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Death metal - a big joke or something more serious?

cmon dont take this seriously. if youre a real metal fan you know how funny this is. since metal was born, people have tried to destroy it... they just can't.They even sent it to court. by the way what if i want to be a satanist? i have FREEDOM TO DO IT. and... if you wanna criticize metal fans, why dont you take hip hop and rap and do something about it? that music openly invites you to drug and shoot people. HAIL SVARTMASTEN OG LUNDRAMYSTROLLET \m/
metallico

First lets catagorize the Genre correctly, then discect the lyrics and meaning of the song. Heavy Metal has got Dozens of Genre. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Music is one of the best forms to express your self. Initially it was considered that Bands like Iron Maiden was propogating messages of Satan. Now the Death Metal Bands are being Targetted. This is Bad. Civilization is really degrading. But Metal will always Live and Rule this world.
Mangalore Vinay (Bangalore, India)

I personally listen to a lot of heavy metal and other formsof extreme music. I can understand how as a form of entertainment it could influence the attitudes of those with pre-disposed psychological problems or homicidal tendencies. I for one, do not feel the need to materialize the aggression found in heavy metal into acts of violenceagainst others. Nor do I feel that it is justified to blame the music for the wrong-doings of my own or others. There are and always will be a small minority of those who taint the name of metal music, whether it be through creating anti-social/religiousideaologies in music or commiting acts of violence against others. I also find that people who judge metal music as being entirely satanic and misanthropic arepigeon-holing it rather thandigging deeper and reading between the lines to interpret the real message.There have been artists in the metal genre who have tried to spread the philosophy of 'negativity does not prevail', one suchperson would be the late Chuck Shuldiner of the bandsDeath and Control Denied. His lyrical focus was primarily based around aspects of life's lessons and how to remain positivein the face of negativity and true evil. For those whojudge metal music purely forit's "evil" image, I challenge them to dig a little deeper and find out what it is that really makesthese disoriented kids tick.My personal view is that these kids misinterpret the music, completely miss the point and by their own design, turn into murderousmisfits. Although I do not classify my self as a christian, I do believe that Christ existed and thatHe was someone who in all intents and purposes was the embodiment of unconditional love and compassion in the flesh. He tried to make the world a better place for us to live, which is what we all need to do to progress as a race. So please stop judging each other and try to understand what is happening around you. We areall in the same boat whetheryou like it or not folks!!.
JC

I have been into metal & death metal since I was 6, I am no 41, the music has nothing to do with satanism. What about Charles Manson this music was not even about when he Commited his acts.
johnnyp

Alright, first of all, Slayer isnt Death Metal . PLEASE get some culture. Slayer is a thrash metal band and the lead singer is an open christian. its only kerry king(guitarrist) the atheist. Alrighgt now for the meat and potatoes. Most death metal ISNT SATANIC. that's BLACK METAL . God , cant you do some research? most satanists , and i mean REAL satanists are not metalheads. thats just a stereotype. i agree black metal isnt the best kind of music... but is not always about morbid subjects.Bands like mayhem should be controlled, but not eliminated. i mean, it isnt heavy metal, its society who rejects us that makes some zealots of the genre turn to killers. if you didnt stereotype us so much you would realize most metalheads have more manners and do better in school than other kids. what about gangs? uh? and drug dealers? UH? what do they do about them : the answer is nothing because they're afraid. so they pick it up against rock and metal fans , including skaters. many kids smoke weed at school and noone makes a big deal out of it... many children get killed by other subcultures each day and because some mentally ill extremist likes metal and does something bad then we get stereotyped. death means peace for us . for black metalheads satan is freedom, god is slavery. if that is what they like to believe, fine, but dont pick on them just because its a small group. Finally, i never thought i would get such an article with so many data errors on it. oh ! by the way in the 90's only 7+ churches were burned. not 40 . lets get real. thanks and H_A_I_L___M_E_T_A_L!!ps: i am a catholic. real christians are not meant to be attacking everyone. "if someone hits you in the cheek, offer them te other one" start worrying about becoming better christians.
REAL METALHEAD

Bands like slayer and deicide are musical athletes! And people should really look into what being a satanist means before they through it around. It certainly has nothing to do with self mutilation or human sacrifice. C'mon people get a grip and start taking responsibilty for the ills in our society instead of reaching for the most convenient scape goat.
dedicated2metal

"I love your music and i am a good catholic and go to church every sunday you should really research christianity and its rituals before you write your lyrics about my faith again your music is really entertaining some of the lyrics arent the nicest and offend catholics"Well that's the whole point isn't it? To offend people like you who actually believe christianity's garbage. As much as I dislike CoF, I'd rather read a book dedicated to pretentious rubbish than fictional rubbish
Ciaron Ó Dochartaigh

this is wrong death metal and satanism are completely different your choice of music doesn't control your life
...

I think the BS about metal is wrong metal is a genre of very heavy rock and roll with the best guitar work and the fastest double bass players in the world. The assholes who thke the lyrics and the atmosphere of this very entertaining music seriously are stupid brainless retards who need to learn that this subgenre of black and death metal is just for entertainment. Qouting cradle of filths lyrics"the blood of jesus is the wine of the dead and the drunken angels bleed with incest. Now some catholics like me would look at that and say blasphemy but if you look at it as the entertaining way it is nothing but very vile toungue in cheek humor bleed with incest he means it is not right to drink some one elses blood but what danni doesnt know is that the wine sybolizes blood it is not real blood duhh. Danni filth as much as I love your music and i am a good catholic and go to church every sunday you should really research christianity and its rituals before you write your lyrics about my faith again your music is really entertaining some of the lyrics arent the nicest and offend catholics. going to the next subject I do not think the music made those kids murder those other kids. you see God gives us freewill, freewill to listento what ever music you want the music doesnt make a killer the freewill of the person makes this happen if you want to take somones life God dives you the freewill to do so. So all is i am trying to say idiots is that metal does not make a killer or a satinist the option of freewill does. Praise the Lord!!!!
Metal head

Death metal is just clean fun. Saying people can't listen to death metal is like saying people can't watch horror movies. The one thing I'll say is, don't let idiot who take it seriously listen to it.
Bob

Hehehe... Cradle of Filth Death Metal? Slayer Death Metal, hell, Marilyn Manson even? Cradle is sort of.. Melodic BM, Slayer is Thrash and Marilyn Manson is just Shock Rock! They've really tried to make it look spectactular, calling it Death Metal, while all they're really after is Black Metal (a name which hasn't got 'Death' in it), which goes hand in hand with symbolic satanism (I'll get back on that). The murders were committed by Black Metal-fans with mental issues, I would say (I am a Black Metal-fan myself, but I would never be able to kill someone, and my home situation is fine :) This text doesn't give me the impression they've done a lot of research. And I've never seen depressive BM lyrics ever in my life. Mostly, the lyrics are proud. Black Metal showed my that I should be proud of myself, proud of being who I am. Satan in this context is simply a symbol for denying God, being the enemy of God, standing alone, not actually believing in Satan. Violent and satanic (though symbolically), yes, but never depressive or about suicide. Oh wait, they're just blending the features of Death and Black together here. I'm sorry, but I can't take them seriously here. Nor do I think music is the cause of the deaths. Like Paul Jeffrey here said, 'Death Metal doesn't kill people, people kill people.' This whole discussion is a joke.
Hypnoziz

Heavy Metal music - regardless of how extreme the lyrical content is - is not something designed to influence people to torture or sacrifice others or whatever. It's primarily about rebellion. We live in a Christian country - so satanic lyrics offend, the more anti-christian the greater offence is caused. The more extravagant a band becomes (eg MayheM) the more interested people become, either has fans or an ignorant closed minded majority who believe that a little bit of satan talk will lead to the mass genocide of God-fearers. It's about making a statement. If the world was predominately Pagan (for example)then they would probably compose to the glorification of Christ. Those who actually partake in murder et al probably do so because they have their own personal mental health, eg Death's (MayheM)suicide was down to the fact that he suffered from depression. I have listened to all sorts of metal for years now and I have never had the urge to burn down a church or sacrifice one of my friends to a horned god. Death Metal doesn't kill people, people kill people.
Paul Jeffrey

im sure there are plenty of murderers who listen to other kinds of music, its just that its easy for the press to be able to point at the big, noisy, hairy, tattooed, black-Tshirted weirdos and point and say "hey look everyone! they're the bad guys"
sligo-thrasher666

People are stupid.If metal doesn't 'influence' them, it'll be films, games, or even things in the news.
Anon

This kids only want to be heard, and even if this has been denied, this dark metal music develops their dark side. We, the parents, should listen to them more and make them understand the risk and choices they have.
Linda Bandry

Personally i don't think people who are not even remotely interested or that don't know about metal as a genre should comment on the supposed 'darkness' of its content. And it's quite obvious that the person who wrote this article is neither interested, nor cares about anything other than sensationalising a problem which does not exist. Yes the music is aggressive, and yes the lyrics are unorthodox but it is certainly not as bad as the mainstream culture, which doesn't exactly encourage kids to stay in school and have an education, i think that's more worrying than someone growling into a microphone. I am an avid fan of black and death metal, and, to be completely honest, if i hadn't found out about metal, and more importantly Cradle Of Filth i actually wouldn't be in school now, studying for my A levels.
Toni

This article is appalingly inaccurate. I'm not irate but I just think it's a very poor presentation of two very different musical genres (sub genres non-withstanding) and a poor representation of fans of extreme metal.“No-one can contradict me when I say that Heavy Metal and Satanism are closely linked."That is nothing short of insulting. I could say a lot more on the attitude adopted, the condescending manner and the prejudiced world-view, but alas, not on the interwebzNot to be pedantic but too many people make the mistake (mostly due to their own level of ignorance) of branding Slayer as a death metal band. They are a thrash metal band, with very little imagination lyric-wise.
Ciaron Ó Dochartaigh

is there any point? im a death metal fan and i havent been driven into insanity. yes i am pagan, yes i wear upside down crosses and pentagrams, but im not suicidal. that type of stuff just fascinates me so. You think it's ok to blame music? you cant BAN music. music comes from the soul, it can help release anger and fustration. there have been similar stories from the daily mail blaming My Chemical Romance for the suicdie of Hannah Bonds. However there wasn't any solid evidence to prove this theory. this is unfair to the artists that have undergone a lot of work to create such songs. I write poems and songs to feel better...which is also what musicians do. i am against this strongly. and i do not think that the media should keep blaming music and death metal bands for muders and suicides when they do not have any solid evidence. So basically, everybody needs to wake up and listen to the lyrics again. I was suicidal but Cradle Of Filth came along and it helped me through alot. the media and government should focus on other reasons as to why suicides are happening...people who listen to this music get bullied and there are very vilolent threats are being used. cases like these need to be thought through very thouroughly, not just scam through and say " its the music that look! it contains death and rape, oh deary me" its just not fair and as you say: "The parents of Elyse Marie Pahler took Slayer to a California court in a failed attempt to ban the sale of this kind of music to children, after their daughter was murdered by Slayer fans obsessed with Satanism." this could've been caused by anger and rage, and needed to put the blame on the music as they may have been concerned about this for sometime.I conclude, this is insane, unfair, and untrue
Alexandria

i'm doing project for music about blaming music for suicides amounts teens, as i feel it is a major subject that needs to be put across. i came across this and it's really annoyed to think that so many people blame this sort of music for it. i feel that people need to stop stereotyping and get the facts right, it is not musics fault that we have teenage suicides, its there state of mind, its the fact they feel misunderstood and feel they have no one to talk to. we need to listen to each other rather blaming something that has nothing to do with what is actual going on.
stephanie

Would just like to point out that pretty much everything you mentioned is actually to do with the black metal scene. Death metal is one of the metal scenes where none of the artists have ever been arrested for murder, and most of the lyrics aren't about satan. To most there won't be any difference in the sound, but as a Christian who is into death metal (and not black metal) I feel I need to point this out. Besides, death metal is far more brilliant musically!
Simeon

To quote dani filth in the january 2008 edition of revolver magazine "love is the most important message but it gets fucking boring when you listen to britney spears go on about it mindlessly in song after song. Wheres the wisdom in that? Whats going to inspire your child to go out and start using their brain? Kids i talk to today that listen to black metal are way more clued in than half the kids i knew growing up" seriously nobody freaked out this badly when madonna burned crosses in her music videos.nobody was concerned for their childs life when sinead o connor tore up the Popes photo. So why start the witch hunt now?"what other music genre speaks to so many different aspects of culture ,history,mythology,religon,politics? You name it and its in heavy metal." ive personally learned loads from cof. If it wasnt for them i wouldnt have gotten into lord byron. If it wasnt for the norwegian metal scene i wouldnt have looked into mythology. Metal is here to stay and i will never stop listening!
Karlie

i used to listen to rock b4 and i wnt lie it was one of the most deprssng times of my life , lstning to death metal was like tckng a drug my pain was understood by the music and it made me hate everything around me more and more before i knew i became this monster, after my phase of death meatl i have become a new person , i hated the world before and i felt as if i was alone in this world but as i stopd lstning to death meatal i put myself out there and found out tht hey im not alone i have life and im not going to hate it because the music i listen to tells me too..
imaan

