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The fightback against the far-right in metal. As a lifelong(if occasionally lapsed) metalhead, the genre's 'we don't do politics bro' stance(from fans mostly, but the metal media's ambiguous stance towards people like Phil Anselmo hasn't helped) has long allowed all sorts of nasty stuff to fester, from Cannibal Corpse's 'it's just bantz' misogyny to the open neo-nazis of the second wave of black metal. This article give me a bit of hope
The Ipswich local Metal scene is full of what I would call “Problematic” people.
My fav was walking into About Time a few months back and a young lad complimented me on my Deafheaven shirt. Spoke for a minute and then told me his fav Black Metal band was Burzum. Apparently saying “But he’s a literal Neo Nazi” 3 times in a row in answer to each justification wasn’t enough.
I should add, not all the Ipswich Metal scene is bad, Killerkorp are lovely lads.
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 23:55 - Nov 22 by monytowbray
The Ipswich local Metal scene is full of what I would call “Problematic” people.
My fav was walking into About Time a few months back and a young lad complimented me on my Deafheaven shirt. Spoke for a minute and then told me his fav Black Metal band was Burzum. Apparently saying “But he’s a literal Neo Nazi” 3 times in a row in answer to each justification wasn’t enough.
I should add, not all the Ipswich Metal scene is bad, Killerkorp are lovely lads.
[Post edited 22 Nov 2020 23:58]
There's a lot of it about still.
The ongoing indulgence of Phil Anselmo baffles me. He's basically Morrissey for the metal crowd - once a standard bearer for something genuinely meaningful, inventive and exciting and now he's just a fat old nazi fading into irrelevance. I used to LOVE Pantera(I was in my late teens when they first started making serious waves, I was all about the Seattle shizzle but man can't live on heroin chic alone, y'know?), but I simply can't listen to them anymore. Nazi Phil's long history of support for white supremacists(I remember him giving a 'white power' speech at a gig in the 90's)adds a really nasty tone to Pantera songs nowadays. I've felt genuinely betrayed by Phil Anselmo, particularly give that my younger days I was daft enough to make excuses for him - is this what Smiths fans feel about Morrissey nowadays?
Also: Feminazgul(name checked in that article) are f*cking boss. Myrkur if she decided to give full vent to her Lord of the Rings, Steeleye Span and Venom love, stopped wanting to be Enya in corpse paint and wanted to get dropped by her record label. I quite like, Myrkur, as it happens. Music needs more people like her.
[Post edited 23 Nov 2020 0:30]
I'm one of the people who was blamed for getting Paul Cook sacked. PM for the full post.
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 00:00 - Nov 23 by BlueBadger
There's a lot of it about still.
The ongoing indulgence of Phil Anselmo baffles me. He's basically Morrissey for the metal crowd - once a standard bearer for something genuinely meaningful, inventive and exciting and now he's just a fat old nazi fading into irrelevance. I used to LOVE Pantera(I was in my late teens when they first started making serious waves, I was all about the Seattle shizzle but man can't live on heroin chic alone, y'know?), but I simply can't listen to them anymore. Nazi Phil's long history of support for white supremacists(I remember him giving a 'white power' speech at a gig in the 90's)adds a really nasty tone to Pantera songs nowadays. I've felt genuinely betrayed by Phil Anselmo, particularly give that my younger days I was daft enough to make excuses for him - is this what Smiths fans feel about Morrissey nowadays?
Also: Feminazgul(name checked in that article) are f*cking boss. Myrkur if she decided to give full vent to her Lord of the Rings, Steeleye Span and Venom love, stopped wanting to be Enya in corpse paint and wanted to get dropped by her record label. I quite like, Myrkur, as it happens. Music needs more people like her.
[Post edited 23 Nov 2020 0:30]
Phil ruined Dimebag’s guitar tone and riffs.
There’s an A̶n̶t̶i̶f̶a̶ MIDDLE CLASS WHITE BOYS Black Metal band called Dawn Rayd from the UK worth a spin, saw them last year supporting Wormrot.
