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AMG takes on Nazis
https://forum.metal-archives.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=133985
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Author:  AxeCapitol [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 5:08 pm ]
Post subject:  AMG takes on Nazis

https://www.angrymetalguy.com/angry-met ... hats-next/

I know this subject has been debated ad nauseam, but this “new” approach taken by AMG is pretty extreme and I personally applaud the move. This was prompted by one of their Staff including Inquisition on their year end top 10 list (although it came out in 2020). This prompted some internal backlash from staff as well as readers of the site.

Thoughts?

Author:  Hecatomb867 [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 5:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

They've low key been doing this for a while. Not reviewing Nazi-adjacent or "sketchy" bands that is, and rightfully so. I noticed they never reviewed the most recent albums from DsO and Akhlys, for example, which were fairly high profile releases in the black metal sphere.

I expect a lot of people to throw a "cAnCeL kVlTuRe" tantrum over this. Those smooth-brains can sit on a cactus. This is the right move and I hope other larger websites/platforms follow suit.

Author:  doomicus [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 5:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

This is cool and all, but their write up looks really pathetic and like they're just trying to save face due to the backlash they received. Pretty terrible site in general with horrible reviews.

Author:  pp3088 [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 6:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Akhlys is a nazi band right now? Funny :D

Author:  Gravetemplar [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 6:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

doomicus wrote:
This is cool and all, but their write up looks really pathetic and like they're just trying to save face due to the backlash they received. Pretty terrible site in general with horrible reviews.

This.

Author:  Kalaratri [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 6:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

doomicus wrote:
This is cool and all, but their write up looks really pathetic and like they're just trying to save face due to the backlash they received. Pretty terrible site in general with horrible reviews.


I'm not sure how many people use AMG as their go to for extreme metal reviews anyway, most of the time the reviewers seem like they have no idea what they're talking about when it comes to black or death metal. I'd be surprised if it was a significant enough number for a lot of people to get upset over this policy.

It's a fair enough policy and it's their site so they can use whatever criteria they want to decide whether or not something should be reviewed. I don't think there was ever any danger of blatant NS bands being reviewed there to begin with, so I guess it just comes to down to what criteria they use to determine what counts as being "sketchy". It's not like it's hard to find reviews of whichever bands people think will be unjustly blacklisted elsewhere so I don't see what there is to get upset over.

Author:  HighwayCorsair [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 8:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Pretty much all the big sites blacklist sketchy bands, labels, and associates of sketchy bands and labels and they already did that before, so this is less them taking a stance and more them being transparent about it I guess? Certainly not news.

Author:  HighwayCorsair [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 8:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Kalaratri wrote:
doomicus wrote:
This is cool and all, but their write up looks really pathetic and like they're just trying to save face due to the backlash they received. Pretty terrible site in general with horrible reviews.


I'm not sure how many people use AMG as their go to for extreme metal reviews anyway, most of the time the reviewers seem like they have no idea what they're talking about when it comes to black or death metal. I'd be surprised if it was a significant enough number for a lot of people to get upset over this policy.

It's a fair enough policy and it's their site so they can use whatever criteria they want to decide whether or not something should be reviewed. I don't think there was ever any danger of blatant NS bands being reviewed there to begin with, so I guess it just comes to down to what criteria they use to determine what counts as being "sketchy". It's not like it's hard to find reviews of whichever bands people think will be unjustly blacklisted so I don't see what there is to get upset over.


To say that most of the reviewers have no idea what they're talking about is an understatement, haha. Most of the reviews almost veer into satire because they're so fucking wrong.

Author:  Rottir [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 8:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

On a scale of 1-10 nazis, where 1 is having toured with Mgla and 10 is running their own DIY gas chamber in the Finnish wilderness, how many Nazis is Inquisition? More importantly, how many of their albums do I not have to buy before we have solved Nazism?

Author:  TheEtreum [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 9:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Rottir wrote:
On a scale of 1-10 nazis, where 1 is having toured with Mgla and 10 is running their own DIY gas chamber in the Finnish wilderness, how many Nazis is Inquisition? More importantly, how many of their albums do I not have to buy before we have solved Nazism?


Nice scale :).

Author:  Hexenmacht46290 [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 9:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Inquisition’s Dagon has an electronic side project, that contributed to a “declaration of anti Semitic terror” compilation.

That’s not why he got dropped by Season of Mist, and is unable to play shows outside of Finland. That was because metal sucks did actual journalism, for once, and just looked up his real name, on county court records. He was convicted of some really light charge, because they scared him into a plea bargain. But the court website talks about some of the evidence. Some sort of Chris Hansen style group caught him catfishing teenagers, and uploading their photos, to Imgur. Police found even more child pornography, on his computer.

