Decolonization of Metal: A Cry for Liberation or Just Another Export Product?

Metal is undoubtedly one of the most revolutionary genres of music, but that doesn’t mean it’s exempt from the same problems that plague other cultural industries. How many times have we heard the loud voices of metal bands screaming about a system that oppresses them, crushes them, and turns them into merchandise? However, metal too has fallen under the control of that very machinery. No, I’m not talking about distorted guitars, intense riffs, or leather outfits. I’m talking about a battle that many don’t see, that isn’t heard in big festivals or band interviews: the decolonization of metal.

Yes, you heard me right! Decolonizing metal. Before you say this sounds like some sort of silly academic concept, let me explain: reimagining musical traditions through a critical lens, and not just that, but giving voice to those who have been silenced by centuries of colonial history. Because, my dear reader, metal, like any other music genre, is not exempt from the colonial remnants it drags along with it.

What Are We Talking About?

The decolonization of metal involves more than just adding some influences from other cultures into your repertoire. It’s not about incorporating «exotic» flavors to make your sound «interesting,» as if it were some sort of soul-less aesthetic. It’s about rethinking how the musical traditions of other cultures have been silenced, distorted, and appropriated, and how we can begin to give voice and space to those influences without falling into exploitation.

Metal, being a genre born from Western colonial roots, carries with it a history of cultural appropriation. From the days when British heavy metal began to emerge to the crossover with other genres like thrash or doom, the influences of non-Western peoples have been systematically commodified and reduced to exotic, «rough» elements that serve to give a «powerful» edge to the sound.

But what happens when that «power» fades, and is reimagined by those who have historically been oppressed? Well, this is where the magic of decolonizing metal happens: subversion, questioning, and reconstruction.

Metal and Local Culture: Breaking the Colonial Fence

The flags of metal in countries like India, Morocco, or the Caribbean are raised with pride, creating proposals that not only mix elements of traditional metal but reinterpret their structures within their own cultural contexts. It’s not about applying a generic formula to make «international metal,» but about merging the local with the foreign to create something authentically unique.

The case of African metal bands like Bambara is a perfect example of how metal can act as a vehicle to explore and challenge the complex histories of colonization and oppression. These groups don’t just use electric guitars and drums in the way Western bands do, they reinterpret them through their own contexts, adding layers of cultural and political meaning.

But it’s not just about bands in distant lands. Here in Europe and Latin America, metal is undergoing an internal revolution, a shift towards its more indigenous roots. Latin American metal bands like Luz Mala (from Argentina) or Hijos de la Tierra (from Mexico) are reclaiming elements of their ancestral cultures to create a metal that not only screams against the system but also honors the forgotten traditions. The incorporation of indigenous rhythms, traditional instruments, and native chanting challenges the traditional narrative of metal, showing us that the genre can be more multicultural and less homogeneous.

Metal as a Tool for Cultural Subversion

Now, if metal is a space for subverting norms and giving voice to the silenced, we must ask: what does decolonizing metal really mean? It’s not just about integrating elements from other cultures, but about recognizing how the genre has been a battleground, a site of resistance, and how it can transform into a vehicle for questioning the power structures that still subjugate large parts of humanity.

The answer? Not being colonized. Metal must stop being a globalized, homogeneous, and commodified culture where all influences dilute into a blend of clichés, and instead, it must become a tool for cultural liberation that amplifies historically silenced voices.

The Challenge of Appreciation Without Exploitation

The danger is always present. There are many bands that, while pushing metal in a new direction, end up exploiting these foreign influences in their quest for global visibility. We’re talking about a kind of “cultural tourism” in music, where everything that isn’t Western becomes some kind of exoticism to exploit in order to make everything sound more “powerful” or “authentic.” But, listen up, that’s not decolonization. That’s colonization in disguise.

True decolonization in metal happens when we make space for indigenous voices, local struggles, and above all, the sounds that have been silenced by colonial structures. It’s not about simply copying something and adding it to the metal repertoire, but about creating something that comes from that space that has been historically marginalized.

The Future: Global Metal, But Not Imperialist

The future of metal is undoubtedly in decolonization. The new generations of musicians are looking for ways to revitalize the genre, giving it a more inclusive, more open, and above all, more authentic identity. And while there’s still a long way to go, this trend is leading us towards a revaluation of cultural diversity that promises to break away from the old colonial structures.

It’s not about a trend or politically correct concepts; it’s about a cry for liberation that can be heard in every riff, in every guttural scream, in every lyric that challenges the hegemony of capitalist and colonial powers. Metal, in its most authentic form, has the potential to be a global space of resistance where not only political powers are challenged, but colonial ones as well, and where all cultures can claim their voice on the international stage.

So, if you’re one of those who think metal should just remain a playground for industrialized countries, maybe it’s time to open your eyes and listen beyond borders. Because metal, true metal, knows no walls, doesn’t understand nationalities, or colors. Decolonized metal is a space for everyone, a space where true power lies in diversity.