.

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A Little Bit of History....

First, we should take a look back at history, to Elvis in fact. When the mid-1950s came around, Mr. Presley was obviously the go-to guy for this growing genre of Rock N' Roll, becoming an international sensation and a rebel figure against the 'morally concerned' establishment. His influences of gospel and early Rhythm and Blues in his work, along with what he did on stage, effectively created the new genre in one fell swoop.

Hidden is Elvis doing the Devil's Horn Uh-huh-huh.

As the 1960s came around, the rock genre pretty much exploded in Britain. First came The Shadows, the former backing band of Cliff Richard, who released their most famous song 'Apache' in 1960. Then the Beatles came along and the world pretty much ended after that. Screaming fan-girls (and Jesus) followed them everywhere and kept them on the run for at least until the end of the decade. Other famous bands that cropped up around this time are the Rolling Stones, The Who and Pink Floyd whom despite tragic deaths, substance abuse and the like, have continued to last and be remembered even to this day. In addition, certain rock guitarists started to make a big name for themselves around this time too. Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton started to make themselves known and, quite arguably, become bigger than the bands they were in.

When the 70s came around, things had started shaking up. The Beatles disbanded at the beginning of the year, and Jimi Hendrix died in his apartment in the autumn. Musically as well, Rock started to take an interesting turn, and more complex. Some bands went more heavy with the likes of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath leading the pack, with such releases as Led Zeppelin III and Paranoid helping to bring a different take on the genre. Some went for a more softer  and "glam" approach, such as David Bowie and Fleetwood Mac with their respective releases of Ziggy Stardust and Rumours becoming quite popular.

This was also the point where Heavy Metal became a genre in its own right. Judas Priest is credited as the first band to so this, using twin guitars and dropping the blues influenced sound that came in the first place. These characteristics would change a part of Rock music forever.

WHAT DID I TELL YOU GUYS? THIS WAS AN AWESOME IDEA!

As the 80s came, things were shaken up again, more so then ever. John Bonham, drummer of Led Zeppelin, died of a combination of alcohol and pills, and Ozzy Osbourne was carving out his solo career, with the legendary Ronnie James Dio taking his place as vocalist in Black Sabbath. You could say at this point that Rock had been overtaken by its Heavy Metal offspring, in three parts no less.

At the start of the decade, The New Wave of British Heavy Metal started to grow as Judas Priest, Saxon, Motorhead and Iron Maiden began to become international stars in their own right, using faster tempos and more fantasy lyrics, definitely more so in the latter's case. In the middle came Glam Metal bands like Motley Crue, Quiet Riot and W.A.S.P making up some ground with new uses of theatrics and lyrics about teenage life. At the end (my only friend), was the growth of the Big Four of a subgenre called Thrash Metal: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. With their influences of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, they composed more faster tempos, incorporated politic and social themes, and created a new branch of Heavy Metal at the same time.

Perhaps like almost fifteen years ago, Heavy Metal was starting to branch out into different styles with uses of experimentation. Nonetheless, it is important to see where such creative ways have led the genre of Rock and Heavy Metal to. Particularly in Europe came the emergence of Power Metal, where it still maintains great popularity to this day.

In the 90s however, Rock and Heavy Metal almost became virtually superseded by the explosion of Rap and Hip-Hop Music. Despite the record sales of Metallica's Black Album, the genre was slowly growing out from the mainstream scene, and another called Alternative Rock went into its place. American bands like Nivana, Pearl Jam and Jane's Addiction overtook the world by storm. But British bands came back and 'Britpop' took over the Rock reigns.

Heavy Metal didn't obviously disappear entirely either, as bands like Pantera and Machine Head rose to join the ranks. However, things did get a little more interesting. In some parts of the world, it again was experimented on and certain bands, particularly in Scandinavia and Britain, gave rise to a new form of combining folk instruments, screaming vocals and paint. Thus a few subgenres were born: Folk Metal, Black Metal, and Death Metal.

