“There Is No Planet B.”: Cli-fi in King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s Metal Work

Abstract

The article’s goal is to examine the literary strategies connected to the genre of climate fiction that are employed by the Australian group King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard on their 2019 album, Infest the Rats’ Nest. The record holds a distinct place in the band’s rich catalogue for at least two reasons. Firstly, although the broadly understood psychedelic rock remains the main genre represented by the group, Infest the Rats’ Nest stands out as a surprisingly monochromatic declaration built upon metal music. Secondly, even though the band frequently flirts with science fiction in their lyrics, this particular album appears to be a coherent concept album referencing climate fiction – an SF subgenre concerned with post-apocalyptic scenarios centred around climate change.