Metal Music Studies, 2019

Abstract:

This article is concerned with the following question: how does heavy metal music pertain to the aesthetic known as ‘The Weird’? I argue that Weirdness is a prominent and important feature of the metal sub-genres marketed and recognized as ‘extreme’, which manifests in various aspects of the music itself, its performance, and its visual imagery. I briefly historize and outline conceptions of The Weird, theorize my term ‘Weird Metal’, and explore three key concepts – Alterity, Hybridity, Numinosity – the presence and interaction of some or all of which create an impression of Weirdness. Before concluding, I explore the possibility of a radical reimagination of extreme metal parallel with the concept of the New Weird.