noun. Slang. a fan of heavy metal music; headbanger.
: a fan or performer of heavy metal.
Nomenclature. Heavy metal fans go by a number of different names, including metalhead, headbanger, hesher, mosher, and heavy, with the term thrasher being used only for fans of thrash metal music, which began to differentiate itself from other varieties of metal in the late 80s.
According to the Office for National Statistics, Heavy Metal has recently become an official religion, with 6200 followers in 2011. The second dimension is centred on the way in which metal groups have appropriated religious language and ritual, which they express in the lyrical content of their music.
Which music do goths listen to?
The music preferred by goths includes a number of styles such as gothic rock, death rock, post-punk, cold wave, dark wave, and ethereal wave. Styles of dress within the subculture draw on punk, new wave, and New Romantic fashion.