Metal's second home

At the turn of the century, an interesting new form combined metal and rap lyrics together: Nu-Metal. Once more, Metal found its way into the mainstream, with the likes of Limp Biskit, Linkin Park, Korn and Disturbed taking up the mantle. However the revival didn't last long. Within half the decade, Linkin Park and Disturbed had changed their styles somewhat considerably, Limp Biskit broke up and re-emerged later this decade, and Korn......well they're just Korn.

But despite falling away from mainstream ears again, Heavy Metal has retained a great retinue, especially in and from America in the form of 'metalcore'. Bands like Killswitch Engage, Trivium and Welsh suit Bullet For My Valentine have become the focus bands in popularity, along with Avenged Sevenfold and Slipknot, considered part of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal.

As we come into the 10s, Rock and Heavy Metal are obviously still popular today, but perhaps isn't as popular as we like to think. In my experience at least, some people consider Rock and Metal to be 'noise' and have no interest in it whatsoever. As well as that, consider the point that there only two music channels dedicated to showing rock and metal music: Kerrang and Scuzz. Perhaps in future things will look up soon, because Rock and Metal is certainly not going away any time.

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So now you're full of the history, let's start proceedings to see if Rock/Metal IS Dying.

FOR - Case of the Prosecution

Mr Edgeworth presiding

1)      There aren't many bands that are 'it' nowadays

Now what does "it" mean? "It" refers to the next big band to break the bank and become well-known around the world, to be playing at bigger arenas, bigger audiences and move onto greater things. That's all fine and well for the Rock and Heavy Metal fans, but even then there are those who you wouldn't think would have a bad word to say against a popular band? Needless to say it can happen.

Let's look at the recent line-up for the Download Festival this year. Avenged Sevenfold was announced as the first headliner for the Friday night. Against the likes of the ever experimenting Linkin Park and forever making love in the elevator rockers Aerosmith, their inclusion caused a bit of bedlam. Fans were divided between whether they should be headlining the massive gathering of moshers and headbangers. Some thought it was absolute s***, others were more accepting of the fact.

Since the Download Festival started over a decade ago, it has been headlined by some of the greatest bands to have walked the earth: Iron Maiden, Metallica, Black Sabbath, System of a Down and Slipknot, to name a few. These bands are what people consider to be "it" in Heavy Metal circles, established for a few good years and delivering some quality music.

Iron Maiden have headlined the festival three times

Avenged Sevenfold, it seems in some people's eyes, are not "it". Perhaps then it just comes down to opinion, how people view the band and just as importantly how critics view the band. They have received very good reviews for their sixth album, 'Hail to the King' from The Guardian newspaper and Classic Rock Magazine. But looking back on their last two albums, 'Avenged Sevenfold' and 'Nightmare', they weren't so warmly received, by critics at least, receiving 56 and 62 on Metacritc respectively.

Having those mixed reviews would affect the band's standing in the world amongst casual rock and heavy metal fans, and divide people into either loving or hating Avenged Sevenfold, regardless of the hardcore fans. I'll admit I wasn't a huge fan of the band to start with, only hearing about them with the onset of 'The Rev' James Sullivan's death back in 2009. Since then, I starting from thinking they're ok, to liking them from what I have heard so far. They are certainly a band that continues to grow, but some songs do bug me. (If you're curious what they are, it's Bat Country and Beast and the Harlot. o.o)

Awww come on man!

In comparison with Iron Maiden and Metallica's album chart rating, they are only starting to pick up reaching the Number One spot, which was last year with 'Hail to the King'. Now I know that for a lot of people, the charts are not very important, that the music is more than ratings. But really look at the consistency of those ratings. Metallica: 6 top five hits, 3 at Number One. Iron Maiden: 11 top five hits, 4 at Number One. Really speaks about popularity doesn't it? I know it's an easy comparison to make, but consider the point that Avenged Sevenfold are still young and carrying on. Iron Maiden and Metallica have existed for over a generation.

Taking a quick skim over at other metal bands, like Killswitch Engage and Trivium. Could either of them be considered to be "it" bands on par with Avenged Sevenfold? Again, I think there might a good divide between them amongst fans if for example they were promoted to headliners at festivals, all around on opinions. Yet looking at the reviews they have received, they are more consistently rated good by critics. How other people view them however, is obviously up for debate.