DEATH METAL IS SOMETHING LIKE A MONSTER,HAS BEEN KEPT FOR ALONG TIME AND FINALLY RELEASED..IT'S ABOUT MUSIC WHICH MAKES YOU FEEL IT..U SHOULD NOT GO FOR EVIL THINGS IF U UNDERSTAND WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT..I'M ALSO REFFERING TO OTHER KIND OF METAL SCENES LIKE DOOM/GOTHIS ETC.. I KNOW IT SOUNDS DEPRESSED AND EVIL BUT IT HAS ALOT OF TRUTH IN IT..IT'S THE REALITY OF THIS WORLD, BUT UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF THE BANDS HAVE IT DIPLAYED IN THE WRONG WAY I MEAN FOR FANS TO INTERPRET IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY..METAL MUSIC IS ABOUT PHILOSOPHY,WORLD ISSUES,UNDER WORLD THOUGHTS,REASONS OF DEPRESSION,SADNESS AND AGONY.AS FOR ME I'M A METAL FAN,WHO DEVOTED MOST OF TIME JUST TO LISTEN AND LEARN MORE ABOUT METAL SCENES..PERSONALLY I DON'T LIKE BLACK,OR DEATH METAL..I PREFFER GOTHIS AND CLASSIC ROCK..FOR ME IT'S GINUINE AND NOURISHING.EVIL REGARDS.
JAMES

ahh, what's everybody complaining about? this kind of cheap press is good for the metal business!!\m/,
shawn

Death metal is just a music genre murders are from the more mentally unstable fans i myslef am a fan of death metal and black metal and have never felt like it is my duty to murder people or sacrifice anyone to satan!
Lilith

It's not the black metal music that influences kids, it's more to do with their own life like, up-bringing, past experiences and their mental state. Its just music! dani Filth isnt asking u to murder or rape! Hes just expressing himself. I am a metal and black metal fan, and im the most sweetest person you'll ever come across! however cuz i listen to black meta, i get picked on at college, get called a satanist, get called damien-ette, and my mum has pratically diss-owned me! So there, leave metal bands alone! if anything its the none-metal fans wuth the problem...
Leanne

HAHA! Whoever wrote this article should at least research the subject first - Cradle of Filth are not death metal, they arent even black metal any more. Slayer are not death metal, they are thrash metal. Marilyn Manson is NOT death metal.The article is also published with the casual racism often typical of our british press; "So there's the (tongue-in-cheek?) British version .... and then there's Europe." Typical assumption that we are somehow morally superior to other countries. I've been a Black Metal fan for a while now and i've never felt any need to go and kill someone or commit a "satanic ritual" etc. despite listening to the "controversial bands" like Mayhem, Burzum and Emperor.Also i think the fact that many of these bands are so popular means they are going to, in their hundreds of thousands have fans, have a few nut-jobs.Surely attacking a form of music which actually fetishises and encourages realistic violence such as homophobia, sexism, drug abuse and gun crime such as rap would have been a better idea?
Will

i dnt think metal is satan;its jst a diffrent taste of music which has diffrent taste.coz being a metal fan its nothing abouit satanism bt its all about music.
kurrupt kapil

Music cannot convince people who, before listening to the music, have no intentions of murder or rape or satanism, to perform said acts. Those who do participate in such acts, have previous mindsets of such behavior, the music only puts it into words and makes those of weak minds "believe" it is ok....but with or without the music....eventually something would set these people off
Brandon Marks

I have no idea how I came across this article.But I'm amazed how there are trying to blame entertainers for these kids.Where were the parents didn't they notice there children was into santanism?Isn't the mother and father suppose teach there kids right from wrong,to have a one on one relationship with there child and know who there friends are?I'm sorry, a parent notices if there child has Jeffory Domer traits and is insane.I feel sorry for all the people involved in these murders.But where I come from parents are responsible for how there kids turn out not entertainers.
Margaret

I am a metal fan. I know all the bands mentioned above; satanic, crude, violent and all. The music has power. How that power effects people is dependant upon the individual. To see me in the street, you would guess my tastes, but would not realise that i am a professional chef and write poetry. Although i have tried "knife-play" i found myself feeling a little silly. I have read Eliphas Levi and something that claimed to be Necronomicon; both were good for nothing but philosphy and Sumerian dogma. Don't take it too seriously. people will get hurt.
David

BBC news is totally wrong...Death metal, black metal, and satanic metal are all just entertainment and dont force people to do anything...its people with weak minds who get sucked into the murders, sex, and what not as did the retards called 'beasts of satan.'
Chris

Even though it goes without saying that the bands make convienient scapegoats I must admit I find all of this disheartening.I do personally know all of the band members for the COF crew. They are pleasant, well spoken, well mannered entertainers. Dani's lyrics are poetical and clever and those that actually do manage to border on grotesque are intended to shock people who don't get them, but by no measure would he compose something in the hopes of being the catalyst to a heinous crime. People that do not remain open-minded enough to 'get' black metal are far too expedient in its' condemnation. Tom Araya from Slayer is a great guy and a devout family man. His onstage personna and controversial lyrics are part of an act, an entertainment that has manifested into a successful career. He would also never want to see somebody harmed because of music he made. You cannot blame the music of either Cradle of Filth, Slayer or any other band out there. Music is an outlet, not an instigator and it is all subject to interpretation. If you are mentally unwell as these 'metal fans' who enacted these crimes must have been, it won't matter what the soundtrack playing in the background is. Look at Nathan Gale, it was not the music of Damageplan that caused him to become a murderer of 4 people and then be killed himself. We now know he was determined to be mentally unstable before that tradgedy took place. If he'd been receiving treatment perhaps we would not all have lost Dimebag and the other victims. I highly doubt it would have been sufficient to just confiscate his Pantera/Down/Superjoint Ritual albums! Please, let's see this for what it is and that is NOT the responsibility of metal bands!
Melissa

Get your facts right, do more research on your subjects before writing the article you idiots. This article is extremely biast.
Harley

Again, metal becomes a scapegoat.To quote marilyn manson-'I would have listened to the kids, because noone else did'
Jack

death metal is a genre of music, Cradle of Filth aren't evil, satanic, people who sacrfice things or torture people, my uncle knows them quite well and has met many members personally and claims "quite nice for death metallers" so don't blame these murders on a genre of music, although some people might go as far to do such a terrible thing."This comment coming from a young Teen-Goth"
sam hartley

I believe death metal is wonderful and should (will, I should say) never be forgotten. Especially not with someone as great in what he does as Daniel Davey. :]
Amanda

I really like Cradle of Filth Because Dani Filth Is The Best!!!
Goth Grumpy Bear

I did laugh when they labled "Slayer, Iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath" as Death Metal...Slayer - progressive thrash metalIron Maiden - heavy metalBlack Sabbath - metalDeath Metal bands - Dying Fetus, Decapitated, Cannibal Corpse, Decrepit Birth, Discorge, Monstrosity etc etcThe only thing the BBC has done about this is commercialized this genre of music, so in all fairness these bands are now laughing because they hit the news headlines and just became 100% better off congratulations BBC you've just advertised the music i love most :)
Matt "Exhumed" Sharring

Well, in all fairness these "people" are just looking for an excuse as to why the murders happend... The fact of the matter is, you have to have it in-you to do it in the first place. End of story.
Matt "Exhumed" Sharring

well..i wanna say a thing..why don't the state and the media try to hinder only a kind of music..metal?why metal?? Other genres talk about sex and other things..anyway i know they (media,state and christians)need something WRONG to try hinder metal..and about the wrong ideas about "metal's link with satanism" i think only an insignificant part of them that listens to black/death/heavy/satanic metal is gonna kill some1..the ones who already did it?..well they were(or perahps are still)insane..I love Cradle of Filth and goth/black metal but i'm not a murderer and i don't believe satan...so for the readers..STOP CONSIDRING ALL OF THE FAN OF EVERY KIND OF METAL AS CRAZY KILLERS
Shadow Ghost

Has nobody noticed irony the BBC's poor genre definition and anti-metal bias aside. Death metallers are being condemmned for putting time into creating great music and appreciating ART (which is what it is, not anything more sinister), most probably spending their time practising an instrument, whilst clubbers listening to "innocent" dance music get drunk every weekend, start fights and sleep around yet theres no contreversy about that style of music.
Lord of the Shred

Count Ghost, yes Cradle are look at Wikipedia Dani said you can call it for any metal you want
Crour

deicide rule!!obviously the best death metal bandwhy no mention of cannibal corpse though when they are the most popular?not everyone that listens to death metal (or black metal) kill people, just some people who need therapy...
Ash

bull what?? oh right.... people have beliefs, some put it in music, blues guitarist Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul to the devil, people in metal sacrificing living things, people, animals, to the devil, but not all of them, a lot of them will probably tell you its all just entertainment.... thats the word i will trust, the artist, no matter who obscure the music might be, dont believe the media, they are a second person to it all, they could be lying to you, hell so could i....believe what you hear by the man himself and no one else
resisthexcept

Most of bands named are not Black metal. BBC get your facts straight thanks. Secondly, the example of those kids murdering their friends. I think theres a load more people torturing others who listen to Dianna Ross.
Black Society

Let your children bring home pentagrams....listen to black and death metal...and embrace all the darker elements of life. Cradle Of Filth happens to be my favorite band and I have never tortured, murdered, or made a pact with the devil. You have no right to scrutinize the beliefs of others people. God Bless.
Sarah Rose

im sorry but most of the bands they named are not death metal despite calling them that and no cradle of filth is and was not black metal at most you could say goth metal and no you are not going to burn a church or sacrifice someone by listening to black/death/heavy/satanic metal unless you are already kinda screwed up(and let me make this clear Immortal is the best Black Metal band ever and if you say otherwise well then its your own stupid opinion \m/ rock on)
gamerfreak666

Cradle of Filth are not Black metal, nor is Black metal anything to do with Satan.Black metal is about promoting Pagan Ancestral ideology. We pagans do not believe in Satan.Oh yeah, and Cradle of Filth are crap anyway
Disciple of the Ancestor Gods

Lord Azrael is correct, Cradle are not black metal and dani has said that himself. The fact its hard to catergorise CoF shows that they are unique, even if you may feel different Cradle are still one of the most influential bands around in metal. If you want black metal buy some Burzum :p And all hail to Satan!
Count GHoSt

this is stupid...
tatjana

cradle of filth is not black metal. they are fans of black metal, but never were or ever will be black metal. i am an avid black metal fan and listen to it daily. the ppl who listen to it and then decide to kill ppl, are mentally ill or delusional. i wear inverted crosses, pentagrams, corpse paint and am a satanist, but i am a normal person like everyne else. black metal and death metal are completely different. black metal is very anti-christian and violent while death metal is faster, and focuses mainly on death, mutilation, blood, gore and anything else disturbing t the mass media.
lord azrael

I'm a practicing Christian and have been listening to Death Metal for a while now. My main standpoint is that the lyrics themselves are not harmful, but the state of mind of the person who listens to them is. I have no problem with lyrics about gore and necrophilia (it is meant in jest after all), but satanist lyrics are definitely dangerous and can influence you whether you think they can or not. It is also important to point out that not all Death Metal songs are to do with gore or satan. The BBC seems to have generalised the whole genre a bit. I say it's definitely not as big a deal as people believe it to be, but you should listen to other types of music aswell. I should also say that many people are attracted to Death Metal because of the highly skilled guitar and drum work, not becaue of the lyrical content at all.
Rich

It's just a cathartic art form, nothing more-it is a vehicle by which people can exorcise their frustrations and pent-up negative energies. I have been a metalhead for nearly a decade and a half and am a better person for it.
TW

To Damascus: It's all I listen to, all day, all the time, for several years now. In those years I have consistently: volunteered for the red cross due to the fact I can't give blood, have completed many hours of volunteer community service, attended church regularly, have gotten multiple awards for doing well in school (along with perfect attendance), held a job, received awards for quality of work at my job, and have been emotionally content and well balanced in my perspectives of the world. I think you already have to be mentally unbalanced to be affected by music in any form. Besides, the man who killed John Lennon loved The Beatles, and Hitler was known to have a deep affection for classical music. I don't really think it matters what you listen to, I think it's who you are that will dictate your actions. Oh wait, I just suggested something that no one wants to turn to, personal responsibility! Gasp!
Tyler

