How Reddit Responded to Thread About Not Understanding What People Like About Metal

As fans of heavy music, we probably don't often think about the reasons why we love it so much — we just do. But if someone were to ask you what it is that you like about heavy metal, what would you say?

A few years ago, a thread was posted on the "Casual Conversation" Reddit Page with the title, "I don't understand what people like about heavy metal," and they further elaborated in the description, "To me all I hear is screaming and and shouting. Why do people like it? How can they hear a tune in it?"

Alas, the people of metal have spoken.

In the top comment, a metalhead explained that in most other genres, the vocals are the main source of melody as well as the primary focus of the song. However, in metal, "the vocals are just another instrument, equally as important as the guitar, bass or drums, and as such the quality of the voice has to be appropriate for what's going on in the rest of the ensemble."

Fantastic way to put it.

Elsewhere in their description, the metalhead included links to songs by Animals As Leaders and Between the Buried and Me to show the charm in metal, even when it's an instrumental, and how there are different subgenres under the main umbrella. Some fellow visitors on the thread replied that they actually liked the examples, so bravo to the author of that comment.

"Don't hear metal, listen to metal," another person commented. "It's not just screaming and shouting. It's much more than that, if you hear past the harsh vocals. Metal is beautiful, raw and meaningful… If you straight up hear death metal without having any prior metal experience, you might feel that way. Start with traditional metal (which has lots of melody and is basically a heavier and faster form of rock 'n' roll) like Iron Maiden and progress through the heavier genres."

Another commenter pointed out that what initially attracted them to "how outlandish the music sounded" was how much of an "outsider" they had already felt throughout the majority of their life. Metal was something they could "latch onto" and find comfort in.

Perhaps one of the best parts of the thread, though, is that the majority of people answered honestly about why they like the genre, rather than bashing the person who posed the original question. Check out more of the comments for yourself below, and start preparing your argument in case you're ever asked what you like about heavy metal.