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Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam
“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 future.”
—Fela Kuti
An eighteen-year-old Moroccan who loves Black Sabbath. A twenty-two-year-old rapper from the Gaza Strip. A young Lebanese singer who quotes Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song.” They are as representative of the world of Islam today as the conservatives and extremists we see every night on the news. Heavy metal, punk, hip-hop, and reggae are each the music of protest, and in many cases considered immoral in the Muslim world. This music may also turn out to be the soundtrack of a revolution unfolding across that world.
Why, despite governmental attempts to control and censor them, do these musicians and fans keep playing and listening? Partly, of course, for the joy of self-expression, but also because, in this region, everything is political. In Heavy Metal Islam , Mark LeVine explores the influence of Western music on the Middle East through interviews with musicians and fans, introducing us young Muslims struggling to reconcile their religion with a passion for music and a desire for change. The result is a revealing tour of contemporary Islamic culture through the evolving music scene in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Heavy Metal Islam is a surprising, wildly entertaining foray into a historically authoritarian region where music just might be the true democratizing force.
—Reda Zine, one of the founders of the Moroccan heavy-metal scene
“Music is the weapon of the future.”
—Fela Kuti
An eighteen-year-old Moroccan who loves Black Sabbath. A twenty-two-year-old rapper from the Gaza Strip. A young Lebanese singer who quotes Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song.” They are as representative of the world of Islam today as the conservatives and extremists we see every night on the news. Heavy metal, punk, hip-hop, and reggae are each the music of protest, and in many cases considered immoral in the Muslim world. This music may also turn out to be the soundtrack of a revolution unfolding across that world.
Why, despite governmental attempts to control and censor them, do these musicians and fans keep playing and listening? Partly, of course, for the joy of self-expression, but also because, in this region, everything is political. In Heavy Metal Islam , Mark LeVine explores the influence of Western music on the Middle East through interviews with musicians and fans, introducing us young Muslims struggling to reconcile their religion with a passion for music and a desire for change. The result is a revealing tour of contemporary Islamic culture through the evolving music scene in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Heavy Metal Islam is a surprising, wildly entertaining foray into a historically authoritarian region where music just might be the true democratizing force.
312 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
February 18, 2010
According to historian/metalhead Mark Levine, the Muslim world is full of metal bands (and some rappers, hardcore and post punk bands). And since listening to/playing alternative music is considered Satan worship by conservative religious and political forces, being a metalhead is, by definition, a rebellious act.
The problem is, too few musical groups in the region see their role as overtly political. While criticizing the West is commonplace and acceptable in most societies, raging against the national machine is far less common. Metalheads. Levine laments, tend to see themselves and their mission as separate from reform movements and rebellions, even in places where a young and politically active left exists. He argues that these bands with their growing networking online and emerging regional music festivals, represent real potential for progressive political evolution in the Arab/Muslim world.
If you know nothing about the politics of this region, this book offers a concise description of modern day Morocco, Lebanon, Egypt, Israel/Palestine, Iran and Pakistan with some Turkey and Iraq tossed into the epilogue for good measure. If you know a little something about this part of the world, don't read this book. It's far duller than the title suggests. I am giving it four stars because of the comprehensive listing of bands and underground music resources in the region. I plan to spend a day on the internet pursing the links in the bibliography.
The prose in the body of the book, however, is a bit schizophrenic. Levine can't decide if he's submitting to a peer-reviewed journal or sharing a personal journal of the year he spent sitting in with Muslim bands in exotic settings. The result is something between a self-centered research study or an overly academic personal narrative.
P.S. If you know anything about modern-day Egypt,I'd love to get your take on the "new" Muslim Brotherhood. Levine's description feels a little too rosy to be believed.
The problem is, too few musical groups in the region see their role as overtly political. While criticizing the West is commonplace and acceptable in most societies, raging against the national machine is far less common. Metalheads. Levine laments, tend to see themselves and their mission as separate from reform movements and rebellions, even in places where a young and politically active left exists. He argues that these bands with their growing networking online and emerging regional music festivals, represent real potential for progressive political evolution in the Arab/Muslim world.
If you know nothing about the politics of this region, this book offers a concise description of modern day Morocco, Lebanon, Egypt, Israel/Palestine, Iran and Pakistan with some Turkey and Iraq tossed into the epilogue for good measure. If you know a little something about this part of the world, don't read this book. It's far duller than the title suggests. I am giving it four stars because of the comprehensive listing of bands and underground music resources in the region. I plan to spend a day on the internet pursing the links in the bibliography.
