Continuing the History of Metal through short (trivia packed) chapters and accompanying playlists.
Thanks for all the support of Part 1 of these ongoing series! You asked me for more, here it is :)
Work in progress, will be posting irregularly (but...
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Freaks and misfits! Anti-social weirdos! And very ugly...
The mainstream audience is often quick to pass judgement on the Metal community, solely based on our appearances. Sure, many Metal bands have used provocative album and merch designs, and fans have flocked around the more shocking artwork, but at the end of the day the Metal community is made up of a bunch regular Joes and Janes, with long or short hair, working both blue- and white-collar jobs. Metal is definitely not the only musical subculture where an outlandish imagery – dark or colorful – is celebrated...
That being said, we have to admit Metal does like to amp up the shock value to 11, especially by incorporating horror and macabre elements. Some bands have taken this to a whole different level, and have built a large – if not almost complete – part of their identity around their extravagant appearance. Real identities are often guarded this way, adding to the mystique surrounding these bands. This is not something new, as it was pioneered back in the 70's by KISS. Even as they were becoming global superstars, the musicians were able to walk around undisturbed when not wearing their trademark make-up.
We're not looking at stereotypical Black Metal bands that use corpse paint to create an eerie atmosphere, but in on this playlist we focus on those bands that are looking more to entertain, whether through make-up, masks, costumes, or a combination of all those. This doesn't mean that all these bands use their stage identities only as a fun gimmick. Bands like Slipknot or Avant-Garde cult heroes Portal use them to unleash their inner demon, an unrestrained extension of their true self. On the other hand, there is also the unashamed fun aspect of the whole thing. Especially when looking at bands that go all out like GWAR or Lordi. Sure, every persona has its over-the-top fictional backstory, but there simply are limits to how serious one can take a massive space monster penis...
At the end of the day, the music has to come first. You can create the most amazing outfits or stage presence, if the songs aren't there, the whole thing will fall apart. Even bands that are a comedy act first like Evil Scarecrow, need solid songs to make their concept work, or they would be discarded very quickly as a gimmick. The bands listed here are no gimmick, in fact: the combination of quality material and outlandish imagery and stage shows have propelled some to headliner status, like Slipknot and Manson, or more recently Ghost and Avatar!
On this playlist we bring together the best from bands that wear the term freak, misfit, or monster as a badge of pride. From old-school icons like GWAR, to youngsters like Ghoul, and a bonus spot for KISS!
Playlist:
01. Avatar: The Eagle Has Landed (2016)
02. To The Rats And Wolves: Riot (2016)
03. Mushroomhead: Qwerty (2014)
04. Lordi: Bite Like A Bulldog (2008)
05. Ghost: Elizabeth (2010)
06. Ghoul: Ghoulunatics (2016)
07. Mudvayne: Nothing To Gein (2000)
08. Marilyn Manson: Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of These) (1995)
09. GWAR: Sick Of You (1990)
10. Avatar: Smells Like A Freakshow (2012)
11. Slipknot: Heretic Anthem (2001)
12. Mushroomhead: Solitaire Unraveling (2001)
13. Marilyn Manson: mOBSCENE (2003)
14. Underlined: Within Destruction, We Rise (2012)
