Image portrayed by heavy metal industry

FERGAL7

Does anyone else find alot of heavy metal bands and what they portray a bit eerie or even disturbing?? often times the subtext of their music is psychotic or sociopathic and alot of the image they portray is quite disturbed. I mean take a look at korns material.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uPgl_FnuasA/TlYXZmsxsTI/AAAAAAAAAh8/Oqn1Xpq8gDM/s1600/Children_of_the_Korn_thingy_by_ipunchheads.png

http://groundctrl.s3.amazonaws.com/media/08/05/large.2r2d23a728zs.jpg

I mean the first one is bad enough but what kind of message are they trying to portray with the second one!? the second one really is just an eerie disturbing image. its like something you expect to see on a leaflet trying to raise awareness of the dangers of pedophiles and sex offenders rather than an album cover.
but hey, maybe theres something I'm missing so if there is let me know.

Grayditch

A lot of Korn's songs deal with paedophilia. Their art work is provocative at times and eerie. I like a lot of it. Metal bands are frequently associated with dark imagary to match the music.

You can't beat a good aul Slayer album cover
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2INkjGQwXiQ/TGilZKaierI/AAAAAAAAAJE/Ct3dAt7EZJo/s1600/christ_illusionCD.jpg

karaokeman

Metal is one of those genres I don't get, its not so much the imagery portrayed on album covers or the style of band members, more so the actual music.

I understand the screaming is meant to express emotion, but I find just as much of that expressed in most other genres, if I listened to a Slipknot song now I would really need to look to find the beats. They are much more distinguishable in Blues, Country, Electronica, basically most other genres. I listened to a Juan MacLean album last night, and I found them straight away because of the natural flow of songs, I just don't see that in metal, or at least I haven't.

I enjoyed Iron Maiden and RATM's first albums but I've found little in the genre besides that.

Regarding Korn's album art what I find most disturbing is how the child was convinced to participate in a project like this, especially if she is to know what the message she is portraying actually is. I can't speak for Korn as I don't really know their music or their personae's, perhaps you can give us more info.

SilverScreen

FERGAL7 wrote: »

Does anyone else find alot of heavy metal bands and what they portray a bit eerie or even disturbing?? often times the subtext of their music is psychotic or sociopathic and alot of the image they portray is quite disturbed. I mean take a look at korns material.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uPgl_FnuasA/TlYXZmsxsTI/AAAAAAAAAh8/Oqn1Xpq8gDM/s1600/Children_of_the_Korn_thingy_by_ipunchheads.png

http://groundctrl.s3.amazonaws.com/media/08/05/large.2r2d23a728zs.jpg

I mean the first one is bad enough but what kind of message are they trying to portray with the second one!? the second one really is just an eerie disturbing image. its like something you expect to see on a leaflet trying to raise awareness of the dangers of pedophiles and sex offenders rather than an album cover.
but hey, maybe theres something I'm missing so if there is let me know.

Not sure if this is a serious thread or not but you really don't have any idea what you're talking about. The fact that you used Korn as an example proves that as they don't really represent metal and haven't been any way relevent in over a decade. And I'm not even a metalhead.

FERGAL7

Zero1986 wrote: »

Not sure if this is a serious thread or not but you really don't have any idea what you're talking about. The fact that you used Korn as an example proves that as they don't really represent metal and haven't been any way relevent in over a decade. And I'm not even a metalhead.

Your right i dont know alot if anything about metal, not that i ever claimed to. My music is alternative and soft rock (U2, Train, Kings of Leon, The Script, Goo goo dolls that type of stuff.) From what I've heard anyone well versed in the genre wouldn't consider korn a true representation of it but as someone not accustomed to metal and all its sub genres that's how I would see them. But I feel my point about the imagery and lyrical content is valid :P

Grayditch

You'd have to ask Korn what they classify themsleves as. I have a pain in my arse with labels and sub categories. Korn have elements of Metal, funk, rap, etc, which, if you have to pic a genre, would leave them closest to the thing they call NuMetal, I guess.

They have some brilliant songs, and are sometimes a bit too cartooney, but yeah, I'm sure they don't consider themselves a band that represent 'Metal'.

Maybe the imagary and lyrics were singer Jonathan Davis' way of dealing with his own years of sexual child abuse without burying it too deep in clever metaphors or tasteful artwork. Who knows.

SilverScreen

FERGAL7 wrote: »

But I feel my point about the imagery and lyrical content is valid :P

No it isn't. How would the album art of one band who don't really represent metal prove your point?

For example here's an album from one of the most popular metal bands of the past decade, Mastodon. The album art concept and lyrics are loosely based on Herman Melville's famous novel Moby Dick. I don't see how the imagery here relates to your point made by the Korn artwork.



If you don't know anything about a subject (which you have even admitted yourself) there is absolutely no point jumping in and making uneducated accusations about it.

Grayditch

Very good point AND example.