The prose in the body of the book, however, is a bit schizophrenic. Levine can't decide if he's submitting to a peer-reviewed journal or sharing a personal journal of the year he spent sitting in with Muslim bands in exotic settings. The result is something between a self-centered research study or an overly academic personal narrative.
P.S. If you know anything about modern-day Egypt,I'd love to get your take on the "new" Muslim Brotherhood. Levine's description feels a little too rosy to be believed.
January 28, 2011
While the subject matter is interesting, I had a hard time getting through this book (in fact I didn't even finish). Levine clearly has a knack for reporting and includes a lot of information without unnecessary wordiness, but this style made it hard to remain engaged beyond the first few chapters. I didn't feel like I really got to know or gained much insight into any of people who make up the bands he covers. It's clear that social, religious, and political environments of each of the Islamic countries covered has inspired the emergence of heavy metal in unique ways, but Levine doesn't provide enough personal depth to illustrate that unique inspiration or the personal stories that would engage someone outside of the heavy metal or Islamic communities. If you are a metal musician or metal aficionado, I'm sure it's easier to maintain interest, but otherwise I think you'll probably get bored.
August 17, 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 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.
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.
August 7, 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 this book to anyone who is curious about the extent to which ideological governments can affect artists and people involved in "counter culture".
May 9, 2010
An interesting, read-it-on-a-trip, not very deep look at the politics of the Muslim world from Morocco to Pakistan, through the distorting lens of its more privileged kids who are into heavy metal.
What was interesting in this book? Some of the musical commentary, i.e. about continuities and changes in how heavy metal is played in different countries, in terms of musical technique.
The author does a very good job at sketching the multipolar nature of most of the countries in his study, the three players he returns to time and time again being the oppressive pro-american governments, the right-wing Islamic resistance movements, and (his chosen subjects) affluent alienated westernized youth involved in cultural rebellion. Absent is the working class, which he repeatedly shuffles into the right-wing Islamic resistance movements without much nuance. Absent are women as a group, except in the narratives we're already used to (oppressed, but also as a barometer of how "new" the new generation of Islamic resistance is). And certainly the left as such is non-existent.
On the plus side, he gives a good sense of the dynamic that exists between these three players, and the way in which contradictions lead to tensions which can then be harnessed politically. This was particularly well done in the cases of Morocco, Algeria and Pakistan.
More problematically, Levine repeatedly argues - both implicitly and explicitly - that the best hope for forging tolerant open societies in the region would be an alliance between the Islamic opposition and the cultural vanguard (represented here by the Muslim metalheads). He emphasizes examples of the Islamic resistance movements toning down their opposition to cultural innovation, esp. musical innovation, and tries to imply that as to the I.R.'s calls for repression of musical dissidents, that's all over now.
But Levine's primary subject is the metalheads themselves, not their would-be allies (or oppressors). So he gives himself a pass to not really delve into the politics of the I.R. beyond the surface, and doesn't even moot the possibility (for instance) that this new-found tolerance might be disingenuous, or might be part of a more complex development of forging temporary alliances.
And as for his overall take on this cultural "vanguard" (the metalheads), it's value is somewhat limited by what he himself (to his credit) makes abundantly clear: this is an upper class youth micro-culture. While he's not so critical about what this means, he gives us the facts we can expand from, right up to the crowning moment of his study and - according to him - heavy metal in the Middle East: a giant corporate-sponsored metal festival in... Dubai!
Still, an okay quick read, fwiw.
What was interesting in this book? Some of the musical commentary, i.e. about continuities and changes in how heavy metal is played in different countries, in terms of musical technique.
The author does a very good job at sketching the multipolar nature of most of the countries in his study, the three players he returns to time and time again being the oppressive pro-american governments, the right-wing Islamic resistance movements, and (his chosen subjects) affluent alienated westernized youth involved in cultural rebellion. Absent is the working class, which he repeatedly shuffles into the right-wing Islamic resistance movements without much nuance. Absent are women as a group, except in the narratives we're already used to (oppressed, but also as a barometer of how "new" the new generation of Islamic resistance is). And certainly the left as such is non-existent.
On the plus side, he gives a good sense of the dynamic that exists between these three players, and the way in which contradictions lead to tensions which can then be harnessed politically. This was particularly well done in the cases of Morocco, Algeria and Pakistan.
