Black Metal YOGA, Los Angeles (Aug. 11)

Jason Roche (LA Weekly, 8/11/18); Pat Macpherson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Alissa Nelson, aka the "Black Metal Yogi," teaching a class in Los Angeles (J Matt/LAW)

Black Metal Yoga and Black Metal Brunch

Black [brutal and Satanic] metal has long held a reputation for being the most abrasive and proudly underground corner of the heavy metal spectrum.

Those with even a passing knowledge of the genre may be familiar with the sordid tales of ’90s Norwegian acts such as Mayhem. The modern grouping of bands that are considered black metal is much more expansive, with dozens of acts adding layers of progressive musicianship and atmospheric shoegaze to the existing genre blueprint.

That said, there is still a sizable contingent of black-metal musicians and fans who are hesitant to see the genre expand and gain attention from outside its small, exclusive bubble.

Black heavy metal and yoga? Okay.

But on Saturday, August 11, two separate events -- Black Metal Yoga and Black Metal Brunch (DTLA) -- will drag black metal kicking and screaming into the lifestyle-events arena.

 

On a surface level the harshness of black-metal music and the calming therapeutic leanings of yoga seem incongruous. But for yoga instructor Alissa Nelson, aka “the Black Metal Yogi,” the combination is more than complementary.

“Yoga is about putting yourself in uncomfortable positions,” Nelson says during our conversation on a sunny Saturday morning in Torrance's El Prado Park.

“Listening to black metal is absolutely perfect for yoga, because both are based on small changes in tone over time. The message for each is that you have to be okay with confronting things that are difficult, challenging, messy, and painful to get to a place where you are not experiencing suffering.” Nelson has been teaching yoga for... More

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SAMPLE MUSIC: Dimmu Borgir, "Puritania"