Meaning in the Madness of Heavy Metal

Hello readers,

I have recently seen a certain video online, of a certain actor on a certain talk show asking another actor whether anyone actually enjoys heavy metal. As a huge fan of that genre of music myself, it first had my hackles raised, then my mind thinking about what it is about such a cacophonous style of sound that is so appealing to so many people.

I intend to speak of the compositional elements of heavy metal music, as opposed to the specific topics that it tends to tackle with its lyrics. Despite this, it is perhaps impossible to completely separate the genre’s often abrasive, discordant, aggressive sound, from the serious subject matter that its frontmen growl and holler about; that of broad societal injustices, personal grievances, and the facing of demons real, imagined or otherwise. After all, when tackling such dark and twisted subject matter, it wouldn’t fit the bill for the accompanying melodies to be bright and sunny. These intricate, clamouring thunderheads of sound that assault the listener are naturally that which repels the unwitting bystander, who understandably chooses to flee for less threatening climes. And who can blame them? At a first listen, it is difficult to discern any semblance of a coherent melody or structure that distinguishes music from mere noise.

However, it is precisely this challenge that, I feel, makes the heavy metal genre so much more intriguing, and rewarding, than its brethren. It is a process of toil and discovery, of exposing oneself to chaos in order to find the smallest glimmer of order within the hurricane. Then, once that slightest of handholds has been latched onto— whether a section of a guitar riff that catches the ear, or a chorus’ vocal melody that snags intrigue, or even a persistent drum fill that offers grounding within the madness— other elements begin to fall into place too, that previously seemed to have been wildly flung about like the toys of a toddler. Such songs can rarely be completely understood with one listen; one may emerge from that introduction with a frenzied, slightly bemused grin, like the windswept expression of one who has just stepped off a rollercoaster, but it takes many more listens to truly begin to comprehend exactly what the artist is trying to convey. One leaps onto the beast’s back again and again, because they know that’s the only way that they will be able to learn to ride it.

Far from being a perpetual series of exhausting struggles, however, the heavy metal listener will also begin to find that their ears slowly become more able to understand the music maelstroms that they are subjected to. They become more capable of staring chaos in the face and finding meaning within that, of facing something that seems massively incomprehensible and drawing out not only understanding, but enjoyment. Because of this, they will likely go on to seek heavier and heavier music to blast, and more and more intimidating challenges to conquer; such is the addiction of the genre, after all. Once you are caught in that particular nosedive, I regret to inform you, there is no way out but down.

The reason that I describe this process of discerning order from chaos on this website, which is ostensibly a literary blog, is because I view it as very similar to the journey that the writer embarks upon to put their ideas onto paper. As anyone who’s read a book before likely knows, human beings are complex creatures, governed by contradictions, irrationalities and prejudices, and if the minds of others are near impossible to fully comprehend, then the inner workings of our own brains are no less opaque. Throughout our lives, we are governed by an unconsciousness that is entirely impenetrable to our conscious minds, and that spews out thoughts, emotions and impulses that usually just make things more complicated— the only insights we receive into that endlessly creative and intangible aspects of our minds are in dreams, and I defy anyone to explain a dream of theirs from which they awoke with complete confidence about its meaning.

Despite this impossibility of understanding, a writer must distil the innate pulses and disturbances of their imagination into the most ordered, and consequently restricted, of mediums— language. Language bridges the gap between conscious comprehension and interior imagination, but in the process, must necessarily reduce the infinite capacity of human thought into a series of easily communicated symbols. If one hopes to be a good writer, however, they must also make sure that the cosmic wealth from which they drew inspiration is still recognisable from within this limited linguistic framework, lest their writing seems dull and insubstantial; a contradictory task indeed. And yet some manage to prevail, and through an entirely utilitarian system of communication, the reader’s entire perception of reality can be changed.

 

This, like the process of finding meaning in heavy metal music, is all down to one’s persistent effort in facing what seems like chaos, and identifying a thin, but persistent, thread of order to follow through the labyrinth. What is particularly wonderful about this task, is that the recipient can emerge with an entirely different interpretation to their fellow consumer; nebulous chaos contains an infinite potential for inspiration, after all, and as the writer can reach blindly into the chasm of their mind and pull out the gem of a narrative, the listener can find a value in a metal song at once completely different to someone else who heard the same piece, and yet no less correct. If more people were willing to face the thrill of the unfamiliar and the unknown in this manner, guided only by a faith that, through persistence, new meaning can be found, I think this world would be a lot more of an exciting place.

Thank you for reading,

The Watchful Scribe.

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