#metal archives

[meowsabhorrently]

Tutorial for Exploring Metal

New to the genre? Already familiar and just curious? Regardless, I’m here to give a short guide and some tips. Mind you this isn’t a strict thing, more so some suggestions and some (hopefully) helpful advice!

Genres

Now, you might be under the impression that genres are stupid, but in a lot of people’s experiences those labels can be very helpful when describing and finding what sounds you like and don’t like. You want something with keyboards with spooky church organs or choir-like effects? Maybe something more Gothic might be up your alley!

I’m not going to go and describe every genre for you, I’d rather you give a listen and learn the history of genres and to form your own opinions. Wikipedia, despite its flaws, can be a very helpful resource for learning the history of genres and getting at least a vague idea of what a genre might sound like. Hell, you might even find a new band you like out of the bands mentioned on a given genre’s article.

Also, remember, this is all made-up and held only by consensus, form your own opinions on what a genre is and isn’t! It’s okay! Even if someone might call you stupid for your opinion, as long as you’re educated on the history you’re still going to have an understandable opinion.

If someone ever asks you what the first black metal band is, and you say could say “Venom”, and someone might disagree with you and say “No, it’s Bathory”, but those disagreements are okay and neither of you would be objectively wrong. Hell, you’re even allowed to disagree with me and say that these genres ARE objective. Just don’t be a dick about it and you’ll be fine.

Useful Tools

I already mentioned Wikipedia, but that’s not going to be your best resource. Your best resource is going to be the Metal Archives website. Now, one thing I must warn you about before you use it. They don’t allow any bands that they deem to have more non-metal influence than metal influence, because to them it all starts at the riff. If they have one album that is predominately original metal riffs, then it is going to be accepted. What is a metal riff? It’s a “You know it when you hear it” kinda thing. If you hate that, I’m not the one who designed the website. Essentially what this means is that Nu Metal, most metalcore or deathcore bands, “kawaii metal” (as in babymetal, babybeard type stuff), vkei with metal elements (Dir En Grey), industrial rock (KMFDM, Nine Inch Nails), whatever Primus is, Prog Rock (Tool), are not allowed on the archives. Also, please understand that a band being deemed non-metal has nothing to do with the quality or aesthetic of the band, it just means they don’t think they have any albums or releases with predominately original metal riffs.

With that out of the way, let me explain why the website is useful as a tool.

1. If you decide you like a band that also happens to be on the Metal Archives, then it’s going to have a “Similar Artists” tab, which will recommend bands that other people have voted to be similar to that specific band. (Mind you this isn’t completely reliable, for instance, Danzig is at the top of Type O Negative’s Similar Artists tab and they have very few similarities).

2. The forums have a section dedicated JUST to recommendations! It’s called “Recommendation Central”, and if you make an account you can post and ask about recommendations for bands of specific sounds and genres.

3. Avoiding problematic bands. I will elaborate further in the next part.

Avoiding Bigotry

This is a huge concern for people getting into metal, I’ll give some tips on things to avoid.

1. Avoid anything labelled NSBM (National Socialist Black Metal) or RAC (Rock against Communism), as both are heavily associated with white supremacist music.

2. Look at the “Themes” portion of the Metal Archives page for a given band, if it says some shit like “Misogyny”, “White Supremacy”, or “Antisemitism”, then you’ll know to throw it in the garbage.

3. Do a simple google search. I’m serious, sometimes people will make entire write-ups about everything that’s problematic about a band.

4. If you’re really paranoid, look for the lyrics of individual songs before you go and add them to your playlists. Often times albums on the Metal Archives will have lyrics.

If you really loved a band, deep dive into them. My two favorite bands are Type O Negative and Death, and yet I could absolutely infodump about everything wrong those bands have done. 

Don’t be afraid to consider your own values and principles, if a band has problematic themes or a problematic background consider how it might make the people around you feel if you listened to them, especially promoting the music openly. Consider things like, if the musician(s) behind the music project is/are dead, does it matter? If the art is the problem, do I only listen to the songs that aren’t the problem? If the music is bigoted against my identity and I am personally okay with listening to it, does that make it okay? If I am okay recommending a band with problematic themes or backgrounds to another person, should I warn them what they’re about to get into? If I’m okay with listening to music with problematic themes, where do I draw the line, if I even do?

I’m not going to tell you what you ought to think, I just want you to develop your own thoughts and feelings.

With all that said, I will say. If you listen to and/or promote music with White Supremacist themes literally fucking DNI with me. I don’t want to make friends with NSBM fans.

That’s all! Happy Listening!!

#heavy metal #metal archives #black metal #death metal #extreme metal #progressive metal #power metal #metalarchives #industrial metal #old school black metal #first wave black metal #old school death metal #osdm #bathory #death band #type o negative #gothic metal

[vbsvartalf]

Metal Archives logic

#Zeal & Ardor #BABYMETAL #Sylvaine #black metal #jazz #blues #Metal Archives #look I made a stupid meme

[wormically]

#interesting (subjectively but anyway) #Metallum #encyclopaedia metallum #metal archives

[lord-worms-shakespeare-class]

This year's Metal Archives April Fools Day joke:

#metal archives

[seumascowan]

Lyrical themes: Dragons, Battles, Motorcycle Gangs, Gypsies

Fucking hell. *buys discography*

I love to peruse the archives, and more so when I can't tell if someone's taking the piss.