More problematically, Levine repeatedly argues - both implicitly and explicitly - that the best hope for forging tolerant open societies in the region would be an alliance between the Islamic opposition and the cultural vanguard (represented here by the Muslim metalheads). He emphasizes examples of the Islamic resistance movements toning down their opposition to cultural innovation, esp. musical innovation, and tries to imply that as to the I.R.'s calls for repression of musical dissidents, that's all over now.
But Levine's primary subject is the metalheads themselves, not their would-be allies (or oppressors). So he gives himself a pass to not really delve into the politics of the I.R. beyond the surface, and doesn't even moot the possibility (for instance) that this new-found tolerance might be disingenuous, or might be part of a more complex development of forging temporary alliances.
And as for his overall take on this cultural "vanguard" (the metalheads), it's value is somewhat limited by what he himself (to his credit) makes abundantly clear: this is an upper class youth micro-culture. While he's not so critical about what this means, he gives us the facts we can expand from, right up to the crowning moment of his study and - according to him - heavy metal in the Middle East: a giant corporate-sponsored metal festival in... Dubai!
Still, an okay quick read, fwiw.
February 4, 2017
As an Israeli Jew, this was important for me to read, especially after reading "Why I Left the Islam". I wanted a positive description of the Islam. This was definitely that.
It was nice that there was a personal touch to the stories. He was friends with the people he talked about and it was great to see. At the same time, he tried to keep an academic approach which led to a confusing reading experience. Is this an academic study or a book about his experiences?
I felt the build was great. I loved how he went country by country and went in depth about the history, culture and vibe. As someone who's a bit ignorant when it comes to Middle Eastern history (that doesn't affect Israel), I'm happy that he explained a bit. I do wish he'd get a bit more technical about the music itself but I realize that would be a different book altogether.
The music was also great and now my iPod is full of music in Arabic which is kinda cool. As I'm hoping to become fluent in Arabic in the next few years, I look forward to slowly understanding more and more, to return to this book's bibliography and get more recommendations.
I do have a point of annoyance with how he writes Israel/Palestine, as if they're the same thing, as if they're both not dependent of each other. I suppose it's an attempt at being neutral but it annoyed me. Israel is an independent and flourishing country, regardless of our issues with the border. Palestine isn't a country yet (by the definitions of the UN, I look forward to the day they will be). Palestine isn't a functioning country. Writing Israel/Palestine feels simply wrong, especially when talking about the culture. Israeli culture and Palestinian culture are so very different.
All in all, this is a great introduction to the Islamic nations and their cultural struggle. The author's friendship with the people described makes this book a great read.
what I'm taking with me
• Pakistani history is fascinating and I must read more about it.
• Metal fans are cool. Go music revolutions!
• I feel like Egypt is to MENA like Sweden is to Scandinavia and I don't know why this feels so accurate.
It was nice that there was a personal touch to the stories. He was friends with the people he talked about and it was great to see. At the same time, he tried to keep an academic approach which led to a confusing reading experience. Is this an academic study or a book about his experiences?
I felt the build was great. I loved how he went country by country and went in depth about the history, culture and vibe. As someone who's a bit ignorant when it comes to Middle Eastern history (that doesn't affect Israel), I'm happy that he explained a bit. I do wish he'd get a bit more technical about the music itself but I realize that would be a different book altogether.
The music was also great and now my iPod is full of music in Arabic which is kinda cool. As I'm hoping to become fluent in Arabic in the next few years, I look forward to slowly understanding more and more, to return to this book's bibliography and get more recommendations.
I do have a point of annoyance with how he writes Israel/Palestine, as if they're the same thing, as if they're both not dependent of each other. I suppose it's an attempt at being neutral but it annoyed me. Israel is an independent and flourishing country, regardless of our issues with the border. Palestine isn't a country yet (by the definitions of the UN, I look forward to the day they will be). Palestine isn't a functioning country. Writing Israel/Palestine feels simply wrong, especially when talking about the culture. Israeli culture and Palestinian culture are so very different.
All in all, this is a great introduction to the Islamic nations and their cultural struggle. The author's friendship with the people described makes this book a great read.
what I'm taking with me
• Pakistani history is fascinating and I must read more about it.
• Metal fans are cool. Go music revolutions!
• I feel like Egypt is to MENA like Sweden is to Scandinavia and I don't know why this feels so accurate.
