«
»
Blogronaut

BLOGRONAUT: BLACK METAL DADDY ISSUES

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010 at 4:00pm by

blogronaut

I went and saw Watain here in LA a couple weeks ago. I’m not a fan, but my girlfriend loves them and bought the tickets like two months in advance. Even though their music doesn’t do a whole lot for me, I have to admit they put on an excellent show. The stage was all gussied up with rotting, stinky cow heads, burning crosses (I was actually surprised you can do this in a post Great White world), and like 483 lit candles. According to some others I’ve spoken with, they were all rubbed down in some kind of animal blood as well (imagine that pre-show ritual!). This certainly made for some eye candy while sitting through an hour of songs I don’t know at all. As my mind drifted off throughout the set I pondered many things in regards to this band’s appeal, or at least this kind of entertainment in general. In fact, to call it “entertainment” is probably selling some of these fans’ dedication short. There are people who are really down with this shit.

Before I come off as some square douche who just saw his first black metal show, let me fully disclose the fact that I “get” it. I used to love stuff like this. I flew to Milwaukee Metalfest one year mostly to see Gorgoroth. I snuck into a sold out Mayhem show in 1998 because I just couldn’t miss it. I bought tickets to Cradle Of Filth’s first ever LA show (hey, they were cool once) well in advance because I was just that stoked. I loved this stuff for the same reason I loved punk and other kinds of metal. My parents hated it, and I, at the time, was not the biggest fan of my parents. What better way to express your disgust of the world around you than through loud, aggressive music?

Now, the whole theatrical element of the black metal style is, to me, one step shy of goth-ism (is that a word?). You are so in need of attention, yet angry at everything around you, that you feel the need to wear all black and be into some dark shit to get back at your uncle for getting drunk and sticking his thumb in your butt every Thanksgiving. This is perfectly normal in your teens, when on top of however difficult your life already is you’re forced to go to public high school, which is basically where you realize that the rest of your life is going to suck even more. But there are people in their 20’s, 30’s, and even 40’s that I see at these shows and involved in this business.

And I think now I am finally getting to my point, or at least my question to all of you. Without going into full details about what happened to you in your childhood that makes you so down with black metal, or satan, or jerking off with broken glass while listening to Deicide (unless you really want to, because I’m sure that would make for some great comment reading), would you say that there are certain “daddy issues” you’re dealing with?

-SD

Tags: , ,
  • jethr0skull

    That gorgoroth show in Milwaukee put the spook on me

  • The Curmudgeon

    If you’re paying 15 bucks for a ticket to see a Black Metal band, you’re gonna want some more substance. Putting on a goofy, yet sometimes entertaining show makes the ticket worthwhile. If you still believe that daddy issue aspect, well, I guess you can say people who love Alice Cooper have daddy issues too. If you also believe that… well, I guess I’m only helping your case.

    • Blashyrkh

      1

  • Mongorian

    I LOL’d.

    In my experience tho, Black Metal fans have good relationships with their parents. In fact, their nihilistic attitude and obsession with ‘evil’ and ‘non-conformism’ comes more from being bored white middle-class and generally having an easy life.

    • terry

      i agree with this. i get along well with my family, work in a cubicle, and love black metal. going to shows allows me to deal with the rest of my life without killing people.

      • Blashyrkh

        +1!

        • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tommy-Smith/536128956 Tommy Smith

          +1!

    • Jesus

      yeah, I’ll admit it

    • yonder

      Agreed. It’s angry so I don’t have to be.

    • James M.

      What else would Nordic people, some of the wealthiest in the world, have to be mad about?

      • varg wiggum

        fucking ikea instructions dude

        • Blashyrkh

          FUCK THAT PLACE. THE SWEDES MADE IT CONFUSING ON PURPOSE. >:O

        • paganheart

          THIS!!!! Bought a set of bookcases there once, I swear trying to put the damn things together almost ended my marriage and required a couple of stiff drinks to recover. Maybe that’s one of the reasons Swedes are overly fond of alcohol (so I’m told….)

          • Blashyrkh

            Nah, dood, they made it complicated in Amurrica to piss us off/make us feel even less inferior to their Perfection!

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jon-Williams/558472802 Jon Williams

      Mongorian, you hit the nail on the head.
      +1

      • loganarchy

        I’m not a huge black metal fan, but I’ll answer the question in regards to all metal.

