When Black Metal's Anti-Religious Message Gets Turned on Islam

[Sigz]

https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/07/when-black-metals-anti-religious-message-gets-turned-on-islam/259680/

"Burn the Quran! Burn the fucking Quran!" a woman screams hoarsely, over and over again. Tinny guitars course beneath her howls, sawing away at any semblance of melody. Sampled snippets of fundamentalist Islamic rhetoric filter through, and muffled voices exhort their unseen audience to praise Allah and to destroy the infidel.
To fans of heavy music, the hallmarks are immediately recognizable. This is raw, mid-tempo black metal, a lo-fi example of heavy metal's most evil subgenre. Black metal feeds upon hatred, nihilism, and anti-human behavior. Extremity is everything. It drinks the blood of Christ, turns upon its own, and takes almost carnal pleasure in the theory and imagery of war. The music from the early days of this scene conjured images of the ashes of burned churches and the dried blood of murder, and yet the genre, in its middle age, often doesn't shock the way it once did. The hellish noise of this particular song, though, does. There's something different about it. This is real.

The overall effect is chilling, which is, of course, exactly its creator's intent. Her name is Anahita, and she is the 28-years-old voice and vitriol behind Janaza, Iraq's very first female-fronted, black-metal band. Allow that notion—Iraq's very first female-fronted, black-metal band—to sink in for a moment. Her first recording, Burn the Pages of Quran, boasts five distorted, primitive tracks that altogether run just shy of an unlucky 13 minutes. She, along with a handful of other acts hailing from the Middle East, are repurposing black metal's historically anti-Christian ferocity to rail against Islam. In doing so, these bands are serving up another example of how art and dissent can intersect in a region where dissent can sometimes have deadly consequences.

For rather obvious reasons, Anahita keeps her full identity secret. In every photograph, she's smeared with layers of black and white corpse paint, rendering her anonymous and demonic-looking. It's difficult for a Westerner to find much information on Anahita, but she is becoming recognized within the international metal scene as one of Iraq's most blasphemous entities. She rarely grants interviews; the only other published Janaza interview to date comes courtesy of long-running dark music blog Heathen Harvest. It took well over a year for me to track her down, and even then, she refused to speak on the phone, instead insisting on communicating via Facebook. She answered questions about her life, her views, and her music, including the one that weighed heaviest on both of our minds:

What would happen to her and her compatriots if religious authorities discovered their actions?

"A simple answer. They would kill me, and kill all of my friends, by cutting off our heads." (cont'd)

[theseoafs]

So many props.

[robwebster]

Ha - isn't it perfect that she's a woman?

I'm not even going to remain diplomatic. Sure, the lyrics are offensive, but she's not trying to stop anyone practicing. She's just trying to voice an opinion that she, as a human being, should in any half-way civilised country have the freedom to express. Anyway, "Burn the fucking Qu'ran" is about a thousand times less offensive than institutionalised oppression.

Can you buy her albums online? I don't like black metal, but I kind of want her to have my money. Huge respect. Very brave. "I might not like what you say, but I'll defend to the hilt your right to say it" - I don't personally want to burn the Qu'ran any more than I want to burn the Bible - live and let live's my motto - but I love that she's saying it.

[theseoafs]

Can you buy her albums online? I don't like black metal, but I kind of want her to have my money.

This.  I don't like black metal, and the production on the recordings is extremely bad, so I'd never listen to it, but I'd buy the CD in a heartbeat.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

A gutsy move for sure.

[jsem]

I don't like black metal, but the social implications of this is going to be fun to watch.

[Sigz]

I found a download for it online, but I have no idea if there's anywhere you can buy it from. I can't even find an official site for the band.

[bosk1]

Can you buy her albums online? I don't like black metal, but I kind of want her to have my money.

This.  I don't like black metal, and the production on the recordings is extremely bad, so I'd never listen to it, but I'd buy the CD in a heartbeat.

Sorry, can't agree.  I mean, standing up for a cause you believe in under threat of death can be admirable.  But not when the cause is simply bashing/disrespecting something that is sacred to millions of people. 

[SeRoX]

I don't know why music is used for that kind of things. You can give your massages, your feelings or ect but bashing to something that many people give value is another matter. This shit is out of music's purpose.

Well, Ninja'd by Bosk1! 

