About

"That's Brutal" is a slang expression used to praise an action, statement or media object which may be deemed extreme or fearless in nature. The phrase has its linguistic roots in heavy metal subculture, in which "brutal" and other words that evoke imageries of violence and destruction are often used with positive connotation. In online conversations, it can be used either as a genuine or sarcastic compliment, similar to the usage of the phrase "Me Gusta".

Origin

In August 2006, the animated television series Metalocalypse premiered on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block. Intended to be both a parody and a celebration of heavy metal culture, the series explores larger-than-life stereotypes of metalheads and exaggerated dark humor.^[1] The quote in verbatim, "that's brutal," was originally said by Nathan Explosion, the frontman of the fictional band Dethklok.

Heavy Metal Lingo

Heavy metal, a genre of rock music, rose to prominence in the 1970s. Featuring aggressive lyrics, instrumentals, and aesthetics, it quickly gained notoriety for being an "extreme" musical genre, a reputation which has remained to the present day. Fans of the metal genre are generally referred to as "metalheads".^[3]

Spread

On January 16th, 2012, YouTuber Blithen1 uploaded a montage compilation of various characters in the series using the word "brutal" (shown below):

Notable Examples

"Metal as Fuck"

On November 26th, 2012, LA Weekly published a blog post titled "How to Determine if Something Is Metal as Fuck", in which the post's author provided a chart that distinguishes between perceived metal and non-metal themes in a satirical tone.^[2] On November 6th, 2013, BuzzFeed published an article titled "The 26 Most Metal Things That Have Ever Happened", showcasing several displays of heavy metal themes.^[4]

Search Interest

External References