For the record, Theres a difference between "Death Metal" and "Black metal" thats not emphasised here. They come from different countries have different philosphies even their versions of satanism have different theologies... ye shouldnt gloss over that and pretend they are the same thing. I dont think theres a norwiegan that would gladly say hes an American.Music is music though, people said all this stuff about the beatles and probably 100 other bands before them and the same will be said of 100 other bands after Mayhem and Deicide too. For aslong as failed parents refuse to accept responsibility for not raising their children right.
ArdRi79

I love death metal but I'm not a idiot I never had any thoughts on killing people I just had a morbid outlook on life
Stephen Joll

carmen irviaI hate this music I'm christian and in other times of my life I love this band but Jesus coming to me and save me of all the madness. How deliciously intelligent all these people are. I should just bow down and trust whatever they have to say. *rolls eyes*
Tyler

cradle of filth are my favorite band and i think its stupid that you just think you can blame everything on media it was the sam thing with marilyn manson and the columbine high school massacre you tried blaming the murders on manson yet if they were stevie wonder or cliff richard fans nothing would be done be done because a lot of normal people like them and they dont have the image and the background that manson and cradle do and if anything cradle and manson fans are happy to not be like everyone else, so STOP BLAMING MEDIA!!!!
sam willis

I hate this music I'm christian and in other times of my life I love this band but Jesus coming to me and save me of all the madness.
carmen irvia

rihanna covered in metallic paint in that umbrella video is black metal at its finest.
the italian jobbie

I luv death metal its not all bad most of the bands aren't satanists anyways!!
Sam B

good outlet of anger,we all need it
Mohit

Grow up bbc C.O.F is da best.
Davieboi

excuse me but yeah you can get some people who will go by any lyrics that come out of a musicans mouth but i listen to death metal and ive not murdered anyone, everyone seems to think just because songs talk about death it means were all gonna kill each other, there are massive groups of people ot there who are killing people and they dont listen to death metal. Have you forgot about the majority of people being part of gun crimes who are major fans of rap? rap artists constantly go on about guns so why are you doing a report on that? cradle of filth are not sitting in the concerts and saying, "by the way, you must go and kill each other" it is totally unfair that you are only labelling one type of music when there is a genre of music which is encouraging children to be involved in guns. i think you need to get your facts right in the above information you have on this site and you really need to no what your talking about because you obviously dont.
Ashley

DEATH METAL RULES!
Rim

Any young person who follows the blatantly wrong example of someone is an idiot. Metal is about music, and that's purely what it's about. The frightening lyrics are meant to keep it out of mainstream spotlight, because almost every mainstream musician plays disgustingly simplistic music that degrades the face of true art. I study music structure quite intensively, and most metal musicians are among the most talented musicians on this planet. They just don't want to part of a decaying society that places value in physical appearance, wealth, and social status instead of moral integrity, and creating true art.
Tyler

hya i dnt sees the piont on put sick stuff on the internet because young people moight follow there examples !!!!!!!:(:( x
ellie bby

Yeah some metal is most definatly satanic (You'd have a hard time arguing deicide isn't). But most aren't hell some are openly christian, and even promote christianity, bands like demon hunter, still remains and others. So it's definatly unfair to label all heavy/black metal as satanic, and most of these people who comit these murders are mentally unstable anyway, normally they are people who shouldn't be allowed near plastic butter knifes, let alone metal
Tom

Whoever thinks that death metal and black metal bands are satanic seriously needs their head tested. Death Metal bands like Obituary, Deicide, Morbid Angel, Death, Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation and Nile are NOT satanic. Nile incorporate Egyptian themes into their songs, and are damn good at it as well, while black metal bands like Emperor, Mayhem and Gorgoroth all boast anti-Christian themes with atmospheric and pagan music to create a dark sense of forboding. They even stand by the church-burning incidents in the early 90's, obivously i would never ever do that in England. And just for the record, Cradle of Filth ARE NOT black metal, and Slayer are thrash metal. Tom Araya of Slayer is Catholic and admits that their music is a form of art on Metal: A Headbangers Journey. For me, death and black metal is a form of escapism from this messed-up world, so learn to love it!
Alex

Labeling metal as satanic......hmm its a constant string of governments needing to focus the blame off of themselves....why is rap not consider satanic also? I mean I'v heard tons of rap songs about ppl kiling one another....these simple people crucify metal for the way the look..they stand out from the rest of society....i am sixteen a teenager like the ones they talk about in this little article here...death metal and black metal bands make this music as a fantasy world....its a way to escape from the brady bunch worl we are supposed to live in...it doesnt go any further than that...these kids who take this music literall need to grow up and look at themselves and realise it is just music....its not a handbook to murder and satanism and the parents of the kids who crucify the music need to look at it the same way.....metal is for everyone wether they are emotionally stable or not..
Wishfull Thinking

Everybody should check out top 10 most ridiculous black metal pictures on internet.Black metal bands are just trying to be tougher than the older bands, without noticing that they are making them selves look like idiots. Satanic stuff IS NOT Merchandise.
rob zombie fan

most of the above is false, i would not class slayer as death metal! and its only the minority of the fans that are violent! also i have a few death metal albums which are actuly done by christians! how can someone claim they have researched DM? these people dont understand this music. im a big fan of deicide, filth, mayhem, gorgorth and cannibal corpse, but dont feel depresd or suicidal. in fact when i am DM calms me down. like at the moment im roaring along to deicide's: kill the christian! ¥
ironfist666

Its all an act....its lunatics like this that take it so serious.........I dont know how in a million yrs you can take a babnd like cradle of filth serious
NO

For your info and correction "deathmetaler", Cradel of Filth is gothic metal, Lamb of god is groove metal, and Job for a Cowboy is currently death metal (formerly death core which is death metal and metal core. True death metal is Carcass, Death, Sepultura (old), Nile, Morbid Angel are a few examples. Lamb of god and Job for a cowboy are okay, but get your metal genres straight.
Ryan

\m/
keep it me(n)tal

STUPID kids killing themselves can't controll life and music and crdle of filth is not black metal or death metal,it's an extreme metal band
MARC

death metal is ALL about the music and people's talent...screw the idiots that do dumb stuff like kill other people and also the people who don't understand death metal
mario

wow.... however wrote this article obviously didn't do to much research because Cradle of Filth is a BLACK METAL band not a death metal band!
Morgan

Music is there for intertainment it's just there to listin to not to change people or blame on for bad things that some people do if you say that it dose well that means there was something already wrong with that person.
Killer J

Death metal is not intended to drive people to kill or sacrifice. it is intended for enjoyment. there is no reason for people to think that it makes people kill. It is not a joke and it's never going to change. Of course, bands like In Flames, and Fear Factory change their type of music to be more "Radio friendly," but they arent true metal. Bands like morbid angel, cannibal corpse, guttural secrete, exhumed, and vital remains are real "Good" bands. If the music is going to be brutal and fast, the lyrics should be the same way. No body wants to listen to extreme music when the lyrics are about flowers, love, and "cute" things. It's not going to happen. Black Metal is more satanic then death metal. This article should not have been written, but it was. It should have ateast been about black metl instead. Bands like Mayhem, Dissection, 1349, Gorgoroth, and Marduk are way more satanic then any death metal band I've ever heard. I agree that you don't have to sing about satan to be cool, but it dosent hurt. Lots of bands sing about sorrow, death, despair, and darkness. Satan is usually grouped with these themes, but there not about him. When you turn off the lights in a room, do you think... "Satan?"
Malik of Vancouver, Washington, US band Black Char

I read this article and was frustrated with the petulance against Death metal. i think what makes people listen to this music (like me) is the community and peers. If young kids/early teens were not oppressed by bullies they wouldn't have to express they`re anger in music. I am 15 years old, and i am listening to death metal for 2 years. I started listening just because i was frustrated with the bullies that were just annoyed with my intelligence and tolerance. This music is the only thing that is currently keeping me alive and self-confident. Just cause i listened to brutal lyrics i became strong enough, to become a fear to many bullies. If i listen to "evil" music does not mean that i am satanic or some freak. Ok all you religious parents, you can now forget this logical thread, cause i have to go kill myself, cause the devil told me so ;PP
Deather

cradle of filth is the best band to have hit the music industry
juggalo Twitch

dude, some people just are extremeist and take this to far. i think people should just stop focusing on "death" metal, and start focusing on more SERIOUS issues. when i think of death metal i think of Job For A Cowboy, Lamb of God, of Cradle Of Filth. most death metal lyrics dont even deal with such satanism or things of that nature. and for one, i do death metal, im a vocalist, i write those lyrics, i dont say any such thing that sounds like satanism. some of you peopl need to grow up and get a life. now please ecuse me while i go turn on of my "devil" music and perform my satanistic rituals.
deathmetaler

the peple who think music is the cause of violence are stupid. i enjoy black metal, death metal, and thrash metal. one ove my favorite bands is Nile. i know they arent mentioned in the article, but i bet if someone was to hear them for the first time and not have any knowledge of them, they would think they are a satanic death metal band. pure ignorance. lyrics on mytholigy and some of the greatest guitar work ever. as for the murders, i aggree with everyone who says they most likely already have a serious mental issue.exuse my spelling.
misanthropy

is my life ,dream ,future, food ,shelter, clothes, gal, money, sex, everthing inhe world
sovar

Well ... death metal is not a problem at all its just that some people who listen to it might have a hidden aggression or just mental but its the same for any type of music u will still get the odd few who just take it that little bit too farp.s .. squishmitten
leezeph mc sneezeph

God is only way...Believe me because I was true black metaler...now I still listen metal but just the bands like Korn, LP, P.O.D., A Perfect Circle and maybe sometimes a few songs of SlipKnoT!
Metal Angel

Once again, the mainstream media chooses sensationalism over journalistic integrity. Some fact-checking wouldn't hurt either; five seconds on google would inform you what genre slayer is. By all means though, continue pandering to the lowest common denominator, BBC.
The Voice of Reason

Death metal is serious and i am really into it along with grindcore. i believe that this aint right ... not everyone is like this ... i mean like i have frineds who are into death metal but none of them want to go round killing people to please satan ... these people are clearly disturbed if they kill people for satan
Udie

It's a serious form of highly complex music. The focus of Metal especially Death Metal is the music not the lyrics, otherwise the singing would be more coherent. The ideas behind the music are not relevant, it's the quality of the music. Black Metal is different but then it's mainly not very good, just people failing to play death metal. There are christian death metal and black metal bands which just proves that it's only a style of music not an ideology. There are millions of metal fans out there and yet just because mentally unbalanced people interpret things literally it causes hysteria, if the music truly caused people to kill each other then you would see a lot more murders as opposed to these anomalies.
Jon

Although it's a somewhat balanced article, the fact that in the first paragraph, they mention Iron Maiden in the same breath as death metal and being obsessed with Satan, speaks volumes about how little the author even knows about the subject he is writing about.And the one parent saying that ALL metal is linked to Satan without question is completely false. People with those types of misinformed opinions are a monumental reason why the prejudices against fanatasy style music still exist today. Tell Metallica or Megadeth or any of the hardcore acts today that they are satanists and I'm sure you'll get a hearty chuckle out of them. And the recent increase in Christian influenced hardcore (As I lay Dying, Underoath) adds even more texture to the world of heavy music and all it's genres.The best point stated in the article is people (kids) with pre-existing problems of any sort will certainly be subject to a greater influence of the images/lyrics.As a metal fan (educated/normal/family man) I find it frustrating when creative entertainment in the form of mucic is subjected to such prejudice, yet year after year Holywood studios crank out slasher movies one after the other and no one makes one objection. Is it the abundance of extreme music available? The sheer number of bands and the likelihood of listening to a cd over and over as opposed to watching a movie over and over? I'm not sure.
M

i feel that its all about how stable a person is to music and films affect people, if a person is mentally unstable then i feel that this sort of music may influence them bur if you are of sound mind then its just music and films x x x x x x x x
pooh bear forever

i'd just like to address the fact that the pentagram was first discovered by the catholics in pagan buildings thousands of years ago. catholics then decided to tell people that it was a demonic symbol but in actual fact it is the pagan sign for female beauty and is not demonic in any way. but still to this day it is incorrectly used in movies and the likes. so i would appreciate it if you did not use pentagrams as a demonic conatation on this page thank you.
Teilah Doyle

dani is the best
monik

i think that to some people black metal is real but other have just jumped on to be cool and ride the band wagon.
mark

I now have a happiness in my heart for people such as Daniel and Jacob. Haha, tis the point I've been vehemently trying to prove for so long.
Tyler

these people need lots of help and kids should not see this
dede

doug said: I think death metal is just like saying "I hate life. I should kill me or someone else because we will all go to hell anyway." You loser
All We Hate One And Another