He was scared of getting killed in prison, so he pleaded guilty to some of it. The prosecutors dropped all the really fucked up stuff, for some reason. He definitely was in possession of all that stuff, but refuses to admit to any of it. Your question, about ‘solving’ Nazism, is besides the point. He had been hiding it for years, but when people found out that he was also a pedophile, that was too much. He’s not Pete Townsend, he’s not going to play arenas for normies. He relied on playing shows, at clubs that don’t want to do business with someone, if the band isn’t going to make them that much money, but the damage to the club’s reputation is too much. He fucked up his own music career.

Author:  Rottir [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 9:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

I thought this was the pedophile guy/band. But dat Nazism, doe. At least a three, I'd say - worse than unironically liking Drudkh which would probably be a two, but not quite so bad as having a member of Clandestine Blaze (420) in your band.

Author:  CloggedUrethra [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 10:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Quote:
So, here’s the why to this specific approach to a policy. Promoting, and thus potentially financially supporting, Neo-Nazi and Nazi-adjacent metal musicians and/or labels risks lending material support to a movement that has been shown [paywalled] to acquire material support not only from direct financial donations, but from the associated culture (such as white power music, festivals, and so on). It is my conviction, as an expert in the study of social movements and with a fairly solid grounding in radicalization, that the real danger posed by supporting Nazi metal is funding white power/Neo-Nazi mobilization, which can and does result in violence aimed at minorities and LGBTQ persons. On a societal level, therefore, material support can indirectly put real people at danger of physical harm and death, without getting into the political ramifications of it all. As such, I will not tolerate the promotion of, defense of, or apologies for Neo-Nazi and Nazi-adjacent bands on AngryMetalGuy.com. This, therefore, is not a discussion about “separating art from the artist.” This is not a discussion about enforcing some kind of ideological purity. This policy recognizes that fascist and Neo-Nazi movements pose an existential threat to people as a fundamental aspect of its ideology. It follows, therefore, that the chance of denying them financial support is worth denying coverage to bands or labels who ideologically promote or are involved in Neo-Nazism, white supremacy, or fascism (or associated organizations). Additionally, not covering these bands is an important signal that we support a community where minorities and LGBTQ persons should feel welcome.

This paragraph was pretty funny. It must feel real good preventing all of those acts of violence and murder.

Author:  HeavenDuff [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 10:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

CloggedUrethra wrote:
Quote:
So, here’s the why to this specific approach to a policy. Promoting, and thus potentially financially supporting, Neo-Nazi and Nazi-adjacent metal musicians and/or labels risks lending material support to a movement that has been shown [paywalled] to acquire material support not only from direct financial donations, but from the associated culture (such as white power music, festivals, and so on). It is my conviction, as an expert in the study of social movements and with a fairly solid grounding in radicalization, that the real danger posed by supporting Nazi metal is funding white power/Neo-Nazi mobilization, which can and does result in violence aimed at minorities and LGBTQ persons. On a societal level, therefore, material support can indirectly put real people at danger of physical harm and death, without getting into the political ramifications of it all. As such, I will not tolerate the promotion of, defense of, or apologies for Neo-Nazi and Nazi-adjacent bands on AngryMetalGuy.com. This, therefore, is not a discussion about “separating art from the artist.” This is not a discussion about enforcing some kind of ideological purity. This policy recognizes that fascist and Neo-Nazi movements pose an existential threat to people as a fundamental aspect of its ideology. It follows, therefore, that the chance of denying them financial support is worth denying coverage to bands or labels who ideologically promote or are involved in Neo-Nazism, white supremacy, or fascism (or associated organizations). Additionally, not covering these bands is an important signal that we support a community where minorities and LGBTQ persons should feel welcome.

This paragraph was pretty funny. It must feel real good preventing all of those acts of violence and murder.


I'm not sure where you're getting at. Sure the whole thing feels a little performative, but don't you believe that promoting genocidal and racist ideologies can lead to radicalization and real violence against ethnic minorities and/or members of the LGBTQ community?

Author:  BastardHead [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 10:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Every day I find myself shocked that the position of "White supremacy is bad and is inherently based on violence towards marginalized groups, therefore it is bad to give positive coverage to things associated with such ideologies because it leads, directly and indirectly, to financial support for people and organizations who inflict said violence towards marginalized people" would be controversial or worth snarky dismissals, but that's the metal scene for ya I guess.

Author:  Metal_On_The_Ascendant [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 11:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

BastardHead wrote:
Every day I find myself shocked that the position of "White supremacy is bad and is inherently based on violence towards marginalized groups, therefore it is bad to give positive coverage to things associated with such ideologies because it leads, directly and indirectly, to financial support for people and organizations who inflict said violence towards marginalized people" would be controversial or worth snarky dismissals, but that's the metal scene for ya I guess.