That's a fantastic album, too. In my opinion

Dark Artist

The appeal for metal for me is that it's not easy to digest and it can be disturbing. When done well it's very psychologically intense and more to do with the exploration of how the music can be manipulated to challenge you, rather than giving you some cute lyrics and an acoustic guitar that you can whistle along to in your rocking chair. It all depends on what you're looking for.

Once you get your head around it, metal can be very rewarding. Some people like their music to be relaxing and evoke good emotions. Metal is similar to watching a horror movie or drama in that the emotions evoked bring you to a darker place.

I'd like you to listen to this and tell me what you hear, and if you think you could ever understand the appeal with repeated listens. They are a whole other level of crazy:

Irish Guitarist

I think Jonathan Davis, the lead singer of Korn, was abused as a child. I bought the first album when it was released in 1995. Their music doesn't appeal to me anymore and I've since given the CD away to someone but I remember there being a song called Daddy on it which was about abuse.

FERGAL7

Dark Artist wrote: »

The appeal for metal for me is that it's not easy to digest and it can be disturbing. When done well it's very psychologically intense and more to do with the exploration of how the music can be manipulated to challenge you, rather than giving you some cute lyrics and an acoustic guitar that you can whistle along to in your rocking chair. It all depends on what you're looking for.

Once you get your head around it, metal can be very rewarding. Some people like their music to be relaxing and evoke good emotions. Metal is similar to watching a horror movie or drama in that the emotions evoked bring you to a darker place.

I'd like you to listen to this and tell me what you hear, and if you think you could ever understand the appeal with repeated listens. They are a whole other level of crazy:

To be honest, no it just wouldnt appeal to me my favourite song is U2's one so you can see the background im coming from :L :L I like some of Metallica's stuff and am an avid Linkin Park fan(though I realise they are no longer heavy metal, nu-metal or whatever their genre was around 2000, 2001.)

Clandestine

A lot of metal genres/imagery is based on shock value which is to show it as being "hardcore" and not for the mainstream. A lot of said shock value is tongue-in-cheek though and not meant to be taken seriously. Look at a band like Municipal Waste to see what I'm talking about.

Also, if you are still having second thoughts on metal, give these a listen at least:

Ruudi_Mentari

Metal is often an avenue for musical purists or people who had a difficult upbringing. It can be an opportunity to vent, with virtuosity and if neither of these things strike a powerchord with you then continue to only deny this form

but also I have known 'guys' with soft upbringings who claim the lyrics make them want to act it out - again; it is only the musicianship that kills and the lyrics merely compliment that and I recommend you avoid the forging of steel if the ghasps of true labour are what only catch your ear.

Blisterman

I really don't understand how so many people assume that every word that comes out of a singer's mouth is their actual personal opinion, and what they really mean. This particularly happens in metal and hip-hop.

You don't assume that because a book is written from the point of view of a serial killer that the author holds the exact same views. Why is music any different?

SilverScreen

Blisterman wrote: »

I really don't understand how so many people assume that every word that comes out of a singer's mouth is their actual personal opinion, and what they really mean. This particularly happens in metal and hip-hop.

You don't assume that because a book is written from the point of view of a serial killer that the author holds the exact same views. Why is music any different?

I can agree with this. Quite lot of metal is based on escapism and fantasy rather than social, personal or psychological matters (although sometimes these can be mixed in with fantasy in the form of symbolism or hidden meanings). The power metal sub-genre is almost entirely based on this and progressive metal to a large extent.

I'm very certain that power metal bands don't slay fire demons with their swords of steel in their spare time </cliche>

Boardieman

Whoever stated Korn isn't relevant anymore needs to do their research. They are still headlining festivals all around the world and have a huge dedicated fan base worldwide. Korn were never that big in Ireland as we tend to follow musical trends in this country and hop from band to band. They used children on their album covers to depict the problems associated with child abuse. The problem is these days people are so tightly wound up they think the band are child molesters. Korn are a bunch of normal guys with long hair. They in no way represent what someone might perceive to be metal at all. They are a lovely bunch of guys still going strong now in their 19th year. They are every bit as relevant as Metallica. They invented a genre for gods sake.

Herb Powell

Boardieman wrote: »

Whoever stated Korn isn't relevant anymore needs to do their research. They are still headlining festivals all around the world and have a huge dedicated fan base worldwide. Korn were never that big in Ireland as we tend to follow musical trends in this country and hop from band to band. They used children on their album covers to depict the problems associated with child abuse. The problem is these days people are so tightly wound up they think the band are child molesters. Korn are a bunch of normal guys with long hair. They in no way represent what someone might perceive to be metal at all. They are a lovely bunch of guys still going strong now in their 19th year. They are every bit as relevant as Metallica. They invented a genre for gods sake.

lol

SilverScreen

The only reason Korn are still drawing crowds in Europe is because they have become a nostalgia act, just like Metallica. In terms of recent musical output, if they have to resort in jumping on the brostep bandwagon in order to stay musically relevant well then you can see where my original point is coming from. Compare them now to the Korn that broke through in 1994.

wendell borton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2LvZd_9aMU

Grayditch

GG Allen was a mentally ill punk.