Is it normal to have a hatred of extreme metal?

I cannot stand, and will never understand the appeal of, extreme metal. By extreme metal, I'm talking about genres like black metal, death metal, screamo, grindcore, deathcore, and anything similar to these genres.

The reason why I hate these genres so dearly is because despite the fact that they are extremely difficult to compose and perform (as I'm been told numerous times by devout metalheads), they are almost entirely devoid of everything that I love so much about music.

Not only is extreme metal atrociously noisy, intensely overblown, and laughably unfocused, it's also shamelessly, infuriatingly pretentious. These genres demonstrate the fact that they artists are talented at what they do, but they waste this talent by churning out the most excessively chaotic music in existence. As a result, it's impossible for me to appreciate the great deal of talent that goes into making extreme metal, because the resulting music is a mindless, juvenile cacophony.

I like music that's melodic, atmospheric, creative, varied, adventurous and most importantly, digestible, and these traits can be found in a wide range of genres, including certain subgenres of metal (like classic, progressive, symphonic, power, gothic and speed; I'm not a metalhead, but I really like these genres). But whenever I try to listen to extreme metal, nothing at all grabs me. There's nothing to like. The vocals are obnoxiously harsh and disturbing, the instrumentation is way too fast to follow (to the point where it often sounds like the audio of drills and jackhammers) and overall it just sounds absolutely ridiculous and impossible to take seriously. And it looks even more ridiculous, almost childish, whenever I watch it being performed.

What makes me hate it even more is just how surprisingly popular it is. Extreme metal, despite being underground and totally uncommercial, is growing evermore popular thanks to the rise of metalcore and deathcore, and it baffles me. Just recently, a little girl on America's Got Talent showed off her black metal screaming ability, and now she's being worshipped by thousands of people for "saving music" and "restoring faith in humanity". Personally, all I heard was a musical temper tantrum. How can these people possibly listen to this music without wanting to shut it off? I just don't get it. I really don't get it.

It's also notoriously difficult to say I dislike extreme metal online, because doing so results in dozens of furious metalheads accusing me of having no music taste and giving me a condescending lecture on how much talent extreme metal takes and blah blah blah blah... Even if I explain some legitimate and perfectly understandable reasons for not being able to enjoy it, for example: "It's too noisy", "The vocals are too harsh" or "It's not melodic enough" I get treated as though I know nothing about music. It's a depressing situation to be in.

See why I hate it so much? Extreme metal is worshipped all over the world as if it's the only complex and diverse music to ever exist, but it certainly isn't. Any person who really enjoys the wonders of music would know this. There are countless genres with incredibly talented artists that make breathtaking music without having to rely on pretentious, mind-numbing exercises in showing off how fast they can play a guitar or how low they can growl. But many of these talented musicians get pushed aside or ignored (like Newton Faulkner for example), just because they're not extreme metal musicians, and because of this, I now have a hatred of extreme metal. I hate extreme metal more than any genre of music out there, even more than rap music in fact (my original most hated genre).

One final thing: I do have a minor appreciation of progressive death metal. At least with prog death, the musicians tend to explore more ground, due to it being inspired by progressive rock. Melodic death metal isn't too bad either, for similar reasons. And as for thrash metal, which is sometimes labelled as an extreme metal subgenre, I'm completely neutral towards it, neither liking it or disliking it.

Voting Results
67% Normal
Based on 51 votes (34 yes)
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Comments ( 38 )
  • Maya05

    Everyone has their own taste in music and it usually seems absurd when other people love a genre or musician that you can't stand. It's best to just accept that others will like things that, to you, seem absolutely stupid and pointless.

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  • justsomekidfromcanada

    I can't believe that this is voted 74% normal. You wrote 8 fucking paragraphs. 8 OF THEM. There is not one artist on earth that I hate more than you hate metal. Metal elicits a strong response from many people. It's powerful music (not necessarily angry) and it makes people feel that way as well. For me metal really taps into that primal side. I'll listen to some metal and workout and let me tell you, I feel fucking awesome when I'm doing it. There's also a lot of subtleties in extreme metal which makes multiple listening extremely rewarding.