Of course theres extremists everywhere. The music itself does no harm. I myself is a big fan of death-, black-, thrashmetal and goregrind, I dont really feel like killing myself or anyone else. Although sometimes idiotic comments such as dougs here makes me see reasons for such.
Jacob

this article makes me want to murder someone, its unbelievable that people can be so narrow minded and idiotic (ie. that priest). I understand his grief for his son, I having lost my mother recently, but I think he needs to accept that metal and devil worship are two very different things. Now I'm gonna listen to mayhem and burn down some churches.
Daniel

to strt with none of this is death meatl,all of the bands u have metioned are black metal.none of the bands are trying to influence people in burning churches or murdering people.
EMPTY SPIRAL

Doug, you just proved that you little to no intelligence.
Tyler

I love the band Cradle of Filth and I love my LIFE. GET OVER IT
Dave

I think death metal is just like saying "I hate life. I should kill me or someone else because we will all go to hell anyway."
doug

Ummm... Ddog? Appreciate the support, but you make it seem like death metal has no talent, and that's all about anger. Whereas most of the death metal musicians I know are very happy guys who just like the music they play. But then again, I wouldn't be surprised if your definition of death metal is Slipknot... Death metal is not supposed to be a "release" it's supposed to be a type of music made for the fans of it. If you want something to get over your depression then listen to Marilyn Manson, or some other form of mainstream metal.
Tyler

I've only just reccently turned to Death Metal and I find that is no more than a resease for teenages who have had a bad day at school or who are having a hard time with their girlfriend. It just a way for them to yell and screem without hurting the fealings of someone, just yelling to yell. There are of cource some down side with what the singers do and if people follow want they do themn there is a problem with that to. but for the inocent teenager it is an escape. I'm 16 and that's my idea.
Ddog

You know, most death metal I listen to, the most talented ones especially, have lyrics that focus on philosophical affairs. Such as the opening line of Epitaph by Necrophagist: "Leaves fall in the autumn of lives that appear worthless to some, utmost ignorant" I think that line pertains to all metalheads that are looked down upon as potential serial killers. You see, every fan of death metal that I know listens to it for the MUSIC! Lyrics in metal are considered secondary to the extreme technicality and complexity of the song structure. Ask almost any jazz fusion musician (considered some of the most technical musicians of today) and the majority will tell you that they EXTREMELY respect death metal due to the level of talent in the musicians. Only watered down simplistic music like pop and rap focuses on the lyrics. So shouldn't it be logical that the gangsta rapper up on t.v., whom all parents seem to think is good music to listen to since it's popular, when in reality they praise gang wars and drug use, should be more feared then the death metal musician who spends his time practicing sweep picking 64th notes? Society today is so incredibly idiotic.
Tyler

Indeed there is little evidence that ordinary kids can be turned into monsters by music. But academics who have studied adolescents and music have expressed concerns about the possible effects on children who already have psychological problems. Professor Don Roberts of Stanford University thinks that perhaps the children who are already violent or depressed are the people who should be kept away from death metal. "What the music may well be doing is simply reinforcing beliefs that they might have started with in the first place," he says.
dark1988

sick
Alex

Alright this is to Noone... What kind of idiot would ever think it's cool to commit vile crimes because they heard them in a death metal song? This just further proves the point that only unstable people are affected by death metal. I know plenty of people who have been exposed to death metal since the day they were born, and they are also the kindest people you'll ever meet. The only solution to this argument is this, accept death metal as a valid form of music. If you don't like it, don't listen to it, but don't bash on it either! And stop associating it with violence! As I said before, Hitler loved classical music! Does that mean we should stop exposing people to classical music when they're young!? Most scientists say that classical music helps people learn, but by your logic, it creates anti-semetic socialist psychopaths.
Tyler

Its as serious as christian rock, all religons are ways to salvage your mind of obsecurity. This satanism stuff is another example
pin

i love metal and death metal. listening to death metal does not make people kill thats just stupid. it depends on how the person thinks and what they beleive in.why does everyone say death metal is violent, look at rap and hip-hop i think its more likely to make people violent. DEATH METAL ROCKS AND WITHOUT IT MUSIC IS NOTHING
Aly

I love death metal. But I won't kill people. Hell, you can even say I'm on my way to being a very productive member of society. I had a 4.0 throughout high school and have retained 3.7 in college. I can see myself driving to a meeting in the future with my stereo blaring Arch Enemy or some such band. People who feel the need to act on the messages in the music are probably doomed from the start. If there were no metal music, I'm sure another catalyst would arise.
Carl

I am in a death metal band, and I think what people say about us (I'm referring to the death metal culture)is often pure ignorance. Seriously, why does the finger get pointed at us when, say Tupac is exalted because he was seen as a martyr for hip hop. Black metal is the European equivalent to our "gangstas", and yet any sort of attention they get from the mainstream is negative. They both use the same type of violence against women and mankind in general. So why does black metal get the short straw? Metal is scary to the idiotic mainstream perceptions of what is right and wrong. Lyrics may effect people, but when you look at those particular people, thet are generally weakminded and ignorant people. A specific few incidents cannot be blamed on on an entire community of people. Metal is not the only source of violent messages. Turn on the news, look in a newspaper, or hop on the internet and i guarantee that you will find TONS of material that could be blamed for an act of violence such as a school shooting, a war, murder rape, etc. Open your eyes and look at the real issues. Metal is the undercurrent and the underdog. Stop trying to beat us into submission with your ignorance.
Les

Seriously though, anyone who listens to metal and then shouts at these people about how you want to kill them, you're not really helping the cause.
Tyler

i think death metal may have a huge impact on us (teens) because many of us feel as if it is cool to do the things sung about in these songs i think death metal should be kept in diarys and used to let out agression but the harmful kind should never be exposed to younger kids
noone

well the way I look at it this article is such a farce! I mean, when you really believ that listening to (extreme) metal makes you kill, commit suicide and attempt self-mutilation there's obviously something very wrong with you... I mean, metal is life, a way of life, it's not just music but doesn't make people violent. I believ tha hiphop and punk music are more dangerous because hiphop generates "gangsters" and punk creates communism amongst screamy kids. METAL WILL NEVER DIE!
Robbert from Holland

Cradle Of Filth are not Death Metal, neither is Manson... -_-
LoL

While I agree with fellow metalheads about that death metal does not cause people to turn murderers, I disagree with those who said the lyrics are not meant to be taken seriously. Lyrics can be violent, but can also be taken seriously. For example, Behemoth's lyrics talks about freedom of thought and individuality. Nile's lyrics speaks about Egyptian mythology. Death metal lyrics are often diverse and thought-provoking, not just pertaining to violence and Satanism. Again, mainstream media do some research before writing anything about something.
A Nile fan

There's nothing wrong with listening to death metal, it does certainly not influence me to go hard myself or commit a crime. Death metal is just my taste of music, I call it real music. 92% on teenagers listen to rap/R&B...8% listen to real music, your probably thinkinh death metal.. REAL music jahaha??.. well compare it to a rapper, anyone can rap you just need to talk fast and get a good ryhme. Children of Bodom rule :)
Aaron

I dont think that black metal can inflence kids to commit these murders, it is not possible. These kids that commit these murders a born like that. There are loads of sick people in this world that murder people but they dont all come from one culture!! and they all dont listen to Metal. I am a huge metal fan, i first got into the scene when i was 11 and i am now 17 i have never had the urge to kill someone because of the music that i listen to. Some of these Black Metal bands are satanists but that is their religon that is what the belive in, even if they didnt play in a black metal band they will still be satanists. At the end of the day it's ENTERTAINMENT! metal music is never going to die out, doesnt matter how many murder cases get blamed on the music! METAL LIVES ON!!!
Chris

:s bit condeming, anyways cradle rock and have said that they are in no way satanists themselves, anyway you cannot blame music for turning people into satanists youd have to have something wrong with you to listen to something like cradle or some other band and think oh ill go burn a church down
jwosh

I consider myself to be a big metal fan as I listen to pretty much all types of Metal. I've spent countless hours reading books, magazines, newspapers, websites and watching documentaries about Metal and of course...listening to Metal. The people who commit these terrible deeds and crimes are not totally mentally stable to begin with. No one commits a crime because they're influenced by a band - there has to be something wrong with them to start with. A lot of the bands don't practice satanism - you hear stories but a lot of them don't live up to the imaginations of these deranged fans. Black metal gets a lot of criticism. There are maybe a few 'true' satanist devil worshippers who are in Black Metal bands but the imagery of the occult is mainly used just for the music and performance. It's hard to define 'true' satanism anyway and Black Metal is not truly Satanic. People need to fully understand these bands and their fans. I saw this documentary almost 2 years ago now and since then I've learnt a lot more about Death and Black Metal. I can now say that a lot of it features assumptions and is full of false accusations. Metal is all about the music. Thats what draws the crowds in. The Music is the most important thing to any Metal fans heart, not the imagery. Most people can listen to a song about murder and NOT go out and kill somebody. Those that do already have a mental condition which causes them to commit the crime. Metal doesn't make murder. An excellent point raised about the current trends of Gangster hip hop and rap music. Look at the vast majority of lyrics and visual imagery of that! Guns, Sex, Drugs and Crime. Drive by shootings and pimping out women. There's already a big concern with that.
Stephen Bradbury

Yo Im mikkey and deicide are cooler than jesus
Mikey

I am a huge fan of music, I listen to jazz fusion, and classical as WELL as death metal. Most people tell me that I'm a very well spoken person, and that I'm one of the brightest and most intelligent people they know. I plan to major in anthropology, and hopefully continue my study of music as a hobby. I must confess also, even though many of you will deny this out of self-righteous ignorance, that I am completely happy with my life. I love my family, my friends, and everything else about humanity that is beautiful. I don't stand for murder or anything of the like. And yet, I listen to death metal with extremely violent lyrics. This is because I love technical music, music with actual talent. Most death metal musicians study music intensively, and are extremely accomplished at playing difficult rhythm in non-conventional time signatures and key signatures, and at high speeds. Music is entertainment, and if you try to take away what I enjoy more than anything in the world because some unstable cretin out there decided to take it too far, then I say we take away, country, pop, rap, and all music. Just let the world sit in silence. Because the worlds most violent murderers often don't even have musical preference. Make the people responsible for their actions, not death metal musicians and their fans who most of the time are very kind people.
Tyler

Cradle of Filth don't count as a black metal band more of some gothic band.
Joahn

its good music and if people take it too far it has not got anyhing to do with the people who sing it its the people who take the words too literally that are the problem
chris

DEATH METAL is a kind of music, but some idiots believe all the things that a singer says. It depends the people that listen the music if want to kill somebody.
Manuel Ruiz Muñoz

Death metal is the best..but 99%...Satan...100%
smajli

i think that death metal is something more serious than what everyone thinks it is i think that it is great music and that they need to keep it coming
jessica

Those people who killed other people because they listened to BM or DM, are weak and/or have mental problem(s). Those who killed someone because they believe in "true satanism" (and not Anton LaVey's philosophy on satanism) and proceeded to a satanic ritual, are rather different people who think differently and live with differents values (not saying it's good or not). And why don't they blame and then forbid the politic, because it is the main cause of millions of innocent deaths during wars? That doesn't make any sense, right? This is the same for BM/DM. And the only good reason to kill somebody is strictly for self-defense. Don't blame BM or DM for influencing normal people, if you do, you are stupid. It is better to listen to metal lyrics that are about occultism, satanism, death, murder or suicide than to listening to hip hop and rap where the main subjects are abusing women, taking drugs, possessing guns or bling bling stuff, and living with a poor spiritual life and trying to do everything to get popularity ( as snobism, insult other people...etc). The Satanism is a religion(some may refer it to be a philosophy) that is about free-mind thinking, that doesn't believe in superior gods and that doesn't accept to be born as a christian and to be obligated to believe in Christianity. By the way, Slayer is more a Trash Metal band that have some roots of DM, and CoF is more like Gothic metal, and isn't BM at all.
Mollet

I listen to black and death metal all the time its not music that kills its people and human nature alot of people are driven to be a loner because to many people judge and make fun of indiffereneces and that feeds hate so rock on and understand there are people out here that love music the same way you do and yes we are out here and were never going to go away metal forever
devileater3666

i listen to black metal nearly 24/7. among my favorites are mayhem, dimmu borgir, cradle of filth, etc... so why do they always try to blame the music first? it's because they don't understand it. sometimes people need to step out from what they are comfortable with and share others perceptions and viewpoints, or at least give them a chance to be voiced. the biggest crime centering around black metal is that no one tries to understand what people are really feeling. perhaps someday... but probably not. au revoir.
tuesday666

Death metal isn't even the Satanic genre. That's most black metal. Just because someone's a metal fan doesn't mean they are a huge Christian hater. I'm a metalhead, I'm also 13 and a Roman Catholic, but neither of those things stop me from being a hardcore metal fan. Anything, absolutely anything, can drive someone to do a crazy act like murder or suicide. Metal is an exceptionally deep form of musical art, and due to it's anger, many people who are prone to these self-destructive actions come towards metal. To brand every metalhead as a Satanic murderer who burns churches, well, that's just a gross stereotype.
Suxi

