Description

Book Synopsis
Hit the lights and jump in the fire, you're about to enter the School of Rock! Today's lecture will be a crash course in brain surgery. This hard and fast lesson is taught by instructors who graduated from the old school-they actually paid $5. 98 for The $5. 98 EP.

Trade Review
“The most elucidative dissertation on Metallica ever written. And a kick-ass read to boot!!!”
Scott Ian, guitarist for Anthrax

“Like philosophy itself, Metallica’s music can scare the uninitiated, who fear their brains will hurt. This book makes both philosophy and Metallica accessible to the curious while deepening the experience of those already in the know.”
Theodore Gracyk, author of Rhythm and Noise and Listening to Popular Music

Metallica and Philosophy is, at long last, the book which finally gives everyone’s favorite headbangers due credit for being intelligent, questioning, and even cerebral.”
Joel McIver, author of Justice For All: The Truth About Metallica

“Not just heavy metal, not just rock n’ roll, not just angst or anger or conceptual analysis, but a monster in a category of its own that shows us something dangerous about ourselves and our post-industrial culture.”
Dale Jacquette, Pennsylvania State University

"Intellectual snobs and proud low-brows alike may dismiss this as a joke- though obviously not respected academic publishers Blackwell ... as an introduction to some of the major schools of thought, it is no less worthy than popular books like Sophie's World that have also sought to bring philosophy to the mass market."
Tommy Udo, Metal Hammer

A “provocative study” on one of metal’s greatest bands, this paperback examines the connection between Metallica and highly regarded philosophers like Aristotle and Nietzsche, and “uses themes in Metallica’s work to illuminate topics such as death, metaphysics, epistemology, the mind-body problem, morality, justice and what we owe one another.” Edited by a college professor, chapters include “Alcoholica: When Sweet Amber Becomes The Master Of Puppets,” “To Live and Die: Metallica and The Meaning Of Life” and “Boys Interrupted: The Drama Of Male Bonding In Some Kind Of Monster.”
Metal Edge Magazine



Table of Contents

Heroes of the Day: Acknowledgments viii

Hit the Lights 1

DISC 1 On Through the Never 3

1 Whisper Things Into My Brain: Metallica, Emotion, and Morality 5
Robert Fudge

2 This Search Goes On: Christian, Warrior, Buddhist 16
William Irwin

3 Alcoholica: When Sweet Amber Becomes the Master of Puppets 29
Bart Engelen

4 Through the Mist and the Madness: Metallica’s Message of Nonconformity, Individuality, and Truth 41
Thomas Nys

DISC 2 Existensica: Metallica Meets Existentialism 53

5 The Metal Militia and the Existentialist Club 55
J. Jeremy Wisnewski

6 The Struggle Within: Hetfield, Kierkegaard, and the Pursuit of Authenticity 65
Philip Lindholm

7 Metallica, Nietzsche, and Marx: The Immorality of Morality 74
Peter S. Fosl

8 Metallica’s Existential Freedom: From We to I and Back Again 85
Rachael Sotos

DISC 3 Living and Dying, Laughing and Crying 99

9 To Live is to Die: Metallica and the Meaning of Life 101
Scott Calef

10 Madness in the Mirror of Reason: Metallica and Foucault on Insanity and Confinement 117
Brian K. Cameron

11 Ride the Lightning: Why Not Execute Killers? 127
Thom Brooks

12 Living and Dying as One: Suffering and the Ethics of Euthanasia 135
Jason T. Eberl

13 Fade to Black: Absurdity, Suicide, and the Downward Spiral 148
Justin Donhauser and Kimberly A. Blessing

DISC 4 Metaphysica, Epistemologica, Metallica 161

14 Believer, Deceiver: Metallica, Perception, and Reality 163
Robert Arp

15 Trapped in Myself: “One” and the Mind-Body Problem 173
Joanna Corwin

16 Is It Still Metallica? On the Identity of Rock Bands Over Time 183
Manuel Bremer and Daniel Cohnitz

DISC 5 Fans and the Band 197

17 Metallica Drops a Load: What Do Bands and Fans Owe Each Other? 199
Mark D. White

18 The Unsocial Sociability of Humans and Metal Gods 210
Niall Scott

19 Boys Interrupted: The Drama of Male Bonding in Some Kind of Monster 219
Judith Grant

20 Justice for All? Metallica’s Argument Against Napster and Internet File Sharing 232
Robert A. Delfino

Who’s Who in the Metal Militia 245

The Phantom Lord’s Index 250

Metallica and Philosophy

    Product form

    £18.00

    Includes FREE delivery

    RRP £18.95 – you save £0.95 (5%)

    Order before 4pm tomorrow for delivery by Mon 10 Aug 2026.

    A Paperback / softback by William Irwin

      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of Metallica and Philosophy by William Irwin

      Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd
      Publication Date: Publication Date: 03/04/2007
      ISBN13: 9781405163484, 978-1405163484
      ISBN10: 1405163488
      Also in:
      Popular music

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      Hit the lights and jump in the fire, you're about to enter the School of Rock! Today's lecture will be a crash course in brain surgery. This hard and fast lesson is taught by instructors who graduated from the old school-they actually paid $5. 98 for The $5. 98 EP.

