Authenticity and the Subcultural Network of the Estonian Pagan Metal Scene

The article demonstrates how authenticity is constructed, negotiated and “reproduced” (Larsson 2013) within the subcultural space of the Estonian pagan metal subculture. The author discusses the vision of subcultural authenticity from both emic and etic perspectives and bases her analysis on fieldwork conducted between November 2021 and April 2023. The article examines the given community using “Estonian pagan metal subculture” as a methodological construct for the research analysis. Specifically, the author’s attention is aimed at the first-order zone of the subcultural network (Williams 2011) – musicians and people who possess the most subcultural knowledge and experience. The fieldwork was done in Tartu, Tallinn, Vana-Vigala (Hard Rock Laager 2022, 2023) and online. The author’s fieldwork methods included in-person and online interviews, online questionnaires, participant observation and netnography. The fieldwork data was analysed using inductive thematic analysis. The main findings revealed the density and encapsulation of the first-order zone network, which results in a quite homogenous understanding of subcultural authenticity within the network. The author claims that the etic characteristics of subcultural authenticity in this case can be described as devotion, presence and knowledge. Keywords: subculture, authenticity, pagan metal, information transmission