Read
May 10, 2013On peut dire que cette lecture vient à point puisque je suis en pleine découverte de groupes arabes dits "Underground" actuellement, J'avoue avoir été surprise de l'existence même d'un tel livre sur un tel sujet, je n'ai donc pas hésité à l'acheter dès que l'occasion s'est offerte. Je l'ai lu en diagonale une première fois en m'attardant uniquement sur les passages qui m'interpellaient, là je suis en train de le lire de façon plus approfondie et plus "linéaire". Mais je n'en suis qu'au tout début, j'en dirai un peu plus une fois que j'aurai avancé un peu dans ma lecture.
March 16, 2019
Un excelente viaje por la actualidad (as of 2008) de la música 'moderna' en medio oriente.
May 12, 2020
3,5
Not too much talk about metal, so not really what I was looking forward to reading about.
But otherwise a fairly good travel book and an insight into the complicated relationship of Islam and (underground) music.
Not too much talk about metal, so not really what I was looking forward to reading about.
But otherwise a fairly good travel book and an insight into the complicated relationship of Islam and (underground) music.
December 5, 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?
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?
July 3, 2012
Review forthcoming
April 18, 2023
Not really the book I was expecting. I was thinking more metal and maybe how it interacted with the Muslim faith, rather than metal in specific Muslim countries. I found this book through a search of "heavy metal" at my public library, so that gives you an idea of what I was looking for. This wasn't it.
LeVine is obviously a talented musician, and has a good knowledge of Muslim and Arab culture, but he doesn't know metal. He admits early on that he can't tell the difference between most sub-genres, misidentifies Iron Maiden's mascot, Eddie, as "Freddie," and talks about Morbid Angels' song Altars of the Abyss - I assume he's combining their album Altars of Madness with Slayer's Seasons in the Abyss? At one point, he lists posters on the wall and list Megadeth, Pantera, and Cowboys from Hell - the latter is not a band, but a Pantera album. So attention to detail doesn't seem to be his strong suit.
So he's weak on his metal. Not the end of the world, but the metal discussion is why I'm reading this book. It also doesn't give me a lot of confidence on his other information. I'm not going to catch mistakes made in other areas because I'm no expert on them, but can I have any confidence that he's going to get that stuff right?
Anyway, for what it was, the book was interesting enough. I don't have much knowledge of any of these countries except for on a very superficial level. With some countries - Palestine is one that stands out - he talks more about the rap scene than the metal scene. And I found his concluding chapter was all over the place - I think he talks mostly about Turkey, if I am remembering clearly?
Overall, it was fine, but I don't think much will stay with me from this book. I think you could probably get better insight into the countries and their internal struggle against oppression elsewhere, and there is probably a book on metal and Islam still to be written. So take this book for what it is.
Two final things. At one point, he mentions the Iranian band Acrassicauda in passing, and their references to Iron Maiden. He says that unfortunately, when Iron Maiden first played Dubai, they were in exile in Syria, so they couldn't see them. It's not like they were a Dubai band that missed the show. I don't know if I'm missing something here, but it's like saying an American band was in Canada, so they missed the show in Mexico. Maybe if they were still in Iran, they could have gone to Dubai, but couldn't from Syria? I don't know, but as it is, it doesn't make much sense.
And the final comment - the title of the book kept putting the song "Heavy Metal Shuffle" by Kickaxe in my head, which isn't a bad thing.
LeVine is obviously a talented musician, and has a good knowledge of Muslim and Arab culture, but he doesn't know metal. He admits early on that he can't tell the difference between most sub-genres, misidentifies Iron Maiden's mascot, Eddie, as "Freddie," and talks about Morbid Angels' song Altars of the Abyss - I assume he's combining their album Altars of Madness with Slayer's Seasons in the Abyss? At one point, he lists posters on the wall and list Megadeth, Pantera, and Cowboys from Hell - the latter is not a band, but a Pantera album. So attention to detail doesn't seem to be his strong suit.
So he's weak on his metal. Not the end of the world, but the metal discussion is why I'm reading this book. It also doesn't give me a lot of confidence on his other information. I'm not going to catch mistakes made in other areas because I'm no expert on them, but can I have any confidence that he's going to get that stuff right?
Anyway, for what it was, the book was interesting enough. I don't have much knowledge of any of these countries except for on a very superficial level. With some countries - Palestine is one that stands out - he talks more about the rap scene than the metal scene. And I found his concluding chapter was all over the place - I think he talks mostly about Turkey, if I am remembering clearly?
