Informal Reader Poll: Whose Message Has Changed?

The other night, I was talking to a younger metalhead (he was maybe 19, while I’m pushing 30), and we got to talking about Slayer. When I described how arch and satanic they were, he responded, “Dude, Slayer is all about being some drunk American.”

At first, I was stunned — Slayer? Slayer are about scaly demons using ancient witchcraft to tear your insides out over a WWII battlefield! But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this kid had grown up with a Slayer whose MO was different than the one I recognized. That’s not necessarily Slayer’s fault–the band’s fans are older, and I’m sure their current material is informed by surviving the horrible years of hard rock, nu metal, and screamo. Still, I could see where he was coming from.

So you guys tell us: whose message has changed? Which bands mean something notably different than when they first started? Did they change for the worse or better? Did that come through via stylistic changes, aesthetic changes, or line-up changes?

Let us know in the comments below.

VIDEO CONTENT PRESENTED BY QELLO CONCERTS: