Changes

:The development of heavy metal music in the '60s and its continuing popularity through the '70s, '80s, and '90s coincides, for one thing, with the period of the greatest popularity horror films and books have ever known. Both mark a transitional moment in our history: the end of Pax Americana; new economic crises; de-industrialization, the decline of unions and the rise of low-pay service jobs; revelations of corrupt leadership; powerful social movements challenging dominant policies on race, gender, ecology, and consumer rights; new challenges to the stability of social institutions such as the family; and redefinitions of political themes such as freedom. Much of the culture of the past twenty years has functioned to restore the sense of security undermined by these disruptions. Heavy metal, like horror films, has provided ways of producing meaning in an irrational society.<ref>[http://www.superseventies.com/stairway.html Dr. Robert Walser, Professor of Musicology, Dartmouth College] - author of ''Running With the Devil: Power, Gender, and Madness in Heavy Metal Music''</ref>

:The development of heavy metal music in the '60s and its continuing popularity through the '70s, '80s, and '90s coincides, for one thing, with the period of the greatest popularity horror films and books have ever known. Both mark a transitional moment in our history: the end of Pax Americana; new economic crises; de-industrialization, the decline of unions and the rise of low-pay service jobs; revelations of corrupt leadership; powerful social movements challenging dominant policies on race, gender, ecology, and consumer rights; new challenges to the stability of social institutions such as the family; and redefinitions of political themes such as freedom. Much of the culture of the past twenty years has functioned to restore the sense of security undermined by these disruptions. Heavy metal, like horror films, has provided ways of producing meaning in an irrational society.<ref>[http://www.superseventies.com/stairway.html Dr. Robert Walser, Professor of Musicology, Dartmouth College] - author of ''Running With the Devil: Power, Gender, and Madness in Heavy Metal Music''</ref>

Heavy metal music has been known to glamorize anti-Christian practices such as Satanism, Paganism, Atheism, promiscuity, Nazism,<ref>[[Black Metal#National Socialist Black Metal|National Socialist Black Metal]]</ref> alcoholism, drug and tobacco abuse, war, sci-fi, fantasy, occultism, gambling, horror, and having tattoos. Despite this, there are bands with all of the musical characteristics of heavy metal—fast drums, distorted guitars, screamed or growled vocals, that put forth a Christian message. This genre is known as [[Christian metal]], and is also sometimes referred to as White metal or unblack metal.

Heavy metal music has been known to glamorize anti-Christian practices such as Satanism, Paganism, Atheism, promiscuity, Nazism,<ref>[[Black Metal#National Socialist Black Metal|National Socialist Black Metal]]</ref> alcoholism, drug and tobacco abuse, murder, suicide, genocide, war, sci-fi, fantasy, science, occultism, gambling, horror, and having tattoos. Despite this, there are bands with all of the musical characteristics of heavy metal—fast drums, distorted guitars, screamed or growled vocals, that put forth a Christian message. This genre is known as [[Christian metal]], and is also sometimes referred to as White metal or unblack metal.

[[Feminism|Feminists]] will also commonly criticize heavy metal for being "sexist", similarly to how they do it with [[rock and roll]], [[country music]], and [[rap]]. Also, [[multiculturalism|multiculturalists]] have also been known to criticize heavy metal, rock and roll, and country for being "racist". [[Environmentalism|Environmentalists]] have also criticized it for "causing noise pollution".

[[Feminism|Feminists]] will also commonly criticize heavy metal for being "sexist", similarly to how they do it with [[rock and roll]], [[country music]], and [[rap]]. Also, [[multiculturalism|multiculturalists]] have also been known to criticize heavy metal, rock and roll, and country for being "racist". [[Environmentalism|Environmentalists]] have also criticized it for "causing noise pollution".