Emo Research Paper

Heavy metal music and Emo (Emo is a term derived from Emotional, it's a form of music that replaced punk music in the early 90's) are two underground music scenes, even though they are both underground and forms of rock they have absolutely nothing in common. From the music to the style that surrounds the music Metal and Emo are almost complete opposites. Metal-Heads wear baggy clothes and Emo kids wear tight clothes. Metal is fast low and heavy, Emo is sometimes fast but high and not very heavy. Emo lyrics have to do with Emotions, hence the name Emo, but more often then not the songs end up being about some girl that left them. Metal lyrics do not offer much more, their songs are usually about death, dying and the dead. Metal and Emo are nothing alike and clash in a lot of ways. One of the major differences between Metal and Emo is
their lyrics.
The lyrics of Metal vary, but none of them offer anything structure or thought. They often have to do with hate and the Devil, unless you listen to one of those terrible Christian metal bands, which no self-respecting metal head listens to. Metal Lyrics at the end of the song leave you pissed off and angry at Christians or just pissed and you do not quite know why. They often use the devil and Satanism as more of a form of rebellion then actual belief system, most bands that talk of Satan in their lyrics are atheist and don't believe in anything. They use it as a representative of rebellion against the morals of society. On the other hand Emo Lyrics are far different and actually have meaning and feeling behind them, and often tell a sad, depressing story, usually about a girl. The stereotype of
an Emo song is a guy whining for four minuets about his girl friend leaving him. For the most part this is true but there are many different Emo songs out there that actually have something to say about life. Emo, most of the time, has a sad depressing motive behind it. I have come across very few happy Emo songs in my day. Emo bands say that they are emotional but the emotion they seem talk about is depression. To quote Bright Eyes (an Indie/Emo bad) "Some sad singers, they just play tragic". but depression is one of the strongest, most frequent emotions felt by any human so it's understand able that most are sad, and it is not to say that there are not happy emo song just as there are many metal songs that do not have to deal with hate and/or the devil, however they do come few and far between. Along with the lyrics the music that backs them up is very distinctive. The music is also very different between the two genres. Metal is fast, really fast and the players, despite other opinions, are very skilled to be able to not only play that fast, (because anyone could do that) but also to have amazing instrumental solos in the middle of the song. Most Metal songs have at least two are three big solos in them. The drummers always have a double bass kick pedal, which takes a lot of practice to be any good at. All the members of any band are extremely talented and have years if not decades of practice beneath their belt, and in my opinion metal artists are some of the best players in the music business today. Metal songs are usually screamed and are very low and if you don't have an ear for it you probably won't understand what they are saying, but the more you listen to it the more you'll understand. Emo songs however, are typically somewhat fast, but not anywhere near as heavy as Metal. The songs are usually sung in a high-pitched voice. Although emo players may be good, they possess nowhere near the amount of skill that the metal artists have or at least they don't seem the display it as well. Their Music is very different but their styles also contrast. They both have their own styles and everyone is a little different, but for the most part the stereotype of an Emo kid and a Metal Head are extremely accurate. The style of a typical Metal head can differ a little depending on if he's a Gothic Industrial/ Metal Head, which case he listens to music like Marilyn Manson, Rammstein, Dead-star Assembly, The Birthday Massacre, and other industrial bands along with metal bands. They wear loose, baggy, clothes with straps and chins (Tripp pants are a popular brand). They usually have on a shirt of their favorite Industrial band, and a trench coat is a must have. Other older Metal heads are a little different, they listen to nothing but pure, heavy, death metal typically stuff from the glory days of Metal. They listen to bands such as Pantera, MeagaDeth, Faith No More and so on. Metal-head like this typically wear old, faded black, tour t-shirt of their favorite metal bands, usually with holes in it. As for hair, both styles of Metal have long, seemingly un-kept hair. To top off the out fit is a pair of Doc Martin boots and some blue jeans. The style of an Emo Boy is far, far different. They where everything tight, tight girl pants (even if their a boy) and tight t-shirts. They also have a studded belt, and of course, a pair of Converse All-Star. The typical Emo Boy has side sweep bangs and its short in the back and long in the front. The style of both genres unique but very easy too define. In other words most of them look alike. Despite their other differences the biggest difference between them is what they're about. Emo is directed at feelings and emotion as said before, whereas metal deals with hate and rebellion. But both are looking for the same thing, people. The music reaches out to those that listen to it. That's probably why they both form their own sub-culture in modern-day Amerika. Despite that they both are looking to reach people. The people that they reach are completely different. Metal appeals to the child who is looking to rebel, the boy whose parents shove their Christian views and beliefs in his face. Metal looks for the guy who's sick of the world and government, the guy whose pissed at the world. Emo reaches everyone who feels that they've been hurt, people who have had their heart broken or have been used or anybody whose ever felt depressed. Emo looks for the ones who are sad at the world. Everybody likes to listen to something they feel relates to them or how they feel. Both genres reach out for somebody whose hurting, but a different style of hurt. In conclusion, both genres of music have their good points and their bad points. Metal has some of the greatest players ever to pick up a guitar or drumsticks, but they also have some of the worst lyrical writers ever to pick up a pen and paper, and they offer nothing but mindless garbage. On the other hand emo has some of the best, most emotional writers, but the instrumental side of the music is nothing special at all. They both have very different tastes in clothing, to roughly describe the difference, Emo is tight and Metal loose. However, the biggest difference is their audience, Emo reaches for broken hearts, whereas metal reaches for people who are pissed at the world. They both have their pros and cons and I can see how someone could be either way, but you should just listen to what reaches you and despite the major difference in the genres they both reach people who need to know that somebody else feels the way they do. They both help a lot of people with their music, something that not very many modern day music genres can do.