“Is metal about to see a resurgence?” asks the sub-header to this fine and thought-provoking article, which then rather gloomily prognosticates that no, it’s not about to come back. Well, can you see the Bizkit army turning back in the face of a Tesla reunion and Buckcherry, jolly amusing though the ‘Cherry are?
No. And nor, I don’t think, can the writer. The article wants a hard rock revival, but admits that the ‘kids’ (oh those meddling kids) want something less playful and uncomplicated, and more sour and ironic, at least at the moment. Not to mention – “Bands that stuffed Dial MTV and Headbanger’s Ball in the early 1990s have aged, and the front lines of the rock army need to be manned by the younger generation”.
It’s not just the mean-minded ‘tude of the Bizkitites that draws the listeners in, though. Nu-metal’s embrace of hip-hop, thuggish though it is, has given rock’s sound the crucual jump it needed to broaden its appeal again. It sounds messy and ugly and lumpy and whiny (cuz it’s meant to) but also, well, nu. Does that make it any good? No. But it’s the main reason why the people waving lighters to Tesla aren’t likely to be in the vanguard of anything any time soon.
(PS: Check the byline! Maura, you rock.)