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Bloodbath - T-Shirt Controversy


Bloodbath have posted the following message on their website already a few days ago:

"We have just learned that our latest shirt design [Front, Back] has run into some controversy. Actually, It's been a bit of a rocky road from the start with this one. Back at the sketch board, some of our art direction ideas were met by hesitation and according to the designer would feel "uncomfortable to do". However, the design went through and obviously with such a fantastic piece of artwork and beautiful symbolism the t-shirt has hit home with Bloodbath's audience all over the world, but apparently a demon vomiting on Jesus on a cross, surrounded by snakes, vultures and skulls was over the line for some confused " death metal" fans. Perhaps they should ask themselves if it was really death metal they were searching for in the first place.

Here are examples of some Dr Phil approved quotes we recieved:

"Recently saw your t-shirt "Mock The Cross." It seems rather childish and immature not to mention very dangerous, to ridicule Christ. Why such disdainment for the incarnate God who died to save all mankind, even your sorry asses! If you have a problem with organized religion that's one thing. It has little to do with Christ and His life and teachings. Of course if you curse Him in apparent ignorance, then you wouldn't know the difference. Hell won't be a cool place to be. The power of the cross is foolishness to those perishing."

"I Don't care about all the satan woreshippers that are gonna flame me. But, BloodBath YOU JUST LOST A FAN. On that degrading shirt. I believe what I believe. I rather not have bands mock it. This band is done. Never again. See you on judgment day."


To top it off, we also just recieved the following message from Raw Talent, the printer of the merchandise: "I have just been informed by the owner of the company that unfortunately we will not be able to print the "mock the cross" design again for you guys. It is against the owner's moral and ethical standard for himself and also for the company. He wanted me to let you know and to send his apologies."

With that said, let's get the weak aside and the Bloodbath choir ready to mock the fucking cross again as we moved on to a new printer for our latest over the top "Iesous" shirt design. Original artwork by Alex Norman features a detailed drawing of a dead Jesus with a crown of thorns and blind eyes, bleeding crosses in the background on both sides, and his hair engulfing skulls and the Bloodbath logo. The back features a cross dripping in blood with the lyrics: "Eeso Yeshua Iesous Die By Our Rage". The design was also printed using a technique which results in the ink becoming one with the fabric, creating a soft vintage look and feel. Not a shirt to miss, grab one now!"

Source: bloodbath.biz
Band profile: Bloodbath
Posted: 10.12.2008 by Arcesse Eum


Comments page 3 / 3

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Comments: 77   [ 2 ignored ]   Visited by: 459 users
13.12.2008 - 20:21
Dane Train
Beers & Kilts
Elite
Written by [user id=291] on 13.12.2008 at 00:57

Agree with people who said it is a marketing policy. I found the shirt to be disgusting. Nothing artistic about it. There are a lot of blasphemous images in metal which has something artistic in it. But for this one: what is good about it? If you wear an inverted cross, I understand you want to make a statement against Christianity, but a demon vomiting on Christ? Why? I guess back when I was 17 or 18 I may like it.. but now I am sure not.

I agree with a lot of what you said. If you want to make an artistic statement against Christianity make it an actual artistic one like this:


That is the "Piss Christ" photo if you have never seen it before.
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13.12.2008 - 23:40
Hyvaarin
Written by [user id=291] on 13.12.2008 at 00:57

Agree with people who said it is a marketing policy. I found the shirt to be disgusting. Nothing artistic about it. There are a lot of blasphemous images in metal which has something artistic in it. But for this one: what is good about it? If you wear an inverted cross, I understand you want to make a statement against Christianity, but a demon vomiting on Christ? Why? I guess back when I was 17 or 18 I may like it.. but now I am sure not.

What the fuck is the difference? How a demon vomiting on a cross any less artistic than an inverted cross?

If a death metal fan gets turned off by such vulgar blasphemy, you really have to wonder why they're even listening to the genre. Lyrics are there for a reason, they're not just an optional tag-on.
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"Summoned By Words Never Spoken Before..."
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14.12.2008 - 12:07
Magatouve
Account deleted
Written by Hyvaarin on 13.12.2008 at 23:40

Written by [user id=291] on 13.12.2008 at 00:57

Agree with people who said it is a marketing policy. I found the shirt to be disgusting. Nothing artistic about it. There are a lot of blasphemous images in metal which has something artistic in it. But for this one: what is good about it? If you wear an inverted cross, I understand you want to make a statement against Christianity, but a demon vomiting on Christ? Why? I guess back when I was 17 or 18 I may like it.. but now I am sure not.

