---
product_id: 6868113
title: "Running with the Devil: Power, Gender, and Madness in Heavy Metal Music (Music / Culture) Paperback – May 15, 1993"
brand: "robert walser"
price: "Bs.228"
currency: BOB
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 7
url: https://www.desertcart.bo/products/6868113-running-with-the-devil-power-gender-and-madness-in-heavy
store_origin: BO
region: Bolivia
---

# Running with the Devil: Power, Gender, and Madness in Heavy Metal Music (Music / Culture) Paperback – May 15, 1993

**Brand:** robert walser
**Price:** Bs.228
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Running with the Devil: Power, Gender, and Madness in Heavy Metal Music (Music / Culture) Paperback – May 15, 1993 by robert walser
- **How much does it cost?** Bs.228 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.bo](https://www.desertcart.bo/products/6868113-running-with-the-devil-power-gender-and-madness-in-heavy)

## Best For

- robert walser enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted robert walser brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

Full description not available

## Images

![Running with the Devil: Power, Gender, and Madness in Heavy Metal Music (Music / Culture) Paperback – May 15, 1993 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51qEfBfB4yL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Great study of the music itself
  

*by E***R on Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2010*

I love metal primarily for the music itself (rather than the lyrics, attitude, fan culture, etc.), so this book was refreshing in that it contains some valuable musicological studies of metal as a genre and of several specific songs.  Walser discusses timbre, meter, modes, etc. and resonances with blues and European classical music (in particular Baroque music), using transcriptions of the music to make his case.  He even suggests, quite intriguingly, that the fact that metal musicians are closer to Baroque composers like Bach than later composers such as Beethoven should tell us something about Bach and Beethoven, not just contemporary metal.  A lot of the music theory was honestly over my head as a very amateur musician, but I understood enough of it to take away some valuable insights into the complexity of the music I love.The cultural and historical parts of the book were interesting, but perhaps less novel.  Be aware, you will need a basic proficiency in PoMo speak to understand parts of chapters two, four, and five, but it's not as bad as it could be considering Walser's use of social science and the humanities, where postmodern theory has, for better or for worse, become the basic assumption in recent decades (with the exception of philosophy).  But the fancy PoMo stuff could be skipped (much like the fancy music theory parts) and you will still get a lot out of the book. The chapter on gender didn't break much ground (although the discussion of androgyny was interesting).  The last chapter, "Can I Play with Madness?" had some great moments discussing Ozzy, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.Of course, this book is a bit dated (published in 1993), as other reviewers mentioned.  If you didn't listen to metal in the 80's or early 90's, this book may make less sense, but I think the fact that bands like Poison, Bon Jovi and Van Halen hardly seem like metal to today's audience just underscores how mainstream metal became in the 80's and also how new most of today's sub-genres are.  This isn't to say Walser's book is irrelevant.  Fans of metal today can still learn a lot from this book, both about their roots and about the aspects of metal that are still present in today's sub-genres.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Five Stars
  

*by C***Z on Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2018*

Very good Book!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    perhaps the best book on popular music written
  

*by M***R on Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2014*

Though obviously dated, this book may live up the grandiose subject line above.  It has been many years since I've read it cover-to-cover, but I can generally sum up its strengths.  It is comprehensive, sophisticated, and clear.  Walser is an able academic but also a musician, and his detailed close reading of the music itself is breathtaking.  And that is one element that distinguishes this book from most "canonical" rock criticism.  Most rock critics of the early days (70s to early 90s) -- who lionize the punks and Bob Dylan -- were more students of culture than of music and really could tell very little about the details of how the music was composed and played. Any musician reading those critics could tell they knew little about actually playing or performing.  This is not the case with Walser, an able student of culture AND music.Walser also gains by taking a balanced approach.  He is a confessed fan of metal (again, it helps that he knows how to play the guitar).  This may at first seem to make him less objective, but it doesn't for two reasons.  First, Walser does not flinch from making legitimate critiques of metal (for sexism, etc. -- and rightly notes that many critics of metal make the bald, stupid assumption that sexism is unique to metal rather than recognizing the truth that it is rampant in alternative music, academia, and business).  Second, his openness to the music enables his close understanding of it.  Dismissals of metal by other scholars of rock music are uninformed because they have not paid attention to its musical complexity and richness.  Walser does pay attention.  An old book by this point, but a great example both of sound critical analysis of music culture AND of how an able scholar can convincingly demonstrate the closed-mindedness and simply bad thinking practiced by other critics.

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.bo/products/6868113-running-with-the-devil-power-gender-and-madness-in-heavy](https://www.desertcart.bo/products/6868113-running-with-the-devil-power-gender-and-madness-in-heavy)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Bolivia*
*Store origin: BO*
*Last updated: 2026-03-04*