        No strained relationship with my parents to speak of….my situation is pretty much what Mongorian explained:
        I’m a bored, white upper-middle class kid who likes “nonconformity.” Describes me perfectly, actually… hahaha

  • Double D

    I feel like you shit out an article, and by reading it, I just rolled around in it.

    • varg wiggum

      lol win

  • Aaron

    i listen to black metal because the music is good i’m not nihilistic, i don’t hate the world, and i couldnt care less whether there are theatrics or not. I actually prefer the more punk attitude american black metal bands have in that they don’t wear corpse paint or spikes. You just kind of sound like a douche who is ragging on a kind of music you don’t like.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Tommy-Smith/536128956 Tommy Smith

      Agreed.

  • Jon Miguel

    http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2010/06/interview-watain/

    Read that and tell me that this band and it’s fans are still dealing with daddy issues.

    Most if not all of the imagery and themes that black metal bands tend to use for the
    theatrical element pre-date our current culture and collective human mind set especially in the industrialized world. So to say it’s a touch shy of being goth or is a simply cry for attention shows that you never really got it and simply used the music to deal with your daddy issues and never bothered to dig deeper.

    So the 20, 30 and 40 year old’s you see at the shows are either there for nostalgic purposes or they truly found something tangible within the music that speaks to a part of them.

    • varg wiggum

      dude you are promoted to whatever rank Sacha Dunable was

    • Sacha

      You do have a valid point that I never really looked into what Watain is all about, though this was not meant to be about them in particular. And I don’t mean to pigeonhole everyone into having some sort of issues with their family. I meant more to say that people use music (especially early on) to find some kind of identity when the world treats you like an outcast in varying levels.

      Anyway, I read that interview. And I don’t think my theory is disproven at all that these guys have some sort of directed hostility towards the real world.

      Here is a direct quote from that interview that I would have a hard time interpreting as anything but that:

      “Well, we commit crimes and do bad things, and then we write music about it. That’s the difference. To me, it would be very hard to express something that I didn’t feel was entirely me, that was something that I wanted to get rid of, because then the music would be a focus on something that I didn’t want in my life. But Watain – that is a celebration of all these things. It is our way of expressing our passion for it and our dedication to it. It’s a natural outcome of the life that we lead. So I am probably 180 degrees opposite to that kind of thinking. To me, the dark side is nothing that should be exorcised. It’s something that should be evoked and furthered, enhanced in any way possible, because it’s the only thing in my life that I feel has a true meaning.”

      The very fact that someone dwells on a subject like this to the extent where they can articulate their point so well means that there is some fucked up shit going on in their head, and that they aren’t like you or me.

      Anyway, this was only meant to be a lighthearted article. I don’t mean to argue about it too much.

    • Blashyrkh

      I award thee 12 internets, good sir!

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lola-Henderson/100001307958201 Lola Henderson

        @ Sacha
        “And I think now I am finally getting to my point, or at least my question to all of you. Without going into full details about what happened to you in your childhood that makes you so down with black metal, or satan, or jerking off with broken glass while listening to Deicide (unless you really want to, because I’m sure that would make for some great comment reading), would you say that there are certain “daddy issues” you’re dealing with?”

        and now your playing it off like this???

        “And I don’t mean to pigeonhole everyone into having some sort of issues with their family.” Wow dude. You’re ignorance is mind blowing.

        ‘Light hearted’ goes out the window when you take an uneducated jab at FANS of metal. there is no genre of music that is followed with more passion and dedication. We don’t sit around and hate our parents when we spin wax, we tune into the energy, the structure, the power behind it. The music creates feeling that is personal. Those who choose to outwardly express there dedication have chosen their life style for reasons that are truly none of your business. Go over-analyze yourself.

        • http://www.facebook.com/people/Anthony-Noto/1173214408 Anthony Noto

          This x5000

        • http://www.facebook.com/people/Harrison-McKinney/100000536940062 Harrison McKinney

          @ Lola

          ” The music creates feeling that is personal. ”
          Personal? REALLY? Lets take a any random Deicide song… (google search done). “Kill the Christians” Oh, man. This is gunna… interesting?

          Oh what was that about uneducated “jabbing” at a specific group? Oh, well fuck me then. As long as it is about something you’ve deemed COOL or ENJOYABLE its fucked up, and has reason for social outcry. But the whole 2.1 Billion Christians, are just volunteered for ridicule, or death. I don’t even need to quote the actual song, everyone gets the point. Good fucking gracious man, get a grip.

