Ideologies and Discourses: Extreme Narratives in Extreme Metal Music Cover Image

Ideologies and Discourses: Extreme Narratives in Extreme Metal Music
Ideologies and Discourses: Extreme Narratives in Extreme Metal Music

Author(s): Bojana S. Radovanović
Subject(s): Music
Published by: Fakultet za medije i komunikacije - Univerzitet Singidunum
Keywords: extreme metal; extreme narratives; black metal; discourse; transgressions; Serbian black metal

Summary/Abstract: Historically speaking, metal music has always been about provoking a strong reaction. Depending on the characteristics of different sub-genres, one can focus on the sound, technique, visual appearance, and furthermore, the ideologies and ideas that are the foundation for each of the sub-genres. Although the majority of the metal community rejects accusations of being racially intolerant, some ideologies of extreme sub-genres (such as black metal) are in fact formed around the ideas of self-conscious elitism expressed through interest in pagan mythology, racism, Nazism and fascism. There has been much interest in the Nazi era within the extreme metal scene thus influencing other sub-genres and artists. The aim of this paper is to examine various appearances of extreme narratives such as Nazism and racism in different sub-genres of metal, bearing in mind variations dependent on geographical, political, and other factors.

  • Issue Year: 2016
  • Issue No: 10
  • Page Range: 51-58
  • Page Count: 8
  • Language: English