Why do you think there's such a huge population of metalheads here?

[Rational-Delirium]

When I first saw the title, I thought this was a Jak II/Jak 3 thread. Not that I'm disappointed or anything, I just have a lot less to say on this particular topic. Oh well.

Because metal comes from rock, but only after extensive mining.

 

[Small Waves]

I never "got" metal. I find it plain and very limited on nuances and textures. From Metallica to Opeth to Megadeath to Mastodon to Iron Maiden to Converge to Boris, I cannot for the life of me get into metal. It's just so boring. I can only listen to so much distorted guitar, growls, and beat blasts because I get sick of it. Sometimes, when people seriously recommend me metal groups like Sunn O))) and Burzum, I think they're fucking around with me, because they're awful. If sounding like a fridge is what counts of texture, screw that noise.

So I ask you: What the hell are you people seeing in this that I'm not? I won't accept "It's just not your type of music" since I like a slew of other types of music that I once spat on at every given opportunity and found records of genres I dislike, but not for metal.

Because it's the exact opposite of Justin Bieber, Lady GaGa, and Hannah Montanna.

So are many other genres, like freak folk, drill and bass, post-rock, and instrumental hip-hop.

Also metal so qualifies as mainstream pop music it's not even funny. Metal has been dominating the top 100 charts for decades now. It doesn't appeal to as wide an audience, but it's wide enough for it to bumrush up to the top positions every now and then. The only difference is that instead of listening to average, radio-friendly pop, you're listening to below-average, radio-friendly metal.

 

[UltraParanoia]

Iron Maiden.

distorted guitar, growls, and beat blasts

Wut.


As for the rest of your post, just because you don't want to hear the "it's not for you" answer, doesn't mean it isn't the most valid one. I like a shitload of musically weird stuff, but have yet to find anything in the country or rap genre that appeals to me in the least. If the core sound of a genre doesn't appeal to you even after listening to it for a while, chances are good you aren't going to find anything in that genre that you like, no matter how fringe or random it is.

So are many other genres, like freak folk, drill and bass, post-rock, and instrumental hip-hop

I'm not entirely sure wtf freak folk and drill & bass is(but I'm sure I'll think they suck), and I'm not entirely sure when or why we started throwing "post" in front of various genres but it needs to stop because it's getting annoying.(The odd thing to me, post anything normally sounds exactly like the rest of the "pre" and current shit)

 

[Something Amyss]

Metal is one of the few genres of music that takes talent and has originality to it.

Wow, that's...That's just...

Actually, no, I'm at a complete loss for words. You don't seriously believe that, do you? You're just being facetious? Pleeeease?

 

[Something Amyss]

Nerds like metal.
Nerds like video games.

Website about video games = high proportion of people who like metal.

Probably the most honest assessment one could give. It also explains why everywhere I go has a high concentration of metal fans.

 

[brunothepig]

As people have said, there are certain similarities.
There's a feeling of epicness I get from Metal, that's certainly similar to the "in the zone" feeling when I'm destroying people in game or whatever.
However, for me I think it's a coincidence. I played games for a while before I started getting into Metal. I only fairly recently (within a few years) started appreciating games more as an art. What I'm saying is they were separate evolutions of appreciation.

 

[manic_depressive13]

Both gaming and metal have an elitist culture, and nerds like to think that they're better than everyone else when they're on the internet because they spend so much time in real life being bullied and not having friends.

 

[ClaptonKnophlerHendrix]

Because generally metalheads seem to see themselves as removed from normal society, they like to go against the mainstream. The same can be said for nerd culture, so they mesh effortlessly.
Funny though, both of them have now been absorbed into the mainstream because people think its cool to be "non-conformist".
At least, thats what I think.

 

[Ham_authority95]

Both gaming and metal have an elitist culture, and nerds like to think that they're better than everyone else when they're on the internet because they spend so much time in real life being bullied and not having friends.

I would tread lightly with comments like this....XD

 

[True Nero]

jesus.. am i the only one who thought of Jak and Daxter after reading the title.... anyone...?

