Compound AABA Form and Style Distinction in Heavy Metal

Abstract

This article presents a new framework for analyzing compound AABA form in heavy metal music, inspired by normative theories of form in the Formenlehre tradition. A corpus study shows that a particular riff-based version of compound AABA, with a specific style of buildup intro (Attas 2015) and other characteristic features, is normative in mainstream styles of the metal genre. Within this norm, individual artists have their own strategies (Meyer 1989) for manifesting compound AABA form. These strategies afford stylistic distinctions between bands, so that differences in form can be said to signify aesthetic posing or social positioning—a different kind of signification than the programmatic or semantic communication that has been the focus of most existing music theory research in areas like topic theory or musical semiotics. This article concludes with an exploration of how these different formal strategies embody different qualities of physical movement or feelings of motion, arguing that in making stylistic distinctions and identifying with a particular subgenre or style, we imagine that these distinct ways of moving correlate with (sub)genre rhetoric and the physical stances of imagined communities of fans (Anderson 1983, Hill 2016).

Ryuji Kunimatsu Guitar Arrangement on the Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla: A Critical Analysis

“…The change in musical form in the Kunimatsu arrangement confirms the results of Hudson's (2021) studies on the implementation of AABA compound form presentation, or three-part song form, on heavy metal music. The presentation of heavy metal music allows for a shift in form as an expression of communication between musicians and audiences.…”

“…Moreover, as seen from its lyrics, lullabies music from Mon ethnic group in Thailand also uses ternary form (Boonplian et al, 2020). Meanwhile, Heavy Metal music uses a three-part song form, which he refers to as AABA (Hudson, 2021). Thus, the finding of form shift in Kunimatsu's arrangement confirms Hudson's (2021) theories as well as Boonplian (2020) related to the three-part song form (ternary form or ABA form) in popular music.…”

“…Another study contextualizes musical form study with stage communication strategy. Hudson (2021) analyzes Banjar popular Song in South Kalimantan. Another study contextualizes musical form study with stage communication strategy.…”

“…Another study contextualizes musical form study with stage communication strategy. Hudson (2021) studies compound ternary musical form's characteristic that Heavy Metal music has applied. He contextually looks at the strategy of musicians in manifesting the musical form, which is known as the compound AABA.…”

Risk assessment of heavy metal content in yam tubers locally produced in selected local government areas of Taraba State, Nigeria

“…Long-term heavy metals exposure to plants accumulates, while animals consume many. Heavy metal accumulation in animals or crops is difficult to decontaminate or excrete even by disposing of metalcontaminated agricultural soils for safer food production (Hudson 2021). Heavy metals estimation and analysis could be used to analyze environmental pollution and information on the risk of contaminated agricultural products (Sirot et al 2009).…”