‘We Are the Dead’: The War Poets, metal music and chaos control | Intellect Skip to content
1981
  1. Home
  2. A-Z Publications
  3. Metal Music Studies
  4. Volume 7, Issue 2
  5. Article
Volume 7, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 2052-3998
  • E-ISSN: 2052-4005

Abstract

During the course of the First World War, the generation of British authors known collectively as the War Poets revolutionized the popular culture of their time. Due to their changing attitudes towards armed conflict, their portrayal of war chaos included realist descriptions of life in the trenches, unusual choices of subject matter and an eventual challenge to the political and religious establishment of their time. Metal music, a genre with an inherent lyrical and musical concern about chaos and control, has crafted several songs inspired on the First World War poetry. This specific relationship has not been studied before. Based on Weinstein’s and Walser’s insights on chaos and control in metal music, the aim of this article is to evaluate the ability of metal music to either transmit or refute the War Poets’ discourse on chaos, and to study the textual and musical resources metal bands use to relay and control said discourse. For this purpose, I perform a comparative analysis of nine metal music adaptations and appropriations of six different First World War poems they are based on. A chronological path of the evolution of the First World War poetry is followed. The study concludes that, besides effectively transmitting or contesting the War Poets’ discourse on chaos, metal music exerts chaos control through its use of musical resources, especially in the case of extreme metal subgenres.

© 2021 Intellect Ltd
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/mms_00050_1
2021-06-01
2023-09-22
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Aitken, P. A.. ( 1999), Flanders Fields, Los Angeles, CA:: Alfred Music;.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Allegaeon ( 2019), Apoptosis, CD, Sherman Oaks, CA:: Metal Blade;.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Altherya ( 2019;), ‘ New dawn. ’, streaming , 5 July, https://altherya.bandcamp.com/album/new-dawn. Accessed 22 May 2020.
  4. Amon Amarth ( 2004), Fate of Norns, CD, Sherman Oaks, CA:: Metal Blade;.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Berger, H.. ( 1999a;), ‘ Death metal tonality and the act of listening. ’, Popular Music, 18:2, pp. 161–78.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Berger, H.. ( 1999b), Metal, Rock, and Jazz: Perception and the Phenomenology of Musical Experience, Hanover and London:: Wesleyan University Press;.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Beyond the Labyrinth ( 2019;), ‘ Brand new start. ’, streaming , 5 September, https://beyondthelabyrinth.bandcamp.com/releases. Accessed 22 May 2020.
  8. Binyon, L.. ( 1922), Selected Poems, New York:: Macmillan;.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Black Sabbath ( 1970), Paranoid, LP, Burbank, CA:: Warner Bros;.
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Blacksheep ( 2018;), ‘ War ethics. ’, streaming , 21 November, https://blacksheeproll.bandcamp.com/album/war-ethics. Accessed 22 May 2020.
  11. Bloom, H.. ( 2002), Poets of World War I: Wilfred Owen & Isaac Rosenberg, Broomall, PA:: Chelsea House;.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Bloom, H.. ( 2003), Poets of World War I: Rupert Brooke & Siegfried Sassoon, Broomall, PA:: Chelsea House;.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Bolay, J.. ( 2019;), ‘ “Their song was partial; But the harmony […] suspended hell”: Intertextuality, voice and gender in Milton/Symphony X’s Paradise Lost. ’, Metal Music Studies, 5:1, pp. 5–20.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Bolt Thrower ( 1994), …For Victory, CD, Nottingham:: Earache;.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Brooke, R.. ( 1918), The Collected Poems of Rupert Brooke: With a Memoir, London:: Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd;.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Cerebrium ( 2015), When I Am Dead, CD, Volgograd:: More Hate Productions;.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Chatman, S.. ( 1998), In Flanders Fields, Corvallis, OR:: Earthsongs;.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Cook, T.. ( 2015;), ‘ April 1915. ’, Maclean’s, 128:16, pp. 20–21.
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Crimson Falls ( 2006), The True Face of Human Nature, CD, Baal:: Shiver Records;.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Decaying ( 2012), Encirclement, CD, Leszno:: Hellthrasher Productions;.
     [Google Scholar]
  21. Deus Mori ( 2020;), ‘ Umbra mortis. ’, streaming , 4 April, https://deusmori.bandcamp.com/album/umbra-mortis-digital-version. Accessed 22 May 2020.
  22. Evans, R. C.. ( 2014), Perspectives on World War I Poetry, London:: Bloomsbury;.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Frankau, G.. ( 1916), The Guns, London:: Chatto & Windus;.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Frost Commander ( 2011;), ‘ Magic dagger. ’, streaming , 22 May, https://frostcommander.bandcamp.com/album/magic-dagger. Accessed 22 May 2020.
  25. Grant, P.. ( 2017), National Myth and the First World War in Modern Popular Music, London:: Palgrave Macmillan;.
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Hamilton, D.. ( 2013), In Flanders Fields, Wellington:: Sounz;.
