Well, lately I've been thinking about what does you make you a metalhead.
Listening to the music? going to concerts? dressing metal clothes? some attitude?

I don't know if I can consider myself a metalhead because I do listen to a lot of bands of different genres: Gothic, Folk, Power, Symphonic, Industrial, Atmospheric, Doom, Black, Progressive and Gothenburg. But, I don't dress metal clothes, I listen to many other kinds of music, I've never been in a metal concert... So, just being a metal expert makes you a metalhead?
What do you think?

yes, i do think that being a metal expert is enough to be a metalhead..

me also, i've never been to a live concert & never dressed metal clothes...
coz metal is the thing that i like to listen for, it's not a lifestyle, and being not my life style doesn't mean am not a metalhead.. but i like it that to be a metalhead means to be consious not stupid & empty person who is like showing off as many of rap fans..!!

BTW i rarly listen for music else metal, only some pops from between the family, and classical music i adore....

it´s not about visiting concerts or dressing metal, i myself do those two things but not because i think it gives me the right to call myself a metalhead but because i enjoy it, if you dont want to and dont do so it makes you much more metal then if you wouldnt want to but did anyway

because as far as i know the spirit of metal is about going your own path and doing what you want to do!

both of you have no reason to worry about it, you listen to the music and you do so because you enjoy it, that is enough to make you two metalheads

you know you're a metalhead when you follow the trends of your scene while insisting that everyone is a conformist trend-follower except yourself.

I thought this was that old joke thread again?

Anyway, you're a metalhead when you like metal. Duh!

If you like metal, the minute you may begin to wonder "Am I a metalhead?" you become one...

I think being a metalhead depends on what the music does to you everytime you listen to any song, and in general with the other musical genres. If the music moves you, and you feel that it has some effect on you, if you follow a band that you really like and understand their sound and stuff, and if you know that you do it because you feel it rather than because you want to 'show off', then I think that's what makes you a metahead in this case, or whatever other music you listen to. Then, for me going to concerts, or dressing up, etc is just something secondary, like a complement to show that metal is a part of you. At least that's my opinion or the way I see it, I don't know if I expressed it well.

Well, in my case,

...when your ears constantly ring and you continue to listen to loud music and go to concerts w/o earplugs.

...when you have over 500 cd's and still aren't satisfied.

I've never really question this prospect before, primarily because I think it's pretty generic. There are several genres of metal, although the self-proclaimed elite metallers may say otherwise, although I'll agree and say that certain genres really aren't that metal. Therefore, I feel it is pretty much just necassary to listen to and enjoy metal in general, be it black, death, power, progressive, um.. hair/80's, thrash and so on.
Most people who are really into any other genre of music tend to cater their dressing style a least a little towards the kind of music, and the scene it holds affiliation with. So I bet a lot of people who listen to metal show that at least a bit.

I'd say my favourite genre of metal is black, but I got started with bands like White Zombie, Nirvana (indeed not metal,) Sepultura and Fear Factory (Demanufacter) and my dress style is some where between metal and goth, usually more metal I suppose. How ever, I listen to a lot of industrial, some classical and piano, and a little goth rock.

Written by -tom- on 14.10.2006 at 00:14

you know you're a metalhead when you follow the trends of your scene while insisting that everyone is a conformist trend-follower except yourself.

In most cases..this is true.

Personally I don't like the word metalhead, since I would like to be myself. I don't like to put myself in some subculture. Metalheads..annoy me. Since most metalheads have the attitude that metal is the only music there is, and that the rest of the world listen to bad music. There is so many good music out there, why limit yourself to metal?

Besides that, metalhead seems to be another subculture to fit yourself in when you have problems in showing your own identity, or just being yourself. I rather seperate myself from such people. I see myself as stronger.

That's why I call myself a person who listen to metal, and not a metalhead.

so basically, tommy tee's description explains in a sarcastic, yet kinda true way, what you have to do to become a metalhead.

