Check out "A Blaze in the North American Sky" by Brandon Stosuy (Stereogum, Pitchfork) in the July/August issue of The Believer. Stosuy provides a brief retrospective on the murder and arson tainted Norwegian black metal scene, explores the distinction between black and death metal, and muses on the sociological importance of the US black metal scene. Compelling stuff.
Or check out this little radio interview.
"We refuse to comment on details but let's just say that we are not normal people."
Disturbing stuff. I'm sticking with R&B.
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3 comments:
stosuy knows his shit, but i think his article is secretly somehow attempting to justify the new(est) waves of american "black" metal in the face of phantom (not to mention fringe and idiotic) criticisms that claim it's inauthentic because it isn't sincere to the point of real murder and destruction.
first of all, i think the question of sincerity in metal (or any art) is ridiculous and not simply because it's a meaningless question. the nosedive of the US dollar has nothing to do with misanthropy, let alone its manifestations in art. the more accurate question is where art ends and life begins, and for me this is fundamental, but let's not cloak it in a discussion about sincerity or validity of form. a singer committing suicide and another guy (maybe) killing a bandmate does not qualify a genre as scary or more sincere than any other. nor does church burning, considering the circumstances (and history) surrounding the events (i'm not sure any of those bands ever actually sang about burning churches. more like sodomizing christ and shit). the "scariest" thing about the black metal is its image, and any viewing of Mercyful Fate performing in the early '80s will quell any fear (watch as King Diamond goes from satan-worshipping soothsayer to badass biker-dude in seconds flat!)
as a sidenote, metal sub-genrification is an absurd task. it's masturbatory, and only interesting to very serious fans. that said, i have qualms with his division of death and black metal.
I have a hard time listening to/understanding metal of any genre, but find it endearing that a lot of these guys name themselves after characters in the fantasy novels I used to read when I was a kid.
also, I agree with your comment that questions of sincerity are meaningless.
Sounding real trumps being real.
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