:wintertime depression intensifies:

Good on AMG btw.

Author:  Slater922 [ Sat Jan 08, 2022 11:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Two thumbs up for not promoting fascists! :thumbsup:

Author:  HighwayCorsair [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 2:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

BastardHead wrote:
Every day I find myself shocked that the position of "White supremacy is bad and is inherently based on violence towards marginalized groups, therefore it is bad to give positive coverage to things associated with such ideologies because it leads, directly and indirectly, to financial support for people and organizations who inflict said violence towards marginalized people" would be controversial or worth snarky dismissals, but that's the metal scene for ya I guess.


The sheer disdain that some people have for anyone that vocally doesn't like actual neo-nazis is wild. Thinking Nazis and white supremacists suck makes us the bad guy now? Totally engrained at the scene at such a deep level that it's depressing.

Author:  ~Guest 280883 [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 5:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Full support for AMG on this.

And it's a rare day when I fully agree with something BastardHead says. This is that rare day.

Author:  pfk505 [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 5:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

AMG is the absolute worst. Writers who barely like metal and comment sections full of ballwashers who can't wait to agree with whatever the review score is, good or bad. With that said, more power to them for whatever editorial policies they want to enact. I sure hope they will back their new policy up with copious amounts of research into every band they decide to review from here on out - going through past releases, checking on whether the labels have released any "problematic" bands during the last 20+ years, checking whether the bands they review have ever played a festival with a "problematic" band, or share members with one, and so on.

Author:  Miikja [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 10:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

pfk505 wrote:
I sure hope they will back their new policy up with copious amounts of research into every band they decide to review from here on out - going through past releases, checking on whether the labels have released any "problematic" bands during the last 20+ years, checking whether the bands they review have ever played a festival with a "problematic" band, or share members with one, and so on.


Unfortunately, all that is absolutely necessary when reviewing (new) BM bands, yes.
Fortunately, we do have the Encyclopaedia Metallum, which makes things a little bit easier.

Author:  CoconutBackwards [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 10:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

They name drop this website all the time, so they're definitely reading this.

Author:  Empyreal [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 10:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

HighwayCorsair wrote:
BastardHead wrote:
Every day I find myself shocked that the position of "White supremacy is bad and is inherently based on violence towards marginalized groups, therefore it is bad to give positive coverage to things associated with such ideologies because it leads, directly and indirectly, to financial support for people and organizations who inflict said violence towards marginalized people" would be controversial or worth snarky dismissals, but that's the metal scene for ya I guess.


The sheer disdain that some people have for anyone that vocally doesn't like actual neo-nazis is wild. Thinking Nazis and white supremacists suck makes us the bad guy now? Totally engrained at the scene at such a deep level that it's depressing.


I'll probably regret posting in here as I usually do any time I talk about politics on here, but yeah - it is some weird knee jerk reaction where they seem to assume we must all be saying stuff we don't actually believe in order to get clout or pose in some way. Lots of yammering about strawmans where they assume we're combing through every band's past to find out if they played with a problematic act 15 years ago - like nah we just don't fucking want to support fascists in any way, it isn't that complex.

Author:  HighwayCorsair [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 11:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Empyreal wrote:
I'll probably regret posting in here as I usually do any time I talk about politics on here, but yeah - it is some weird knee jerk reaction where they seem to assume we must all be saying stuff we don't actually believe in order to get clout or pose in some way. Lots of yammering about strawmans where they assume we're combing through every band's past to find out if they played with a problematic act 15 years ago - like nah we just don't fucking want to support fascists in any way, it isn't that complex.


Always some weird HAHA BETTER CHECK WHO PETTED THEIR UNCLES' FRIENDS' DOGS AT THE FESTIVAL THEIR SISTER ATTENDED thing as if that somehow relates to individual guys being pretty open neo-nazis...

Yes, tell me more about how I'm grasping at straws for not wanting to buy some guy's music who has an actual NSBM side project or runs a NS label or whatever. Always the same guys too that will say ART BEFORE THE ARTIST but then shit bricks at Katharsis being leftist or whatever.

Author:  Ball Cupper [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 11:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

I don't know much at all about that site, but anything that reduces positive coverage of far-right stuff is good by me.

Author:  CloggedUrethra [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

HeavenDuff wrote:
I'm not sure where you're getting at. Sure the whole thing feels a little performative, but don't you believe that promoting genocidal and racist ideologies can lead to radicalization and real violence against ethnic minorities and/or members of the LGBTQ community?

Not really tbh, if we're talking about black metal.

