Abstract: << Lamb of god vocalist D. Randall Blythe finally tells the whole incredible story of his arrest, incarceration, trial, and acquittal for manslaughter in the Czech Republic over the tragic and accidental death of a concertgoer in this riveting, gripping, biting, bold, and brave memoir. >>

Abstract: << Confessions Of A Heretic is the forthright and erudite memoir of Adam Nergal Darski, the frontman and driving force behind the Polish extreme metal group Behemoth, currently at the top of their game following the release of their 2014 US Top 40 album The Satanist.
Presented as a series of interrogations by friends and associates, and with a foreword by Lamb Of God frontman D. Randall Blythe, the book reveals a complex man of great contrast—a health-conscious, highly personable intellectual known for his extreme views and even more extreme music—lifting the lid on everything from his clashes with the Polish Catholic Church to appearing as a judge on the Polish version of The Voice to his battle with leukemia. >>
(SOURCE: https://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Heretic-Sacred-Profane-Behemoth/dp/1908279753/)

Abstract: This thesis discusses the nature of music’s impact on identity, subjectivity, and the self. To better understand music’s role in promoting hope and resilience, I pinpoint how heavy, intense, and highly emotive music applied over distinct listening practices impacts the regulation of affect and self-destructive impulses in individuals who suffer from trauma, mental illness, or self-destructive behavior. This research also investigates the characteristic of intensity often found in heavy music that seems (despite intuition) to ease negative or painful emotions, circumvent impulses to self-harm, and propel one to positive action.
Of particular interest to this project are the ways both heavy and non-genre specific music listeners use various listening strategies in the regulation and modulation of negative affect and emotion. Specifically highlighted are the three strategies defined by Saarikallio (2008) in the Music in Mood Regulation (MMR) scale of using music to cope with negative mood states: Diversion, where music is used to distract from negative thoughts and feelings, Solace, where music is used for comfort, acceptance, and understanding when feeling sad or troubled, and Discharge, where anger or sadness are released through music.
Through review and analysis of existing literature, qualitative research, and in-depth case studies, this thesis illuminates the ways musically-afforded emotion-regulation strategies allow subjects to meet, shape, and transform their difficult experiences by establishing hope and resilience that strengthens one’s ontological security and sense of self.