The other night, I went to a punk show in the city, one of those shows with a re-formed, old-school headlining band (Verbal Abuse, in this case–remember them?) and a bunch of less heralded, newer bands in the opening slots. One of these newer bands dressed like it was SoCal 1982, right down to the bandannas tied around the ankles of their motorcycle boots. They were young-looking, sloppy and sort of fun in a retro way, but it got tiring after a few songs–there wasn’t anything even remotely new going on up there. As I watched, it struck me that punk is far more limited as a form than metal. I grew up during a time of transition, when punk bands were abandoning their short-and-fast bursts for slower, heavier, and longer songs. The crossover results were mixed. Some of these bands managed to combine the very worst traits of both genres (witless thrash bands like S.O.D.; the sad-sack late-period Discharge, when audiences booed them off the stage; pretty much any speed metal band). Some were accused of selling out (oh, the rage against Black Flag), but it seemed a natural enough progression. And when it worked, it really worked. C.O.C.’s “Animosity” and Bad Brains’ “I Against I” still get regular play on my turntable.
Simply put, with metal there’s more room to move. Think about what punk stands for: in essence, it’s a big, aural “fuck you,” a broad-brush-strokes sentiment that doesn’t leave much room for nuance or growth. The Ramones, for instance, played the same song for the entirety of their career. Metal, though, for all of its lyrical absurdity, can make virtually any musical statement, from the intricate, neo-classical song structures of Bathory to Motorhead’s fist-pounding 4-4 orthodoxy to the sludgy hammerfall of bands like Sleep and the Melvins.
At its best, punk has incredible power, the equivalent of a smack in the teeth, the force of John Brannon screaming his lungs out on a tiny Detroit stage. But once you’re done screaming, where do you go? In most cases, you cease being a punk band.
I’m aware that this isn’t much of an original thought, but it really hit home for me on this night, watching what felt–and sounded–like a time capsule up on the stage. There was a lot of shouting, a lot of motion, but no heft. As somebody on Yahoo! Answers put it (there’s actually a “punk vs. metal” thread):
punk is fun, metal is deep.