Go the heavy metal way
In a country where film music is made for the masses, heavy metal listeners or metal heads (as they like to call themselves) have their own league and it is continuously growing. Metal has a unique way of making its presence felt and connecting to the youth. For some, metal is not just a genre but a way of living, one that lends them the power to defy the frailties of the society and make a difference. For some it is an easy get away from worries and concerns of life. For some it is the sheer aggression and the infectious energy which makes metal all the more metal.
“Metal is something I can relate to and there’s a song for every mood. Metal has this kind of emotional energy that can’t be described, it is the metal feeling” says Sahil. Also, it has a sense of rebellion attached to it which is one reason which makes it popular among youngsters. “Many people whom I know got into metal in their teens, the angry young men you know… (laughs). Well I think the best part about metal is that we can make ourselves heard, literally and figuratively” he adds.
Despite being a popular genre, heavy metal has many misconceptions clinging onto it. For instance, people who listen to it are often considered satanic, drug addicts or criminals. “There is one section that sadly blots the entire reputation of metal fraternity but then that exists everywhere, doesn’t it? Why associate ONLY metal to drug addicts?” questions Devesh, an engineering student.
Also, some people consider it to be plain nuisance with absolutely no musical substance. Bharat, another metal head explains, “People think metal has no meaning and people just scream and its all crap but I say metal is something very very tough coz you need to make music out of noise! It is one genre which has one of the fastest usages of instruments and volume is mind blowing”
"Stay metal". Credit: Rohit Nair
Coming to the rock scene in the city, there is a tremendous increase in the number of bands that have mushroomed in the past decade and have carved a niche for themselves. “Compared to Bangalore and Mumbai which are considered the major “metal places” Hyderabad has a long way to go but things have certainly improved over the years” says Rohit Nair, lead guitarist of an upcoming band.
In the end, it’s all about finding the right opportunity and utilising it. Sometimes, if a band is really good, pubs and lounges hire them on a contract basis and for upcoming bands it is a lot of encouragement along with fame and money. Also, competitions like ‘Battle of the bands’ (organized by the Royal Challenge group in association with Xtreme sports bar) or ‘Slash’ (organized by CBIT) provide a great platform for upcoming bands. These competitions see a huge turnout of bands with tremendous potential to make it big.
Whether it is musicians or listeners, it is ultimately the language of music that binds all metal heads and like other forms of expression that human beings require for making themselves heard, heavy metal too continues in its quest to express and revolutionize. Till then as the metal heads say, Stay metal \m/
