Day 7: Metal

Running With the Devil

ch. 4 "Forging Masculinity - Heavy Metal Sounds and Images of Gender"

Robert Walser

Heavy metal, just as any other genre, is the site for creation of masculinity. Each category of music has it's own themes with are generally a staple of that genre. Most genres tend to have a specific way in which they respond to questions found in the rhetoric of masculinity. Music as a social institution tends to present ideals of masculinity  which lead listeners to pursue. This is problematic because many of the messages are conflicting and are generally very hard, if not impossible, to achieve - only leading listeners to search for other answers found in popular music, often leading them down yet another problematic path. Music presents answers to questions which are fantasy and ultimately unrealistic. In the case of heavy metal, much of its discourse revolves around masculinity as a homo-social, or homo-erotic entity. Narrative and images found in metal music videos lead viewers to believe that a true masculinity can best be found through a bond with other men. This entails a flight from the feminine; the best response to the problems and fear brought about by women. This is partially accomplished simply through the creation of music videos which contain no female characters.

"Paranoid" by Black Sabbath exemplifies this point because while it does contain some imagery of women, those images are very obscure and have a feeling of absence. This video also exemplifies the point the author makes about music videos from this genre being mainly clips of the band performing.

Very interestingly, Walser wrote that the homo-social nature of this genre and culture surrounding it can actually lead to homosexual people within it. He gave examples of metal artists who came out as gay and here is one other persons take on, and list of gay artists in metal music: Top 5 Gay Metal Artists.

She also wrote on how these bands and their music can be experienced by women. Here is one womans perspecive on how she too could relate to some of the metal music: Are You Talking To Me? Respecting Women In Metal

Many factors, more than covered here, contribute to the empowerment of men and they all lead to a very sexist attitude in heavy metal music. 

Discussion Questions: 

1. Is it possible for women to be empowered in their absence from metal music? Do lyrics and themes about how men need to find a way to cut out women, almost give them a feeling of power because they know what they are capable of?
2. Do you think music videos from this genre are almost less sexual in their imagery than popular music today? Is it just a different kind of sexual imagery?