A mosaic in the mirage

Alienation, malaise and metal music in the neo-liberal age

Bibliographic Data

ID21876145
AuthorsThales Reis Alecrim (0000-0003-4823-9646, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume11
Issue1
Pages91-108
Publication date2025-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMetal Music Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2052-3998 • E-ISSN: 2052-4005
PublisherIntellect (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1386/mms_00163_1
OpenAlexW4410852455
LanguageEN
References cited11

In this article, I explore narratives of alienation and malaise in lyrics and music form within particular subgenres of contemporary metal music. I conduct a narrative analysis and comparison of two songs with distinct compositional approaches that articulate both alienation and malaise: ‘Flicker’ (2023) by the American band Theocracy and ‘Deluge’ (2022) by the Portuguese Gaerea. This analysis aims to shed light on how metal music mediates expression and the shape of emotions while engaging with the ideological dynamics of the contemporary era. By comparing these two selected examples, I address how the narratives of alienation and malaise are articulated within black metal and power metal while also illustrating the historical context that connects them. The narration of the same emotional state from different perspectives expresses a particular trait of the contemporary neo-liberal and postmodern conjuncture. Therefore, I propose to understand these narratives of alienation and malaise as expressions of the structure of feeling of modernity that emerges, whether that be through consent or dissent towards domination

Alienation · Archaeology · Malaise · Mosaic · Political science · Diverse Musicological Studies · History · Law · Music History and Culture · Theater, Performance, and Music History

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