Abstract
The study of national identity is an important part of metal music studies. Researchers examine through what images, words, and sounds it is formed in the work of various musical projects. The Russian extreme metal projects Second To Sun and L’Homme Absurde differ in terms of their stylistic characteristics, the themes and language of the lyrics, and the approach to the visual content. These bands are united by a manifestation of belonging to the Russian scene, which is implemented through specific ideas about Russian cultural products. The distinctive component of which, according to the musicians, are the concepts of Russian despair and Russian “chthon” (something gloomy and sinister, sometimes connected with Russian realities) or, as the leader of L’Homme Absurde puts it, “Russian drama” – a tragic situation, gloomy events and circumstances, often due to social context, that cause mental suffering. The paper explores how the concept is represented in the work of the selected projects, their self-description, and the listener’s perception on the textual, visual, and sonic levels; and how it forms their identity and allows musicians to position themselves on the Russian and international scenes.
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