          Honestly. No one gives a fuck whether you like 80s chick pop, or only like the fucking Eagles. NO ONE FUCKING CARES BRO. We know that black metal fans, punks, or goths like, dislike, and probably listen to because they fucking make themselves absolutely impossible to ignore. But for the most part, shitty fucking people, listen to shitty fucking music.

          Black metal is a “show” its not music. People listen to it for self-confidence issues or maybe they have a bad case of the “sads”. Boo hoo, pet a puppy. Or instead -> Lets go cut ourselves, grab a undeserved sense of supremacy,and wear ridiculous chained up black clothing. Its laughable really. Get over your shitty genre and get a grip on yourself, your daddy issues, and reality.

          nuff said

          • some douche

            well said.

  • Matt S

    I don’t care much for black metal for all of the reasons you mentioned.

  • http://www.myspace.com/barbelzoa Lordassenfroth

    i love my family and they did a great job raising me, and i love black metal. i love the chord progressions, blast beats, tremolo picking, and high screams. plus, its just fun.

  • SourDeez

    Absolutely no daddy issues here. I like black metal, and all forms of metal for that matter, for purely sonic reasons. Good black metal, which very few black metal bands play, evokes an atmosphere that to me is irresistible. I like music for the images it puts in my head, and black metal has a certain ugly beauty (or beautiful ugliness) in the way it sonically depicts the collosal aspects of nature that are so much more important and grandiose than ourselves. Also, I like shit like Darkthrone for the nasty fuck you vibes. Really gets me out of bed in the morning.

  • Isaac

    Nope. Great relationship with my family.

  • Alex_P

    Not really a well thought-out article here, I’m afraid. I’m into black metal if it’s good, and generally that’s independent of whether I agree with the message. Hell, I’m an atheist, but I can appreciate the raw power of Trouble and their apocalyptic, misanthropic Christianity.

    As for Watain, I saw there Montreal show and enjoyed the musical aspect more than the theatrical aspect. Musically, they’ve got what I could only describe as enthusiasm. Their music seems like it’s genuinely fun to play, because despite their more melodic tendencies they owe more to Bathory than to Burzum. Generally, the more modern black metal bands I dig don’t wear corpsepaint, and don’t have any “evil” aspect.

  • Cameron

    I had and have a great relationship with my parents. While my enthusiasm for the music initially upset them, after an extended period of time they grew to enjoy the music themselves. My mom is particularly enjoys the music that is coming out of the French black metal scene right now, and my dad like it in a holistic sense. It’s weird, but I guess stuff like this happens sometimes.

  • Tyson

    So does this mean your woman has some daddy issues??

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Snagglebottom-Sharktopus-McDoodleheimer/1418565949 Snagglebottom Sharktopus McDoodleheimer

    Ok so I just listened to Watain for the first time, and it’s actually pretty decent. I figured it was long overdue. I have a hard time getting past the image thing. I like my music to be played by people being themselves, not people being nordic pagan warlords or whatever. Except Behemoth, they get a pass.

    • Blashyrkh

      FAIL.

  • David

    No, but I think a square douche would be more than a mite painful for a woman….theoretically.

    Points for the “Goth begat BM” almost link.

  • http://www.myspace.com/thestarsthrewdowntheirspears Tim

    You can’t just put everyone in a box like that. Personally, I enjoy metal at face value… I have no attention, aggression, or depression issues driving me towards it, I simply enjoy the powerful sound, and the progressive side of some awesome bands (coughIntronautcoughcough), because I was big into prog in high school (03-05) and, let’s face it, every modern progressive band that isn’t A) metal or B) Porcupine Tree is a sad caricature of great 70s prog-rock.

    • SourDeez

      It is infuriating that finding great new prog is harder than finding fuckin Bigfoot. I’m still waiting for a band that fits the same niche as Pink Floyd or King Crimson without directly ripping off those bands.

      • DNS666

        Oceansize. Solved.

      • cyrollan

        Have you heard Genesis’s first five or six albums? I realise that’s not new at all; but it took me a LONG time to discover them… Or for a newer band, check out Porcupine Tree.

