Countering Fascism in Black Metal

Countering Fascism in Black Metal in Olympia: An Analysis - It's Going Down

For those unaware black metal has always had a neo-Nazi problem. Extreme music attracted people with an affinity for extreme politics. It being infused with macho bullshit and with the boom of neo-Nazi music outside of Oi around 90s black metal and other dark esoteric scenes became a hot bed for esoteric neo-Nazi activity. With neo-Nazis being forced out of the punk scene they retreated into noise, goth, martial industrial, neo-folk, and black metal scenes. Often the main differences between black metal and other genres like grindcore have to do with instrumentation in a small part, but largely have to do with aesthetics and themes. Another appeal of Nazi imagery is the dangerous aesthetic and since the Nazi project and other fascist projects have been in part the aestheticization of politics it only makes sense that where the aesthetic lives so does the ideology.

Likewise “heathen” pagan circles and esoteric/occult/satanic circles have had a Nazi-sympathizing problem dating back to Julius Evola, Ragnar Redbeard, Aleister Crowley, Charles Manson, and event Anton LaVey. It’s most horrid incarnations being satanist neo-Nazi groups like the Order of the Nine Angels (some of whom are rumoured active in Vancouver BC), Aryan supremacist pagans like PNW local Thorfinn Odinson, and Evolian fash-sympathizing spiritualists who are increasingly common in this era.

The “White Power Cross,” the “Nazi Salute,” and “wolfsangel” are not accurate celebrations of implicitly european heritages; they are explicit displays of affinities for white supremacist ideologies, narratives, and world views. The Nazi Salute is not an old roman salute or norse salute or anything like that it is a Nazi misinterpretation of a roman salute. The “White Power Cross” although derived from a a Celtic symbol and perhaps in other contexts a valid non-fash cultural print just as the Swastika can be, but in this context there is no denying that it is of the same graphical heritage and used in the same way as those who use it as a White Supremacist dog whistle. As for the wolfsangel it was a symbol that went out of popularity and would have died in relative obscurity if it wasn’t re-imagined and re-drawn by the Nazis and is used as a sort of less recognizable hakenkreuz (the Nazi symbol which is commonly unfortunately called a Swastika because it looks like the South Asian Swastika).

In France, in the 80s, reds and anti-racists cleaned up the rock scene by forcing largely ignorant rockers to remove their Confederate-flag patches and in doing so open racism diminished along with racist attacks, etc. However, on the larger level this symbolic violence pushed the Fash underground and forced them to get more organized which broke a lot of their popular power, but also did create a violent and specialized reactionary force and with a new wave of reactionaries in France they aren’t making the same mistakes in terms of imagery and blatant Nazi-Sympathizing.

Fascist affinity is not always even very well hidden. Groups like Operation Werewolf (think cross-fit meets neo-Nazi black metal) have easily slid by in mainstream and alternative media let alone in supposedly radical and hip scenes despite being euro-supremacist etc. Eco-extremist knights-of-faith have gained many apologists in anarchist and nihilist circles, and some online egoists have been pulled into a sort of throw-back Nazi-sympathizing and bigoted reaction.

Recently, at a benefit party, a metal dude rocking Thor’s hammer and a battle-jacket with a Burzum back-patch was spotted (and) confronted by comrades about his Burzum patch. He sidestepped valid arguments that Varg Vikerness, the man behind Burzum, is a racist who demeans “mongoloids” etc., complains about arabs, and is a neo-Nazi sympathizer who routinely references Nazi groups etc. After this the Burzum fan began to show his cards and rant about how real diversity means keeping races separate yadda yadda yadda openly saying he was against “race-mixing.” People explained that they too were against assimilation into a mono-culture, but were also for desegregation, free association, and that being against race-mixing is racist because it devalues other races based on fallacious race theory. It was also argued that while cultural autonomy is a valid concern it is not relevant to “whites” as a whole both considering that they are the dominant group and that “whites” are hardly a coherent cultural unit. It was further explained that xenophobia and defense of culture are separate project and that multiculturalism is not about the destruction of autonomous cultural trends, but the proliferation of cultural trends and that “euro” cultural protectionism is a form of culture policing. When people countered with bio-diversity being about cross-pollination and such things, he again changed course and said something about European cultures being on the ropes. This argument was quickly shot down by someone who noted that European-ness is an advent of the solidification of Christian empire, and whiteness itself is the swan-song of autonomous European cultures whom were on a continuum with cultures throughout many continents. He began to make a counter about “the thing about Christianity is…” but this is where he was cut off and people insisted that he leave, but was no doubt going to talk about some sort of anti-semitic conspiracy. He then went outside the venue where heated arguments continued. One person said something along the lines of “I speak to the same gods as you, and they tell me you’re a racist motherfucker.” This continued until the reactionary metal-head’s friend who joined him viciously called someone a “faggot” and the rest is not my story to tell.

The idea that new people moving in, inherently threatens your cultural autonomy seems like a joke to anyone who has actually had to struggle to defend their culture. Our comrades who come from a long line of German Jews, Irish freedom-fighters, and so on are often the first to tell us the need to defend black liberation against the threat of segregation and anti-black racism. They also tell us of the need to welcome refugees drawing from their own histories as examples. Likewise turning a blind-eye to McDonaldsization and the culture-war tactics of picket-fence WASPs seems ridiculous. The reactionaries even act as if beckoning in the authoritarian police state required to enforce cultural norms and borders on the level they desire would not lead to an attack on free thought and free speech let alone the proliferation of freer life-ways.

