What is a (non)Elitist

The 6 Keys to (non)Elitism

1.      Accept genres

2.      Know how to use them

3.      Encourage Research

4.      Share your Knowledge

5.      All genres of metal ARE metal.

6.      Be open-minded and accept change… if it’s for the right reasons.

           

            I guess at the core of it, a (non)Elitist is someone that is elite on the realms of what metal is and is not, but is not limited to one or two types of genres. To the old-guard, they will hate the terms like genre, but they are placed there for particular reasons. Even then I have certain limits, yet I realize that there is a difference between First Wave of Black Metal, and Second Wave of Black Metal. There are certain characteristics that are prone to both, and some that shifted as it progressed. In the eighties, some would classify Venom and Hellhammer nothing more that poor quality, overly distorted metal; a “bad attempt of Motorhead”. However as it progressed in the mid-eighties, bands such as Sodom and Kreator actually put a more polished sound to this sound. So first and foremost, we recognize there is a need for labels because someone that listens to Blind Guardian (Power Metal) may not listen to Master (Death Metal). Even today, there is the divide amongst what is metal and what is not, such as the latest hot topic that is dubbed “Deathcore”.   

            And trust me I’ve been DYING to take my two cents to town on this hot debate. But that’s for another time. To the next clarification of what a (non)Elitist is, would be using these classifications in the most appropriate ways. I recently ran into a fellow metal head (which seems like a labor of love to discover in the Great North) and we got onto the topic of Deathcore. Howe the topic actually started was me asking who he listened to and he brought up Winds of Plagues. I went over and asked him who he liked and told him I was fond of Whitechapel but not of Suicide Silence. He continued to tell me two others he liked (on topic of Deathcore) were Lamb of God and Ministry. Sensing some genre misunderstanding, I led it away from Deathcore and asked him a tried and true test of understanding. I asked him “what about Black/Death”, and he obviously mistaken the terms for “Black Death”. I didn’t bother to tell him there was in fact a metal band from the eighties called Black Death consisting of an all-black line-up. Getting discouraged, I clarified Black Metal and Death Metal. He said he was into Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir. I told him I was into their earlier stuff. “Oh yeah, Nymphetamine is a great album”. By this point I’m utterly lost and I told him I was into old school Norwegian Black Metal like Satyricon. “Oh like Volcano?” Stunned I told him “Dark Medieval Times” and for once he got the same look I did.

            So this leads to the third ring. Though we accept ignorance, we still preach that you should still do your studies. Even if you’ve never listened to a particular album from a band, try to come to a level of knowledge that if a band is over twenty years running, an album ten years ago is not “old school”. Going into a conversation as an armature metal head with a novice or expert metal head won’t be as awkward if you know a little bit of knowledge. Slayer’s “Reign in Blood” may be the best Slayer album, but don’t neglect the fact that “Haunting the Chapel” and “Show No Mercy” came before it. If you’re new and exploring, you don’t need to understand Cradle of Filth is no longer Black Metal, but knowing “Midian” is five years older than “Nymphetamine”, already years into their early career, and held more Black Metal traits would be a viable weapon in your conversations. A non-educated metal head is only using simple punches and kicks while a novice is a grapple wrestler and an expert is a Muay Thai boxer.

            And probably the biggest most important difference between an Elitist and a (non)Elitist is the willingness to share their knowledge and the vast world of metal. I’ve done this on several occasions. My first protégé actually has his own musical projects and releases on a couple underground labels while I still lack any real music playing skills. He’s playing the manner of Ildjarn in a few, and he’s working on a newer one he’s dubbed Apocalyptic Instrumental Drone. My wife is even one of my biggest and on-going protégés. She’s not heavy into the extremes, but she has gotten into quite a bit of metal in the last 6 years, and more so in the last 2. She’s mostly into heavy rock, and some of the more popular Metalcore like Avenge Sevenfold, Bullet For My Valentine and whatnot, but its heavier than it was before. And there is nothing wrong liking a particular genre or a particular band.

            Doom Metal is no less metal than Gore-core. It’s definitely different, but neither is any less metal. There is still distorted guitars, a focus on the actual music compilation, and some kick ass drumming. Why is it any less metal to listen to Avenge Sevenfold than Iced Earth? Aren’t they both guitar oriented with an emphasis on classical music? Don’t they both have double bass drumming and hit up to 180BPM?  Don’t they both have slow melodic songs that are sorrowful in the vein of relationships? I honestly think it’s cowardly to attack a band like Avenge Sevenfold. They aren’t the same band as they were on “Awaken the Fallen”, but they’ve gotten more complex in their composure, and have not let up off their intensity. If anything they’re more metal now, than they were on “Awaken the Fallen”, they’re just not as raw and aggressive. And yes they are popular. The last band I can think of that got really huge in the metal world for changing sound was Metallica; and they did slow down and were less complex. Wouldn’t it be more favorable in the metal world for a band to become popular for fast complexity than dumbed down slow tempo? I honestly think it’s ludicrous.

            Though I will agree that I’m not fond of the nineties Metallica, I think its childish to say that just because a band goes in a different direction they’ve sold out. If they have changed for commercial success to sell more records, then that’s understandable. They’ve sold out to corporate music! But if a band simply wants to change their sound because they feel it’s how they want to express themselves regardless if it flops their record sells… well then I can’t say they’ve sold out, because they are an artist. Avenge Sevenfold changed more into metal, and sold more records and concerts for it and the Elitist say “BOO!”  Metallica goes from a mediocre blues-rock band back into an aggressive monster and the Elitist say “BOO” again for the second time. So to me it seems the Elitist are actually closed minded and don’t want anything new. They just want the same thing over, and over, and over! However if the same band does the same thing over and over, they’ve became stale. If another band does the same thing, they’re posers. If another band tries the same thing while trying to improve it slightly, they’re trying too hard. And Elitist just doesn’t seem to know what they really want. They want something new, but when they have new, it’s too different for them. If they have the exact same thing, it’s too simple. As a (non)Elitist, it’s better to be open minded to different things because variety is the spice of life. Just because a band is more in the lime light doesn’t mean they are a sellout. If they totally change their sound into something not recognizable from their original self (and not for the better), they have sold out. Metallica did sell out in the nineties, just as Aerosmith did in the seventies and eighties.

            This has been quite a lengthy rant, yet I feel it necessary. I know there is not a whole lot of people out there that feel this same way, but I know there are some that are opposed to the fascist conservative Elitist putting a bad wrap on the culture, yet want to set a higher standard to those “Friday Metalhead” (haha, get it “Sunday Christian”/ “Friday Metalhead”) . One dude I know that has talked out against Elitist is CoverkillerNation on YouTube. He has some amazing reviews and talking points. One in particular I can agree with about 85% is his speech on a band review of Slayer. I’ll try to link his page on here.

CoverkillerNation YouTube