Comments on: BLACK METAL NAVEL-GAZING

By: Islander

Islander — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:06:03 +0000

Thanks for the news. We just posted an announcement about the book. Cheers!

By: nicola masciandaro

nicola masciandaro — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:02:57 +0000

Volume published.

http://blackmetaltheory.blogspot.com/2010/02/hideous-gnosis-is-here.html

By: Transcix

Transcix — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 05:35:49 +0000

I have heard that written transcripts will be released in a few months here:

http://blackmetaltheory.blogspot.com/

By: Islander

Islander — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:31:33 +0000

Afraid I don’t know the answers. I would think the best way to find out is e-mail Nicola Masciandaro directly. His web page at Brooklyn College is here: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/pub/Faculty_Details5.jsp?faculty=552

By: Transcix

Transcix — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:26:17 +0000

I definitely like the idea of the symposium.. whether or not I agree with what was said, only time will tell. But I would also like to link to the presentations on my website, and I am wondering if there are any written transcripts of the presentations? I know there are two posted on the authors’ respective blogs, but what about for the other presentations? Listening via audio is just such a tediously lengthy affair, I can read it much faster.

Alternatively, would I be allowed to transcribe the audio myself and host the transcripts? I believe the presentations are govenred by this creative commons copyright:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/

It’s just that I assume others would have already transcribed it if it were possible.. unless I’m the only one who hates listening to audio. Plus I would have assumed the original paper could just be released, I mean it must be written down somewhere…

By: Hello metal! « Blog, Sweet Blog

Hello metal! « Blog, Sweet Blog — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:09:57 +0000

[...] Still, I’m going to read the material on the site and listen to the lectures before I offer a formal, Blog, Sweet Blog opinion. There’s already been some excellent commentary on the topic here. [...]

By: NO CLEAN SINGING » BLACK METAL NAVEL-GAZING (Part 3)

NO CLEAN SINGING » BLACK METAL NAVEL-GAZING (Part 3) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:13:30 +0000

[...] Gnosis,” which explored intellectual aspects of black metal. We posted some generally disrespectful commentary about the event, and got some thought-provoking reactions. We posted a follow-up piece earlier this [...]

By: Islander

Islander — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 15:33:46 +0000

My fingers aren’t working very well this morning. Here’s the e-mail address I meant to type: islander@nocleansinging.com

By: Islander

Islander — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 15:32:40 +0000

I think you make a lot of good points — including the point that I was too flip in my commentary. I particularly like your observation about the contradiction of metal. I’m certainly one of those people who give the genre a lot of thought, and this whole site is organized around those codes, rules, and boundaries you write about. But although I agree with you that a lot of BM is about the absence of emotion, I do think there’s a big emotional component to a lot of BM, even in the case of bands who would pretend otherwise.

I think your comment is worthy of broader discussion, and if you’ll give me permission, I’d like to use it as the jumping off point for a new post and see if we can generate a dialogue. Please reply or message me at: islander@nocleaninging.com.

By: Shinjuku Thief

Shinjuku Thief — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:02:32 +0000

I would disagree with your assertion that metal, particularly black metal, is about expressing emotion. What characterises a lot of BM, for me, is the absence of emotion, it is the creation of a timelessness, of being in suspension, depressive logic and numbness. I think although you scoff at anything remotely ‘intellectual’ you’re espousing a theory of your own, you may not of clarified it, backed it up with references to philosophy, or bloated it with long words, but you’re still coming from a theoretical viewpoint all the same.

That is the contradiction of metal, it claims to be primal, atavistic, earthy, of the body, but in reality it is so controlled, has so many codes, rules and boundaries that the fans in a supposedly unthinking manner enforce at every level. I love to be obliterated in a churning morass of blast beats, feedback, growls and whatever the fuck else, but this whole ‘be dumb’ thing in metal is a joke, its not spontaneous or relying on our innermost urges, its a well honed aesthetic and conscious action that is very much thought about.