Jon Jefferson Klingberg

This book is a fascinating exploration of the subculture of metal music in Sweden. The authors, who obviously love the music, discuss thrash, speed, death, doom, black, Viking, and folk metal subgenres. The book describes the music itself as well as the Swedish metal scene, including record shops, labels, concerts, and merchandise (one band sells branded sex toys!). The reader will learn among other things about the relationships between metal and Satanism, Viking culture, gender (and the curious lack of sexuality in Swedish metal music), self harm, and white nationalism.

There is a surprising amount of humor here (given that severed animal parts and suicide are mentioned often). One band member, for example, has the nickname "Necrobutcher" while another is known as "Insulter of Jesus Christ!" (The exclamation point is not optional!) One band calls themselves Septic Broiler while another is known as Death Breath. Another band wrote a song called "Blinded by Light, Enlightened by Darkness." A record label is called Deathlike Silence Productions. (I imagine all these titles rendered in classic heavy metal Olde English font.) There are plenty of Spinal Tap moments here, in addition to the more serious topics.

Great quotes by people who really Live Metal All The Time:
"I was banging my head when [my] necklace got stuck in a medieval axe mounted on the wall."
"It has to sound brutal! We want the vocals to have a parking garage feel to them."
"I remember arguing about it. I said, '[Our band] Abruptum is pure evil. It's not fucking music--it's the most evil sound you could ever listen to.' And he countered with, 'No, [our band] Burzum is even *more* evil.'" [I believe this beef resulted in an acolyte of one band fire bombing the other band's house.]
"The mere thought of someone having a good time to our music drives me fucking crazy."
"I'm not claiming to be in the service of mankind; I want to destroy it!"
"The only way I'm a racist is that I oppose the human race; all people are equally worthless."
"I think Nihilist is a better band name than Entombed. There's something really wicked when you have '-ist' at the end."

Highly recommended, even if, like me, you do not listen to metal music.… (mehr)