For many years, the metal genre and conservative groups have clashed. From secular groups such as the Parents Music Resource center to religious groups, many have felt metal to be a satanistic and unholy gathering, one that needs to be carefully watched and, if possible, controlled. Certain metal members have felt persecuted by these groups and in isolated cases have retaliated because of it. These outlying incidents have further compounded the issue at hand and further destroyed this already tense relationship.
So where did the negative connotation of metal come from. For many, the answer is clear; it comes from Norwegian Black Metal bands and their fans. Norwegian Black Metal was born in the late '80's, and is a composite of death-metal churn and Viking bloodlust. It melts speed metal's thrashing guitars with an ambient subtext and gives sounds anywhere from darkly symphonic synth to medieval lute solos. As Steinke writes, “The vocalists tend to sound like the poor little possessed girl in The Exorcist, screeching and gurgling lyrics about evil powers, Satan, the nighttime woods, trolls, and Norse Gods.” As recent as early 2000’s, Black Metal continues to ravage tranquil Norway with heathen ideology and terrorist acts (Steinke). Many churches are victims of arsonists, but no one is absolutely sure who is being them. Faust is quoted as saying this, “It's 13- and 14-year-old Black-Metal kids who live out in the middle of nowhere," Faust stated. "I'm glad they're keeping it up. It means the torch has been passed, that the fire still burns." This clear example shows how for some metal head, these act are considered a good thing and something to be celebrated (Steinke). |
|
Euronymous', a dominating figure in Norway's metal scene once called "Son of Satan” once talked about these past incidents. He was sad, almost distraught, that “nothing is really happening in Norway now as in regard to anti-Christian action. People say that there will be no more church fires which of course is a sad thing. No matter what, the church burnings were great. Even if it didn't really help in the war against Christianity I thought it was a great thing. A hail to those who committed those deeds (Coogan).” Another person Darcey Steinke brings up in "Satan's Cheerleaders" is Count Grishnackh. He is arguably Norway's most notorious criminal and some consider him to be a media celebrity with a cult following. It is on record that he receives more than a hundred fan letters a week, many from his devoted followers. But how does this relate to metal and it reputation in the eyes of the outside world? In a past interview, conducted from within his cell in Ila prison outside Oslo, the Count said that “he no longer wanted to be associated with Black Metal. He's now strictly a neo-Nazi, an ideology he hopes to promote through an organization called the Norwegian Heathen Front.” Its people like this which tarnishes Metal’s public relation and strain the relationship with conservative groups.
|