So then are they any "it" bands nowadays? It's hard to say without going deep into the recesses of Rock and Heavy Metal. Opinion from the looks of it can go a long way, along with the facts. It would be wrong to say that the bands don't have any passion, because that's obviously bull. But maybe there's a little something missing from them that stops us from thinking 'These guys are on par with (insert big band here)', and think 'They're good, but I don't love them'. In my opinion, we might be waiting just a while longer for that band to be "it".

2)      Rock and Heavy Metal is not mainstream now

On first thoughts, this does have a certain degree on truth about it. Whenever we listen to the radio or see what music channels are on sky, unless you have even a vague interest in rock or metal music, you are listening to what is popular, or intended to be popular. As I mentioned above, there are only two viable rock music channels on sky at all, while most other content of the channels focus on pop, rap, dance, classic popular songs etc. On radio too, there are only a few stations dedicated to playing just rock, a select few being Planet Rock, Team Rock Radio, Absolute Radio Classic Rock and so on. All those stations can be found on digital radio, not analogue.

When was the last time you heard a rock show at all on BBC Radio? If you said 1993, well done, because that would be the Friday Rock Show, presented by Tommy Vance. His show was claimed to have : "become an institution, and he spent the next 15 years championing the world of rock on the airwaves" (Team Rock Radio). His last ever show from that year was played out live on Team Rock in December last year. Supposedly you could argue that with the Friday Rock Show gone, the Rock Genre literally had nothing going for it in terms of airplay. Interestingly, I have found that there is a Rock Show on BBC Radio 1 every Tuesday night from midnight to 2 in the morning. Whether that does well however, I have no clue.

Welcome to the BBC Rock Show with me, Daniel Carter.............HELP!

I think that since the 90s, any sort of time for Rock and Heavy Metal music has been pretty limited from what I've listed above. With the onset of Rap, R'n'B and Dance becoming the new mainstream and keeping that way for a long time, Rock has found it a little difficult to find a good majority of an audience who would be interested in listening, along with the number of fans in existence now. It seems that the only way for rock and heavy metal fans to communicate with each other is through digital means and magazines.

So in one way it seems that, yes, Rock and Heavy Metal are stuck in a loop.

However it doesn't mean that the genre will die and disappear into a nostalgic box for people to look at while bored. On the contrary, thanks to the internet in particular, Rock and Heavy Metal still lives to fight every day. On Youtube, we have a whole horde of videos from bands to watch, or from fans who upload lyric videos, or images that go with the song etc. That way helps people to explore new bands, or new people to hear heavy metal music for the first time. In addition Amazon and iTunes allow you to buy songs and albums online and keep on your computer/laptop as opposed finding them in high street shops, where that likely hood is difficult.

No signs for the heavy metal fan yet.....

But really that is the only way to discover Rock and Heavy Metal if you really get a taste for it. That is the problem I think. Without much promotion from MORE outlets talking about Rock Music and going further than that, young kids and teenagers simply won't take an interest at all, instead listening to what is in their environment, what their parents listen to, what is on the radio etc. There are some bands that will get a lot of attention from people like Coldplay nowadays, but there are quite few bands in between that will gain that sort of publicity that they do in the limelight.

3)      It's all noise/screaming/repetitive etc.....

Now this is something that can irk a lot of metalheads, and it is understandable to a point. One girl I used to work with called metal music 'just screaming'. Another woman I work with calls it all noise, and asks me to switch on Heart FM to keep her happy and cheery. Countless others I think will agree with them. But despite being a metalhead myself, I can completely understand where they are coming from.

This concerns more with mainstream metal bands at the minute, specifically......metalcore.

LARYNGITIS DOES NOT EXIST FOR USSSSSSSSS!! HAHAHAHA!

As I've mentioned above, Heavy Metal in particular has become subject to experimentation and changes quite a bit. So much so that it has developed its own little family tree! I had mentioned beforehand in my Get Drunk and Listen to Folk-Metal article last year, Rock and Heavy Metal are not as simple as Rap and Pop music, branching out into different subgenres (see above in the history section to remind yourself).

