On Returning to Roots (Feb. 2011)

How many times has a respected Metal band completely evolved into something else or abandoned that which built their fan base in the first place? Too many times, musicians get bored with what they are doing and succumb to the desire to experiment. As it relates to Metal, this is most often met with resistance. That is not to say that there are not open-minded people within the Metal community, for there certainly are. However, Metal fans are a rather conservative breed and dislike when they feel that a band has betrayed them. The bands know this as well, and will sometimes play on this as a way to market a new album by claiming that it is a “return to their roots”. Unfortunately, this seems to mean something different to each group.

The first example to look at would be Dismember. This Swedish Death Metal band made a couple of classic albums and then slightly fell into foreign territory, making the more melodic and traditional-sounding Massive Killing Capacity. The album really was not bad at all, yet there was some backlash and the band took a bit of a break after that. Once they regrouped, they returned to their roots with 1997's Death Metal and have maintained their normal style ever since, with success.This proves that it is possible to make a misstep and to then go back and find your path. But this is not always the case.

Take a band like My Dying Bride, for instance. They slowly evolved into something else, after their first few albums. Instead of playing Death/Doom, they played a strange mix of Gothic/Romantic sounding music that had ties to traditional Doom Metal, but also to something else entirely. By 1998, they had completely forsaken Metal, altogether. The following year, they decided to go back to their roots and to bring back the style of music that they had pioneered in the early 1990s. It was not quite the same, but the effort was admirable, nonetheless. However, after a couple records, they began to stray back into more experimental areas and so the “return” was only temporary and was not entirely successful.

Then, you have bands like Hypocrisy that tried to make a return to the old days, more as a gimmick than anything else, but totally failed to capture that magic or to even maintain that effort throughout the whole album (2000's Into the Abyss). Taking this a little further, one can look at Metallica and wonder how the hell they had the nerve to claim that they were returning to their roots, when it is painfully obvious that they have absolutely no understanding of how they used to operate. It is difficult to believe that a band can lose touch with themselves to such a degree that they are unable to even come close to creating something that is remotely similar to their classic material, as if they simply cannot grasp what they accomplished in the past.

And, finally, one can look to the almighty Darkthrone and rejoice in that they have such a deep knowledge and understanding of Metal that, when they want to take their sound more old school, they completely bypass their own earliest efforts, such as A Blaze in the Northern Sky and Under A Funeral Moon, and go back to the roots of Black Metal. Few others have shown such comprehension of how Metal is supposed to be, and it will be a sad day when those two decide to stop making music.

In the end, most bands should follow the example set by Carcass. Once you are going too far beyond what your band is supposed to be, simply close up shop and start under a new name. It might be risky, sales-wise, but it is the only appropriate thing to do, with any respect to the music itself.

On the Myth of Metal's Demise (Jan. 2011)

There are a lot of myths that can be found in the realm of Metal. One of the more popular ones is this: “grunge came along and killed Metal in the early 1990s, Pantera was the band that kept Metal alive during the so-called Dark Ages, and then Metal was finally reborn nearly a decade later.” This is all so utterly ridiculous and filled with errors that will be exposed and disproved. Here, I shall dispel the myth that Metal ever “died”, as well as the associated nonsense that Alternative Rock had anything to do with it or that Pantera were the saviours of all that was Metal. These things simply are not true.

Several Metal bands managed to break through and achieve some measure of mainstream success, in the 70s and 80s, yet these were in the minority. For every band like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Metallica that attained some level of success, there were hundreds of others that were still toiling in relative obscurity. Metal has always, largely, been an underground movement. Anyone with any real knowledge understands that the best quality material will always be found in the underground, where it belongs. There is also a bit of confusion, when it comes to the mainstream, about what Metal really is. The media always liked to mislabel bands, for one reason or another, leading to a general sense of confusion for those that were new to the music. At any rate, even those bands that were able to get videos on MTV and a little bit of radio play, that did not necessarily mean that they were a huge success, nor did losing that exposure kill the bands. Legitimate Metal bands did receive more exposure during a certain period, with Thrash taking the lead for most of the 80s, but this movement went into a state of decline that I've covered in a previous article. The bottom line is that Metal is not a product of the mainstream and does not live or die by the whims of the masses.

The next point to make, one that some are intelligent enough to realize, is that the supposed “victims” of Alternative Rock were not actually Metal bands, but rather the Glam Rock posers that had long been associated with Metal, for whatever reason. Bands like Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Guns 'n' Roses (and all of the many imitators) were the ones that really suffered. By the late 80s, there were hundreds of bands that all looked and sounded alike; i.e. they had gotten into their mother's make-up and then done their best to imitate what was popular at the time. Most of the more well-known Rock bands had recorded fairly successful ballads, so there came a huge wave of bands that were trying to recreate that same success for themselves. However, the entire “movement” was incredibly diluted and it was obvious that these losers were all just hopping on the bandwagon to make money to be squandered on alcohol, drugs and hookers. The thing is that it had worn out its welcome and run its course, like any other trend, long before bands like Nirvana or Alice in Chains ever appeared. Mainstream popular music is a curious thing in that there are so few things that are considered classics; rather, things are cool for a while and then they become fodder for jokes. The fact that various forms of corporate Rock were in a serious state of decline and that “grunge” was on the rise was more of a coincidence. It is rather simple to see that when people get bored with one thing, they look around for something else to amuse themselves. The term “Alternative Rock” denotes that they were doing something different than what one could find on an album from the likes of Poison, Warrant or Slaughter. As those useless bands were on their way out, others came to fill the vacuum. So Alternative Rock did not “kill” anything, least of all Metal. It is quite disgusting that certain idiots could never differentiate between this garbage and actual Metal.

While it is true that Thrash was in a state of decline by this point, the underground was thriving throughout this entire period. Classic Death Metal albums were being released from healthy scenes all over the U.S. And Europe. As that sub-genre became stagnant, the Second Wave of Black Metal exploded onto the scene and continued to carry on the old ways. Time and time again, ignorant people comment that “the 90s were a terrible time for Metal”, which could not be further from the truth. And these same imbeciles will also talk about the “great and mighty Pantera” and how they “saved Metal”. That is the propaganda that has been spewed by members of the band and those affiliated with them, such as Scott Ian of Anthrax. There are so many things wrong with this that it induces a migraine, just trying to comprehend the idiocy of such a statement.

