Hey guys, I'm really interested to know one thing, there are a lot of really great metal bands in Sweden and in other genres too, so I guess the Swedes definitely know their stuff in music 😉Perhaps you know the secret of making good music, or at least could give me a hint?🙃
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I was at a concert of Mando Diao in Bayreuth last year just before they canceled the whole tour. They are from Sweden and I like them. But I don`t know if it is a real metal band.
I think it's a matter of the Scandinavian folk soul.
Reserved people. Not that much outgoing as in other cutures.
I love Scandinavian folk, by the way. I'm also curious about one thing: do you think black metal is considered as a national treasure in Norway and how do religious organizations view it?
i actually thought about this (the metal part specifically) before and did a bit of research and as far as i know, there are quite a few reasons:
1.) as others said, of course climate, culture, landscape, history, mythology..., just the life scandinavian people live inspires musicians
2.) swedish kids get supported with learning instruments. i think they even have to choose an instrument to learn at school? but at least there are a lot of music schools (and they aren't that expensive/ maybe even free) so naturally most kids learn how to play an instrument and if they they ever want to start a band, they already have some musical knowledge
3.) the swedish metal scene IS this big because the swedish metal scene WAS this big before. sounds stupid, but first of all swedens history with extreme music makes it generally more accepted than it is in other countries. second of all, most cities are the home of some popular bands so swedish people are really likely to discover metal, get inspired by it and also motivated because they know others from their hometown got successful with playing music. (if this is hard to understand, try to compare how you think people from i dont know, hawaii, would feel about starting a metal band vs how people from gothenburg would feel. i think, the latter would be way more confident in themselves)
4.) similar to the point above, sweden probably has a bigger metal community than other countries and of course a bigger community creates a bigger community. if there are more live shows, record shops and so on, people will more likely discover it and become a part of that scene. also new bands can get gigs, signed by a record label, featured in zines... easier
5.) in worldwide comparison, sweden is fairly progressive and rich in general so kids are more likely to even get the possibility to start a musical career. their parents probably at least allow them to do so and they will be able to afford the gear and maybe even a gap year or something to do a concert tour abroad, record an album etc
and if you wonder how i explain how all of this started in the first place:
6.) i think there was a bit of luck too. somehow some metal bands appeared in this country (just as the did in a lot of others at the time) and they were quite good at... popularizing... the music. i mean, think about all the mayhem stories, they HAD to be featured in the media so all the edgy teenagers discovered especially black metal and helped the scene evolve. most people in africa (just an example of a continent that isn't as well know for its metal scene) probably didn't even know about this kind of music. it really only needs a few people to start something big, all that matters is that they find a way to spread whatever they are doing and reach others who eventually will join them
edit: most of this probably applies for norway and finland too
i actually thought about this (the metal part specifically) before and did a bit of research and as far as i know, there are quite a few reasons:
1.) as others said, of course climate, culture, landscape, history, mythology..., just the life scandinavian people live inspires musicians
2.) swedish kids get supported with learning instruments. i think they even have to choose an instrument to learn at school? but at least there are a lot of music schools (and they aren't that expensive/ maybe even free) so naturally most kids learn how to play an instrument and if they they ever want to start a band, they already have some musical knowledge
3.) the swedish metal scene IS this big because the swedish metal scene WAS this big before. sounds stupid, but first of all swedens history with extreme music makes it generally more accepted than it is in other countries. second of all, most cities are the home of some popular bands so swedish people are really likely to discover metal, get inspired by it and also motivated because they know others from their hometown got successful with playing music. (if this is hard to understand, try to compare how you think people from i dont know, hawaii, would feel about starting a metal band vs how people from gothenburg would feel. i think, the latter would be way more confident in themselves)
4.) similar to the point above, sweden probably has a bigger metal community than other countries and of course a bigger community creates a bigger community. if there are more live shows, record shops and so on, people will more likely discover it and become a part of that scene. also new bands can get gigs, signed by a record label, featured in zines... easier
5.) in worldwide comparison, sweden is fairly progressive and rich in general so kids are more likely to even get the possibility to start a musical career. their parents probably at least allow them to do so and they will be able to afford the gear and maybe even a gap year or something to do a concert tour abroad, record an album etc
and if you wonder how i explain how all of this started in the first place:
6.) i think there was a bit of luck too. somehow some metal bands appeared in this country (just as the did in a lot of others at the time) and they were quite good at... popularizing... the music. i mean, think about all the mayhem stories, they HAD to be featured in the media so all the edgy teenagers discovered especially black metal and helped the scene evolve. most people in africa (just an example of a continent that isn't as well know for its metal scene) probably didn't even know about this kind of music. it really only needs a few people to start something big, all that matters is that they find a way to spread whatever they are doing and reach others who eventually will join them
edit: most of this probably applies for norway and finland too
Wow, I'm impressed, thank you for such a detailed answer. I agree with every point you make. Scandinavian metal scene definitely has its own vibe.
