What exactly does it take to be a metalhead? How does someone transcend the barrier from a metal listener to a hardcore living breathing metal warrior? Is it the image? What about the person' cd collection? Or is it the knowledge of the genre that said person possesses? There are many factors that can be considered and some are more important than others and some factors matter not at all in determining ones metal worth.

Since a lot of people commented on the metal image on the last column I think I will cover that aspect first. I for one do believe that image can be a great benefactor in ones metalness but it is by no means the deciding factor. Take a look at me, my wardrobe consists of leather, denim, and band shirts. My hair is my pride and my vanity, long and straight and well kept. I have had long hair for so long I couldn’t imagine life without it. Do I take pride in my metal image? You bet I do. Do I look down on people that don’t look like me though? No. I have friends here in my town and on the team that love metal and live the life even though they have short hair, wear “nice” shirts and whatnot. Just because you aren’t a Leather Rebel doesn’t mean you are a poser. Take a look at Bruce Dickinson, Steve Kachinsky, or Jeff Waters, all short hairs, all metal. I do think it is quite lame of someone though who loves metal and loves their metal image to discard that for someone else’s feelings or thoughts. Yea, I do know that most hot chicks out there go for guys that look like Eminem but you know what? Metal is about not compromising and being yourself and that is what I do, my image is a statement of who I am and what is important to me. METAL. I would feel disgusted with myself if I cut my hair and did an overhaul of my wardrobe just to impress a girl and if things went right go out with her for maybe a month before it falls apart and look where I am, stuck with short hair and khakis.

Does the size of a person’s cd collection matter in terms of their metalness? I think not. If you support your favorite bands and bands that you enjoy their music than no it does not matter how big it is, you are supporting metal. I can boast my 800 cd’s as a huge wealth of metal, but there’s guys I know that boast over five thousand. I also think that people should support new bands that are excellent to the scene because they help keep these bands alive and the scene strong. I can proudly say I have been with Sonata Arctica since the very beginning, I have seen them come out of nowhere and become the stars they are today. Support unsigned bands that have talent, help them out because in this day and age it is harder than ever to get recognized amongst the slew of new upstarts every year and just think, somewhere out there, there were people who helped a small German band out called Edguy by buying their Midgets of Metal and Savage Poetry demos and look at where they are today.

Should someone’s knowledge of the genre be taken into consideration when regarding their metal worth? I think this is a very important factor in determining a true metalhead from a casual fan. I really don’t think it’s too much to ask to check out your favorite bands members and even the song titles. Yes it’s sad, I know people who claim to like a band a lot and then don’t even know more than titles to two songs of that band and they own three cds by them. It also isn’t too much to ask to learn the names of the people in the bands that create the music that you enjoy so much either. These people poured a part of their soul into their songs, the least you can do is learn their names and the titles of the pieces of art that they have given you. I always know what’s going on in the metal scene because I am a part of it and especially today with the internet, ignorance is no excuse. A wealth of information is at your fingertips all you have to do is spend maybe ten minutes a day on any news site and you’ll know what is going on in the scene.

So what makes a metalhead? These are just a few factors out of dozens that I have explored but in my mind there is one and only one true and final deciding factor. Your attitude. Either you have it or you don’t, end of story. (To see what my defintion of the metal attitude is, read the last editorial) If you have to ask yourself if you have it then you don’t, you know it if you do because when you do have it you feel more powerful than anything else in the world and could take on an army with the strength of metal flowing through you. THAT is what makes someone a true metal warrior.