Devil Horns, heavy metal hand signal (1968-present)

They may not be a song, but you'll see them wagging back and forth at least once during every live performance of every metal song, whether its in the crowd or from the artists themselves. They are the "devil horns", and believe it or not, while they actually have an origin and global meaning outside of rock 'n' roll music, their history fits right in with the music. No one is exactly sure where and when the devil horns first broke onto the scene, but one thing we do know is that they are much older than rock 'n' roll. While many people are concerned that this hand gesture is Satanic or evil, it is, in fact, exactly the opposite: The sign of the horns is based on many old world superstitions as a gesture to ward of evil spirits, danger, curses, and bad luck.

Dating as far back as Ancient Greece, this symbol has a varied significance in many cultures, ranging from being a superstitious folk symbol in some Mediterranean countries to being the symbolic and ritualistic religious Karana mudra symbol of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism, which is to keep curses and negative thoughts away. In Central and South America, the mano cornuta as they are sometimes called are often accompanied by a verbalization. In Peru, the word contra (meaning "against") is spoken at the time the sign is given, and is meant to ward off whatever evil fate the gesturer is confronted with. Likewise, in the Dominican Republic, the word zafa is used in conjunction with the sign to ward of a particular curse, called a fukú (and any person associated with the casting of the curse). In Cuba and Brazil, the symbol is sometimes used to indicate a person whose spouse has been unfaithful. Elsewhere in the world, the sign is given when black cats and hearses cross one's path and was even used to indicate a person one suspected of witchcraft; the sign is used in much the same ways as knocking on wood or throwing salt over the shoulder. In addition to the devil horns' use as a good symbol against evil, the sign is also often mistaken for the American Sign Language gesture for "I Love You", and if you happen to go to the University of Texas at Austin, the sign means "Hook 'em Horns!" and looks like a Texas longhorn steer, the UT mascot. This is very similar to the South African use of the horns as "Give it a 6!" which is a shorthand gesture for something excellent.

In Western Pop Culture, the devil horns are used in Heavy Metal, often accompanied by headbanging and is used by fans and artists alike as a signal of their enjoyment of the music and the moment. While he didn't invent it, use of the symbol was made popular by the late, great Ronnie James Dio (Elf, Blackmore's Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, Dio). In this reference, the symbol is called the maloik, which is a symbol Dio's Italian grandmother used when he was a child to ward off the Evil Eye, or malocchio. Dio learned the symbol from his grandmother, who was drawing off an ancient Carpathian supsersition (which was even mentioned in Bram Stoker's "Dracula" in 1897). The making of the devil horns is essentially to poke the Devil in the eyes with the index and pinky fingers to make yourself invisible to him. In 1979, Dio replaced Ozzy Osbourne as lead singer of the band Black Sabbath. Ozzy was known for connecting with his fans by using the peace sign with his index and middle fingers. Dio, also wanting to connect with the fans but not wanting to steal Ozzy's play, chose to use the sign his grandmother always used. The fans thought it was cool and did it back to him. The sign may have been used by other artists from as early as 1968, but it was Dio's use during his first Black Sabbath tour as lead singer that the sign was adopted by fans and reciprocated. Ever since then it has been the symbol in the heavy metal community to "rock on". The maloik, as it pertains to music, is now a symbol of solidarity and group identification among heavy metal fans.

From an interview with Ronnie James Dio on Metal-Rules.com, as Dio, himself, puts it:

Metal-Rules.com – "I want to ask you about the sign created by raising your index and little finger. Some call it the "devils hand" or the "evil eye." I would like to know if you were the first one to introduce this to the metal world and what this symbol represents to you?"

R.J. Dio – "I doubt very much if I would be the first one who ever did that. That's like saying I invented the wheel, I'm sure someone did that at some other point. I think you'd have to say that I made it fashionable. I used it so much and all the time and it had become my trademark until the Britney Spears audience decided to do it as well. So it kind of lost its meaning with that. But it was…I was in Sabbath at the time. It was symbol that I thought was reflective of what that band was supposed to be all about. It's NOT the devil's sign like we're here with the devil. It's an Italian thing I got from my Grandmother called the 'Malocchio'. It's to ward off the Evil Eye or to give the Evil Eye, depending on which way you do it. It's just a symbol but it had magical incantations and attitudes to it and I felt it worked very well with Sabbath. So I became very noted for it and then everybody else started to pick up on it and away it went. But I would never say I take credit for being the first to do it. I say because I did it so much that it became the symbol of rock and roll of some kind."

Ronnie James Dio - "Rainbow In The Dark"

Your's Truly at Avenged Sevenfold... \m/ >_< \m/

Devil (horns) found in the details at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8687002.stm

http://www.thedevilshorns.com/index.php/component/content/article/14

"The Trooper" - Iron Maiden, 1983 (heavy metal)

Now, just because the song's by Iron Maiden doesn't mean that it's "devil music" or that it has no value. Sure they use lots of grouchy skeletons and lightening bolts in their artwork, but this is heavy metal. The year is 1983, and although metal has been around for a while, it was just starting to take off in the mainstream. While the rest of pop culture was still "feelin' groovy" from the 70's, metal was there to remind us that life wasn't all "incense and peppermints." This is heavy metal...you were expecting flowers and kitty cats?

