A new study from the UK shows that far from being "angry white kid's music", metal is for the brainy.
Metal has always been regarded by fans as a version of classical music for testosterone-fuelled teens but a new study indicates that it may just be a refuge for youngsters to cope with the crushing burden of genius.VH1 reports that a study conducted by Stuart Cadwallader and Jim Campbell of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth at the University of Warwick in Coventry shows that the clever tykes at the school favour metal over other genres.
Cadwallader is quoted as saying "We are looking at a group with lower-than-average self-esteem that does not feel quite as well-adjusted. They feel more stressed out and turn to heavy metal as a way of relieving that stress," also noting that the eggheads appreciate metal's "complex and sometimes political themes."
He surmised, "As one student suggests, perhaps gifted people may experience more pressure than their peers and they use the music to purge this negativity." Maybe it does take a tortured genius to comprehend the intricacies of Cannibal Corpse's 'Hammer-Smashed Face'.