      Trade Review
      “The most elucidative dissertation on Metallica ever written. And a kick-ass read to boot!!!”
      Scott Ian, guitarist for Anthrax

      “Like philosophy itself, Metallica’s music can scare the uninitiated, who fear their brains will hurt. This book makes both philosophy and Metallica accessible to the curious while deepening the experience of those already in the know.”
      Theodore Gracyk, author of Rhythm and Noise and Listening to Popular Music

      Metallica and Philosophy is, at long last, the book which finally gives everyone’s favorite headbangers due credit for being intelligent, questioning, and even cerebral.”
      Joel McIver, author of Justice For All: The Truth About Metallica

      “Not just heavy metal, not just rock n’ roll, not just angst or anger or conceptual analysis, but a monster in a category of its own that shows us something dangerous about ourselves and our post-industrial culture.”
      Dale Jacquette, Pennsylvania State University

      "Intellectual snobs and proud low-brows alike may dismiss this as a joke- though obviously not respected academic publishers Blackwell ... as an introduction to some of the major schools of thought, it is no less worthy than popular books like Sophie's World that have also sought to bring philosophy to the mass market."
      Tommy Udo, Metal Hammer

      A “provocative study” on one of metal’s greatest bands, this paperback examines the connection between Metallica and highly regarded philosophers like Aristotle and Nietzsche, and “uses themes in Metallica’s work to illuminate topics such as death, metaphysics, epistemology, the mind-body problem, morality, justice and what we owe one another.” Edited by a college professor, chapters include “Alcoholica: When Sweet Amber Becomes The Master Of Puppets,” “To Live and Die: Metallica and The Meaning Of Life” and “Boys Interrupted: The Drama Of Male Bonding In Some Kind Of Monster.”
      Metal Edge Magazine



      Table of Contents

      Heroes of the Day: Acknowledgments viii

      Hit the Lights 1

      DISC 1 On Through the Never 3

      1 Whisper Things Into My Brain: Metallica, Emotion, and Morality 5
      Robert Fudge

      2 This Search Goes On: Christian, Warrior, Buddhist 16
      William Irwin

      3 Alcoholica: When Sweet Amber Becomes the Master of Puppets 29
      Bart Engelen

      4 Through the Mist and the Madness: Metallica’s Message of Nonconformity, Individuality, and Truth 41
      Thomas Nys

      DISC 2 Existensica: Metallica Meets Existentialism 53

      5 The Metal Militia and the Existentialist Club 55
      J. Jeremy Wisnewski

      6 The Struggle Within: Hetfield, Kierkegaard, and the Pursuit of Authenticity 65
      Philip Lindholm

      7 Metallica, Nietzsche, and Marx: The Immorality of Morality 74
      Peter S. Fosl

      8 Metallica’s Existential Freedom: From We to I and Back Again 85
      Rachael Sotos

      DISC 3 Living and Dying, Laughing and Crying 99

      9 To Live is to Die: Metallica and the Meaning of Life 101
      Scott Calef

      10 Madness in the Mirror of Reason: Metallica and Foucault on Insanity and Confinement 117
      Brian K. Cameron

      11 Ride the Lightning: Why Not Execute Killers? 127
      Thom Brooks

      12 Living and Dying as One: Suffering and the Ethics of Euthanasia 135
      Jason T. Eberl

      13 Fade to Black: Absurdity, Suicide, and the Downward Spiral 148
      Justin Donhauser and Kimberly A. Blessing

      DISC 4 Metaphysica, Epistemologica, Metallica 161

      14 Believer, Deceiver: Metallica, Perception, and Reality 163
      Robert Arp

      15 Trapped in Myself: “One” and the Mind-Body Problem 173
      Joanna Corwin

      16 Is It Still Metallica? On the Identity of Rock Bands Over Time 183
      Manuel Bremer and Daniel Cohnitz

      DISC 5 Fans and the Band 197

      17 Metallica Drops a Load: What Do Bands and Fans Owe Each Other? 199
      Mark D. White

      18 The Unsocial Sociability of Humans and Metal Gods 210
      Niall Scott

      19 Boys Interrupted: The Drama of Male Bonding in Some Kind of Monster 219
      Judith Grant

      20 Justice for All? Metallica’s Argument Against Napster and Internet File Sharing 232
      Robert A. Delfino

      Who’s Who in the Metal Militia 245

      The Phantom Lord’s Index 250

      Recently viewed products

      © 2026 Book Curl

        • American Express
        • Apple Pay
        • Diners Club
        • Discover
        • Google Pay
        • Maestro
        • Mastercard
        • PayPal
        • Shop Pay
        • Union Pay
        • Visa

        Login

        Forgot your password?

        Don't have an account yet?
        Create account