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National Socialist black metal

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National Socialist black metal
Stylistic originsBlack metal
Folk metal
Cultural originsNorthern Europe and Eastern Europe
Typical instrumentsElectric Guitar, Electric Bass, Drums, Keyboards, Folk Instruments

National Socialist black metal (also known as NSBM) is a title for black metal artists stressing National Socialist beliefs in their music. NSBM is thought of as an ideology, not a subgenre, as there is no distinct "style" in playing black metal exclusively in a National Socialist way. Bands that use lyrics pushing ideas of racial separatism, anti-Semitism, and Aryanism are often labeled "NSBM" to distinguish them from other black metal groups that do not hold these beliefs.

Most NSBM bands push many kinds of Pagan beliefs and traditions, the most common being Ásatrú and Odinism. It must be noted, however, that most Asatru and Odinist groups do not share or endorse the beliefs held by these bands and actually speak loudly against any type of association with the white power movement, or racist ideologies. Paganism is a common topic for 'common' black metal bands. NSBM adopted this subject, which seems to have been passed down from black metal.

History

NSBM is sometimes thought to have begun with the work of Burzum (Varg Vikernes). Burzum's earliest compositions do not reference National Socialism. Varg claims not to be a National Socialist but has applauded NSBM bands for being different.[1] His anti-establishment ideology and self-declared beliefs in Odalism might have spurred this assumption.

Nationalism (or at least national romanticism) influenced black metal from early on. NSBM adds a focus on National Socialism as an alternative to liberal society. Nazi Germany never opposed Christianity[citation needed], while NSBM holds to the black metal tradition of opposing all of Judeo-Christianity and emphasizing anti-Semitism.

After 2000, NSBM music was often sold by Rock Against Communism (RAC) and other white power music outlets and bands like Gestapo SS, Sigrblot and Bannerwar covered RAC and hatecore songs on their NSBM releases. NSBM bands now perform with RAC bands.

NSBM and the broader black metal scene

Whether a band fits the label of NSBM can be confusing. Darkthrone was thought to be a NSBM band because Norsk Arisk Black Metal (Norwegian Aryan Black Metal) was on the back of their album Transilvanian Hunger. They denounced it, and kept an apolitical outlook. On their next album, "Panzerfaust", Darkthrone wrote, "Darkthrone is certainly not a nazi-band nor a political band. Those who still might think so, you can lick Mother Mary's asshole in eternity."

Some black metal bands not NSBM make meaningless references to Nazi Germany sometimes for shock value, a tradition from cases in 1970s punk bands like the Sex Pistols, causing black metal bands to be wrongly labeled NSBM, for example the Czech band Amon which from 1995 to 1999 was called Amon Goeth.[2]

One of the most misperceived black metal bands is Marduk. Many thought Marduk to be NSBM after the release of their album "Panzer Division Marduk". Marduk wrote songs about the Nazis in World War II, including "The Hangman of Prague", about Reinhard Heydrich head of the RSHA within the SS. Band founder Morgan Hakannson and ex-vocalist Legion state Marduk isn't National Socialist, and the topic as a source for song-writing fascinates them.

In Gods of the Blood (2003), Mattias Gardell, one of the few researchers into this "understudied milieu",[3] describes the Pagan Front and National Socialist Black Metal:[4]

The former is a network of bands and record labels that view black metal as an "archetypical and atavistic expression" of the Aryan soul and seek to further the milieu's paganization. The latter sees national socialism as a logical extension of the political and spiritual dissidence inherent in black metal and includes acts such as Burzum, Absurd and Graveland. Although fascist and heathen sentiments constitute a discernible trend within the black-metal underground, they remain a minor part of black metal and certainly do not define the whole scene.

Representative bands

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.burzum.org/eng/library/a_burzum_story07.shtml
  2. ^ http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=3189
  3. ^ Mattias Gardell, Gods of the Blood (2003), p.vii
  4. ^ Ibid, p.307

External links

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