Helvete: A Journal of Black Metal Theory, Issue 2

by Helvete Journal, Niall Scott (editor), Steven Shakespeare (editor)

Not to be confused with metal studies, music criticism, ethnography, or sociology, Black Metal Theory is a speculative and creative endeavor, one which seeks ways of thinking that count as Black Metal events — and indeed, to see how Black Metal might count as thinking. Theory of Black Metal, and Black Metal of theory. Mutual blackening. Therefore, we eschew any approach that treats theory and Metal discretely, preferring to take the left-hand path by insisting on “some kind of connaturality between the two, a shared capacity for nigredo.”Issue 2 focuses on the theme of Inversions in Black Nailed at the heart of many a logo, suspended from the neck, held out in Satanic the inverted cross is one of black metal’s anti-icons. The antithesis of a revelation of light, it signifies an originary blasphemy. Forsaking ascension and mining a path towards the centre of the earth, black metal finds a satanic stain lodged at the core of being. However, the significance of this movement is not bound by a simple reversal. The inverted cross hangs above a swarming logic of the overturning of Christianity, but also a mimesis of Christian self-desecration; the rejection of certain forms of religion, but also of modernity’s pallid enlightenment; the invocation of strange gods of the earth, even as the earth is cursed. When thought becomes poison, it is no longer so easy to determine which way is up and which way is down. To throw down one’s head, to push oneself into the cursed earth, to occupy the place of the inverted is this to think-by-not-thinking an unconditioned rapture beyond negation and affirmation?Table of SWARMING LOGIC OF INVERSION AND THE ELEVATION OF SATAN Steven Shakespeare and Niall ScottTHROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS MEDIEVALISM, SATANISM, AND THE DARK ILLUMINATION OF THE SELF IN THE AESTHETICS OF BLACK METAL Brenda S. Gardenour WalterTHE WAY OF THE CHRISTIANITY, FASCISM, AND THE FOLK MAGIC OF BLACK METAL Reuben DendingerA STERILE HOLE AND A MASK OF FECES Bert StablerECCENTRICITIES AND EXPERIENCING GEOMETRICIES IN BLACK METAL Elodie Lesourd and Amelia IshmaelGIVING LIFE ANIMAL INVERSION IN CATTLE DECAPITATION Erik van OoijenCONTEMPT, ATAVISM, BLACK METAL AND BERGSON’S POROUS INVERSION Louis Hartnoll

113 pages, ebook

First published May 19, 2015

Reviews

[Katrin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished the second journal in this series. This time there was an overall theme for all essays, namely inversion. This was a good idea and seems to give this journal some direction. The art pieces seemed a bit more relevant this time, but I still think that references to black metal should be more frequent. To often it's pages of general theory which has nothing to do with black metal and only later will be connected to some lyrics etc. I also wondered a bit why the band cattle decapitation got their own essay although they are.. well.. I really would not call them black metal at all. anyway, this series is interesting and I will check it out when the new journal is out.