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Pagan metal

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Pagan metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music, related to viking metal, folk metal, and black metal, with lyrics mainly dealing with pre-christian religions’ mythological topics. The genre is found mainly in Europe, especially Germany and Scandinavia; one of the first bands classified as pagan metal was the Norwegian band In the Woods.... In the United States, Danzig and its predecessor Samhain are sometimes referred to as playing pagan metal.


Music

Pagan metal is influenced by black metal and folk metal. Sometimes folkloric instruments of the culture the bands relate to (bodhrán, tin whistle, fiddle, accordion, bagpipes) are used. The vocals are mainly clean, as opposed to the mainly guttural vocals and death grunts of black metal.

Ideology, lyrics

Pagan metal (as distinct from black metal) romanticizes blood, ancestry, and nature, especially in relation to Germanic peoples, though in Eastern Europe, for instance, there are bands influenced by Slavic mythology. This ideology is apparent in outward appearance also--eschewing corpse paint, pagan metal chooses historical costume. The German band Menhir, for instance, dresses in Merovingian costume. Paganism and nationalism unite in pagan metal; according to Heiko, Menhir's lead singer, "only the combination of the mythological with nature and country is the ultimate achievement." Especially in Germany pagan metal is quite close to neo-Nazism and anti-Christian sentiment, though the organizers of pagan metal festivals try to discourage this connection. Many pagan metal bands and fans claim to be non-political, though they often share a deep and "völkisch" view of history associated with what in Germany is called "NHSC," National Socialist Hardcore (or Hatecore).

Pagan metal bands’ lyrics mostly deal with mythological topics drawn from the literature of the Celts, [[Germanic peoples, or other pre-christian peoples, and topics reflective of anti-Christian sentiment. Typically, pagan metal bands associate with the culture of their perceived ancestors in their home country, though some bands freely combine Celtic and Germanic mythology. In Eastern Europe, there are also bands with lyrics dealing with the Slavic mythology.

Record labels and festivals

The best-known metal festival that caters specifically to pagan metal fans is the Ragnarök Festival, held annually in Germany since 2004. At other venues, pagan metal bands play alongside folk metal and black metal bands.

Criticism

Critics accuse the pagan metal scene of association with neo-Nazis and sharing neo-Nazi ideology, though for example the organizers of pagan metal festivals try to discourage this connection. Many pagan metal bands and fans claim to be non-political, and especially Moonsorrow, which has come under severe criticism, has issued statements saying so, as have Týr and Odroerir.

Criticism also comes from within the metal scene; Monochrom, a columnist on the German Metalstorm site, argues that pagan metal utilizes, for instance, a set of false dichotomies ("pagan" vs. "Christian"), a dangerous belief in "blood" (such as Nazi-related ideologies hold), and a ridiculous and unhistoric focus on an imagined ancestry.

Some representative bands

References

  1. ^ "National Socialist Hardcore: Rechte Bands mit linkem Stil". Netzeitung. 2008-08-06. Retrieved 2009-05-04. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. "The latter interest would eventually lead front man Glenn Danzig to start the pagan-punk Samhain (named after the Celtic autumn feast eventually incorporated into Halloween) and, later, the pagan-metal band that bears his name." Jenkins, Marc (1996-05-01). "From the Misfits, More Than Enough". Washington Post. pp. C07. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ Weber, Ella (2008-09-12). "Der grobe Unterschied: Braune Trends zwingen die Metal-Szene zur Klärung ihres Selbstverständnisses". Freitag (in German). Retrieved 2009-05-04. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. ^ "Ragnarök – dem größten Festival für Pagan-Metal: Heidnischer Heavy Metal für Thor und Odin."Rosenbusch, Henning (2008-03-29). "Ragnarök Festival: 'Die sehen wilder aus, als sie sind'". Neue Presse (in German). Coburg. Retrieved 2009-05-04. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  5. ^ "Odroerir: Bandbiographie". Odroerir: Musik aus Midgard. Retrieved 209-05-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ "Für Wikinger und Folk-Fans: Lange Haare und tiefe Liebe zu Metal dunkler Tönung sind Pflicht Für Wikinger und Folk-Fans". Frankenpost. 2008-11-15. Retrieved 2009-05-04. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  7. BIFF "Rechtes Neuheiden-Festival mit Nazi-Runen im SO 36". Berliner Institut für Faschismus Forschung. April 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-05. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  8. "Liebe Nachbarn, liebe Gäste des SO 36!" (PDF). SO36. 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-05. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  9. "Moonsorrow und Tyr zu Nazivorwürfen". Metal-Hammer.de. 2008-04-15. Retrieved 2009-05-05. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  10. "Am Rande sei hier noch mal ausdrücklich für alle Kretins da draußen bemerkt, auch bedingt durch verschiedene Vorfälle, daß ODROERIR als Band keine politischen Ziele oder Ähnliches verfolgt!" "Odroerir: Bandbiographie". Odroerir: Musik aus Midgard. Retrieved 209-05-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  11. Monochrom (2007-08-10). "Neuheidentum und die Wahrheit". Retrieved 2009-05-04. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  12. metalnews.de: CD review Turis Fratyr
  13. Rock Hard no. 254: Rezension zum Album
  14. metal.de: Sagas review
  15. metalhammer.de: Sagas Review
  17. Harris, Chris (2008-02-08). "Sworn Enemy 'Fighting' Their Way To The Top; Plus Demon Hunter, Obtest & More News That Rules, In Metal File". MTV. Retrieved 2009-05-04. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  18. Katrin Kropf: Gedanken zu PRIMORDIALs “To the Nameless Dead” on RockZOOM.de, November 26th, 2007
  19. Interview with Peter of Riger (2005) on Schwermetall.ch
  20. ^ Daniel Pereira: Ragnarök 2007 festival report on metalstorm.ee
  21. http://www.skyforger.lv/en/index.php?main_page_id=21&page_type=text
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