Luciferian Brutalism and Cultural Critique in Extreme Metal Music By
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Brutal Theory: Luciferian Brutalism and cultural critique in extreme metal music by Andrew Thomson A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education Department of Secondary Education University of Alberta © Andrew Thomson, 2020 BRUTAL THEORY ii Abstract Heavy metal is a misunderstood genre of music. It is a music of brutality, of savage extremity in its unrelenting attack that pushes the boundaries of the extreme; it is perceived as a rebellious fad in the lives of young people; it has morphed from the stereotypical and dated connections to the miscreant, unwashed masses to the soundtrack of a new wave of metal fear-mongering in a post-Columbine world in which metal consumption took much of the blame for psychological damage to youth listeners. Fans of metal exist on the margins of society and its mainstream expectations. Metal studies, a burgeoning area of scholarship, has worked to debunk the myths of metal, exposing a strong community that offers positive impacts on listeners and fans of the genre. It has begun to expose this subculture as a place that thrives on its attempts to remain on the outside of mainstream markets despite the continued draw of capitalism, on the fringes, for those who feel no sense of belonging with the popular culture. This research proposes the idea that metal does more than provide a communal space for fans, that it creates – through brutalization – a space within popular culture where it can subvert the mainstream – the conservative cultural center that has established what is considered the acceptable and normative styles of consumption, in short, the popular and common - and offer crucial cultural critique and that this genre of music offers more than a passing fad or a means to anger or scare a conservative establishment. Heavy metal is a subversive style of music, from its sounds to its lyrics to its imagery, and it uses these transgressions to disrupt the normative societal expectations; it is a brutalization of the theory that currently exists, and from this, it is able to create something new and previously unthought. Keywords: Heavy metal, cultural critique, mainstream, brutality, extreme metal BRUTAL THEORY iii Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................................................... ii Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 1: Brutalize .............................................................................................................................. 5 1.0 Issues in Metal ........................................................................................................................ 5 1.1 The Loudest Critique ........................................................................................................... 8 Chapter 2: Definitions ......................................................................................................................... 9 2.0 Literature Review.................................................................................................................. 9 2.1 Poststructural Anarchism ............................................................................................... 11 2.2 State of Scholarship ........................................................................................................... 15 2.3 Mind the Gaps ....................................................................................................................... 16 2.4 Cultural Critique .................................................................................................................. 17 2.5 Historical Context of Metal ............................................................................................. 18 2.6 Defining Metal Genres ...................................................................................................... 22 2.7 Creating Space ........................................................................................................................... 25 2.8 New Theory ................................................................................................................................ 27 2.9 The Violence of Thought ....................................................................................................... 29 Chapter 3: Metal as Subversion ..................................................................................................... 31 3.1 Transgression, controversy, antagonism ....................................................................... 31 3.2 Grindcore and the political .................................................................................................. 42 3.3 Deathgrind and the decapitation of man ....................................................................... 46 3.4 Black metal and the absence of light ................................................................................ 49 3.5 Death metal and the absence of life .................................................................................. 56 Chapter 4: Dark Space ....................................................................................................................... 59 4.1 The outside versus the inside .............................................................................................. 59 4.2 Difficult music ........................................................................................................................... 67 4.3 Chasing the dark ...................................................................................................................... 75 Chapter 5: Fringe Spaces .................................................................................................................. 78 5.1 Outsider Status and Space for Subversion ..................................................................... 78 5.2 The War Machine ..................................................................................................................... 84 5.3 Fight ............................................................................................................................................... 88 Chapter 6: Life and Politics ............................................................................................................. 98 BRUTAL THEORY iv 6.1 Subculture ................................................................................................................................... 98 6.2 Metal as Apolitical ................................................................................................................. 106 6.3 In Pursuit of the Brutal ....................................................................................................... 114 Chapter 7: Luciferian Brutalism ................................................................................................. 124 7.1 Theoretical Outline ................................................................................................................ 124 7.2 Luciferian Brutalism and Control ................................................................................... 129 7.3 Application to Metal .............................................................................................................. 130 Chapter 8: Conclusions ................................................................................................................... 135 8.1 Back to the Front .................................................................................................................... 135 8.2 Brutal Theory .......................................................................................................................... 137 References ............................................................................................................................................ 140 Appendix ............................................................................................................................................... 152 BRUTAL THEORY 1 Brutal Theory: Luciferian Brutalism and cultural critique in extreme metal music Introduction Heavy metal is a unique musical subgenre. It has become much more than music: it is identity and lifestyle for those who have become engaged in these subcultural divisions of heavy metal music. It opposes the normative societal values of seeking beauty in sounds: the pleasing chords, the smooth transitions, the catchy chorus, the addictive lyrics; in fact, extreme metal is the opposite. Popular music focuses on the aesthetic pleasures of the musicians to accompany the music itself: a glossy focus on sexuality, physical appearance, and fashion trendiness. This is not the case within metal circles, as it removes the gloss to observe an interpretation of a harsh reality. The analog production techniques and standards used in the metal genre reinforce this idealism, running contrary to the digital and synthesized productions of pop music. Metal is attempting to “deform into truth” (Britt-Darby, 2020). It is constantly seeking more brutal methods of providing a message to the fans: a message of subversion, of change, of critique in a modern world where “there seems to be fewer and fewer prohibitions to transgress” (Pawlett, 2013, p. 26). In the world of heavy metal, the word brutal has escaped its traditional