[ClairvoyantCat]

I don't think music's purpose should really be limited in any way. 

Can you buy her albums online? I don't like black metal, but I kind of want her to have my money.

This.  I don't like black metal, and the production on the recordings is extremely bad, so I'd never listen to it, but I'd buy the CD in a heartbeat.

Sorry, can't agree.  I mean, standing up for a cause you believe in under threat of death can be admirable.  But not when the cause is simply bashing/disrespecting something that is sacred to millions of people. 

Kind of depends on how you look at it, really.  Some people might see their way of life/belief being attacked, but she's also speaking against something that has affected her negatively, I think.  It's not like it's something that she could just choose to ignore. 

[SeRoX]

I don't think music's purpose should really be limited in any way. 

So music can split people? No we don't need that. We already have religions and politics for this.

[bosk1]

I don't know why music is used for that kind of things. You can give your massages, your feelings or ect but bashing to something that many people give value is another matter. This shit is out of music's purpose.

Well, Ninja'd by Bosk1! 

o/

[theseoafs]

Sorry, can't agree.  I mean, standing up for a cause you believe in under threat of death can be admirable.  But not when the cause is simply bashing/disrespecting something that is sacred to millions of people.

But "bashing Islam" is, in my view, a gross oversimplification of what's being accomplished here.  Yes, religion is sacred to millions of people, but it's also killed and tortured millions of people, and if there's anything to get pissed off and write some music about, it's this.  The artist is attacking the religious establishment, and its manifestation in the form of the Iraqi government; the article says that her real anger comes from the religiously motivated violence she's witnessed (her parents and brother were killed in a Muslim suicide bombing).  I think we could summarize the artistic statement as follows:

1) People do unbelievably awful things with religion.
2) I should be able to express statement 1 if I want to.

I am of course not saying I'd buy the music if all it did was call for the Koran to be burned; I don't really listen to any music with strong political/religious persuasions, and this band would be completely forgettable to me if it were a bunch of white guys from Seattle.  What I do want to support is that this music is being performed by an Iraqi female who could get killed by her government for it; she is quite literally putting her life on the line to speak out about a great injustice, and that is a cause worth giving to.

EDIT:  I guess you could say I care a lot more about the free speech issue than I do about the religious one.

[SeRoX]

I don't know why music is used for that kind of things. You can give your massages, your feelings or ect but bashing to something that many people give value is another matter. This shit is out of music's purpose.

Well, Ninja'd by Bosk1! 

o/

*\o

[robwebster]

Can you buy her albums online? I don't like black metal, but I kind of want her to have my money.

This.  I don't like black metal, and the production on the recordings is extremely bad, so I'd never listen to it, but I'd buy the CD in a heartbeat.

Sorry, can't agree.  I mean, standing up for a cause you believe in under threat of death can be admirable.  But not when the cause is simply bashing/disrespecting something that is sacred to millions of people.

As I said. Burning the Qu'ran - hardly productive, not a solution, don't want to burn it any more than I'd want to burn the Bible. But however pointless the act of aggression, I think the most important thing is that she should be allowed to express it, and she's not. Under penalty of death. That's bollocks - I wouldn't want anyone killed for saying it any more than I'd want anyone killed for saying "burn the Bible."

I don't like what she's saying, but I have so, so much respect that she's willing to risk death to say it. It shouldn't be that way, and to take a stand and call such a monumentally corrupt regime on its bullshit is ultimately something I hugely approve of. She should be making a fuss. If someone is so irrational that they're willing to kill over that lyric, then that person absolutely deserves to be offended, again and again and again, and repeatedly called on their bullshit, until such time as they're either reduced to a gibbering husk or learn that they can, against all odds, carry on with their life without even commiting a single murder.

Honestly, though, the woman just sings. Admittedly, that's taking a fairly loose definition of the word sing, but she doesn't kill, she doesn't maim, she doesn't injure. That's more than can be said of the people who use the teachings of that book to manipulate people. And she should be allowed to sing it. Muse - composers of the official song of the 2012 Olympic Games - sing "aim, shoot, kill your leaders" in one of their songs, and that album reached number one. This shouldn't be an issue. The fact that it is punishable by death means that the song needs to be sung. I admire it not for its message - which I agree is very crude and quite crass - but as a much-needed symbol of defiance.

