Ben Hillier | University of Tasmania (original) (raw)
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Papers by Ben Hillier
Metal Music Studies, 2018
This article examines the shift in aesthetics and sound that occurred during the development of w... more This article examines the shift in aesthetics and sound that occurred during the development of what came to be called melodic death metal, a sub-genre of metal that developed in the 1990s in Gothenburg, Sweden. I consider the musical aesthetics such as instrumentation, production style and timbre alongside extramusical aesthetics such as lyrics, cover art and band logos. Thus, I demonstrate how melodic death metal develops its aesthetics and sound in order to differentiate itself from its main influences of Swedish death metal and the New Wave of European Heavy Metal. This article aims to contribute to a growing body of works that is focused on analysing the music at the core of popular music, in particular metal, and develop methods of analysis that deal with musical aesthetics on an equal ground with extra-musical aesthetics. Furthermore, this article aims to discuss in detail specific features of melodic death metal and establish a basis for further examination of the developments of the genre.
Association Répertoire International d’Iconographie Musicale (RIdIM) 19th International Conference - Belonging and Detachment: Representing Musical Identity in Visual Culture, 2019
This paper explores how the Australian identity is articulated by Australian extreme metal musici... more This paper explores how the Australian identity is articulated by Australian extreme metal musicians through their visual paratexts (album covers, band logos, artwork, etc.). It seeks to understand how a potential ‘Australian sound’ within extreme metal might be reflected in the iconography of Australian metal bands. Through an analysis of relevant visual media, I will show that Australian extreme metal both belongs to and is detached from global metal scenes. Firstly, Australian metal distinguishes itself from similar Australian music (e.g. Australian hard rock and ‘pub rock’) by closely adhering to the iconography commonly shared by international metal bands. Secondly, it detaches itself from global metal identities by featuring particular elements in its visual paratexts that present a uniquely Australian identity. From this perspective, I will then investigate how Australian metal reflects and comments upon Australian culture, as well as how these paratexts mediate and interpret the expression of genre in Australian metal. Ultimately, the connection between these paratexts and the historical development of the Australian metal style is tied to the core question of my PhD project: is there an Australian sound in Australian extreme metal?
Nota Bene: Canadian Undergraduate Journal of Musicology, 2018
This paper examines the role of cover songs in the continuation of tradition, and in the formatio... more This paper examines the role of cover songs in the continuation of tradition, and in the formation of a musical canon. It explores the connections between 'classical' and heavy metal music as expressed by musicians of said genres, specifically those who partake in both. Furthermore, I argue that the practice of covering works from the Western art music canon in the metal genre, evinces the consequent development of the symphonic metal sub-genre. An embedded investigation attests to Western art music having inspired numerous metal musicians, who have in turn covered said music as a means to show their respect for the tradition. As such, cover versions are essential to continue one tradition in a new direction. Ultimately, these cover versions of classical works liaise classical music and heavy metal, resulting in the formation of the symphonic metal tradition. Covering music also strengthens a musicians' position as authentic artists by demonstrating their belonging to two rites, and through their work of synthesizing grounds for the fusion of aforementioned rites. This research provides a further basis for examining the same phenomenon in other genres of music that demonstrate inter-and intra-generic links. It also provides a base for research into how rock and metal bands construct their own notions of tradition, canon, and authenticity through the music that they create and adapt.