Author:  henkkjelle [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

The black metal scene doesn't exist separately from the rest of society. Of course promotion or casual acceptance of these views as being part of the scene can lead to real violence, just like acceptance of this shit in any other community could.

Author:  narsilianshard [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 1:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

pp3088 wrote:
Akhlys is a nazi band right now? Funny :D

Why is that funny? Kyle has put out multiple splits with bands with swastikas and celtic crosses in their logos, released on NSBM labels, and even wrote a song called "For Blood and Soil".

Author:  henkkjelle [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 3:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

narsilianshard wrote:
pp3088 wrote:
Akhlys is a nazi band right now? Funny :D

Why is that funny? Kyle has put out multiple splits with bands with swastikas and celtic crosses in their logos, released on NSBM labels, and even wrote a song called "For Blood and Soil".


You don't even have to go back to "For Blood and Soil" to find some sketchy stuff. I didn't know this until recently, but he featured a speech of Julius Evola - who was a prominent fascist philosopher, on the latest Nightbringer album.

Author:  Gravetemplar [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 4:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

henkkjelle wrote:
narsilianshard wrote:
pp3088 wrote:
Akhlys is a nazi band right now? Funny :D

Why is that funny? Kyle has put out multiple splits with bands with swastikas and celtic crosses in their logos, released on NSBM labels, and even wrote a song called "For Blood and Soil".


You don't even have to go back to "For Blood and Soil" to find some sketchy stuff. I didn't know this until recently, but he featured a speech of Julius Evola - who was a prominent fascist philosopher, on the latest Nightbringer album.

To be fair, that speech was about occultism. That doesn't mean Kyle isn't far right and most definitely a Nazi.

Author:  henkkjelle [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 4:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Gravetemplar wrote:
To be fair, that speech was about occultism. That doesn't mean Kyle isn't far right and most definitely a Nazi.


True, but for Evola the occult and fascism were heavily entwined. Dude knew Heinrich Himmler personally and admired him.

Author:  Miikja [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 4:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Seriously, I did ONE search on the guy and this is my first result:

Spoiler: show
Image


But whatever, "that doesn't mean he's a nazi". Wake up.

Author:  Gravetemplar [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 5:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

My point was that he definitely is a nazi...

Author:  Miikja [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 5:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Damn, I misread. Thanks for pointing that out!

Author:  Gravetemplar [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 5:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

No worries.

Author:  Bishop_Drugsalot [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 7:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Hopefully they do well in AMG's roster

Author:  ~Guest 1423526 [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 8:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

I hate fascists and nazi but I like their music I never have a moral problem to hear them…

Censorship is often a form of violence and risks having opposite effects(a friend say that nazi group are the more request to buy not for music but for image)now you ban nazi but you must ban every music that promote violence or misogyny etc etc..

Martin Heidegger maybe the most important philosopher of ‘900 was a nazi what we do with him?we ban him?or we study?

Author:  doomicus [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 9:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

Fingolfin76 wrote:
I hate fascists and nazi but I like their music I never have a moral problem to hear them…

Censorship is often a form of violence and risks having opposite effects(a friend say that nazi group are the more request to buy not for music but for image)now you ban nazi but you must ban every music that promote violence or misogyny etc etc..

Martin Heidegger maybe the most important philosopher of ‘900 was a nazi what we do with him?we ban him?or we study?


They're not really being censored or banned though. The artists are free to make music how they want and release it as they choose. People are just not interested in giving it a platform to promote, sell, or play it, which is the right of those said people and their platforms. I'm sure anyone that wants to listen to these types of bands will have no problem finding ways to listen to it if they so choose to.

Author:  thrashinbatman [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 10:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

it's endlessly frustrating how we go round-and-round on this stupid ride. doomicus is right, nobody is censoring these guys. they're still making music, recording it, releasing it, playing live, etc. AMG does not like it, does not endorse the viewpoints, and as the guy who runs his website has made the choice to not promote it on said website. it's no different than running a website totally devoted to specific subgenres, or not reviewing bands the reviewer is not interested in. what's the alternative, here, exactly? he be forced to promote Nazi bands on his website?

each individual platform is allowed to choose what they do and do not feature on it. if your viewpoint is so unpopular that you can't find a platform that will, then maybe your viewpoint is so unpopular for a reason. this obviously is not universally true, im sure one of you smartasses will dredge up a marginalized group that received this treatment, but that's why you evaluate WHY a viewpoint is deplatformed. and it's not fucking rocket science as to why these bands are worth not giving any time or promotion to.

Author:  Empyreal [ Sun Jan 09, 2022 10:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: AMG takes on Nazis

It's definitely a major failure of education globally that nobody seems to know what "censorship" really is anymore.

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