What the fuck is the difference? How a demon vomiting on a cross any less artistic than an inverted cross?

If a death metal fan gets turned off by such vulgar blasphemy, you really have to wonder why they're even listening to the genre. Lyrics are there for a reason, they're not just an optional tag-on.

The fuck difference is that an inverted cross is a cultural symbol with a lot of significance for a particular group of individuals who are committed to a certain subculture, that is heavy metal. Its roots can be even traced, according to some sources, to the pagan Vikings who were resisting Christianity in Scandinavia for whom the inverted cross symbolised a rejection of a foreign religion and at the same time a representation of the Mjollnir, Thor's hammer. But what the fuck a demon vomiting on Christ means? especially like the one on the shirt, is just a disgusting pic. Something to bring the band some notoriety necessary to sell an ugly T-shirt. When I was looking at their merchandise page, I felt like browsing a CoF website, this is not worthy of musicians from Opeth and Katatonia. They can express their rejection to Christianity in a little bit more artistic way.
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14.12.2008 - 12:11
Magatouve
Account deleted
Written by Dane Train on 13.12.2008 at 20:21

Written by [user id=291] on 13.12.2008 at 00:57



I agree with a lot of what you said. If you want to make an artistic statement against Christianity make it an actual artistic one like this:

That is the "Piss Christ" photo if you have never seen it before.

Haven't seen actually... thank you but it doesn't seem to me against Christianity. Regardless of how you interpret the yellow colour Some may say this is divine light!

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14.12.2008 - 15:42
Hyvaarin
Written by [user id=291] on 14.12.2008 at 12:07

The fuck difference is that an inverted cross is a cultural symbol with a lot of significance for a particular group of individuals who are committed to a certain subculture, that is heavy metal. Its roots can be even traced, according to some sources, to the pagan Vikings who were resisting Christianity in Scandinavia for whom the inverted cross symbolised a rejection of a foreign religion and at the same time a representation of the Mjollnir, Thor's hammer. But what the fuck a demon vomiting on Christ means? especially like the one on the shirt, is just a disgusting pic. Something to bring the band some notoriety necessary to sell an ugly T-shirt. When I was looking at their merchandise page, I felt like browsing a CoF website, this is not worthy of musicians from Opeth and Katatonia. They can express their rejection to Christianity in a little bit more artistic way.

If, as you describe, art was limited to "cultural symbols with a lot of significance" for people, the art world would be extremely limited and bland. And anyway, the Bloodbath shirt does use "symbols" to get its artistic message across. The image of Jesus is a SYMBOL of Christian values/ideals. The vomiting demon is a SYMBOL of disgust at Christian values.

If you're the kind of person who needs to replace one system of thought with another, look at it as replacing Christianity with some form of Satanism. If not, look at it simply as an artistic expression of the Abject. Both are valid interpretations, though I think the latter is much more "metal" by nature (as it's saying "fuck all doctrinal adherence, I want nothing to do with that kind of thinking").

Honestly, it seems that you dislike it mostly because it's so vulgar. This kind of tells me that it's done its job. Finally, though, I'd like to point out that it is a SHIRT.
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"Summoned By Words Never Spoken Before..."
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14.12.2008 - 15:46
Hyvaarin
Written by Dane Train on 13.12.2008 at 20:21

I agree with a lot of what you said. If you want to make an artistic statement against Christianity make it an actual artistic one like this...the "Piss Christ" photo if you have never seen it before.

Please explain how this is more "artistic" than the shirt. Is it because it's something displayed in a museum? Is it because piss is more artistic than vomit?
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"Summoned By Words Never Spoken Before..."
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14.12.2008 - 16:44
Dane Train
Beers & Kilts
Elite
Written by Hyvaarin on 14.12.2008 at 15:46

Please explain how this is more "artistic" than the shirt. Is it because it's something displayed in a museum? Is it because piss is more artistic than vomit?

