Written by [user id=173045] on 08.06.2019 at 17:09

[...] But if it has to be a clear message, then these bands usually has a cover that tells, but few of them would put that on a full-length. Woe is such a band and has such a cover, but are more artistic on their full-lengths.

I'd really love to include Woe and it's good that they've been mentioned, but as you've already said, it's just a live only cover and it has never been officialy released.

Clear message, because that's what song titles like "Parasite Jew", "Heil Hitler" and "Zyklon Clouds Over Zion" demand: a strong antipole.

I can only vouch for Spectral Lore from the list at present.

Black metal's rich vein of worship for the natural world seems to have predominantly channelled left-leaning artists onto green anarchism, I'd cast my search there if I were you.

Do love me some Panopticon, about the only one from that crop that crosses the threshold into social issues. Even then, the man's low-key on the basis of ideologic assumption: that there are no ethnical divides to conquer for we are all proletarians.

Other than that, I agree with Joseph: avoiding music made by artists whose principles appal you is one thing, letting politics guide the whole of one's music/media appreciation is a terribly backward (dare I say, conservative?) way of enjoying culture.

Written by Czerny Reiter on 11.06.2019 at 03:45

Black metal's rich vein of worship for the natural world seems to have predominantly channelled left-leaning artists onto green anarchism, I'd cast my search there if I were you.

I already did, but in my opinion, 'hugging trees' (sorry for exaggerating, but you get the point) is not necessarily the best possible way to express one's distaste for racism and fascism.
You don't have to be a (green) anarchist, leftist, marxist, communist, feminist or whateverist to reject the scourges and ills that beset humankind and our society. All you need is some common sense and awareness to realize that all forms of extremism are wrong to the bone.
Replacing an illness by a malady is no long-term cure.

Written by Czerny Reiter on 11.06.2019 at 03:45

Other than that, I agree with Joseph: avoiding music made by artists whose principles appal you is one thing, letting politics guide the whole of one's music/media appreciation is a terribly backward (dare I say, conservative?) way of enjoying culture.

I share this opinion.

One of my most favorite BM bands is Peste Noire - blatant racists. I am very aware of Famine's sick mind, yet I don't want to be accused of being a racist just because I happen to like some of their albums.
But I also just don't want to accept that BM is a safe harbour for all kinds of extremism. Nowadays black metal is the most diverse genre of metal I know. And diversity is freedom, freedom of mind and artistic license - values that are unknown to all kinds of extremists.

That's what this list is for: showing alternatives to NSBM rather than promoting opposite extremes or whatsoever.

Since we talking extremism, need me some "they deserved the Gulag" or "the Khmer Rouge were actually the good guys" black metal. Why should fashies have the monopoly of extremist ideologies in bm

Written by RaduP on 11.06.2019 at 19:49

Since we talking extremism, need me some "they deserved the Gulag" or "the Khmer Rouge were actually the good guys" black metal. Why should fashies have the monopoly of extremist ideologies in bm

Good idea.
Just for the diversity, I'd also love to have some Jehovah's Witnesses, Hare-Krishna and Amish black metal.
But in terms of trveness and evilness, nothing will ever possibly beat Scientology themed black metal.

Written by Starvynth on 11.06.2019 at 20:09

But in terms of trveness and evilness, nothing will ever possibly beat Scientology themed black metal.

That would be glorious

We'd never live down the shrieked choruses of "I'm in love with Kathy Holmes".

Starvynth: what about Zeal & Ardour? Gagneux's spectacularly original debut seems made to dovetail right into this list (though let's not talk about the sophomore).

Written by Czerny Reiter on 11.06.2019 at 21:48

Starvynth: what about Zeal & Ardour? Gagneux's spectacularly original debut seems made to dovetail right into this list (though let's not talk about the sophomore).

Including Zeal & Ardour sounds like a very good and logical idea at first.

But at second glance, I fail to see "a clear message", at least lyricwise.

Sure, one may interpret Gagneux's origin already as some kind of a message, but then I would have to add quite a bunch of bands that don't really belong here as well.
Just think of Gaahls Wyrd and Gorgoroth because of Gaahl's sexual orientation, Absu's Abzu due to their guitarist Vis Crom (=Matthew/Melissa Moore), almost all bm bands hailing from Israel, bands featuring disabled members...
And that's when things are not just getting complicated, picking specific artists just because of a deviation from the (alleged) norm may even thwart the list's intention.

I don't want to sound too picky, but let's better stick with a message that is primarily being delivered through the lyrics and regardless of the artists' orientation, gender, religion, origin and ethnicity.

Written by Starvynth on 12.06.2019 at 19:14

Including Zeal & Ardour sounds like a very good and logical idea at first.

But at second glance, I fail to see "a clear message", at least lyricwise.

You sure?

Written by RaduP on 06.09.2020 at 11:16

You sure?

Me sure now.

Written by Shmelevod on 27.08.2021 at 20:33

Thank you for this list!

Thank you for leaving your first comment here of all places and welcome to Metal Storm!

Ever hear of Overgrow To Overthrow?

Written by A Real Mönkey on 16.06.2022 at 22:38

Ever hear of Overgrow To Overthrow?

You're talking about the Blindrune Recordings compilation?


Yeah, I stumbled upon this at some point, but the amount of black metal with unquestionably anti-NS lyrics was so small that I quickly gave up looking into it.
Anyhow, I guess I should dive into this again, so thanks for the reminder.

Written by Starvynth on 17.06.2022 at 10:26

Yeah, I stumbled upon this at some point, but the amount of black metal with unquestionably anti-NS lyrics was so small that I quickly gave up looking into it.
Anyhow, I guess I should dive into this again, so thanks for the reminder.

Granted there might not be a lot of anti racist themes, it’s more politics. It’s similar to the Shut It Down comp; donating proceedings to anti-racism groups like BLM.