Resistants, stimulants and weaponization: Extreme metal music and empowerment in the Iraqi and Syrian civil conflicts

Metal music can be a means of artistic expression or an accessory of war. Making its first appearance in Iraq and Syria in the 1980s, it has found function as an agency of power, endurance, anger and abuse. Utilizable by artists, fans and the military of the Mashriq, metal can be used for catharsis, rebellion or torture. This article looks at how the extreme metal subgenres of thrash metal, death metal and black metal have become important inclusions in the Iraqi and Syrian civil conflicts. Integrating original qualitative interview data from local bands, the study shows that metal music can be a source of empowerment for civilians as well as the US military. It also shows that metal can be the only stability some draw from during the continual devastation to their communities and that it can provide passage out of the region in exceptional circumstances.