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Metalhead (or hesher) is a popular term for a devoted fan of heavy metal music and is often used interchangeably with the term "headbanger"; since the early 1990s, however, the use of the latter term has declined in favor of the more fashionable "metalhead" tag. Eva-Maria Fitze and Rico Rex. ... Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Heavy metal redirects here. ... Headbangers in action, at DarkLights club Omega in Johannesburg, South Africa Headbanging is a type of dance which involves violently shaking the head in time with music, most commonly heavy metal music. ...

There is one school of thought among the heavy metal subculture that the "metalhead" and "headbanger" labels represent distinctive groups within it, with metalhead being a generic term for metal fans as a whole and headbangers representing older fans or fans of older metal styles. This idea does have some merit as older heavy metal fans often dress in a distinctively 'retro' fashion from younger fans, favour different or more traditional bands and eschew some aspects of the culture that have developed in recent years. Nevertheless, both groups share common interests that go beyond a preferred musical style and together comprise a distinctive counterculture. In sociology, counterculture is a term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a cultural group, or subculture, that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day, the cultural equivalent of political opposition. ...

Socio-economic background and traditions

Metalheads are typically drawn from the middle and working classes and in Europe, Australasia and North America are most commonly white. Metalheads of other socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds are not unheard-of. Indeed, heavy metal music has an almost worldwide following and fans can be found in virtually every country in the world including South Africa, Philippines, Zimbabwe, Japan, and Brazil. Metal has a large following and bands in Middle Eastern and South Asian countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran, India, and Nepal as well, with the major cities having respective underground metal scenes and followings. Even in some of the more conservative Muslim countries of the Middle East a tiny metal culture exists, though judicial and religious authorities don't always tolerate it. (In 2003, more than a dozen members and fans of Moroccan heavy metal bands were imprisoned for "undermining the Muslim faith" through their "satanic" music.)^[1] Israel, for such a small country, has an exceptionally strong metal scene, particularly in the subgenres of stoner/doom and black metal.^[2] In Western Europe, metal has a more mainstream appeal, whereas in the U. S. and Canada it takes a comparatively subcultural stance. (It is often the case that heavy metal artists will spend much more time touring in Europe than in the Americas.) Metal appears to also have a large Japanese fanbase, with such bands as Dream Theater, Deep Purple and In Flames, releasing "Live In Japan" albums, and many other bands releasing "Live At The Budokan" albums. England is noted as the birthplace of metal and within the major cities such as London and Manchester the metal scene is especially strong. Notably with in the county of Cheshire towns such as Winsford contain an exteme number of metal fans. For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Australasia Australasia is a term variably used to describe a region of Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. ... North American redirects here. ... Whites redirects here. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... This article is about the musical genre. ... A current understanding of Western Europe. ... Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band comprising James LaBrie, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy. ... This article is about the rock band. ... In Flames is a melodic death metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden founded in 1990. ... The Nippon Budokan Hall is an arena in central Tokyo. ...

Behaviour

In place of dancing as it is usually defined, metalheads are more likely to mosh or headbang, where the head is vigorously shaken up and down (or “windmilled” in a circular motion) while the lower body remains somewhat still (or using the arms to play the air guitar); the fast pace, tempo and time changes, and complex rhythm of most metal music makes traditional forms of dance difficult or at least very physically tiring to perform. However due to the rise in popularity of Nu-metal, Metalcore and Alt Metal (whose emphasis is on grinding textures, funky riffs and more dance-orientated sounds), as well as headbanging some fans will Hardcore dance to the music, usually during breakdowns. Skanking is derived from ska music, and is characterized by bouncing movements to the beat of the song, metal kids add punches and kicks into this motion normally in circle of other participators, usually elements of breakdancing would come into play as well, such as complicated footwork and hand movements. During the early 80s with the rise of thrash metal, elements of the hardcore punk culture began to be incorporated into metalhead lifestyle, some of the more prominent aspects of which included slamdancing and moshing, where fans would form rings in the crowd within which they would run into each other and/or push and shove one another, stage-diving is where fans climb onto the stage with the band and launch themselves into the crowd. Later, crowd-surfing, where individuals are lifted and carried forward over the heads of others in the audience, also became popular. While this behavior was generally restricted to the punk and metalhead cultures during the 1980s, by the early 90s moshing, stage-diving and crowd-surfing had spilled over to virtually all spheres of alternative rock music to the extent that by the end of that decade it could no longer be held as an identifier of any one particular music sub-culture. Audience members at a Dillinger Escape Plan concert moshing in front of the stage. ... Headbangers in action, at DarkLights club Omega in Johannesburg, South Africa Headbanging is a type of dance which involves violently shaking the head in time with music, most commonly heavy metal music. ... Breakdowns are special parts of songs where the music slows, the lights dim, and the chaos ensues! They ususally go something like this. ... For other uses, see SKA (disambiguation). ... A breakdancer performing a one-handed freeze (also known as a pike) in the streets of Paris. ... Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music, one of the extreme metal subgenres that is characterised by high speed riffing and aggression. ... This article is about the type of dance. ... This article or section should include material from mosh pit. ... Stage diving is the act of leaping from a concert stage into the crowd below. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Alternative music redirects here. ...