I think someone knows it when they feel it in their gut. You pound on your steering wheel when listening to music in the car and headbang in your room at the computer. When you bleed it, you know it.

When you never get tires of listening ot metal, you spend all your money in going to concerts and festivals and cds... oh fuck, you know it when you FEEL it, it's that simple.

I am a Metalhead xD.

Written by -tom- on 14.10.2006 at 00:14

you know you're a metalhead when you follow the trends of your scene while insisting that everyone is a conformist trend-follower except yourself.

I agree. I follow a trend myself. I own many band shirts, wear them all the time. I own some "metal" boots, I have a leather jacket and a denim jacket with band patches on. I can be an elitist at times, in my opinion sometimes the more unknown a band is the better!

...you realise that Children of Bodom is not Death metal

But really, the day you feel the music inside you, when you realise how much you love it ... it is you and your feelings that makes you to a metalhead, when you feel that you are one then you are a metalhead.

Winter Death and Unholy_Emperor knows what they are talking about.

you're a metalhead when you prepare for the moshpit by getting spiked boots and wristbands xD
you're a metalhead when you carve a pentagram on your (insert bodypart here)
you're a metalhead when you play on fucking TWELVE
and finally you're a metalhead when you don't care if others will try to get you not to listen to metal-and you listen to metal because you like the music and not the dress style,etc.(and if you care,and obnouxsiously whine on forums about people hating metal,than thou bearest the unmistakeable mark of the poser)

Written by Warman on 14.10.2006 at 15:18

...you realise that Children of Bodom is not Death metal

That is very true, if you can tell the many sub-genres of metal apart you can call yourself a true metalhead

You know your a metalhead when you sit on the toilet and for the first time ever you poop iron or some other metal Well actually you know you're a metalhead when you listen to metal and you are very knowledgable on the topic of metal.

Well, I found really interesting Blackgir's post.
Calling you a metalhead is putting yourself in a subculture, so, it doesn't let you be yourself. Anyways, I think that listening to metal does change you in some way

Written by The Alchemist on 14.10.2006 at 19:29

Well, I found really interesting Blackgir's post.
Calling you a metalhead is putting yourself in a subculture, so, it doesn't let you be yourself. Anyways, I think that listening to metal does change you in some way

It's the same no matter whether you belong to sub-culture or not. You always follow some sort of human culture. The difference is when you join a sub-culture, you decide on your further development, instead of going "generic".

Anyway, I think being a metalhead is all about listening to metal music and having deep interest in it.

Written by Endoftherainbow on 14.10.2006 at 17:19

You know your a metalhead when you sit on the toilet and for the first time ever you poop iron or some other metal Well actually you know you're a metalhead when you listen to metal and you are very knowledgable on the topic of metal.

i listen to a lot of metal and am fairly knowledgable on the subject but i defenitly don't consider myself a metalhead. for me, the word "metalhead" simply describes a way of dressing

Written by -tom- on 14.10.2006 at 20:10

i listen to a lot of metal and am fairly knowledgable on the subject but i defenitly don't consider myself a metalhead. for me, the word "metalhead" simply describes a way of dressing

Considering how many different 'typical' ways of dressing metalheads use (compare heavy metal and black metal), it cannot describe "a way" of dressing.

no, there is a typical "metal" look. im not talking about wearing corpsepaint here. i mean, casual metal trendy stuff (long hair, mailorder t-shirts, etc)

Written by -tom- on 14.10.2006 at 20:10

for me, the word "metalhead" simply describes a way of dressing

why?

Written by -tom- on 14.10.2006 at 20:33

no, there is a typical "metal" look. im not talking about wearing corpsepaint here. i mean, casual metal trendy stuff (long hair, mailorder t-shirts, etc)

Casual metal trendy stuff includes combat, jeans and leather clothes. Do you find all those to be the same? "Metalhead" doesn't describe the way of dressing, because over the last 40 years, this sub-culture developped many different clothing styles. Many will say spikes is a typical element of metal dressing, while many metalheads won't even think about wearing them.