#ceòl #owl #metal archives #metal encyclopedia #heavy metal #dragons #battles #motorcycle gangs #gypsies

[cantcatchmeee]

2pac & KISS at the Grammy Awards in 1996

#2pac #tupac shakur #kiss #explore #aesthetic #archive #inspo #photography #music #hip hop #rap #rock #metal #90s #grammys

[jxthics]

from the archives: i won't tell

#otasune #otacon #solid snake #hal emmerich #mgs #mgs2 #metal gear solid #metal gear solid 2 #johnnydraws #archives #iroquois pliskin

[sydneighsays]

Gerard Keay, based on a doodle I did at work. My Instagram story poll bullied me into finishing it digitally ☹️

You can't convince me that this man wasn't dual touched by both beholding and the hunt.

#fanart #the magnus archives #tma fanart #gerard keay #gerry keay #gerry kaey deserved more screen time #I can't not draw him in cunty makeup #This looks like a shitty 2000's movie poster #halloweentown #the magnus archive fanart #scopohobia tw #i love my dead gay goth son #he died without knowing how to dye his hair #death metal font #the g in Gerry stands for gender

[old-evanescence]

evanescence blingee

#evanescence #amy lee #nu metal #early 2000s #2000s #2000s nostalgia #goth #2000s emo #oldschool #2000 #old internet #old school #old web #web archive #web finds #blingee #gifs #gif #gifset #2000score #2000s web #y2k #early internet #2000s internet #amylee #evanescence gif #20 years of fallen #fallen era #fallen20 #fallen

[muffinlance]

EMERGENCY FANFIC PROTOCOLS: ACTIVATED

Hey while AO3 is down

Here is a GDrive link to all my downloaded fics (it's OVER 9,000 2,000)

Mostly Avatar, also The Magnus Archives, Danny Phantom, Teen Wolf, and a few others

Mostly unsorted, some not even intentionally downloaded because the auto-downloader I use is Like That, so consider this a glorified "give me a random fic" button

MAKE SURE TO KUDOS THE AUTHORS WHEN AO3 IS BACK UP

>>> Linkie link <<<

Edit: Note that when AO3 comes back up that link will go dead again... until it's needed, once more

EMERGENCY FANFIC PROTOCOLS: DEACTIVATED

...Until next they are needed

If you were going through these for fic recs, check out my AO3 Bookmarks for the more curated list.

To make your own fanfic backups, I recommend AO3 Downloader or FanFicFare. (I'm not tech support for either; please don't message me for help.)

Happy reading!

#ao3 #emergency fanfic protocols activated #avatar the last airbender #atla #Zuko #buffy the vampire slayer #Danny Phantom #full metal alchemist #harry potter #the magnus archives #tma #my hero academia #mha #boku no hero acedamia #Naruto #Pokemon #rwby #teen wolf #Why do I have TWO Magnus Archives folders #yes I am creating these tags alphabetically as I scroll #the untamed #no but seriously kudos/comment on the authors fics when AO3 is back #download fics have a link at the beginning and end that leads you back to the story #if you've never downloaded before #also recommend the ereaders Evie and @Voice Reader #if you've never had the joy of listening while doing whatever #goodbye eyestrain #star wars #obi wan #so much obi wan

[ljsbugblog]

I didn't have a post queued for tonight so uh

beetle threesome :)

Unknown Flea Beetles, 3 individuals (genus Altica).

#from the depths of my old photo archive #with love #happy new year wonderful bug appreciators #ljsbugblog #bugblr #macro #entomology #insects #coleoptera #beetles #chrysomelidae #leaf beetles #alticini #flea beetles #altica #metallic flea beetles #unconfirmed ID

[ezhrndle]

Telsin: Scadrial is so technologically behind compared to other planets!

Meanwhile on Roshar:

#cosmere #mistborn #brandon sanderson #cremposting #the stormlight archive #mistborn era two #the lost metal #the way of kings #rhythm of war #oathbringer #kaladin stormblessed #telsin ladrian

[onlycosmere]

by JasnahKohen

#the stormlight archive #words of radiance #elantris #cosmere #sixth of the dusk #mistborn #the lost metal #cosmemes #cfsbf #root

[2001hz]

Yoji Shinkawa (2001)

#yoji shinkawa #yoji shinkawa archive #mgs #metal gear solid #metal gear solid 2 sons of liberty #raiden #2001 #character #concept art #design #grunge #sketch #illustrations #japan

[jouxlskaard]

I like to think that Elias is boring on purpose. he spends his time and effort when he should be working on boring his employees instead. he's perfected it to an art. every day, he visits each department and tries to find the time to talk about spreadsheets whenever there's the most people in one room at a time. then he tallies up how many of them visibly and/or audibly react with some form of disgust, and compares it with other days. he'd have realised how sad that really is if he hadn't been found out, but at least now he gets to be as deranged as humanly possible. you go, Elias. I love you you stinky rat whore, can't wait for you to show up in the new protocol episode <3

#the magnus protocol #tmagp #elias bouchard #elias tma #jonah magnus #tma spoilers #art #character design #character art #whoever said elias is creepy from the beginning is dead wrong #because i didn't think he was a bad guy until he bashed a sad hobo's brains in with a metal pipe #and i literally SAW the wiki that said he was an antagonist #i just thought he'd be a little antagonistic #because of how he refused to believe his employees when they said they were being targeted by a worm woman #and by how utterly boring he was #the magnus archives #magnus archives #magnus archive fanart #tma fanart

[anamaleth]

"I always wanted my friends to call me Gerry."

#tma #the magnus archives #tmagp #the magnus protocol #tmapg spoilers #tmagp 8 #the magnus protocol spoilers #gerry keay #chewing through metal #what if I turned into a puddle of tears?