    Honestly man I don't really think that you hate metal as much as you think you do. You're just pissed that it makes up as large a share of the music industry as it does. You make this very evident in paragraph 7. You sound just like the people that bitch about mainstream pop music. At some point you're just going to have to realize that people enjoy what they enjoy and that there's nothing you can do about it. You're rant isn't going to change anyone's mind about metal because all your complaints are really just reiterating everything that people love about metal and explaining why you don't.

    In conclusion, I don't think that hating metal this much is normal. Again; 8 FUCKING PARAGRAPHS. I sometimes wonder why some people don't get those goosebumps like I do when listening to a great metal song but then I remember that there are millions of people that love Nicki Minaj and I realize that I should just be happy that I can listen to whatever the fuck I want. By the way, hip hop is awesome. Check out outkast, canibus and wu tang.

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  • BloodRedAndTrue

    hey man, personally i prefer less melody and more grind in my metal. But theres alot of Death metal bands that have melody such as Suffocation, and theres bands that experiment with their sound and vary there sound. Gorgoroth's latest album was pretty melodic and God Seed as well. however Gorgoroths Destroyer(song and album) is absoluetly abrasive and fucked up full of sexy grind. you have to really explore the genre and build up to the grind stuff.

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  • I love extreme metal and I can explain why. I love the amount of energy and chaos it has. I'm not into the bands that play the simpler stuff. I like when it's fast and random. I even play in a local death metal band. A lot of music to me is very boring and I am actually extremely irritated by anything boring. Extreme metal suits my personality because I love chaos and hate calmness. If I try to relax I either sleep or get restless and annoyed. I read in a study non-metal fans may feel angry when listening to it but it has a reverse effect on metal fans. I think people with more hyper personalities are drawn to it.

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    • BloodRedAndTrue

      what bands are you into?

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      • Emperor, Cephalic Carnage, Cryptopsy, Nokturnal Mortum, Job For A Coyboy, Dying Fetus, Where The Dead Are, Necrophagist, Dark Throne, Dark Funeral, Burzum, Mayhem, Fintroll, Arch Enemy, Nile, Decapitated, Opeth, The Breathing Process, Vehemence, Skinless, Flesh God Apocalypse, Disgorge, Suffication, Those are some good metal bands.

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        • BloodRedAndTrue

          i like Burzum. but i hate Varg Vikernes as a person.

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        • BloodRedAndTrue

          hell yeah. check out Nails "Abandon All Life" and All Pigs Must Die "Nothing Violates this Nature" good ass hardcore. im actually going to summer slaughter and seeing Cattle Decapitation and Aeon, two good ass death metal bands

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          • cool. I'll check that out. I haven't heard Nails or All Pigs Must Die

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  • TheGodThatFailed

    Then don't listen to it dumbass.

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  • hard to compose? the guitar tabs look like binary code :P

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  • RockerGirl

    I'm watching Americas Got Talent as I am writing this comment :P I agree with you completly. I hate the genres labeled as "extreme metal" I want MELODY! Not some guy growling to instruments playing fast.

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  • disthing

    Did you have to write a manifesto? :/

    I'm not a big fan of metal. From my experience, a lot of metalheads place their music arbitrarily as the antithesis of hip hop, revel in this corny Satanic-imagery and the music is tedious to listen to. I don't find being able to play numerous guitar scales at lightning speed until individual notes are almost indiscernible makes for pleasant listening. Screaming adolescent poetry in a voice that sounds like someone puking also doesn't sound that great.

    However, I think it's perfectly reasonable that people do enjoy it, since everyone has different tastes.

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  • DolphinAngel

    You didn't have to make such a long post since no one with some intelligence will actually care since it's just a question of (music) taste which differs individually.

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  • ScooterNyne

    I like all kinds of music. from pop to jazz, to classic rock and techno. I have an appreciation for just about all types of music. They each bring something unique and creative to the table. Among them all though I have always had a special place in my heart for metal and extreme metal.

    To me, the music is absolutely gorgeous and in many cases, pure genius. Metal is very abstract and it uses a wide mixture of emotions to really create an experience that draws out your innermost feelings.

