Heavy metal music
Heavy Metal was developed around 1969 and 1974 from Psychedelic and Blues Rock and Classical music. The aural aspects of metal generally revolve around highly-amplified guitar distortion, fast guitar solos and harsh vocals.
Many metal bands are opposed to Christianity. The "Devil-Horns" hand signal is a common gesture made in metal culture. This is done by placing your ring, and middle finger together along with your thumb and then raising your index and pinky fingers. This is done to look like the horns of Satan.
Many bands create giant props of Satan for their concerts accompanied with flames and fireworks in order to recreate the conditions of Hell. Metal songs that promote Satanism include "By Demons Be Driven" by Pantera, and "Go to Hell" by Megadeth.
Besides Satanic criticism, Heavy Metal music has been known to promote violence, sex and suicide among youths. Glamorization of suicide can be observed in songs such as "Suicide Solution" by Ozzy Osbourne and "Fade to Black" by Metallica, while violence is promoted in songs like "Take No Prisoners" by Megadeth and "Die by the Sword" by Slayer. Metal songs with violent lyrics can be especially dangerous because they increase the amount of violent thoughts in the listener. [1]
Heavy Metal music and Spirituality
While Anti-Christian sentiments are quite common amongst the extreme metal sub genres, especially black and death metal, there are some heavy metal bands with an overtly Christian message (i.e, As I Lay Dying, Believer, Stryper) and several musicians of the genre are openly Christian, though very few outside Christian metal could be called fundamentalists. Such musicians include: Tom Araya, Max Calvera, and Dan Spitz. Some popular ensembles to this effect are Underoath, P.O.D., He Is Legend, and Norma Jean. Critics point out that Christian metal bands are making a major concession with the secular world.
Sub Genres
The following are sub genres of heavy metal:
- Black Metal
- Death Metal
- Thrash Metal
- Speed Metal
- New Wave Of British Heavy Metal
- Doom Metal
- Folk Metal
- Viking Metal
- Power Metal
- Progressive (or Avant-Garde) Metal
- Gothic Metal
- Swedish Death Metal
- Satan's Fire Metal
Heavy Metal Bands
The following artists are considered to be heavy metal:
- Metallica
- Pantera
- Megadeth
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Black Sabbath
- Rob Zombie
- Marilyn Manson
- Spinal Tap
- Opeth
- AC/DC
- Alice Cooper
- KISS
- Slayer
- Anthrax