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frischow's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Murder, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Xenophobia
eldritch_reeds's review against another edition
4.0
A brutal but important read for anyone into metal music, paganism or just anything that has some presence of racism and/or Nazism tendencies even if you yourself do not endorse such abhorrent things.
The book is detailed and arguably a bit too detailed in places. The later unpackings of the wider legacy of those fateful origins of black metal in Norway lose their way a bit and feel less tied together than the earlier part of the book. That being said everything is interesting and of value in the wider discourse around the topics covered.
Essential reading but do strap in as there are some awful viewpoints presented throughout. Some of them are so extreme they're almost laughable but they do still take their psychological toll.
Things have progressed since the second edition (2003) that I read and I know some of the people interviewed have shifted their perspectives further so this book is a snapshot of what was and not necessarily reflective of what is. Go check out some of the new artists doing good (and not racist) stuff with metal, they might just surprise you.
The book is detailed and arguably a bit too detailed in places. The later unpackings of the wider legacy of those fateful origins of black metal in Norway lose their way a bit and feel less tied together than the earlier part of the book. That being said everything is interesting and of value in the wider discourse around the topics covered.
Essential reading but do strap in as there are some awful viewpoints presented throughout. Some of them are so extreme they're almost laughable but they do still take their psychological toll.
Things have progressed since the second edition (2003) that I read and I know some of the people interviewed have shifted their perspectives further so this book is a snapshot of what was and not necessarily reflective of what is. Go check out some of the new artists doing good (and not racist) stuff with metal, they might just surprise you.
huldercore's review
3.0
This was a dramatic read, but by the last couple of chapters I was so exhausted that I had to take a break and go donate to the Norwegian anti-racism center to calm down. It’s that kind of book.
ferperales's review
3.0
Buen libro, pero demasiado largo. El libro relata de manera precisa el movimiento del Black Metal Noruego de inicios de los 90's y se extiende, y se extiende, y se extiende por otras 200 páginas que, si bien están relacionadas al tema, me pareció excesivo. Si quieren aprender lo mismo sin tanto material adicional, mejor vean el documental Until The Light Take Us o esperen a la película de este libro que saldrá este año
novaerc's review
2.0
Good for the historical value of the rather unique subculture that is black metal, here well documented, but shower-inducing for the bullshit-spewing logorrheas of the neo-nazis who are given far too much space in the interviews here. Same goes for the endless speculations about resemblances between black metal and heathenism, which look more like fabricated history to me.
arthurbdd's review
medium-paced
3.0
Interesting history of the subculture, but Moynihan has his own agenda which makes me reluctant to recommend people buy this first-hand. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/2019/02/26/lords-of-chaos-friends-of-tyranny/