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This last half of the Nineties has seen yet another revival of heavy metal, which reinstates the fact that the heavy metal/punk scene seems to fit quite comfortably into the historic theory of cycles. This revival was due to two factors: a harder-edged metal provided by several new bands; and reunion and comeback tours and albums from Kiss, the Sex Pistols, Black Sabbath, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, Ratt, Mötley Crüe, Quiet Riot, Warrant, Poison, Slaughter, and several other bands.
This new rise of heavy metal is consi
derably
surprising, taking into account the fact that the newest bands are probably
the heaviest and most shocking to ever reach wide media rotation. One of the
new musical tendencies is rap metal, also called rap-core, a combination that
had already been experimented with by older groups such as Anthrax, the Bad
Brains, and Aerosmith; and played constantly by more obscure outfits like Hard
Corps, but that lately has been taking a harder turn. Somewhat pioneered by
the controversial Ice-T-led Body Count along with the popular and politically
active Rage Against the Machine during the Nineties, the movement has its softer
side among the likes of 311. The dark side of the coin has been heralded so
far by Deftones, the ever-growing Korn, and, recently, by others like Powerman
5000, Limp Biskit, and Coal Chamber. Quite undoubtedly, as the media has shown,
it is the strongest tendency among new bands that have already begun to copy
the praised sounds of established bands.
The other new tendency is even more shocking and being
led by what some people consider a lunatic, a menace, a misunderstood
genius, a clown, the prime embodiment of evil, or just a cynical man who has
learned that shock value and manipulation through the media can absorb the minds
of youths eager to think that they are truly rebellious. None other than Marilyn
Manson could fit all those categories so easily, except for Kiss in the Seventies,
W.A.S.P. in the Eighties, and King Diamond and Venom in the speed metal realms.
Taking on an slightly industrial edge, with simple riffs and screams aplenty,
Marilyn Manson has shocked the world overnight, with its album Antichrist Superstar
antagonizing conservative as well as liberal circles. However, as Time magazine
cleverly and eloquently put it, Manson seems to be quite in the same vein as
Kiss; a cleverly planned product designed for a music industry’s increasing
income. Despite this, the bands seems be to be encompassing an ever growing
audience, and several new bands have already ripped off the band’s style; vein-slicing
and white makeup included, although Manson's golden run seems to be slowing
down with the band's latest album Mechanical Animals' not-so-stellar sales and
the group's continued efforts to offend diverse groups of people which seem
to be less successful every time.
The two final tendencies of nowadays, excepting Japan
and Europe, are in the power groove and industrial branches. Trent Reznor seems
to be taking the illustrious spotlight of Cobai
n
in this last half of the Nineties, while several bands continue to expand on
Pantera’s economically and critically successful approach; most notably Machine
Head. Others like Fear Factory, the hardcore Atari Teenage Riot, and Strapping
Young Lad have continued to take the industrial approach in a heavier direction
while Type O Negative has gradually moved away from its industrial, gothic and
atmospheric approach into which Danzig has been absorbed. In fact, the metal
world is so active in these days that the Ozzfest, a heavy metal festival thought
up by Ozzy Osbourne and including bands such as Sepultura, Fear Factory, Pantera,
and a reunited Black Sabbath, was quite successful. One seems to be slightly
reminded of the Lollapalooza Festival thought up by Perry Farrell to promote
alternative music (which in turn included a wide roster of alternative metal
bands), although the latter was obviously a more crossover cultural event on
its inception.
And although the United States has decidedly turned
away from heavy metal during this decade, Europe and Japan have proved to be
st
rong bulwarks
for the music, and have allowed the power metal movement to grow impressively
and accept new members as each year passes by. In addition to bands that have
played the style and have gone unrecognized for what seems like ages (among
them, Helstar), a roster of new bands have incorporated themselves into the
melodic metal mold. There are, for instance, Angra and Rhapsody, bands that
not only excel at playing their instruments but that also have taken the neoclassical
approach that Yngwie Malmsteen became so reputed for (although one is forced
to wonder why these bands take the music of composers like Niccolo Paganini
and Antonín Dvorák while claiming the authorship of such pieces).
Another important band of this decade is Stratovarius, which has in great part
taken up the flag of power metal and carried it in a long crusade forward. Finally,
there is the undeniably astounding power metal scene in Germany, which has produced
bands like U.P., Headhunter, and the Kai Hansen-led unit Gamma Ray, which, along
with others like Kamelot and Labyrinth, have kept metal alive and well in many
countries outside the United States.
What lies in the fu
ture
of heavy metal? As any historian worth his own weight knows, history cannot
and should not be predicted; although historic cycles may help with such evaluations,
nothing assures that they are right. The Rollins Band and Tool have released
several solid and straightforward heavy metal albums that have done well saleswise,
while the veteran and now defunct White Zombie broke ground with heavy music
that was big on hooks, grooves, and horror movie influence; and Amorphis and
the Gathering have released 
some
beautiful and awe-inspiring atmospheric music. With Mötley Crüe’s Generation
Swine raising expectations continuously, the Ratt and Quiet Riot reunions turning
some eyes around, and Kiss swinging through million-dollar profits, one can
only expect a return of the glam metal bands; although the Crüe’s recent musical
approach casts quite a shadow of doubt on whether the bands will keep playing
their brand of rock or adapt to more modern tendencies, and the reunions have
not yet lit the commercial fires they were expected to. Meanwhile, Korn and
311 keep invading new territory, while Marilyn Manson's shock tactics decrease
in strength and alternative metal keeps dying; as Soundgarden’s recent end shows.
And the power metal scene is still thriving in Europe and Japan, while Creed
sells millions of records, the Offspring invades the airwaves with a perfectly
cynical view on "poseurs" and Bruce Dickinson returns to Iron Maiden
to the deilght of thousands. What’s next? Pardon the naïve and jaded cliché,
but only time will tell.
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