The Will Of The Underground
I often try my best to pass by comments left by other users on music websites, as some of the posts made can often be pretty unbiased, and can be generalized bashing. Unfortunately it can be difficult to escape. In fact, there’s one band in particular (who shall not be named) who gets beat up on repeatedly. Despite the fact that I’ve read very few interviews with the band, and of those interviews, the answer to many of the questions were completely inoffensive, I still read constant bashing.
I’ve actually witnessed a lot of internet sabotage going on for this band. From information websites having to lock out the subject, to never being able to access the bands website, this has in a way made the internet a weapon. I’d try and be more understanding to the situation of internet users if this band was truly offensive in some terrible way, but they’re not. From all I can see, the people playing in the band are completely benign guys who just want to play and make music.
I’ve seen their releases make it to “real metal” sites to read the reviews, and watch them get bashed in those said reviews, and I couldn't help feeling the the album was hated before it was heard. I’ve also watched this band change from release to release. This is a different case than bands that blatantly "sell out", as I don’t believe that the changes made were actually to gain any more audience, but were actually done in some way to curtail some of the harassment by the online community. Of course, this is simply a theory I have, and the band would probably completely deny it.
One could theorize that if enough people harass a band to change their style, it might just work. The band in question has gone from playing what some would consider not %100 metal (and like I’ve said before, I don’t have an opinion on that subject, you people on the internet can find a place to debate that on your own), to something considered purely metal.
It’s times like these where I take a look at some of the fans into real metal, and what we’re supposed to be standing for. Thinking for ones self. Leadership. Individuality. Those qualities aren’t just exclusive to cultures and sub-cultures in metal, so why is it that so many in the world of metal tell other people what they should be doing? It’s kind of an oxymoron to convince people to be different by telling them they should be more like someone else. It's kind of like saying "It's what all free-thinking individualistic leaders listen too!"
Metal (and lots of other independent music for that matter) could kick the world in the ass. It’s too bad we’re often too busy trying to kick each other.
I’ve actually witnessed a lot of internet sabotage going on for this band. From information websites having to lock out the subject, to never being able to access the bands website, this has in a way made the internet a weapon. I’d try and be more understanding to the situation of internet users if this band was truly offensive in some terrible way, but they’re not. From all I can see, the people playing in the band are completely benign guys who just want to play and make music.
I’ve seen their releases make it to “real metal” sites to read the reviews, and watch them get bashed in those said reviews, and I couldn't help feeling the the album was hated before it was heard. I’ve also watched this band change from release to release. This is a different case than bands that blatantly "sell out", as I don’t believe that the changes made were actually to gain any more audience, but were actually done in some way to curtail some of the harassment by the online community. Of course, this is simply a theory I have, and the band would probably completely deny it.
One could theorize that if enough people harass a band to change their style, it might just work. The band in question has gone from playing what some would consider not %100 metal (and like I’ve said before, I don’t have an opinion on that subject, you people on the internet can find a place to debate that on your own), to something considered purely metal.
It’s times like these where I take a look at some of the fans into real metal, and what we’re supposed to be standing for. Thinking for ones self. Leadership. Individuality. Those qualities aren’t just exclusive to cultures and sub-cultures in metal, so why is it that so many in the world of metal tell other people what they should be doing? It’s kind of an oxymoron to convince people to be different by telling them they should be more like someone else. It's kind of like saying "It's what all free-thinking individualistic leaders listen too!"
Metal (and lots of other independent music for that matter) could kick the world in the ass. It’s too bad we’re often too busy trying to kick each other.
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posted by Extreme Music at 5:54 p.m.
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