That being said, metal thrives on a dark image. But for the most part it is just marketing. I got into metal when I was 13 when a friend played me a tape of a band called Nuclear Assault. I was instantly hooked, and I'm sure it alarmed my mother. The album cover had a horned skull and nuclear cooling towers glowing and (somehow) spewing smoke.
So I cracked open the liner and let her read some of the lyrics. She liked them actually. Songs like “Equal Rights,” “Fight to be Free,” and “Brainwashed.” Here's a sample of Brainwashed:
Television, the idiot tube, helps to raise our children as fools
Watch the news see what they want you to see, our awareness is limited by network VPs
Moronic sitcoms and one-sided news alter your feeling give you conformist views
Why can't you get that garbage out of your head, you'd better off to read a good book instead
That's not too bad of an impression to imprint on kids, no?
This is why I love metal. Some actual good meaning to plenty of songs; along with many songs about history.
Though I’ll say some power metal bands push the envelope a bit far.
I'm not saying they're satan worshipers, just stating my opinion on the subject of how they choose to market themselves.
Just curious what her reaction to "Hang the Pope" was. :)
Nuclear Assault was crazy fun (no wonder given the lineup), broke my nose in the pit at a show in DC back in the day.