Pantera were a group of posers, period. They jumped from one bandwagon to another, whenever it suited them. Through the 80s, they played a weak and limpwristed brand of cock Rock that they later tried to play down or deny. Eventually, they were inspired by bands like Metallica and Slayer to play something heavier, but even their very best efforts were mediocre by comparison. Then, when Metal was not considered cool anymore, in the mainstream, they followed the trends in both sound and image. They traded their leather and denim for flannel and shorts, while Phil Anselmo took on the appearance of a wannabe thug. His entire persona matched his new look, and he seemed obsessed with trying to come off as some sort of tough guy. Their lyrics went from traditional Metal topics that they had previously covered to the same type of thing that was running rampant in the mainstream; lyrics included themes of drug addiction, child abuse, seeking attention and respect. This was same kind of angsty nonsense that was already dominating the radio around that time. They were not “waving the flag of true Metal”, as they later liked to claim; they had jumped on yet another bandwagon and aimed their music at the same crowd that was listening to Alternative Rock and rap. Their catchy, groove-oriented riffs were designed to appeal to the masses and the simplistic song structures were meant for simple minds. If anything, they were detrimental to Metal, inspiring countless “nu-Metal” and “Metal-core” bands that came later, further confusing people about what real Metal was and forcing true metalheads to be lumped in with this poser scum. It is quite a joke that they dared write a song that had anything to do with the “underground in America”, as it is something that they had nothing to do with. By the time their popularity was waning, Phil decided to embrace it by cultivating a new persona, growing his hair out and wearing Venom and Darkthrone t-shirts. It was around this time that he started trying to associate himself with actual Metal and began promoting the idea that Pantera had been keeping Metal alive. It was a calculated lie that was meant to re-write history and help his transition to the next phase of his existence.

As for some of the bands that he began to champion, among them was Darkthrone. Now, looking at Darkthrone, one can see a band that truly has done a lot to keep the true spirit of Metal alive and well. Actually, this is something that was really done by Black Metal, as a whole, during the 90s. As Thrash and Death Metal took a nosedive in the early 90s, Black Metal kept the old feeling alive and carried it forward. What Death Metal ended up developing into is something hardly related to where it began. On the other hand, it is simple to see the clear development of Black Metal from Venom, Bathory and Hellhammer on through Darkthrone, Mayhem, and beyond. In turn, they influenced legions more. And one thing about Black Metal, that doesn't really exist as much in other forms of Metal, is the reverence for those that came before and the adherence to tradition. Of course, many bands experiment with their sound, but there are tons of others that remain pure and refuse to go beyond certain established boundaries. These are the bands that kept Metal alive, and continue to do so.

Getting back to Darkthrone, there is a band that jumped off of the Death Metal bandwagon and reached back to something older and darker. While Phil Anselmo was jumping around like a jungle ape and rapping half of his lyrics, Darkthrone was taking the sounds of Bathory and Hellhammer, mixed with their own brilliant vision, and creating something cold and dark; something so powerful that it inspired thousands all over the world. Even in recent years, as they developed their sound, they reached deeper into the past and began to incorporate more old school influences in their sound, keeping alive a style of real Metal that is more often forgotten or ignored. They have always shunned the masses and done what they wanted to, regardless of the money that they could have made by giving in and doing what was expected of them. They are repaid with scorn and derision for not recording the same album 15 times over, while posers like Pantera get some level of respect for something that they neither did nor needed to be done.

Metal never died, period. Just because bands like Metallica and Megadeth wimped out, that meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. Even the Glam posers did not fully die, since they still linger on in one form or another. Alternative Rock did not “kill” anything, and ended up burning out even quicker than the previous trend, only to be replaced by another worthless form of popular music. As for the “rebirth of Metal”, most of those bands are not Metal to begin with, and whether or not a handful of watered-down garbage gets widespread recognition really means nothing for the movement as a whole. Finally, regarding the “great saviours and anti-trend warriors” Pantera, they saved nothing. They simply managed to jump from one trend to another in an effort to remain relevant and cash in as long as possible. Bands like Darkthrone have done more with one album to maintain the spirit of Metal than Pantera ever accomplished in their entire career.

On the Abominable Overpopulation of Mankind (Dec. 2010)

The current world population is far beyond anything that the human race could ever possibly hope to manage. It is wreaking havoc on the balance of nature, destroying forests, having detrimental effects on the climate, sending countless animal species down the path of extinction and making life more miserable for most of our own kind as well. There are a number of potential solutions, but time is not working in our favour.

At the moment, the human population is rapidly approaching 6.9 billion. For many, the sheer size of this number is difficult to even comprehend. To put this in a better context, one should look to the past. In prehistoric times, it is estimated that the mankind only increased by a couple million, every thousand years or so. Around year 1 of the common era, there were roughly 300 million people alive, by most estimates. One thousand years later, that number increased to around 310 million. That puts it above the previous averages, yet still within an easily maintained level. However, with the passage of yet another thousand years, the human population jumped beyond six billion. Within half a century, a few more billion will be arriving. How this can be viewed as anything other than pure madness, I do not know. Our species has truly gone beyond the point of no return.

The causes are many, including the transition from a nomadic to a sedentary lifestyle, agriculture and, most importantly, the industrial revolution. Thanks to mass production, medical and technological advancements and higher standards of living, the average lifespan increased, as did the number of offspring produced. Simply put, less people were dying and more were being born, which has resulted in the horrific parasitic human plague that is currently suffocating the earth and making existence miserable for all living things.