In today's metal generation, Metalcore is still relatively popular, with uses of screaming vocals, shredding and ridiculously fast riffs. Killswitch Engage, Bullet for My Valentine, and Trivium are three of the biggest bands to be part of this subgenre. Despite its popularity among Heavy Metal fans, other music fans don't really give it a second thought, apart from: "what is this, and where is the nearest window I can throw this stereo out of?"

I'll be honest, I did agree with that concern of finding a window too. Seriously, Metalcore was my Moriarty to the Sherlock of Power Metal. They all sounded the same, screaming in the verses, singing in the chorus, repetitive shredding etc. There was just something that didn't feel creative or original at all, just emulating (coughcopycough) what another band did beforehand. It was easy and obnoxious, especially with the screaming vocals. If they can sing, USE THAT VOICE!

Nowadays though, my problem with it has loosened up a little. Yes, they're still bands who can't be bothered with doing something different with their lives. But I do see that I am starting to like the music a little better, because like Avenged Sevenfold it's starting to grow on me a little the more I listen to it. But I wouldn't go as far as being a hardcore listener just yet.

YOU WILL BE TURNED BY MY VOICE!

I would also not go as far as that criticism is going to be the final nail in the coffin. Metalcore is still a popular genre for people to listen to and be enjoyed. BUT I do think it doesn't help if the Metalcore genre is all that the casual music fan has heard to get an impression of Heavy Metal. Yes, we know that Metalcore isn't the only subgenre of Heavy Metal, but that casual music fan doesn't!

They won't understand how Heavy Metal has changed over the 50 years it has existed on this planet. They will be more concerned with what evil-doing Justin Bieber is doing right now. You could explain to them who Jimi Hendrix was and they won't have a clue who on earth you're talking about, unless you're born in the 40s, 50s, 60s or 70s. This is a problem that needs to be rectified where all interested parties are concerned, and it lies on us as metalheads to do that.

In addition, because Rock and Heavy Metal has expanded into different branches of its little tree, it has become more complex and creative with the use of different instruments and expansion. Compared to the simplicity of music in Rap, R'n'B and Pop songs, we don't really stand a chance.

We need to show that Metalcore or any other subgenre is not just Heavy Metal itself, but a branch on how Heavy Metal has changed over the years along with symphonic metal, thrash metal etc . Even if they won't care and not understand where you're coming from, you need to show your understanding of how metal has evolved over the years and what subgenre styles have been developed in over 50 years, even if it's a metal subgenre you DON'T like, and just hope they understand where you're coming. If they don't, try not to be disheartened and think where learning about the difference between the subgenres has taken you.

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AGAINST- Case for the Defence

1)      Promotion promotion promotion!

Well this is a pretty obvious one. Promotion of the genre as I've mentioned is limited at the minute, since it cannot really attain proper national radio airplay (apart from Christmas), hardly many music channels and only good use of the internet to actually listen to the bands. But we shouldn't look at this as a negative thing, because at least there is something for Heavy Metal fans to grab their dirty little mitts on. I'm grateful for such people in their jobs to promote a great genre, and I'm sure many others would agree with me.

WE CONCUR

One of the more usual parts of promoting a genre is through magazines. Now there are a few dedicated to such delights, first one being Kerrang Magazine, possibly the most well-known. It focuses on what's considered mainstream in the genre, what gigs are playing in the week and has a number of big interviews with those getting more attention in recent months. Another popular magazine that I had come across a few times is Metal Hammer Magazine, a monthly subscription more in line with Heavy Metal, focusing on popular and different acts around the world. They hold all of features: Competitions, Merchandise, even a link to their own YouTube page. So you can cream over Avenged Sevenfold singer M. Shadows all you want! The third and final one I will tell of is Classic Rock Magazine. You know what it focuses on? Robots! That and having all sorts of features from all sorts of classic rock bands from ZZ Top to Deep Purple, showing videos from new bands too, and has its own little blog site, where I had the idea to do this article.