Overall, it was fine, but I don't think much will stay with me from this book. I think you could probably get better insight into the countries and their internal struggle against oppression elsewhere, and there is probably a book on metal and Islam still to be written. So take this book for what it is.
Two final things. At one point, he mentions the Iranian band Acrassicauda in passing, and their references to Iron Maiden. He says that unfortunately, when Iron Maiden first played Dubai, they were in exile in Syria, so they couldn't see them. It's not like they were a Dubai band that missed the show. I don't know if I'm missing something here, but it's like saying an American band was in Canada, so they missed the show in Mexico. Maybe if they were still in Iran, they could have gone to Dubai, but couldn't from Syria? I don't know, but as it is, it doesn't make much sense.
And the final comment - the title of the book kept putting the song "Heavy Metal Shuffle" by Kickaxe in my head, which isn't a bad thing.
February 3, 2021
One might not expect heavy metal and rock music to spread and gain listeners in the Muslim countries across the Middle East and South Asia. I’ve read only the chapter on Pakistan and the content is indeed intriguing. However, it is riddled with inaccuracies that could’ve been easily avoided.
For instance, Karavan is not the godfather of Pakistani metal as stated in the book. In fact, the band has never released a single song of the genre. It would’ve been precise to deem Karavan as the purveyor of hard rock in Pakistan whereas Babar Sheikh deserves the title of godfather of metal in Pakistan. Not only was he the first musician in the country who started playing the genre but also promoted heavy metal throughout Pakistan.
Another inaccuracy that I cannot believe that Mark LeVine made was calling Sajid & Zeeshan as Pakistan’s best rock duo despite the fact that they have never released a rock track and can be best described as an electronica act. There are more mistakes in the chapter as well and I must say that the rest of the chapters should be read with a pinch of salt.
For instance, Karavan is not the godfather of Pakistani metal as stated in the book. In fact, the band has never released a single song of the genre. It would’ve been precise to deem Karavan as the purveyor of hard rock in Pakistan whereas Babar Sheikh deserves the title of godfather of metal in Pakistan. Not only was he the first musician in the country who started playing the genre but also promoted heavy metal throughout Pakistan.
Another inaccuracy that I cannot believe that Mark LeVine made was calling Sajid & Zeeshan as Pakistan’s best rock duo despite the fact that they have never released a rock track and can be best described as an electronica act. There are more mistakes in the chapter as well and I must say that the rest of the chapters should be read with a pinch of salt.
October 24, 2020
Took me a while to finish this as I managed to misplace it on at least two occasions. I normally don't bother with music books as, like with this one, I keep stopping to listen to the bands being talked about and lose my flow, however the subject matter intrigued me so I gave it a go and was largely glad I did.
On his journey from Morocco through to Pakistan, LeVine interviews many metal and rock bands trying to make music in various authoritarian countries and the problems they face is quite eye-opening.
The book would have been better as a documentary series but still was an interesting read...
On his journey from Morocco through to Pakistan, LeVine interviews many metal and rock bands trying to make music in various authoritarian countries and the problems they face is quite eye-opening.
The book would have been better as a documentary series but still was an interesting read...
July 23, 2023
I found this in a used book store, and was inspired to buy it after seeing some of the metal scene in Istanbul first hand a couple of times.
This book is quite the ride through the Middle East, with each chapter covering a different country. Not just highlighting metal, but punk and a strong focus on hip hop. Very informative as well about life in each country, I struggled to put this book down as each chapter was an adventure.
This book is quite the ride through the Middle East, with each chapter covering a different country. Not just highlighting metal, but punk and a strong focus on hip hop. Very informative as well about life in each country, I struggled to put this book down as each chapter was an adventure.
September 12, 2017
An interesting, fast read. The only issue I have, is that this book only goes surface level when it comes to heavy metal and punk rock in Muslim countries and communities. However, this book will get your curiosity going, and if you're like me, you might spend a couple hours looking up articles and videos all about Muslim rockers. Definitely recommended.
November 9, 2017
In "Heavy Metal Islam", LeVine commited some haram-s against the most important religion in the world: Rock N´ Roll: Iron Maiden´s mascot is NOT named "Freddy", that-one-rage-against-the-machine-song IS called Killing in The Name Of, etc... May Lemmy have mercy upon his soul.
August 13, 2025
Like other reviewers I was hoping this would be a little bit more about metal in the Muslim world (I wrote a lot of my dissertation to a soundtrack of Saudi death metal, so you could say that’s the angle I’m coming from), but I did get a few interesting band recs out of this.
