How Heavy Metal music affects your child

The commencement of the trial of the boy who claims he killed his grandmother under the influence of Heavy Metal music, the occult and the Satanic, presents us with a perfect opportunity to look at the effects of Heavy Metal music on the psychology of children.

It was reported that at the time of the murder, the then 16-year-old boy generally listened to Heavy Metal bands, such as Slipknot, who have a song containing the lyrics “Kill your mother, kill your father”.

This is not the only killing linked to Heavy Metal music and Satanism that the West Rand has seen. Let’s not forget the 2008 incident, when Morné Harmse from Krugersdorp’s Nic Diederichs Technical High School walked into his school armed with a sword, killed a schoolmate and injured several others. Harmse was also linked to Heavy Metal music and Satanism.

The question remains: How much of an influence does music, specifically Heavy Metal, have on children and adolescents?

Heavy Metal is a genre of amplified, harsh-sounding rock music that developed in the 1960s and 1970s. With roots in blues rock and psychedelic rock, it characteristically uses violent or fantastical imagery within its lyrics. Examples of heavy metal bands include Slipknot, Amon Amarth, Judas Priest and Slayer.

A study done in Northern California in 1990 showed that most youth value music more than other forms of media, such as TV. Not only do they value music more, but the value they place on music grows as the child does. In fact many adolescents turn to music as entertainment, distraction from problems, and as a way to relieve tension and stress. Many adolescents also use music to acquire a group identity and integrate themselves into a youth culture. They use music as a way to “find” themselves – it’s a form of self-expression and something to identify with.

Some studies have also suggested that music can be a way for adolescents to process unconscious conflicts related to their particular developmental stage, some even going so far as to say that music choices reflect the level of emotional turmoil adolescents are going through.

The studies also show that females are more likely to use music as a way of expressing their emotional state, while males are more likely to use it to boost their self-image and make themselves feel more powerful. It was also found that adolescents who have tendencies towards depression are more likely to listen to the same music repeatedly as a way to escape from reality.

Numerous other studies have also shown that music has an effect on your emotions, regardless of your age. “Every type of music has an impact on you,” said Colleen Hensman, an educational psychologist from Constantia Kloof.

However, research from the University of Queensland in Australia has shown that – contrary to popular belief – extreme music such as Heavy Metal can actually induce positive feelings and feelings of calm in those who feel angry. Other studies echo this finding.

It would seem that the problem with Heavy Metal music lies not in the music itself, but in its destructive lyrics. It can be argued that adolescents don’t necessarily listen to the lyrics of their music. However, no-one can really know whether someone else is actively listening to the lyrics of a song. And, the more someone likes a specific type of music, the more likely they are to listen to the lyrics.

Many concerning lyrics can be found in Heavy Metal songs, for instance “Draining the snot, I rip out the eyes / Squeezing them in my hands as the nerves are incised / Peeling your flesh off the bottom of my weapon / Involuntarily pulpifying facial regions” and “Pumping fluid inside your brain / Pressure in your skull begins pushing through your eyes / Burning flesh drips away / Tests of heat burns your skin / Your mind starts to boil”. And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, many lyrics also incite violence and suicide.

According to an article from the American Psychology Association, music with violent lyrics increases aggressive thoughts and feelings. Even if the lyrics are of a humorous but violent nature, they are likely to increase hostility, the study says.

Another issue related to adolescents and destructive behaviour is the websites these young people have access to. The internet is a vast community with sites and forums on almost any topic. It’s easy to find online communities promoting Satanic and occult activities, or eating disorders. Anyone can find that information, share their lives, ask questions and even get sucked into cults. It’s easy for adolescents to surround themselves with destruction and negativity, now more so than ever before. It’s literally in their back pockets. The wrong friends are just a click away.

Despite all these findings, it still comes down to the choices adolescents make about the things they surround themselves with, and how they will behave. According to Colleen Hensman, repetition is a major factor. “If someone exposes themselves to something repeatedly for a long period of time, it’s likely to affect their behaviour,” she says. She goes on to say that listening to violent lyrics is likely to reinforce violent behaviour. The same can be said of Satanic and occult websites – they reinforce Satanic and occult behaviour.

However, the influence of Heavy Metal music and Satanic and occult websites is limited, and people are ultimately free to choose what they want to do.

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Also read:

How Heavy Metal music affects your child

Sword murder teen finally in Sterkfontein

Pupil, 16, murders grandmother with sword

Sword murder accused boy in court

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