Metal in Central and Eastern Europe: Evolution, transfers, challenges, controversies

Metal is currently a significant global subculture that has gradually spread worldwide. Also in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region, metal scenes have become an important part of culture, reflecting the region’s political, social, economic, and cultural characteristics. This created the specific glocalized character of CEE metal, which began to establish itself in this region already in the 1970s, both on the western side of the Iron Curtain in Germany and Austria, and in the countries in the eastern side, so-called Eastern Bloc, as well. 

During the socialist era in CEE, metal was, next to other things, controversial simply because of metalheads' long hair and the fact of being considered a cultural import from the West. Some bands and their representatives even experienced persecution by the state apparatus. In the subsequent "wild" period of post-socialist transformation, elements of Western popular culture penetrated deeper into the region and influenced already existing local scenes, although metal bands retained their local elements and specifics. One of the characteristic elements related to the post-socialist transformation was, for example, the significant rise of national socialist black metal in Eastern Europe.

The present day is characterized by well-established metal scenes in all CEE countries. We find bands and representatives such as the globally renowned Polish band Behemoth, with their frontman Nergal. Another example is the globally influential Pagan metal bands from the CEE region, such as Arkona or Skyforger. These examples show that the transfer of metal culture goes not only from the West to CEE, but also from CEE to the West and the rest of the world. Metal infrastructures are also well established in CEE, supporting metal festivals that have built up a long tradition and a broad fan base, such as the Czech extreme metal festival Brutal Assault. Metal in the CEE region, however, still provokes controversy and public debate. This is related, for example, to the role of religion and Christian churches in the public sphere and politics, with local religious conservatism on  the rise. Some religious leaders and politicians thus play the role of opponents of metal, targeting certain bands and festivals in public debates and protests. The war in Ukraine, unleashed by Vladimir Putin's regime, has also had a major impact on metal in CEE, with many members of metal bands and their fans already killed in the war, others being displaced, and metal scenes in diasporas on the rise.

Metal studies are multidisciplinary in nature, and so should be the upcoming Metal in CEE conference. We thus want to encourage contributions from diverse academic disciplines.

The conference aims to discuss the evolution, transfers, challenges, and controversies of metal in the CEE region, and we welcome contributions related (not only) to the following areas:

• Metal east and west of the Iron Curtain
• Metal in post-socialist transformation of societies and politics
• Metal and west/east transfer, translation and adaptation in CEE
• Metal in CEE as an export article and part of the global scene
• Metal festivals, infrastructure, and economy in CEE
• Metal zines in CEE
• Metal tourism in the CEE
• Metal and controversy in CEE
• Metal and religion in CEE
• Metal and politics in CEE
• Metal and the war in Ukraine
• Metal studies in CEE