Nature is the main victim. Roughly forty percent of the earth's land is used for agriculture, just to feed our kind. Humans also need room to live, work and create more useless garbage. For these reasons, among others, forests are cleared out and the natural habitat of countless creatures is destroyed. Animal species are going extinct at an alarming rate. With all of the fossil fuels being burned, the high levels of pollution are affecting the climate, which is changing in an unnatural way. Feeble-minded Christians say that the earth was put here for humans, and that it is our right to dominate it and multiply as much as possible. It is foolish thinking like this that has contributed to the current state of affairs. Possibly the worst thing, however, is that the world is run by capitalists. More so than at any other point in our history, the entire purpose of civilization seems to revolve around money. Despite the horrible effects on nature and humanity itself, the corporate powers will maintain things as they are, as long as they can continue making a profit. Similarly, they need as many living people as possible, because each life is another potential customer. This was recognized when concerns of overpopulation were first voiced, in the 19th century, and it was mercantilism that stressed that larger populations meant larger markets. In the process of maintaining the giant shopping mall that this world has turned into, and all of the brainless consumers that populate it, the earth is becoming a darker place.

The sad truth is that most people do not care about things unless they are directly affected. So to continue speaking of the environmental concerns or the dying animal species would only resonate with a very small percentage. What humans care about most is their own quality of life. The fact of the matter is that the standard of living is getting lower for average people and this will only continue in the decades to come. While the earth itself is not in real danger, its habitability will become less stable, as things progress. This has led a lot of people to consider the option of colonizing space. Rather than clean up after itself, humanity would prefer to give up and leave. The truth is that there is another solution.

The current system must collapse and be replaced by a new one. The human race is beyond salvation, as it currently exists. The answer lies in sacrifice. Death is the only solution. Mass murder on a scale previously unknown in the entire history of human civilization is what is needed. Before mankind can rise, it must first crash and burn to a state of near-extinction. No one wants to hear this, of course. The truth hurts. For all those who act as if they are so concerned with the fate of the planet or the future of our species, they should look deep within themselves and understand that sometimes a great sacrifice must be made. Abandon all ridiculous notions of the importance of every human life as well as the religious nonsense that has helped to propagate this falsehood.

The concept that all life is sacred and precious, also known as the sanctity of life, is a weak and pathetic Christian idea. Naturally, they only apply this to themselves, not animals or even other people, if it conflicts with their goals. Human life is only sacred when it benefits them. To support this, it is important to bring up the fact that suicide was condoned in the early Christian era, with certain sects jumping off of cliffs in large numbers, wishing to hasten the afterlife and to seek the rewards that their false mythology had promised them. With dwindling numbers and shrinking collection plates, the Catholic church decided that suicide was a punishable sin. This was also around the same time that they began sending missionaries to convert those outside of the Roman world. Just as the capitalists need a large population in order to bleed them dry, Christians need a large flock of sheep to help them perpetuate the Great Lie.

It is time for people to grow up and abandon childish ideas such as religion or hope. The survival of our species depends on whether or not we can embrace the reality of our situation and to find practical solutions. Mass killings may not be the popular method, but it is absolutely necessary. Civilization is already going to collapse. It is not a matter of if, but rather when it will happen. However, what we can do is ensure sort of a “controlled demolition”, in order to make it as painless as possible. Instead of the whole of humanity being engulfed in chaos, we can be cold and calculating and ensure that mankind is able to rise and to transcend the mediocrity that is has long wallowed in.

While I am not attempting to write a comprehensive treatment on the subject, a few suggestions are offered for the consideration of those who would undertake such an endeavour.

- The advanced nations of the world should take the lead in instituting massive depopulation programs. In theory, all citizens would submit to a series of genetic and intelligence-based tests which would determine whether or not they are fit to remain alive. In ancient Greece, and even within the Germanic tribes of northern Europe, it was common practice to inspect children at birth and to discard the defective ones. Thanks to the pathetic Judeo-Christian system of values, we are encouraged to accept all forms of weakness and frailty within our ranks. Allowing defective individuals to live not only subjects them to unnecessary misery, but it also enables them to corrupt the gene pool with their inferior DNA. As for intelligence testing, all people of below-average intelligence would be eliminated. We have long seen the effects of allowing mediocrity to flourish. Ideally, if someone possessed above-average intelligence, but poor genetics, they would be sterilized but allowed to live. Of course, there should be a broad range of examinations that one would have to pass before being deemed worthy of survival. I would not recommend even wasting the time to assess the condition of most criminals, as it would be easier to just flush them.

- Of course, the rest of the world would provide greater difficulty. Areas such as the middle east, Africa, Latin America and southeast Asia possess the world's lowest IQs and highest growing populations. The average IQ in most African nations, for example, is below 70. That officially deems them mentally retarded. How much money and other resources has been pumped into that continent to help preserve useless lives that are never going to amount to anything anyway? Why send food to the jungles when people on your own streets are starving? So they can have the energy to wage their pointless wars and kill your peace officers in the process? Even an imbecile should be able to see the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, here.

- Africa would best be dealt with by means of a weapon that could eliminate human life while leaving animals, nature and even the existing structures unharmed. Once they are gone, there will be an entire continent full of useful resources and one billion less mouths to feed.

- India, the Middle East, Latin America and southeast Asia are a little more tricky, as they are considered of average intelligence, but on the low end of the spectrum. They also represent a large part of the growing population. With the sheer number of humans in the world, there is no reason to settle for average, or those bordering on retardation. Through proper testing, it would be possible to depopulate these areas at an astounding rate.

- In the case of east Asia, the average IQ is on the higher end of the spectrum, so it is likely that less people will need to be cleansed in relation to intelligence. However, the DNA testing should clear out a decent number. In a population so huge, there must be plentiful amounts of genetic problems waiting to be discovered. Even if that is not the case, they will be able to spread out and not be so densely packed together once the surrounding areas are cleansed.

- It should be noted that this is not a call to exterminate whole races from the face of the earth. Sub-Saharan Africa would hardly be considered worth the time to administer the test, based on the data that we already possess. However, in all other regions, testing should be conducted and the strongest, most intelligent and most beautiful of each race should be preserved in order to allow the to follow a higher path, in the generations that follow.

- More than likely, much of this would have to come as a result of war. However, if the advanced nations can use reason and logic to realize that there is no other way, and to effectively implement this within their own lands, the rest of the world will fall in line by common sense or by force.

- Following the Great Cleansing, the real work could begin. From then on, the population could be planned and managed through effective eugenics and human civilization could be re-ordered in a more beneficial manner.

