Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam

by Mark Levine

book data

48 ratings, 3.29 average rating, 18 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		6%
4		35%
3		41%
2		14%
1		2%

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published

July 8th 2008 by Three Rivers Press

binding

Paperback, 320 pages

url

http://heavymetalislam.net/

isbn

0307353397 (isbn13: 9780307353399)

description

“We play heavy metal because our lives are heavy metal.”
—Reda Zine, one of the founders of the Moroccan heavy-metal scene

“Music is the weapon of the f...more

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08/10/08

Cwl rated it:

Read in August, 2008

The emergence of metal in the Middle East/North Africa is interesting and important and should be documented. Having said that, there were things about this book that irked me. The author is an academic and it shows--a recurring theme in the book is the menace of "neoliberal globalization", although the author's main evidence for said menace is untestable hearsay like "The trilingual texture of the conversation symbolized one of Abid's key points, which is that Iran is becoming ...more The emergence of metal in the Middle East/North Africa is interesting and important and should be documented. Having said that, there were things about this book that irked me. The author is an academic and it shows--a recurring theme in the book is the menace of "neoliberal globalization", although the author's main evidence for said menace is untestable hearsay like "The trilingual texture of the conversation symbolized one of Abid's key points, which is that Iran is becoming ever more globalized today". Almost never does the author offer direct quotes from actual metalheads to support his theory that globalization is the enemy. When he does directly quote a metalhead complaint, it's amazingly usually about overbearing religious leaders, not WTO or Wal-Mart. But because neoliberal globalization is the New Black in ivory towers, it must adorn this book like Christmas tree tinsel...checking the index of this book on metal, "globalization" gets as many pages as "death metal" and far outstrips "black metal". Bang your head, Naomi Klein.

My second objection is that someone who writes a book about metal should know about metal. I suspect that this author does not. References to Iron Maiden's mascot "Freddy" or Morbid Angel's song(?) "Altars of the Abyss" kick the book's credibility right in the junk. And certain passages...fantasizing about a rap-metal cover of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall" and spending at least a fourth of the book talking about hip-hop are dead giveaways. Admitting that you can't tell the difference between doom (ultra-slow metal with 10 minute+ songs) and grindcore (ultra-fast metal with >1 minute songs) is not something that you want to put in your metal book.

Also, I found it annoying that the author denigrated personal satisfaction as a good-enough reason to play/enjoy music (calling it hedonism) and seemed miffed that metal bands didn't want to collaborate with the Muslim Brotherhood to stage protests or offer political critiques. The one overriding theme of metal is not Satan or neoliberal globalization, it is freedom. There can be no freedom when someone with a ridiculous beard is combing your lyrics for blasphemy or saying things like, "as long as it doesn't offend Islam, it's okay".

Hey, this would be good stuff to discuss in a book on metal in the Islamic world:
*how metal, which always used decentralized/noncorporate distribution like tape trading, has readily adapted to the Internet, making it more palpable to fans who already use the Internet to circumvent their oppressive leaders.
*how black metal in Norway was associated with terrorist actions like arson and murder, and how it's being received in countries that are often considered world hotbeds for terrorism.
*1000 Funerals, an Iranian doom band with a female member, and Saudi/Bahraini black metal bands are not mentioned here; they should be. Acrassicauda gets one paragraph.

Perhaps someone will write a book or article about such things soon.(less)

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07/15/08

Russell rated it:

Read in August, 2008

I thought this was a fascinating social critique on metal (and other music) and the role it plays in middle eastern societies. What was really eye opening was the amount of persecution metal, hip hop, and sometimes all forms of music undergo in all of the countries that were discussed in this book. From the more liberal regions like Dubai to the stifling regimes of countries like Iran, this book paints a vivid picture of the challenges musicians face in islamic cultures. I would recommend thi...more

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2 comments

01/17/09

BAYA Librarian rated it:

bookshelves: non-fiction

Read in September, 2008

M Written by a professor of Middle Eastern studies at UC Irvine, this examines how Heavy Metal music (and rap and hip-hop) influences a portion of the world's Islamic youth. As much for adults as teens, this book goes into great detail and is fascinating, but not a brisk read. Each chapter focuses on a different country, from Morocco to Pakistan, and he includes lots of interviews and anecdotes along with solid history of these regions. LeVine sees hope in the Islamic youth who identify with...more

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08/20/08

Shannon rated it:

Read in August, 2008

This is a pretty interesting book that shows a different side of the countries written about (Israel/Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan, and Iran). I don't know much about the rock scene in America, let alone in these countries. But most of us in the west certainly don't imagine Muslims rocking out to metal. The book was fairly interesting, but would have been more interesting if I were a musician or if I liked heavy metal.

