Boman, B. (2026). Masks, Slipknot, and Nu-metal: Beyond Transformation, Originality, and Mimicking. In Masks In Music and Film: Perspectives from the West and East Asia (pp. 121–134). London, U.K.: Palgrave Macmillan Cham.
Abstract: << With the emergence of Slipknot as both a discursive node and point of departure, the chapter focuses on the next wave of alternative metal, often described as nu-metal due to bringing a new flavor to metal by mixing the genre’s typical elements such as groovy guitar riffs with other genres such as hip-hop, industry, and pop-style choruses. Besides Slipknot, other masked bands, for instance Mushroomhead and Mudvayne, are highlighted in the same context. Moreover, the predecessor of masked nu-metal, Mr. Bungle, is also accentuated. Attention is also paid to originality vis-à-vis mimicking earlier groups, as well as the function and meaning of masks in the context of transformation.
The findings underline that the transformative characteristics of masks in metal music are often exaggerated as band members often act “normal” and agreeable when they wear their masks. However, in live settings some of the transformative features might be a part of specific stage persona. In the nu-metal scene, it appears as if fans are more concerned about being the first to wear masks than the band members themselves. >>
[source: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-032-16978-5_12]
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Boman, B. (2026). The First Wave of Masks in Rock and Heavy Metal and Their Successors. In Masks In Music and Film: Perspectives from the West and East Asia (pp. 103–119). London, U.K.: Palgrave Macmillan Cham.
Abstract: << Black and white makeup of Kiss influenced later heavy metal acts such as King Diamond and, even later in the 1990s onward, Scandinavian black metal. The current chapter sketches a brief history of the usage of makeup and masks in heavy metal and related sub-genres. Black metal and to lesser extent death metal artists, use corpse paint, and occasionally masks, to portray a potentially transformative dimension of artistic personas, antinomian sociocultural values, and aggressive stage performances.
However, experts on black metal and death metal are skeptical about the extent to which these artists and values represent authentic transformation and not just superficial genre paraphernalia. Furthermore, in relation to Ghost, a popular heavy metal band from Sweden, intertextual influences from film characters are highlighted in a context signified by entertainment. Thus, masks and makeup in heavy metal might be seen as performative but with both entertaining and antagonistic elements. >>
[source: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-032-16978-5_11]
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Panayotov, S. (2025). Rainbow corpse paint. Journal for Cultural Research, 30(1), 122–140.
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