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 00:11 - Nov 23 by monytowbray
Phil ruined Dimebag’s guitar tone and riffs.
There’s an A̶n̶t̶i̶f̶a̶ MIDDLE CLASS WHITE BOYS Black Metal band called Dawn Rayd from the UK worth a spin, saw them last year supporting Wormrot.
Inter Arma, back in June caused a minor kerfuffle on their FB page by ending a post with the words 'peace, love, BLM'.
The post in question was them promoting their forthcoming covers album. One of the covers on the album was Neil Young's 'Southern Man'.
It was almost touching how how many MCWBs got upset about this whilst also going 'oh man, love that 'Southern Man' cover' and not stopping to think about it.
Also: totally check out Inter Arma. I cannot rave enough about how good they are. One of those brilliant bands that you can hear the influences in them but they still sound like nobody else on the planet.
[Post edited 23 Nov 2020 0:25]
I'm one of the people who was blamed for getting Paul Cook sacked. PM for the full post.
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 00:11 - Nov 23 by monytowbray
Phil ruined Dimebag’s guitar tone and riffs.
There’s an A̶n̶t̶i̶f̶a̶ MIDDLE CLASS WHITE BOYS Black Metal band called Dawn Rayd from the UK worth a spin, saw them last year supporting Wormrot.
Just checking those Dawn Ray'd lads on Bandcamp. I'm liking the Black Metal/English Trad Folk thing they've got going on there.
I'm one of the people who was blamed for getting Paul Cook sacked. PM for the full post.
No idea when I began here, was a very long time ago. Previously known as Spirit_of_81. Love cheese, hate the colour of it, this is why it requires some blue in it.
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 01:04 - Nov 23 by BlueBadger
You'll never know love like Metal Love.
I had a brief flirtation in my teens, but never really grabbed me despite several friends being that way inclined. As a music lover I can appreciate some of the stuff, one of the joys of ageing is not worrying about what or who you like any more but not going to lie, most of it passes me by.
No idea when I began here, was a very long time ago. Previously known as Spirit_of_81. Love cheese, hate the colour of it, this is why it requires some blue in it.
I read an interview recently with Serj Tankian, of SOAD, who was talking about his brother in law (who is also the drummer in SOAD) supporting Trump etc. He said how frustrating it was that they were so opposite politically, but said when it came to Armenian politics that they agreed.
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 01:29 - Nov 23 by NewcyBlue
I read an interview recently with Serj Tankian, of SOAD, who was talking about his brother in law (who is also the drummer in SOAD) supporting Trump etc. He said how frustrating it was that they were so opposite politically, but said when it came to Armenian politics that they agreed.
You think he's frustrated? Try being Chino Moreno from Deftones after THIS Sh1tshower:
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 01:04 - Nov 23 by BlueBadger
You'll never know love like Metal Love.
To be fair I’ve always identified more politically and culturally to Punk, even in my mid-00s scene kid phase where I got a bit more lost in Metal than I have been at any other point. Even now I can still jam that first JFAC record and lose my sh1t. It still sounds vile.
But I’m glad I was never in a band that wrote songs about sexual assault, Metal has long needed to get over it’s EDGELORD factor.
The new Palm Reader record comes out this week, looking forward to that. Braille took a while to sit with me but when it clicked it was on repeat a lot.
These days my “Metal” taste tends to be Power Violence or Sludge. This lot are from up Leeds way and played Ipswich last year, sure they’ll be back at some point after COVID-19.
Well, that’s if the Conservative government don’t succeed in finally destroying grass roots art and raising Goebbels from the dead to manage the BBC.
I hate it when bands turn out to be sh1tty people, last year I discovered via Spotify recommendations a band called Jank. Was listening to the album and thought I need to follow this lot on social. Googled ‘em and...
Spotify needs to learn how to cancel artists. Then again Chris Brown still has a career and some people think it’s okay to still listen to The Smiths. What next? Lostprophets comeback tour?