I love Scandinavian folk, by the way. I'm also curious about one thing: do you think black metal is considered as a national treasure in Norway and how do religious organizations view it?
Most Scandinavians listen to bubblegum pop and are oblivious to black metal in general.
It's just not big here.
They're against it ofc, but religion is not big in this part of the world so no one cares what they think anyway.
Most Scandinavians listen to bubblegum pop and are oblivious to black metal in general.
It's just not big here.
They're against it ofc, but religion is not big in this part of the world so no one cares what they think anyway.
That's interesting. For example, it's impossible to imagine a black metal museum or an exhibition in Russia now, even though we have a lot of Russian black metal bands.
When I was Sweden, I noticed there was some social pressure to conform, this makes sense I suppose, in an unforgiving climate. Black Metal by definition is an extreme form of Metal, so I figured it was a sort of.. "if I'm gonna be different, I'm gonna go all the way..."
Not huge Scandinavian Black Metal fan, but I like Swedish D-Beat ...
That's interesting. For example, it's impossible to imagine a black metal museum or an exhibition in Russia now, even though we have a lot of Russian black metal bands.
That'd never hit big here.
I listen to BM. Not ALL the time, but sometimes.
But it's just not a big thing here.
Do you like Mayhem?
I once was out on the town with Jørn.
Nice guy.
Do you like Carpthian Forest?
I once was out on the town with them. They're banned in Poland! 😃
Nice guys. They listen to Michael Jackson in private.
When I was Sweden, I noticed there was some social pressure to conform, this makes sense I suppose, in an unforgiving climate. Black Metal by definition is an extreme form of Metal, so I figured it was a sort of.. "if I'm gonna be different, I'm gonna go all the way..."
Not huge Scandinavian Black Metal fan, but I like Swedish D-Beat ...
Some people want to break the rules, it makes sense.
As for me, I'm a big fan of Swedish melodic death metal scene, Norwegian black metal heritage and Finnish Children of bodom (despite the fact that Finland is not a part of Scandinavia). But other genres of other countries are interesting to me also.
Some people want to break the rules, it makes sense.
As for me, I'm a big fan of Swedish melodic death metal scene, Norwegian black metal heritage and Finnish Children of bodom (despite the fact that Finland is not a part of Scandinavia). But other genres of other countries are interesting to me also.
Music is like a language, it either speaks to you, or it just doesn't... I guess because I was hardcore kid the more punk/hardcore informed metal bands were what I was drawn to. Still, I did go to Metal Festival in Norway and had a blast.
Respect to metal fans because of all the genres, I think they are most supportive of their scene
That'd never hit big here.
I listen to BM. Not ALL the time, but sometimes.
But it's just not a big thing here.
Do you like Mayhem?
I once was out on the town with Jørn.
Nice guy.
Do you like Carpthian Forest?
I once was out on the town with them. They're banned in Poland! 😃
Nice guys. They listen to Michael Jackson in private.
I do like Mayhem and Carpathian forest. That is really cool that you met them in person.
I like to watch some interviews with Abbath sometimes, he is such a funny guy 😁
I also do not listen to bm all the time. I like Norwegian band Kvelertak they are such crazy guys in a good way
Carpathian sounds more evil than Mayhem.
But if you look at their past... Mayhem is the undisputed champions of CRAZY!!!!!!
I don't think there's any black metal band with THAT kind of history.
Except for those guys in Brazil that cut a guy's head off for their album cover back in the 80's. That's some fucked up shit.
James Hetfield from Metallica said he was a big fan of Kvelertak.
Kvelertak means stranglehold.
I also met Varg Vikernes once.
Well... he was my neighbor in prison 26 years ago so I met him twice actually.
Music is like a language, it either speaks to you, or it just doesn't... I guess because I was hardcore kid the more punk/hardcore informed metal bands were what I was drawn to. Still, I did go to Metal Festival in Norway and had a blast.
Respect to metal fans because of all the genres, I think they are most supportive of their scene
I listen to punk/hardcore. Comeback kid is one of my favourite bands.
Carpathian sounds more evil than Mayhem.
But if you look at their past... Mayhem is the undisputed champions of CRAZY!!!!!!I don't think there's any black metal band with THAT kind of history.
Except for those guys in Brazil that cut a guy's head off for their album cover back in the 80's. That's some fucked up shit.James Hetfield from Metallica said he was a big fan of Kvelertak.
Kvelertak means stranglehold.
I also met Varg Vikernes once.
Well... he was my neighbor in prison 26 years ago so I met him twice actually.
Varg is a controversial figure. Although Burzum is probably one of the most popular BM bands in other countries.