- People may object to the ancient practices of discarding useless children, but much of this could be avoided with science. After proving themselves to be financially capable of providing for a child, the potential parents would then undergo a series of tests to ensure the quality of their genetic material. After conception, the fetus would be monitored much as it is today. The difference would be that an abortion would be mandatory if any defects were discovered. After birth, the child would be thoroughly inspected and regularly tested until a certain age, to ensure that they are developing properly. That would inspire a bit more hard work than the hope of a gold star, surely.

Hunters are quick to justify their “sport” by talking about how they are doing their part to control the population of various wild animals, which helps them to avoid becoming too numerous and suffering famine and other problems related to overpopulation. Sadly, people are too selfish and short-sighted to apply the same logic to themselves. History can provide an example of the benefits of a smaller population. Much like in the aftermath of the Black Death, the quality of life for those left behind would be much better. Not only would animals and nature itself benefit greatly, but with only the best still alive, the human race could go on to become even stronger, more intelligent, more beautiful and capable of much more than we could have ever achieved while hindered by the dead weight of nearly seven billion pieces of gene trash. When utilized to its full potential, humanity can accomplish some pretty remarkable things. However, this is nearly impossible with the way things stand. With dwindling resources and growing populations, we are on a path toward war, famine, pestilence and death.

Death is coming, one way or another. We can all go down together, or we can cull the undesirable elements and have half a chance of building a better society, bereft of the type of gene trash that led us down the wrong path to begin with.

On Black Metal and Self-Mutilation (Dec. 2010)

Over the course of the last few years, it has been nearly impossible not to notice the very large number of people, within the Black Metal scene, that engage in self-mutilation. People are, in many cases, shredding their flesh and scarring themselves to varying degrees and then displaying this to the world, often making a strong connection between this and Black Metal. It's a rather peculiar development, and one which I think should not persist. This sort of thing is not a useful contribution to the scene, in any way.

To get right to the point, not all people that cut themselves are sub-human emo trash. The thing is that there is a wide variety of reasons for engaging in this practice. For some, it is a coping mechanism. Obviously, they have been psychologically damaged and this is one of the only methods by which they are able to relieve stress of grief. Others use it as a means to punish themselves for something. Again, this goes back to a mental defect. Some people are simply masochistic and they enjoy the pain or even the sight of their own blood. In certain cases, it can actually be a combination of several factors. Whatever the reason, I am of the opinion that it should be a private activity. If you are miserable and the idea of shredding your flesh with a razor or a shard of broken glass seems appealing and you feel that it will take the edge off or help your mood, go for it. Just keep it to yourself. The problem is, there are also a lot of those who do such a thing merely for the attention that they can gain by doing so.

It is a sign of the pathetic culture that we live in, today, that people would rather go out of their way to garner sympathy or concern rather than spend a few moments to come up with something interesting to say. Of course, in the age of the internet, there are many more channels by which to exploit oneself as an attention whore. Surely, there are a lot of reasons behind it. As previously mentioned, some may have no other way to feel that anyone cares for them, other than slicing their wrist and making sure someone can see it so they receive that all-important sympathy. Others may be trying to emulate some of their favourite musicians, by doing this, or attempting to seem “extreme” to those who view their wounds or scars. Naturally, these days, it is very simple to spread this around. It is common to see the typical goth-girl-turned-Black-Metaller who has an online profile that is filled with dozens of photos of her scarred or bleeding flesh. What is the purpose of this? Attention, of course. Perhaps, too many people admired the cover of the Abyssic Hate L.P. or the countless other sheep that got the idea that you are not “grim or cult” unless you have taken a knife to your arms and legs and made little street maps up and down them. It is my belief that the number of truly disturbed people is far less than the legion of imitators. For every person such as Per Yngve Ohlin who was genuinely melancholic, there are a dozen posers like Niklas Kvarforth who wish only to gain as much attention as possible. Based on the incessant need to display their mutilated flesh to any stranger that happens upon their internet profile, it is quite clear that most of these people are demented attention whores.

To reiterate an earlier point, if someone honestly feels that they must tear their flesh open and watch the blood come pouring forth, more power to you. But there is a difference between someone who does such a thing in private and the type of person that does so only so that others will take notice. Anyone who is slicing themselves to pieces and posting the photos online for the world to see is desperately and pathetically begging for any and all possible attention. Whether they desire the “credibility” gained by proving how little they care for their personal well-being or if they are after the sympathy that might come from those who would be concerned for them, it is all disingenuous behaviour that has no place within the Black Metal scene.

Such an attitude does not deserve to be associated with Black Metal. Exposing one's weakness for all to see – strangers, no less – seems to completely contradict what Black Metal was intended to stand for. While it may mean different things to different people, to take it so far from its core beliefs is to bastardize it beyond recognition. And this leads to what we have today, an ever-growing mass of gothic-emo weaklings that have hijacked Black Metal aesthetics and even some musical techniques, in order to cloak their whining, attention-seeking trash as something more extreme and rebellious than it really is. The entire concept of seeking attention for its own sake goes better with some other form of music.

On the Superiority of Primordial Creation (Dec. 2010)

In many creative fields, it is often true that the artist's earliest works are usually the best; the ones most worth remembering and those that really set the standard by which the artist would always be compared. In general, this is also accurate when it comes to music. Regardless of genre (or sub-genre), the early material is usually considered to be the best, or the most pure and meaningful. For bands that quickly disappear after a couple albums, such a matter is not cause for concern. However, those that endure for many years (or decades) must face the irrefutable fact that the quality of their music is quite likely to deteriorate; at least in the eyes of their fans. The changes that a band goes through can be caused by many factors: time constraints and label pressure, other outside influences, changing musical landscape, larger budget / perfectionism, stagnation or development of musicians, age, etc.

While not always true, most Metal bands aren't given recording contracts within a few weeks or months of forming. They go through a lengthy process of finding the right members and deciding upon a creative direction, and then gradually honing their craft. They rehearse as much as possible, with only the dream of making a single album motivating them to push forward. They record demo tapes and put a lot of effort into their first songs. Through rehearsals and playing live, they work on the songs, revising them and getting everything just right, as they go along. At this stage, they are struggling to get noticed by fans and labels, in the hopes of securing a deal and releasing a proper album. And that isn't really for the purpose of attaining fame or glory, but simply to make a record of their own and contribute something. In many cases, the bands haven't thought far beyond making that one album, so they pour all of their energy into it. In general, during this phase of a band's existence, the primary thing is creating. If the band happens to attain even a small level of success, things transform rapidly.