May 5, 2017
Fantastic book. It's always great to hear stories of artists that try to create music and free nations.
December 19, 2018
A bit dry but very interesting.
Read
April 3, 2022wish the author, a non-Black person, didn’t use the N-word. i don’t remember other complaints i had but it was very informative about politics and history
May 2, 2021
This was an unexpected but pleasant read. It felt like a journalistic Heavy Metal guide to the MENA countries - quite well-written yet lacking some depth in analysis of the political situation in each country and failing to acknowledge the level of privilege associated with being a part of the Heavy Metal scene.
Nevertheless, the book was quite informative for me as I was not familiar with the subject and was easy to read, so it could serve as a good introductory reading on the topic or an extra undemanding book to read on the social and political life in MENA countries.
Nevertheless, the book was quite informative for me as I was not familiar with the subject and was easy to read, so it could serve as a good introductory reading on the topic or an extra undemanding book to read on the social and political life in MENA countries.
April 13, 2011
The protests in Egypt earlier this year led to the downfall of the almost 50 year dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak. Millions of Egyptians, led by youth and students, took to the streets to demand his departure. Among them may very well have been a number of "metaliens" - fans and creators of metal music in Egypt - interviewed by Levine in this engaging survey of youth, subcultures and politics throughout the region.
How does extreme music interact with oppression? In his journey through the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, Levine explores extreme music as a mode of resistance for young people alienated by dictatorship and conservative culture. Besides expressing an appreciation for rock, metal and hip-hop throughout the region, he also explores the history of the music there and its relationship with political and cultural forces. The result is a cross-section of the edges of societies he's looking at - in Egypt, for example, he interviews metal bands as well as political dissidents such as the Muslim Brotherhood, and puts them in dialogue with each other. At the end of the day, he claims, they're all fighting for something similar, although they have some miles to go if they are to come together.
The political bent of this book - anti-imperialist, pro-freedom of expression - was pretty solid, and Levine goes out of his way to note the roots of the problems young people in these countries face in both the governments and societies of their countries as well as the US role in supporting these governments. One thing that struck me about the bands interviewed in the book was their generally middle-class nature. As the author notes, in the US and Europe, metal and hip-hop arose out of working-class roots. However, in the countries examined, these metal scenes have tended towards middle- and upper-class artists. Why this is isn't for sure, although the book suggests openness to Western culture as well as access to the means of getting the music may be a large part of it.
Levine points to the openness and against-the-grain personalities of these privileged young people, as well as a number of opposition parties and movements, as an alternative to conservative morality, militancy, and armed struggle, which appear in the book to be more appealing to poor and working-class youth. The class dynamics of these tendencies deserve greater examination.
How does extreme music interact with oppression? In his journey through the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, Levine explores extreme music as a mode of resistance for young people alienated by dictatorship and conservative culture. Besides expressing an appreciation for rock, metal and hip-hop throughout the region, he also explores the history of the music there and its relationship with political and cultural forces. The result is a cross-section of the edges of societies he's looking at - in Egypt, for example, he interviews metal bands as well as political dissidents such as the Muslim Brotherhood, and puts them in dialogue with each other. At the end of the day, he claims, they're all fighting for something similar, although they have some miles to go if they are to come together.
The political bent of this book - anti-imperialist, pro-freedom of expression - was pretty solid, and Levine goes out of his way to note the roots of the problems young people in these countries face in both the governments and societies of their countries as well as the US role in supporting these governments. One thing that struck me about the bands interviewed in the book was their generally middle-class nature. As the author notes, in the US and Europe, metal and hip-hop arose out of working-class roots. However, in the countries examined, these metal scenes have tended towards middle- and upper-class artists. Why this is isn't for sure, although the book suggests openness to Western culture as well as access to the means of getting the music may be a large part of it.
Levine points to the openness and against-the-grain personalities of these privileged young people, as well as a number of opposition parties and movements, as an alternative to conservative morality, militancy, and armed struggle, which appear in the book to be more appealing to poor and working-class youth. The class dynamics of these tendencies deserve greater examination.
January 18, 2010
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news...