Perhaps one of the most dominant features of the metalhead culture is the "Corna" hand-signal formed by a fist with the pinkie and index fingers extended, known variously as the “devil’s horns”, the “metal fist” and other similar descriptors. The "Corna" was originally an occult sign used to ward off the evil spirits in Southern and Eastern Europe. An example of this can be found in the early chapters of Bram Stoker's "Dracula". This gesture was first popularized by Ronnie James Dio in the 1980s and was quickly adopted into the metalhead sub-culture. “Throwing the horns” or “showing the metal fist” very soon became a way for metalheads to recognize and acknowledge each other and to show their appreciation for almost anything from a song or a band to virtually anything else they enjoyed. While the gesture still has strong ties to metal, over the last decade or so its appearance in popular mainstream films such as "Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure" has caused it to be adopted into almost every youth sub-culture, often to the chagrin of metalheads who feel that its status as a sacred element of their lifestyle has been cheapened by its overuse outside the community. The Corna is also very similar to the Texas Longhorns hand symbol. The Corna or Devil Horns The corna (Italian for horns, also mano cornuta, horned hand and fare le corna, to make the horns) is a gesture with a vulgar meaning in Mediterranean countries and a variety of meanings and uses in other cultures. ... The Corna or Devil Horns The corna (Italian for horns, also mano cornuta, horned hand and fare le corna, to make the horns) is a gesture with a vulgar meaning in Mediterranean countries and a variety of meanings and uses in other cultures. ... Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona on July 10, 1942 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA), is an American heavy metal vocalist who has performed with Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Elf, and his own band Dio. ... For other uses, see Longhorn. ...

Commonality among metalheads is also found in their typical interest in a range of subjects that have a particular connection with the music itself. These subjects seem to chiefly but not exclusively include horror films, science fiction, occultism, fantasy, politics, blood and gore imagery, weaponry (e.g. swords, knives, firearms etc) and militaria, Recreational cannabis use (See Doom Metal), alcohol consumption (Some more heavily than others). DVD cover showing horror characters as depicted by Universal Studios. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... For other uses of this term, see occult (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Fantasy (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Politics (disambiguation). ... Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Look up Sword in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... traditional Norse knife A knife is a sharp-edged hand tool used for cutting. ... A firearm is a kinetic energy weapon that fires either a single or multiple projectiles propelled at high velocity by the gases produced by action of the rapid confined burning of a propellant. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... A: A cigarette rolling machine. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Alcoholic beverages An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol, although in chemistry the definition of alcohol includes many other compounds. ...

Within the culture itself, metalheads often distinguish themselves according to what genre of metal they especially enjoy. While on one hand metalheads have a tendency to consider each other part of a larger brotherhood, this desire to sub-divide into smaller groups dedicated to particular sub-genres has possibly undermined the idea of a fraternal spirit. Occasionally, there is reluctance for fans of particular sub-genres of metal to mingle with fans of other sub-genres and even some debate among fans as to whether particular sub-genres are truly representative of metal music. These debates are significantly more volatile when it comes to the classification of nu-metal and its relevancy as part of metalhead culture. To many metalheads, the likes of nu-metal are low quality imitations of "real" heavy metal, mainstream and popularism (and therefore watered-down) versions of metal that have no real affiliation to the metal culture. On the other hand, there are others who argue that these styles have some merit as they often lead to newer fans discovering the "real" metal. However, heavy metal music has never been afraid to court mainstream popularity. Some of the best known acts like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motörhead, and Metallica have enjoyed immense worldwide commercial success and many others like Dream Theater, Opeth, In Flames and Nightwish have attracted large and dedicated followings that often include many people who wouldn't usually listen to heavy metal. However, some artists, most notably those involved in black metal, prefer obscurity and actively seek underground rather than popular appeal. Nu metal, otherwise known as new metal or nü metal, is a musical genre that emerged in the mid 1990s which fuses influences from grunge[1] and alternative metal with funk music and various heavy metal genres, such as thrash metal and groove metal. ... Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in the East End of London. ... For other uses, see Judas priest (curse). ... This article is about the band. ... Metallica is a Grammy Award-winning American heavy metal/thrash metal band formed in 1981[1] and has become one of the most commercially successful musical acts of recent decades. ... Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band comprising James LaBrie, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy. ... Opeth are a heavy metal band from Stockholm, Sweden. ... In Flames is a melodic death metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden founded in 1990. ... Nightwish are a Finnish symphonic power metal musical group, formed in 1996 in the town of Kitee, in eastern Finland. ... This article is about the musical genre. ...