Iron Maiden is one of those band that throws it up in the face of those who say that metal has no purpose and is just a cacophany of worthless, ear-shattering noise. This ain't your kids' metal...this is metal from back in the day - before computer processors and echo boxes. Everything you hear was done by the person playing it...not some geek sitting at a pc. Maiden has a technically tight, skilled sound without using all kinds of wiz-bangs that are found at the modern heavy metal stage or studio. Besides all that, during the early 80's, Iron Maiden went through a period of enlightenment in history and literature. "The Trooper" is one of those educational songs, though it takes a little digging to get some real understanding because, as is the spirit of music, history is not recited in text book form, but rather poetically.

"The Trooper" is about The Crimean War - faught between Imperialist Russia on one side and France, UK, Sardinia, and the Ottoman Empire on the other side from 1853-1856. The Crimean War is considered to be the first "modern" conflict and introduced technical changes that affected the future course of modern warfare. The war brought and end to an era of Anglo-Russian domination in Europe. It was faught primarily on the Crimean Peninsula, the Balkans, and the Black Sea.

More specifically, "The Trooper" is about a particular battle during the Crimean War - The Battle of Balaclava (October 25, 1854). It was the first of two attempts by the Russians to break the Siege of Sevastopol. The battlefield consisted of 2 valleys oriented in an E-W direction, divided by low hills and ridges, with the terrain consisting of open grassland. The southern plain was held by the British Heavy Brigade (Royal Dragoon Guards and the Scot Greys). The northern valley was positioned with the Light Brigade (4th and 13th Light Dragoons, 17th Lancers, and 8th and 11th Hussars) under the command of Major-General Lord Cardigan. The overall commander was Lord Lucan. The battle started with a successful Russian attack on Ottoman positions. This led to the Russians breaking through into the valley of Balaclava, where British forces were encamped. The port of Balaklava, a short distance to the south, was the site of a key British supply base. The Russian advance was intended to disrupt the British base and attack British positions near Sevastopol from the rear. An initial Russian advance south of the southern line of hills was repulsed by the British. A strong attacking force of Russian cavalry emerged over the ridgeline, and split into two portions. One of these columns drove south towards the town of Balaklava itself, threatening the supply of the whole British army. That drive was repulsed by the steady musketry of the 93rd Highland Regiment, which had been formed into a lone line of two rows by its gallant commander, Sir Colin Campbell - the action became known in history as "The Thin Red Line".

The Battle of Balaclava will forever go down in history as the insanely disastrous "Charge of the Light Brigade". Overall commander Lucan received an immediate order from Army commander Lord Raglan: "Lord Raglan wishes the cavalry to advance rapidly to the front, follow the enemy, and try to prevent the enemy carrying away the guns. Horse artillery may accompany. French cavalry is on your left. Immediate." In response to the order, Cardigan led 673 cavalry men (back then, "cavalry" was still soldiers on horses) straight into the valley between the Fedyukhin Heights and the Causeway Heights. The opposing Russian forces were commanded by Pavel Liprandi and included approximately 20 battallions of infantry supported by over fifty artillery pieces. These forces were deployed on both sides and at the opposite end of the valley. It appears that the order was understood by Cardigan to refer to the mass of Russian guns in a redoubt* at the end of the valley, around a mile away, when Raglan had in fact been referring to a set of redoubts on the reverse slope of the hill forming the left side of the valley (from the point of view of the cavalry)!! Although these latter redoubts were clearly visible from Raglan's vantage point, they were hidden from the view of the Light Brigade on the floor of the valley. The Brigade set off down the valley. Captain Louis Nolan was seen to rush across the front, possibly in an attempt to stop them, but was killed by an artillery shell. The Light Brigade was able to engage the Russian forces at the end of the valley and force them back from the redoubt, but suffered heavy casualties and was soon forced to retire. Lucan failed to provide any support for Cardigan, and it is speculated that he was motivated by enmity for his brother-in-law. The brigade was not completely destroyed, but did suffer terribly, with 118 men killed, 127 wounded. After regrouping, only 195 men were still with horses. The Russian commanders initially believed that the British soldiers were drunk for trying to pull a stunt like that!!

"The Trooper" is sort of a musical rendition of the great poem "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. In the poem, which itself is specifically about this incident, the area between the Causeway Heights and Fedyukhin Valley (through which the Light Brigade charged) was dubbed "The Valley of Death" by Tennyson.

"The Trooper" doesn't just borrow some of the poetic imagery of the Tennyson poem. The unmistakable opening riff was specifically written to sound like the thundering of galloping horses, especially in the bass (the song was actually written by Maiden bass player Steve Harris). When read correctly, Tennyson's poem also beats out the same galloping rhythm (although maybe not with the same speed. lol)

And for the record, when Iron Maiden performs this song, they don't just burst into it. Lead singer Bruce Dickenson, wearing an authentic-looking red cavalry jacket, will read a few lines from Tennyson's poem.

And there ya have it! A great deal of world history is preserved in music (with or without words). I bet you never thought that heavy metal could teach us anything.

If you're still worried about those grouchy skeletons, the artwork that donned the cover of "The Trooper" as a single forms part of a Loyalist mural in the city of Derry in Northern Ireland.


*A "redoubt" is a military term for a kind of fort or fort system that uses and enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort. It usually relies on earthworks, stone, or brick and is meant to protect soldiers outside the main line of defense.

"The Trooper" - Iron Maiden, 1983

(compiled from various sources around our wonderful world wide web)