[Review] Mysticism, Ritual and Religion in Drone Metal. By Owen Coggins. London: Bloomsbury, 2018. 256 pp. ISBN 9781350025103

Abstract

Characterised by the extremity of heaviness, slowness and intensity of sound, drone metal exists at the margins of wider extreme metal and experimental musical cultures and, to date, little attention has been given to the construction of its discourse and its spiritual connections. Mysticism, Ritual and Religion in Drone Metal is the first in-depth scholarly study of drone metal music culture and its religious associations. Drawing on his ethnographic research, Coggins offers a comprehensive analysis of mysticism, ritual and spirituality in the discourse, practice and music of drone metal.