Metal Music Studies, 2018
This article examines the shift in aesthetics and sound that occurred during the development of w... more This article examines the shift in aesthetics and sound that occurred during the development of what came to be called Melodic Death Metal, a sub-genre of Metal that developed in the 1990s in Gothenburg, Sweden. I consider the musical aesthetic dimensions of the music such as instrumentation, production style, and timbre alongside extra-musical aesthetics such as lyrics, cover art and band logos. Thus, I demonstrate how Melodic Death Metal develops its aesthetics and sound in order to differentiate itself from its main influences of Swedish Death Metal and the New Wave of European Heavy Metal. This article aims to contribute to a growing body of works that is focused on analyzing the music at the core of popular music, in particular Metal, and develop methods of analysis that deal with musical aesthetics on an equal ground with extra-musical aesthetics. Furthermore, this article aims to discuss in detail specific features of Melodic Death Metal and establish a basis for further examination of the developments of the genre
Conference Presentations by Ben Hillier
'Conflict-/-Collaboration' 42nd Musicological Society of Australia National Conference, 2019
This paper explores the hybridisation of various extreme metal subgenres within the Australian ex... more This paper explores the hybridisation of various extreme metal subgenres within the Australian extreme metal scene as a potential example of a unique, Australian sound in this music. It aims to demonstrate how the key features of several metal subgenres are hybridised in Australian metal music through an analysis of the music video for King Parrot’s 2012 song ‘Shit on The Liver’. Musical and extra-musical elements will be considered via a model for analysing metal genres developed by the author in order to understand the interaction between genre hybridity and Australianness. These musicological observations will then be connected back to the social and historical reasons for their development in the context of the Australian metal scene and the wider global metal scene in order to question the validity of a distinct style that characterises Australian extreme metal. These observations are further connected with an ethnographic study that has sought the opinion of various members of the Australian metal scene to understand how these questions are considered within the scene itself. This research advances musicological analyses of metal by contributing to clear, discrete definitions of metal subgenres. Additionally, it forms part of my PhD project investigating Australian extreme metal by building upon my work that seeks to answer to the question 'Is there, or has there ever been, an Australian sound in Australian extreme metal?'
"Through the Looking Glass" 41st Musicological Society of Australia Conference, 2018
This paper provides an overview of the existing literature relevant to my PhD project examining A... more This paper provides an overview of the existing literature relevant to my PhD project examining Australian extreme metal bands, their practices, and opinions about the distinct characteristics of Australian extreme metal. The process of preparing a literature review has highlights the diversity of this music, which often resists homogenous classification, and reflects complex relationships regarding culture and identity. As such, one aim of this paper is to explore the existing literature that underpins my exploration of Australian extreme metal. This discussion will be divided into three main domains: the emergent field of metal studies; work that has been carried out on the presence and detail of a unique Australian identity and sound in Australian music; and specific texts that discuss metal music in Australia. The second aim of this paper is to offer my current hypotheses about what sets Australian extreme metal apart from other global styles and the implications that this has for understanding Australian culture. My goal is to contribute to a broader discussion on Australian music, offering one small piece of a larger puzzle, rather than positing conclusive and definitive answers to the questions raised by the literature.
Metal Music Studies, 2018
This article examines the shift in aesthetics and sound that occurred during the development of w... more This article examines the shift in aesthetics and sound that occurred during the development of what came to be called melodic death metal, a sub-genre of metal that developed in the 1990s in Gothenburg, Sweden. I consider the musical aesthetics such as instrumentation, production style and timbre alongside extramusical aesthetics such as lyrics, cover art and band logos. Thus, I demonstrate how melodic death metal develops its aesthetics and sound in order to differentiate itself from its main influences of Swedish death metal and the New Wave of European Heavy Metal. This article aims to contribute to a growing body of works that is focused on analysing the music at the core of popular music, in particular metal, and develop methods of analysis that deal with musical aesthetics on an equal ground with extra-musical aesthetics. Furthermore, this article aims to discuss in detail specific features of melodic death metal and establish a basis for further examination of the developments of the genre.
Association Répertoire International d’Iconographie Musicale (RIdIM) 19th International Conference - Belonging and Detachment: Representing Musical Identity in Visual Culture, 2019
This paper explores how the Australian identity is articulated by Australian extreme metal musici... more This paper explores how the Australian identity is articulated by Australian extreme metal musicians through their visual paratexts (album covers, band logos, artwork, etc.). It seeks to understand how a potential ‘Australian sound’ within extreme metal might be reflected in the iconography of Australian metal bands. Through an analysis of relevant visual media, I will show that Australian extreme metal both belongs to and is detached from global metal scenes. Firstly, Australian metal distinguishes itself from similar Australian music (e.g. Australian hard rock and ‘pub rock’) by closely adhering to the iconography commonly shared by international metal bands. Secondly, it detaches itself from global metal identities by featuring particular elements in its visual paratexts that present a uniquely Australian identity. From this perspective, I will then investigate how Australian metal reflects and comments upon Australian culture, as well as how these paratexts mediate and interpret the expression of genre in Australian metal. Ultimately, the connection between these paratexts and the historical development of the Australian metal style is tied to the core question of my PhD project: is there an Australian sound in Australian extreme metal?
