I get questioned by my taste in music at times because you'll commonly hear me blasting the heavy distorted guitars of my favorite metal bands as I drive down the road. I hear it all the time, "How can you listen to that stuff?" "That's angry hateful music." Maybe, at one point there was a lot of that, but now the sound has changed. More and more it's less about the hate. It has turned to helping, spreading a message of hope in the darkness backed by the heaviness of Metal.
The artists expose the demons inside themselves to the world letting others know they're not alone. They reach out to those on the edge. This music isn't supposed to make you feel great, these aren't party anthems that make you want to dance. It grabs you and makes you think about your own demons and what they're doing to you. It shows the darkness inside us all but to never give into it. With songs like "Downfall" - by From Ashes To New and "Face Everything And Rise" - By Papa Roach drop a rope to those barely hanging on. "Crossroads" - by I Prevail, "Nightmare" - by The Amity Affliction and "Sunrise" - by Our Last Night inspire us to keep going. There's no hate in these songs, just hope. Hope that everything will be ok if you just keep going.
"Jekyll and Hyde" - by Five Finger Death Punch, "The Enemy" and "Heart Vs. Mind" - by I Prevail talk about the demons they face, you face, I face, and facing off against them. "Deceivers" and "Come And Get It" - by I Prevail and "Who's Laughing Now" - by From Ashes To New takes a look at those who told them they couldn't make it. They could never make their dream a reality and now there they are, headlining tours, singing in front of thousands. "Deceivers" ending verse bring to the surface the doubt Brian Burkheiser is feeling as he wonders what he's doing is the right thing. "Remember Everything" - by Five Finger Death Punch brings home the pain from the past and not being able to let it go but at the same time wanting forgiveness. "What I've Done" - by Linkin Park just lays it out, asking for forgiveness while atoning for the pain of the past.
I think the shift happened when Linkin Park busted out on the scene with their hard hitting rap-metal with the soul shredding lyrics from Chester Bennington. Since then more bands have turned to writing and releasing songs about the twistedness of the demons inside and what they say to us all. Whether you like it or not as someone that listens to Metal, its not what it used to be. It is changing for the better