Fashion

Main article: Heavy metal fashion

Apart from the music itself, the most distinctive aspect of metalhead culture is its fashion. Like the music at its cultural core, these fashions have experienced levels of change and diversity over the decades. The evolution of metalhead fashion has in fact been quite pronounced, from a style that could almost be defined as a uniform in earlier times to a far more broadminded look recently. Some aspects of this fashion have spawned a backlash that seems to be renewing an interest in older trends among some members of the sub-culture. Judas Priest, in typical heavy metal attire, performing at the VH1 Rock Honors on May 25, 2006. ... For other uses, see Fashion (disambiguation). ...

Heavy Metal Jacket

Typically, the heavy metal fashions of the late 1970s – 1980s comprised tight blue jeans or drill pants, motorcycle boots or hi-top sneakers and black t-shirts, traditionally augmented with a sleeve-less jacket of denim or leather emblazoned with woven patches and button pins from heavy metal artists. Sometimes, a denim vest, emblazoned with album art "knits" would be worn over a long-sleeved leather jacket (the more decrepit, the better). Like in other cultural groups, this jacket was often seen as the individual’s defining symbol within the sub-culture. During this period, metalheads often wore t-shirts with the emblem of bands such as Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, and Slayer (a trend still common today). The intricacy of decoration could be seen as both a reflection of one’s dedication to the genre as well as one’s status within the group. This outfit could also be supplemented by jewellery and accessories that included studded leather wrist- and arm-bands, bullet belts, chains and even rings depicting skulls and other death- and horror-inspired designs. The metalheads of this era generally wore their hair quite long, with lengths beyond the shoulder being not uncommon, or sometimes in a mullet. The relatively small number of female metal devotees of the era were generally discouraged from dressing in a similar fashion as traditionally this costume was reserved almost exclusively for males; indeed it wasn’t that unusual for female metalheads to adopt dress similar to that of goths or punks. T-Shirt A T-shirt (or tee shirt) is a shirt with short or long sleeves, a round neck, put on over the head, without pockets. ... Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in the East End of London. ... For other uses, see Black Sabbath (disambiguation). ... For the bands 1969 eponymous debut album, see Led Zeppelin (album). ... Metallica is a Grammy Award-winning American heavy metal/thrash metal band formed in 1981[1] and has become one of the most commercially successful musical acts of recent decades. ... For other uses, see Slayer (disambiguation). ... For the Korean music group, see Jewelry (group). ... An example of a wavy-hair-mullet. ... This article is about the subculture. ... Punk fashion is the styles of clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, jewelry, and body modifications of the punk subculture. ...

By the early 1990s, metalhead fashion changed direction somewhat. This seems to correspond with the rise of the more diverse and even more extreme forms of heavy metal around the same time. Death metal and black metal began to dominate the culture as the more traditional forms of metal wavered under the influence of the grunge movement and metalhead fashion reflected this shift. As heavy metal music itself diversified and branched out, so did the fashions associated with it. A growing influence from goth and industrial music and hardcore punk became increasingly evident. Black jeans and army fatigue pants began to replace the more traditional blue jeans and the patch-clad “battle jackets” were pushed aside in favor of long-sleeve t-shirts and military-style coats. Some of the jewelry and accessories of the previous era also became less prominent but were by no means forgotten. This article is about the musical genre. ... This article is about the musical genre. ... Grunge music (sometimes also referred to as the Seattle Sound) is an independent-rooted music genre that became a commercially successful offshoot of hardcore punk, thrash metal, and alternative rock in the late 1980s and early 1990s. ... It has been suggested that Chicago Industrial be merged into this article or section. ... Hardcore punk, now commonly known as hardcore, is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s. ...

