Is metal dying?

Couldn't find it when I used the search function.

Now that that's out of the way, I was listening to the Classic Metal Show podcast, and they were discussing whether or not true metal was dying in the mainstream. They figure the cause for this is because of the lack of new movements in the metal community (ie. NWOBHM, 80's Glam, Underground thrash, etc). They said that once Priest, Maiden, Sabbath and other great old bands finally are gone, what will we have left? If you think about it, the only new real metal bands that have had some kind of staying power of the last 15 years are Godsmack and Disturbed (their words). The only other band they thought that could stay popular would be Slipknot, but their music is much too extreme for the mainstream. It's a little hard to summerize an hour long clip, so....

http://www.theclassicmetalshow.com/interviews/CMSEndOfMetal061408.mp3

Thoughts?

Nope...never

No

I actually think so as much as I want to believe true metal is a happening thing these days. Even the bands like Ultimatum that keep the older sound are not becoming as popular as when those syles first came out.

Not at all. There are lots of young bands that are keeping the classic
metal sounds alive, like Black Tide and The Answer. Metal never dies,
it only rusts.

Yea it's shagged, it's like the dog that goes missing, you keep telling yourself the 3 legged blind bastard's coming home, but in reality when he and your old man went for that stroll down the back field one evening and only the auld fella came back you knew deep down that Patches was f*ucked.

In reality, when Grave Digger & the likes hang up their walking aids there will be bands that will take over, to say that any of the newer generation of bands will succeed to the heights of Maiden etc.... would be a hard call, I personally can't see it myself I don't see all these newer bands like Gama Bomb, Pitiful Reign & Bonded by Blood ect.... making a big impact, will they be at it in 10 years ? maybe they will, but will they have achieved the acolades of those that passed before them ? Nope. Times are changing.

RIP Patches.

Classic metal will never die. I think it just seems like it's dying in some places, depending on where you live; classic metal's popularity varies across the globe (not to mention with trends over time).

For instance, I don't think classic metal has ever lost popularity in most of Europe. Just look at the number of, the attendances at, and the performing artists at all the metal festivals there. Also, younger metalheads are emerging more and more, keeping the music and its values alive. I'm only 20, and there are also many much younger members on this board. The interest will always be there.

Metal ain't goin' nowhere, my friend.

Tall Tyrion wrote:

Metal never dies,
it only rusts.

And even then it's more dangerous!

get_the_firehouse wrote:

I don't think classic metal has ever lost popularity in most of Europe.

I meant to say America, but you're right. Metal will always thrive in Europe because they aren't changing musical tastes every five years. America is a different story though.

Nope - it's more popular than it has been in years!

Regardless of whether or not there are great new metal bands out there, they will never touch the classic bands, in terms of staying power and legendary status. Nor do I think any band ever will.

To be honest, (hold those stones)

I really don't care.

Generic, classic metal has bored me for years. If it doesn't have something "extra" like symphonic touches, gothic influence, punk attitude, etc, I get bored after about 3 or 4 songs.

(OK, let those stones fly!)

Dying!!!


It's oversaturated with new bands, which is either good or bad. Depending on the way you look at it.

I do go with the latter though.

Bah!

True the mega bands/mega sales won't happen again, but I'm happier with the metal being put out now than at any time ever. Such diversity and skill.

Again? You have no idea how many times I've seen metal "die". It ain't gonna happen. I think at this point that these trendy social commentators who see music(s) as a series youth driven fads are more passe than any genre of music is. They lack perspective. After 50 years of rock I think we've learned that both the bands and their fans have a lot of staying power. A case in point is the "Rockfest" tour that they have in a cornfield every year near here. I was amused to see that they've added a virtual "Lollapalooza" night to they usual greybeard (Boston etc.) line-up. They've got Stone Temple Pilots, Goo Goo Dolls, Godsmack, and others. Grunge was about as trendy a genre as ever came along; but it's now matured into a venerable tradition like any other. It still has fans. Nu-metal will be the same, so will Euro Power metal. Ebb and flow, the passing of generations, stylistic evolution, yes. But people keep over-reacting to that. Metal will continue to re-invent itself. It's here to stay.

Imho, it will always be ther in some form or another. As long as there are true metal bands and true metal fans, it will never die. In fact, I think that there is some kind of reemergence going on with young kids listening to classic metal and new metal bands and older metalheads doing the same. Also, the reissue of older metal albums and number of people collecting vinyl seems to be part of a rebirth of sorts. Peace.

xyz wrote:

they were discussing whether or not true metal was dying in the mainstream.

Who cares if it dies "in the mainstream?" Mainstream acceptance is what "killed" metal in the early 90s during the Rise of Seattle. Of course it didn't really 'die' then either, except in the eyes of MTV viewers and Entertainment Weekly readers. It went underground, which is where it came from, and where it truly belongs anyway.

Metal doesn't need the "mainstream" and it never will!!

In my view, mainstream acceptance helped to "kill" metal in the 80s.

Exhibit A: Poison

If metal dies, does it become "death metal'? Just a thought. And I'm outta here...!

Metal will never truly die.

Leatherface wrote:

If metal dies, does it become "death metal'? Just a thought. And I'm outta here...!

pretty profound thought. You might be on something there!

who cares if it's dead or not? it probably has been since 85, but i still don't give a sh*t.

If something lives within our passions, how can it ever be truly dead?

But, I think the commentary that began this thread is - "Will there ever be bands like JP, IM, Saxon, BS, etc., that make classic million selling albums that appeal to ALL metalheads"? Probably not. Too many sub-genres to unify metal.

as long as i still listen to it, i don't care if people think its dead or not....

I thought metal died in the 1990's?