A Show Unlike Any Other: The Theatrics of Metal
Rock and roll have become theatrical experiences since the genre’s origin. With artists like Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden and KISS pushing the visual theatrics of spitting blood and fire, a huge walking mascot, and horror-themed special effects. It would inspire and influence countless musicians to pick up an instrument, form a band and try to capture that energy and make something of their own. There would also be controversial moments in live shows as well. Ozzy Osbourne would famously bite the head off a bat live onstage in 1982, and infamous punk rock legend GG Allin would famously make himself bleed onstage, defecate on stage, and throw it at the crowd as well as start fights with fans during his performances. But are there any bands pushing the theatrics in extreme metal? Are there artists that amplify their sound by creating elaborate and grand stage sets or performances?
Many bands have created an elaborate performance live. And we’ll start with one of the most theatrical bands in metal history, GWAR. GWAR has been known to splatter their fans in fake blood, feces, piss and cum. They would fake murder famous people, celebrities, and politicians, in elaborate stories throughout the band’s performances. Late GWAR frontman Oderus Urungus (real name Dave Brockie) would be arrested in 1990 for obscenity charges during a Charlotte, North Carolina concert. He faced obscenity charges for his “Cuttlefish of Cthulhu” stage prop, a cod piece which would resemble his character’s penis. The police confiscated the phallic prop as evidence and was never returned to Brockie following the arrest and ruling. He was almost deported at the time of the incident since Brockie was a Canadian, but avoided deportation and was banned from the US state for a year. The story would be used as a GWAR storyline for the band’s 1992 movie Phallus in Wonderland.
A genre that loves the theatrics is the genre of black metal. Bands like Mayhem, create huge banners to be on their stage, along with main front man Attila Csihar wearing elaborate costumes and face paint or masks. Other artists like Imperial Triumphant, Mgla and Uada go for just hiding their faces in masks, cloaks or fog in both stage performances and press photos. Bands like Marduk and Watain will drink pig’s blood live on stage, even throwing it into the audience. Covering their fans in actual blood, boasting the band’s sadistic and satanic nature. A famous example of black metal at it’s most evil and anti-Christian was with the band Gorgoroth. During the band’s 2004 performance in Kraków, Poland, the band took their anti-Christian sacrilige to the extreme. With a stage set of sheep heads on stakes, nude models on wooden crosses posing in a crucified position and Satanic symbols and images. Along with over eighty liters of sheep’s blood. The band faced legal issues by violating Polish anti-blasphemy laws, as well as Polish animal rights laws. The band was never fully charged with any wrongdoing. Gorgoroth would release a statement stating they were not aware of any of these laws or restrictions when they brought their show to Poland. The concert would later be released on DVD four years later in 2008 titled Black Mass Krakow 2004.
Death metal would also join in on the theatrics as well. Sweden’s Amon Amarth would take their Viking-lyric heavy themes to an epic stage show. With huge Viking ships on stage, armor clad battles live onstage during songs, and even fans famously simulating rowing a band during the middle of the mosh pit as well as tons of pyro. With more grandiose sets getting more epic in its scope as the band’s rising success has amplified their stage set to a new level. Bands like SepticFlesh and Fleshgod Apocalypse would also include costumes that fit the Victorian era costumes with dress shirts and formal wear, while also performing with live orchestras at certain concerts.
Australian experimental death metal band Portal have gone to the more macabre angle with their live performance. With the band member’s identities being anonymous, the stage attire are grand scales or elaborate variations of suits, executioner’s mask, and costumes. The band’s lead vocalist, known as The Curator, would don elaborate headpieces including large wizard hats obscuring his face to an almost gigantic cuckoo clock that covers his face and creates a haunting silent-film like aesthetic to his onstage persona.
But not all metal theatrical elements are violent or nihilistic in nature. Finnish metal band are a costumed metal band that performs heavy/power metal aimed to children. With costumed dinosaurs that come off as inviting and friendly, the band would sing about educational subjects like drinking milk and kindness towards others. Formed in 2008, the band is still going strong, with the band’s last album being 2018’s Bändikouluun!
Melodic death metal band Dethklok have actually performed live since the band’s formation and launch of the Adult Swim TV series Metalocalypse. Fronted by the band’s main songwriter and show creator Brendon Small, the band performs with the band either performing behind a giant screen or in darkness with a huge screen showing the animation of the virtual version of the band performing the music live. Like popular pop band Gorillaz, but WAY heavier. The band has begun to perform now being lit in recent years, while also showcasing the cartoon band’s visual performance from original animation as well as clips from episodes of the show.
Other bands go into a more comedic route or fun time with their performance. Pirate act Alestorm will have fun and easy-going live performances, even including a giant rubber ducky that appears on stage and bounces across the fans during the band’s set. Another pirate themed act Swashbuckle would perform in full pirate attire, inflatable pool items like palm trees on stage, and fans even coming in parrot costumes. German electronic-metalcore act Electric Callboy would include an almost EDM style environment of their stage show, with full costume changes, confetti cannons, fan participation and techno show elements. Creating a fun environment for fans of electronic music, along with metal.
At the end of the day, a concert is a performance. It is up to the band to present their music to the level of their extent and budget. These elements will enhance the concert going experience, as well as making their shows original and stand out from their contemporaries. I love that bands are starting to do more with their stage show and continue to push what a concert can be. I love that we have evolved from the early elements of Alice Cooper and KISS, pushing those originators to new level. Pushing the envelope of what can be done live and how to continue making live music a new hotbed of ideas and making the stage a new level of imagination as concerts return to prominence since the death of it during the COVID-19 Pandemic. I am eager to see where bands will take the live stage show and how they will inspire a new generation of performers.