 

[manic_depressive13]

Both gaming and metal have an elitist culture, and nerds like to think that they're better than everyone else when they're on the internet because they spend so much time in real life being bullied and not having friends.

I would tread lightly with comments like this....XD

Meh. I am both a gamer (obviously) and I listen to metal. I guess I figured people might get offended, but it's a sad world when people can't occasionally take the piss out of themselves.

 

[Sacman]

I'm an early 90's grunge and alternative man myself... though I listen to almost any kind of music it makes up most of my favorite bands...<.<

 

[unoleian]

I came into this thread all kinds of ready to rail against stereotypes and hate all over metal, but I really cant. I don't listen to metal as a rule....anymore. But, I used to.

I still carry a soft spot for TOOL and their meandering, progressive stylings, and I have a hard time hating anything performed by the mostly fictional (and utterly entertaining) Dethklok, but other than that, metal doesn't interest me anymore.

If my predilection for gaming has had any effect on my musical tastes, it's certainly affected my desires for music that's largely instrumental. For me, this mostly manifests in music from the electronic side of the spectrum, but I wonder if it would be little stretch for this to manifest into a greater appreciation of metal by others.

My experience with the music leads me to conclude that it is, in most respects, largely instrumental. While there are often...er, "lyrics" as well, they often are so heavily blended into the general noisescape as to simply be another part of the overall sound.

Now, I'm just randomly theorizing and not really driving toward any ultimate point here....er, never really had a point to drive whatever I said above home, but eh...I"m just going to stop writing here and push this pretty little button under the text box.....now.

 

[Azaraxzealot]

The kind of people who mostly populate the internet, and actually use it for things besides facebook, and have learned of forums and other things to do on it just in general seem to overlap with certain other interests. Its still fairly connected to nerd culture, metal culture, and also anime fans. When torrents were first getting popular fansub group were a pretty big part of what all torrents were used for. These are the kind of people who shaped a lot of the internet's culture.

Metal music isn't as mainstream, especially these days, so the internet is a perfect place for underground music to get shared and discussed. Its a lot easier to find someone else who likes death metal over the internet than in person since its quite an acquired taste. Meanwhile if you just want to find someone who likes shit on the radio you can go talk to some 16 year old girls.

here here! (on your comment of "shit on the radio" XD)
OT: because metal is awesome. period. like that guy in Saints Row 2 said "You like pop music? GO FUCK YOURSELF!"

 

[Berethond]

I absolutely hate metal. I like jazz and classical music.

You say it like you can't like both metal and jazz/classical. Listen to more metal genres you will find the those genres overlap a lot. Some of the best metal songs are based off of the patterns that originated in classical music.

I have listened to a lot of metal, thank you very much. And I know exactly how much metal overlaps with jazz and blues. (Note: Not classical music.) And I just don't care. Why would I want some derivative of a genre when I can just have the original?

 

[Nouw]

Generalization, nothing more. I love Symphonic Power Metal and only that strand of metal even though I can tolerate and maybe enjoy other metal.

 

[That_Swedish_Guy]

Guitar Hero. Hell, the title says it all.

In all seriousness though, what everyone else has said, because metal (with a few exceptions) is not mainstream.

 

[CarpathianMuffin]

Metal's a genre that I tread lightly in, despite it making up a good 70% or so of my songs. It's not that I don't particularly care for metal, I wouldn't have all those songs if I didn't like metal at all. People who get really into it just take themselves and the entire genre way too seriously, and I know very few who've been able to keep good humor about it and still enjoy it.
Both video games and metal can be seemingly infinitely nuanced and complex when done right, and can both give you quite a rush.

However, rather sadly, I know very few people who play video games who I can have an occasional good conversation with about metal. Only person who I could have those conversations with I haven't spoken to in almost half a year.
I'm just going to go with overlapping interests and leave it at that, before I get too ahead of myself.

Now, I've stated quite a few times that I'm into a lot of different genres of music. And while I enjoy a lot of metal, classical and opera will forever remain my favorite genres. I just like complexity.