Why do you do this to me?

Recently, my thirst for news of all things Metal has been unquenchable, like a camel at a Guinness Brewery. I spent any spare time I have reading rock rags, sharing stories of upcoming album dates and tours with long-haired buddies, and surfing the web in an attempt to catch up with the latest news and stories from the world of metal, of which I am a fully paid-up, card carrying member. Or at least I would be should such officialdom exist.

On the vast majority of zines, fan pages, news sites and online mags, there is the option to become a member and with it, the option to comment on feature items, perhaps strike up a debate with other enthusiasts. Great! I thought. What better way to keep up with the scene, and also to add my own pearls of wisdom. Everyone likes to chip in don't they? I'm not a big fan of online social networking, although I do spend too much time on Facebook catching up with mates back home, but I have no desire to talk to people I don't know online, unless it's of worth. Like this blog for example.

So I was all set to stick my oar in, when I actually started to read some of the posts people had been leaving. And I wish I hadn't. I scrolled through page after page of the most hostile, brain-dead comments I've ever had the misfortune to read, mainly along the lines of "That band's fucking shit. I hate those lame faggots. They're generic and unoriginal and only pricks like them!" Endless accounts of why people don't like bands. How interesting and insightful!

Well no. It's not. In fact, it's pathetic. Now I know I am easily open to accusations of hypocrisy on this subject given the fact I like to rant about things. But always within reason. I dislike certain bands and aspects of the metal scene, but I don't hate for hate's sake, like some of the morons who post on Blabbermouth and Metal News. When did our scene become so fragmented? Aren't we supposed to stick together? While these may be fanciful notions on my part, they certainly have no place with the bickering, back-biting, juvenile mud-slinging, yet always anonymous posters I encountered online. I lost count of how many misspelt diatribes against any band who've ever sold more than 20 records there were, normally signed off with some salutation to kvlt black metal bands, a scene with notorious fascist links. And don't get me started on the frenzied, ranting rascist, sexist and homophobic messages that cropped up depressingly far too often.

This kind of thing belongs in the dark ages. Actually, it doesn't belong anywhere. It makes me sick to my stomach to think that some of the main voices from 'fans' come from bitter, sexually frustrated little idiots sat typing away in their parents' basements. People with no friends who are angry at the world. May'be they should be pitied? Or perhaps they should be beaten round the head with their sticky keyboards until they promise not to clog up the internet with shit from their polluted minds. It's your call.