Classical Metal And Metal Philosophy

When I was in school, heavy metal was hitting its apex in the 1980s. It was a golden age for bands like Metallica, Judas Priest, Motorhead, Iron Maiden (and before them Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin etc.) - to name but a precious few. While I never really latched on to it, a couple of my buddies were metalheads.

Iron Maiden had the wickedest cover albums. I remember when my friend bought Number of the Beast and we took it home to listen to it. Intense stuff.

The prevailing perception among its detractors - in their infinite linear thinking - was that they were all satanic, nut cases hastening the fall of civilization corroding our youth. The harsh, relentless sound of the music was also extremely hard to connect to. Slayer wasn't exactly something comforting to a parent's ear. It was linking the "sound" to the "content" if you will.

Yet, as a music fan knows, the lyrics of many of these bands are exactly the opposite (in some cases anyway) of what we believe them to be. There's a subtle sophistication to the music. Many are thoughtful, lyrical and poetic, and frequently question man's condition. They sometimes satirized and used the devil to make their point. Few were satanic for its own sake. They were too clever for that. Another thing about metal bands, as is the case with Bruce Dickinson and members of Metallica, is some actually are classically trained musicians and singers. One band, Apocalyptica from Finland, has classicaly trained celloists.

Indeed, there's even a sub-genre of metal called 'Symphonic Metal' where bands (like Therion for example) fuse metal with orchestras.

Here's an awesome post where a classical musician discusses heavy metal singers including Dickinson and Ronnie James Dio.

If you love music go and read it.

Which made me think about libertarianism and anarchy and all other "fringe' philosophies. Although I'm convinced libertarianism is a state of mind and can never really ever be a viable political option. If it were, it means it would have to work within the confines of the existing system which is simply hostile to libertarian thought.

If you listen to people on the outside looking in try and describe these foreign outlooks, it's not unlike what we've heard people say about heavy metal. They fail to capture or consider the magnificent layered subtle aspect to it.

It's a bit of a "if it's not on the ballot or on TV or on the radio" disease that drives people's opinions. Liberalism (ugh) and conservatism (yeesh) are not the only options. The narrative make you believe that but they aren't.

I think we fail to give full thought to other philosophies outside our own.