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

Latest posts

• CfP for ‘Intersectional (in)equality in heavy metal subculture’ panel at Talking Bodies conference9 January 2023
  From ISMMS member Holly Royle: I am organising a two-hour panel around the topic area of intersectional (in)equality in heavy metal subculture for the 2023 Talking Bodies Conference (12th-16th June). The conference is organised by the Institute of Gender Studies at the University of Chester, UK.    I am looking for three speakers to deliver a 20-min … Read more
• ISMMS 2022 Elections Results16 December 2022
  ISMMS is pleased to announce the results of the recent election to the Executive Board. Tore Tvarnø Lind was confirmed by members as the new Communications Officer and Lewis Kennedy was voted in for a second term as Treasurer & Membership Officer. The Board thanks Frankie Stevens for standing. We thank Ross Hagen and Nelson … Read more
• CFP for anthology Romanticism and Heavy Metal18 November 2022
  The editors welcome chapter proposals for the forthcoming anthology Romanticism and Heavy Metal. Like the collections Rock and Romanticism: Blake, Wordsworth, and Rock from Dylan to U2 (Lexington 2018), Rock and Romanticism: Post-Punk, Goth, and Metal as Dark Romanticisms (Palgrave Macmillan 2018), David Bowie and Romanticism (Palgrave Macmillan 2022), and Women in Rock, Women in Romanticism (Routledge 2022), Romanticism and Heavy Metal seeks to interpret heavy … Read more