Are they really worlds apart or is it just a flawed perception?
I have experienced and thus believe that metal (extreme metal that is) has more in common with classical music than with rock or blues.Of course some death metal guitarists may throw in a blues influenced solo now and then but the essence of metal is phrasal unlike in rock where a good riff is repeated to do a verse-chorus-solo type song.In metal riffs evolve into more riffs and songs evolve into motifs narrating a story.This is similar to classical music where the musical ideas evolve and develop into a story.
Wagner was the first to introduce the "leitmotif" that is a melody or tune that is associated with a character and thus whenever the listener hears that tune that character and his or her attributes springs to mind.This element has been heavily borrowed by motion pictures where when a dark, evil character comes then dark music is played and when the positive heroic figure comes then epic music is played.This can be witnessed in movies like Braveheart,Star wars among many others.
In metal there is a similar tendency by the best bands of the genre.The feeling of beauty and joy of this world that can culminate in evil and horror at any moment gives metal the fantasy and realism realm at the same time that other forms of music do not enjoy.It is no surprise that good metal bands have really great poetic,philosophical or epic lyrics.
Both classical and extreme metal have to be heard without distractions to comprehend their sonic and lyrical philosophies.These are not background music that one plays while doing something else.They tend to immerse the listener in an ocean of interesting ideas and enmesh them in a web made entirely of the different musical instruments intermingling and created something breathtakingly beautiful.
Mainstream music is extremely diluted and is fit for consumption by the hordes of vacuous masses who do not see music as a way of reaching a higher plane but only as an entertainment form.This tendency of conforming to masses and commercialization has resulted in strange and incomprehensible watered down bands that exist for the churning out of albums for monetary gain.There is no sense of grandeur left.Anyway enough with my rant,I guess that is why mainstream will never be "accessible" for me.
Thus the best bands practice their art for a devoted few which is not unlike the practitioners of classical music.The people who enjoy either of these forms of music are very passionate about it and on meeting a fellow enthusiast will eagerly discuss the tenets and sonic philosophies.
Composers I recommend for a metal enthusiast -
1.Richard Wagner - If you like power metal and epic, bombastic passages of bands like Therion you will enjoy Wagner.Be forewarned though , his music is by no means easy listening.His Ring cycle is one of the greatest cultural achievements of mankind and deservedly so.The studio recordings of "des ring des nibelungen" conducted by George Solti is probably one of the greatest recordings ever made, well its certainly the longest.
2.Frederic Chopin - I enjoy the nocturnes and ballads of Chopin.He almost exclusively composed for the piano and his sense of dynamics must be heard to be believed.Chopin's music always touches me deeply and is very melancholic and sentimental.
3.Ludwig Van Beethoven - The legendary composer, his symphonies are a timeless monument to music's grandeur.I personally enjoy all the movements of the second,fifth and the famous ninth symphony.
4.Johann Sebastian Bach - Another great composer, I first heard about him through the Bach' n roll guitar pyrotechnics of Paul Gilbert and Yngwie Malmsteen.
5.Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - His music alleviates all worries and problems.The great Jason Becker's "Air" is heavily influenced by Mozart.Very prolific and outstanding composer.
6.Johannes Brahms - I recommend his four symphonies performed by the Berlin Philharmonic and conducted by the legendary Herbert Von Karajan.Metal enthusiasts will really enjoy and appreciate this work of art.
