Death Metal MusicMusic and Culture on the Edge

Cindy FreyMastodon (with Brann Dailor in the shopping cart): coming soon to a dented car near you.​ The Atlanta, GA-based prog-metal heroes of Mastodon have been pushing the boundaries of heavy

For its 20th studio album in almost 35 years, Motorhead is getting credit for sticking with its formidable strengths, even if that means not pushing any boundaries or blazing any trails. Familiarity in this case is inspiring gratitude. From the Guardian (London): “It’s worth pointing out that the old tricks still work. ‘The Wörld Is Yours’ hurtles along, a fat-free model of musical economy ...

Since 1993, the furious duo of Amber Valentine and Edgar Livengood have been confounding and entertaining with their eclectic musical mix that frequently and wantonly crosses the boundaries between metal and rock. Jucifer’s unrestrained artistry has led to some pretty impressive albums, including two for Relapse Records: 2006’s If Thine Enemy Hunger and last year’s L’Autrichienne. As the band wraps up the latest round of its unending tour, I recently took the chance to pry a few answers out of

Abul-Hussein writes: “Hip hop” in the 21th century has taken the position of heavy metal in the 80’s. To the conscious observer the clear references to “satan” are evident and the indirect references are abundant. From Kayne West to Outerspace hip hop has traversed the boundaries of moral action and life affirming values, it is a realm where moral consciousness is obscured and human being has no worth. Today hip hop celebrates musically and honors poetically idolatry, occultism, illicit sex,