Dallying with danger, transcending the Rubicon

extreme metal, religion, the ineffable and the unspoken

Authors

  • Youssef Alvarenga Cherem Universidade Federal de São Paulo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34019/2236-6296.2023.v26.39031

Abstract

The musical genre designated as “metal”, contrary to most popular music genres, highlights religious phenomena within its discourse. Controversy, opposition, and transgression of social norms are entangled in its narrative since its inception. Despite its relatively long history, it had until recently received little attention from social scientists. In this article, we analyze the symbolic context of songs from three subgenres – thrash, death, and black metal – that deal with an unusual subject matter: Islam. We argue that, through a specific attitude regarding the autonomy of the artistic field, the deep, derisive, and scathing critiques of social, political, and religious structures reflect public discourse, becoming an emblematic case for various cultural tensions in contemporary society, as it converges against expectations both from the left and from the right.

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Author Biography

Youssef Alvarenga Cherem, Universidade Federal de São Paulo

Professor do Departamento de História da Arte, Universidade Federal de São Paulo

Published

2023-08-29

How to Cite

CHEREM, Y. A. Dallying with danger, transcending the Rubicon: extreme metal, religion, the ineffable and the unspoken. Numen, [S. l.], v. 26, n. 1, 2023. DOI: 10.34019/2236-6296.2023.v26.39031. Disponível em: https://periodicos.ufjf.br/index.php/numen/article/view/39031. Acesso em: 18 jul. 2024.

Issue

Section

Seção temática: Religião & Música