Paper short abstract:

In Muslim majority countries, especially conservative ones, participating in certain musical genres can be very dangerous. This paper explores how extreme heavy metal music constitutes a form of religious and political resistance in Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Paper long abstract:

Nikan "Siyanor" Khosravi and Arash Ilkhani, members of Iranian extreme heavy metal band Confess, were arrested by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on November 9, 2015. The band faced severe charges on accounts of blasphemy, propaganda against the system, and conducting interviews with foreign media. On July 2019, Khosravi was sentenced to 12 1/2 years in prison and 74 lashes, and Ilkhani to 2 years in prison. Both escaped and are now living in Norway as political refugees. The anti-Islamic black Metal band Al-Namrood, whose lyrics condemn organised religion, breaks the Saudi law simply by existing.

Nevertheless, a common premise in the study of extreme metal music is that while the purpose of the extreme metal scene is to produce transgression, most participants do not live transgressive lives(Kahn-Harris, 2007). This applies to Western, mostly secular, societies. In Muslim majority countries, especially conservative ones, heavy metal musicians are often persecuted as "devil worshippers"; thus, resistance becomes part of their life.

In this paper, I will discuss how Muslims metalheads are finding a community through music, where they can experience some autonomy, share their wishes for change and find the courage to resist social expectations. Furthermore, I will offer critical insights into important issues such as freedom of expression, censorship and anti-authoritarian identities.