Echoes in the Abyss: Unleashing the Roar of Death Metal and the Radical Minds of 20th Century Philosophy

Image credit: Joe Daly 2024

The 20th century was a savage, burning maelstrom of philosophical innovation, a time when thinkers stormed the old castle walls of 19th-century philosophy, lighting fires and kicking down doors with new theories as potent and volatile as napalm. Unlike the orderly, often idealistic musings of their predecessors, these modern philosophers were rebels with a cause, blazing radical new trails into the intellectual wilderness. In this cerebral free-for-all, five movements emerged; from the precision-bombing logic of Analytic Philosophy to the dense, existential fog of Continental Philosophy, the streetwise pragmatism of the American thinkers, the dark, introspective alleys of Existentialism and the bewildering, introspective labyrinths of Phenomenology—each school dramatically expanded the preceding ideologies, tearing through the serene landscape of traditional thought with the subtlety of a chainsaw.

This intellectual upheaval finds a raucous echo in the world of death metal, that extreme mutation of the fist-pumping OG metal that first reared its head in the '70s. Like their philosophical counterparts, death metal’s marauding emissaries weren’t just loud — they were a frontal assault on the senses, pushing the boundaries of music into darker and more complex territories. Each band, a fiery pack of innovators, evolving the larger movement with their own unique brand of sonic chaos.

Given these synergies, it’s no great leap to align the ferocity and the fury of death metal with the cerebral whirlwind of 20th-century philosophy. For each major philosophical movement, one finds a death metal band whose themes, ethos and very sound encapsulate the core of these intellectual tumults. This isn’t just about music or thought alone—it’s about the explosive collision of both, a study of how each movement, both philosophical and musical, isn't just vital but vibrantly alive, tearing through the fabric of the expected and the established, leaving in their wake a scene forever changed.

1. Analytic Philosophy and Carcass

In the analytical battlegrounds of 20th-century thought, Analytic Philosophy sought to clarify and systematize thoughts using logical rigor, focusing on language as the key to unlocking philosophical puzzles. It sought to understand the structures of language and thought by stripping away ambiguities and uncovering the underlying meanings of terms and propositions. Analytic philosophy therefore, is a style obsessed with detail and precision, much like the surgical dissections in Carcass’s grisly soundscapes. In their 1993 masterpiece Heartwork, Carcass not only employed a vast medical lexicon but deeply embodied the analytic method, breaking down human anatomy into a bloody jigsaw puzzle. Each song serves as a detailed coroner’s report, stripping human emotions down to their biological bases, much like philosophers dissecting lumbering, meaty arguments down to their logical bones. With the precision of Bertrand Russell's scything logic, Carcass rips through the facade of civility, exposing the gristle and sinew beneath—proving, track by bloody track, that dissecting philosophy is as brutal and necessary as any autopsy.

2. Continental Philosophy and Gorguts

Continental Philosophy represents a revolt against the analytical and empirical structures of thought, embracing a broad spectrum of methodologies to explore the murky depths of human culture, language and society. It encompasses diverse movements such as existentialism, phenomenology and structuralism, which all emphasize depth over clarity. Gorguts, through their sonically complex album Obscura, mirrors this philosophical rebellion with stunning clarity. Their sound is an intricate web of musical themes that defy traditional structure, reflecting continental philosophy’s penchant for questioning the very foundations of knowledge and reality. The auditory chaos of tracks like Clouded encapsulates the existential tension found in this school of thought, challenging listeners to find meaning amidst dissonance. Like Friedrich Nietzsche declaring the death of God, Gorguts shatters the illusory harmony of traditional music, forcing listeners to stare into the abyss of their own expectations—where only the brave dare to find beauty in the dissonance.

3. Pragmatism and Death

Pragmatism, a distinctly American philosophical tradition, emphasizes the practical effects of thoughts and theories, advocating for ideas that contribute to human betterment and understanding through their practical applications. It's a philosophy deeply connected with action and results. Death's music, particularly in Symbolic, embodies this philosophy by exploring themes that question everyday realities and human relationships. The album delves into the pragmatic impact of philosophical ideas on personal and social levels, with tracks like Misanthrope and Crystal Mountain challenging the authenticity of symbolic representations in human understanding and communication, making it a sonic exploration of pragmatism’s core principles. Just as John Dewey used education to reform thought, Death uses music to reform the soul, stripping away the superfluous to focus on what works, what matters, and what strikes a chord in the chaotic symphony of life.

4. Existentialism and Blood Incantation

Existentialism is a philosophical movement that emphasizes individual freedom, choice and the inherent absurdity and loneliness of human existence. It confronts the existential conditions of humanity, exploring themes of despair, freedom and the search for meaning in an indifferent universe. Blood Incantation, in Hidden History of the Human Race, tackles these existential themes but within the vast canvas of the cosmos. Their music contemplates the alienation and loneliness of human existence in an indifferent universe, blending profound philosophical questions with the visceral experience of death metal. Towering anthems like Awakening From the Dream of Existence to the Multidimensional Nature of Our Reality (Mirror of the Soul)" not only challenge the senses but also provoke the kind of deep existential contemplation that would inspire Jean-Paul Sartre to spark a massive spliff and head into the forest for a long, directionless stroll. Channeling the spirit of Albert Camus' revolt against the absurd, Blood Incantation's tracks are not mere songs but fierce rebellions against cosmic indifference, each note a defiant scream into the void of existence.

5. Phenomenology and Ulcerate

Phenomenology focuses on describing experiences from the first-person perspective, aiming to uncover the essence of phenomena as they appear to consciousness without presuppositions. It seeks to understand the lived experience and the ways individuals engage with the world around them. Ulcerate’s genre-defining advancements into progressive death metal, particularly in Stare Into Death and Be Still, translate this exploration into a sonic realm. Their complex layers of dissonance and fury create a visceral experience of the phenomenological method—each note and rhythm builds a landscape of raw sensory input, reflecting on how we perceive and are affected by reality. The album’s title track provides a direct confrontation with the existential and phenomenological questions about death and existence, making it a profound auditory embodiment of phenomenology’s introspective inquiries. In the echoing footsteps of Husserl, Ulcerate delves deep into the structures of experience, each track a brutal introspection that, like a phenomenological study, reveals the layers of reality and perception, peeling them away until only the raw, pulsing essence remains.