They say politics is downstream from culture. Well, I used to not think that was so true until quite recently. The deep division between “right” and “left” seem so venomous and divisive, but is it really? Or does it just look that way online? The internet has become a huge factor in how our society and culture operates. We have the entire world’s worth of knowledge in our pockets everywhere we go, and a few taps and you can easily do a temp check on the state of our Union.

Music has been a way to implement self-expression for about as long as it’s been around, and including politics in song is anything but a far-fetched idea. Some of the most famous political protest songs in modern history were songs like Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind”, or Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son”, which defined the political climate of the Vietnam War era. Normally, metal may not be the first thing in your mind when you think of political songs, though many do exist.

Of music genres, punk rock was political since forever, but metal has dealt in their share of political songs as well. Now, “the left” claims to have a monopoly on alternative culture (they don’t, but that’s another can of worms to open), and while leaning left may be true in a lot of cases, the “Political Pendulum” is starting to sway back, and it’s definitely taking metal along with it!

The past 10 years or so the world has seen the political left plunge further and further into “crybully” territory with cancellations of private citizens up to and including doxing, job loss, character assassinations, and in worse cases assault. Well, it seems that people don’t care much for being told what they have to say or think “or else”, and thus, that pendulum is beginning to swing and it’s quite apparent when you see some of the biggest metal bands and bandmembers who have decided to be unapologetically not on board with that status quo of “the left” that demands conformity. (True rockstar mentality! I condone!)

In fact, many of rock and metal’s biggest stars are coming out and expressing their views that divert from the left wing hive mind mentality. Ronnie Radke of Falling in Reverse is a prime example of refusing to tow the line of coercive speech and mentality that the modern left demands. Normally, this sort of behavior would have a person “cancelled”, but Radke has not only doubled down, he has input anti-leftwing sentiments in his songs (see “Zombified”) and retains his enormous (and still growing) success with sold out shows.

As openly anti-left as it gets, you have All That Remains frontman, Phil Labonte. A frequent co-host on TimCast, outspoken libertarian, Labonte is quite open with where he stands on both political and social issues. He frequently spats online with “popular” left-wing “influencers” like Destiny, and has even been spotted proudly wearing shirts on stage mocking Destiny. Perhaps Labonte’s biggest flex, no pun intended as Labonte is a known stacked “gym-rat”, is his “Anti-Communist” cut-off tank. Yet, despite all of this, Labonte remains uncancelled and his band are still successful and releasing new material with great reception.

In a scene where you had bands that were immensely popular that touted anti-capitalist and pro-communism sentiments like Rage Against the Machine, the bigger acts are quickly becoming the ones who are not “woke”. Alex Terrible of Slaughter to Prevail who hails from Russia has also expressed his support for “traditional family values”, which (oddly) is considered a “right wing talking point”, and has challenged the woke mob to cancel him for any of his views. He embraces his masculinity by being fit, wrestling bears, and participating in bare knuckle boxing, and he unapologetically presents himself as a tried and true “badass” in a time when the modern left has demonized masculinity. He and his music continue to prevail.

There’s many more in the rock and metal scene that have either left the left, or have just become more open about not being down with the supposed monopoly of leftism in music and alternative culture. Either the cancel mob is losing its power, no longer bothing to cancel anymore for dissenting views, or the modern left is losing its grip on the metal scene in the culture war. With ever-increasing authoritarianism of the modern left culture, it’s really no surprise that metal is becoming less woke, despite super woke bands like Corpse Pile, and embracing more freedoms that the left no longer offers. There’s nothing more metal than not doing doing and behaving how any group commands, and we’re seeing more and more of that sentiment in metal, and it’s deeply refreshing!”