Matthew’s Reviews > Death Metal Music: The Passion and Politics of a Subculture > Status Update

Fourth time “gay” has been used by an interviewee to express something unpleasant. Again, no qualification. So much of this book barely scratches the surface of what it professes to investigate. The attitudes toward violence, race, sexuality, religion, pop culture are much broader and more substantial than the research shows. The content is also limited. Not all lyrics/bands fit into the established categories.

I’m deep into the formal “ethnographic” chapters of the book. This is what sets this study apart and secures its value from a sociological perspective. Cool. But as a cranky antisocial misanthrope, I don’t care about the fans or people involved in DM! Hahaha! Plus, I don’t think the findings are particularly accurate or representative of DM today (but it’s been 10+ years since publication so...)

This is going to be difficult to forgive: “Although the DM audience as a whole generally disavows white supremacy and racism, many fans and bands in the black metal scene have embraced such themes. Such bands include Emperor/Zyklon B, Mayhem, Burzum, and Absurd.” NO SOURCE, no evidence, no explanation. Oh, and Lovecraft is a “19th century author.” The chapter on the lyrics offers examples but no analysis.

Not sure about this one...a bit dry and limited in scope. A few minor factual errors and inconsistent formatting things already (nitpicking but this is meant to be an academic study so I have a bit of a higher standard). I’ve definitely been spoiled by the other metal books I’ve read, which are definitely more oral histories with an insider’s view. Not sure what I’m going to learn from this...