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lukes_ramblingwritings66's review
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
A collection of essays from various writers within the metal industry, Black Metal Rainbows aim to remove the genre’s baggage behind (racism, sexism, murder etc.) and embrace a future where the association of Black Metal is inclusive and free, especially to those who are a part of the Queer community. I loved what was tackled in this book, from anti-fascist organizing against nazi bands, deep dives into the dialectical satan, a color theorization/philosophization of the infamous photo of Mayhem’s bootleg EP depicting the suicide of their original vocalist. There’s so much in here that I didn’t know one can mesh black metal with, and it makes me look forward to not only where the genre is going, but those who are spearheading a movement within the genre, to make it more free, more safe, and more expressive with our boundaries.
I’d like to add that I notched off a half a star, because I think the editors may have not looked into one of the contributors, named Nina Powers, who’s alignment is pretty terfy and wrote an essay in this compilation somewhat defending incelly dudes like Xasthur. But one essay I vehemently disagree with on all levels does not ruin the rest. As there are plenty of great bodies of work in here. I’ll list my favorites below:
Black Metal Under the Black Flag - Kim Kelly
You Don’t Win a Culture War by Giving Up Ground - Margaret Killjoy
Flamboyant Atrocity: How To Enhance Dead’s Death Depiction - Elodie Lesourd
Bizarre Black Metal - Daniel Lukes
Black Ambiance: Where do Ambient and Black Metal Meet? - Angel Simitchiev
Pretty in Black: The Temptation to Melody and Ambience in Black Metal - Steven Shakespeare
The Dialectical Satan - Langdon Hickman
Queer Traditionalism - Hunter Hunt-Hendrix
Devotion has a Price - Vincent Como
I’d like to add that I notched off a half a star, because I think the editors may have not looked into one of the contributors, named Nina Powers, who’s alignment is pretty terfy and wrote an essay in this compilation somewhat defending incelly dudes like Xasthur. But one essay I vehemently disagree with on all levels does not ruin the rest. As there are plenty of great bodies of work in here. I’ll list my favorites below:
Black Metal Under the Black Flag - Kim Kelly
You Don’t Win a Culture War by Giving Up Ground - Margaret Killjoy
Flamboyant Atrocity: How To Enhance Dead’s Death Depiction - Elodie Lesourd
Bizarre Black Metal - Daniel Lukes
Black Ambiance: Where do Ambient and Black Metal Meet? - Angel Simitchiev
Pretty in Black: The Temptation to Melody and Ambience in Black Metal - Steven Shakespeare
The Dialectical Satan - Langdon Hickman
Queer Traditionalism - Hunter Hunt-Hendrix
Devotion has a Price - Vincent Como
More...