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Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Satan and heavy metal

Many people consider Black Sabbath the first real heavy metal band and coincidently Sabbath were often accused of being devil worshippers. So that would mean that people thinking that metal and the devil went hand in hand has been around as long as metal itself. The 80's were the real height (at least here in the states) of metal getting accused of being evil or promoting the devil. The PMRC had their trials in 1985 and I remember news shows and magazines having stories about this topic fairly often between say 84 and 87. Some bands like Venom, Mercyful Fate and Slayer really talked about topics relating to the devil. Yet more often than not, it was a matter of metal bands getting bad rap from people that knew nothing about music. I had tough time as a teenager because my mother hated the music I listened to and she was probably worried it would corrupt me. I think I turned out okay. At least I got past that heavy metal stage of my life, oh wait maybe it wasn't just a stage. Anyway now there are plenty of underground metal bands that love to talk about the devil. I guess it's not as shocking as it was 20 years ago though.
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8 comments:

  1. Ray Van Horn, Jr.9:33 PM

    I remember that whole period like it was yesterday since I was so put off by it all but you managed to prove to me there was some valid bands out there. Funny how much of it turned out to be a joke or shtick.

    Today there's like 3 times the amount of "Satanic" metal and I discount much of it as far as lyrics go. I'd think the most valid Satanic band out there now is Gorgoroth. Wowzers...

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  2. Ray Van Horn, Jr.9:34 PM

    and then there's Dissection and Jon Notveidt, with the most bizarre metal story of 2006

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  3. Anonymous5:44 AM

    I agree. The satan factor isn't really shocking anymore. Black Metal bands put a unique twist on it in the mid 90s but even that has worn off. Black metal has become saturated and almost acceptable with the rise of Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir.

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  4. bob_vinyl6:41 AM

    There are plenty of good bands out there (metal and otherwise). Why would I bother listening to something (no matter how good it may be musically) that offends every sensibility and value I have? Satanism is basically about one basic evil, total self-interest. That's a fundamental problem with our society. Why would I want to listen to someone celebrate that (serious or not)? I agree that it's not shocking, and it might not even be serious, but it does bother me simply by making light or making good out of a serious problem that we face.

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  5. Metal Mark6:54 AM

    Bob-For myself, I don't take any of them serious so it doesn't bother me. I am also much more a music person, I don't pay a whole lot of attention to lyrics no matter who it is with a few exceptions like Iron Maiden and Rush.

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  6. On My Watch8:09 AM

    I remember all of that craziness too making me think I was on the fast train to hell just for listening to a certain band. With all of those hidden messages if you played albums backward or whatever. what a load of crap.

    I say there was nothing closer to pure evil than Laura Brannigan or George Michael. :)

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  7. David Amulet2:05 PM

    You've got bands like Sabbath and Crue that talk about the devil and sound like they might mean it, but aren't Satanists ... and then you get a group like Danzig that sounds like a heavier Elvis, and he is. Go figure.

    -- david

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  8. :P fuzzbox5:28 PM

    My mom had a freaking cow over AC/DC's Highway to Hell but she got over it.

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