National Socialist black metal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
National Socialist black metal (also known as 'Nazi black metal' or 'NSBM') is a neo-Nazi subgenre of black metal music where the lyrics advocate ideas of racial separatism, anti-Semitism, Aryanism and a desire to return to pre-Christian ways of life.
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[edit] Beginnings and influences
NSBM is sometimes considered to have started with the work of Burzum. However, there is no direct reference to National Socialism in Burzum's earliest compositions; as a result, this claim can be - and often is - contested. One of the earliest Black Metal bands to write overt lyrics espousing white racialist beliefs was the Polish one-man band Graveland.
While nationalism (or at least national romanticism) has been an influence in black metal from early on, NSBM adds a focus on advocating National Socialism as an alternative to modern liberal society. However, while Nazi Germany was never overtly opposed to Christianity, NSBM continues the black metal tradition of opposition to Judeo-Christianity in its entirety, while placing more emphasis on anti-Semitism.
Artists in the NSBM scene typically argue that not only Judaism but also Christianity as well as more recently Islam is a major cause for the perceived present troubles of modern European peoples (Aryans according to Nazi ideology), which distinguishes them from many other neo-Nazis. As an alternative to Christianity, most NSBM bands have advocated variations of pagan beliefs and traditions, with the most common alternatives being Ásatrú and Odinism. It should be noted that among black metal listeners, interest in Paganism is not restricted to those involved with NSBM; environmentalism (see Richard Darré for a greater understanding of the connection) and Julius Evola's teachings of traditionalism are also recurring themes.
Argument often arises on whether NSBM ought to be considered a distinct black metal sub-genre to begin with. Many NSBM bands play the same styles as other black metal bands that do not share the ideology. The musical differences, if any, are often trivial, and tend to overlap with other metal-subgenres like Viking Metal. Still, it has become a substantiated and useful label, as many interested in the genre would either like to avoid bands with National Socialist tendencies, or consciously seek them out. Some black metal fans indeed have questioned the lyrical themes used heavily within NSBM as irrelevant to the musical genre altogether, as they advocate a 'positive' outlook (of sorts) as far as ones' own race and creed are concerned; having pride in anything is hardly reason to believe that it falls in line with the extreme nihilist tendencies of both the genre and the music.
[edit] NSBM and other forms of White Power music
It appears that somewhat recently, the NSBM and Rock Against Communism (RAC) scenes have been uniting, as NSBM is increasingly being sold at RAC and other White Power music outlets, and known bands such as Gestapo SS and Bannerwar have covered RAC and Hatecore songs on their NSBM releases. Additionally, NSBM bands are beginning to perform alongside RAC bands.
Another point worth noting is that NSBM seems to have more appeal to fans of Black Metal who do not hold National Socialist, or any socio-political beliefs, at all. This is a direct contrast to RAC; one is unlikely to come across fans of this genre who are not supporters of neo-Nazi/far-right politics.
[edit] NSBM and the broader black metal scene
Bands currently in existence that are NSBM are actually representative of a very small scene of extremely underground bands throughout Europe and the United States. Darkthrone are often said to be a NS band mainly from the fact that Norsk Arisk Black Metal (Norwegian Aryan Black Metal) was written in the back of their album Transylvanian Hunger. Later on they denounced that and now they maintain an apolitical thesis as a band. Burzum (Varg Vikernes) is also commonly identified as a National Socialist black metal band, however Varg himself (on this article on the burzum story07.shtml Burzum website) denies this as he identifies with being Odalist and Burzum does not contain any explicit Nazi or even hugely racist lyrics.
Some black metal bands, although unrelated to NSBM, have some mostly meaningless references to Nazi Germany. These are mainly used for nothing more than mere shock value; a tradition which traces back at least to punk bands like the Sex Pistols. This has caused some black metal bands to inaccurately be labeled as NSBM when they are not. A good example of this was the Czech band Amon, which from 1995 to 1999 was called Amon Goeth in order to distinguish themselves from other bands called Amon.[1]
[edit] Notable bands
- Absurd
- Aryan Terrorism
- Astrofaes
- Blutschrei
- Der Stürmer
- Dub Buk
- The Frozen
- Gontyna Kry
- Grand Belial's Key
- Graveland
- Grom
- Halgadom
- Hallstatt
- Hate Forest
- Infernum
- Kristallnacht
- Lord Wind
- Nokturnal Mortum
- Pantheon
- Retaliation
- Sigrblot
- Sturm
- Sunwheel
- Temnozor
- Veles
- Xenophobia
[edit] See also
- Black metal
- Nazi mysticism
- Nazi Skinhead
- Nazism
- Nazi Punk
- Neofascism and religion
- Neo-Nazism
- War metal
- White Power
- White pride
- White supremacy
- Rock Against Communism
- Traditionalism
