[xoxoxoBruce]

The Slow Death of Heavy Metal.

Although I read today Detroit has more lead in it's water than Flint, this is about other metals, like Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, and Slayer.

These are strange days for classic heavy metal.
Many godfathers of the movement are in their 60s, some close to 70 years old, including members of Judas Priest and Black Sabbath. Several hard rock and metal luminaries—Ronnie James Dio, A.J. Pero (Twisted Sister), Jeff Hanneman (Slayer), Lemmy and Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor (Mötorhead)—have passed away recently. Concert sales for some acts are still strong, others are waning. OzzFest is long gone, and the final nail in the coffin for the annual Mayhem Fest likely landed this past summer. Music sales overall have declined, and over the past decade the Billboard charts, radio airplay and music award broadcasts have been dominated by anemic pop music and hipster rock.

‘People listen to music differently now. They don’t have time to sit down and put the record on and give it 30 minutes…who will be the next giant metal band, I don’t know.’—Rob Halford

To top it off, Brent Hinds, guitarist for old school-style headbangers Mastodon, told Guitar Player earlier last year that he hates playing heavy metal, while KISS bassist Gene Simmons proclaimed that “rock is dead” two years ago.

Considering that many of the genre’s godfathers, who still inspire younger bands and dominate European festivals, will likely retire in a few years, where do things will go from here? Will we see heavy bands on the superstar level of Metallica and Iron Maiden ever again? Will that classic sound become a nostalgic relic relegated to oldies bins? Or will it mutate into something else?

Damifino?