The Ever-Evolving Maze – The Analysis of Metal Genres
The Ever-Evolving Maze – The Analysis of Metal Genres
Author(s): Krzysztof SkórskiSubject(s): History, Language and Literature Studies, Fine Arts / Performing Arts, Cultural history, Music, Theoretical Linguistics, Sociology, Comparative history, Comparative Linguistics, Identity of Collectives
Published by: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecińskiego
Keywords: music; genre; taxonomy of music; heavy metal; extreme metal
Summary/Abstract: Heavy metal music is often perceived as crude and simplistic by people who are not acquainted with its complexity. In this article, I would like to explore and analyze the (meta-)genre of heavy metal music and its elaborate internal subdivision. Firstly, it is crucial to define metal music and distinguish it from other styles within the larger family of rock music. This section will be followed by a brief presentation of the history of heavy metal and the dominant dichotomy of chaotic and Dionysian themes present in the lyrics of metal songs. Ultimately, I intend to unravel the complex web of metal genres by describing the most crucial ones, demonstrating the “kinship” between particular styles, and providing examples of the representatives of each discussed subgenre.
Journal: Rocznik Komparatystyczny
- Issue Year: 2020
- Issue No: 11
- Page Range: 279-296
- Page Count: 18
- Language: English