Satanic lyrics are not meant to be taken seriously. Like I said eralier , It's only to entertain youtself and have fun scaring yourself. The people who do these murders and rituals most likley already have problems with depression, violence, and so on. Metal is something to also drain all of your angers and stressors out, not to fuel them. Heavy metal in general is not completly satanic. I'm a well ajusted kid and I'm not a violent person. I've never killed someone or attenpted to and never will. Metal is not a big joke but it's satanic messages are not to be serious about. Please, stop people and parents like the pmrc and trying to ban metal. Metal rules. Blaming metal bands is just a lame excuse for you or your kids problems. Those people are just arrogant and they can't admit to being wrong. You people, just grow a pair and stop being so self centered!
Ryan

I think Death metal is really cool, people shouls respect it
Linds

Death metal is art
lord kur

i like soooooooo heart BM. my favs are Cradle of FIlth, Dimmu Borgir, Svartkrist, and a bunch of others. i listen to rap and techno. i think that BM and DM are the greatest things to happen to the world apart from make-up and Gucci and Prada. (which i both wear). i shall always support Black Metal, even when half the world lozers r against it.
Lavisher Dawn

death metal is no joke its great. i like heavy metal beter but death metal is no joke i can tell you
ab

death metal is a big joke! COF are not blackmetal
f you

i dont think death metal is a joke at all. its a good way for the bands to express themselves musically and in a way that they see fit to their believes. I have been listening to death metal forever.. ever since i could remember \m/
Richard

wat a big joke they r
carol

I'm a fan of metal, and i can say that its for the angrier person due to the sound and lyrics. But, what is being said should not result in churches burning or satanic rituals. Unless you are a practising satanist through choice and beliefs than music. May sound strange, but as the box says:'Have your say'
Henry

I wouldn't go out of my way to call it something serious, but it's a little harsh to call it a big joke. When I roar, I roar from the heart, and not the throat. Music is one of the greatest influences on my life, and it shows when I sing. I sing with passion, and I love what I do. Am I ever going to go out and brutally murder my band members, or anyone for that matter? No. I may think about it, but a lot of people do. I'm just smart enough to not act on it. People that do think and do act upon their thoughts are just sick, and they're the ones that deserve to be eradicated. And if any of Valtam's fans ever do that, so be it, but from then on I will not consider them a fan, because they don't deserve it. Hailz to metalheads, and those who think metal is linked to everything bad be damned, ~Trigve
Trigve (of Massachusetts local Black Metal band Va

I have heard all of the arguments for Black Metal as I am a mother of a teen who is a believer in the genre of music. I say believer because he has bought into the message that the world is hopeless, dark and lost. While the world is in deep trouble and changes are occuring, the outlet, in this case Black Metal, for the frustration, only serves to create more chaos. He has also rejected his Christian roots for something he doesn't understand, true evil. He's fortunate that he has never experienced true evil and Hell on earth, as the lyrics of some of this music espouses, but the day he does, he will have his ephipany. So will you. You create your own reality and when dealing with the proliferation of violence, insanity and negativity, you have done just that to yourselves. "Live by the sword, die by the sword." "A man will reap what he sows." For those of you who practice Satanism...sorry, I just don't get it. If you worship the entity called Satan, how can you reject his Creator who will eventually destroy him and his followers? You may not be murderers but you are suicidal, physically, mentally and spiritually. I pray that you think about your direction and you are able to climb out of the abyss of lies before it is too late.
Mother of a Metalhead

Anyone who commits murder or suicide because of a song that they listened to is weak-minded and impressionable.
Robert

Metal is the type music that confronts those deep and dark desires that we all want to unleash.
Robert

As you can see folks, we have just witnessed another case of mainstream reporting that attempts to loosely connect two things: murder and black metal. The inherent message with black metal is not "Kill Christians", it's "Enjoy the music". In fact, most metal I've ever listened to tells a story from folklore i.e. Norse mythology, that recalls heros/demons/wizards, and doesn't suggest anything about going out and raping and brutally killing the nearest nun. It's just entertainment, and the mainstream media has failed to realise that it's just like any other form of music. It's designed to entertain. The artists cannot be held responsible for what some kid does after listening to their music. It was his choice to buy the CD, and his choice to listen to it. In conclusion, the mainstream media failed again.
Amon Amarth fan

i wouldnt say its a joke, people like the idea of completly undermining societies "social norms" and i admit its sumwhat refreshing
trina

People are stupid... this is the real world, grow up.
what not

the problem is within you. blackmetal rules!
Vercelum

death metal is quite brutal but id say black metal is more of the satans pagan, misanthrope and anti-human beleif i bet more killings are linkined to black metal rather than death
james watson

They don't expect their fans to follow their words, it's all about art and entertainment. Satanism is also in no way condoning rape torture or murder, it supports free thinking away from the conformist minds of christians.
cole

Death Metal isnt serious just music to have fun to.
Dan Thompson

if death metal=death, hip hop must = alot of hopping people, just grow up.
me

blck metal is only dangerous 2 mentally disturbed ppl and psycopaths otherwise its just really loud high energy music
nicky d

The church burnings and murders that took place in Norway were not executed by followers of blackmetal. It was done by the elite of blackmetal. All those involved came from bands like Mayhem,Burzum, Immortal,Emperor,Hades and Thorns. So it was not the fans but the famous bands.
JorVarg

how could you blame music for what people do? in the end music cant kill someone
brendan

i would like to say first and foremost that Cradle of Filth is NOT death metal, saying that would be like compairing Deicide with N*Stink. hahaha long live true death metal!
danny

retep drol live... Talking about uneducated people? I'm sorry did I just see you spell 'you' wrong? Shut up the lot of you, give us a bad name why don't you as uneducated moronic teenage scumbags. The media are bad enough, with what they said in this report. Some people have mental problems BBC; that's why these problems occur. Not hard to work out. Music is entertainment and that's all. The same as films are, and novels are.
Winter

it is a big joke, for those that think i will ever bow to satan you are a bunch of fools, grow up
darren springberg

Ok, So death and black metal tell people to kill, sure, whatever, because we are seen as the black sheep of society, we must all have murderous thoughts and opinions, because we like black clothing, and wear heavy make up means were depressed. of course how could we all get it so wrong. The people who live in the metal and rock culture who kill are a smal minority, and if they were given the proper test they would realise that these actions are generally brought on from childhood abuse and neglect. the lyrics can usually focus on reality..Angel of Death- Slayer (dr in ww2)and 90% of COF lyrics are based on ancient folklore on necromancy, fantasy. What about the amount of people who listen to Hip-Hop and R'n'B, eg eminem, 50 cent ect, these people sing about reality to, and include lyrics which do encourage gun use and gang warfare. and were the ones to blame. the media should keep their opinions to themselves and focus on the facts: Murder and killings in the metal society are few and far between, where-as murder and Killings in Urban Music such as hip hop and R'n'B are not the minority of killings. Does that mean we ban classical music and orchestral music because the majority of the worlds leaders are cold blooded murderers.
Morrigan

This music is not near to a joke at all. The reason bands write about stuff like satanism, necrophillia, murder, and serial killers is because they want to reflect the bad stuff that are going around the world. Heavy-Metal in my opinion is a reflection of what kids are feeling inside and the music tells the kids that they are not alone. Music is a reflection of the world and Heavy-Metal is the anger,depresion, evil of this world but Even Evil Has it's Reasons.
Slatanic dude

Death metal is not a joke you moronic journalist. Any form of real metal with real spirit is more than music. It is a way of life.
Raving Death Fanatic

Funnily enough, most death metal comes from Florida..haha.
Jenn ;; Saw You Drown

Black Metal is the end of christian hipocrisy and a new born of a world without false gods.you don't need to be satanist to kill someone,but you need it to be yourself and to believe in you
Nephilim

the media talk out off theire backsides! what a load of hyped inacurate twoddle! black metal is not a joke and cradle of filth or NOT black metal.
anti-media

this is an outrage i cant belive this happened i am in shock over this i am very upset over this incident cradle of filth considered death metal thats bad
lord vomit

death metal is something that burns inside you, it is a passion, sometimes a "poisonous" passion, but still loved and enjoyed by a vast majority of metal-heads
danny (again)

black metal is nowhere near a "big joke" it is something not understood by all, so that is what makes it good muzik! -old mans child rocks!
danny

Black metal is not a big joke! It is music, good music!
Bendiko

very poor arguments and writing. sorry people...you have no idea of death metal...
Pat

Chill! It's music, I listen to it, I'm 10 and the most sensible person in the class, I don't know what the fuss is about, how many cases are there when they go bad, there teenagers, what do u expect!
Eleanor

death metal is something obviously not understood by all. viva la death metal!!!!
danny

death metal its more than that,give live to the death
Filipe

why does the bbc seem to find it neccasary to contradict and struconise the music we listen to. Yes, SOME of the people who like death/black metal worship Satan. If the bbc want to techinally "take the mick" out of Satan worshippers I believe you should publish an artictle about the other world religins i.e. christianity, islam etc. This is article is exactly like the one printed by a british newspaper a few weeks ago about the "emo cult" which ripped off emos saying there all a bunch of suicidal teenagers to some it up. I am not an emo and i happen to love death/black metal so how about you go and critisize some other group of people who are different!!!!! and just because a handful of people commit muder, rape etc inspired by this music it does nto make us all a bunch of suicidal,sick minded murder fanatics.
Tom

Death Metal? Norway? Are you crazy?
Matt

well said Druegan. And Cradle of Filth aren't death etal. they are barely even black metal andIn my opinion sold out after Danmnation and a day
J. anderson

Well they are saing that they should ge rid of heavy metal because of all of these "connected" murders. And they say that religion is the savior. They should ask themselves ' How many lives have been lost due to religion?'
Ashlee Milkins

i love deathmetal! and i warship Satan! don't you understand this story?
soukay

Cradle of Filth is NOT death metal. Just a crappy poser band for collegegirls who want to freak out their parents.
Deathmetalhead

You can be any type of person and enjoy any type of music. I love heavy metal, but i am still a normal every day chick! If you can murder another human in cold blood, then there is obviously something bigger going on with you than heavy metal music!!
Ally - Perth

the death metal is something very serious ist something that you can't forget it its very cool all hail Cradle Of Filth
daniel

Death metal is Music. The lyrics can be meaningful or not who cares? It just happens that satanic followers decide to listen to that sort of music its like people blame emo music for self harming or suicide?! its JUST music and any idiot who would take it further than that is just stupid and have themselves to blame not the music.
Soph

its just music
john

Back to the age old thing,passing the buck. Metal music, particularly death and black metal is frowned upon by certain people as it can have anti-christian lyrics in their songs. But this does not mean that it should be used to blame for people going mad and killing others. This is their own choice,and if they are inspired by the music to do so then they obviously need help. I myself am a death metal fan,not a black metal fan (which incedently is what most of the bands of which you speak are,apart from Deicide) but I can safely say that I have neither nor would I wish to harm someone else. I think people should back away and look at the real facts before dragging down a culture and blaming it for someone elses mis-demeanours and wrong doings,and focus on their own lives. If you do not like the music we listen to and are ready to pre-judge us before actually talking to us then leave well alone.
Mini Mark

Is it just me or is this article more about black metal than death metal? Apart from the Glen Benton part. Get it right before you talk about what you don't know about.
Getitright

Metal is a serious music but the content is just a message meant to merely offend and cause the general public to think of it of how they do. We don't want closeminded idiots listening to it anyways.
Jake Blochinger

death metal is death metal, nothing more
unknown

IS MUSIC TO BLAME? maybe not.... I see myself listening to alot of the mentioned bands such as Deicide and Mayhem, as well as plenty of others such as Dissection amd Immortal. But then again I see myself listening to bands like The Offspring and Sublime. So maybe it's just the 'cult' followers who take it too far... or maybe everyone needs a balancing point..... your say.
Saltymeat

you have your slasher movies and you have your death metal. its all entertainment. nothing different.
daniel.