Nota Bene: Canadian Undergraduate Journal of Musicology, 2018
This paper examines the role of cover songs in the continuation of tradition, and in the formatio... more This paper examines the role of cover songs in the continuation of tradition, and in the formation of a musical canon. It explores the connections between 'classical' and heavy metal music as expressed by musicians of said genres, specifically those who partake in both. Furthermore, I argue that the practice of covering works from the Western art music canon in the metal genre, evinces the consequent development of the symphonic metal sub-genre. An embedded investigation attests to Western art music having inspired numerous metal musicians, who have in turn covered said music as a means to show their respect for the tradition. As such, cover versions are essential to continue one tradition in a new direction. Ultimately, these cover versions of classical works liaise classical music and heavy metal, resulting in the formation of the symphonic metal tradition. Covering music also strengthens a musicians' position as authentic artists by demonstrating their belonging to two rites, and through their work of synthesizing grounds for the fusion of aforementioned rites. This research provides a further basis for examining the same phenomenon in other genres of music that demonstrate inter-and intra-generic links. It also provides a base for research into how rock and metal bands construct their own notions of tradition, canon, and authenticity through the music that they create and adapt.
Metal Music Studies, 2018
This article examines the shift in aesthetics and sound that occurred during the development of w... more This article examines the shift in aesthetics and sound that occurred during the development of what came to be called Melodic Death Metal, a sub-genre of Metal that developed in the 1990s in Gothenburg, Sweden. I consider the musical aesthetic dimensions of the music such as instrumentation, production style, and timbre alongside extra-musical aesthetics such as lyrics, cover art and band logos. Thus, I demonstrate how Melodic Death Metal develops its aesthetics and sound in order to differentiate itself from its main influences of Swedish Death Metal and the New Wave of European Heavy Metal. This article aims to contribute to a growing body of works that is focused on analyzing the music at the core of popular music, in particular Metal, and develop methods of analysis that deal with musical aesthetics on an equal ground with extra-musical aesthetics. Furthermore, this article aims to discuss in detail specific features of Melodic Death Metal and establish a basis for further examination of the developments of the genre
'Conflict-/-Collaboration' 42nd Musicological Society of Australia National Conference, 2019
This paper explores the hybridisation of various extreme metal subgenres within the Australian ex... more This paper explores the hybridisation of various extreme metal subgenres within the Australian extreme metal scene as a potential example of a unique, Australian sound in this music. It aims to demonstrate how the key features of several metal subgenres are hybridised in Australian metal music through an analysis of the music video for King Parrot’s 2012 song ‘Shit on The Liver’. Musical and extra-musical elements will be considered via a model for analysing metal genres developed by the author in order to understand the interaction between genre hybridity and Australianness. These musicological observations will then be connected back to the social and historical reasons for their development in the context of the Australian metal scene and the wider global metal scene in order to question the validity of a distinct style that characterises Australian extreme metal. These observations are further connected with an ethnographic study that has sought the opinion of various members of the Australian metal scene to understand how these questions are considered within the scene itself. This research advances musicological analyses of metal by contributing to clear, discrete definitions of metal subgenres. Additionally, it forms part of my PhD project investigating Australian extreme metal by building upon my work that seeks to answer to the question 'Is there, or has there ever been, an Australian sound in Australian extreme metal?'
"Through the Looking Glass" 41st Musicological Society of Australia Conference, 2018
This paper provides an overview of the existing literature relevant to my PhD project examining A... more This paper provides an overview of the existing literature relevant to my PhD project examining Australian extreme metal bands, their practices, and opinions about the distinct characteristics of Australian extreme metal. The process of preparing a literature review has highlights the diversity of this music, which often resists homogenous classification, and reflects complex relationships regarding culture and identity. As such, one aim of this paper is to explore the existing literature that underpins my exploration of Australian extreme metal. This discussion will be divided into three main domains: the emergent field of metal studies; work that has been carried out on the presence and detail of a unique Australian identity and sound in Australian music; and specific texts that discuss metal music in Australia. The second aim of this paper is to offer my current hypotheses about what sets Australian extreme metal apart from other global styles and the implications that this has for understanding Australian culture. My goal is to contribute to a broader discussion on Australian music, offering one small piece of a larger puzzle, rather than positing conclusive and definitive answers to the questions raised by the literature.