It's not about the opinion, it's about her having the right to express it.

[bosk1]

Of course she should be allowed to say it.  But my point is that I do NOT think defiance in and of itself is admirable or needed.  Sometimes it is.  Sometimes it is not.  But her manner of defiance is, IMO, not constructive.  It is devisive and destructive to many more than the corrupt regime that is the direct object of her rants.  I just can't admire or get behind that.

[ClairvoyantCat]

I see this as being less about her manner of defiance and more about her right to defy.  The words are overly aggressive and sensationalized, but that's probably what she needs for it to spread. 

[bosk1]

I see this as being less about her manner of defiance and more about her right to defy.  The words are overly aggressive and sensationalized, but that's probably what she needs for it to spread. 

No, you're right.  Those are separate issues.  Where we differ is simply that I believe the manner of defiance is of equal if not greater value than her right to defy in the first place.  But I get where you, Rob, and others are coming from.  I just can't agree. 

[theseoafs]

Can you buy her albums online? I don't like black metal, but I kind of want her to have my money.

This.  I don't like black metal, and the production on the recordings is extremely bad, so I'd never listen to it, but I'd buy the CD in a heartbeat.

Sorry, can't agree.  I mean, standing up for a cause you believe in under threat of death can be admirable.  But not when the cause is simply bashing/disrespecting something that is sacred to millions of people.

*snip*

Yep, agreed with everything. An excellent post.

[Sigz]

Political stuffage aside, we're talking about a black metal band who wears corpse paint not because they think it's cool but because they have to to protect their identities so they don't get executed by the religious extremists they're rebelling against. That's about as fucking metal as you can possibly get.

[pain of occupation]

I don't know why music is used for that kind of things. You can give your massages, your feelings or ect but bashing to something that many people give value is another matter. This shit is out of music's purpose.

Well, Ninja'd by Bosk1! 

i want a black metal massage. not sure about happy ending.

[adace]

Not that I agree that the Koran should be burnt or that Islam is inherently evil (or inherently good for that matter), but she is pretty darn heroic for risking her life to express her rage against Islamic extremism. That said, I wonder how the fundamentalists would react to a pro-Islam metal band. Would they get a lesser punishment or would they be beheaded all the same?

[rumborak]

The good news for us is that this alerts Muslims to the fact that Westerners aren't the only source of anti-religion sentiment. If there's a metal band amongst them promoting to burn the Quran, they will probably stop caring about Mohammed cartoons.

rumborak

[Dark Castle]

Her vocals are actually pretty radular.  Power to her that she's willing to risk her life to make her voice heard.

[black_biff_stadler]

So...anyone know of any decent Antidianetics-core? I'm looking to broaden my religion-snubbing horizons.

[SeRoX]

I don't know why music is used for that kind of things. You can give your massages, your feelings or ect but bashing to something that many people give value is another matter. This shit is out of music's purpose.

Well, Ninja'd by Bosk1! 

i want a black metal massage. not sure about happy ending.

I, on the other hand, am not happy what Islam brings to the world but this is not the way to express. I almost have problem with every religions but man, religions are something people die for. Right or wrong but it's so. Note that I'm deist but I think that way.

Critical and negative thoughts can be given by using music but I believe it should not be that direct. Sarcasm is here for this kind of thing. This kind of attitude on art can be recoiled. While your purpose is to gain support suddenly you realise you gain so much hatred.

[Ultimetalhead]

Political stuffage aside, we're talking about a black metal band who wears corpse paint not because they think it's cool but because they have to to protect their identities so they don't get executed by the religious extremists they're rebelling against. That's about as fucking metal as you can possibly get.

Yeah, that's going to be very difficult to top.

[black_biff_stadler]

GG Allin will eventually be reincarnated.

[theseoafs]

So...anyone know of any decent Antidianetics-core? I'm looking to broaden my religion-snubbing horizons.

L. Ron Leppard is a fine band, and I've heard good things about Iron Thetan.  But as Antidianetics-core goes, I think we can all agree that no band will ever top the prog legends Led Xenu.

[Gadough]

Her vocals are actually pretty radular.

Haha Dylan you're the only person I know who talks like this.

[Dark Castle]

Her vocals are actually pretty radular.

Haha Dylan you're the only person I know who talks like this.

[kirksnosehair]

Oh, man, that sounds terrible