        • SourDeez

          I like the stuff from the Peter Gabriel era, also Trick of The Tail isn’t too bad. The only PT album I have is Fear of a Blank Planet, and I didn’t really like it when it came out, I’ll check it out again. I must admit, I’ve never heard of Oceansize.

  • Brett

    Hardcore : UFC :: black metal : world of warcraft

    • Petor

      hahaha

    • death to bro metal

      That analogy fits seeing as Burzum is completely inspired from Dungeons and Dragons

    • Blashyrkh

      Take out the first two, story of my life. Blekh!

  • Jason

    If you’re Gwar or early 80′s WASP, stage theatrics are great for your show, but being in 2010, has the trend played itself out? I think what Sacha is getting at is there needs to be more focus on the actual music being played (Hey, I could be wrong though) There are other Black Metal bands out there that would probably be more well known if they applied the corpse-paint and such (Exhausted Prayer, Withered etc.) Since Watain actually have good songs, I don’t think they need any extra elements to enhance their live shows.

  • hankmccain

    I dunno… Watain was the best show I’ve been to recently. Great songs played well with cool theatrics.

    What is really so odd about darkness and evil as entertainment themes? Does this Sasha guy not like Halloween? Horror/gangster/war movies? Pretty common stuff. People are attracted to taboo.. it’s not that deep.

    I think I noticed Intronaut opening at another show I attended recently, but they weren’t interesting enough to draw me away from the basketball game on TV at the bar.

  • KMFCM

    it’s because reality is shit

    • Blashyrkh

      This comment looks dumb upon first glance, but there’s actually a good point here. Music does many things. One of the biggest things it does is let people escape their reality, and/or the reality created for them. Theatrics are exciting, adrenaline-inducing, arousing, etc. People often use music, among other forms of entertainment and art, to transport them to something beyond themselves.

      Or, maybe they just think Frost and Satyr are hot. Blehk!

  • BC

    I lived in a household where my parents and my little sister NEVER got along. This has nothing to do with me personally but it was difficult to be at home when they would fight. and at the start of my teenage years and all the other kids went through growth spurts, I went from being one of the normal sized kids and somewhat of a bully to be a shorter pre-teen/teen who got made fun of by many kids. And then I found metal, punk and hardcore. I’ve never been a fan of black metal but I love bands like Every Time I Die, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, The Chariot, Black Sheep Wall, etc… because the pure angst and anger displayed in their music appealed to my need to release my own anger and to this day music is the only thing that has kept me from going postal on my local McDonalds.

  • Hillbilly Fuckhead

    Growing up I was never a huge Black Metal fan; all the strict rules & goofy bullshit always turned me off. Not to mention all the Black Metal fans I’d ever come into contact with were geeky dickweed’s with major elitist douche syndrome…

    And now, strangely, with the new wave of Progressive/Experimental Black Metal bands, I suddenly can’t get enough of the shit. I’ve got a new found love for traditional Black Metal. I still can’t stand the goofy bullshit, soooo…. I stay away from all the goofy bullshit bands.

    Underground or mainstream, all metal has its bullshit to cut through, and it was wrong of me to reject all of Black Metal for what a few assholes were doing. Black Metal is full of real artist that do nothing more then create the art that comes from their collective hearts. As cliché and sappy as that may sound, its true ya punk bicthes! Any of you ho’s wanna fight about it, crawl up my ass and fight for air…

    • paganheart

      I never really “got” black metal but after listening to that new Agalloch record (and getting blown away by it) I basically came to the same conclusion. I’m definitely planning to go back and listen to some of the forefathers of the genre and find out what I’ve missed.

      And for the record, I’ve got issues…who doesn’t?….and I have used metal as a catharsis to help me deal with them over the years. I’ve been doing my some seriously hard work on my psyche for the last couple of years, and a lot of people told me (and probably seriously hoped) that my need for metal would diminish as my metal health improved. Actually, it hasn’t. If anything, it’s enhanced my respect for the genre overall and upped my appetite for the quality stuff. Go figure….

      • paganheart

        *mental health. Yeah, still working on that…

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jamal-Mohmed/663730590 Jamal Mohmed

    Actually my dad got me into Pantera, Sepultura, Suicidal Tendencies and things like that before I evolved my own flavor of black metal. I don’t have daddy issues, I have world issues. It is a sick sad fucking world, and black metal seeks to exploit and/or piss and moan about it. Regardless, great art is a result.

