The writers of the DLA blog have been very quick on the draw lately. This is actually a good thing, because stupid hipster-ish items like RABM that otherwise might take off are strangled early on. Just notice how no one is really talking about how good new Burzum is anymore. Because of this I am starting to feel that this place is influencing the direction of metal as we know it.
I was always under the impression that no one really read, or even cared that much about the DLA. I also was under the impression that the writers at the DLA, at least from what they told me, don't care about the direction of metal, and don't think anything of themselves for what they write. According to them, their reviews and articles are all based on promoting the artists they really liked.
DLA does influence the metal audience. There's a mystique behind the complexity of the reviews that makes the unexposed reader invest the proper amount of respect in those albums that are worth a damn. It's not really as manipulative that might initially sound, but there's a purpose behind it all. DLA truly hones in on the quality metal the world has to offer based on a musically oriented (metal-based) academic frame of reference that extends back before its origins. Regardless of how many naysayers there are in regards to DLA and ANUS in general, the Cheap and False Metal albums that apparently we've all "overlooked" never stand the test of time. A good point I brought up with another ANUS community member last night is that trends come and go all the time, the only difference since 2004 is that its infiltrated Black Metal. Before that year there was roughly no serious boycott-worthy music in Black Metal other than Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir.
Before Wolves In The Throne Room, Panopticon, Krallice and Liturgy, it was Metalcore with Killswitch Engaged and Avenged Sevenfold, and before them it was Melodic Death Metal with Dark Tranquility and In Flames. All of these groups of trendies come and go so easily and it's because we as Hessians are so unflinching in our fervor for True Metal, which does indeed stand the test of time.
How about an example? Does anyone ever forget about SLAYER!? If anything, Slayer's infamy has just grown throughout the years including in the advent of their lesser albums. Slayer had a handful quality albums that nobody will ever stop listening to. I have to agree with the IDOS website when they said "we couldn't even believe these guys were real." Slayer made such good music that I can even forgive them for their terrible records. Slayer could do coke and fuck each other and I wouldn't care... they're forgiven.
Ask yourself how many crimes have been committed in the name of Krallice other than New York sodomy laws?
How many crimes have been committed under the influence of American Slaytanic Madness?
Once again, the only difference is that these homosexuals found their way into Black Metal, and when you have a collection of pussyfarts that ban together, they're going to act as their support system. Frankly, real metal apposes such faggotry as they profess in all aspects of their "movement."
They'll be gone soon, we as Hessians push these guys so fast that I'm sure record companies are boggled as to why less and less metal-fans are showing up to "metal" shows. Then they're left with a fanbase of fools who have no foundational appreciation for our artform, and the band attempts to reorganize themselves under music to suit their new target audience. Xasthur is done, he's doing "Dreampop" now under a different moniker. Could it be because metal fans were tired of hearing the same formula regurgitated after 10 damn years? Pitchfork.com loves Xasthur none the less... and now he doing indie-ambient... who could have guessed?
Hessiandom is strong, and I think it's because we realize that progression doesn't involve compromise.