If you are a metal band looking to get the next big break, Cuba is probably not the best choice of residency. Because of this and "sentimental, family, and economic reasons," six members of Cuban thrash metal band Hipnosis entered the United States early Monday morning in an effort to seek political asylum. Here's why:
A band member told AFP that Hipnosis, who is classified as a thrash band on Encyclopaedia Metallum, left Havana on Sunday night to attend a concert in Oakland, and decided to stay permanately after learning that lead singer Ramiro Pupo requested asylum in the States.
"It's not something we had thought about until we got here," said bass player Fanny Tachin. "Once we saw [Pupo request asylum], we all decided to follow."
Tachin said that Pupo already has a daughter who lives in Miami and the mother of another band member is a U.S. resident. The members of Hipnosis will not be the first Cubans to seek refuge obviously, as thousands flock to seek their guaranteed asylum every year.
And there is no wonder, in a recent speech given to the National Assembly, Cuban President Raúl Castro criticized Cubans' behavior ─ from pissing in the street, raising and slaughtering pigs in popular tourist areas, and just being shitty lawless people among other things ─ to try and restore some of the cultural values that the island once had.
Tachin said the six band members planned to pursue their careers in the United States. If you were like me, and had never heard of this band, here's the video for "Fear to Change:"