Why are people so spineless and incapable of takeing resonsobility for there own actions? blame music, blame telivision, blame vidio games, allwase a scapegote. I wounder what it was before we had all that? Does watching sundaynight football make you go out and tackle people? Music is entertainment. please do us all a favor a do not judge what you are incapable of understanding.
no sympathy for fools

why is it, that in this article, it only mentions boys being attracted to death metal.
amanda

Death metal is just a genre of music that reflects the pain and torture in the minds of the band members. I listen to a lot of death metal (Cradle of Filth included), but I also listen to the Beatles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Apocalyptica (a four-man cello band), Queen, etc. Basically, I love everything. However, I don't doubt that some of those kids were influenced by death metal to do what they did, but some just enjoy the genre because they feel the same pain as the band. When you think about it, what generation wasn't influenced by the music they listened to? In the 60's and 70's we had hippies influenced by the lyrics and image of Jefferson Airplane, the Doors, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones....In the 80's we had bands like Slaughter, Van Halen, Skid Row..The 90's we had Marilyn Manson and Nirvana.. I listen to all the bands I just mentioned, though only a few of them influenced my behavior. These are the bands who I believe have good morals and such. I wouldn't blame metal for the problems that go on completely though. It's not so much that death metal bands scream about killing and mutilation, but it's the fact that the kid AGREES with them that you should be worrying about. The end.
Newt

i start listen black/death/heavy/gothic metal since i was about 4-5 years old and i never burn church. I think that poeple should't think tahat we are satanist becouse that;s not true P.S regards from Poland :)
Martina

i start listen black/death/heavy/gothic metal since i was about 4-5 years old and i never burn church. I think that poeple should't think tahat we are satanist becuse this is stupid ;\ P.S regards from Poland :)
Martina

I'm a teenager, living in America, and I've been listening to Death metal, and more recently, black metal. To say that it has a connection in these murders is like saying that Cubism has a connection in murders. There's probably as much of a chance of someone seeing a Cubist artwork and killing people than those listening to death metal or black metal and doing said acts. With that being said, heavy metal is not "inseperably tied" to satanism. Many of my favorite bands, and many death metal bands, as well, have no ties in the least to satanism, and to date I'm no satanist. I beleive, as a metal fan, that satanism in itself is laughable, and that the mere concept of people listening to music and becoming satanists is ridiculous. Is there some kind of music to blame for the Crusades? Surely Hitler listened to heavy metal. Maybe Jim Jones was a metalhead? Was Ted Kaczynski a Satanist? And I honestly doubt that Jack The Ripper was any fan of Deicide.
Hayden Cuffman

I think that music is not an influence in behavior. If I would listen to a song with only the lyrics 'Take your clothes off', would I really take my clothes off? Don't think so. I kinda like bands like Disturbed, so it's no death metal and black metal for me. I like viking metal though. But I don't think that people who listen to death metal are psycho's or anything. It's just music, right!
BitchyBitch

i have been into death/black metal since '84 and it's harmless.movies and tv show more violence
tony b

I am 29 years old metal and Satanist lady, but I have never killed or hurt anyone, or animals, so don't make it common. Oh and I have listened harder music since age of 7. I hate this kind of propaganda made out in media. Only fool Satanists make something stupid that hurts their own personal well being. I include going to prison as one of these things. Most Satanists are law-abiding. There are many very intelligent people who just don't turn their other cheek when someone hits them, but use brains, not fists to get back to enemy. But for many people it is more difficult when you use your brains not fists( most of the people I know use brains better than many "normal" people). Thread of unknown and hunger for power are the reasons why many people are violent, even Christians, not just head bangers or Satanists. I am quite certain that gang fights kill much more people than listening to metal or being a Satanist. And actually many of the bands mentioned are black metal bands. I know that tv gives a very different picture of Satanism as it usually is. I have never seen alive one person in my life to burn a church or killing anyone, and most of my friends are Satanists. Research the subject before you debate! And how about the lyrics of rap bands?? Are they really any better? Well I know this subject is a selling one for media, over and over again, because people have wrong image about some things(every satanists sacrfice babies, animals, and burn churches etc. Let me laugh at it!) and tv, movies and media are trying their best to not to change it. I am going to be still what I am and no one can tell if I am evil or good, because there are grey shades in things everywhere. It is not like " something either is or is not". It is allowed to think with your own brains...
Elinazariel

ive bin listening to "death metal" since i was about 5 too and ive never bin in any sereis trouble apart from my language but i have problems
welll

So called satanists dont worship the devil as the name sujests, satanism is a forwarding of the self. Death metal is just the extreme end of metal. To taz, hatebreed are a great example of real life lyrics in metal, they sing/scream/shout about real life problems. Just watch the vid to "to the threashold"
Jon

I've always listened to black metal...I've been hearing it since I was 5! I'm 15 now, I've never been in trouble for anything more serious that late homework, I don't hurt people, I don't stay out late causing trouble...and all this from growing up listening to bands like Cradle of Filth and Marilyn Manson. It's not the music you listen to, it's the choices you make in life. Why do people try to shift the blame all the time? It's not the fault of black metal - rap music often says derogatory and offensive things and yet are they criticised when someone is abused by a rap fan? Never. Metal simply has a bad name because it's doing something different.
Milly

hey, tom from indieville, this is about constructive responses. Keep your own, unconstructive and narrow-minded opinions to yourself.
Adqe

i don't see what all the fuss is about... there are plenty of murders. And as soon as one involves music, suddenly this music is bad. It sickens me how people blame metal for everything. Ive heard so much criticism against metal. it even was used to describe my bad sleep patterns. As prreviously stated by someone else CHRISTIANS murder too. I am a christian who listens to metal. does that make me a hipocrit? i would never kill, let alone because of lyrics/album covers or anything like that
Loyal fan

The point everyone is trying to make is don't be so ignorant about music you don't understand. Music doesn't make people do anything and it's very stupid to think so. It's almost like you people want to find new things to have a little cry about. Keep the parents worried and bring people some entertainment and satisfaction when they break their kids Death/Black Metal CD. Thats what it is with media, people's lifes are too boring so the media have to give the people something to keep them reminded that they actually exsist. Silly people. There are many mass murderers who were CHRISTIAN!!
Ethan

It is the persons choice if they want to commit murder or suicide or arsonism. I absolutly love black metal but I would never murder anyone due to lyrics. Death metal on the other hand is a bit over the top but still you have to have something wrong with your head to murder. I am a heathen.
Alex

Black/Death Metal encourages people to be individuals and not have their minds polluted by religion including christianity it doesn't however teach people to fight against these religions, that is merely a misinterperatation made by youths who follow what their friends do. Death/Black metal is a genre unendorsed by the media's greedy image but is however exaggerated and made into something it isn't. the music shouldn't be banned and blamed because a few kids who listened to it got carried away, it would be spoilt for the millions of others who listen to it, you don't see people influenced by pop goin round hugging and kissing everyone so why shud Black/Death metal influence people to kill people and burn down churches?
Simon

i am a fan of death metal and so are some of my firends and none of us feel the urge to murder people or burn churches because we listen to death metal. We are just fans of the music, it is the extremists and psychos who use it as an excuse to harm people and property. So poeple should stop jumping to conclusions about people because of their music style.
Lee

this is just one more hypocrit documentary, showing you just waht they want you to know... if you repeat a lie for a long period of time it will become truth.. don't stick to others offer you, Research
Kontra

cradle of filth is phatomine for teenagers, how can you take them seriousely lol. good documeantry however :D its nice to see our music gets recognition from thee BBC xx
ewan valentine

dani filth shrine is very very beautiful i very like him hi is my love i wish hi love me too and cradle of filth (cradle of fear) is exelent
elena

This article and this program are either badly reasearched or choose to take such an ignorant point of view as a means to get viewers/readers interested. Either way lets clarify some things here. First its important to draw some lines. Most importantly famous heavy metal bands mentioned here such as Black Sabbath through to Cradle Of Filth never endorsed Satanism and the far majority of the members neither worship or believe in satan. The rare members that actually do believe in or worship satan in the commercial metal bands simularly would never burn or promote burning churches ext. Now its time to learn a little about metal history. Death metal evolved primarily from thrash due the search for 'heavier' musical style and lyrics from primarily the US during the late 80's the lyrics are usually about gore and misery however through these somhow leave some listeners feeling self empowered. Meanwhile in Europe (Most perticularly scandinavia) a new genre called black metal rose. Venom have claim to the album "Black Metal" and open satanic rituals however they where not central to the black metal scene or development. Bathory, while still not involved in what would become the underground black metal movent associated with the arson and violence of the black metal movment of scandinavia laid the approach and musical style of black metal. With strong anti-christian values along with forms of satanism (not to be confused with Lavey's satanism or setism or other satanist movements). Other bands arose, but a new wave of Black Metal bands members took the black metal satanist attitude into action murdering religous figures, burning churches ext. Mayhem claim to have started this movement however they where a comparitiely commercial band trying to infiltrate the black metal underground. As the underground black metal movement died down the movement began to move away from strict satanism and into other areas such as Paganism, Vikings, National Socialism and Medieval folk and battle elements. But this becomes no longer relivant in the light of this article. What is relivant is that this movement took place during the late 80's, that the black metal and death metal movements where seperate (despite listeners claiming they may sound the same) and that Mayhem is commercial as far as black metal bands go. Today there is no reminance of the black metal movement besides the occasional band who wants to adopt the idealology of old. Death metal never moved into satansim. Now some sentiment not often noted by metalheads. Yes! the black metal movement was responcible for the satanism and murders viewed in this documentry. It is however important to note that this was a movment that died 15 years ago and that the current Mayhem has nothing to do with (yes for the anology to keep everybody happy it would be like 50 cent actually walking into a club :P). However do not fear, even these traces of the past, all genres of the metal scene are dying with the exception of the punks of metalcore and the dungeons and dragons players of power metal neither of which have reference to satan at all. Just a final comment. For all you whiners listening to Atreyu and dying your hair black claiming to be Metalheads and Satanists and placing thier comments here, you know nothing about the history of metal or metal itself, so pehaps this program is aimed at you. M.A
...

I agree with Andy the devout metaller. It's not the metal bands fault
Jake - Iron Maiden Fan

death metal is a purpose of fun listening and the music is just ooohhh GREAT and we shold never think against god.. about satanism not evry metal is one we shuld think twice before making any opinion..thse music and their lyrics are smetimes true versions of life for eg HATEBREED.. coz i'm an actual listener of this type of MetaL.. it is just for fun we must take it cool.. no violence.. NO HATRED for each other... just UNITY... PEACE AND LOVE...
taz''''s MEtAL

For many metal artistes. THey have infused rebellion, fantasy and perhaps satanism into their lyrics not to encourage church burnings or murder but to rather the genre created is as such. Taking punk as an example, their lyrics are of a social rebellion on a physical basis, metal is just as such, with different lyrics. People that hear these music have a choice, to burn or not to burn. Varg who is notorious for church burnings and a murder has done it for personal reasons rather than image, his music does not encourage such acts, rather as mentioned in his interview, he does not like such acts to make black metal artistes to think you are cool.
Jake - Black Metal fan

You may think kids are easily influenced, but fabio and his friends were 16 they can think fo themselves, they dont need musicians telling them what to do! I'm 13 and ive listened to death metal since i was 11 and i dont go round burning churches after listening to dimmu borgir. I mean come on death metal isn't the only music around there is loads of it reffering to gang bangs and getting shot on the ghetto why dont you think about that for a change!?
Jenny - crazy headbanger

death metal... there's nothing like it!! you just need to learn to love it. listening to death metal doesn't make us murderers. what's with people against death metal? its just like any other kind of music, only better... lol the music does not make you kill anyone. you kill. you're respnsble 4 your acts. do not blame something when people are guilty. the human kind is evil,cold. music does not makes someone kill, it makes you think about things. the beasts of satan may have said they were or are satanic... they're not.. they're just a bunch of stupid of kids who think they rock just because they listen to death or black metal and believe they're satanists... its not like that.. i advice you all to read the satanic bible by anton szandor la vey, just to learn a bit more bout satanism and the rituals.
carol

I've listened to Death Metal for quite some time and I haven't killed myself yet. What you have to realise is it's not about the lyrics and singing, it's about the music, otherwise why would they sing like that? Death Metal in its purest form is absolute music.
Kyuubi

We all have a brain. if you cant use it to work out fact from fiction then dont listen to metal because yes it may screw your brain up
Seanathon

I AM ONE OF THE FIRST INDIAN KIDS IN MY COMMUNITY TO LISTEN TO BLACK METAL, THERE IS NOTHING BETER. NOW I GOT A FEW FRIENDS TO JOIN, THEY LOVE IT!! ITS WAT YOU MAKE OF IT, DO PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY SEE I MOVIES???
YUVAN

It is something serious it is a way a life. Like differnt groups like the emo, Death metal, Goths, and satan worshippers. There is my 2 cents (USD)
Mike

Death Metal is really bad and: yes, I do believe it causes self-mutilation and suicide backing up depression and violence for kids. I am only 15 but still feel strongly about this - but most of the time: who can tell what they're saying?! I listen to My Chemical Romance, Bullet For My Valentine and Funeral For A Friend and yes: they do all contain suicidal things: but AT LEAST YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THEYRE SAYING!!
Anonymous Grunger

Metal and everything, that sounds like it is the only good thing in this world. without metal and the musicins htemselves, we wouldn't have any real reason to be in this life. or could anybody imagine his life without music? metal is not the only truth, but others aren't either! So don't say this music is 'evil' or 'bad'. first listen to songs and then decide if its yours or not!
DianNeo