That kind of promotion does help to create a good deal of interest in what bands are up to, especially where the gigs are concerned. It can also introduce you to the different subgenres that Heavy Metal has to offer, particulary more so with Metal Hammer I would imagine, and new interesting rock bands from Classic Rock Magazine. Both mags have a subscription fee, so if you can't be bothered going into town, quids in from the post office!

Postman Pat enjoys the works of Judas Priest, Saxon, Dimmu Borgir and Dying Fetus. Because Why Not Dying Fetus :P

Speaking of those two magazines, this is where the wonders of digital radio come in. At the beginning of the article, I talked about Team Rock Radio quickly. Now I'll go into more detail. Team Rock Radio has only been around for over 8 months now, but it has quickly became my most listened to station since time immemorial, listening to the likes of Moose, Mrs Rach and Dewsbury (who is my favourite overall and should have the nickname Dewbacca. Please?). But in addition, both Classic Rock and Metal Hammer have their own magazine shows on week nights, the former presented by Nicky Horne, the latter by the proclaimed 'Dark Lord' Alexander Milas (I think you'll I'M the dark lord Mr Milas, ahem!). Expanding out to different media formats would have helped bring in a new audience to listen and even entice them to buy the respective magazines. I should know! However because its digital radio, it won't reach a bigger audience than those on analogue radio. Maybe it's not a bad thing, but I'm interested to know who would be getting a digital radio even after reading this article? Anyone? No? You should. Just because. Seriously I do wonder though. There is an audience obviously, but whether much more people will listen to such stations is another matter.

Dewbacca certainly hopes so! RAWR!

The last format Rock and Heavy Metal get a good deal of promotion is through music channels. Only two cater for the genre, Scuzz and Kerrang!. Now I'm not going to say that's a bad thing that we only have two channels to watch, because how else do we get our fix in the morning from our hangovers? We get to watch a great deal of music videos, and see interviews from our favourite bands. But compared to some of the other music channels like The Box, Smashhits, Kiss etc, and the videos they show what's in the mainstream or from the past, it's hard to tell how popular we are compared to them. Looking at the different audience shares I have investigated, it's not easy to say how much difference it makes.

That's probably the big word: Difference. Not just the music, but how much promotion the genre actually gets in general. On the face of it, it does look as if we get a good deal of it: Two music channels, stations on digital radio, magazines, and obviously the internet. What's not to like? But on the other hand, they are so far and few in between compared to what else is on. The internet is for everyone else, we hardly get have any airtime on national radio, and against other music channels it's uncertain to tell. Effectively, we are the outsider in some respects because of good, but still little promotion applying to the core Rock and Heavy metal fan base. I'm not trying to be a mopey sod, but that is the fact on the face of things.

That falls in with how much Rock and Heavy Metal is not in the mainstream. The genre has a good set of promotion, but since Heavy Metal is not as popular as it once was, it's not enough to bring in more of an audience. Not totally a bad thing because there is an established fan base, but it's stuck in a sort of loop, unable to bring in more interested people.

Speaking of fan-bases....

2)      The fanbase is massive?

That's more intended as an obvious statement. But the Rock and Heavy Metal fan base is of course massive. It's easy to say it's like that with any kind of music. But having gone to festivals, gigs, listened to CDs etc, saying it for Rock and Heavy Metal is an understatement of great proportions. Without those CDs to air guitar to, without festivals to create a mosh pit, without gigs to actually meet those bands out in the cold, where would we be I ask you? Getting drunk, which isn't always necessarily a good thing.

The wrong meaning of plenty more fish in the sea

Ever since the 50s, Rock and Heavy Metal is a worldwide institution, one that seems to transcend around all sorts of levels and age groups. Unlike Rap and Hip Hop, it can be considered to be outside the norm, something that seems alien and dark, yet is friendly and mental once you get to know it better. In one way for some, it is like a friendship with yourself, allows you to express your feelings and break everything in the living room, which I don't advice doing.

There are so many reasons to love rock and heavy metal music, but to do an entire list of them would be a bit mad. So you'll have to settle for me discussing my main reason for loving metal. Simply put, I love the music, the way the drummer beats the rhythm out, how the guitarist and bassist shred manically, how the singer can belt out such a voice etc. There is something that always entices me to enjoy the tune, to headbang until I get a massive headache but thinking it will be worth it. In other ways with the addition of different elements into the mix, such as the use of an orchestra, it creates a different kind of atmosphere to appreciate, if not enjoy.