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 02:09 - Nov 23 by monytowbray
To be fair I’ve always identified more politically and culturally to Punk, even in my mid-00s scene kid phase where I got a bit more lost in Metal than I have been at any other point. Even now I can still jam that first JFAC record and lose my sh1t. It still sounds vile.
But I’m glad I was never in a band that wrote songs about sexual assault, Metal has long needed to get over it’s EDGELORD factor.
The new Palm Reader record comes out this week, looking forward to that. Braille took a while to sit with me but when it clicked it was on repeat a lot.
These days my “Metal” taste tends to be Power Violence or Sludge. This lot are from up Leeds way and played Ipswich last year, sure they’ll be back at some point after COVID-19.
Well, that’s if the Conservative government don’t succeed in finally destroying grass roots art and raising Goebbels from the dead to manage the BBC.
[Post edited 23 Nov 2020 2:15]
Edgelords will Edgelord and try to get in where they can. The Dead Kennedys didn't write write 'Nazi Punks F*ck Off' for nowt.
They did it with ska, for fook's sake.
I'm one of the people who was blamed for getting Paul Cook sacked. PM for the full post.
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 02:13 - Nov 23 by monytowbray
I hate it when bands turn out to be sh1tty people, last year I discovered via Spotify recommendations a band called Jank. Was listening to the album and thought I need to follow this lot on social. Googled ‘em and...
Spotify needs to learn how to cancel artists. Then again Chris Brown still has a career and some people think it’s okay to still listen to The Smiths. What next? Lostprophets comeback tour?
Oh God. Ryan Adams. I LOVED 'Heartbreaker'. Now, the lyrics mostly read like a predator hiding in plain sight. Because they were.
'So buy a pretty dress Wear it out tonight For anyone you think Could outdo me'
[Post edited 23 Nov 2020 2:20]
I'm one of the people who was blamed for getting Paul Cook sacked. PM for the full post.
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 02:14 - Nov 23 by BlueBadger
Edgelords will Edgelord and try to get in where they can. The Dead Kennedys didn't write write 'Nazi Punks F*ck Off' for nowt.
They did it with ska, for fook's sake.
Ska is a genre I flirted with in my pre and early teens, but beyond a few Specials songs, RX Bandits (who are arguably Dub inspired Prog), Farse and some old Less Than Jake bangers it’s an annoying sound on the whole.
How are Reel Big Fish still telling out four figure capacity venues for Christ’s Sake?
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 02:18 - Nov 23 by monytowbray
Ska is a genre I flirted with in my pre and early teens, but beyond a few Specials songs, RX Bandits (who are arguably Dub inspired Prog), Farse and some old Less Than Jake bangers it’s an annoying sound on the whole.
How are Reel Big Fish still telling out four figure capacity venues for Christ’s Sake?
Modern ska is a weird thing. How do you take something that was a massively niche Jamaican thing and make it the whitest music ever? Two tone I can dig because that was a genuine mingling of styles and sounds, but the yank stuff? Bloody hell.
[Post edited 23 Nov 2020 2:29]
I'm one of the people who was blamed for getting Paul Cook sacked. PM for the full post.
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 02:24 - Nov 23 by BlueBadger
Modern ska is a weird thing. How do you take something that was a massively niche Jamaican thing and make it the whitest music ever? Two tone I can dig because that was a genuine mingling of styles and sounds, but the yank stuff? Bloody hell.
[Post edited 23 Nov 2020 2:29]
I often wind Ska Punk fans up by calling it cultural appropriation.
For some reason, it’s reminded me of this great story though.
One area the article doesn't touch upon is the links between occultism and the far right. Those links go back a long way before the development of Rock and Roll, let alone Metal, but the latter genre has long had an interest - often verging upon obsession - with the occult and, specifically, Satanism.
Less so the Death Metallers, who tended to be more political and "punk". But from Slayer and NWOBHM through to the notorious Scandinavian Black Metal of the '90s and beyond, the occult has been an influence. It probably originated with the Hammer Horror vibe adopted by Sabbath and others, while also having elements of rebellion against religious social conservatism.
