Hidden rituals, secret powers and everlasting horrors: The presence of Lovecraftian imaginary en Spanish recent extreme metal

Abstract

The increasing popularization of Lovecraft's fictional world in other cultural products, such as cinema or videogames, is leading to a certain vulgarization of its essence, particularly in the more commercial products. Only the more marginal and alternative products, such as metal music, maintain, or even develop, the Lovecraftian essence. Although there is a traditional link between metal music and the Cthulhu mythos, in Spain recently eight new bands whose lyrics are related to Lovecraft and his work have appeared: Back to R'lyeh, Ghül, Keziah, Cuerno, Nihil, Opositor y Yuggoth, Al Azif and Nyctophobia. The purpose of this paper is to analyze which Lovecraftian elements are included in their songs and in what ways their lyrics maintain the Lovecraftian essence.