While long hair had been a defining aspect of metal culture in the 70s and 80s, by the 90s shorter hairstyles and even completely shaven heads had begun to grow in popularity and acceptance. An increasing Nationalist-Socialist influence among some pockets of the heavy metal subculture was probably partly responsible for this but there were certainly many bands and artists of no clear political or philosophical persuasion that were choosing to either wear shorter hair or none at all. Certainly influential acts such as Metallica and individual artists like Rob Halford of Judas Priest, Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, Scott Ian of Anthrax, Kerry King of Slayer and Phil Anselmo of Pantera either cut their hair short or shaved it completely. In a strange contrast to the shorter length of head hair, it could be argued that beards and facial hair rose in popularity among metalheads in the 90s. Whereas the metalhead of the late 70s and early 80s had a tendency to eschew facial hair except for the occasional mustache, during the 90s beards, most particularly goatees, became rather fashionable. The terms Neo-Nazism and Neo-Fascism refer to any social or political movement to revive Nazism or Fascism, respectively, and postdates the Second World War. ... Metallica is a Grammy Award-winning American heavy metal/thrash metal band formed in 1981[1] and has become one of the most commercially successful musical acts of recent decades. ... Robert John Arthur Halford (born August 25, 1951) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Judas Priest. ... For other uses, see Judas priest (curse). ... For the record producer in the Saturday Night Live skit, see More cowbell. ... Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in the East End of London. ... Scott Ian Rosenfeld (born December 31, 1963) is the rhythm guitarist for the metal band Anthrax who uses the stage name Scott Ian. ... Kerry King (born June 3, 1964 in Los Angeles, California) is a guitarist, best known as one of the founding members of the thrash metal band Slayer. ... For other uses, see Slayer (disambiguation). ... Philip Hansen Anselmo (born June 30, 1968 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is a heavy metal vocalist and musician, currently performing with Down. ... For other uses, see Pantera (disambiguation). ...

The wave of "Hair Cutting" that has taken place throughout the more mainstream of American scenes has not seemed to effect the heavier, more discrete genres. Band members and fans alike of genres such as death metal, and black metal still hold true to the long hair, and tend to sport straight hair falling well below the shoulders. Long beards are also very popular and, in some cases, dreadlocks (as evidenced by artists such as Chris Barnes, formerly of Cannibal Corpse, Rob Zombie and Anders Friden of In Flames). Rastaman with long locks Dreadlocks, sometimes simply called locks or dreads, are interlocked coils of hair which tend to form by themselves, in all hair types, if the hair is washed regularly and allowed to grow naturally without the use of brushes, combs, razors, or scissors for a long period... Musician named Chris Barnes Chris Barnes was the original lead singer of the death metal band Cannibal Corpse. ... Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band founded in 1988. ... Robert Cummings (born January 12, 1965 in Haverhill, Massachusetts), better known as Rob Zombie, is an American musician, film director, and writer. ... Anders Frid n is the lead vocalist of Swedish melodic death metal bands In Flames and Passenger. ... In Flames is a melodic death metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden founded in 1990. ...

In the late 1990s, outside influences began to be infused into metalhead culture once again. The rise of nu-metal saw facets of hip-hop and ghetto culture being introduced, including the adoption of sportswear, dreadlocks and African-American slang. Unlike the adoption of earlier influences however, these new aspects were seen by some to be at odds with the traditional metalhead outlook, particularly as many metalheads consider nu-metal to be a completely different style of music with a totally different culture. The explosion in the popularity of metalcore since 2002 has also brought with it changes in fashion particularly, as fans of the genre are typically neater in appearance with shorter hair, usually dyed black, and a tendency toward favouring “label” clothing and footwear. Many of these newer fans are also seen to be associating themselves with the culture for purely fashionable reasons. As with members of the nu-metal fanbase, there is some debate as to whether these fans can be properly described as metalheads as they are traditionally recognised or if they are, as many metalheads themselves believe, a new and different sub-culture.

Most recently around the mid-2000's, a new renaissance of younger audiences becoming interested in 80's metal and the rise of newer bands embracing older fashion ideals has led to a decidedly more 80's-esque style of dress for metalheads. Many young metalheads today grow hair below their shoulders and wear black t-shirts and leather jackets as 80's metalheads did. However, the new imagery has been processed through current era metalhead styles, as baggy shorts and jeans are also common in younger fans. 80's jewelry such as metal studs is still rare. Many young metalheads today wear bandanas as well. Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... A woman wears a black bandanna on her head. ...