I'm a bigger fan of traditional Middle Eastern m...more

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08/03/08

Michael rated it:

Read in October, 2008

Since I am working for a while in Egypt this is somewhat interesting, but it isn't something someone would read for fun.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not surprisingly, since I am in Egypt, the fifty or so pages in the chapter about Egypt specifically are the most interesting (so far).

I was amused to read, "On the way we passed the local Hardee's - which, as in New Jersey when I was growing up - has become the place for Cairo's metal population to meet after dark. At 1:0...more

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07/01/09

Severin-aime rated it:

Read in December, 2008

I believe this to be an example of a 21st century ethnography. The individual stories and descriptions are engaging, while demystifying attitudes of young adults in parts of the Middle East. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in connections to the Middle East that aren't only concerned with religion and/or politics (although those are unavoidable issues).

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11/13/08

Kishwar rated it:

Read in November, 2008

I had a hard time making it through this. It helped that Pakistan - the chapter I was most interested in - was at the end :)
I am not quite sure what the author's point was. Was it just a recounting of the state of heavy metal in muslim countries? Trying to prove that a link exists between politics and heavy metal? That Muslim countries are musically some years behind the west and will outgrow the need for heavy metal?

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09/16/08

Joshua rated it:

bookshelves: read-in-08

Read in September, 2008

Interesting book regarding heavy metal and rap music and its popularity in Islamic countries in Africa and the Middle East. Some of these people who play/listen to this music have to do so under secrecy or danger to their well being because of religious leaders and governments who brand them as Satanists or against God. Jail, beatings and persacution may come their way. Now, that's dedication.

The problem is LeVine seems almost like a cheerleader for the cause rather than just being a ...more

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09/19/08

Scott rated it:

Read in August, 2008

recommended to Scott by: Robin Hopkins
recommends it for: crckt, zach

I'm still reading it but I can comfortably give it four stars before I'm done. I would have given it five but I think the guy's political outlook veers a bit too sharply into the "modern liberal (aka bourgeois) democracy will fix things" camp, and tails religion a bit too much. But I tell you what...the human connections he makes with the metal heads, hip hop kids, punks and goths all over the Muslim world are a revelation. This is a view of the Muslim world that is not bogged down in ...more

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12/09/08

Michael rated it:

bookshelves: pop-culture

Read in September, 2008

Not as good as you would think. Although readable, it would have been better as a series of articles in a magazine. One impressive thing is how dedicated the bands are despite government harassment.

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06/02/09

Susan rated it:

bookshelves: read_and_review

This book requires background knowledge of heavy metal and its subgenres, as well as major artists.

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01/27/09

Stefanie rated it:

fabulous, with a great analysis of imperalism/colonization/globalization, too!

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02/28/09

Jeremy marked it as to-read

bookshelves: to-read

Has a copy to sell/swap

I just bought this, and it looks interesting.

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10/06/08

Andri Click rated it:

Read in November, 2008

Tertarik karena judulnya. Mulai baca beberapa halaman awal. Lumayan menarik, cerita tentang perkembangan musik heavy metal di dunia Islam. Sayang gak ada cerita tentang di Indonesia, padahal Indonesia kan negara dengan jumlah muslim terbesar di dunia. Kalo udah kelar, nanti akan gw email si penulis, dan tawarkan untuk edisi revisi nanti masuk cerita perkembangan heavy metal di Indonesia. Banyak koq temen2 yg siap jadi nara sumber.

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3 comments

09/23/08

Laura rated it:

bookshelves: lost-interest

I'm not much for non-fiction, to be honest. This caught my eye, though. I figured, I don't know as much about Islam as I should, but I certainly know a lot about Heavy Metal. The concept was interesting.

Anyway, so far it's pretty good. I can easily set it down for a while, but pick it back up w/o missing a beat.

I gave up. I think I just need to admit I'm not a reader of non-fiction. I have yet to finish one.

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10/14/08

Gabriel rated it:

Discussed at SF Gospel:

"Heavy Metal Islam... underscores the complexity of Muslim culture—a culture that the Western media paints in black-and-white."

Full post here:

http://sfgospel.typepad.com/sf_gospel/20...

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08/19/08

ross rated it:

Oddly, I did not enjoy this book as much as I should have. The writing wasn't great and I do have little interest in hearing about the author's foray into recording a nu-metal song with several Muslim musicians.

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