This review originally appeared in the ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam
* Nonfiction. By Mark LeVine. Three Rivers Press, $13.95. Grade: A-
Book in a nutshell: As a professor of Middle Eastern history at the University of California, LeVine has spent a lot of time in the cradle of civilization and has written three scholarly books about his experiences, including 2005's Why They Don't Hate Us: Lifting the Veil on the Axis of Evil. But LeVine isn't some stuffy old professor. He's also an accomplished rock guitarist who's played with the likes of Mick Jagger, Chuck D and Ozomatli.
Just as there's more to LeVine than academics, in his new book he argues that there's more to Muslim culture than what Americans consume on the nightly news. There are thriving heavy metal, hip-hop and punk rock scenes in places like Egypt, Israel and Iran, and their numbers are growing as Middle Eastern youth listen to musicians as much as mullahs.
LeVine interviews members of this Middle Eastern subculture - people who risk legal prosecution for their musical proclivities - and claims that the success of this cultural movement may be a signifier of hope for democracy in the Middle East. Perhaps peace, he posits, can come through power chords.
Best tidbit: LeVine does a great job of drawing parallels between American metal in the 1980s - when metal artists were accused of practicing Satanism, promoting suicide and were even the subject of a Senate hearing - and Middle Eastern metal's present.
Pros: LeVine deftly showcases both the struggles and successes of Mideast metal artists, including the recent acceptance of concert festivals like the Desert Rock Festival in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Boulevard des Jeunes Musiciens in Casablanca, Morocco; and the Barisa Rock for Peace Festival in Istanbul, Turkey.
Cons: The author organizes the book by country, and after a while it loses steam as the plights of the artists become too similar.
Final word: This is an excellent and entertaining read for metalheads or anyone interested in a different look at Mideast culture.
This review originally appeared in the ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam
* Nonfiction. By Mark LeVine. Three Rivers Press, $13.95. Grade: A-
Book in a nutshell: As a professor of Middle Eastern history at the University of California, LeVine has spent a lot of time in the cradle of civilization and has written three scholarly books about his experiences, including 2005's Why They Don't Hate Us: Lifting the Veil on the Axis of Evil. But LeVine isn't some stuffy old professor. He's also an accomplished rock guitarist who's played with the likes of Mick Jagger, Chuck D and Ozomatli.
Just as there's more to LeVine than academics, in his new book he argues that there's more to Muslim culture than what Americans consume on the nightly news. There are thriving heavy metal, hip-hop and punk rock scenes in places like Egypt, Israel and Iran, and their numbers are growing as Middle Eastern youth listen to musicians as much as mullahs.
LeVine interviews members of this Middle Eastern subculture - people who risk legal prosecution for their musical proclivities - and claims that the success of this cultural movement may be a signifier of hope for democracy in the Middle East. Perhaps peace, he posits, can come through power chords.
Best tidbit: LeVine does a great job of drawing parallels between American metal in the 1980s - when metal artists were accused of practicing Satanism, promoting suicide and were even the subject of a Senate hearing - and Middle Eastern metal's present.
Pros: LeVine deftly showcases both the struggles and successes of Mideast metal artists, including the recent acceptance of concert festivals like the Desert Rock Festival in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Boulevard des Jeunes Musiciens in Casablanca, Morocco; and the Barisa Rock for Peace Festival in Istanbul, Turkey.
Cons: The author organizes the book by country, and after a while it loses steam as the plights of the artists become too similar.
Final word: This is an excellent and entertaining read for metalheads or anyone interested in a different look at Mideast culture.
October 24, 2008
Since I am working for a while in Egypt this is somewhat interesting, but it isn't something someone would read for fun.
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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 1:00 a.m. on any given night, at least a dozen kids with long hair and black T-shirts hang out in front of the restaurant ..." This Hardee's is about 100 yards down the street from the apartment where I'm staying. More telling to me than the kids in black T-shirts is all the graffiti they have covered this one ugly building across from Hardee's with.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Certain things about GoodReads I don't understand - there should be a "stopped reading" or "done reading" choice in addition to "read" (which suggests to me, read entirely).
Anyway, I read as much of this as I'm going to read and gave it to some here.
It's a good book for what it is. Different chapters cover different countries and I got what I was interested in out of the book easily enough. It would have been nice if there had been more photographs. At the end there are lists of relevant web sites.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 1:00 a.m. on any given night, at least a dozen kids with long hair and black T-shirts hang out in front of the restaurant ..." This Hardee's is about 100 yards down the street from the apartment where I'm staying. More telling to me than the kids in black T-shirts is all the graffiti they have covered this one ugly building across from Hardee's with.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Certain things about GoodReads I don't understand - there should be a "stopped reading" or "done reading" choice in addition to "read" (which suggests to me, read entirely).