References

See also

Heavy metal redirects here. ... Alternative metal is an eclectic form of music that gained popularity in the early 1990s alongside grunge. ... Avant-garde metal or experimental metal is generally regarded as a cross-genre reference to metal bands or more exactly as a stylistic adjunction with specific traits (just like Progressive-, Symphonic-, Viking-, Pagan-, Folk-, Industrial-). It is characterized by large amounts of experimentation and by non-standard sounds, instruments, and... This article is about the musical genre. ... Christian metal is a form of heavy metal music and its many subgenres with Christian lyrics and themes. ... Classic metal is a term used to refer to heavy metal bands from the 1970s and 1980s who peaked later than the late 1960s and early 1970s pioneers of the genre, yet before the era when mainstream and underground heavy metal became seriously divided. ... This article is about the musical genre. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Extreme metal is an umbrella term, somewhat loosely defined, for a variety of heavy metal subgenres developed since the 1980s. ... Folk metal is a diverse collection of music, encompassing a wide variety of different styles and approaches. ... Funk metal is a type of music that incorporates hard-driving heavy metal guitar riffs and the pounding bass rhythms characteristic of funk. ... Glam metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that arose in the late 1970s - early 1980s in the United States. ... Gothic metal is a genre of heavy metal music that originated during the mid 1990s in Europe as an outgrowth of doom-death, a fusion genre of doom metal and death metal. ... Groove metal, often associated with half-thrash/neo-thrash/nu-thrash/post-thrash and power groove, is a term sometimes used to describe a derivative of thrash metal which took its current form during the early 1990s. ... Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws elements from industrial music and heavy metal music. ... Metalcore is a fusion of extreme metal and hardcore punk that began in the United States. ... Neo-classical metal is a subgenre of the heavy metal music heavily influenced by classical music in its style of playing and composing[1]. It implies a very technical performance and the use of elements borrowed from classical music and/or by famous classical music composers. ... Nu metal (also called aggro metal, or nü metal using the traditional heavy metal umlaut) is a musical genre that has origins in the mid 1990s. ... Post-metal is a music genre, a mixture between the genres of post-rock and heavy metal, with roots in progressive rock and industrial music. ... Power metal is a style of heavy metal music typically with the aim of evoking an epic feel, combining characteristics of traditional metal with thrash metal or speed metal, often within symphonic context. ... Progressive metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music which blends the powerful, guitar-driven sound of metal with the complex compositional structures, odd time signatures, and intricate instrumental playing of progressive rock. ... Rap rock is a hybrid of rap and rock music. ... Sludge metal is a form of heavy metal music that is generally regarded as a fusion of doom metal and Stoner metal[1], often incorporating southern rock influences. ... Speed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal that spawned in the early 1980s and was the direct musical progenitor of thrash metal[1] [2]. When Speed metal first emerged as a genre, it innovatively increased the tempo of the music template set forth by Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin... Stoner rock and stoner metal are interchangeable terms describing sub-genres of rock and metal music. ... Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that sound similar to a classical symphony. ... Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music, one of the extreme metal subgenres that is characterised by high speed riffing and aggression. ... Viking metal is a term used in reference to heavy metal music with a dramatic emphasis on Norse mythology, Norse paganism, and the life and times of Northern and Central Europeans prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia. ... The New Wave of British Heavy Metal (frequently abbreviated as NWOBHM or N.W.O.B.H.M.) emerged in the late 1970s and reached mainstream attention in the late 1970s, in the United Kingdom, as a reaction in part to the decline of early heavy metal bands such as... The early Norwegian Black Metal scene consisted of a black metal youths that met in the independent record store Helvete in Oslo. ... Scandinavian death metal concerns the death metal bands of Scandinavian origin. ... Bay Area thrash metal, or Bay Area Thrash, referred to a steady following of heavy metal bands in the 1980s who formed and gained international status in the San Francisco Bay Area, California [1]. Along with Tampa, Florida, the scene was widely attributed as a starting point of American thrash... // Cover of Ultimatum Split By Dorsal Atlântica and Metalmophose in 1984 While in the beggining of the 80s in the U.S., Germany and Canada was appearing bands such as Metallica, Slayer (U.S.), Destruction, Kreator (Germany) and Voivod, Exciter (Canada), in Brazil at the same time was... Australian heavy metal music has its roots in the both the Australian hard rock and pub rock tradition of the 1970s and the American and British heavy metal scenes. ... Judas Priest, in typical heavy metal attire, performing at the VH1 Rock Honors on May 25, 2006. ... A number of overlapping heavy metal genres have developed since the emergence of heavy metal (often shortened to metal) in the late 1960s. ... This is a list of bands that pertain to the heavy metal genre of music. ... This is a list of metal festivals ordered by country. ... The heavy metal umlaut, or rock dots, is an umlaut over letters in the name of a heavy metal band, such as Mötley Crüe or Motörhead. ...

External links

• Community gallery of heavy/black/thrash metal T-Shirts from collectors (metalheads)