Once the band is signed to a label, inevitably, things become different. How much they change really depends on the size of the label. Within the underground, it is much more negligible. However, for those bands that signed to a larger label, a wide variety of new forces begin acting upon them. They may be told, directly, to alter their sound in one way or another, with the goal of appealing to a broader audience and reaching a higher level of success. This same decision could also come from within, as well. To use well-known examples, just think of Slayer and Metallica. After signing with Rick Rubin, Slayer was advised to get rid of the reverb and trim the songs down, thus over-simplifying them and sacrificing a great deal of atmosphere, in order to gain a larger following. The masses like music that is easily digested and doesn't require much attention or thought. A similar thing happened to Metallica, as Bob Rock was brought in to produce their self-titled album. Rather than following the dictates of their inner creativity and passion, they listened to a big-time producer who was looking for radio hits and did a great job in transforming the band into a stadium Rock act. Credibility was traded for mass acceptance.

One must also consider time. In the early part of their career, a band creates songs at their own pace, with months or even years to get them exactly as they want. After signing a recording contract, they begin pumping albums out each year, or every other year. The strange thing is that, early on, the band has more time to create but less time to record. Once signed to a label, they have a larger budget and more studio time, but not as much time to perfect the songs before they go into the studio. So, what the end up doing is writing a lot of the album as they're recording it, and then experimenting with the new technology that is available to them, since most people are nothing more than overgrown children anyway and prefer to play with things, whenever they get the chance. At any rate, another thing to take into consideration would have to be touring. Sometimes, a record must be rushed in order to take advantage of a touring opportunity. This results in a drop in quality, in a lot of cases.

Look at Testament, for example. The songs that made it to The Legacy had been worked on for several years, and they had ample time to perfect them. This yielded, arguably, the best album of their entire career. However, once they were releasing albums on a yearly basis, they became watered-down and more generic. After a couple of lackluster records, they began to get back on track with Souls of Black, but it still lacked the passion and intensity of the first album. And later on, of course, they tried to follow in Metallica's footsteps, with The Ritual. In the end, they succeeded only in alienating their fan base.

And that brings up another point. Once a band gets even the slightest taste of mainstream success, they throw creativity overboard in an attempt to cash in. This can be in response to similar bands getting big or it can be limited to their own success; i.e. they get radio play for a song and then attempt to repeat themselves. After Metallica's 1991 self-titled monstrosity, many Thrash bands tried to jump on the bandwagon, slowing down and making much more simplistic music. And if they managed to get the slightest bit of notice for those efforts, then it usually spelled doom for any sincerity that the band had left. Dave Mustaine admitted that he altered his songwriting in hopes of creating radio hits. The spirit of Metal had been consumed by his own greed. The problem with Metal bands trying to be pop stars is that it just doesn't work that way, nine times out of ten. Pop music is not art, but rather a corporate imitation of art. Professional songwriters are tapped into popular culture and they know how to exploit the tastes of the masses, writing simplistic, catchy garbage that will be easily digested. Record companies then find someone to perform those songs, often putting together their own groups for just that purpose. However, Metal was never meant to be for everyone. When Metal bands try to sell out, they usually fall flat on their faces, alienating their fans and going unnoticed by the mainstream.

Another factor to consider has to be that of outside influences of a different kind. This can mean a number of things, including bands trying to take elements of more popular / trendy music and incorporating it into their own style, or making changes in order to “keep up” with others within their particular sub-genre.

As an example of the former, one need look no farther than Anthrax and Slayer. In the mid-to-late 90s, each band transformed into something quite unlike what they had started out as. Anthrax added elements of alternative Rock on Sound of White Noise, and then tried their hardest to emulate Pantera in the years that followed. Slayer took influences from the pathetic and trendy Nu-Metal scene, with bouncy groove-laden riffs interspersed with riffs more typical of the band. In both cases, the end result was laughable and disgusting.

To shift focus to an example of the latter form of submitting to outside influences, one can see this with the deterioration of the Death Metal scene in the 1990s. Many bands were trying to outdo one another in terms of being more “sick” and “brutal” than the next guys, playing as fast as possible, with the vocals getting deeper and the musicians including more random time changes, with the end result being that the atmosphere of the originators was forever lost. Not long after, in the realm of Black Metal, a lot of bands jumped on the symphonic bandwagon (as well as industrial or experimental), to keep up with the times. Once something gets popular, it seems everyone has to join in. Losing sight of your own creativity, making decisions based on what others are doing, will usually have a detrimental effect on what you are doing. Occasionally, it can be a beneficial thing, as it can motivate a band to tighten up their sound and not be shown up by others that they end up playing with, resulting in them putting forth the most effort possible and improving themselves. This is most applicable in the band's early stages. But, more often than not, bands end up joining one herd or another.

As the years go by, inevitably, most musicians become better acquainted with their instruments, songwriting and the recording process. Early on, they may have been learning on the job and, in later years, they reach a point where they might look down on their previous accomplishments and view their old albums as flawed and imperfect. There are two different ways that an artist can approach this. On one hand, they may feel that the very style itself is limiting and boring. They would prefer to add new dimensions to their sound, in the name of artistic progression or musical evolution. Whether they wish to show off their new skills or just expand the boundaries of the band's established style, the end result is the same. On the other hand, the band might choose to stick to their roots, but to make an attempt to perfect their sound. Utilizing modern production techniques and more proficient abilities, they maintain the same style, yet they are always in a state of perfecting their sound and attempting to achieve the ultimate expression of their vision. Unfortunately, modern recording techniques will always fall short in terms of atmosphere and character, when compared to a more primitive and old school approach. So even when trying to remain true to who they are, such bands will come off as a pale shadow of their former selves, churning out stale and rehashed music that shows no overall advancement. So, in a sense, musicians are damned either way.

