rivethead

A subtype or offshoot subculture of the goth or gothic subculture; also called Rivet. Rivethead has a more militaristic or post-apocolyptic aesthetic, and is more aggresive than Goth. Industrial music forms the meat and potatoes (MRI's and muddy water) of the rivethead's musical taste.

In as much as industrial music has always been integral to the gothic subculture however, and some of the founding musical influences which inspired the Rivethead subculture were bands who's members were merely goths dressing up militaristic for their stage performance, it is contentious in the gothic community as to whether Rivethead is actually anything other than a particularily aggressive style of Goth (with a majority of goths holding the opinion that it is not). Many people who identify with the Rivethead subculture are indistinguishable from goths, even to other goths, and to make matters worse most rivethead fashion models are goths.

Just like many goths, rivetheads find inspiration in cyberpunk and dystopian science fiction. However unless that whispy cloud partially obscuring the full moon is the smoke from a burning tank, a true rivethead sees nothing more than a giant nuisance in the sky possibly revealing his position to the enemy.

Gothic cathedrals are also beautiful after a warplane crashes through the back wall destroying as many religious artifacts as possible.

Just like gothic aesthetics, rivethead aesthetics integrate the sublime. In the case of rivethead however, the imagery is more related to the horror of global war, weapons of mass destruction, genocide, apocolypse, mass graves, totalitarianism and awe in respect of imagery such as vast armies of mechanized infantry, complex machines (especially factory equipment and construction vehicles), movements and dynamics of society and economies on a global scope and undefined time scale.

Generally speaking Rivethead is less influenced by feminine aesthetics of grace, romance and beauty than typical Goth, and are more influenced by the masculine asthetics of strength, fury and revolution. However... mileage may vary and the lines are very blury.

Rivetheads do not like black lights or glow-in-the-dark accessories any more than other goths do. For glow-in-the-dark see Cybergoth.

Both goths and rivetheads like the color black.

Goth: I love your boots they are so gawth!
Rivet: Actually I consider myself a rivethead.
Goth: oh? I thought you were goth. are you sure?
Rivet: I don't like to label myself but someone told me I'm "rivet", so I guess I'm "rivet".
Goth: Hey.. excuse me.. they're playing my favorite band 'Skinny Puppy', I gotta go dance!
Rivet: that's my favorite band!

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