    • http://www.aleekarim.com Alee

      I agree. I think listening to metal or any other extreme activity is about constructing your own reality from the one you’ve been issued since birth. In that sense, it IS to some extent about daddy issues, if you consider that that inherited reality usually comes from your parents or other influential adult figures.

      • Blashyrkh

        Nice.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jorge-Carlos-Rebolledo-Palma/900105281 Jorge Carlos Rebolledo Palma

        wooooooooow….you just nailed it to the head, perfectly clean!

    • Blashyrkh

      Bragger.

  • Zach

    I love Watain. Saw them live with a bunch of other black metal bands, and I also love my parents.

    To me, heavy metal isn’t about rebelling against mommy and daddy. I just enjoy the adrenaline rush.

  • http://multimedia-ami.deviantart.com amelia

    Well, until I read all these comments I definitely thought it seemed that a lot of metal fans and musicians had parental, mainly daddy, issues.
    A lot of these commentors though seem as if they are fans of metal as a release so they don’t go into a crazy anger fueled rampage because of how fucked up the world/their parents/ whatever is/are. Maybe the demographic of metalheads that are just fans because its fun music or just because they like it for no rebellion related reasons haven’t commented, but you ARE out there, right?

    • Adam

      Yes, I love metal because of the dedication it requires to play it, and also because its extremely fun to listen to! Sure alot of things in the world piss me off and its great to listen to metal when I’m in a rage, but its not the only reason. Also worth noting – I can’t stand black metal. I’d rather listen to freakin’ country music.

  • ACoffinShip

    I’m not much of a black metal guy. I enjoy some of it, I’ll listen to it from time to time, but it’s not the most common edge of the metal pool I wade into. That said, as a metalhead I have an exceptionally good relationship with my parents and don’t think I’m using any sort of metal to cover up any issues like that. I’m actually quite thrilled when I can get my dad to enjoy bands like Baroness.

    I’d say that I’m probably an angry person. I’m avidly into politics and it leaves me disillusioned, hostile, and pretty helpless. Certain types of metal (most things more aggressive than the aforementioned Baroness) act as a blow off valve for that. I can listen to One Gun, pump my fist, and feel a little less terrible.

    When metal isn’t some sort of escape from political angst it’s just goddamn fun. This can be the same music as before, I just enjoy the sound of shrieking guitars and pummeling drums.

  • Blashyrkh

    Without turning this into the usual “WHUT R BLACK METALZ” wankfest, Black Metal actually IS more about a feeling, an atmosphere, a MESSAGE…than the actual music. Look, I’m not saying that’s the way it should be. But it is. Yes, Bathory, Venom, Mercyful Fate, Celtic Frost…they were musically incredible(shut up, don’t start), AND cool to look at. Whether you like it or not, Mayhem helped make the corpsepaint/evil look get popular(too bad their music was awful). The whole point in dressing up/looking crazy/being theatrical, when it comes to what we pretty much know as Black Metal today, was to drive the message and help create the atmosphere of the music. Black Metal is about the darkness, the death, the evil, obscene, depressing, and disgusting parts of life. Yes yes, “Satan” and some other weird shit play a role but if you want to put it into its most basic, raw form, Black Metal is all about the Bad Shit in life. It exposes it, exploits it, paints a picture of it. Embracing it, and realizing that there is Evil in the world(which often wears a Mask of Good) is part of life, and for that reason, Black Metal throws it in your face. Then gags you with it.
    Hopefully the relevance of my rant is plain. If not…. THAT’S the reason(or the “official statement” reason) why BM is so theatrical. Especially now. Watain is doing an amazing job of representing the genre. Whether you like it or not doesn’t matter. Both their music and “image”/stage presence is true to what the genre was meant to be.
    (In case anyone is too retarded to realize, yes, there are many sub-categories and discussions that come from this topic. Yes, there is much more to the genre than the paragraph I just wrote. I know. But I wrote it as a sort of response to that retarded article above).
    On another note, I was at that show and it was effing amazing. One of the best I’ve been to in a long time. BLEHK!