Anyway, I read as much of this as I'm going to read and gave it to some here.
It's a good book for what it is. Different chapters cover different countries and I got what I was interested in out of the book easily enough. It would have been nice if there had been more photographs. At the end there are lists of relevant web sites.
July 21, 2010
So, I went ahead and gave this book 4 out of 5 stars, not because it's particulary well-written but because i love how simply it shatters so many misconceptions about Islam and politics in the countries that so frequently make the headlines,(Iran, Egypt, Pakistan, Israel, etc) but that so few know anything about. I'm also a metal fan, so the idea that thousands of fans (many of them Muslim) at the Desert Rock concert knew every word to every Iron Maiden song they played warms my heart. Don't look to this book for insight regarding the sticky questions of politics and history, even though Levine is an historian, and many of the conflicts seem a bit glossed-over, his focus seems to be on music and the power it has to unite people across lines of faith and politics for good and for bad. If you're not a metal fan, that's okay, you may get a little lost in the name-dropping, but it's still easy to see why it would attract fans in the war-torn and economically depressed cities Levine highlights. And if you are a metal fan it may be easy to argue with some of Levine's criteria for what constitutes "metal" but in the end the point is the music and how it has given those without a voice a chance to be heard. While it's fun, at best it is an introduction to the varied and complicated world of the countries it highlights.
August 26, 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 music like Oum Kolthoum, Mohammed Abdel Wahab. In this book, these musicians tend to be breaking away from that mold, going towards a more Western-style music, or creating a fusion - using ouds for example in rock music.
The author travels around the countries and seems to have great connections everywhere. As a man, he also has more freedom than I would have. So, for both reasons, he goes places that I could never go. And that's interesting to read about.
The book offers a lot of hope for connections between east and west. They aren't all extremists and neither are we.
I'm a bigger fan of traditional Middle Eastern music like Oum Kolthoum, Mohammed Abdel Wahab. In this book, these musicians tend to be breaking away from that mold, going towards a more Western-style music, or creating a fusion - using ouds for example in rock music.
The author travels around the countries and seems to have great connections everywhere. As a man, he also has more freedom than I would have. So, for both reasons, he goes places that I could never go. And that's interesting to read about.
The book offers a lot of hope for connections between east and west. They aren't all extremists and neither are we.
November 27, 2016
Many reviewers have touched on issues I had with this book, but it was a fascinating look at a micro-culture in Middle Eastern Society. Being on the receiving end of arguments of cultural appropriation, I found it interesting to read about cultural hybridity and the political implications of music as well as essentialist notions of cultural identity in several Middle Eastern societies-- nothing is as simple as the "cultural appropriation" arguments would have us believe, but I digress! The idea of rap as a highly portable, flexible medium of musical resistance was compelling. The guitar-and-drums based metal is harder to create, to follow, or even play live in the totalitarian regimes where metal remains the fandom of upper class youths. I would have liked to hear more about the women in these scenes-- the are mentioned briefly and superficially but are perhaps the bravest and most compelling aspect of this topic. I still don't know what it's like to be an Islamic woman metalhead, even after reading this book-- what a let down.
July 28, 2011
In the Middle East place of despotic and corrupt governments and regimes that limit personal freedoms there is a force calling for change. That force is called music. At the for front there is heavy metal and rapp. Music is away of breaking down the barriers in ethnic conflicts as well as dissemination of ideas across the Middle East. Almost everywhere they are present the metal heads or hounded and scorned both by religious intolerance and paranoid governments. Mark Levine a musician and PHD in Middle Eastern Studies travel through the region telling about the their lives and their struggles. In some countries lie Egypt they are accused of Devil Worship and mus bee careful where they hold their concert. In Israel it is Orphaned Land singing against war and an unpopular occupation. In Morocco the government has been more lenient but Coca Cola is taking over and making things commercial and in Lebanon Rotana is monopoly
On the music s
On the music s
September 16, 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 journalist--he's a musician who has played w/ a lot of these people so that has skewed his coverage. I do hand it to these people as they are true rebels to get into metal/rock/rap at this time in some of these places.
The problem is LeVine seems almost like a cheerleader for the cause rather than just being a journalist--he's a musician who has played w/ a lot of these people so that has skewed his coverage. I do hand it to these people as they are true rebels to get into metal/rock/rap at this time in some of these places.
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