     [Google Scholar]
  27. Hutcheon, L.. ( 2013), A Theory of Adaptation, , 2nd ed.., Abingdon and New York:: Routledge;.
     [Google Scholar]
  28. Internal Bleeding ( 1999), Driven to Conquer, CD, Phoenix, AZ:: Pavement Music;.
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Iron Maiden ( 1984), Powerslave, LP, London:: EMI;.
     [Google Scholar]
  30. Iron Maiden ( 1990), No Prayer for the Dying, LP, London:: EMI;.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Iron Maiden ( 2003), Dance of Death, CD, London:: EMI;.
     [Google Scholar]
  32. Jacobson, J., and Emerson, R.. ( 1998), In Flanders Fields, Milwaukee, WI:: Hal Leonard;.
     [Google Scholar]
  33. Kahn-Harris, K.. ( 2007), Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge, Oxford:: Berg;.
     [Google Scholar]
  34. Kevill, J.. ( 2017;), interview by James Weaver. , 7 March, https://distortedsoundmag.com/interview-john-kevill-warbringer/. Accessed 20 May 2020.
  35. Lanier, D.. ( 2002), Shakespeare and Modern Popular Culture, Oxford:: Oxford University Press;.
     [Google Scholar]
  36. Lusty, H. L.. ( 2013;), ‘ Rocking the canon: Heavy metal and classical literature. ’, LATCH, 6:1, pp. 101–38.
     [Google Scholar]
  37. McCrae, J.. ( 1919), In Flanders Fields and Other Poems, New York:: G. P. Putnam’s Sons;.
     [Google Scholar]
  38. Meller, L.. ( 2013a;), ‘ Historical themes in Iron Maiden songs (Part I): From the cavemen to the Vikings. ’, Revista Brasileira de Estudos da Canção, 3, pp. 198–215.
     [Google Scholar]
  39. Meller, L.. ( 2013b;), ‘ Historical themes in Iron Maiden songs (Part II): From the inquisition to the Second World War. ’, Revista Brasileira de Estudos da Canção, 4, pp. 190–203.
     [Google Scholar]
  40. Metallica ( 1985), Master of Puppets, LP, New York and Beverly Hills, CA:: Elektra;.
     [Google Scholar]
  41. Moffett, A.. ( 2007;), ‘ “We will remember them”: The poetic rewritings of Lutyens’ cenotaph. ’, War, Literature & the Arts: An International Journal of the Humanities, 19:1&2, pp. 228–46.
     [Google Scholar]
  42. Moller, A. von. ( 2015;), interview. , HellVinter ‘Zine, 2 September, http://hellvinterzine.com/interviews/129-scythian-u-k-02-09-2015.html. Accessed 23 May 2020.
     [Google Scholar]
  43. Moore, R. M.. ( 2009;), ‘ The unmaking of the English working class: Deindustrialization, reification and the origins of heavy metal. ’, in G. Bayer. (ed.), Heavy Metal Music in Britain, Aldershot:: Ashgate;, pp. 143–60.
     [Google Scholar]
  44. Motörhead ( 1991), 1916, LP, Los Angeles, CA:: Epic;.
     [Google Scholar]
  45. Mourning Dawn ( 2009), For the Fallen…, CD, Jerusalem:: Totalrust Music;.
     [Google Scholar]
  46. Nihternnes ( 2020;), ‘ Dunharrow. ’, streaming , 21 April, https://nihternnes.bandcamp.com/album/dunharrow. Accessed 16 April 2021.
  47. Owen, W.. ( 1933), The Poems of Wilfred Owen, London:: Chatto and Windus;.
     [Google Scholar]
  48. Owen, W.. ( 2012), Wilfred Owen: Complete Works, Hastings:: Delphi Classics;.
     [Google Scholar]
  49. Puri, S.. ( 2010;), ‘ Machine guns and machine gun drums: Heavy metal’s portrayal of war. ’, in R. Hill, and K. Spracklen. (eds), Heavy Fundametalisms: Music, Metal and Politics, Freeland:: Inter-Disciplinary Press;, pp. 55–65.
     [Google Scholar]
  50. Rabinowitz, P. J.. ( 1981;), ‘ Fictional music: Toward a theory of listening. ’, The Bucknell Review, 26:1, pp. 193–208.
     [Google Scholar]
  51. Ramazani, J., and Stallworthy, J.. (eds) ( 2012;), ‘ Voices from World War I. ’, in S. Greenblatt. (ed.), The Norton Anthology of English Literature, vol. 2, New York:: Norton;, pp. 2016–55.
