Ever Wondered … Why Metal Fans Make The Devil Horns?
It doesn’t mean what you think it means.
It’s a familiar sight at a heavy rock gig — a sea of hands making the horns gesture to embrace the demonic riffs and show allegiance to metal’s most prominent symbol, the devil. (Or as Rik Mayall refers to him in the Bottom episode “Terror” — “His Naughtiness.”)
BUT — as is so often the case in life, we’ve not only got it wrong, we’re doing the complete opposite of what we intend. Because this horned gesture was originally used to ward off the devil, rather than summon or celebrate him. Feeling horny? Let’s get into it.
Making the “devil horns” is actually an apotropaic gesture, which is a superstitious sign to ward off evil spirits, and is — contrary to popular belief — supposed to combat the devil and his nefarious influence.
Known as the corna, — Italian for “horn” — (from which the horned instrument “cornet” gets its name), this gesture of the outstretched index and little finger that you so often see made by metal fans was supposed to ward off a curse made with an evil stare. This curse was known as the malocchio, which is Italian for “evil eye” (mal meaning “ill” or “bad;” occhio meaning “eye.”)
It’s generally thought that heavy metal legend Ronnie James Dio brought the corna into heavy rock circles by repeatedly making this horned sign at gigs. But he did this because his grandmother was Italian and regularly made this apotropaic sign as a superstitious gesture to ward off bad luck or the suspected curse of the malocchio, similar to how someone might cross their fingers, knock on wood, or indeed outline the crucifix across their chest. Any of these talismanic gestures are apotropaic in nature.
So next time you’re at a metal gig and throw up the horn shapes with your hands, don’t hope to raise the devil — you’ll actually be warding it off. 🤘
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