Darkthrone's A Blaze in the Northern Sky (1992) is a foundational keystone of the musical and aesthetic vision of the notorious Norwegian black metal scene and one of the most beloved albums of the genre. Its mysterious artwork and raw sound continue to captivate and inspire black metal fans and musicians worldwide. This book explores the album in the context of exoticism and musical geography, examining how black metal music has come to conjure images of untamed Nordic wildernesses for fans worldwide. In doing so, it analyzes aspects of musical style and production that created the distinctly "grim" sound of Darkthrone and Norwegian black metal.

Analyzes the music of Darkthrone and Norwegian black metal through the lens of exotic "Northern-ness," exploring black metal's global appeal and commercialization as a distinctly Scandinavian musical style.

About the Author
Ross Hagen is Assistant Professor of Music Studies at Utah Valley University Orem, USA. His research interests include black metal, music fan cultures, avant-garde music, and musical medievalism. He is also a bassist and composer in several black metal bands.

Reviews
Hagen is uniquely placed to navigate [black metal's] paradoxes, as well as the sub-genre's wider social significance. His exploration here of black metal's appeal as a form of contemporary Nordic folk music, and his theoretical deliberations on the scene's "romantic" and "modernist" aspects, are both forthright and stimulating ... [A] thought-provoking analysis. * Record Collector *



Book Information
ISBN 9781501354335
Author Ross Hagen
Format Paperback
Page Count 152
Imprint Bloomsbury Academic USA
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Weight(grams) 172g