Reclaiming (or Replacing) Metal

[Veritas]

The crowd thinks art = image. There is much trolling potential here.

[Cargést]

I'm not suggesting we pretend to be Nazis, but I am suggesting that we need to display more extremity if we're to be recognised as extreme (and, really, the only way we're going to "reclaim" Metal is by being frigging extreme about it).  A lot of this is post-production; we first need suitably good/extreme music, and then we need to present it in a way which says "this is for us, not for you".

Hessians should adopt aspects of the Blasphemy ethos: powerlifting and barbarism. Take back metal by force and rule by fear.

In a time where everything is image-based, it's probably better to ignore image and concentrate on the music and its formative philosophy otherwise the message is too easily lost in extremism. Clean cut and well dressed should be ample for image.

The image is immaterial, thus it should be used as a deterrent.

[Veritas]

The image is immaterial, thus it should be used as a deterrent.

Cut out the vocals, cut out the drumming, and cut out everything not contained in the music.

To anyone not paying attention, metal is to come across as thoroughly boring.

[Cargést]

Unfortunately, that's not in the spirit of Metal.

[Veritas]

Unfortunately, that's not in the spirit of Metal.

Is there classical music which shares the spirit of metal?

What is the crowd's opinion of classical music?

[Jim Necroslaughter]

I, for one, would love to see more exploration in folk metal.  Just listened to Following the Voice of Blood this morning, in fact.

I think we should maybe meditate on Ildjarn.  He's almost at a crossroads of sorts.

He's Norwegian
He's probably the closest thing the Norwegians have to a "loudmouth redneck."
He's "boring"
His music strikes me as "folkish" (I don't know if I'm technically correct; but I swear you could do an evil jig to some of his s/t material)
He put his thoughts into writing.  His final statement, although a little rough around the edges, is very insightful.

[Eleison]

Cut out the vocals, cut out the drumming, and cut out everything not contained in the music.

The vocals and the drumming are contained in the music, unless you're using some definition of music which I haven't come across before.

[aquarius]

The crowd thinks art = image. There is much trolling potential here.

The image is immaterial, thus it should be used as a deterrent.

Cut out the vocals, cut out the drumming, and cut out everything not contained in the music.

To anyone not paying attention, metal is to come across as thoroughly boring.

Aren't these opposing views?

Art will always manifest its inherent image, but I think an exterior image to deter parasites would actually work contrary to its intended purpose. Metals primary vulnerability was the easily exploitable image, so it should remove itself altogether from this axis. The ideas and emotions communicated through music will speak for itself.

[Veritas]

Cut out the vocals, cut out the drumming, and cut out everything not contained in the music.

The vocals and the drumming are contained in the music, unless you're using some definition of music which I haven't come across before.

I did say "and" (e.g. everything relating to the band's image, even going so far as not using band names)...

Also, I'm not actually saying that it is necessary to do those things, just to consider it.

Aren't these opposing views?

They're supplementary consideration points. But you get the idea anyway.


Ultimately the goal here is to create music which is of the utmost quality, while safe-guarding it from outside attack. Creating false images will keep the hipsters looking the other way.

[Eleison]

Cut out the vocals, cut out the drumming, and cut out everything not contained in the music.

The vocals and the drumming are contained in the music, unless you're using some definition of music which I haven't come across before.

I did say "and" (e.g. everything relating to the band's image, even going so far as not using band names)...

Yeah sorry I misread that, however I must say I still do not find the idea very appealing.  These elements developed in parallel to the rest of metal and are an integral part of its aesthetic and they make their contribution to its evocative power.  If one were to remove the drums and the vocals then one would need to completely reconsider instrumentation altogether given that guitars alone lack aesthetic coherence.  Distorted guitars to not lend themselves to complex polyphony so complicating the texture to avoid monotony is not an option, unless one wishes to write for something like an amplified string quartet, at this point the term "metal" may no longer be applicable.  One would ask the question then, why remove the vocals and drums in the first place?  The development of metal can be viewed as a struggle for a spiritual vision to find its ideal realisation, it found it in second wave Norwegian black metal, beyond this point there is no reason to alter style of aesthetic, it is already sufficient to realise the vision of metal, as demonstrated by Burzum's early works, the only thing to be concerned with is the cultivation of that vision within oneself and its appropriate realisation.

[Conservationist]

Metal is kind of like civilization right now.

The basics don't need to change. What needs to happen is a movement to take over and/or start up something new, now that the old is infested with hipsters, banksters, liberals, scenesters, poseurs, hippies, trustafarians and other useless people.

I mean, look at Krallice. Nice people, clearly know how to play. The music is stupid. Thanks for the inverted chords, but no thanks. At its core, it's just indie rock, the same old shit people have been pumping out sine the 1960s...

We need a movement up out of this rotted carcass infested by Mastodon, Gojira, Chimaira, Necrophagist, Isis, Cannibal Corpse, 0peth, Devin Townsend and other trivial crap.

[Blaphbee]

No one should be trying to do anything in order to lessen the impact of hipsters. This is the wrong perspective to take on the matter. We should be seeking to make great art, regardless of whether or not it utilizes the medium or technique of what's already passed us by. Forget reclamation and replacement. Seek the stars above in your aspirations, and leave the crowd to it's floundering and recombination.

[Conservationist]

Forming a new civilization, breaking out of the old, and making sure you exclude soulless fucks like hipsters is the only path.

The energy that could be devoted to caring about the mainstream is best put into constructing something new, and then erecting big walls around it so Jonah McJonesberg and Sally Fitzgerald-Obama can't get their shitty little feet in the door.

[Forbinator]

Ultimately the goal here is to create music which is of the utmost quality, while safe-guarding it from outside attack. Creating false images will keep the hipsters looking the other way.

I have an idea for how we can do this: how about we confine the best metal to an underground subculture, while only shallow metal-flavoured pop is made immediately attainable to the dabblers and short-term thrill-seekers (I prefer not to use the word "hipster" because it assumes a thinking style we can't prove exists).

Hmm...perhaps such a situation already exists?

[Conservationist]

I have an idea for how we can do this: how about we confine the best metal to an underground subculture, while only shallow metal-flavoured pop is made immediately attainable to the dabblers and short-term thrill-seekers (I prefer not to use the word "hipster" because it assumes a thinking style we can't prove exists).

Hipsterism is well documented. I think quality, challenging music necessarily excludes hipsters. Hipsters love the Beatles and Deerhoof. They don't like early At the Gates, but they looooveee SOTS. What does that tell you?