Political Metal for the Kids

Lest you believe that socially conscious headbangers are a thing of the past, here are a few heroes from the newer school.


Corrosion of Conformity--'Vote with a Bullet'



This is an older tune, but as vocalist/guitarist Pepper Keenan later said of his singing debut w/C.O.C., "I think it means more now than when we wrote the damn thing." Demolishing the ignorant redneck stereotype, Keenan certainly didn't hold anything back on his first chance on the microphone, one that was powerful enough to earn him the band's frontman status. Whether the song is actually about bullet-voting (not likely) or about taking political matters into one's own hands (more likely), it's a tough, inspiring call to arms from a bunch of guys who backed it up by co-founding a non-profit North Carolina grassroots organization and campaigning against eternal bigot Jesse Helms.

Lamb of God--'Now You've Got Something to Die For'



Lamb of God (who hail from the greatest state in the world) aren't the most eloquent political speakers, but they definitely know how to get the kids fired up. If more politicians were as rousing as this song, more people would vote.


God Forbid--'Chains of Humanity'



God Forbid took their intensity to a new level on 2005's Constitution of Treason, a concept record about society destroying itself. As God Forbid overcame hardcore's musical and lyrical shortcomings to become a full fledged, politically charged metal band, they wrote this ode to overcoming adversity; giving metal's apocalyptic visions a modern day, political setting. Vocalist Byron Davis wonders if he has to lose his humanity in order to survive, while God Forbid stand on Pantera's shoulders (even calling on 'Strength Beyond Strength' in the lyrics) to see further than ever before. It'll be fascinating to see how they follow up Constitution of Treason later this year.

System of a Down--'B.Y.O.B.'

Startlingly heavy and eccentric for a band that's likely to be in rotation at K-ROCK, System of a Down are for better or worse the most politically active metalheads since Rage Against the Machine. Singer Serj Tankian famously co-founded Axis of Justice with Rage guitarist Tom Morello, but SOAD had already been addressing social and political issues for years:

Gun control in 'Sugar:'



Invasion of privacy in 'Spiders:'



Heavy sentencing for drug users in 'Prison Song:'



SOAD became increasingly belligerent during the Bush Administration. Their music video for 'Boom!' was directed by Michael Moore.



The worst in U.S. affairs seems to bring out the best in these guys. 2005's 'B.Y.OB.' was one of the best songs to take on the situation in Iraq. Musically owing as much to Frank Zappa as Black Sabbath, 'B.Y.O.B.' also recalls those artists by attacking the government's tendency to draft the working class for the president's dirty work (see 'War Pigs') and the American people's complacency about the whole thing (see 'Who Needs the Peace Corps?')



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