Why Heavy Metal is the Ultimate Winter Sports Soundtrack

"When it's cold and when it's dark, the freezing moon can obsess you." - Mayhem

Fewer things are more epic than traversing a snow capped ridge or skiing through a frozen forest on a cold winter’s day. The sound of frozen ground crunching underfoot, combined with the sight of dark snow clouds looming on the horizon creates an atmosphere like no other. What could make moments like these even better besides a steamy cup of hot cocoa or that warm hat you forgot back in the car? How about HEAVY FREAKIN’ METAL?!

Mt. Wittenberg, Catskills

It’s no secret that heavy metal is a loud, aggressive genre of music. It boils the blood and creates a frenzy of air guitar soloing while sweaty weirdos bang their heads in unison. There is a reason why most bars and nightspots opt instead for cooler jams, like Kris Kross, but no genre of music can quite encapsulate the brutal sensation of battling through a winter landscape like heavy metal. It charges the atmosphere, creating a feeling of adventure and excitement that propels weary legs forward and encourages numb hands to grip the ice tools just a little longer. It becomes a personal anthem that keeps the stoke high, right when it needs to be. Understanding that heavy metal isn’t for everyone and that different genres of music affect different people in a number of ways, there is an interesting report from 2015 which found that heavy metal and other forms of extreme music had positive effects on the mind. With heavy metal music fans specifically, feelings of mental relaxation, and in other cases, feelings of inspiration were experienced during a forty person study. 

The tip of the iceberg, regarding metal album art.

Many heavy metal bands pay homage to the power and wonder of nature with lyrics, album art, and music videos. It doesn’t take a detective to notice what winter is a common theme, as well. Bands from Scandinavia, specifically the nations of Norway and Sweden, celebrate their norse heritage by combining themes of viking mythology with the frozen landscapes of their homelands. Songs describe larger than life scenarios, using epic fjords and frozen woodlands as a backdrop. Granted, some of these bands are a bit over-the-top, but that's part of the charm. Whether in the thick of the season, or grappling with the tail end of winter, give it a try. Plus, for the weekend warriors making the long haul back home, blasting heavy metal will help keep the driver nice and peppy until the next cup of gas station coffee can be guzzled.

All in all, there are certainly differences in opinion on what music makes for a better soundtrack for winter sports. Tobogganing to “Disco Fever” is all well and good, (and recommended by yours truly), but if we’re looking at consistency over the last few decades, heavy metal definitely takes the cake. Even if you don’t agree, know that somewhere out there in the cold snow-covered mountains, bundled under layers of clothing and gear, is a die-hard wearing a heavy metal band shirt.

Playlist

1. Aeon of Cold by Wolfheart
2. Where Shadows Forever Reign by Dark Funeral
3. The Divine Land by Keep of Kalessin
4. When Chaos Calls by Borknagr
5. Harrison Fjord by Haunted Shores (instrumental)
6. Sons of Winter and Stars by Winter Sun
7. My Heart is of the North by Ihsahn
8. Freezing Moon by Mayhem