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sai-national.org • Spring 2024 21 Metal choruses are a distinguishing structural feature, pioneered by Killswitch Engage's 2002 album Alive or Just Breathing. 4 Screaming vocals (also referred to as "extreme vocals") are a technical marvel, a demonstration of the true capabilities of the voice. These aren't the same screams as those let out in fear at a haunted house or excitement on a roller coaster; these are deliberate noises. According to David Benites, lead singer of Renesans: "We can't really feel the voice that well; we're using the surrounding areas to be able to tell if we're hurting things or not, generally. But with screaming, we're actually using those same spots on purpose to manipulate things and get the sound to come out a certain way." 5 Different types of screams require different techniques. However, improper technique can cause severe damage. In 2014, Trivium lead vocalist Matt Heafy had to cancel multiple shows after blowing out his voice on stage .6 e Corbin Arena sat atop a steep hill in rural Kentucky, an odd choice for e Dark Horizon Tour. Four bands stopped here in the Bluegrass State for the evening. Co-headlining with Motionless in White was In is Moment, a metal band from Los Angeles led by frontwoman Maria Brink. I had actually heard her before; she had collaborated with multiple artists I listened to in my teens like Five Finger Death Punch and Papa Roach. In the weeks leading up to the concert, I listened to several of their songs, including "Roots," a cover of "We Will Rock You" featuring other women in metal, and their recent single "THE PURGE." e sound was heavy yet hypnotic, her high voice a siren's spell, pulling me to the rocks, calling me into the deep, black oceans below. Two other groups traveled with them: From Ashes to New, a metalcore band with heavy rap influences, and Texas-based Fit For a King. I didn't get to listen to either of them beforehand, as I was still very much on a Motionless and Maria listening spree, so I walked into the show knowing next to nothing about its firsthalf. I say I walked, but what I really mean is "I ran screaming towards the front like a bat out of hell." Granted, we all did. All of us with VIP passes were crammed into a little alcove inside the stadium, goody bags stuffed with merch we had already bought through our private line. But once the security team tied our floor bands on our wrists, we took off, zero to one hundred, like horses at the Kentucky Derby. By the time we made it up front, we were at most ten feet from the stage, and only a foot or so from the edge of the barricade. Packed together like sardines, we watched as the lights went down and the fog machines went up, the crowd erupting in cheers and applause as From Ashes to New took the stage. In the 1980s and early-1990s, the Satanic Panic swept across the United States. This fear of imagined ritual abuse, backwards messages in pop songs, and the association of rock and Dungeons & Dragons with devil worship 7 is often mocked by those who look back on it. However, it is important to note the profound cultural impact of this period. By 1985, the paranoia of association with Satan and immorality had spread to music. Tipper Gore, the wife of then-Senator Al Gore, and the Parents Music Resource Center released a list known as the Filthy Fifteen, a collection of songs targeted based on their apparent violent, pro-sex, pro-drug, and occult themes. The list included some of the most influential artists of the age, such as AC/DC, Prince, Judas Priest, Madonna, and Twisted Sister. 8 But music — and art as a whole — is deliberate. Every word, every note, every brush stroke has a reason for its place in a piece. The same can be said for the shocking imagery and themes in metal. "Where can I find all the Kentucky metalheads?" Chris "Motionless" Cerulli, the frontman of Motionless in White, asked. "Put your horns in the sky!" We raised our fists, all fingers enclosed save our index fingers and pinkies, in an expression of musical solidarity. With a nod, he continued. "I'm going to need you to do something for me. I'm going to scream two words." He counted out two fingers as he spoke. "One mutilation–" "Under God!" We all cut him off, our voices combining into one. He gave us a devilish grin. "And that is exactly right, my friends. All of you are going to scream right back at me, 'Under God.' One mutilation!" he repeats, warming up his voice for the song to come. "Under God!" "One mutilation!" Angrier, grittier, yet still crisp and clear. "Under God!" "One mutilation!" His voice was as if he had morphed into a demon on a righteous crusade. "Under God!" "is song is called Slaughterhouse." Born out of the California and Washington, D.C. punk scenes in the 1980s, 9 mosh pits are one of the quintessential experiences at any rock or metal concert. While it appears as nothing more than a chaotic crash of bodies, moshing is actually referred to in arts literature as a form of dance. At its best, it is a way for fans to get lost in the music and intimately connect with one another. However, it does come with its risks, from slight bruising to broken bones. 10 METAL continued on page 22 Tiffany Rutledge, Rebekah Strain, Tiffany Rutledge, Rebekah Strain, and Isaih Robles post-concert, and Isaih Robles post-concert, August 13, 2022 August 13, 2022

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