Black Metal provides all of this. Whether it is centered on Satanic or heathen symbolism matters not. In both instances the iconography and the music fuse together into an odium theologicum directed at the faith and lifestyle of the status quo. It is essentially intolerant, uncompromising, and absolutist in its worldview.
The messages of Black Metal are varied, but isolation, struggle, and confrontation rank among the more prominent ones. These are united with a strong belief in pride and warfare against the “enemy,” be it in the form of religion or mortal men. Sociologist Jeffrey Arnett has described Heavy Metal music as the “sensory equivalent of war.”3 Black Metal takes such a notion literally, and is definitely unwilling to engage in any peace talks with its declared enemies.
FENRIZ
The average Black Metal fan is someone who is alienated from society. The prime movers and strong personalities of the genre are undeniably intelligent, and in light of some of the statements they’ve made, an impressionable fanbase is to their benefit. Fenriz, drummer of the seminal Darkthrone, is notorious for once stating, “I like nothing better than spreading hatred from the stage. We want to incite the audience to go out and do our dirty work for us.”4
Many of those who participated in the first wave of church burnings no longer advocate such measures. They believe they are futile, or that there are more effective means of propagating anti-Christian beliefs without spending time in jail. But their fans don’t seem to be listening, and prefer to commit their acts of terror regardless. The die has been cast. The concept of Black Metal representing an actual, violent attack on society is reality. It now has a life of its own, and does not appear likely to vanish anytime soon.
DARKTHRONE TRANSYLVANIAN HUNGER
Black Metal is apocalyptic, with its calls to arms and declarations of Satanic or heathen holy wars. By its nature it should not be assimilable into the mainstream; it will always remain isolated in its hatred. The early behavior of the music’s proponents had an air of impending cataclysm, driven by a determination to up the ante until it would go no higher. If the various instigators in Norway had not been jailed or killed, where would it have led? Varg Vikernes has never been one to put his actions in check, and not long before his final arrest he had stolen approximately 330 lbs. of dynamite. There are conflicting claims that he planned to detonate a cathedral in Trondheim or an anarchist squat in Oslo, but either way his restless nature would have been compelled to find a grandiose use for the explosives.
With its militant bravado, “warrior nature,” and fantasies of ideological conflagration, the violent wing of Black Metal displays a number of similar traits to the far reaches of the radical right. Both share belief in an ultimate day of judgement for their enemies. Both revel in, and are spurred on by, a vision of their ultimate victory, despite the overwhelming obstacle of public opinion which staunchly opposes their views, behavior, and interests. Both share a strong fascination and identification with symbolism and myth. These two strains of alienated subculture bear many significant differences as well, but due to their relative proximity in the subterranean world beneath society, the question becomes one of their attitude toward one another.
BLACK METAL BLACKSHIRTS
From the earliest mainstream press coverage of Black Metal, journalists have worried over the alleged “fascism” espoused in the genre. In some respects this has probably been exaggerated in such articles, although there is no doubt that a figure like Varg Vikernes inspires obvious fears on the issue. His statements have been echoed by those of others. How prevalent are such beliefs, and how serious is the likelihood of the apocalyptic forces of Black Metal and the revolutionary right uniting on a common front?
Tracing the exact entry of fascism into Black Metal is difficult. Many in the scene accuse Vikernes of adopting extreme right-wing views opportunistically after he was tired of Satanism, or after the latter ideology had lost some of its shock value. Varg insists his racial/nationalist feelings have been present since childhood. The Bergens Tidende article on Varg from January, 1993 (a time when he did not have a particularly racist image within the Black Metal scene), does mention his apartment containing Nazi memorabilia, and a photo taken at the time of the interview shows an SS war helmet in plain view atop a bookcase in his living room. The Kerrang! article which followed some months later refers to the Black Circle as “neo-fascist,” but it is hard to tell if this was just a handy epithet thrown in by the journalist. Regardless, the image took hold, and it did not take long for others in the scene to run with it.
FIRST PEACEVILLE PRESS RELEASE
Fenriz fanned the flames of the controversy in 1994 when he produced a statement for a forthcoming Darkthrone album which he demanded be included on the record sleeve: “We would like to state that Transylvania Hunger stands beyond any criticism. If any man should attempt to criticize this LP, he should be thoroughly patronized for his obvious Jewish behavior.”5 His British record label was appalled, but agreed to heed the request to print the statement on the album; at the same time they publicly stated they would refuse to promote or advertise the record in any way. A controversy quickly erupted over the statement, with distributors and the press calling for a boycott of Darkthrone. With the impending loss of large sums from record sales, it didn’t take long for money to decide the matter, and the band issued a public apology for Fenriz’s statement. After a ludicrous explanation for the remark, they promised Darkthrone was “absolutely not a political band” and “as innocent as humanly possible.”6 Such reassurances are hard to swallow coming from someone who had previously insisted he would sacrifice his parents if necessary for the cause of the Black Metal Mafia, not to mention that the album in question still featured the words “NORWEGIAN ARYAN BLACK METAL” prominently printed across the sleeve, which no one seemed to take much notice of. Another notorious Fenriz remark a year or two earlier emphasized the apocalyptic totalitarianism of some Black Metal: “We are fascist in outlook. We do not believe that individual thought should be allowed in the world. We want to see a return to the dark ages when Christianity and Satanism fought it out for supremacy—whatever the consequences.”7
DARKTHRONE APOLOGY (CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE)
The similarities between Black Metal and other fascistic genres like skinhead music revolve around the role the music plays within these very specific youth cultures—in both cases prone to violence, sloganeering, and anti-social behavior. Vikernes has talked of his associations with radical skinheads via his Norwegian Heathen Front project, and Hellhammer of Mayhem also concurs that both audiences overlap to a certain small degree.
