Music has been a piece of human culture since the beginning. Long before we could speak or write, music was the tool of communication and expression. Even with the massive advancements in modern technology, music still has its place in society; it’s the universal language and it still can soothe the savage beast in us all. When all else fails, music does the talking and speaks volumes.
Most styles of music have had their start somewhere in the underground. Metal’s origins are no different. Metal music as a whole has always thrived in the underground arenas since its birth; it is the genre’s hallowed ground.
From Philadelphia author Dave Claw comes the first book of its kind to document the Philly underground metal scene. Philly Metal: Profiles From the Underground, 2023 Scream Bloody Books, profiles 27 musicians from over 30 area bands showcasing those artists who make the scene what it is. From black metal, thrash, doom and speed to stoner rock, crossover, power violence and traditional heavy metal with everything in between, “Philly Metal” explores personal origin stories of those living and breathing the dream of being in a band.
“This book was initially almost a documentary and then almost a podcast,” said author Dave Claw. “In writing a book, I think I was able to tell the most intimate stories of how this group of musicians came to the Philly underground metal scene. They play music that is often difficult for most listeners to accept, but they are ultimately driven by the same needs and desires that motivate all artists.”
The book contains over 140 photos and features members from the following Philadelphia-based bands:
Sonja, Crossspitter, Witching, Lástima, Execution Order, Seeds of Perdition, Oktas, Drones For Queens, Heavy Temple, Morgul Blade, Empress, Corners of Sanctuary, Fucktomb, Thunderbird Divine, Profligate, Half/Cross, Blasphemous, Abortion Survivor, Blood Spore, Anatomy of the Sacred, In The Fire, Azure Emote, Total Fucking Destruction, Bastard Cröss, Skullovich, Frost Giant, Atomic Cretins, Cruel Bomb, Ides, Stress Spells.
“Philly Metal” sheds light on the bond that the Metal underground has formed. And as the author puts it, “it is a tribe.”
Philly Metal: Profiles From The Undergroun” is now available through Scream Bloody Books and copies can be purchased on Amazon.
“After playing in bands and attending shows for over twenty years, it was an amazing experience to give the outside world an idea of how vibrant and diverse the Philly underground metal scene is,” Claw added.
From the underground rises the legacy of what is tomorrow.
