this post was submitted on 30 Mar 2024
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Of course the culture gets to decide. It does it when members "gatekeep" and say "that's not metal". Culture is the rough consensus of the group and what they decide to include or exclude.
Some of my favorite bands are post-black metal. They're bands who used to make black metal or were inspired by it but went on to make non-black metal music. It's the same idea as post-punk. Post-punk is inspired by punk but is not punk. Just because it shares influence does not mean it's part of it.
We can debate specifics on what is and isn't metal, but honestly I think that's a distraction from the point I'm trying to make. The point is it's up to the people in the metal culture to decide what is and isn't metal and it completely fine for them to defend their culture by gatekeeping.
There's nothing to defend though. You're walling in this beautiful culture that, if given half an opportunity, most of the people being gate kept would likely grow to love and introduce their own new, unique twists on the things already here. That's a good thing last I checked. Only creation, no destruction.
The reason I bring up different metal groups and genres is that it's basically the entire argument. There's no distinction besides an arbitrary one. There's no unified, defining force saying "ok this is metal, period." There are some INCREDIBLY broad musical characteristics that "may" be heard in metal. Metal is like lewd - I'll know it when I see it.