The dark side of blogging: Digital metal communities and metal influencers

At the 2016 Dimebash event, Phil Anselmo made a Nazi salute and shouted ‘White power!’ at the end of his performance of the Pantera song ‘Walk’ onstage. The attendant YouTuber Chris R shared a video of the incident and thus provoked a discussion about racism in metal that also included widely discussed statements of Robb Flynn and Scott Ian, who both labelled Anselmo’s actions as racist. This is one of many examples that demonstrate changing information flows and increasingly fast-paced communication processes on social media platforms, including metal communities. Online platforms such as YouTube or Facebook not only enable musicians and bands to share videos, songs, tour dates or band gossip, but also to directly engage in discussions with their fans, which may also involve social and political issues. To provide an illustration of metal bands’ possibilities for online interaction, I have created a digital metal landscape that includes a set of digital tools, platforms and applications for different music- and non-music-related activities. Against this background, I discuss here contemporary metal musicians’ political and social engagement on social media and the reach of their comments within metal communities. Based on an analysis of Robb Flynn’s online presence in his The General Journals: Diary of a Frontman and Varg Vikernes’ Thulean Perspective, I will show that in the digital age, it is possible for metal musicians to become important influencers not only regarding music but also regarding social and political issues.