Death metal is good music. So is black metal. But people can't just go around blamming it on death metal every time a metal head kills some one. I'll tell you what it is, it's bad parenting. Maybe all those people's parents abused them or something. Well that's my comment.
Devin

death metal and trash is goooooooooooood music
dittohead

death metal is great!!! just because a few screwed up individuals can't seem to grasp the difference between reality and escapism it does not earn the entire genre the right to be branded as "evil"
Electric Eye

these little devils thinks their big! what a joke. they should get life before it ends. they think that they are following something that believes and helps them later..well UR WRONG BIG TIME.
truth follower

Death Metal is well developed and talented music. The music does not support acts of crime in anyway.
Billy

Everyone is on Metal's case but no one has any say on Rap and Hip Hop. I listen to Metal and I am not a violent person, these people who are violent are a very very few and also make me sick. Thats all I have to say.
Jimmi

What can you expect? when hundreds of years ago the roman catholic faith branded of the pagens with the pentagram and many symbols of the pagens angels to evil. But most people who say tey are "satanists" are children lost within there music many couldn't tell you why they dispise the faith just that they believe the music tells them to.
Private

Thanks for doing your research guys. Cradle of Filth is not death metal. They were at one point black metal, now they are more like symphonic extreme metal.
The Trevaaar

Many people who listen to this music are trying to find themselves if you ask me. They are the people that cannot trust in what they cannot see. They believe in music as I do, but quite differently. i believe strongly in God and that when you finally give up on trying to prove that everything your parents have told you is wrong. And you find you are wrong God will be there, not to punsih you but to forgive you. Don't always doubt what you can see. A strong power is in what you can't. Believing in God is not about going to church.. it is about trusting someone, confiding in someone, a greater power than all that you know. Burning churches and being satanic is NOT a joke.. it is NOT funny and those who think it is really need to think when they lay down at night, are you a good person? Do you one day want your children to turn around and burn churches and murder you? If you tried listening to other music you would see that life is not about death. Death is apart of life but not all of it. Find yourselves.
Just Believe

i am a metal fan, but also a christian, i dnt think god would say on your judgment day, "ok well you were a metal fan and got a bit stressed in your teenage years, i do see that you picked yourself up, went to college had a family and lived a good life, but im going to punish you becaued you baught mayhems cd"...i dnt think it works like that.
scary the faerie

As a black metal fan myself I can confirm that is is a massive, massive joke.
NWDuneAuron

Does heavy metal music cause people to kill? No. Does it help encourage peace? No. Does it encourage the satanist? Definitly. Heavy metal preaches an anti-Christian message. They call upon the Christian to be "tolerate" of others' beliefs. The Bible doesn't ask us to be tolerate of sin. It commands us to love one another. Love doesn't let someone just go off of a cliff without trying to help. Those of us who criticize black metal are only trying to look out for the kids out there who are about to "jump off a cliff." Hell is not a party and I hope not one heavy metal artist has to personally find that out for him/herself. Seriously Concerned.
Yes, I'm a Christian

I think people judge bands before they even listen to them. The saying "don't judge a book by it's cover" does not seem to apply here. I admit, bands like "Cradle of Filth" and "Cannibal Corpse" can seem intimidating, especially with albums named "Kill" or "Nymphetamine". I do not believe metal to be a bad influence, as it will influence different people in different ways. I myself am 13 years old anf listen to a lot of metal music, black metal, death metal, industrial metal... I am not an antichrist, and have no desire to be. I also do not believe satanists to be evil or something to be feared. Satanism is a religion no different to any other, it is Antichrists and fanatics doing all the burning of churches and murdering. Cradle of Filth are a incredibly good band lyrically and musically. It is misinterpretation that leads to controversy. Personally i think cannibal corpse suck, but that's just my opinion ;)
Nick McQ

Well, it seems these people who involve themselves in this kind of lifestyle have only themselves to blame. When the day of Judgement comes, every knee will bow & every mouth will confess, it won't be a choice, unlike this choice that they have already made, for some it's not too late, We have a Loving God who gives us free will, some of us mess up really badly & are given another chance, some are totally ignorant of God. I can only say that I hope that many may come to our Lord before the Lord arrives! Please think seriously about your choice of lifestyle before it's too late!!! Jesus Died for our Sins, we owe our God so much more than we will ever be able to give, yet He gave His Life. CoG.
CoG

I would just like to say that the man who arguably created Death Metal - Chuck Shuldiner was prior to his recent death from brain cancer a christian and that Sepultura the first death metal band to recieve widespread coverage on music channels were christian, Blanket statements like Death Metal is Satanic are just plain wrong and don't help to address the real issues and reasons why people are driven to murder.
Alex

Don't blame Cradle of Filth!It's the people's minds that are warped! I think Cradle of Filth's lyrics are brilliant! they're poetic, and aggressive in a romantic kind of way! Thats how I see them! Their music influenced me to write gothic poems and stories, they even helped me write a beautiful poem for my grandad's funreal. People who burn churches after listening to their music are just sick! I love your Music Cradle of Filth! Keep it up!
Gothika

I dont think death metal is directly responsible for any satanic ritual or murder featured in the program. The fact is, some people are just prone to violence, and no matter what they listen to, it doesn't change the fact that they are mentally disturbed individuals, capable of harming other human beings. People with a conscience will see death metal bands make songs about rape, murder and violence, but know that actually doing this is wrong. There maybe other factors, such as violent TV programs or films.
Mark

I really think that people who commit such acts as sacrificial suicides and church burning are doing that just because they're bored... americans protest when they're bored, this people go and kill some other people because of the same reason, and the bands and the fans of death metal get all the bad credit for this acts of stupidity [Say so myself, big fan of Deicide, Mayhem, Cradle of Filth, etc, etc] I have been Called a "satanist" many times before, but i dont go there killing people for the simple pleasure of doing it, i limit myself to writing death metal songs and playing it... as for the italian kids, well, they needed some serious help, this is what happens when you predujice, prohibit, and ban metal, stupid people start messing around because they think it's cool or they're "hailing satan", it's really sad to see this kind of stuff, 'cause we're the ones paying for this kind of errors...
+LucidNightmare+

I think that the people who think death metal is a total joke or whatever just dont know that infact, the music needs talent, unlike all the dance music that is all done on computer. i listen to bands like Children of Bodom, Cannibal Corpse, Dimmu Borgir and stuff, it doesnt really affect the way i feel about things and it is definately shouldnt be responsible for what people do outside the music. Now im going to listen to You're Better Off Dead by Children of Bodom (and it WILL NOT make me want to go kill someone because of the lyrics)
Kenny

I Am disgusted that you have Labelled Iron Maiden covers as Satanic, That would be like me saying the 50 Cent is a Devout Christian. So Called "Satanic" Crimes can be counted with one hand, whilst Crimes commited by Christians would take Numerous sheets of paper and many trees destroyed to list. With the church burning, you burnt a lot of Mosques during the Crusades, so think about what you say before you say it. The bible says to be tolerant, so why not read your own Ideaology once in a while. I can pick out some things wrong with the bible, God can't stop bombings becase "Hes not everywhere at once" But the bible says god is everywhere, Contradiction, I think So! Think before you judge. And don't ask about my age, im 15.
A Worried Metaller

my daughter is all into teh black clothes and eyeliner, yet she is predicted 6 A's for her Alevels and is an extremely generous and caring person. in addition, many of her friends dress and listen to teh same music as my daughter and are similary successful in school and have wonderful home lives. i am aware that this is only one example but i believe that this 'culture' is nothing for parents to worry about.
Ann Aspin

Is this serious? Satanic images on Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden covers? OH my good lord, sure Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is rather satanic, but have you HEARD Black Sabbaths songs about God? they tried so hard to get rid of the satanic image given to them. And iron maiden, satanic? dont make me laugh! its just... Well, trust me, with iron maiden its not serious. A lot of satanism in heavy metal is either foolishness in an attempt to be cool, such as Cradle, or quite a lot of black metal bands, or it is the humanist version of satanism, which have a lot of ideas that i agree with, and are quite sensible. I said something about satanism being black metal foolishness, let me irriterate. A lot of bands, such as emperor, are actually quite paganistic, and even if they are satanistic, its just another religion. The overwhelming majority of satanists dont wish to kill people. The beasts of satan were fools. Fools who tried to fit in with the clique. Glen Benton is a fool. Dani Filth is a fool. But i dont have a particular problem with people enjoying their music, for the vast majority it is just entertainment.
Joshua

Death Metal owns. FACT. Christianity sucks. FACT. The church burning in Norway was a good thing. FACT. Norsk Arysk Black Metal owns your immortal unholy souls. FACT.
Schadel Reich

How many times are they gonna say "It's the music!" I am a Cradle, Judas Priest, OZZY, Godsmack, and Kind Diamond fan. I don't go out and kill people or worship satan. I do believe if you have a kid with problem to talk with them cause this is the only way to find out WHAT ELSE is going on in side. It doesn't matter what music it is cause rappers if you look in the news, some still can't leave a gun alone. It's what is inside their heart from the past has hurt them and they never let go and never really talked about it. If the parent JUST TOOK 20 minutes a day to check in with their kids and be there when they needed them things would be differnt. Money in my life isn't more important then my son. I live on it but I never let it control my life. My son is more important than ANY job.
suzy

Its really hypocritical that the government and the news try to blame music,no matter what gengre, for any kind of violent acts. Look at the war, you never hear anyone say "I killed him because I saw it on the news from the war in Iraq." So I mean, there is no use for the government officials to blame metal music for example just because all the metal people, listeners and players, are stereotyped as "Satanist" and/or "devil-warshippers" and/or "murderers", etc...
josh

This is sooo stupid! OK I'm 14, I love cradle of filth and i wear pentagrams. I WOULD NEVER KILL SOMEONE! It's down to the person and how violent they are not the music they listen to. Wearing eyeliner and black clothes doesnt mean that were killers or we will be. These guys have unfortunately put a bad name on the music they loved so much...maybe they should have thought about what they were doing before doing it. Death Metal is more than music. It gives you a feeling like you arent alone. It's there for you when people arent. Just because Cradle sing about satanism and dark stuff it doest mean that if you listen to it you convert into a murderer. If you don't want burnt churches or religious hate then i suggest you let the music stay...people will get angrier if it isnt there for them. Death metal rocks. Let us wear out pentagrams and be done with it.
Ell

hi..for my A Level studies i am looking at youth and popular culture. i decided to look at the works of Death Metal. it would be a great help to me to recieve peoples personal opinions on how they see death metal and also if they think that the music and the murders are connected.. thank you for your time?
Chris

Lemmy from Motorhead once pointed out that the ALlies once wasted 20,000 lives trying to get on a beach in Normandy in 1944, and out of the millions of records sold every year, only a handful of individuals are seemingly in the media as being satanic murderers who were inspired by the music of "Death Metal" (even though most of the bands in the genre refer to themselves as Black Metal! Go Figure!) Obviously, with those statistics, those handful of individuals killing people must have problems outside their musical taste to cause them to want to harm another human being. Its amazing that 90% of these cases are also from the USA, where parents can send errant children to brat camps and rehab units, just because they like the sound of distorted guitars?! Does that sound like the actions of a normal person to you? I would suggest that its these type of abuses of basic human rights committed by intollerant parents and communities across the world that lie at the cause of many of these cases, not the music they listen to. Clearly, with spirtaling abuse cases and assaults within the home on the rise, that theres more wrong with society and the attitude of some parents and communities across the world than in the lyrics of a metal album. Perhaps THIS is where TV shows such as the one shown in November should be looking for a cause for murder and the true nature of the evil being enflicted on the young generation.
Digideus

"I was at the Mayhem concert in Leipzig, in 1991 - and I haven't killed myself or anyone else. It's down to common sense really." Exactly. These murders are down the simple minded-ness of these individuals who aren't mature enough to think for them selves. There's people like this in every culture. Just because a certain culture is considered "extreme" in it's ways, doesn't make it evil or bad. That's too man closed minds thinking together, to put an answer to a question that can't be answered.
Jack Glover

Its actually far less of a problem than its made out to be. Its becuase the murders (the few that there have been) were so horrific. I'm quite sure that in music like Hip-hop, shootings are quite regular, but they are overlooked as black culture in a ghetto. Infact, Hip-hop just makes violence, womanising and crime sound classy, this is far more worrying than a few people... 8 infact that have killed someone.
Alex

In my opinion Death metal is a type of music that in my eyes has a entertainment purpose only. the artists arent like what they are on stage. they do it to publisise themselvse. and people should know this. e.g. Artists such as Maralyn manson who dress in wierd and deformed ways. but in real life he is a nice guy. the satanic activity are belifes that influence the bands. not the other way. This is just my opinion
Jonathan

people shouldnt blame suicide on death metal bands suicide is an illness not somthing a child dose to copy a band just because they like the music dosent mean it cause them to kill themselfs
caitlyn

