Metal Mondays - Amon Amarth show you how it's done

One of the things I love about metal is the extensive (but rather strict) reference points. Shirtless? Devil horns? One foot up on the amp? All of this I can promise and more.

But one of my favourites is the Windmill. It's dependant on a full and luxuriant head of hair, some elbow room and some co-ordination with your fellow musicians.

Dude is so incredibly hardcore. 

Because to try and windmill with a crewcut is a shameful thing indeed.

More Metal Education after the break...

As a sidenote, Iron Maiden are all shorn and accountant-looking, but that's because they're Iron Maiden, so they can. 

I went looking for an appropriate demonstration of the Windmill, and came across this rather wonderful clip from Amon Amarth. Not only is there nary a shirt betwixt the lot of them, even the singers got a Windmill going on. Traditionally it's a guitarists property. But no, this dude does not care. 

I started watching this thinking I'd have an occasional gem of coordinated Windmilling, but no - they just kept on coming. I watch in amazement wondering whether it's a skill that require training and stretching and whether they lose a lot of brain cells this way. From what I remember from doing this kind of thing in my Waynes World period was that it usually hurt. And made you headachey. Obviously these gents are gods amongst men.