The devil's prayers: metal music in Iran

Metal music is a highly misunderstood style of music that is dismissed and demonized all over the world; even in the US and Europe where it originated it is still vilified and viewed as an unsophisticated style of music. In the Islamic Republic of Iran the same views are amplified to the extreme as a very foreign and Western style of music is growing in popularity. I explored the history of metal music to show where this genre originated so a better understanding of this music could be attained. Through an understanding of the genre it is much easier to understand how this music has spread across the globe like a wild fire and people in third world and oppressed nations are being inspired and motivated to become musicians and stand up for themselves and their beliefs. Iran is an excellent country to examine a growing metal music scene because of its status as an Islamic Republic. Music in general is a very controversial issue in Iran and metal music takes this controversy to another level because it is completely forbidden. This has not stopped many Iranians from attaining instruments and starting their own metal bands even though they are harassed and demonized by Iranian authorities. I conducted qualitative research using solo and focus group interviews with eight Persian metal bands and many fans and friends of these bands that identify themselves as metalheads. I had very long and detailed discussions canvasing many aspects of their lives, how they live as outcasts within an Islamic society, their goals in life, and what they want people outside Iran to understand about them. I analyzed the data I collected using a critical ethnographic and grounded theory method which allowed me to experience their lives with them and create life-long friendships. iv This thesis is the story of thousands of metalheads in Iran that are right now, as you read, playing metal music far underground where no one can hear them. As they play they are envisioning the uncertainty of their lives and the hope they have of a future where they can play in front of a crowd and feel the energy that music generates. Metal music fuels the fire that burns within their souls like gasoline and I hope that this thesis can help stoke that fire into a raging inferno.