Of course, one can also look at the age of the musicians. Say, for the sake of argument, that they maintain their traditional style and don't go overboard with modern sounds, the fires of creativity fade away with time. The passion and energy gives way to an emptiness that cannot be avoided. Eventually, bands lose their ability to make worthwhile music. For some, it may take ten or twenty years; for others, it may take two or three. Nothing lasts forever, and there is no escaping the fact that a band (or any other type of artist) will, at some point, fail to live up to the accomplishments of the past.

Many would like to write this off as some sort of “elitist attitude”, as if no one really likes the old albums from a band; those that profess to like the demos and first couple of releases must be trying to impress others, as surely they cannot believe what they're saying. People who recognize this must just be trying to go against the grain, in the minds of these people. However, there may be a reason for this erroneous thinking. In a lot of cases, a band doesn't reach a certain level of popularity until their third of fourth album, at which point their audience grows and more casual fans become aware of them. So, naturally, these types will prefer the material that drew them in, as opposed to those fans who were there from the beginning. Still, one must not have to be there at the start of a band's career to realize that the old stuff is, typically, much better. It's not a matter of trying to seem “cool” by shunning the popular albums and embracing the lesser known ones; it's the simple process of recognizing the energy, creativity and passion that exists in the early stages of a band's existence, as evidenced through their demos and early albums, and realizing that this is no longer present as the years pass by.

In the end, there is no right or wrong. It all boils down to personal opinion, and this is mine.

On the Decline and Collapse of Thrash Metal (Nov. 2010)

Thrash Metal was born in the early 1980s, largely influenced by the NWOBHM bands, such as Angel Witch, Diamond Head, Raven, Saxon and Venom. One cannot discount the importance of Judas Priest and Motorhead, as well as some Punk Rock bands, to the development of this musical movement. The music was more raw and aggressive and also embodied some of the old rebellious spirit that had long been missing from Rock and Metal.

In the old days, defining a sub-genre of music was different than it is today. It wasn't long after the birth of Thrash Metal that Black and Death Metal were also growing from the same roots, in a sense. Sometimes, certain bands belonged to two or more categories, right from the beginning. For example, Slayer was as much a Black Metal band as Venom, yet they were also Thrash. The full transition would come a few years later, which will soon be touched upon.

Early on, the Thrash movement yielded a multitude of high-quality bands like Metallica, Slayer, Overkill, Anthrax, Megadeth, Exodus, Kreator, Sacrifice, Razor, etc. Strong scenes developed in New York, the Bay Area, Canada, Germany and even Brazil. They all managed to produce great albums that would stand the test of time as true genre-defining classics. The very best records to come from this movement, for the most part, emerged in the first few years. This work had a strong impact on those bands who followed, all throughout the Metal scene, regardless of whichever sub-genre they belonged to. Eventually, several bands were “converted” and made the transition. Slayer gave up the Satanic topics and dark atmosphere for a more pure Thrash sound with Reign in Blood. Sepultura, Sodom and Possessed are examples of bands that did the same, with Schizophrenia, Persecution Mania and Beyond the Gates, respectively. Even Kreator cleaned up their sound and lost the raw Black/Death feeling for the more streamlined sound heard on Terrible Certainty.

In time, more bands would follow, seeking to emulate or even out-do those that had inspired them. As record labels saw the success of bands like Metallica and Slayer, they began to sign tons of new groups. Often, these bands really had nothing to contribute. As with most musical movements, you have the pioneers that blaze the trail and then you have the legions of followers whose primary concern is to simply add their own perspective or to just follow in the footsteps of those that went before them. Several solid records were released as a result of this. Even if some of the newer bands weren't doing anything groundbreaking or unique, they were working within the newly defined boundaries of Thrash Metal and making quality music. Sadly, as time went on, many others jumped on the bandwagon with nothing to add but sub-par imitation and ended up contributing to the demise of the music that they valued.

Just as Thrash Metal was reaching the height of its popularity, many of the primary bands had started to lose their creative spark and to lower themselves to the level of their followers. It didn't take long for some of these bands to lose their edge and abandon the principles on which they were founded. After two impressive albums, Metallica released the dumbed-down disappointment known as Master of Puppets. And while the masses ate it up, it represented the end of an era for that band. They chose to stay within their safe zone and make boring music that was more easily accessible. Slayer did the same with Reign in Blood, dropping the more complex song structures and evil atmosphere for something simplistic and easier to digest. And while a band like Testament was a latecomer, not releasing their debut album until 1987, their follow-up was bereft of any real ambition.

The lyrical approach also took a nosedive. Many bands embraced the excesses of the age while others sought to use their music as a tool to preach their political beliefs. This ended up with a lot of bands either becoming too serious or not serious enough. The “party hard” feeling that was conveyed by some bands did a lot to perpetuate the stereotype of the “dumb metalhead” and alienated some listeners that didn't care to hear drunken Neanderthals praising alcohol and other empty substances. This often led to bands writing about goofy topics, and Anthrax can be blamed for a lot of this. The 1987 release of I'm the Man, singlehandedly, undermined nearly everything that they had accomplished and would set a precedent for the hideous and repulsive mixing of Metal with rap.

On the other end of the spectrum, there were bands that were using their lyrics to convey more serious messages but, often, messages that listeners didn't care to hear. Perhaps, it was one of the influences from Punk Rock, but the tendency to go on about corrupt politicians or televangelists was a real turn-off. Take a record like Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?, for example. Ten times out of ten, I prefer to listen to “The Conjuring” or “Devil's Island” over the title track. Some people don't care about politics, or would rather not have to think of such things while they are trying to listen to music. Others might care, but then the songs become quite dated as time goes on. For all the bands that took shots at Jimmy Bakker or the PMRC, how many of today's generation even know what that was all about? The comment on the Cold War by writing a song about nuclear holocaust is a bit more clever than being so obvious about it and making it completely irrelevant a short time later. I don't believe that politics need to be mixed in with Metal, whether it's Thrash or NSBM. However, I'm willing to concede that this may only be a personal preference.