Lastly, metalhead look stereotype was formed by fans of metal looking alike. It's not like there was a pre-made clothing style which was totally metal from the beginning of the universe. So the word refers to metal fans, not the clothing style.

Written by Warman on 14.10.2006 at 15:18
...you realise that Children of Bodom is not Death metal

I enjoy metal, I go to concerts, have some band t-shirts and have bought lots of albums... But I like other stuff like industrial, dark ambient, EBM, electrodark, gothic rock, darkwave, and even some "ancient rock" bands. Since metal is my favorite genre but not the only one I listen to (and some of the other genres I like, don't get along with metal), I don't consider myself a metalhead.

Written by Guest on 14.10.2006 at 20:06

Written by The Alchemist on 14.10.2006 at 19:29

Well, I found really interesting Blackgir's post.
Calling you a metalhead is putting yourself in a subculture, so, it doesn't let you be yourself. Anyways, I think that listening to metal does change you in some way

It's the same no matter whether you belong to sub-culture or not. You always follow some sort of human culture. The difference is when you join a sub-culture, you decide on your further development, instead of going "generic".

Anyway, I think being a metalhead is all about listening to metal music and having deep interest in it.

yes, you always follow some sort of human culture, but that is on a big scale. For me, I follow the dutch culture, because I am dutch. but I wasn't talking about that type of cultures. I mainly talk about subcultures, and the mainstream.

I don't find it neccesary for myself to belong to the mainstream, or belong to any subculture. I just do what I like. I don't try to belong to anything, I just listen to myself. Most people are just not strong enough to accomplish that. In the metal scene we can see a strong presence of this. Just think about those groups of metalheads, the entire group are always wearing exact the same clothes, the same facial expression, the same dark make-up sometimes etc. the "look, we are metal, we belong to this subculture". When they are basically just following the trend of this subculture. I will not start talking about how similar all the metalheads look at a concert. or how metalheads love to worship, or bash, certain bands.

it is just hypocritical to think that metal makes you different, or unique. Since it is just another trend set up by a media. The media is just smaller and less known, but it is there. Or do you want to say that labels such as Nuclear Blast aren't trying to influence us?

it just is a subculture, and I rather avoid any subculture. Being a metalhead is basically what tommy tee said

Your a metal head when you Listen to a large variety of metal and having some knowledge of the bands and music. Not going to concerts doesn't make you Not a metal head.

Another thing is, you know your a metal head when you say "Brutal" on a daily basis.

Written by Guest on 14.10.2006 at 21:00

Written by -tom- on 14.10.2006 at 20:10

for me, the word "metalhead" simply describes a way of dressing

why?

main reason being the whole "you're not metal enough" attitude of people who dress into metal.

Written by Guest on 14.10.2006 at 21:28

Casual metal trendy stuff includes combat, jeans and leather clothes. Do you find all those to be the same? "Metalhead" doesn't describe the way of dressing, because over the last 40 years, this sub-culture developped many different clothing styles. Many will say spikes is a typical element of metal dressing, while many metalheads won't even think about wearing them.

Lastly, metalhead look stereotype was formed by fans of metal looking alike. It's not like there was a pre-made clothing style which was totally metal from the beginning of the universe. So the word refers to metal fans, not the clothing style.

what the hell are you on about? is any of this relevent to what i said? im sure everyone else will understand what i mean by "dressing metal".

You know you're a metalhead when you create a stupid thread that list moments describing when you know you're a metalhead.*

*No offense to the thread creator.

When you know about diverse bands and stiles and don't limit to only one subgenre, and don't give a damn about tr000 and untr00 metal.

Also whe you do this to design everything you like, and like Arian said, ehen you say "Brutal" on a daily basis.