Speaking of different elements, it's a thought that despite Rock and Heavy Metal, the latter more specifically, expanding into different experiment elements like opera, screaming vocals, native instruments etc, it has brought together a wide-ranging audience into its wing. I remember watching a Nightwish documentary on their End of an Era DVD, called 'A Day Before Tomorrow', covering the bands final dates on their 'Once Upon a Tour' tour. :P tour tour. Anyway, it shows the band having a big following in Latin America, specifically in Brazil I think, as they get some interviews there, Tarja Turunen gets gatecrashed by fans to sign merchandise, said fans wait outside the hotels to get a glimpse of them, it is fun to watch. It gives you an idea how passionate metal fans can be, and less creepy then those *** ********* fans (said band is blurred out because putting them in an article about metal is just wrong).

In a strange sort of way as well, it does create a sense of community as well, because we have something special to relate to. I know I am not alone in this, for I have good friends from college who share the same passion as me and enjoy their company greatly (even if one of them has bad film taste and needs a good smack every now and then. Hi Scott J). Having friends like that can be important because it shows that we are not alone, that we can find someone with similar interests and beat each other up with good excuse to do so. We can talk to each other easily about what we like, and introduce each other to different subgenres of the genre without having blank looks in our general direction. Not that we get blank looks anyway but you get the idea.

So of course the fan base is pretty big, and pretty sweet to be a part of. We are passionate about our tastes and enjoy the music to our hearts content. If you ever decide to come to a metal festival, feel free to get pissed and mosh out. You won't catch me in a mosh pit for certain, but you might find Aragon in there.

LEGOLAS! PLAY SOME SLIPKNOT MOTHERF***ER

3)      The Father, The Son and the Holy Dio

Remember that Heavy Metal family tree I talked about? Well, maybe another reason why Rock and Heavy Metal will not die is because of the different subgenres themselves. Ever since Judas Priest made those first experiments to add twin guitars and drop the early blues influence, the genre has evolved and grown into so much more, adding almost everything from Rap to Classical instruments, to folk instruments to growling and screaming vocals; the list goes on and on. It's like father and son because the older generation influences the next. Also a Holy Dio would be awesome wouldn't it?

Bow to me

Let's think how much evolution has changed the heavy metal scene. At the start of the 70s, the two bands Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin used long solos on one guitar, slow drumming, different techniques with speakers etc, to achieve a Pink Floyd style of surreal innovation. Especially with Black Sabbath's Paranoid, we have pieces that are slow-moving and relaxing, fast-paced and manic, starting out quiet, then building up and up into guitars and voice, then back to slow again. I would say without doubt that Paranoid is THE precursor to Heavy Metal overall.

Moving up to the 80s, you could argue that the decade was probably the biggest for Heavy Metal, because it just never seemed to stop, and continued to show off bands with new styles. From the likes of Iron Maiden to Motley Crue to the onset of the Big Four, everything just evolved to faster and faster drumming and shredding, sweet theatrics onstage, and great quality music. Helped by the Monster of Rock festival in Castle Donnington racetrack (where the Download Festival is now), the Heavy Metal heyday stayed long enough to create lasting legendary moments.

The 90s may have been the time when Heavy Metal disappeared from the mainstream, but the experiments continue long to induced a massive hangover, only solved by more drinking and coming back for a nice hurrah at the end. Folk metal had its origins with the band Skyclad's use of violins, paving the way for future bands like Irish band Cruachan and the Finnish movement in the early 2000s to use native folk instruments in their work. Black Metal had its second wave courtesy of Norwegian bands such as Mayhem and Immortal, bringing the growling vocals and double speed drum beats to the forefront. But unlike the former, that wave brought with it a whole range of controversy, not limited to murder and church burnings. I'm not joking. This is my serious face: o.o. The final subgenre to grow at the turn of the century was Nu Metal, as the likes of Slipknot, Limp Biskit and Linkin Park came into the limelight with their combination of rap lyrics and metal sounds, bringing metal back into the mainstream somewhat, more so I think with Linkin Park then most.

