Olivia Lucas is a graduate student in music theory at Harvard University, writing a dissertation on sound, technology and temporality in extreme metal. Her work examines the physical and cultural forces that create and support extreme metal, particularly in North America and the Nordic countries. Previous projects have included use of Kalevala materials in Finnish folk metal, large-scale temporality in the music of Arvo Pärt, and rhythmic play in short songs by Charles Ives.