    A good example of what I am getting at here would be "Daughter of the moon" By Insomnium.
    Think of a song in another genre about lost love. The instrumentals, lyrics, and vocals often create a song that emits sadness. "Daughter of the Moon" does the same but the style in which it is done adds even more I think. The instrumentals are melodic and at the same time heavy. The vocals are harsh and it's difficult to pick up on the lyrics without really trying to hear them. This combination creates profound feelings of, not only depression and sadness, but desperation, madness, and a absence of the love that you lost. The atmosphere of the world is much darker and that's where we get the classification of black, dark, or death metal.

    So when I hear this song I can feel that, not only is he sad, but he has been driven mad and into darkness because of his lost love. Losing her has thrown his entire world into chaos. And through the bands incredible talent and unique melodic/metal style, the listener is able to feel those deep and dark feelings as well.

    And so I find metal actually very soothing. It draws out my own feeling of sadness, anger, desperation, strife, and insanity and releases them. It's a fantastic feeling to let out all those trapped emotions in a song like that.

    Of course this review is a mixture of appreciation and opinion. Everyone has preference and you are entitled to hate metal just as much as I hate Country. Not everyone is going to like the same music. It's all about what the music does for you and makes you feel.

    One last thing though about lyrics. Read the lyrics to the song I suggested while listening to it. In my opinion, Metal unlike any genre, has the most amazing lyrics. And Insomnium especially produces poetry unlike anything I have ever read. What I love is how these beautiful lyrics are almost hidden behind the voice. Behind the harshness lies something truly magnificent. Dark and mysterious.

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  • BlueJeansWhiteShirt

    I agree, makes me get a headache. I mean, how can these people be angry ALL the time? I don't exactly like music which provoke me to get emotions like anger, rage, sadness etc.
    But at the end of the day, if you like it and if it makes you happy, go for it. Just not my cup of tea.

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    • Batgal

      I do not think that music preference is always about anger. I do not listen to metal; however I have friends who enjoy it. They are no angry, and take pride in older bands especially. Somethings people are attracted to that others are not. I do not believe every metal head is full of anger and rage, but may appreciate a good Riff.

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  • Avant-Garde

    I hate that kind of metal too. I used to listen to that extreme form a few years back, but I think I did so because I was depressed and angry. That music I had on the radio didn't make me feel any better, it made me feel so much worse. One of the things I hate the most about screaming metal is that it is impossible to distinguish the lyrics. I constantly find myself worrying about the singers damaging their vocal chords. I like my music to convey emotions and to be capable of telling a story or setting a mood. I heard that kid on AGT and I don't like the screaming. The music part was the best part of the act. That kid is going to seriously damage her vocal chords by doing that. She could have a better shot at a singing career if she got some proper singing lessons and sung out of her diaphragm. I don't think its "funny" or "cute". I don't think she's bringing back a dying genre. Screamo was never good to begin with.

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  • 3rdXsTheCharm

    Everyone has their own tastes but I totally understand what you're saying.

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  • Im-A-Beast

    You are entitled to your own opinion. You like what you like and you hate what you hate.

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  • MasterOfWaffles

    I mainly listen to thrash, but I also dislike most death, and I only like one black metal band (Venom).

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  • From my personal taste, european metal tends to not suck as much as american metal ( excluding trivium)

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  • awesometodd

    Try to give some of it a try, there is a lot of shit out there but there are some really great extreme metal bands if you take time to find them. I'd recommend Meshuggah, Lamb of God, and Gojira for starters and if you want more technical ,but still musical, then Animals as Leaders, Death, Decapitated, Fleshgod Apocalypse, and Revocation. All of them are extreme but still accessible if your into heavy music at all. Oh yeah, check out the album Sunbather by deafheaven if you wan't some atmospheric metal

