"Black" Metal: A Brief History of Black Musicians in Metal Music

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love heavy metal.  The metal scene has always been a part of my life, beginning with the days that my dad and I would watch Beavis and Butthead when I was 8 years old.  Ever since then, I have made metal a part of my daily life.  I picked up the bass and have played in seven metal-influenced bands since I started playing.  For three years, I also hosted a radio show that played nothing but metal through the airwaves of Harrisonburg, VA.  The metal scene has introduced me to some of the most talented and technical musicians on the planet, and it has been my best outlet to cope with the emotions and feelings experienced through every day life in a positive way.  Although I love all types of music, metal will always be at the forefront of my musical tastes.

Dallas Coyle (right) and Byron Davis of God Forbid

What I do not agree with is the negative stereotypes that have been associated with metal over time.  Too many people perceive the metal scene to be corrupted with drug abuse, demonic worship and wasted lifestyles.  While this might be true for some bands, it is certainly not the case with many others.  Nowadays there are metal influenced bands that are straight edge (Earth Crisis, Bleeding Through, Throwdown, etc.) and some that embody their religious beliefs in their lyrics (Zao, Living Sacrifice, Norma Jean).  However, an even more ridiculous stereotype that I am not OK with is the perception that metal is a "whites only" scene.  This is something that has been perpetuated in the media throughout history, mainly because the more well-known metal bands have featured only white members in their lineups.  There have been other factors that have contributed to this stereotype such as bands that featured the word "white" in their name (e.g. Whitesnake, Great White, White Lion, etc.) as well as the misinterpreted "White Pride" speech by Phil Anselmo of Pantera (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxQk3DC3gL0).  Yet, looking at the bands and people who have shaped the metal scene, it is clear that this stereotype is completely wrong.  And quite honestly, the metal scene has been home to MANY talented musicians of all colors, cultures and creeds.  In recognition of January 16, 2012 as MLK Day, I am going to examine some of the black musicians who have had very successful careers in metal.

Jimi Hendrix

Going all the way back to the origins of metal, the style of music was born from rock 'n roll, which has arguably been credited to be developed by Chuck Berry - who I must mention was black.  Rock 'n roll evolved constantly during the 1960s, giving way to many legendary bands.  However, in the late 1960s, rock music saw a great shift from a simple fast paced and energetic genre to a much more rebellious and intense style.  They called the style "heavy metal," and bands such as Led Zepplin and Black Sabbath led this shift with music that focused on louder instruments, more intricate and prominent guitar parts, and lyrics that centered on heartbreak, drug use, and social ills.  One musician that stood out in this scene was a guitarist named Jimi Hendrix, an African-American singer and songwriter who revolutionized the sounds that were made from the electric guitar.  As a lefty, he played his guitar upside down, and he even played his guitar with his teeth.  His lyrics were controversial, but music listeners all over the world explored the Jimi Hendrix Experience.  Although his life was cut short in 1970, Hendrix became a symbol of a generation that was going through political and social turmoil as well as losing an entire population of young men to the Vietnam War.

Thin Lizzy

After Hendrix's death, the metal scene did not see very many prominent black musicians during the 1970s.  There was one band, however, that stood out in many countries around the world.  They were called Thin Lizzy, and perhaps one of the most interesting things about this band was that their lead singer/bassist was not only black, but he was also Irish!  But in the long run, this didn't matter as much as the band's memorable songs.  "The Boys Are Back In Town" is probably one of the most well known tunes in rock music and has probably been overused by advertisers in commercials all over the world.  As the 1980s rolled in, metal took a more cheesy and over glamorized style which was made mainstream by the launching of MTV.  These years saw the likes of spandex suits, eye liner, big hair, and a lot of bad bands.  However, in 1984 there was one band that emerged that took on a harder edge.  Living Colour made a name for themselves by the late 1980s, led by singer Corey Glover (who also appeared in the movie Platoon).  They didn't sing about girls or parties; they sang about political and racial injustice, things that many other bands chose to ignore.  And what defined them even further: every member of the band was black.  However, they did not let this characteristic separate their identities from their fans.  They sought to unite everyone through their music, regardless of the color of their skin.

Sepultura

The 1990s saw the death of mainstream metal as grunge and alternative rock took over the airwaves.  Metal then became a genre that was kept in the underground, and the styles moved away from melodic singing to more guttural growls and more technical song structures.  Bands began combining the styles of metal, hardcore, and hip hop to bring an even harder edge to the scene, which was displayed prominently in the movie Judgment Night with the union of Onyx and Biohazard (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoQ9XBAvy7Q&feature=related).  By the late 1990s and early 2000s, metal saw a reemergence into mainstream rock radio, and interestingly part of this reemergence was led by a few black musicians.    The band Sevendust from Atlanta featured singer Lejon Witherspoon, whose singing style ranged from soft RnB influenced melodies to monsterous screams.  The infamous Family Values Tour in 1998 saw musicians such as KoRn and Ice Cube share the stage.  In fact, some bands that were on the verge of ending their careers were virtually saved when they recruited new singers, some of which happened to be black.

Sevendust

Sepultura went from nearly committing career suicide to becoming a newly revived and even heavier and darker metal band thanks to the powerful vocals of Derrick Green; ironically, the same success can not be attributed as much to former lead singer Max Cavalera's band Soulfly.  Killswitch Engage saw a similar revolution in their career when singer Jesse Leach was replaced by frontman Howard Jones.  Since then, the band has had huge publicity, particularly with their music being featured in the Underworld movie franchise.  Bands like God Forbid and Suffocation, which feature multiple members of black descent, has seen similar success, touring alongside many legendary metal bands around the world.

Killswitch Engage

So, from looking at the history of metal in this short blog entry, two conclusions can certainly be made.  First and foremost, black musicians have been able to achieve great success in their musical careers through the metal scene.  However, this is only elementary compared to a more important takeaway, which is that the metal scene is not defined by the races of its musicians.  Metal is made by all musicians regardless of their color, culture, creed, or national origin.  When you listen to any metal record, you will never know what the guitarist looks like or what the singer looks like, and with some bands they might not even be human (e.g. GWAR, Lordi, etc.).  Metal does not discriminate.  It is a scene that welcomes extraordinary musical talent and virtually anyone who is willing to give it a chance.  It is a scene that will change your life.  As Randy Blythe of Lamb of God put it best, "it's all metal!"