Geodissonance

Heavy Metal Concert Sparks "Satanic Worship" Investigation in Cairo

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Geo·dissonance: the metal movement is proliferating to all corners of the globe. In its relentless display of vitriolic truths and the ugliest questions of existence, we can hear the resounding riffs of heavy metal in the most conservative pockets of society. As your Punjabi, riff-worshiping correspondent, I've created Geodissonance to report the controversy: as metal unveils dissonance in cradles of brutality around the world.

In Cairo, an Egyptian lawyer and Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) member is determined to keep allegedly “satanic” metal underground. After a heavy metal concert at one of the city’s respected cultural centers – the El-Sawy Culture Wheel – Ismail el-Washahi filed a suit against the venue, accusing it of holding an event where “Satanic rituals were held.” The allegation quickly catapulted into an ongoing police investigation, though the center continues to deny el-Washahi’s claims. (more…)

Geodissonance

LAMB OF GOD Seeks Global Fans for 2012 Documentary

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Geo·dissonance: the metal movement is proliferating to all corners of the globe. In its relentless display of vitriolic truths and the ugliest questions of existence, we can hear the resounding riffs of heavy metal in the most conservative pockets of society. As your Punjabi, riff-worshiping correspondent, I've created Geodissonance to report the controversy: as metal unveils dissonance in cradles of brutality around the world.

It appears our beloved Richmond, VA-based metal titans – Lamb of God – are infiltrating the houses of the [un]holy and global, metal gospel; with the recognition that their fan-base has extended far into the obscurest reaches of the Asian subcontinent and Middle East, Lamb of God has chosen one of the most politically turbulent, terror-stricken regions for their upcoming documentary: the Gaza Strip. In their documentary, the band will intersperse footing of their 2012, world tour with the most compelling stories of their fans, who hail from all over the world. (more…)

Geodissonance

Israeli Band ORPHANED LAND Unifying Religious Groups

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Geo·dissonance: the metal movement is proliferating to all corners of the globe. In its relentless display of vitriolic truths and the ugliest questions of existence, we can hear the resounding riffs of heavy metal in the most conservative pockets of society. As your Punjabi, riff-worshiping correspondent, I've created Geodissonance to report the controversy: as metal unveils dissonance in cradles of brutality around the world.

In Israel, the voices of alliance can be found directly in the underground. Despite the infamous and frequently explosive hostilities between religious groups – namely, Jewish and Muslim populations – Orphaned Land is emerging as the humble yet heavy metaphor for peace in an all too divisive climate. So, who are they exactly? Far from your revivalist political party or religious sect, this is a metal band- that's mending old religious wounds, and uniting the Israeli youth, beneath a much damaged, national surface. (more…)

Geodissonance

TAAKE'S Nomination for National Award Causes Debacle Due To Anti-Islamic Lyrics

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Geo·dissonance: the metal movement is proliferating to all corners of the globe. In its relentless display of vitriolic truths and the ugliest questions of existence, we can hear the resounding riffs of heavy metal in the most conservative pockets of society. As your Punjabi, riff-worshiping correspondent, I've created Geodissonance to report the controversy: as metal unveils dissonance in cradles of brutality around the world.

In another turn of controversial, black metal events, Taake was nominated for the Spelleman Award: the Norwegian incarnate of the American Grammy, or British Brit Award. Given the band's overtly anti-religious sentiments and racist symbols on stage, the national recognition has rubbed many citizens the wrong way. The general upsurge of anger, resentment, and anti-xenophobic sentiments has galvanized Taake fans, as well as Spelleman judges, from the rest of the nation. But the larger than life, European fanbase of Taake implies that the controversy will only continue to proliferate, bringing to question how far "too far" is, in the context of freedom of expression. Despite all of this, judges of the committee have expressed no regret towards their nomination of Taake, declaring that, "[we] enjoy full freedom of expression in Norway, and a Spellemann jury is not going to censor content in any way."  (more…)