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lola-Henderson/100001307958201 Lola Henderson

      agreed…this past Watain tour was all around toughness fucking overload.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lola-Henderson/100001307958201 Lola Henderson

    maybe you’re right… black metal isn’t black enough for you until the the bands stop playing any instruments, cross their arms to the audience just for you so you can psycho-analyze the crowd better! What a stupid fucking debate. Just because your over it doesn’t mean that 15 year old kid is! And that kid deserves it as much as you did when you were ‘hoping fences’ to see Mayhem. No shit times have changed, now when kids stumble on their dads old Sabbath record, they go and download the entire catalog onto an ipod and their friends tell them that it’s old fart rock. This generation doesn’t know how to be original yet because they’re trying to catch up from the past to present with music at warp speed and don’t give anything enough of chance to absorb into their own creativity. Either way if I had a choice as a kid between a Gwar show and some hipster noise experimental show at at an art gallery it would’ve been a no brainer…and I also would’ve given two shits about your cranky jaded ass whining in the back at the bar about how I was inferior to you and your ‘golden’ days. Do I think you’re a square? Fuck no! I think you’re a total pussy! you have a girlfriend who is obviously badass enough to drag YOU to see WATAIN (which is fucking hot and definitely not typical.) and you were sitting around pouting and gear checking everyone. And finally you’re ‘daddy issue’ comment! lol! No shit! Did you come up with that yourself? because last I checked alternative art forms have ALWAYS been an outlet for those who have countless family issues and mental drawbacks, which is none of your fucking business to begin with. Advice? Quit blogging about how much you suck and go fuck your girlfriend before she figures out how much you suck too.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lola-Henderson/100001307958201 Lola Henderson

      On one last note, I love my family and my chosen family and all of my experiences with and playing metal… past and present. In fact, most people I know involved with or are fans of black metal are good-hearted homebodies who respect their families. They are amazing and loyal to their significant others and friends.

    • Blashyrkh

      RAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE.

      But… Yeah, minus all the bad grammar and spelling, cool.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Lola-Henderson/100001307958201 Lola Henderson

        4 am my time dude. I give myself a groggy bad grammarz pass.

    • Name

      Perhaps I don’t agree entirely in that I consider Art to be more of an ‘input’ than an ‘output’. You know, in that I can’t help but consider it far more *real* than regular, mundane survival and things that revolve around it. But the rest? I agree entirely. I find it laughable how people who claim to be into Metal can still come from this “I’m ‘normal’ and you’re not” standpoint. You know, to sit on the fence and consider it ‘just music’. Whatever. Hey — this is MetalSucks. I take it this is the weekender central on the internet.

      “Doomsdayzach: What about corpsepaint, leather and spikes? What does it mean to you when you dawn the black metal garb? In what way does it enhance the listening experience?

      Erik Danielsson: It is about achieving the feeling that you yourself feel when you put on your baseball cap, shirt and tie every morning. The feeling of that you have physically adapted yourself to the greatest extent possible to the task that lies before you.”

      • jateeg

        Who wears a baseball cap with a shirt and tie. Fashion faux pas!

        • jateeg

          That’s like wearing pastels with corpse paint and spikes.

    • Suraj

      All I hear is “elitist derp derp derp bitch bitch cunt bitch shit bitch”. Put in a tampon, take a Motrin, and go fuck yourself; you are THE kind of troll that ruined Metalsucks. Have fun dying.

      • Blashyrkh

        Cute. I bet you also drive a truck that sucks half the ozone into its engine, with wheels taller than Shaq. Grrr women don’t belong in metal, grr women shouldn’t have an opinion, grrrrrr women don’t belong on the internet!!

        Love the tampon joke, too, by the way. Very original. Kindly die in a fire.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Eirik-Kjs-Usterud/1067091137 Eirik Kjøs Usterud

    My dad loves black metal. That’s how I got into it.

    My life is awesome.

  • Marco

    Black metal is sort of the gangsta rap of metal. Its artists are obsessive about projecting an image og “living dangerously” and being “real” about it in some sense. Of course, it´s never really specific what that really means, apart from being very Satan-ish.

    So I wouldn´t take interviews like this that seriously.

  • Chainsword

    I find it to be very powerful both in sound and lyric. Black Metal defines the ‘less is more’ style of expression. Lyrically, it derives it’s power through opposition to an institution that has shaped American society. Yeah, I’m sore about being unable to purchase alcohol on Sundays.

    If I have ‘daddy issues’ it’s with the overprocessed, profit driven popular metal scene. (an issue everyone on this site should share) Black Metal felt like the polar opposite to this trend.