    I can't stand core or cookie monster vocals btw

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  • sonikdeth

    you people are brainwashed bland self absorbed careless callous contradictory sponges of worthless sound. you have no idea how bad "metal" music is for the brain. this shit just goes into your eyes and gets melted before it registers as truth, your like a hopeless blob. you don't know anything about music, you always think your opinion about other types of music is respectable in your belligerence, and all your reasons are perpetrated by denial and childish conviction. you stand your ground and think I'm just saying some shit, but I really think you are a victim of that industry and it's terribly disheartening to know that you intend to disregard that fact. you exude masculine justification, which shows your lack of compassion for women or other women. then theres your evil side, the part if you that wants women to desire hairy masculine partners. that is just sick. you have to be somewhat aware of how demented you are. just a little ? YOU SAY YoU LIKE METAL MUSIC, AND YOU CONVINCE YOURSELF THAT YOU BELIEVE IT. your like a walking instructionalized billboard on how poseurs originate. where do you get off wearing shirts that promote that absolute garbage ? those shirts ALL suck. all your records suck. I mean you are just the worst type of people. if you didn't give white people a bad name you could spend your time working with others on real psychological issues. which you can't understand cause your mind is hopped up on fast garbage. know what I mean, "dude"?

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    • char221

      Your name is totally metal

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  • I cannot stand black metal, death metal, screamo, deathcore. Not because of the sound so much as the lack of inventiveness that plagues those genres.

    But I do like some electronicly tinged variants of grindcore, the two "phantomsmasher" projects being good examples.

    Most things under the vast "noise" genres give me a boner though. I heard a "wolf eyes" record the other day called "burned mind" and was like "fuck, this fucking great!"

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  • BloodRedAndTrue

    As i get older (even though im 16) i begin liking my metal more and more straight up grind and ill probably be that way by the time im 40

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  • CheyChey

    I love metal but what I hate is metal with no clean vocals so I that's why I say I'm a fan of alternative metal. And dude that post was long!

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    • BloodRedAndTrue

      i hate clean vocals so much :(

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      • CheyChey

        Don't get me wrong screaming and all that can be awesome but just as long as its not for the duration of the whole song. For example I love how the build up in A perfect circle songs and Tool that fucking rocks coz I can hear what they're actually saying, lyrics mean a lot to me.. anyway to each his own I guess

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      • DolphinAngel

        I really love Post-Hardcore for their mix of Clean vocals and Screaming ♥

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        • BloodRedAndTrue

          i like Hardcore for the abrasive Guttural vocals and abusive guitar riffs <3

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  • DangerousPotatoGuy

    I can see your point but damnnn that was long, I also listen to subgenres of metal and extreme metal has never been thing I agree with the fact that its hard to push our preference past a certain point

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  • q25t

    You're probably just getting older. Nearly every person I've talked to over 30 where it has come up has expressed the same feelings towards electronica, more specifically dubstep. It's no criticism at all, just a biological fact that our preferences tend to be rather hard to change past a certain point.

    It's fine that it's not your cup of tea, just please don't try criticizing everyone in the genre as you in particular can't see the reason.

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    • char221

      I disagree! I'm 34 and I listen to dubstep -- the more industrial the better -- and I like harder metal than I used to (Children of Bodom, Arch Enemy, Ensiferum). I personally think it's because of things like Pandora and last.fm because I get to hear things I would have never otherwise known about. I still like all the other music I've always liked (Tull, Zep, Tool, ska, folk) but I like the hard stuff more than I did when I was younger because it's more accessible to me now.

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      • q25t

        There's always exceptions to rules. I'd argue it's a good one too, as it shows you can still adapt and can keep an open mind about things.

        It just happens to be a trend that as we get older, we become more stuck in our ways. Change is still possible, just the amount of time you've built into a certain thing sometimes makes change more difficult.

        Side note, I love Pandora for the exact same reason. Every time I try to make a new station there I find more music that I end up enjoying, sometimes even an entire genre.

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  • Abend_zersetzen_mich

    I don't care for it either, so... I don't listen to it, and I go about my day. Just chill out, ranting is bad for your health.

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  • IDiGAFi

    Quite frankly, all they do is make angry noises and try to pass it as music to angry people who will relate to it. But come on, who gives a fuck? All that rant about that stupid noise? Just ignore it. You are crazy if you think I'm going to read that.

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