While there are plenty of historic accomplishments to highlight in the career trajectory of an act as enduring and innovative as Metallica, being the subject of philosophical study is a pretty thoughtful honour.
The band's lyrics are set to be examined in a new book from Professor William Irwin of the King's College Philosophy Department in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The Meaning of Metallica: Ride the Lyrics is scheduled to be released on April 19 via ECW Press.
In the book, the literary critic and heavy metal scholar traces the lyrical development of the "thinking man's" metal band and uses the themes of Metallica's catalogue to highlight philosophical quandaries and explore topics like identity, truth, questions of life or death, the mind-body problem (the debate about the relationship between consciousness/thought and the brain as a part of the body), justice and more — all through the lens of their lyrical content.
Though much has been written about the prolific band — including a previous work by Irwin entitled Metallica and Philosophy: A Crash Course in Brain Surgery — The Meaning of Metallica is reportedly the first book to focus exclusively on their lyrics. (It may be worth noting that Irwin has also written about philosophy in the context of The Matrix and Seinfeld.)
The description from the publisher reads:
Their mighty guitar riffs and pounding drums are legendary, but Metallica's words match the intensity of their tunes. Lead singer James Hetfield writes rock poetry dealing with death, war, addiction, alienation, corruption, freedom, religion, and other weighty topics. Painting a rainbow of emotions with a deft palette, subtle but not obscure, Hetfield's lyrics deserve careful attention. A master of narrative, Metallica makes listeners care about a vast array of characters — from a vengeful God, to a suicidal teenager, to a man in mid-life crisis.
The Meaning of Metallica is like a riveting conversation with a close friend. A thematic tour de force that traces Hetfield's lyrical development across the decades, this companion examines everything from deep cuts like "Confusion" to mega-hits like "Enter Sandman." Sure to spark debate and discussion, The Meaning of Metallica provides a close reading of lyrics dense with details and rich with allusions.
Sounds like an existential win for us all.
Earlier this week, Kirk Hammett announced his debut solo EP Portals after recalling how Cliff Burton "freaked out" when Rush's Geddy Lee came to a Metallica concert.
The band's lyrics are set to be examined in a new book from Professor William Irwin of the King's College Philosophy Department in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The Meaning of Metallica: Ride the Lyrics is scheduled to be released on April 19 via ECW Press.
In the book, the literary critic and heavy metal scholar traces the lyrical development of the "thinking man's" metal band and uses the themes of Metallica's catalogue to highlight philosophical quandaries and explore topics like identity, truth, questions of life or death, the mind-body problem (the debate about the relationship between consciousness/thought and the brain as a part of the body), justice and more — all through the lens of their lyrical content.
Though much has been written about the prolific band — including a previous work by Irwin entitled Metallica and Philosophy: A Crash Course in Brain Surgery — The Meaning of Metallica is reportedly the first book to focus exclusively on their lyrics. (It may be worth noting that Irwin has also written about philosophy in the context of The Matrix and Seinfeld.)
The description from the publisher reads:
Their mighty guitar riffs and pounding drums are legendary, but Metallica's words match the intensity of their tunes. Lead singer James Hetfield writes rock poetry dealing with death, war, addiction, alienation, corruption, freedom, religion, and other weighty topics. Painting a rainbow of emotions with a deft palette, subtle but not obscure, Hetfield's lyrics deserve careful attention. A master of narrative, Metallica makes listeners care about a vast array of characters — from a vengeful God, to a suicidal teenager, to a man in mid-life crisis.
The Meaning of Metallica is like a riveting conversation with a close friend. A thematic tour de force that traces Hetfield's lyrical development across the decades, this companion examines everything from deep cuts like "Confusion" to mega-hits like "Enter Sandman." Sure to spark debate and discussion, The Meaning of Metallica provides a close reading of lyrics dense with details and rich with allusions.
Sounds like an existential win for us all.
Earlier this week, Kirk Hammett announced his debut solo EP Portals after recalling how Cliff Burton "freaked out" when Rush's Geddy Lee came to a Metallica concert.
