Brutal truth: modern(ist) aesthetics and death metal
ABSTRACTHere, I explore a modernist aesthetics of death metal. First, I briefly describe a few themes that characterize some modern art, without any claim that they are necessary, sufficient, or exhaustive. The goal is to obtain a set of themes that might be set against similar themes characteristic...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Aesthetics & Culture |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20004214.2024.2328878 |
| _version_ | 1797263176109129728 |
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| author | Benjamin W. McCraw |
| author_facet | Benjamin W. McCraw |
| author_sort | Benjamin W. McCraw |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACTHere, I explore a modernist aesthetics of death metal. First, I briefly describe a few themes that characterize some modern art, without any claim that they are necessary, sufficient, or exhaustive. The goal is to obtain a set of themes that might be set against similar themes characteristic of death metal. This is the task in the second half of the paper. In particular, I argue that (some) modernist art and death metal share themes centered on transgressively breaking with the past, pursue their conception of the truth, eliminate elements in their art form to purify them, and attack the art/non-art or music/non-music distinction. I contend that centering on death metal vocals reflects these themes. Death metal growls, like some modernist art, transgresses on past vocal traditions, tells us important truths, eliminates traditional concepts/techniques of signing, and undermines the singing/noise distinction. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:08:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-28daeab85c9e4f179dedd0a0166f1b5f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2000-4214 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:08:50Z |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Aesthetics & Culture |
| spelling | doaj.art-28daeab85c9e4f179dedd0a0166f1b5f2024-03-13T15:40:08ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of Aesthetics & Culture2000-42142024-12-0116110.1080/20004214.2024.2328878Brutal truth: modern(ist) aesthetics and death metalBenjamin W. McCraw0Department of History, Political Science, Philosophy, and American Studies, University of South Carolina Upstate, Spartanburg, SC, USAABSTRACTHere, I explore a modernist aesthetics of death metal. First, I briefly describe a few themes that characterize some modern art, without any claim that they are necessary, sufficient, or exhaustive. The goal is to obtain a set of themes that might be set against similar themes characteristic of death metal. This is the task in the second half of the paper. In particular, I argue that (some) modernist art and death metal share themes centered on transgressively breaking with the past, pursue their conception of the truth, eliminate elements in their art form to purify them, and attack the art/non-art or music/non-music distinction. I contend that centering on death metal vocals reflects these themes. Death metal growls, like some modernist art, transgresses on past vocal traditions, tells us important truths, eliminates traditional concepts/techniques of signing, and undermines the singing/noise distinction.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20004214.2024.2328878Death Metalmodernist Arttransgression |
| spellingShingle | Benjamin W. McCraw Brutal truth: modern(ist) aesthetics and death metal Journal of Aesthetics & Culture Death Metal modernist Art transgression |
| title | Brutal truth: modern(ist) aesthetics and death metal |
| title_full | Brutal truth: modern(ist) aesthetics and death metal |
| title_fullStr | Brutal truth: modern(ist) aesthetics and death metal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Brutal truth: modern(ist) aesthetics and death metal |
| title_short | Brutal truth: modern(ist) aesthetics and death metal |
| title_sort | brutal truth modern ist aesthetics and death metal |
| topic | Death Metal modernist Art transgression |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/20004214.2024.2328878 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT benjaminwmccraw brutaltruthmodernistaestheticsanddeathmetal |