How about the fact that it is not a T-shirt from a heavy Metal band?
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14.12.2008 - 17:57
Magatouve
Account deleted
Written by Hyvaarin on 14.12.2008 at 15:42

Finally, though, I'd like to point out that it is a SHIRT.

I thought it was a T-shirt not a SHIRT.... oh this destroys my argument from its foundations...
Anyway, maybe you are right, I dislike it because it's very vulgar. But I still think the image is so badly drawn. My very first metal T-shirt (and shirt) was one for Pantera (I liked them at that time but now I rarely bother to listen to them) in which Phil Anselmo is vomiting and I liked that because, at least, the picture was well-made. But I wouldn't wear something with somebody, whether Anselmo or a demon, vomiting. However, I do wear a T-shirt with the "The Principle of Evil Made Flesh" cover on it because I find the cover very artistic. There's something very erotic, sadistic, romantic, etc about it. Anyway, it's a matter of tastes you can never agree on such things.
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14.12.2008 - 18:20
Bararey
Winter is Coming
Elite
I guess Bloodbath is enjoying this, here is their Happy Holiday Art for their "Christian" Fans as posted on their website

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"Rhaegar fought valiantly, Rhaegar fought nobly, Rhaegar fought honorably. And Rhaegar died."
Ser Jorah Mormont
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14.12.2008 - 18:26
Sunioj
Haha, that's pretty funny. You show them who is boss, Bloodbath!
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14.12.2008 - 18:34
Hamird
Lieutenant
Good, I never seen the other face of Mikael Akerfeldt.. In Opeth he was so calm but here he's an evil.. And it's great.
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14.12.2008 - 20:06
Hyvaarin
Written by [user id=291] on 14.12.2008 at 17:57

Anyway, it's a matter of tastes you can never agree on such things.

That I can agree with haha.
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"Summoned By Words Never Spoken Before..."
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14.12.2008 - 20:21
Kinetic
I couldn't care less if it's over the top, ignorant masses don't bother me. But I have to go against it because is just too cliche and childish.
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16.12.2008 - 18:37
Promonex
Cathemeral
Elite
Written by Irritable Ted on 14.12.2008 at 21:53

Merry Christmas to you all. But if you follow Satan I hope you will not be having anytime off work or eating Christmas dinner or watching The sound of music on TV or exchanging gifts. Because that would be hypocritical would it not.

You don't seem to understand satanism. Satanism is pure egoism, as opposed to altruism in Christianity. Satanists do anything that serves their purpose. Getting some time off serves their purpose. Receiving gifts serves their purpose. Having mom cooking something special serves their purpose. Why shouldn't satanists embrace Christmas if it serves them? Apart from that, Christmas has been secularized to the extent that people celebrate the coming of the advertising character of a soft drink manufacturer rather than the birth of Christ.

Anyway, back to topic. Those shirts are pathetic. Probably so pathetic and ugly that no one wanted to buy them without an additional incentive. I guess "these shirts will make you so evil, it'll piss all the Christians off!" is incentive enough for the kiddo fans of this band. I've never been into their music, but this stupid marketing trick makes me lose all my respect for Bloodbath.
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All life begins with Nu and ends with Nu... This is the truth! This is my belief! ...At least for now.
- The Mystery of Life, Vol. 841 Ch. 26
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20.12.2008 - 01:21
Fuath
Hahaha dr phil lol
may have been mentioned before
but i think itd be interesting to see what dr phil has to say about immaturity, slipknots masks and followers
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FRACTALS!!!!!

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03.01.2009 - 22:16
Powerslavex
Alexskywalker
Well Bloodbath have gone too far IMO Death metal doesnt mean vomiting on the cross, it disappoints me when some bands act like this it gives metal a bad image and makes people dislike it, leave the Cross and Jesus alone:mad:
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26.01.2009 - 18:39
Ernis
狼獾
This imagery is a wonderful example of "bad taste"...the design is gross....but I never wore band shirts anyway...
Somewhat sad that talented musicians such as Akerfeldt and Renkse are in a situation where such faux-pas occurred....
Then again, there are also other imagery of similar bad taste and even worse cases....
Honestly, if a band uses fetishism and exaggerated imagery too much it makes the quality of the music questionable itself...it is childish and pointless...who are they trying to "shock" or which deep statements to make?
But at least the kids (both those who are physically and/or emotionally) are happy....
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