In this video we document the first era of avant-garde metal and look at the artists that brought unorthodoxy and experimentation into the genre. Of course, it’s important to define what we mean by “avant-garde”.
The term originates in French military vocabulary, meaning “advanced guard”, to describe the actions of a reconnaissance unit who would scout out the terrain ahead to prepare for the advance of the main army. In the arts, it was first used in 1820 by French essayist and mathematician, Olinde Rodrigues, in The Artist, the Scientist, and the Industrialist, which urged artists to serve as the “vanguard” of the people and inflame them to demand radical social and economic reforms.
In music, the avant-garde has often been associated with the progressive and radical artists who challenge societal norms and take pride in being outside the traditional hegemonic discourse of the time. By contrast, heavy metal is famous for its insularity, fantasy themes, and counter-culture pride, yet, unlike punk, it is not synonymous with political activism (though there are exceptions of course). Therefore, avant-garde in this context is easier to define and is mainly about challenging a status quo of established features that define metal as a guitar, bass, and drums lineup rooted in distorted blues rock, rock and roll, and – in later years – punk. To turn this on its head, the characteristics of avant-garde metal are:
- An emphasis on moving away from standard song structures in favour of experimentation
- The use of non-traditional instruments
- Incorporation of unfamiliar genres into a metal setting
- A willingness to dismantle boundaries of what is acceptable and unacceptable in metal music
- Unorthodox vocal techniques or singing styles
- The desire to create metal music from non-metal foundations
Watch the video below to learn about the first wave of avant-garde metal from the innovations of Celtic Frost through to the bizarre music of Mr Bungle and Naked City, the jazzy-noise rock of Helmet, and the post-metal of Neurosis. We also analyse the development of progressive thrash metal through the ingenuity of Voivod, Coroner, and Doom.