     [Google Scholar]
  52. Reisman, R. M. C.. (ed.) ( 2012), War Poets, Ipswich, MA:: Salem Press;.
     [Google Scholar]
  53. Restless Breed, The ( 2003), Hiding in Plain Sight, LP, Zwickau:: High Roller Records;.
     [Google Scholar]
  54. Roberts, J. J.. ( 2017;), ‘ Rime of a metal mariner. ’, Metal Music Studies, 3:1, pp. 63–79.
     [Google Scholar]
  55. Sabaton ( 2019), The Great War, CD, Donzdorf:: Nuclear Blast;.
     [Google Scholar]
  56. Sabaton Official Website ( 2019;), ‘ Band. ’, Sabaton , https://www.sabaton.net/band/. Accessed 19 May 2020.
  57. Sanders, J.. ( 2006), Adaptation and Appropriation, Abingdon:: Routledge;.
     [Google Scholar]
  58. Sassoon, S.. ( 1919), The War Poems of Siegfried Sassoon, London:: William Heinemann;.
     [Google Scholar]
  59. Satyrus ( 2009), Erase the Equation, CD, n.p.: not on label .
     [Google Scholar]
  60. Schram, J.. ( 2016;), ‘ Captured ISIS head of chemical weapons says they’ve got mustard gas. ’, New York Post, 9 March, https://nypost.com/2016/03/09/america-has-captured-isis-scientist-in-charge-of-chemical-weapons/. Accessed 21 May 2020.
     [Google Scholar]
  61. Scythian ( 2015), Hubris in Excelsis, CD, Valley City, OH:: Hells Headbangers;.
     [Google Scholar]
  62. Sieges Even ( 1990), Steps, CD, Hannover:: Steamhammer;.
     [Google Scholar]
  63. Silkin, J.. ( 1998), Out of Battle: The Poetry of the Great War, , 2nd ed.., Houndsmills:: Palgrave Macmillan;.
     [Google Scholar]
  64. Simcox, K.. ( 2006;), ‘ Poetry critique: The unreturning. ’, The Wilfred Owen Association, http://www.wilfredowen.org.uk/poetry/the-unreturning. Accessed 23 May 2020.
     [Google Scholar]
  65. Sorley, C. H.. ( 1919), Marlborough and Other Poems, , 4th ed.., Cambridge:: Cambridge University Press;.
     [Google Scholar]
  66. Steel, N.. ( 2014;), ‘ They shall not grow old: “For the fallen”, Laurence Binyon. ’, The Telegraph, 30 July, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-one/inside-first-world-war/part-twelve/10986813/for-the-fallen-laurence-binyon-analysis.html. Accessed 29 July 2020.
     [Google Scholar]
  67. Storey, W. K.. ( 2010), The First World War: A Concise Global History, Lanham, MD:: Rowman & Littlefield;.
     [Google Scholar]
  68. System of a Down ( 2005), Mezmerize, CD, New York:: Columbia;.
     [Google Scholar]
  69. Tagg, P.. ( 2015), Music’s Meanings, Larchmont, NY:: The Mass Media Music Scholars’ Press;.
     [Google Scholar]
  70. The Monolith Deathcult ( 2005), The White Crematorium, CD, Valkenburg:: Karmageddon Media;.
     [Google Scholar]
  71. Tivaz ( 2010;), ‘ Krieg. ’, streaming , https://tivaz.bandcamp.com/album/krieg. Accessed 22 May 2020.
  72. Tsatsishvili, V.. ( 2011;), ‘ Automatic subgenre classification of heavy metal music. ’, MA dissertation, Jyväskylä:: University of Jyväskylä;.
     [Google Scholar]
  73. Unjustice ( 2019;), ‘ Break necks and kick ass. ’, streaming , 31 May, https://unjustice1.bandcamp.com/releases. Accessed 22 May 2020.
  74. Void of Silence ( 2002), Criteria Ov 666, CD, Imola:: Code666;.
     [Google Scholar]
  75. Walser, R.. ( 1993), Running with the Devil: Power, Gender, and Madness in Heavy Metal Music, Hanover:: Wesleyan University Press;.
     [Google Scholar]
  76. Walter, G.. (ed.) ( 2006;), ‘ Introduction. ’, in The Penguin Book of First World War Poetry, London:: Penguin;, n.pag.
     [Google Scholar]
  77. Warbringer ( 2017), Woe to the Vanquished, CD, Eisenerz:: Napalm Records;.
     [Google Scholar]
  78. Ward, J. A.. ( 2014;), ‘ American musical settings of “In Flanders Fields” and the Great War. ’, Journal of Musicological Research, 33:1–3, pp. 96–129.
     [Google Scholar]
  79. Weinstein, D.. ( 2000), Heavy Metal: The Music and Its Culture, , rev. ed.., New York:: Da Capo;.
     [Google Scholar]
  80. Wound Collector ( 2020), Depravity, CD, Eke:: Rotten to the Core;.
     [Google Scholar]
  81. Zamorano, A. I., and García Lorenzo, M. M.. ( 2011), The Need to Make It New: English Literature and Thought in the First Half of the 20th Century, Madrid:: UNED;.
     [Google Scholar]
  82. Mora-Rioja, Arturo. ( 2021;), ‘ “We Are the Dead”: The War Poets, metal music and chaos control. ’, Metal Music Studies, 7:2, pp. 299–315, https://doi.org/10.1386/mms_00050_1
     [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.1386/mms_00050_1
Loading
‘We Are the Dead’: The War Poets, metal music and chaos control
Metal Music Studies 7, 299 (2021); https://doi.org/10.1386/mms_00050_1
/content/journals/10.1386/mms_00050_1
/content/journals/10.1386/mms_00050_1
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Article
Keyword(s): adaptation; appropriation; First World War; heavy metal; metal music; War Poets

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error