Calder Hannan from Columbia University in New York City shares his research on progressive metal and topic theory. ⁠
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Hannan examines the ways of hearing genre borrowing in the music of the influential American progressive metal band Between the Buried and Me. This paper takes topic theory as a starting point, arguing that far from being an esoteric music theory tool useful only for expanding listening to the music of Mozart and his contemporaries, it reflects a mode of listening to Between the Buried and Me that is very common and accessible.⁠