Melancology addresses the notorious musical genre black metal as a negative form of environmental writing that 'blackens' the cosmos. Melancology: Black Metal Theory and Ecology conjures a new word and concept that conjoins 'black' and 'ecology': melancology, a word in which can be heard the melancholy affect appropriate to the conjunction. Black metal resounds from the abyss and it is precisely only in relation to its sonic forces that the question of intervention in the environment arises in the articulation of melancology with ethics. That is, in deciding 'which way out' we should take, in deciding with what surpluses to dwell, with what waste, what detritus or decay in a process of unbinding with sonic forces that traverse an earth choking in wealth and death. Melancology: Black Metal Theory and Ecology thus provides a provocative and challenging contribution both to popular and intellectual debates on ecology.
The book contains key contributions from Nicola Masciandaro, author of Hideous Gnosis, Reza Negarestani and Eugene Thacker, author of In the Dust of this Planet, whose cover can be seen on Jay-Z's back promoting Run and has been lambasted by ex-Fox News broadcaster, Glenn Beck.
Scott Wilson is Professor of Media and Communication in the London Graduate School, Kingston University.