What’s Metal? Well, my answer is different from what I would have said several years ago. Things have changed. Metal still is not proportionally represented in the main media like TV or radio. At the same time you easily can access metal nowadays. Nearly every music store has a section dedicated to Metal; even obscure stuff can be downloaded easily on the internet. It is not necessary anymore to put effort into exploring the scene, to make contacts to access new stuff. The market is flooded with crap bands, it’s easy to produce an album, too many record labels are around etc. Metal is no longer considered an exotic and extreme style of music for freaks only; it became socially accepted throughout the years. With all the above there came a loss of dedication and separation. A scene like it used to exist cannot exist today. Nowadays you very seldom find yourself slagged for listening to metal. There no longer is a typical metal crowd at concerts. The cliché long-haired variant with denim vest and patches is on the retreat. Big labels release popular easy listening metal stuff lacking any passion or rebellious element. People start to complain about crowd surfing, mosh pits and things at gigs. There is something going on here that I am not sure about where it will lead us to. I feel that within the metal scene we now face subgenres that try to completely separate themselves from the popular mainstream. Much to my pleasure I find a lot of the enthusiasm, excitement, passion, dedication and obsession preserved within these movements. There is where you still can meet people that consider Metal to be more than just a hobby. So, the future might not look as bad as I thought...