In Sweden, extreme bands
thrash like icy schoolkids.
In Brazil, there are bands
who root themselves in pounding and scream.
In India, happy are bands who know
that all kinds of heads are made for banging.
In the United States there’s one band
for every market in every loud box.
In metal there is a noisy truth
which crosses a border
on its hands and knees
when necessary
but which always
stands up by stage time.
Dark Matter 
December 30th, 2012 at 10:51 am
I don’t have anything to say about this one except that I like it.
Um. There is in the Western magical tradition, going back through the Freemasons and others to Rome and before, that different metals are associated with different gods, planets, colors, emotional states, numbers, and forces:
3. Saturn, black, lead, boundaries, limits, death.
4. Jupiter, blue, tin, leadership, generosity.
5. Mars, red, iron, force, justice, cutting-away, masculinity
6. Sun, yellow, gold, creativity, energy, life, beauty
7. Venus, green, copper, fertility, victory, fecundity
8. Mercury, orange, quicksilver, intelligence, rationality, thought process, craftiness
9. Moon, purple, silver, image, illusion, changability, femininity
It seems to me that most heavy metal focuses much on themes of Lead and Iron, although 80s hair bands delved into other colors, other themes. And I wonder if different bands could be characterized as Iron bands or copper bands or mercury bands, based on the specific sonic textures they’re trying to achieve, their “look” or presentation, and the lyrics of their music.
December 30th, 2012 at 11:01 am
Tend to agree with you re Saturn and Mars being the big influences re themes. Other than that, though…worth exploring.