I can't comment on the variations in Metal, but I think the variations in all genres are largely ignored by people who don't follow the genre.

I could be wrong but I would assume most of you have the impression that rap music has no real variations but there really are tons. Especially these days with more and more innovative stuff coming out.

And the same would go for most genres, I think. The most limiting of genres is probably rock and roll, to be honest.

@ Darwyn...

Lepanto to my muscle memory, contemplate if Italy's worth clinging to, Balkans and Turkey ahead of me.

Metal has lots of sub-genres because trve metalheads (unlike actual pioneers of metal from the 80s) love to categorize music, they're worse than record companies in this aspect. They're like French classicists who moved to mosh pits, who will fight to death over the least important aspects of style and form to determine why is Suffocation technical brutal death metal and not brutal technical death metal. They will tell you with straight face that they're openminded as far as music is concerned, that's why they don't mind putting death metal and technical death metal in their playlists at the same time. But no blackened death metal, that would be too much.

Really, such overdetermination can be helpful when you are searching for a specific sound but it is naïve to think that e.g. there is a greater difference between Possessed (death/thrash metal) and Immortal (black metal) than between Venetian Snares and Aphex Twin (both Intelligent Dance Music)

I saw Deep Purple in the old Maple Leaf Gardens back in the early eighties with some metal-head Scarborough buddies. Gillan - Lord - Glover - Paice - Blackmore version. We had NN floor tickets, or something like that. As soon as the lights went out, we bolted for the stage(of course). It was like a sport for us. They opened with "Highway Star". At the beginning of the first guitar solo, two of us met up at the stage almost right in front of Blackmore, which is where we stayed for next two hours. Easily one of my favourite shows. It's in my top ten , for sure.

##stayed for THE next two###

lol, shadowplay...nice work!

I didn't expect such a huge response to such a simple question. But that's cool. Yes, there are many sub-genres to metal. And with the exeption of "hair metal" I am a total fan. People who know metal say once you are hooked, it flows thourgh your blood like blood. In my opinion there are two kinds of music in this world...Metal and everything else. I honestly feel sorry for those who do not get it. Thats all I have to say, and this will be my last post on the subject.... \m/ METALHEADS UNITE!!!!

@ VeryMetal

I've never understood the media indifference toward metal but I do think it's definitely contributed to the whole ethos of 'metalheads unite'. From Sabbath to Metallica, Birmingham to Los Angeles, there's always been a particular tribalism unique to metal.

*makes the horns*

"the only thing you see, you know it's gonna be, the ace of spades, the ace of spades..."

*nods head in quiet agreement*

In 1993 I managed to see in concert Metallica preceded by Suicidal Tendencies and The Cult in Lisboa... it was great but I was only 13, but I was there :D

Metal and blood come together as one
Onlookers they gasp in dismay
Taste the sweet blood of one another
Sharing without any greed
Bang you head as if up from the dead
Intense metal is all that you need

yea the whole metal unity thing is an interesting concept... use this thread to talk about it

I'm a big metal and rock fan. In particular in terms of metal I love:

Megadeth
Judas Priest
Black Sabbath
Dio (RIP)
WASP
Anthrax

Megadeth in particular I've always been a huge fan of. Dave Mustaine is the best metal songwriter, hands down.

@ woofers: "yea the whole metal unity thing is an interesting concept... use this thread to talk about it "

I think what you see in terms of metal fans uniting is just the same as in any interest group that's close to, but slightly outside of, the mainstream.

Being close to the mainstream is an important factor as it means that sufficient people are involved to make some form of united group feeling possible. Metal fans feel a cameraderie when they encounter one another, but if metal was such a niche interest that you very rarely met another metal fan, the effect would be substantially less.

In my experience you get a similar cameraderie among pro wresting fans - many of whom are also metal fans of course.