Over the years, metal has substantionly been recognized as both a unique subculture and an underground movement to express not-so-mainstream emotions. Recently, however, this notion has been taken to the next level. With shows like Dethklok and the mainstream success of both the metalcore and the extreme metal genres, we are bound to have a mainstream radio station playing different kinds of extreme metal in the near future.
What would your reaction be? Would you disband your feelings for metal because you're no longer part of the "underground" ? Or would you be proud of your favorite music genre making mainstream success.
Society is constantly creating subcultures within its own grasp; however underground metal has usually only been played on local college stations. Metal is constantly evolving at an extreme rate - let's see what's in store for it as the next decade is at our doorstep.

http://www.returntothepit.com

that's what's next, and i will pretend it's not happening.

It's not going to be the same underground stuff most people here listen to. It's going to be death/black metal versions of Avenged Sevenfold.

poorly. i would react poorly

This is how I feel about it. If it was the best that metal or punk or whatever had to offer, it would never be good enough for the masses.

speaking of black metalz...YETI haz a PM.

If anyone were to stop liking metal because it's not considered "underground" anymore, or simply because it's played on the radio, is a douchebag that only liked metal for the attention it garners them for being "extreme."

if the station was legit and played good metal without and stupid pretense and without mixing in shitty avenged sevenfold core nonsense then i would be happy....but that would never happen.

good underground metal will never make it on the radio...and probably never should

LOL

so true. the reason most of us abhor the thought of "our music" reaching a mainstream audience not because we fear the loss of our kvlt underground status. It's because said music (just like punk and heavy metal in the 70's 80's) will only be palatable to a mainstream audience in a severely bastardized form. Next thing you know, one cant walk down the street wearing ones favorite tee shirts without being approached by some mongoloid with the inevitable; "DOOD, YOU INTO THAT HEAVY SHIT??!!, YA LIKE KILLSWITCH?? FECKIN GODSMACK?? SLIPKNAWT?? FECKIN-A DOOD!!"

Commerical radio stations =
Lowest
Common
Denominator

so i'm not worried about it. the mainstream has been watering down metal for years already to not much effect (depending on who you ask...i don't really give a shit either way)

So do you listen to metal because you like it, or because of its social status - or rather, lack thereof?

I would say most people listen to it to feel like they're part of something unique and different than what is usually considered "norm" in society.

i would say most people listen to it because it rules.

i can say for a fact that Yeti REALLY likes metal and for all the right reasons.

also, good art and bad art is as clearly defined as 'underground' and 'mainstream' and that has never changed.

i would yawn and continue to listen to what i like while ignoring the rest of the crap out there, regardless of mainstream/underground status. i've matured past whining about mainstream people liking bands that i like. i have bigger things to worry about than what kind of people like my favorite bands.

Oh, but it has. Clearly this is only a modern concept. Looking back at the Renaissance, one will notice that the best musicians and artists were sponsered and hired by the ruling class or the church.
Because of the number of bands and/or artists that are "struggling" in modern society, one could make this argument. Mainstream stuff is what appeals to the most people, in a general sense.
Democracy at its finest.

ok, i was only thinking in modern terms...

asshole.

Clearly I have one. DO YOU?

dude i just posted from the shitter at work. don't underestimate me!

Does "it" really rule? In what sense? Does it rule because it makes one feel like they're part of an underground scene? Or does it rule musically?
Metal is full of mindless sheep. It's up to you to decide the reasy why you like metal or not. Being played on mainstream media waves would be a landmark in extreme metal.

..But for the worse or for the better?

Black and death metal are so close to rock in the 00s that there's no point worrying.

Worrying about what?

1971 = Arguably the year Heavy Metal was born. Black Sabbath's s/t album was released in this year (alongside of proto-metal bands and the beginnings of prog.)

2011 = Perhaps no better way than to celebrate the 40th anniversary of metal with an extreme metal-dedicated radio channel?

40 years of what? Of being underground? You can't stay underground forever.

We still keepin' it real, so fuck all ya'll jive talkin' white boys!

Only Satan and disco are real!

I would love it.
my stock in ascendancy pictures would skyrocket!

yes..."it" really rules. in the sense that it sounds awesome to my ears and puts a huge shit-eating grin on my face. it is pure 100% enjoyment. fuck a scene

Hopefully more hot black metal chicks!

BE RACIALLY BLIND OR YOU'RE A PUSSY!

The quality - and availability - of pussy would skyrocket.

As long as it was something of a meritrocacy, exposing the right bands with the right attitudes / messages (think "Altars" + "Blessed" ara Morbid Angel, old Samael, present bands like DsO, Urfaust and Watain), I think this could be a very effective - and timely - antidote to your typical, vapid adolescent "I hate my Dad" butt-rock that is so appealing to a particular demographic and keeping stations like WAAF and WCCC afloat. Such bands - if able to weather the underground to aboveground transition with integrity and ideals intact, could fully deliver on the empty faux-rage promises of those who came before. The true Gospel Of Satan would trounce manufactured angst and Rock and Roll might legitimately be a dangerous force once again. Even those fairweather fans who latched on for any sort of "trend" factor would have at least a "seed" planted in them, if not be changed forever. Hell, GG might even rise from the grave.

I think it might be more accurate to say "music that was sponsored by the church and ruling class is by far the most accessible to us today."



As far as the thread goes: I don't listen to the radio and wouldn't care much. It'd be kind of weird if a ton of tourist types started coming to shows though.

i think part of the appeal of "black/death metal" is that we're NEVER going to hear bands like profanatica and corpse molestation on fuckin kiss 108. just because theirs the occasional hate eternal videoon mtv2 on at 2 in the morning on a tuesday night doesnt mean this will change.

isn't that already ahppening with Deathcore?

more like fat metal chicks.

and to answer the original question: considering that I'm not the biggest death metal fan, and even less of a black metal fan, so if either were played on mainstream radio, I wouldn't really care...especially considering the only radio I listen to is sports radio in the first place

but to be simpler, I like what I like, no matter how popular...so it wouldn't bother me anyways

The first Black Sabbath was released on Friday the 13th, February 1970; in the US in May 1970 by Warner Bros. Records. Get your history on.

Master of reality here.

suprisingly i listen to less metal than i used to (despite that i drum in a thrash band)

the perfect radio station would play things like leadbelly, NWA, and nuclear assault back to back

I would say, "Shit."