Image: While She Sleeps Live, Impericon Festivals 2024 [xoxo_photography]
Metalcore often faces ridicule from metalheads and is frequently dismissed as not being true metal. But where does this attitude come from? We explore several theories.
It's well-known that the subgenre of metalcore is often scoffed at by metalheads and not regarded as true metal. But what exactly triggers the disdain for metalcore within the metal community? This question has generated a sizable Reddit thread with contributions from fans of metalcore, metalheads, and experts on other subgenres. Today, we'll shed some light on a few theories that might explain this phenomenon.
Metalcore: A Brief Overview
Even if you don’t listen to the subgenre yourself, you’ve likely not escaped its presence over the last 20 years. Since the 2000s, metalcore bands have sprung up globally and it remains one of the most popular subgenres. Many bands originated in the 2010s and continue to achieve great success, with new acts still emerging and injecting fresh energy into the scene. Metalcore, however, differs significantly from metal in terms of influences. Poppy melodies are not uncommon here, despite the harsh breakdowns, screams, and growls. From the beginning, this subgenre faced rejection and distancing from the traditional metal scene, where genres like heavy metal, thrash metal, death metal, and black metal are celebrated.
The Reddit Discussion
A user on the discussion platform Reddit sparked the conversation with the following statement:
“Some people say the metalcore genre isn't metal, and that's ridiculous. I think there are just stubborn people who don't want metal to evolve. Like everything in metal, it evolves and gets better. I think the metalcore genre holds a very valuable place for metal. Because I believe it strengthens and secures metal from different perspectives. I’m curious about your opinions.”
Although the thread is only about three weeks old, it has already attracted nearly 800 comments.
What Does Emo And Hardcore Have To Do With It?
One theory discussed on Reddit is the association of metalcore with the emo scene. This addresses the fact that metalcore, especially in its early days, was strongly linked with emo music. Metalcore largely emerged from the subgenre of hardcore, while emo (or emocore) is a subgenre of hardcore, or hardcore punk. Metal and hardcore are both heavy but originated from different influences. Here are some comments on this:
“I think the main reason is that many metalcore bands were associated with emo. Also, it was originally a subgenre of hardcore, so they're right that many metalcore bands actually aren't metal. But over the decades, it has evolved significantly towards metal. Some of them just have a snobbish superiority complex and want to hate things.”
Despite discussing the evolution of the metal genre over the years, it's clear that it depends on the influences of each individual band and can vary.
“They view it as hardcore and don't particularly like hardcore. Not an unfounded view. All original metalcore bands and many after came out of hardcore scenes and have much more in common with hardcore than with metal. There are also broader cultural differences involved, especially regarding moshing styles. Many metalheads hate hardcore dancing and advocate only push-pits. They see it as a kind of ‘Metal-Light’ that relies too much on breakdowns instead of solos and riffs.”
Responses also mention the clean vocals in metalcore songs, a recurring feature in metalcore choruses. The theory here is that clean singing can sound quite whiny and dramatic, thus reminiscent of emo and even pop-punk. This is then countered by noting that subgenres like power metal are often ridiculed for reasons like vocal style.
Image: While She Sleeps Live at the Impericon Festivals 2024 [Dominik Garban]
Is Metalcore Cringe?
The cringe factor is also not overlooked in the discussion. Interestingly, it's a metalcore fan who brings up the topic:
“Metalcore is my favorite genre, but it does include a lot of cringe that is the opposite of what you see in metal. Sometimes there are many fake emotions and overdramatization etc., but in my experience, most of the hate comes from overproduction.”
However, the following responses quickly clarify that cringe, or something embarrassing, is very individual. Thus, according to other Reddit users, numerous metal genres can be considered cringe, such as the lyrics of power metal bands, the style of 80s glam metal, or black metal bands. This is seen as a matter of personal perspective.
Metalheads Can Also Like Metalcore
Naturally, the whole topic cannot be generalized. Not every metalhead automatically hates metalcore. So, it's not surprising that a few metal fans have expressed in the comments that they like metalcore:
“I’m a metalhead, I like metalcore, and I also play in a metalcore band. I grew up with 80s rock and metal. Iron Maiden, Metallica, Van Halen, Ozzy, Dio, etc. For me, subgenres don't matter as long as it's heavy and I like it, that's all that matters to me.”
A commendable comment, as that's how it should be: everyone should just listen to what they like.
All Comments On The Topic
If you're interested in more opinions, you can look through the Reddit thread or even participate yourself. After all, there are many comments we can't all display here. Enjoy browsing and listening to music - regardless of the genre!
