It's mad to think that there is a scene in such a decline. Personally it's not fir me but if there are enought people playing and enough people that wanna hear this music, why would the promotors have a problem with this??

I think the article shows that Anna has her finger on the pulse of the current Irish music scene. Noone seems to hear of these metal bands but there's loads of them out there. The metal scene seems to be alive and well, Fred Zeppelins in Cork seems to be the focal point of the the Cork scene and a few other venues have the occasional metal gig. Theres lots of kids playing nu-metal type stuff with a punk/grunge/hardcore element to it. I've actually seen a couple of these bands (friend of mine is a major metalhead) and sad to say most of them are rubbish. I'm not just saying that because I'm not into nu-metal, it's just that they seem to lack the technical proficiency to play metal properly. Playing metal guitar well is actually quite hard and requires you to have a decent understanding of how your tone is affected at high volume. There are one or two bands that do sound pretty tight musically, though I wouldn't be into their music. The rest need a bit more practice methinks!

All I know is that those kids that I often see heading into the Mez on a Saturday afternoon scare me, the youth of today.

Oh yeah, well done Anna, the music is completely not my thing but I was interested the whole way through.

well done on the article, anna, really interesting. I suppose that if the metal scene in ireland is to prosper and grow, the people within it are the ones who have to take responsibility for trying to make it healthy and viable. think of the whole whelans/road records singer-songer scene and how (led by the frames) that has grown to a state of real commercial success and attention over the last few years. maybe the metal scene can do the same... why not? there's certainly enough people interested and involved, enough metal fans around - and they don't all dress like the stereotypical perception of metal fans. maybe it will just take one really talented and charismatic band to make the breakthrough. are you in a metal band, anna? there's one point I'd have to dispute with you, anna - I think punters' spending power can influence any venue's choice of music, in the cities and larger towns at least. for instance, does bruxelles off grafton street still play metal in the basement? I'm not really into metal myself, but my point is that a LOT of people are!!!! but maybe like the whelans singer-songer scene, the metal scene might be a bit of a self-satisfied clique, hence its apparent stagnation - I have no idea if that's true or not, just throwing that one out there....

Fair play to Anna, an engaging piece. I wouldn't go as far as saying that I disagree with what she is saying but I would like to point out that there are alot of metal bands still around today. This would depend on your definition of metal compared to hard rock, but bands like Ten Past Seven, Mike Got Spiked, The Things are all doing the rounds at the moment. The Things are actually the band who can ressurrect this scene if they get enough attention and put out a decent release. Venues don't book metal bands much but they still do, weren't Motorhead just over? Dorans, Voodoo and TBMC always have hard rock acts lined up so I don't think the scene is dead, just margalinised. But good stuff to Anna. Another good OpEd on Cluas.

Very few musicians know how to make good metal music, as Binokular has mentioned above me here in this thread. Try playing Angel of Death on guitar, or worse, on drums, and you'll get an appreciation. I was at Ozzfest in 2002 (I think) and 20,000 people attended to see some of the worlds finest metal bands play. And Lost Prophets. To make senseless metal you need a good musical knowledge, from classical to punk. Most metal music, when studied by people who know the art of reading music - a bizzare concept to me- state that there are similarities. So basically because no one is being forced to play piano from an early age like many of the guitar heros and anti heros of metal, not many younger musicians, guitar players in particular, have a clue about how to play metal. Myself included, by the way!. Metalicia(?spelling?), the metallica tribute act, still draw many hundreds more than most would imagine. I havent seen a great Irish metal band in ages. Therapy? in the ambassador tomorrow night is the next great metal show. Fair lpay Anna, great article, must look up these websites to educate myself further!

is there a metal band in dublin called 'the state pathologist dr john harbison'? if so, I think it's the greatest band name ever!!!

The Things are a garage band Gar. Loud guitars a metal band do not make. Yes I know there was a time when the two weren't that far apart like the way early Alice Cooper and MC5 weren't exactly miles away musically (or geographically) but not today. Motorhead were (are?) great but I don't think that kind of blokey pub metal is really similar or relevant to this more angsty introverted nu-metal stuff the kids seem play these days. Guns and Roses still seem to be a huge influence on the younger generation though. Aidan, if there isn't a band with that name out there already, there oughta be!

As I said earlier, it depends on how you define what metal is. I think The Things are a bit harder than just being classed as a garage band. My point overall though was that there are metal bands (or bands playing a modernised version of metal music) still knocking about and there are venues for them to play in. As for the nu-metal groups, aren't they just pop-rock because they concentrate on how well their singles do against other pop acts. That's a whole other topic though.

Gar, Your point about the metal scene being alive and well is well taken, but I still can't agree with you about the things. Garage is pretty hard (take a listen to The Sonics or The Cramps) and more brutal in its aesthetic than metal becase it values rawness and energy, its very in keeping with early Rock and Roll type stuff. Metal, believe it or not is actually more refined and disciplined genre. The two cross over from time to time but I think where metal is different is the way it isn't really rooted in Rock and Roll anymore.

Point taken. I'm not a big fan of either metal or garage, like some stuff, so I trust your judgement on seprating the two. I just thought The Things were a heavy act when I saw them.

Mixtwitch - think thats their name are an excellent metal band.

Anna - great article. unicron - I love your quote at the bottom of your posts. I grew up on a healthy diet of Duran Duran and Metallica/Iron Maiden/Megadeth et al. Now I've kind of transversed the rock "spectrum", getting into the manics, idlewild, husker du, pixies, soulwax etc and have not gone back to metal ever since. I've still got my records and cds and sure sometimes i stick them on. but generally, I personally find metal repetetive and dull. I'm sticking with the balls out rock and roll that i threw myself into when I was 14. Guns N' Roses, Pearl Jam and such. Metal has no real place in the world anymore. it's dated and very narrative. People are now capable of laying their heart open and writing more meaningful songs. Celtic Frosts "Hang the Pope" no longer has a place in music when placed along side "November Rain" or "Everlong". It's hard to believe bullet belts and speed riffs will be making THAT much of a come back but stranger things have happened.

A few years ago, I was supportive of metal on this very discussion board. Very supportive. And I was given alot of stick for it. Now you're telling me that dublin has changed so radically that the rebirth of metal will be bigger than before? Mind you, in Dublin's case, the attitude wouldnt surprise me. Dublin changes it's attitude like it changes it's socks. "We've got plenty of jobs...Oh wait, no we dont...We're pushing this kinda music...oh wait no we're not....We're not going to waste money on silly transport ideas....Oh wait, yes we are...Oh now we DO have plenty of jobs BUT we'll give them to every "refugee" that makes it into our country because we can pay 'em f**k all and not have an economical crisis on our hands...."....But I digress and get back to music... Metal is grim. It's talentless. It's soul less. I've been into everything from pantera and slayer to Iced Earth and celtic frost. It's all tiresome stuff. Pop is easy to swallow garbage for the average numb-f**k who cant handle anything with real talent behind it. Metal is the same but with "real" musicians filling in the blanks. Theres always going to be a place for pop in the world because the masses of intetllect on this rock are generally average. The popularity of metal is as moody as the music itself. Ever shifting. Ever repeating. But always disappearing only to be revived briefly once again. Where are Limp Bizkit these days? Whats this type of metal going to be called now? "Neo-Nu-Metal"?