Black and white photograph of a metal festival audience

The International Society for Metal Music Studies

Our mission is to:

encourage and facilitate academic research related to heavy metal music and culture

adopt interdisciplinary approaches inclusive of sub-genres and related genres

establish metal music studies as a relevant and respected academic discipline

contribute to the growth of knowledge within academic and music communities

7th ISMMS Conference

3-6 June 2025

University of Granada

Seville, Spain

New Metal Worlds:

Building Bridges and Mending Broken Backs

Conference Website

Latest posts

Metal Mittelalter Conference at the University of Kassel, Germany, March 19–20, 202517 February 2025
Please see details below about this event or view the full website here. Announcement: For the first time in the German-speaking world, this conference brings together experts from history, philology, religious studies and musicology to discuss the cultural and political significance of the reception of the Middle Ages in heavy metal. Metal Middle Ages – Medieval … Read more
ISMMS 2024 Elections Results11 December 2024
The ISMMS Board is grateful to all members who voted in the ISMMS Board Elections. If you want to vote in future elections and help shape the future of metal studies, you can join the society here. The election for Secretary was between Rose Johnson and David Miguel. Rose was elected as Secretary, leaving the … Read more
PhD Scholarships: The Leverhulme Amplification Project at the University of Huddersfield, UK9 December 2024
We’re sharing this on behalf of colleagues at the University of Huddersfield. They have announced 12 fully funded 4-year PhD studentships for projects relating to amplification. Among the relevant topics, the call specifically suggests ‘a focus on the role of amplification in rock or metal’ as an indicative topic. The deadline is 25th January 2025, … Read more

Black and white image of a metal vocalist (Tatiana Shmayluk) screaming

Do you study metal music?

Join ISMMS to be a part of the society dedicated to developing the field of metal music studies. Gain access to the journal Metal Music Studies, the latest information from the society, newsletters, and more!

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Metal Studies Bibliography

Maintained by Amaranta Saguar García & Brian Arnold Hickam, the Metal Studies Bibliography is an open access database of academic literature and a vital resource for researchers in metal music studies.