Alex Jones

We’re mad at ourselves.

Pop culture. We’re mad at pop culture for being so fuckin’ stooopid.

When I was young, I thought it rebellious and humorous to don a Cannibal Corpse Butchered at Birth shirt. Throughout the years, I was never angry, I just dug the power and intensity of the music. Nowadays you can find many moods through what are, arguably metal bands. I’ll listen to Nile while I’m hitting the gym; or I’ll listen to Cynic if I want to transcend consciousness. If I listen to depressing music like Katatonia, its amazing that I’ll end up feeling uplifted; a complete reversal of its intention. That’s what I love about everything that teeters on or around the metal genre. There are many moods to be found, fitting for every moment of the day.

It is within most species not to settle, to always try to expand, to overtake the next resource. Humans have the particularity to have an “advanced” [LOL] communication system and we can express our anger/frustration in other ways that simple violent aggression: sports, art, etc … Metal music is just a medium among others.

People frustrations and anger often relates to the “want”: food, possessions, etc … the way we act on the “wants” is what differenciates each of us. Some go to church, some rob or kill, some become workaholics, some find diversions [drugs, violent sports], etc: Stephen Kings writes freaky books, Devin Townsend makes crazy music, Pat Robertson chastizes, Snoop Dog does dope, Mike Tyson beats people up, etc …

My $0.02!

Metal can be larger than life and, for me, was larger than my enemies.

When those enemies flog, cross and spit on you – diminishing you from whence you were – through metal you can re-emerge, reinstate yourself as a titan, a dominant male powerful enough to smite your enemies with bloody axe and roar.

In metal you can soak your enemies in the bloods of their families and laugh as you tip a bulbous, rhino-sized goblet to pour frothing alcohol into your mouth and down your dwarven-haired chin. And you can laugh again when you realize what fun it is to ask: “which of these liquids is more intoxicating?” Boiling enemy soup? Or spinny sacred lust tonic?

I think you hit the nail on the head that we are predisposed to be angry at ‘stuff’. Whatever it may be. A dude in a suit may get suddenly angry at a badly made cappucino; a metal head may get angry at ‘the man’ – at the very concept of a system of control larger and more powerful than him – its institutions, doctrinal systems, laws and imposed limitations.

In some ways I think you can liken many metalheads to atheists. I.e. many are relatively free-thinking who ultimately do know want to be ‘controlled’ – to be part of ‘the masses’ – So we form out our ‘mass’: metalheads.

Ultimately, we seek emancipation and empowerment. ‘Metal’ offers this.

P.s. Devin, are you ever coming to New Zealand? We’ve got some mighty fine looking sheep down here! Oh, and some nice scenery. Can’t forget the scenery!

radical right wingers, radical left wingers, both tend to piss me off pretty easily.

I’ll tell you who I’m angry at: Human fucking beings. They are selfish, greedy, manipulative, horrid creatures who care nothing for the planet they live on or even for each other. All they care about is money, their own convenience, and which celebrity needs VH1′s help to get laid THIS week. I’m angry because I wake up every morning am forced to live with the fact that 1,000 miles away, corporate lobbyists are deciding my nation’s future with “campaign donations” and expensive lunch dates. II’m angry because people try to inhibit the advancements of our society every day because something that wasn’t invented 2,000 years ago isn’t “part of God’s plan” and therefore is “sinful” and I’m expected to respect and comply with these beliefs because the same people have us all convinced that this is somehow a “Christian Nation.” I’m angry because Wal Mart destroys small businesses and endorses horrible business practices, but everybody praises them for their “low prices :D” I’m angry because in a free-market economy, where bad business practices are supposed to fail, some greedy douche cougars fucked up and my fellow countrymen had to pay them $720 Billion which they spent on bigger houses and cars instead of fixing their mistakes. I’m angry because 8 years ago my government hoodwinked everyone into waging this holy war for oil and influence in the middle east that doesn’t look like it will ever stop until 1)every muslim is dead or 2)america can’t borrow another dollar to fuel its war machine. I’m angry that greedy doctors and insurance companies are trying to keep us the only developped nation withouth universal healthcare. I’m angry that my government violates human rights and tortures people. I’m angry that my government gives endless aid to a rogue state (Israel) that is trying to do to the Palestinians what we did to the native americans. I could continue but I think you’ve stopped reading by now.

I just like shit-kickin’ music…

I think there’s a difference between anger and aggression, the latter meaning “overt or suppressed hostility, either innate or resulting from continued frustration and directed outward or against oneself.” in my case, metal totally gets out my aggression that i feel i otherwise cannot express. to me, metal is completely empowering. its power makes me feel powerful. i know metal is typically white dude music, but for me it channels the rage i feel as a woman of color, who has experienced childhood trauma, discrimination and prejudice (subtle and overt, on a constant basis), invisibility, etc. it’s a very personal experience, i suppose, which sometimes makes the live experience a bit disconcerting, because i do not relate at all to the majority of metal fans (and the bands, for that matter). i guess i live in a bubble.

I don’t know, I think The Drapery Falls by Opeth conveys sadness better than any blues song, and Triumph by Devy sounds happier than any pop song. Metal is just fucking passionate music IMO. You can have a good melody or rhythm and use it in any genre, and it’ll generally have the same mood – it’s just that in most genres it’s a melody you observe and think “I like that melody”, whereas in metal it’s a giant neon melody with bells hanging off it that comes and hits you in the face.

metal makes me feel stronger and more powerful, although physically i am short and have no muscle mass at all xD
its energetic, and makes you feel happy :) i always listen to slayer while doing my homework…it motivates me to do a better job…pretty weird, i know, but it works

Metal heads are an elitist clique that hate anyone who thinks differently and think the world revolves around them.

Blair and Brown.

I’m mad at certain people in life and those that share their mindset.