Environmental Issues In Metal
Looking at Bands who have Embraced the Idea of Ecological Crisis
Dating back to biblical times, the idea of responsibility and stewardship towards our planet has been a prominent issue. Taking a back seat until the advent of climate science and the measuring and recording of temperature and precipitation, ecological awareness is now a critical concern in politics and society.
Futile Decadent Ways Are Not Environmentally Aware
A common theme in metal lyrics, similar to all rebellious and controversial musical outlets, is the general apathy and laziness of humankind. Certain bands have coined this theme in their lyrics in relation to mankind’s general ignorance towards pressing matters of global warming and other scientific problems.
Many metal bands sing of impending apocalypse and embracing such a fire and brimstone ending, but few actually suggested rising against this future by looking after our planet, changing paradigms to a more eco-friendly mindset. Strangely some of these bands were involved in the late 80’s era of thrash.
Testament from San Fransisco, USA sang about upheaval and a need for a decadent paradigm to be overthrown, and part of their policy was calling for a attitude adjustment towards pollution and global warming. The song “Greenhouse Effect” a classic Testament tune from the Practice What You Preach (1989) album is a typical groove-laden thrash beast with anthemic chorus and best sums up the bands awareness of global environmental and intertwined political issues.
Some lines from “Greenhouse Effect” from 1989’s Practice What You Preach read:
What will we do when all is lost; environmental holocaust
Lies they televise, paid by the government
Wasting precious land, it’s time to take a stand
Nuclear Assault from the opposite East Coast released many apocalyptic scenario based albums such as Game Over/The Plague (1986) and Survive (1988) but the best in terms of environmental awareness is the album Handle With Care (1989) with its iconic Apollo mission imagery of the planet from space and the tagline ‘Handle with care’ branded across the planet’s surface on the album cover.
“Critical Mass” from Handle With Care (1989) reads:
Slightly insane, the type of greed
That makes a world unfit for life
Toxic wastes destroy the seas
While poison gas pollutes the air
A waste of life, when no one cares
The Earth becomes a giant tomb
One Doesn't Have To Be Born On Earth Day To Recycle
Science is an ever evolving endeavour and the idea that this journey of knowledge scours the horizons of reality jolts the creative engine of many metal minds. The Devin Townsend may be a ‘proggy’ offshoot of Devin Townsend’s primary outlet Strapping Young Lad, but their inspiration lies in the infinite scope of out of control pilot, Mr. Townsend.
The album Terria (2001) looked down at what lies under our feet rather than what goes on elsewhere, and stand out track “Earth Day” is an environmental diatribe about global awareness and responsibility and the apathy that stands in its way. The lyrics were as follows:
Eat your beets, recycle...recycle...
Don't eat your beets, recycle...recycle
The message is; 'THERE IS NO MESSAGE'
The classic title track from Tool’s Aenima (1996) which beckons the onset of global warming and sea level rise to cleanse the filth that mankind has spawned is another example of environmental crisis in music, albeit on the side favouring the apocalyptic scenario.
“Aenima” from Aenima (1996) reads:
Learn to swim.
**** L Ron Hubbard and
**** all his clones.
**** all those gun-toting
Hip gangster wannabes.
Learn to swim.
**** retro anything.
**** your tattoos.
**** all you junkies and
**** your short memory.
Learn to swim.
**** smiley glad-hands
With hidden agendas.
**** these dysfunctional,
Insecure actresses.
Learn to swim.
Cuz I'm praying for rain
And I'm praying for tidal waves
I wanna see the ground give way.
I wanna watch it all go down.
Mom please flush it all away.
I wanna watch it go right in and down.
I wanna watch it go right in.
Watch you flush it all away.
Time to bring it down again.
Don't just call me pessimist.
Try and read between the lines.
I can't imagine why you wouldn't
Welcome any change, my friend.
I wanna see it all come down.
Suck it down.
Flush it down.
Other instances exist of course; ecological issues are unavoidable due to media spin, but incidentally make good content matter. Napalm Death spoke of the “Climate Controllers” and Gojira looked at “Global Warming”. The influence is far and wide.
Handle With Care by Nuclear Assault album cover
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Terria by The Devin Townsend Band album cover
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