These forces may not be as powerful as let’s say the state or capitalism, but they can poison our spaces and creating breeding grounds for our more lateral enemies. They can also become participants in statecraft or operate in tandem with the state like the proto-Nazi FreiKorps did or even what cops and neo-Nazis do today.

Further Reading

• “Apoliteic music: Neo-Folk, Martial Industrial and ‘metapolitical fascism’”
• “Counter Culture Fascism” covers many of the fashy counter-cultures mentioned above with some more macro analysis
• A video on analysis and strategy for potentially countering reactionary recruitment of young white men
• Reading on previous esoteric black metal and fascist adjacent BS in Oly including explanations of Julius Evola etc
• “A Brief But Very Informative History of How Fascists Infiltrated Punk and Metal”
• The wiki entry on Neo-völkisch movements which includes Nazi Satanism, Nazi Paganism, and so on

Read full article here

 

Someone else is going to start fucking your wife if you keep this shit up.

 

His wife isn't like that. She's faithful and true.

 

NSBM FTW

 

I know you don't mean that but OP probably not.

Scandinavian black metal FTW i would say

 

Hmm, there's some really good NSBM out there though. Think beyond the lyrics, the music is good lol. Plus a lot of bands just get labelled NSBM the moment the word "Panzer" is used, which is trash. Wehrmacht Metal more like it hehe.

Hassgesang
Jungsturm
Michael Müller

Just 3 of my favs. They're definitely rooted in NS, but I enjoy their songs about war and marching.

 

Here's a slightly humorous interview with a member of the Indigenous war metal band Gyibaaw telling stories of touring with white-supremacist bands and having nazi fans

 

I actually had a run in with the band Hassgesang on MySpace. They went on a rant of why I even bother listening to them when I had non white friends lol. I told them to get over themselves, their response was to delete their MySpace account lol.

Jungstürm are probably my favorite now, they've done some great tracks and the vocals are awesome. My favorite song is Stalingrad (1942) about a soldier writing a letter to his wife, he's going to die. It's a sweet and sad song.

 

I know this band and its not NSBM.

I'm more into medieval warfare as a BM theme. Battling the christian invaders :-D

When saying something like FTW it sounds like its your fav kind or really good. Although quality is not excluded in nsbm it is definitely not the best BM subgenre, not even with the war and marching themes imo.

I've enjoyed some Nokturnal Mortum. If i enjoy(ed) other nsbm it is unaware. I'm pretty indifferent to the political affiliation/ideology of musicians who's music i enjoy, let alone if their lyrics can only be understood if you look them up.

 

I know God Dethroned isn't BDSM that's why I chose the cover, to go along with how quickly one might jump to a conclusion.

 

Hmm, well most often the conclusion is made in seriousness because of the exact lyrics, titles, albumwork and when the band or members of it declare their political ideology. That a band like Marduk may be considered neonazi or NSBM by a few superficial looking people is less serious. Real fascist black metal musicians (like the Peste Noire frontman) look down on most west european black metal and its flirting with nazism etc. They seem them as posers and nihilists, not as defenders or supporters of their ideology. Which indeed in general they aren't. They just make music with dark, heavy and/or controversial themes which they are intrigued by and feel like building their sound around. Art and all. Pretty awesome how we as a society in general deal with it But... when a band with such themes caters particularly to the seriously neonazi or fascistic part of the crowd at concerts and their hatespeech causes a serious chance that some turds in the audience hassle a gay or immigrant person afterwards on the streets that's of course where it ends and countermeasures should be taken... And even if I dig their sound I would not pay for a ticket or even want to attend a show

 

Have you ever heard of The Meads Of Asphodel?

I don't believe they are NS but they're a bit out there. I have two cds. I don't really like them, but they have a couple of songs I like. Too progressive for me.

 

Yes, I like them Definitely not NS!

Guest members included several members of Hawkwind (and Meads of asphodel is often just as weird and even psychedelic at times ) and one member also plays in Jaldaboath, another curious british metal band that has a crusader/knights theme going. Definitely not a band for this topic though but I like this description so I'll share :

They take their inspiration from the Knights Templars, the crusades of the medieval period, the tradition of the troubadours and screen classics Black Adder and Monty Python.

Jaldaboath jokingly describe their style of music as "Hammering Heraldic Metal", "Crusader-core", "Tumultuous Teutonic Templar Thrash" and many more.

 

The murder of jesus the Jew was alright, it has some really catchy parts. I didn't like Sondercommando though. I know the dude takes a long time to research and write, but that album was nowhere near as good as Jesus.

 

My fav songs are on Exhuming the grave of Yeshua and The excommunication of Christ

 

Oh yeah, and Damascus Steel of course!

 

'The most metal thing I've ever done': Metalheads sponsoring Syrian refugees | CBC News

 

Death to censorship
Fuck MetalSucks

 

Singing and playing an instrument is such a whimsical thing to do. It always seems ironic to me when some tough guy does it. It's like, dude, you're singing. How is that tough?