    Black Metal posesses a sinister and catchy aura, found in very few mediums. I’m addicted.
    Praise Abbath!

  • DemonicLemming

    No family issues, definitely not upper-middle-class, not bored with life, and while I find literary Satanism interesting, I think the religious-aspected version of Satanism (the whole cat sacrifices, goat heads, etc bullshit) just as goofy as most other religions.

    I don’t buy into the whole theatrical element of black metal (or really any other music; books, on the other hand, are completely different), but I enjoy good music, and there’s a lot of good music in metal, and a decent bit of good black metal. Confining myself to one genre of music (say, classical) would be too conformist and non-conformist at the same time, and I’d miss out on a hell of a lot of good noise (conformists are typically strictly radio-listeners, while non-conformists are typically the “tr00 kvlt” assholes who think no good music exists outside of their chosen niche).

  • cyrollan

    Hey man, Intronaut and Watain are both good bands! I don’t think it’s fair to criticize black metal, I’m sure many black metal fans will have issues with your demographic too!

    Perfect relationship with family. I just appreciate black metal for its ferocity and atmosphere (what everyone else said). Oh yeah, and I enjoy the evility of it too. And I’m going to unfairly generalise here: I tend to hear more musical talent in one satanic band than in five Christian bands put together.

    Fuck you’re lucky you have a girlfriend who likes metal — nonetheless BLACK metal! I haven’t found one of those yet, and I’m not sure I ever will. No girl I’ve ever dated would be caught dead at a metal show with me.

    • Blashyrkh

      “Fuck you’re lucky you have a girlfriend who likes metal — nonetheless BLACK metal! I haven’t found one of those yet, and I’m not sure I ever will. No girl I’ve ever dated would be caught dead at a metal show with me.”

      Ohai.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Alejandro-Aldana/683878171 Alejandro Aldana

    satan

    • Blashyrkh

      >:O \m/
      Derp.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Andrew-Sterner/1335958279 Andrew Sterner

    Um, idk what to say here. I love my parents, nobody ever molestered me, I’m actually quite happy with life, and still love BM.

    In the words of Toki “Screw that psychological mumbo-jumbos.”

    The real question here is why do you hate life? Why do you feel that a sub-genre of music is just a “phase?” You apparently don’t “get” it any more that a Slipknot fan gets that garbage you put out and try to call music.

    Tell me, what drugs are you on that would make you think that random wankering on a guitar for 7 minutes is music? I mean, I totally “get” it. I went through a phase where I thought asymetric melodies, atonality, and irony set within the lyrics was the easiest way for me to get laid and justify my pot addiction.

    So, tell me, what in your life sucks so much that you feel the need to lash out against other genres in the metal community? Oh, I see, it’s your album sales, or lack thereof.

    In hindsight this sounds really mean and more like a frustrated ramble than a counter-argument, but eh, I’m high.

  • chauncey chompers

    Ah shut up Sacha you queer.

  • Blashyrkh

    That ^

    • Blashyrkh

      Oops, this was meant to reply to “ah shut up Sacha you queer”. My apologies. Blehk!

  • Nick

    I was never abused, beaten, or mistreated at all as a child, and I have never harbored any sort of dislike for my parents. Admittedly, most of the black metal I listen to these days is decidedly less theatrical (Enslaved, Altar of Plagues, Amesoeurs, et al), but sometimes I just like ridiculous shit, because it’s ridiculous. I’m in a black metal band, and we spend more time thinking up ridiculous shit than we do practicing (I’m not exaggerating, we’ve been together over a year, and written like 3 songs, and spent far longer parading around in corpse paint). We’re pretty parodical about it, but it’s just fun to do stupid, ridiculous shit.

  • Ian

    To be honest, I am white upper middle class white kid with no real problems and a good parental relationship. I am around 15 years old and when I was younger i listend to metalcore and emo. Now I listen to progressive metal, doom/stoner metal, black metal and post rock. It was just sort of a natural evolution, because i always remember craving the most heavy music i could find, even at age 6. Now, i find myself listening to alot of post punk and indie as well. I pretty much dislike my neighborhood and the people in it. So what do i do? I listen to this stuff to keep myself different/sane and attend a highschool somewhere else. The type of music i listen to isn’t normal and that helps me when i feel too strange for my area or life. As odd as it sounds i feel like the artist is giving me a kind of sonic hug, just to let me know that it’s all going to be ok.

