Book description
Extreme metal--one step beyond heavy metal--can appear bizarre or
terrifying to the uninitiated. Extreme metal musicians have developed an
often impenetrable sound that teeters on the edge of screaming,
incomprehensible noise. Extreme metal circulates on the edge of
mainstream culture within the confines of an obscure 'scene', in which
members explore dangerous themes such as death, war and the occult,
sometimes embracing violence, neo-fascism and Satanism. In the first
book-length study of extreme metal, Keith Kahn-Harris draws on
first-hand research to explore the global extreme metal scene. He shows
how the scene is a space in which members creatively explore destructive
themes, but also a space in which members experience the everyday
pleasures of community and friendship. Including interviews with band
members and fans, from countries ranging from the UK and US to Israel
and Sweden, Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge demonstrates
the power and subtlety of an often surprising and misunderstood musical
form. Dr. Keith Kahn-Harris is an independent scholar, an associate
lecturer at the Open University, an associate at the Centre for Urban
and Community Research, Goldsmiths College and a founder of the Centre
for New Jewish Thought. His website is www. kahn-harris. org.
