Introduction.

I'm an Elitist Metalhead. Some of you may be wondering what a Heavy Metal elitist is.  I'll tell you...it's what butthurt mallcore kids call people who school them on what is real metal and what is not!!  Now, I will never say that I'm not a snob when it comes to music and metal, but some things are just a given.  I may be an opinionated asshole but Metal is Metal.

Now, I'm pushing 50 years old and have been listening to Heavy Metal since the 70s.  I was raised on Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, etc.  I graduated to Kiss (YES...Kiss - 'Alive' is a metal album!! Quorthon said so!) Judas Priest, early Scorpions, UFO, Rush, Motorhead, etc.  Then comes the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM). Bands like Iron Maiden, Saxon, and Venom defined metal into distinct styles....but in the end, it's all about the riffs.  From a very early age I have been in love with the sound of the electric guitar....and especially the guitar riffs of good old rock songs and the rock guitar solo.  Heavy Metal expanded on the old Hard Rock riffs to create a sound with its own identity.  Heavier with more intricate sounds. Also, the guitar solo is one of the distinguishing characteristics of traditional Heavy Metal and takes on a life of its own. It's guitar wankery pure and simple...but it's fucking GODLY!  Metal gained some popularity in the late 1980s but since the early 1990s  it went back underground and has grown into different sub-genres over the past three decades.  True Metal has stayed alive and well...all due to Heavy Metal Elitists.

I've been active in the online metal community since the beginning.  I'm webmaster of The King Diamond Shrine (currently needing some updates).  I've been to King Diamond's house in Texas.  I've been friends with James Rivera (Helstar) for over 10 years.  That's right, I am name dropping!!!  I've been to many, MANY shows and met many bands.  I saw  Iron Maiden open for Judas Priest when DiAnno was vocalist.  I saw Dio with Black Sabbath on the Mob Rules tour. 

Clearly, my age is showing but I think we can all agree on why I feel qualified to be a Heavy Metal Elitist. 

I like most genres of metal.  Traditional Metal, Power Metal (even some flower metal), Thrash, Death, Black, etc.  I love it all.  But is has to be Metal!  Mallcore is not metal.  Metalcore is not metal!  Djent is not "Melodic Progressive Death Metal."  Most Hair Metal  is not metal!  I even saw Avenged Sevenfold labeled as NWOAHM....the "A" being American. Really?? NO! 

This is a heavy metal webzine that will contain mostly album reviews but will also have some interviews as well as metal news and information. No metalcore, no mallcore, no -core, no djent...only metal, TRUE metal!

Song of the day...