But after a few years in the 00s, Nu-Metal became slowly unpopular and taken over by Metalcore. Along with use of the screaming vocals during the verses and repetitive guitar riffs, there is more focus on emotive lyrics relating to relationships with family or lovers, addiction, and so on, reaching a more 'in your face' poetic muse as opposed to the fantasy lyrics of the 80s. Though how popular Metalcore is can be frustrating to think about, because I don't remember one of those bands reaching the heights that Slipknot, Linkin Park have managed to achieve. Yes it could still be considered the mainstream nowadays, but despite all the album releases and gigs, is it still early days for such bands to be considered headline material for festivals? 

Maybe so.

Going through the detail of how Rock and Heavy Metal has changed over the decades, you get a sense of how metal has expanded into different and uncertain territory. I say uncertain because if we think of Heavy Metal as Play-doh, we can do whatever we want with it. We could add orchestral elements, different vocoders, keyboards, faster drumbeats, a mewing cat, broken objects, and a hell of a lot more. Once that happens, what kind of Heavy Metal subgenre does it become? Something new or nostalgic? It is a creative process to let bands do what they fancy changing up.

Quickly comparing creativeness to other genres of music, you can see how less complex pop and rap can be. Their focus lies on an easy beat, using either sampling more rock tunes or using digital means. It's creative, but limited creativity because it doesn't allow an influx of difference to occur, especially with Rap. Like with Eminem sampling Aerosmith's 'Dream On' or Vanilla Ice's 'Ice Ice Baby', there are easy ways of using technology as opposed to actually composing music. I had wondered in the past if it's a hard thing to find different beats so production companies find solace in using already composed music to ease their minds. I'd be lying if I didn't say I found that a little bit lazy.

Pop music is more tougher, because it's a genre that's probably meant to be easy listening and enjoyable, designed to have catchy beats that stick in your head and annoy you to death. Hopefully you don't have Bieber Fever for that. Could you imagine him being the last thing you hear? I would shed a tear. Anyway, some pop songs can be creative and wet your appetite, but I wouldn't expect any amount of complexity from them at all.

Heavy Metal is a complex business, but there is a certain beauty to behold in what bands can do to bring in a wider audience. Those experimental choices the bands make can help bring a lot of people together, going back to my first point with the fan base. However much the music changes, and it will undoubtedly, Heavy Metal will somehow always accommodate to people, regardless of taste in one subgenre or the other. In doing that we are ensured that enough fans can appreciate not one face, but the many faces we have on offer.

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So going back to the original question: Is Rock and Heavy Metal DYING?

Answer: No it's not, but it's certainly stuck in some sort of vortex. That vortex is helped by people who can be a little ignorant of the complexity of the genre, but still down to their basic taste in music. As well as that, there aren't many bands that are considered "it" in today's world, which in turn doesn't help to bring rock and heavy metal into the mainstream as far as we know. But thanks to the big fan-base we have, the number of subgenres we have, and from what media promotion we do have, it's not going to die anytime soon. The genre is effectively stuck in some sort of circle, unable to move forward, but certainly not in decline.

It appears then the future might just then be full of neutrality, where everything will move at the same pace, same problems, same benefits. Nothing will change effectively unless a few bands start off a chain of music that appeals to EVERYONE that results in Rock and Heavy Metal coming into the mainstream once more, or at the least give some understanding to what Heavy Metal can be about. However I cannot see that happening for the foreseeable future. Everything it seems will stay put, and perhaps not for the better.

What I would like to see is a good number of bands that don't just break the mould, they shatter it and brings in a new greater generation of fans that will have some memories of how great a Rock and Heavy Metal new wave can be, that can take over the world all over again. I am hopeful that such a thing will happen, but it is wishful thinking. The future is what we make in our present. Heavy Metal needs a brighter present for the brightest years to come.

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That's it for this month J I hope you enjoyed this particular feature, and maybe your minds have been opened that little more.

See you all in March!

Randomizer Out.