Being a part of a metal music conversation where the only bands being mentioned are Black Sabbath, Metallica, Iron Maiden is the new normal. But who made it a norm and why is nobody getting bored of these same names on a roll already?? Or perhaps these bands cracked the code for the algorithm back in the 70s? Today’s search involves: why in a world where people form clusters of opinion over every passing thing, Metal music is new as ever, alive as ever and kindling the fire even better?
Metal music, believe it or not, took its very first flight during the industrial revolution where the sounds of the steel factories and hammers wrenched its foundations quickly as a robust genre. By the time 1970s approached most of it, inspired by jazz and British blues, birthed its very first band, Black Sabbath that started gaining spotlight with the release of albums- Black Sabbath and Paranoid. Metal burnt the stages down with their harsh and occult themes that quickly took the critiques under their wildfire. They, stubborn as ever, stayed true to their mantra of being brutally unapologetic by tossing around everything from political turmoils to worldly injustices in their immortal lyrics. The intricate guitar works , complex riffs and arpeggios of metalcore guitarists alongwith the technical solos by legends such as Iron Maiden’s Dave Murray and Metallica’s Kirk Hammett gave this genre its aggressive sound and pulled a whole empire to follow that reigns till date!
Metal producers always tried to come up with music that’s timeless by manipulating the chorus into anything but monotonous, allowing you to almost teleport to whichever era lingers in your mind while listening to it. Take for instance, Pink Floyd’s “Eclipse” definitely not something easy to play around with! David Gilmour once went into the depth of it scrutinising the cruciality that went around in adding harmonies to save it from being repetitive. Metal musicians also overcame equipment limitations, creating raw and refined sounds that remain unmatched today. This dedication to detail helped metal bands cultivate some of the most iconic and loyal fan bases in music history. Metalheads aren’t just listeners; they’re connected to the music on a deep, almost heritage-like level, through generations. Metal’s unapologetic keeps it thriving today. Even when labelled as trust me bro(it’s the aura)) or “cult music” its building a legacy that’s influenced even and rock figures. Take Lady Gaga for instance performed with Metallica at the Grammys but metal-inspired energy into her world tour. passing it down nature is what “satanic”(source: creators stood firm, today’s biggest pop , who not only also brought Taylor Swift’s Reputation, even encapsulated metal’s gothic vibe, and artists like Justin Bieber, Travis Scott, and Kanye West have all been spotted rocking metal band merch. This genre doesn’t just stay in its horizons- it influences fashion, pop culture, and even how we define “cool”today. So, while other trends come and go, metal remains effortlessly at the top, proving that its roots run deep and its impact is stronger than ever.
Have you ever caught a glimpse of yourself banging your head on ‘Master of puppets- Metallica’?( even if Stranger Things gave you a nudge; but hey! I’m not targeting anyone.) I bet you are thinking “Oops! My incognito weirdness was short-lived.” Well actually, even if you’re a Radiohead certified ‘creep’, you’re healthier than 89% of the people sitting in an opera right now swaying to the delicate melody of classical music, as proven by Doctor Avlanmış, Headbanging works as a great stress reliever. Who would’ve thought that a steel factory cued music would surpass Gorillaz in a digital age. But oh well, what lingers, lingers and Linger by Cranberries sure does linger.
Steve Harris of Iron Maiden when suggested “Flight of Icarus” being the band’s golden prize which involved his individual contributions- he disagreed as he favoured songs that involved collective rather than sole efforts. This level of understanding between metal artists sets them apart from pop bands such as One Direction whose message of “this is not the end” was also a smothering lie in the fans’ faces. Testament’s Alex Skolnick also noticed that modern bands these days sound somewhat alike due to their overuse of the same digital plugins- unlike icons like Metallica and Iron maiden who adopted the Nara Smith technique by making their tunes for the rhythm from scratch they really owe it to her.
In the current times, people are seldom associated with the industrial revolution therefore metal music is being divided into sub genres such as alternative metal which can reach 10 times the audience than that of alternative rock. Bands such as Linkin Park, System of a Down, Black Sabbath etc contributed to the industry in a sustainable way where the music they made earlier in the day is still on a stranglehold even if in the form of sub genres. With the revival and continuous respect for metal music’s erupting from the underground it’s not perishing for a long time!
Khadija Nawaz
Team Writer (2024-2025)