Problem is, there is still a still a strain of the hard-right (even overt nazism) in the occult world - particularly amongst the Germanic Neo-Pagan and the Ritual Magic scenes and beyond. The first of those, obviously, appealing to those from Scandinavia and northern Europe. That is a lot of how the far right crept into Metal (tho in Eastern Europe, it was also a matter of nationalism and anti-Communism).
Once a trend is established, it will then spread to other regions as bands follow the styles and approaches of their forebears.
Problem is, until and unless you can separate those issues, it becomes harder to deal with it as a purely political problem.
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 02:13 - Nov 23 by monytowbray
I hate it when bands turn out to be sh1tty people, last year I discovered via Spotify recommendations a band called Jank. Was listening to the album and thought I need to follow this lot on social. Googled ‘em and...
Spotify needs to learn how to cancel artists. Then again Chris Brown still has a career and some people think it’s okay to still listen to The Smiths. What next? Lostprophets comeback tour?
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 00:00 - Nov 23 by BlueBadger
There's a lot of it about still.
The ongoing indulgence of Phil Anselmo baffles me. He's basically Morrissey for the metal crowd - once a standard bearer for something genuinely meaningful, inventive and exciting and now he's just a fat old nazi fading into irrelevance. I used to LOVE Pantera(I was in my late teens when they first started making serious waves, I was all about the Seattle shizzle but man can't live on heroin chic alone, y'know?), but I simply can't listen to them anymore. Nazi Phil's long history of support for white supremacists(I remember him giving a 'white power' speech at a gig in the 90's)adds a really nasty tone to Pantera songs nowadays. I've felt genuinely betrayed by Phil Anselmo, particularly give that my younger days I was daft enough to make excuses for him - is this what Smiths fans feel about Morrissey nowadays?
Also: Feminazgul(name checked in that article) are f*cking boss. Myrkur if she decided to give full vent to her Lord of the Rings, Steeleye Span and Venom love, stopped wanting to be Enya in corpse paint and wanted to get dropped by her record label. I quite like, Myrkur, as it happens. Music needs more people like her.
[Post edited 23 Nov 2020 0:30]
I've not read much about Phil Anselmo since the 90s tbh, but was always a bit puzzled given lyrics like "No Good (Attack the radical)". Cowboys from Hell and Vulgar Display of Power were huge albums for me at the time and I find it difficult to completely disown them now. Likewise the first Down album is immense.
Also, he wasn't involved in the Rebel Meets Rebel album so that redeems him a little.........
I was born underwater, I dried out in the sun.
I started humping volcanoes baby, when I was too young.
As Callis is here, your Sunday Night Read: on 08:49 - Nov 23 by Guthrum
One area the article doesn't touch upon is the links between occultism and the far right. Those links go back a long way before the development of Rock and Roll, let alone Metal, but the latter genre has long had an interest - often verging upon obsession - with the occult and, specifically, Satanism.
Less so the Death Metallers, who tended to be more political and "punk". But from Slayer and NWOBHM through to the notorious Scandinavian Black Metal of the '90s and beyond, the occult has been an influence. It probably originated with the Hammer Horror vibe adopted by Sabbath and others, while also having elements of rebellion against religious social conservatism.
Problem is, there is still a still a strain of the hard-right (even overt nazism) in the occult world - particularly amongst the Germanic Neo-Pagan and the Ritual Magic scenes and beyond. The first of those, obviously, appealing to those from Scandinavia and northern Europe. That is a lot of how the far right crept into Metal (tho in Eastern Europe, it was also a matter of nationalism and anti-Communism).
Once a trend is established, it will then spread to other regions as bands follow the styles and approaches of their forebears.
Problem is, until and unless you can separate those issues, it becomes harder to deal with it as a purely political problem.
A lot of Occult links in Metal were always to shock through imagery though, not many believed it. The Satanic Panic fuelled it and vice versa.
The original Norwegian lot were actually angry at Christianity for killing off Paganism centuries ago therefore that’s why they burned churches. Deep down I think it was always more of a Nationalist angle.
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