HELLHAMMER
HOW MUCH TRUTH IS THERE TO THE ACCUSATIONS OF FASCISM IN BLACK METAL?
I’ll put it this way, we don’t like black people here. Black Metal is for white people.
IS THAT A GENERAL VIEW?
Yes.
DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO HAVE FASCIST VIEWS, OR ARE YOU MORE INTERESTED JUST IN BEING WITH YOUR OWN KIND OF PEOPLE?
I’m pretty convinced that there are differences between races as well as anything else. I think that like animals, some races are more... you know, like a cat is much more intelligent than a bird or a cow, or even a dog, and I think that’s also the case with different races.
HELLHAMMER
ARE THERE PROBLEMS IN NORWAY WITH IMMIGRATION?
Yes. It is a problem here, but not as much as it is in Sweden. But they are coming here too.
IS THERE MUCH CONTACT BETWEEN THE SKINHEADS AND BLACK METAL PEOPLE?
I know a lot of skinheads and we get along personally very well. They are a bit upset about the Satan stuff, and I agree with that because I’m not a Satanist. But we get along.
“NORWEGIAN ARYAN BLACK METAL”—BACK COVER OF DARKTHRONE CD
ARE THE SKINHEADS FANS OF THE MUSIC?
It’s not so much about an interest musically, it’s more about politics.
Many in the Black Metal milieu today would downplay attitudes like the above from H
ellhammer, which he expressed in 1994. Even if they possibly agreed with the sentiments, they realize overt allegiance to rightist politics will not be tolerated in the world of record distributors, shops, and magazines which they rely on to sell their releases. Still, many harbor strong feelings on subjects like immigration. Bård Eithun explains:
The connection with the extreme right wing came when people got more conscious about their own past and country; people searched for ways to hail their culture and heritage. I see a certain trend here as well. The wave of extreme political bands hailing their country has grown as fast as Black Metal grew in the beginning of the ’90s.8
There are many divergent political views found across the spectrum of Black Metal musicians and fans (the communism of Euronymous provides a prime example of someone taking left-ism to its utmost extreme), but no one will deny that right-wing attitudes have become a natural extension of the interests of some involved.
ANTI-GRISHNACKH FLYER
SAMOTH: A lot of this started because some people were fascinated by the extremities of the Second World War. It was nothing racial really, but just another fascination for the extreme. However, you’ll also find “national romantic” people who have serious feelings for the fatherland and its nature. But in today’s society it’s rather difficult to be proud of your own country and identity without being labelled a racist or neo-Nazi. It’s very sad, but that’s how it is.
M. W. DAOLOTH: Neo-fascism and “racism” is a logical step since the awareness of the ancient traditions suggests the need for a national identity. A full return to the past (in a spiritual sense) suggests a Europe for Europeans as it was in ancient times, before multi-culturalism and universalism were adopted as the official political/religious stance. And if you consider that fascism and Satanism have a lot of similarities as they both advocate power, spiritual and physical excellence, responsibility, survival of the fittest, elitism, etc., it’s logical that some bands advocate both. This phenomenon has started to happen in Hellas [Greece] too—not on a large scale, but it’s getting bigger day by day.
IHSAHN: There are of course racist and Nazi views within the Black Metal scene, all over the world. People have strong views. Personally, I don’t think Black Metal should involve a lot of politics, because I see it much more as an atmospheric and emotional thing rather than a political one. Hardcore [Punk] bands can deal with political things; Black Metal is something else. If someone is a Nazi and plays Black Metal, that doesn’t mean that everyone into Black Metal is also a Nazi. I don’t see Nazism having much to do with Black Metal in general, except maybe in terms of the similarities between Satanism and Nazism about the strong individual.
