Monday, November 11, 2024

Happy Nat'l Metal Music Day (11/11)

Oh, honestly, why do you kids have to mosh and slam in pits of your own creation? Sit down!

Hard Heavy & Happy (Nico Rose)
While veterans with PTSD get all the attention, it is actually National Metal Day today, is a celebration for heavy metal fans, giving them the perfect excuse to crank up their favorite tracks and let loose.

It’s a day dedicated to the powerful music genre that broke barriers with its intense sound and rebellious spirit.

Getting its start in the late 1960s, metal music has always been a bit on the edge of the standard. And when the rockumentary (or mockumentary), This Is Spinal Tap, about a fictitious heavy metal band came out in 1984, it brought a whole new perspective to the idea of metal.

From the roaring guitar riffs of Black Sabbath to the electrifying performances of Metallica, this day unites fans across the globe. It’s time for #NationalMetalDay!

When did "hard rock" become "heavy metal"? Led Zep
The "Heavy Metal Monk" sings "the Devil's music" in Italy?

How to Celebrate National Metal Day
Surely people who are celebrating National Metal Day should take it up to 11! Consider some of these ideas for celebrating the day in a style that is filled with long hair and is super loud:

Watch This is Spinal Tap

If you’ve never seen it before, or if you have seen it dozens of times and are nostalgic for it, National Metal Day is the best day to watch This is Spinal Tap. This tongue-in-cheek film was made in 1984 and stars Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer.

Listen to Some Metal Music
Best metal band: Baby Metal?
Of course, one of the more obvious ways to celebrate and observe National Metal Day is to listen to some metal music. Perhaps go with some classic metal bands that have been around for quite some time, with songs such as these: More
What is the best metal music?
Wisdom Quarterly COMMENTARY

Sadly, heavy metal is viewed as a thing for boys. And that it may be. But in actuality, the best, heaviest, most listenable metal incorporates a female touch. Here's all the proof we need:


Hardcore punk: gateway to speed metal crossover
Why this should be so, in our opinion, is that if metal music is like very strong black coffee (or bitter dark chocolate). It sucks, but it suddenly becomes delicious for its darkness when paired with some toasty nonsense like sweet biscotti.

A little biscotti -- or sugar, or creamer, or foam -- makes coffee go a long way, like cafe latte. All dark all the time is ick, yack, hurl, a strong jolt, sure, but not exactly palatable all the time.

Add that accent and then addiction really sets in. The best example of this may be the best metal combo ever is partly Japanese Buddhist (shown above in front of Goddess Kwannon/Kwan Yin): BabyMetal!

(Stacey RPG) Japanese BabyMetal "Gimme Chocolate" reaction

Where'd you learn to scream, Alissa White-Gluz
But there are the Iron Maidens (all-female group playing Iron Maiden covers), and there's the great Alissa White-Gluz of the Agonist and other outfits, and Nina Persons doing lounge covers of Black Sabbath inspired tunes (Heartbreaker and Iron Man) with The Cardigans. (Okay, that's too much sugar for most, but all the scarier for it). There's the singer for Sentinel Beast, and Kirsten in Eternal Conspiracy. Or how about Tori Amos covering Slayer?

From The Agonist to Arch Enemy
Then, of course, there all the female fans at live shows that make live shows worth attending, and plenty of less obscure talent like that 6-year-old kid on America's Got Talent that time.

Metal has gone infinitely diverse with subgenres, so there's something for everyone, including the darkest Norwegian death metal.

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