METALHEADS

Metalheads are a broad subculture that encompass a large variety of sub-genres including thrash metal-heads, traditional metal-heads, glam metallers. groove metallers, nu metallers and doom metallers. Since heavy metal music began in the 1970's with bands such as Black Sabbath (shown below), Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, the traditional metallers, often referred to as the "true metallers" were the first to don the fashion (black, leather, wifebeaters, cuffs, tattoos and skulls), grow the hair out (ideally into a mullet!) and show the devil horns with the "Corna" hand gesture. (see above). Metalheads are often mislabled as goths, satanists, dim-witted (think Beavis and Butthead), or punkers but these attritibutes only apply to a few subgenres as there are many extremely intelligent, happy, and non-satanic metalheads who all share the passion of busting out some mean air guitar now and then and rocking out to Metal. Heavy Metal itself is heavy riff-driven music with lots of electric guitar and bass, often very fast (thrash metal), and usually with semi-shouting to screaming vocals.

Over the years, metalheads, like most subcultures, are becoming increasingly harder to define. There are those who listen to the music but reject the image and those who embrace the image but are not really passionate about the music. The imagery portrayed in Metal can be based upon certain interests that metalheads have in common such as horror films, science fiction, occultism, politics, blood and gore imagery, weaponry (e.g. swords, knives, firearms etc) and militaria, fantasy (with particular attention to the work of J. R. R. Tolkien), and Celtic and Nordic culture and mythology. Some metalheads enhance this imagery for show (apparently Alice Cooper is an avowed Christian) and others have either naturally or synthetically disturbed minds. Regardless of the subgenre they belong to, metalheads can be very relatable and likable. I don't know anyone who doesn't make like Wayne and Garth and start headbanging when the heavy part of Bohemian Rhapsody comes on! For more metal fun rent the documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey or take the quiz on youthink.com What Heavy Metal Band are you?