I really can't blame anyone for hating metal when they get their exposure from headbanger's ball. Understand that true metalheads don't call most of that shit metal. Most of it's there just to sell an image. Most real metal is way underground. You really have to look around to find the good stuff since it's an extreme artform that most people can't appreciate. Chances are that the mall won't carry any good metal except for bay thrash (basically just metallica and megadeth, and even there you have to know what you're looking for.) Instead of giving you a rundown of all the awesome metal bands out there, I'll give you some reasons to be intrigued.

1.True metal is based around a philosophy that one should take action to remake the world as one sees fit. The best example the the phenomenon of black metal. At its beginnings, it was not so much a music genre as an underground social movement, that centered around several bands in Norway such as Mayhem and Burzum. The satanic imagery was used not so much as a litteral reference to Satan as a symbol of the counteraction to Christian culture. The goal of these bands was litterally to rid Norway of Christianity and return it to its pagan roots. People connected with the band did indeed burn churches, but it was not for shock value, it was what they believed in.

2.Much true metal is more technically involved than any other music except for classical and real jazz. Obviously the drums and guitars and very fast, but also death metal is strenuous for the left hand because of the number of diffent notes being played and the unusual orders they come in. Black metal is very layered and harmonic and requires a good understanding of scales and modes. Usually the keyboard parts are very complex. The drumming is also complex, and not just fast, especially with math metal, which is often very syncopated and some bands such as Meshuggah use polymetrics to create an extrordinarily disjointed sound which is difficult for almost anyone to follow. Also the melodic singing is more demanding than most types of music, and even the growling vocals and more difficult to do convincingly than you might imagine.

3.There is more diversity in metal than most genres, everything from the soaring symphonic arrangements of bands like Nightwish and Sonata Arctica to sheer noise and aggression to the barely controlled chaos of the Dillinger Escape Plan to the folk awesomeness of Finntroll and everything in between.

In short, true metal is not about pretense like most of the modrock and fashioncore popular today. Yes, there are some shitty metal bands out there, but if you can find the ones that are there because they believe in themselves and have real talent, you may really start to appreciate them.

Contrary to about 400 of the definitions already listed here, Heavy Metal has nothing to do with Marilyn Manson. Heavy Metal is a genre of music inspired by American Blues music, in which people began to exploit the characteristics of the electric guitar to create louder, more discordant sounds. Heavy Metal is characterized by fast tempo, agressive rythm, and grandoise lyrics, often involving such themes as drug abuse, death, or political issues.

A type of music that most people like better than rap, according to thumbs up/down votes in the rap and heavy metal catagory. see for you self

Probably the most controversial of all rock music for its lyrics and image. Its loud, aggressive music and characterized by the electric guitar play the central role in the music backed up with vocals, drumming and base. It branched off of psychedelic music and blues rock in the 60's. The original heavy metal band is no doubt Black Sabbath and it has been going on for 30-35 years.

The idealogy of the music is very romantic which means it is a praise of imagination, emotion and fantasy. Another central theme heavy metal obsessed apon is chaos which involves mental illness, confusion, war, hell demons and what not. Bands go at this theme to find excitement within it or deep personal and emotional involvement or it can be the band reflecting on the human condition from the outside. Finally, the prime reason of its controversy is its anti-Jeudo Christian imagery and themes like Satan, hell and evil. Like written earlier, metal bands make songs about evil because it goes back to chaos. Also, Jeudo-Chrisitanity is the very foundation of Western civilization and making negative (or anti) songs about it means it is the ultimate rebellion. She further explains why they make songs about evil to question society what is really profane. Yes, but there are still bands who use satanic imagery simply as a gimmick to look rebellious or simply just having fun being offensive. There are some themes of hedonism themes (sex, drugs, rock & roll etc) as praise or sometimes negative criticis...

Pretty much everyone who bashed metal here has probably only listened to false bands like Slipknot. Most of the definitions about how metal sucks were extremley biased. Because I'm bored, I'm going to dissect this bullshit definition.

"Can you sing about something else besides Satan?"
Groups like Nuclear Assault and Sacred Reich sang about the government and war. In fact, I don't even think those bands sing any songs that go like "HAIL SATAN!". There's other bands who sing about that too. I've also heard many other metal songs about ancient Egypt, medievel times, etc etc (most notabley with Iron Maiden)

"Can you sing at all?"
Rob Halford can hit a 5th octave. Nuff said. Oh and I also suggest Iron Maiden, Edguy, Dream Theater, Hammerfall, Blind Guardian, Helloween...

"Can you not be such goth fucktards?"
Goth fucktards? Leather, spikes, and chains are hardly gothic. Gothic metal is it's own genre, and I'm not referring to "z0mg im so gawthik" bands like Slipknot and Korn, I'm talking about bands like Type-O-Negative, Paradise Lost, etc.

"Can you focus more on music and maybe write some non-retarded lyrics and maybe get someone who can actually sing to sing them?"
Again, using Iron Maiden as an example, alot of their songs are about history, and they aren't the only ones who do so...and refer to the list of bands above who can actually sing.

"Can you make it a little more normal and a little less like goth vampire shit?"
Refer to what I said about gothi...

gold, lead, platinum, mercury, etc...

An excellent animated movie based on the Magazine. The original far outshines it's sequel, Heavy Metal 2000.

A genre of music that evolved from rock in the late 70s and early 80s.

Is characterized by heavily distorted guitars, giving them a deep, rough sound, which is where the "heavy" part came from; powerful drums, and thick bass. Usually includes very complex guitar work and amazing solos.

Black Sabbath is often considered the original heavy metal band. Bands like Metallica and Iron Maiden are considered the perfectors of the genre, and pioneers of the overall 80s metal scene.

Over the years, it has evolved into several subgenres. The most popular one with metalheads is thrash metal, but there are several others such as power metal, doom metal, black metal, death metal, etc.

The most recent subgenre that's spawned in today's modern scene is nu metal. This subgenre has basically the same characteristics of traditional metal, except for the fact that guitar solos are very rare, if not included at all. This has caused many metalheads to look down upon it as "shit", "poser metal