With Black Metal’s occasional propensity toward the far right, an intriguing question is what kind of reaction these controversial musicians have received from some of the more radical political organizations. Hellhammer stated that the only common ground between skinheads and Black Metalers was political, but that may be changing. A few of the Nazi skinhead bands—particularly Swedish and American ones—appear to be drawing subtle stylistic influences from Black Metal, though they have yet to create music which is very similar to something like Burzum or Darkthrone. They will probably never cross over too far into the genre, for to do so might defeat the point of an overtly political band. The song lyrics, a primary vehicle for propaganda, would be unintelligible if recited in “true” Black Metal fashion.
The revolutionary right, much like Black Metal, is an underground environment which maintains communication through innumerable small fanzines, journals, and leaflets. A few of these publications in different countries have begun courting the Black Metal audience, publishing articles supportive of the church burnings, murders, and even the music itself. In France the journal Napalm Rock is issued regularly under the auspices of the National-Bolshevist political group Nouvelle Résistance. Through the magazine they try to maintain a close connection with the cutting edge of European youth culture, steering it in a radical nationalist direction. The magazine’s editor uses the pseudonym “Gungnir” [the mythological name of Odin’s magical spear].
GUNGNIR OF NAPALM ROCK
WHAT ARE THE AIMS OF NAPALM ROCK?
The goals of Napalm Rock are:
• The creation of a pagan and nationalist European empire. We are Revolutionary Nationalists (primarily Third Way), we are pagans (Druidic and Keltic, mainly), we are Europeans. We don’t support the French, Italian, or German nationalist ideas. Europe of Europeans for Europeans!
• To educate the French nationalist youth and movements, skinheads, etc., that nationalist music is not only based in Oi and “Rock Against Communism.” We want to show that the musical nationalist/pagan culture is also Black and Death Metal, Industrial and Hardcore too.
• To explain to young Metalers and headbangers that they must not listen to the stupid and poor Metal scene. We want to show them that they need to support only the bands which are pagan and/or nationalist, because French listeners have to fight against the politically correct Rock mass media. We have to be proud of our culture and traditions and we must not listen to some Rap, Raï or other Arabian, Black, or Jewish types of music.
WHEN AND WHY DID YOU BEGIN THIS MAGAZINE?
We began this magazine two years ago because the true pagan/nationalist music scene did not exist. In France, nationalist movements (with the exception of Nouvelle Résistance) ignore Rock music and culture in general.
YOU HAVE ALWAYS COVERED DEATH METAL AND BLACK METAL—WHAT IS IMPORTANT ABOUT THESE KINDS OF MUSIC?
These are free and independent types of music! They are aggressive, fast, diverse, and very violent kinds of music. It is morbid, white, and unholy music. Many people—the politically correct especially—don’t like these kinds of music because they are afraid of them. They say it is insane, evil, and twisted music. Black and Death Metal are uniting together everyone who thinks in a pagan way, and a nationalist and racialist way. Black and Death Metal bands are keeping alive European roots such as corpsepaint, dressing in black, and wearing occult and pagan symbols (pentagrams, Thor’s hammers, Keltic crosses, etc.). A Black Metal concert is bigger and better and more magical than any other concert.
YOU HAVE EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR VARG VIKERNES. YOU DO NOT FEEL ANY SYMPATHY FOR THOSE HE TOOK ACTION AGAINST?
No one! In fact I think highly of Varg Vikernes—he is a courageous and brave Norseman. He just wanted to free his pagan country from Judeo-Christianity. I understand his actions (church arsons and the murder of the traitor Euronymous). I am totally on the side of Varg and not that of Euronymous and Mayhem. Norway, like the rest of Europe, is under Judeo-Christian law. This murderous faith forced our ancestors to convert to a religion imported from the desert. We’re not Hebrews, we are Indo-Europeans and thus we want a European spirituality!
DO YOU SUPPORT SATANISM AS AN EFFECTIVE OPPOSITION TO CHRISTIANITY?
I don’t care about Satanism. For us, Satanism is the pure product of Judeo-Christianity, its opposite. Satanism is cool for blasphemous acts and to make people cry or be disgusted! It’s a philosophy which is very combative against Christianity but I think there are a lot of insane people in this “religion” (for example many pedophiles and drug addicts).
In fact, we neither support Satanism in Napalm Rock, nor in our lifestyle. We prefer to refer to European paganism such as the Keltic, Druidic, Odinist, Greek and Latin pantheisms.
NAPALM ROCK FLYER
YOU OFTEN WRITE ABOUT TOPICS AND GROUPS CONNECTED TO PAGANISM. WHY ARE THE PRE-CHRISTIAN BELIEFS IMPORTANT?
We are from a country, a nation, or a community, and we must live within it, in harmony with the other members of the group. A French, German, or Greek man must refer to European pre-Christian religions and not to alien ones such as Judaism, Islam, Catholicism, or Protestantism. We must find our origins and firmly keep our cultural, spiritual, and ethnic roots alive. The flame must eternally burn. These pre-Christian beliefs are important to fight against the Ne
w World Order and Zionist domination. We observe the important Keltic feasts such as the solstices, equinoxes, Beltane and Samhain.
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