The Routledge Handbook of Progressive Rock, Metal, and the Literary Imagination

This expansive and ambitious volume avoids the allusions and gaps often found in prior scholarship that spans the humanities and social sciences. Rather than vaguely allude to overlaps between progressive rock and metal, this volume's contributors systematically investigate the notable overlaps that emerge as musicians (and fans) of both genres draw upon literature in deliberate and varied fashion. Thus, the contributors delve into the literary source materials used by prog and metal musicians; they interrogate the manner in which those sources are adapted; and they take seriously the reception and resonance of the elements that result from this interplay between music and literature. The contributors also fill a notable gap. They not only focus on the usual bands (e.g., Yes, Tool), nations (e.g., the UK and US), and literary sources (e.g., Tolkien, science fiction) found in progressive rock and metal, they also present in expert fashion the geographical sprawl (e.g., from bands and audiences in South America to those in Asia) and literary diversity (e.g., from Aristotle to anime) that mark both musical genres. This expansive volume offers much-needed correctives and illuminating advances, and hence, it will serve as an important resource for scholars in multiple disciplines.

Timothy J. Dowd
Emory University, USA

This an outstanding collection of chapters that explore the intersections between progressive rock, metal and the literary imagination. Each contribution here is a must-read and the editors have done an incredible job framing the
Handbook.

Karl Spracklen, PhD, AcSS
Leeds Beckett University, UK

Chris Anderton and Lori Burns have compiled an immense collection of chapters that are wide-ranging and far-reaching in their historical, geographical and disciplinary diversity. Exploring the myriad ways in which aspects of songs, albums, album art and live performances intersect with storytelling and storyworlds, Progressive Rock, Metal and the Literary Imagination offers scholars, listeners and fans a fresh perspective on these two titanic genres.

Nick Braae 
Waikato Institute of Technology, New Zealand

There are many book-length studies of progressive rock and metal, but none have tackled directly how prog and metal musicians engage with storytelling and literary themes-an indispensable defining characteristic of both genres. For The Routledge Handbook on Progressive Rock, Metal, and the Literary Imagination, Chris Anderton and Lori Burns have assembled an impressive array of contributions from among the leading scholars in the field, providing a wealth of analytical frameworks and perspectives that shed new light on this rich and fascinating repertoire.

Mark Spicer
City University of New York, USA