  • Spindly Bill

    Black Metal = Daily Halloween.

    At least for the most part. If they’re not dressed like ghosts or corpses, they’re singing about some highly scary Halloweeny-type stuff.

    Is that bad?

    Dunno.

    If someone dressed up in really positive costumes and had positive lyrics and they said they related to it and it spoke to them, would black metal fans appreciate it? It’s the same idea as the theatricality behind black metal, essentially. Like a super-concentrated hippie? Is that cool if they are emotionally invested in it on the same level black metal fans are?

    Hmm.

  • Justin

    I thought nu-metal was more about having issues with family and the rest of the world while black metal was more about rebellion towards religion. No?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Anselm-Graham/1365979343 Anselm Graham

    If a song gives you cold chills, seek out more music like it at all cost. Anything else is pretentious and overanalyzing.

  • Gar

    By now, I’m pretty sure the author get the point. Sill, I’ll give another example.

    You all know the stereotype cheerleader. She may be good looking and popular, but maybe she can’t hook up with her favorite guy, or maybe she has ‘daddy-issues’. So she goes to her room, locks the door and listen to Britney Spears, Pink, e.g.
    But! Just because she happens to be in that situation, it doesn’t mean that all cheerleaders feel that way, still they listen to it, and like it.

    Black Metal (and all other genres of metal) Is music, just like pop, dance and all those other popular genres are. You may see a gothic looking dude and think, “Man, he’s got some serious issues!”. Maybe he does. Maybe he doesn’t. There’s no golden rule, saying that all metalheads listen to metal, because they have issues.

  • http://ametaleducation.blogspot.com/ Throne777

    Wouldn’t it have been easier to point out that Watain are over-rated crap who win awards for being some of the most pretentious cock-ends in the metal scene at the moment?

    (For the record, I like black metal)

  • Emu Singh

    Its fun man. Like Halloween, but every show. But I can’t speak for all the guys who are all serious about it.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jeremy-Schnoor/100000513072818 Jeremy Schnoor

    I have to force myself to listen to Watain, but they put on an excellent live show. I’m down with some Black Metal, just not all of it. And the whole subject of Satan is old and boring as hell, (duh dun, tss). It gets lame fast, that’s why I cannot listen to Deicide. Generic old boring Satanic Messages, come one Black Metal, be original, I know you can do it!

  • namasri

    shame for people like you who understand Nothing about metal and make this website …
    your girlfriend will be little angry for that…haha

  • Scheissdrek

    Dude writes a blog, gets 1000 comments=success

  • hatahs

    Watain is badass you fucking queer. Go listen to some fuckin dimmu borgir

  • http://www.facebook.com/horriblenastythings Garrett Jeffords

    This all stems from the question, do you listen to music because it sounds cool? or do you listen to music because you feel the need to lump yourself in a category? I like Watain’s music, I haven’t personally read their lyrics, but they could be talking about nothing but sticking their thumbs up their’s and their uncle’s butts at thanksgiving AND christmas, and I’d still be listening. I’m just one of those people that don’t take the black metal message serious. Some people take it WAY to serious. I generally don’t ever get down with the messages from bands that are trying to send a message. If it sounds cool musically, im down.

  • http://www.facebook.com/horriblenastythings Garrett Jeffords

    This all stems from the question, do you listen to music because it sounds cool? or do you listen to music because you feel the need to lump yourself in a category? I like Watain’s music, I haven’t personally read their lyrics, but they could be talking about nothing but sticking their thumbs up their’s and their uncle’s butts at thanksgiving AND christmas, and I’d still be listening. I’m just one of those people that don’t take the black metal message serious. Some people take it WAY to serious. I generally don’t ever get down with the messages from bands that are trying to send a message. If it sounds cool musically, im down.

  • http://www.facebook.com/horriblenastythings Garrett Jeffords

    This all stems from the question, do you listen to music because it sounds cool? or do you listen to music because you feel the need to lump yourself in a category? I like Watain’s music, I haven’t personally read their lyrics, but they could be talking about nothing but sticking their thumbs up their’s and their uncle’s butts at thanksgiving AND christmas, and I’d still be listening. I’m just one of those people that don’t take the black metal message serious. Some people take it WAY to serious. I generally don’t ever get down with the messages from bands that are trying to send a message. If it sounds cool musically, im down.