The aesthetics of Thrash Metal also suffered. Cover art went from scenes of violence and horror to drunken band members drinking beer in front of the television. Or, often times, the artwork reflected the political nature of the lyrics. Also, in the early days, it seemed the the Metal look was more defined. In time, the basic Thrash Metal image became the standard jeans, high-top sneakers, band t-shirts and maybe leather or denim jackets. Then came State of Euphoria. Anthrax's whole image changed from guys wearing black jeans and leather jackets, with some rather serious sounding riffs, to being ridiculous clowns that wore shorts that a lot of girls would even be embarrassed to wear in public. I've always maintained that the aesthetics of an album should be a part of the overall presentation. While the bands don't all have to be trying to look evil, holding axes and chains, they should at least appear as serious as the music contained therein. In the case of Anthrax, the aforementioned album isn't really as goofy as the packaging would make it seem, but it makes it more difficult to enjoy the full experience when the band members look like they're on their way to a gay beach party.

In the late 80s and early 90s, Thrash Metal was dying. Most of the early bands were merely shadows of their former selves. Some had fallen into a rut of self-imitation and going through the motions, rehashing old ideas, while others were simplifying their sound and making radio-friendly “hits” to appeal to the mainstream. The process started before the 80s came to a close, but Metallica's Black Album certainly signaled the end, moreso than any other single release. As they completed what they'd begun a few years earlier, selling out and opting for the stadium Rock route, others tried their best to follow in their footsteps. Megadeth, Testament and Anthrax all made weak records that were more accessible and boring, trading the Thrash for mid-paced groove riffs and catchy choruses. A handful of bands opted for a more intense approach, fading back into the underground.

During the years that Thrash was beginning to become stale, just before the decline, Death Metal had filled the vacuum that existed in the underground. The cycle repeated itself, as the classic period of Death Metal coincided with the stagnation and eventual collapse of Thrash. And, of course, once Death Metal had run its course and followed the same pattern that Thrash had, albeit on a smaller level, the Second Wave of Black Metal rose up and carried on the true spirit of the underground.

These days, Thrash Metal is experiencing somewhat of a revival. Some of the old bands have reformed and are doing their best to return to their roots, but it all stinks of modernity. As well, the retro bands that sprang up in the past decade leave a lot to be desired and have done nothing to rekindle the old flame. They may be picking up where many of the original bands left off in the late 80s, but very few are even striving to match the achievements of Thrash Metal's classic era.

Thrash Metal was born of the underground and it was meant to remain there. Like any movement that pokes its head up into the mainstream world long enough to be noticed, it became just another victim of the music industry.

On the Downfall of Death Metal (Oct. 2010)

In the shadows of the early-to-mid 1980s, a malevolent darkness fell over the underground Metal scene. While Speed and Thrash Metal were more intense and aggressive than what came before it, the First Wave of Black Metal and the early Death Metal bands created an atmosphere that was shrouded in evil, death, and darkness. This truly was a special time in music history, when the stars were aligned in such a manner that allowed for so much creativity and the spawning of various new sub-genres.

Inspired by the early Thrash and Black Metal bands, Death Metal came forth in the mid-80s, and little did anyone suspect that it would grow as large as it did. Many look to Possessed and Mantas / Death as the first Death Metal bands, though the lyrical content, aesthetics and execution of Seven Churches links Possessed much more strongly to the likes of Venom, Slayer, Bathory and Hellhammer. With Possessed belonging to the First Wave of Black Metal, this leaves Mantas / Death as the true beginning of pure Death Metal. In a short time, many other bands formed and those earliest groups forged ahead and represented the true spirit of this new sub-genre of Metal. Morbid Angel, Necrophagia, Xecutioner / Obituary, Massacre, Autopsy and many more joined in establishing the core elements of Death Metal. In time, the plague began to spread and other bands, some of which were playing Thrash or Grindcore, were soon drawn into the ranks (including Nihilist, Pestilence, Carcass, Napalm Death, Carnage, etc.).

Death Metal grew in popularity, throughout the late 80s and into the early 90s. All of the best albums of the sub-genre were released between 1987 and 1991, roughly. However, just as thing seemed to be going well, the same problems that befell Thrash Metal began to afflict the scene. Record labels saw dollar signs and signed a slew of uninspired bands, many that were merely taking influence from their contemporaries rather than from those bands and the ideology that had served as the original source. Instead of having a handful of talented bands making great albums, legions of mediocre and unimaginative bands were churning out rehashed music that had little passion or creativity. One of the problems was that many bands were all aiming for the same sound as those that they looked up to, leading to a situation where everything seemed to sound alike.

The two most popular places to record were Morrisound Studios in Tampa, Florida and Studio Sunlight in Stockholm, Sweden. After the release of Entombed's Left Hand Path, most Scandinavian Death Metal bands wanted to record at Sunlight in an attempt to get the same sound. And, more times than not, Tomas Skogsberg succeeded in giving the band the general sound that they were looking for. As a result, most Swedish Death Metal from this period sounds very similar. Bands even traveled from Norway and Finland to get this type of production. In the states, the problem was even more detrimental. The cause for homogenization was lead by Scott Burns, whose awful production jobs sucked the life out of nearly every record that he ever had a hand in. Death, Obituary, Morbid Angel, Deicide, Malevolent Creation, Cannibal Corpse and dozens of others were all ruined by this man's vision of what Death Metal should sound like, as well as their own bad choice of seeking out this particular studio. Bands even traveled from abroad to get this awful sound, such as Napalm Death and Pestilence. So many good Death Metal albums were all reduced to non-threatening, soft piles of wasted potential. Some classics, such as Blessed Are the Sick, manage to shine despite this, but imagine how much better the record could have been if it only the band had gone to another studio or not suffered the ineptitude of Scott Burns. Thrash, Black and Death Metal are supposed to have a raw sound, and each loses a great bit of atmosphere as the production techniques slowly smooth away those rough edges.

Another problem was branching out and becoming too progressive. This went against the very essence of Death Metal. In the beginning, they were conjuring the essence of death, and you can hear this in the old albums. From Scream Bloody Gore and Leprosy to Consuming Impulse and Slowly We Rot, you could almost smell the decaying flesh and rotting graves. [In all honesty, releases such as Altars of Madness seemed to owe more to the old Black Metal bands, in atmosphere and content. Similarly, Deicide did very little to invoke a feeling of death. As many in the Norwegian Black Metal scene said, they were more like a commercial Black Metal band, as their message was Satanic and had nothing to do with death, more or less, yet they utilized the typical Death Metal sound.]

