Metal, like the Opera, has evolved from lurid melodrama to a profound narrative delivered by music and theatrics. By no means am I implying that Power Metal is not without it's allure. It exemplefies the Dionysian indulgence which defines the very genre, with a raw edge of which the polished artists of today are incapable. However, guilty pleasures such as Manowar lack something profound which can be found elsewhere, such as (for example) Amon Amarth. Early metal incorporated mythology in a campy manner, but now mythology is more than a mere gimmick. Now the myths are at the forefront, and theatrics take a supporting role (heh.)
Immortal prophecies, existential tragedies, and metaphorical fables flavor the contemporary manifestation of Metal. Viking Metal in particular is characterized by dark personal tragedies, almost nihilistic in nature. Symphonic Metal is essentiallly a modernization of ancient Operatic themes, ranging from betrayal to mercy killings to perpetual vendettas. Artist such as Nightwish have incorporated elements of fantasy into their orchestral compositions, as an onslaught of Pathos can be hard to bear without a unicorn or two to lighten the deal.
Even when the storylines themselves are not true to their origins, the themes of Metal still borrow from the mysticism of elders and ancestors. The phemomenon of Folk Metal is a testament to this fact. This musical movement features native acoustic instruments, otherwise known as "Grandpaz Guitarz", and utilizes them in conjunction with thrashy electric guitars and pounding kick-beats. Eluveitie are masters of this art, using bagpipes to accentuate the harsh melody. Such is the brave new world of metal and mythology.
Showing posts with label metal mythos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label metal mythos. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Metal Mythos Part 2: Power Metal
(333 pageviews. Half the number of the beast. Could it be a sign...?)
Power Metal took mythology and music to the next level with screaming vocals, melodic guitar riffs, and lurid lyrics. Early Queensryche exemplified this musical movement, otherwise known as Dungeon Metal. What we now consider guilty pleasures, back then were unadulterated badassery. Even established artists such as Iron Maiden had elements of Power Metal in their music. Whereas Zeppelin and others had used pre-existing storylines to inspire thier songs, Power Metal was more generalized fantasy. It was not specific characters and plots which drove this kind of music, but rather the universal motifs that these stories exemplified. Eternal struggle between righteous and wicked, vengeance and tragedy, hatred and victory... Even the more shallow aspects, such as bodacious babes rescued from grotesque beasts, had a certain degree of otherworldly significance.
However, Power Metal was unapologetically corny. In this way, it was able to reveal the Dionysian nature of Metal that a more refined subgenre may conceal. This veered off in two directions: On one hand, some artists realized how corny they appeared to the public eye, and steered their Metal in a more crowd-pleasing path. On the other hand, some artists saw an opportunity for profitable parody. Just as the modern Dethklok is simultaneously a mockery, a glorification, and an accurate portrayal, so were bands such as Savatage and Manowar. The songs were riddled with enough power screams and guitar shreds to appease the average Metalhead, while the lyrics and music videos were a blatant satire on the genre. Again, it was basically Dethklok for the 80's.
(Sorry for the abrupt ending, but I had 30 minutes to type this up in the public library. Coming soon: Metal Mythos Part 3!)
Power Metal took mythology and music to the next level with screaming vocals, melodic guitar riffs, and lurid lyrics. Early Queensryche exemplified this musical movement, otherwise known as Dungeon Metal. What we now consider guilty pleasures, back then were unadulterated badassery. Even established artists such as Iron Maiden had elements of Power Metal in their music. Whereas Zeppelin and others had used pre-existing storylines to inspire thier songs, Power Metal was more generalized fantasy. It was not specific characters and plots which drove this kind of music, but rather the universal motifs that these stories exemplified. Eternal struggle between righteous and wicked, vengeance and tragedy, hatred and victory... Even the more shallow aspects, such as bodacious babes rescued from grotesque beasts, had a certain degree of otherworldly significance.
However, Power Metal was unapologetically corny. In this way, it was able to reveal the Dionysian nature of Metal that a more refined subgenre may conceal. This veered off in two directions: On one hand, some artists realized how corny they appeared to the public eye, and steered their Metal in a more crowd-pleasing path. On the other hand, some artists saw an opportunity for profitable parody. Just as the modern Dethklok is simultaneously a mockery, a glorification, and an accurate portrayal, so were bands such as Savatage and Manowar. The songs were riddled with enough power screams and guitar shreds to appease the average Metalhead, while the lyrics and music videos were a blatant satire on the genre. Again, it was basically Dethklok for the 80's.
(Sorry for the abrupt ending, but I had 30 minutes to type this up in the public library. Coming soon: Metal Mythos Part 3!)
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