Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey

I just saw this documentary tonight and it is pure gold. Having been a recreational user of the more pop sounds of metal in my youth (early Led Zep, Metallica, AC/DC), I decided to check this out. I had been looking forward to this all week. In fact, my friend Ashalyn could see the delight in my glistening Satanic pupils when I met up with her and fiancé, Tim. Afterwards, Ashalyn told Tim (who plays in the Toronto death metal band, Slit, Writhing Elizabeth) and me to go home, calm down and then compare notes tomorrow. I’m still so revved up, I sat on the streetcar home unable to wait to get my hands on Metallica’s symphonic metal masterpiece, S&M. I have renewed interest in metal these days, and am going to spend the rest of the night downloading old metal faves onto my iPod. Metal is the answer to tomorrow!

There’s something to be said about good metal. I admire the virtuosity in the entire operation- whether it is the solid graphic design in band logos, the dedication to fashion or most importantly, how well the musicians play their instruments. I appreciate the whole punk movement of making music without having the skill and technique of a concert pianist, but the classically trained musician in me just screams “GODDAMN, I LIKE IT WHEN PEOPLE CAN PLAY THEIR INSTRUMENTS WELL!!!”

I can remember fondly the essay I wrote in high school comparing Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring” with Metallica’s “Sad but True”. Both are amazing and hold so much that’s true with classical music and metal. Ah, the story of my life, high art colliding with what’s apparently low. Check out: http://www.metalhistory.com.

Double devil horns out,
Charlene