As time went on, even the more established bands began changing their style. Some were obviously tired of playing Death Metal, seeing that the sub-genre had certain limitations that did not allow them to grow as musicians. So, rather than give up their bands and move on to something else, they began to allow different influences into their albums. Their "Death Metal" riffs were boring and generic, and were then fused with technical nonsense, or more traditional Metal riffs and arrangements, often creating more upbeat and accessible music than they previously had. One need look no further than Death for one of the earliest examples of this. Of course, other bands came along with this idea from their beginnings, such as Atheist. It would be difficult to call such a band pure Death Metal, as there's really nothing deathlike about the atmosphere that they created. The same can be said for many others. With so many bands ripping each other off and using the same studios and producers, it's no wonder that some ventured outside the boundaries of the sub-genre in an attempt to make themselves stand out as something “unique”. However, injecting jazz influences in Death Metal... there is no excuse for this. It seemed that the progression away from pure Death Metal first took place in Europe, as many bands from Entombed and Tiamat to Amorphis and Sentenced all drifted to different territory.

Keeping with bands that were exploring beyond their established borders, we come to the so-called "melodic Death Metal" bands, such as early In Flames and Dark Tranquillity. It is my view that this label is quite erroneous. While it is melodic, there's little about this that should link it to Death Metal, other than the harsh vocals. And, in fact, a lot of these bands had vocals more similar to the Second Wave Black Metal bands. For example, Joakim Göthberg, was briefly the vocalist for In Flames, after a two-album stint as the vocalist for Marduk. Many of the vocalists for these bands utilized a raspier sound, having little in common with the predominant style of the period, or that which preceded it. Musically, these bands had much more in common with Iron Maiden and Helloween, than with Death or Obituary. [While At the Gates is often thrown into this group, I would say that they gradually evolved (or devolved) to that point, over time. There's nothing melodic about Gardens of Grief, and while The Red in the Sky is Ours does utilize more melody, it's more closely related to the first Burzum album (with the exception of the drumming).] And, of course, rarely did any of these "melodic Death Metal" bands reference topics of death or darkness and, of course, lyrical content is very important.

The lyrics of the early bands were mostly inspired by horror films or serial killers, or even simply ruminations on death itself, in a more serious tone. But, in time, the Thrash influence took over, and many bands were writing lyrics with a more political nature or, in the case of Death, actually espousing positive thinking or using lyrics to address mundane worldly matters such as media slander or trash-talking ex-members. This was completely ridiculous and boring and had no place in Death Metal, whatsoever.

Then there were bands that didn't necessarily add the wrong kind of influences or topics, but they approached it incorrectly. By 1992 or so, the dominant sound of Death Metal was fast becoming more percussion-oriented. Quite often, the songs were driven by the drumming rather than the guitar riffs. The guitars were thicker and had more of a bass-like quality, with much less treble. Even the vocals were getting deeper and deeper. With vocalists such as Chris Barnes of Cannibal Corpse, Joe Ptacek of Broken Hope and Frank Mullen of Suffocation, it got to the point where the vocals took on the 'cookie monster' qualities and really stopped adding anything to the atmosphere. Even vocalists that had better styles, like David Vincent and Glen Benton began going deeper and deeper, losing the very qualities that made them stand out.

This deepening of the vocals was somewhat tied to this retarded concept of 'brutality'. By the mid-90s, it seemed that most of the Death Metal bands were trying to out-do one another, by being faster or more technical with more drum fills, time changes and riff cycles, with deeper and deeper vocals, or the ever-gimmicky dual vocalists, with one deep and one high-pitched. If the bands weren't bringing in Grindcore influences and making senseless noise, they were going in the other direction and trying to cram in so many riffs that Darkness Descends begins to look primitive and simplistic. As well, the overwhelming mindlessness of 90s “groove” began to take over as well, with bands focusing on catchy rhythms and breakdowns, further killing off the sub-genre and also making it appeal to a wider audience of mouth-breathing parasites.

To use an example, think of the A Nightmare on Elm Street series. The first one had a great concept and a creepy atmosphere. It looked pretty good, but was gritty enough to add to the ambiance and the story was well-written. The second one was, obviously, inferior but still not too far off. With the third installment of the series, it was now purely for the mainstream. Rather than seeming ominous and threatening, Freddy Krueger had become a stand-up comedian. In the original, he spoke very little and when he did, it was something like, “I'll kill you slow”. By the third film, he's smashing a girl's head into a televisions screen and saying, “Welcome to prime time, bitch”. The character turned into a joke, and there was nothing creepy about any of the sequels. There may have been “cool” scenes and interested kills, but the atmosphere had been completely lost. The same is true for Death Metal.

Bands may write a decent riff or two, but the atmosphere and feeling has been forsaken. By 1997-98, bands like Suffocation, Nile, Cryptopsy and Opeth were all quite popular, and not a single one of them embodied the spirit of what Death Metal was to me, so I washed my hands of it. Anytime that I've heard any modern releases, in the decade-plus that has followed, it never failed to disappoint. Nothing new is being done, rather, nothing that adds anything positive. Old bands are still churning out worthless garbage and cheapening their legacies, while new bands are ripping them off and contributing nothing. The original principles that Death Metal was founded upon were long since forgotten. This was something that many others realized long ago. The musicians in the Norwegian Black Metal scene, for example, recognized that Death Metal had become something trendy and designed for the unintelligent masses as early as 1991-92, and began to rebel against this.

In the end, a sub-genre that was founded on the principle of creating and maintaining an atmosphere of death and darkness became sterile and, ironically, lifeless. That's the real death in Death Metal. It has no feeling whatsoever, just mechanical noise. Riffs and songs are interchangeable, as are the bands themselves. There hasn't been a relevant Death Metal release in well over a decade, and there's no reason to believe that this will ever change. Death Metal will continue on as a parody of itself, with very few of the musicians or fans even realizing it. It's a frustrating situation, but how can one even argue for the integrity of a sub-genre that was sold out by one of its own creators, almost two decades ago?