I think death metal should not be branded as something bad and evil, all the lyrics are are poems really evil and sadistic poems the psychos that go out and slaughter each other are fools its about the music not about killing each other.
Kazuo

just like to point out that there's a differnce between "metalheads" and "kids looking for attention". In my experience REAL metalheads ALWAYS disassociate themselves from conformist losers like these "beasts of satan" as much as possible. Most metal fans don't even beleive in satan!! And most death metal bands with "satanic" lyrical themes usually use it metaphorically to reflect their distaste of the hypocrisy and lies of christianity. Unfortunately the media always seems to (mostly due to bad research) think metal fans sacrifice humans and worship satan. Just lump them all in one big bag and mark it dangerous OK?
atro

Death Metal is no joke...Its music to deal about life and people can relate too...Its more than just music...
Lilian

Maybe if parents spent time with their kids and learnt to understand their feelings and behavior, instead of plonking them infront of the tv, they might not clamour to blame the first "shocking" form of entertainment they can find.
mr mal adjusted

Death metal like everythign else in this world, has variations! NOTHING IS BLACK AND WHITE! As someone who has been in the scene for years, I have some true opinion on this. Just like everything else in this world, people take it how they will; but in true respect to the genre I would have to say that it is just pushing the envelope of music. How could you possibly get a more extreme empowering form of music? Yes some bands produce the extreme forms of metal as a joke. They are Joke metal, not death metal. Death metal is typically just the same as a horror movie, it fulfills fantasies about that which is obscene and morbid. Black metal is typically more serious as it can follow religious and spiritual standards. In the end it's all on how you take the music, if you are a sick individual who has the capability of doing something like murdering someone in the first place; then that's who you are. Music doesn't typically MAKE someone change into a demonic murderer, if it happens then it was there to begin with. I personally listen to it because I am a musician, and although I do admit it helps with the occasional bad breakup or stressful day in all honesty I listen to metal *mainly black metal* solely for the music. I'd say 80% of the musicians in the scene are some of THE most talented I've ever seen or heard and the power, melody, structure, technicality for me is personally awe inspiring. It's like watching someone show their true carnal side, back from the prehistoric times when we really did have to do things like this to survive.
Mike

The way I see it people of vertually any age are fully capable of realising that you can listen to something just for the music. at the end of the day most musicians or whatever you'd like to call them are just in it for the money and because they enjoy performing. nobody can force someone to take part in any rituals or whatever. But i can see how if people suffer from mental illness that they could be easilly sucked into things so it may be a good idea to keep them away.
Russel

I Don't care but what was the name of the metal monk in the programme. I wanna buy his c.d's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Grrrrrrrrrargh or I'll have my vengeance
Simon

My name is kathryn I am 21 years old I am heavy metal fan,some death is ok,Not the band band,it is evil,I do baliven god,death meatl should understand,the music is notgood for thair hearing and killing is not good,peaple should go to Jail if thair doing thing thay should not do,I want the band to under stand that the music that thair playing isnot good at,is is not a Joke,a lot of parent are consernd about thair kid liseon to,No bad words, also thay should under stand that god loves them and to learn to loveothers and cear,Some metal bands are ok Just as long the music is clean and the lyrics are clean,thay should try to lison to other music,Country and christan music and bagpipe, or classic rock,christan metal band,I am Just helping wats good and wats not good, I want thair life to be chang to happy peron and a better person also help othrs too and be safe. Love kathryn p.s god bless them Death music is not good for them.
Kathryn

This whole thing,really is quite a tedious argument,if people haven't sorted out the whole thing about wether any type of music is 'bad'for you,when will they?The one thing I will ask is,what was Hitler,Ghengis Kahn,Ceaser and Attile the Hun listening to,to make them as violent as they were?
Julie Anne Marr

Oh, it's very serious. And you should call it Black Metal not Death Metal. Black Metal originated from a dislike of common death metal. Black Metal has broken all boundaries to become a major player in the metal scene. The problem here is that people not in the scene are quick to judge the people who foolishly commit silly, insane crimes. The USA is commiting crime right now, but oh no, it doesn't affect the children. But naughty black metal does! Funny, maybe you should listen more to your kids current problems rather than attack the potentially insignificant problems and LEARN.
M. Emperor

I read the commentary of Anne Boyce,it's interesting to note she states that people are free to do as they wish...so if someone were to break into her house and steal her things,what would her argument be for that?...Getting back to the music though,surely there are some people out there who take the Satanic,thing way to seriously,the sort of people who think pentagrams are so 'rad',really the stereotypes that exist in this genre,are there because they are constantly re-created by the very bands themselves(For marketting purposes mainly)This 'type'of music,is having a fast approaching 'sell by date'I wonder what other 'shocking'exploits Mr Filth and his kind are going to come up with next...all in the name of art(Or should that be making more money?)Commercialised chaos,nice oxymoron don't you think?
Toby James Madison

I just watched that - my older sister taped it for me - and I am disgusted. I seethed all the way through the documentary. It pandered very obviously to people who have nothing in their heads but stereotypes. It just reinforced the notion of all metallers as Satanists and necrophiliacs. Excuse me, what about intelligent bands like Shadows Fall, Arch Enemy and Avenged Sevenfold? If you are going to try and 'understand' metal, then show people the reality, not a bunch of stereotypes. Maybe I got this wrong but I thought the media existed to tell people the truth, not to tell them what they are determined to hear because of their ignorance. The hypocrisy of all the emotive language made me want to vomit. 'Death metal is dark and bad'??!!! 'Rescuing kids from the clutches of heavy metal'??!! What happened to objectivity? What happened to presenting a balanced viewpoint? Excuse me, I expect more than this from rational adults. I like my metal intense and I agree that musicians are not to blame for what a minority of very disturbed individuals do. It is those people's own fault if they cannot see that there is a difference between liking death metal's raw, visceral quality and actually wanting to kill people. As for metal being a joke, if metal is a joke then so is pop and country/western and every other genre. Also, who is anyone to pass judgement on what other people like. I think most pop music is the sonic equivalent of toilet paper but I don't go around telling that to people who like it.
Lacuna (15 year old metaller)

I don't think this is a joke I think it should be before more people get hurt
zoe

I've been listening to Death Metal music since I was 15 years old. I am 32 now. I am well adjusted and doing well financially. So am I the acception to the rule? Not likely. Sometimes bad feelings and thoughts fester. Similar to how obessessed sports fans resort to violence when their team loses. Peer pressure is still strong. Parenting has become a weak link in the upbringing of today's youth. Ultimately it's up to the parents. Not music, not movies, not video games. Ultimately, parents who are well informed in today's modern world (entertainment) can pull the plug on whatever is negatively influencing their child.
RipVonDoom

Cradle of Filth are popular because their music is amazing... the skill and eloquence that Dani Filth has with lyrics is unreal... They may sing about death and blood and things like that, but they dont say 'go out and do an Elizabeth Bathory', some people are just like that, and would do it anyway... The countess didnt listen to metal of any kind. The real problem comes when television programs accentuate the satanist aspects of the music to the unsuspecting mainstream; who take offence... You have no idea how many so called 'goths' are beaten up every day because of the unfounded belief that they are Satanists... Two of my friends were attacked and beaten last week, to name just one. They were hospitalised, I myself narrowly avoided a punch up four days ago, shortly after a C.O.F concert... I was just walking down the street.
Dirah Olemeh

you realy need to cool it mettle cause it's goood and every one dosesn't turn to vilince
victoria lagrange

i hate black metal music it sucks and has no rythm
luke

metal isnt a big joke. its a community for the people who dont fit in. we can be who we wanna be, and express our feelings on anything. of course, this is going to clash with other peoples beliefs as most religions clash with each other. death metal music means a lot to me and a lot of people i know, and its offensive when people call it a joke. we will just get on with our lives and you get on with yours! we never judge anyone, so dont judge us please. x
saz

Death Metal is not the cause of these murders, Serial killers have been around since before the 80's. Death/Black metal bands are often friendly intelligent people, and to suggest they should get a real job is a childish comment at best, metal bands play music for the love of what they do and their fans, they entertain, if they should get a 'real job' maybe Maddona should?.
Ant

Went to see Cradle of Filth on Friday at Norwich. People should not take metal in all its forms to seriously. Its ment to be fun excapism and good entertainment, which most of it is. The show was the best ive seen in Norwich for many years, and the most fun of all, good atmosphere and a great time. for a few short hours the preesures of work, money and everyday living dissapeared completly. This is what live entertainment in all its forms should be about. In 27 years of watching live music and 23 years of performing ive never felt threatened in any way by anyone in the audience, most night clubs ive been to (not many i admit) have fights, glassings and not such a good atmosphere, is the music to blame there, i think not.
Simon B

I live in a country which has now as a dominant genre a strange breed of rap-hiphop-latin music called reggeton. this so-called music is just a hideous rythm (EXACTLY the same in every song) with lyrics full of sexual messages. However it hasn't made anyone to rape someone else (yes, there are songs that suggest rapings, I apologize for my country's stupidity by favoring this music) so why should metal make someone a killer? I'm 16-year and have been listening to metal since 12 and I haven't killed anyone (this is the case of many of my friends, most of them metal-heads)(my favorite genres are black and death metal)I don't even think a weak minded fool will start killing or doing anything influenced by music (whichever it is) people do what they think they should do withouth anything's psichological aid.
Alvaro, Colombia

Its serious to the people that believe in it, you just have to try and not get too carried away.....
evisceration

Iv'e listened to Death Metal for about 13 years, and I think that Death Metal is cool because of itts fast pace, and overall style. But I despise the maniacs who do not have the common sense to not take these lyrics seriously. I mean there are people that have made satanic rituals because of Death Metal music no doubt. But keep in mind that this style of music pretty much has to be Gothic or Satanic because of its long history and and background. I hate the fact tht people will actually do the rituals displayed in this song. "Satanic Mantra" -Cradle of Filth
I Can't Remember

ive been a death metal fan for the past five yrs and believe whole-heartedly that the death metal and black genre arent to blame for murders and suicides that have illedgedly been down to the music made by bands cuch as cradle of filth,mayhem,deicide etc music doesnt kill people people kill people,its the person themselves take on the music itself cause them to become what they become not the band indoctrinating them into commiting these murders.they had no intention of that as all they want to do as many others is to make music and have a good time doing so.not being sued for illedgedly causing the death of a teenager.ie slayer. so come on guys grow up.
kelly from northern ireland

i think its pathetic to say either cradle or dani have ANYTHING to do with peoples actions..people are free to do whatever they wish..Cradle are only a band and singing is only Danis job..sometimes people take it too seriously. Anne Boyce
Anne Boyce

To point the finger of blame at a genre of music is as ridiculous as it was blaming 'video nasties' for the death of Jamie Bulger in the 1990's - the problem is within the individual who carries out the act, not the band who perform the music. You can't censor something just because one person might abuse it - if that's the case you might as well turn the UK & US into a fascist state (I'm sure some religious extremists relish the thought). There are people who read books and then kill someone as a result - shall we stop reading too? This country has a social problem with taking responsibilty for one's own actions, and we're all too willing to make scapegoats. Tackle the social issue, not the music! Death & Black metal are always going to come under fire from certain types of people - extreme scenes, with sometimes extreme imagery & content - there are both serious and tongue in cheek elements, which most individuals who involve themselves in this lifestlye are aware of.
Rhodri

You could say,this genre of metal,is very much'publicity'led,to the point it becomes tame...there are other genres,that get very little airplay,and are perhaps more shocking,to the more orthodox members of society,Death Metal,will one day,become yet another foot note,till then,enjoy!
Terry Balfour

METAL IS A COMPLETE JOKE!
tom, from indieville

We have the horror/satanic genre present in books, film as well as music, so why does music always get dragged out to be blamed on problems caused by a twisted and some what objectionable society coupled with at times rubbish parenting - after the kidz are just a product of their parents behaviour to towards them. It is not just teenagers who listen to this music I'm nearly 40 and still enjoy a good old blast of something heavy! As for the church burnings, the twits who did also burnt some of the finest examples of nordic wood carvings - some depicting pagan gods/designs - so this can be veiwed as a particulary self defeating exercise by a brain dead minority. As with any group of any size there will always be a few mal-adjusted people, the fault is the person not the "scene" they are into - a killer is always a killer and would still kill at some point, they would just find another trigger - so should we lock everyone away in a cotton lined world????
Andy Hansler

I am not a fan of dani and cradle but i do not think that there music has any influence on the actions of weak indeviduals ! slay to be brought up in thisa light yes once upon a time they were classed as black metal but nowerdays they are more like members of the metal millionaires club . yeah they have violent lyrics but if people have any sence they are seperate fiction form reality and see when they are at a metal show they can rock out but as soon as they leave they are back in the real world and need to be human beings !
T Ipswich