The annual Messe des Morts festival invited bands that Montreal anti-fascists say have connections to the National Socialist Black Metal music scene, an accusation the bands deny.
Canadian Anti-Hate Network
Source: Jean Gagnon/Wikicommons
Montreal protesters turned out against a music festival they say has hosted multiple bands that support a specific sub-culture of neo-Nazi metal music. Though reports from the collective say that 200 people gathered outside the venue to oppose the show, it went ahead as planned—though missing a few acts.
A group of activists and researchers, MTL Antifasciste put out the call for protests to be held against the Messe des Morts black metal festival as “four groups linked to [the National Socialist] movement by their themes, affiliations or collaborations,” they wrote in an article.
The festival ran from November 28 to 30 at the Théâtre Paradoxe in the Ville-Émard neighbourhood. The venue was converted from the Notre-Dame-du-Perpétuel-Secours Church into an event space.
During the protest, reports show images of a large police presence meant to keep protesters away from the venue. These same images show that pepper spray was used on the crowd. MTL Antifasciste reports the protest crowd moved away from the front of the building to avoid a confrontation with law enforcement.
Ahead of the show, MTL Antifasciste ran several pieces drawing connections between some of the bands playing the annual Messe des Mort festival and the National Socialist Black Metal (NSBM) scene.
NSBM combines the shrieking vocals and satanic imagery associated with Black Metal with racist, hate-fueled lyrics. It is one of the most popular genres within the neo-Nazi community. Black Metal's transgressive nature is often used by the genre’s fans to excuse the presence of bands or band members that support or work with those who support National Socialism.
The Canadian Anti-Hate Network attempted to reach the Théâtre Paradoxe and Sepulchral Productions, the event organizer, before the event. Automated response emails were received saying that both were busy with the festival and would likely not be responding to emails. If they respond after publication, we will update accordingly.
Attempts were also made to reach the bands with publicly listed contact information. Only one response was received from the Swedish band Marduk, who wrote "Barking up the wrong tree as usual. But hey, keep 'em coming. Good for business."
Organizers did address the controversy on social media.
“As we have shared before, due to allegations from an anonymous blog targeting the festival and some of the bands to perform, we have decided, in conjunction with Paradox, to strengthen security measures compared to previous years,” the festival wrote on Facebook.
They add that the security company Garda World has been hired to “ensure security for the whole festival” and the security presence will be “much more significant compared to previous years.”
According to the organizers, police were present to ensure a perimeter of security around the venue. One of the bands, Horna from Finland, was not allowed into Canada after their visas were delayed in processing, according to the band’s social media. Horna shows have been cancelled in the past due to the band’s association with NSBM acts, though they claim to be “politically neutral.”
Social media from the festival blamed the media coverage, saying information had been given to Canadian authorities that disrupted the band’s entry. They also indicated their lawyers had attempted to help but to no avail.
Other acts like Sargeist and Chamber of Unlight would also not play. Sargeist shares some members with Horna.
Regardless of other delays, two of the bands named by MTL Antifasciste did perform, including Akitsa from Quebec and Marduk from Sweden. Marduk played extra sets during the festival to fill the empty spaces. Two other bands announced they were dropping out of the festival in advance.
In 2004, the Quebec band Akitsa released a split record with the NSBM-tied band Satanic Warmaster, which includes a song named “Six Million Tears” – in reference to the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust – performed by the latter. Similarly, in 2009, the band appeared on Eight Acts of Origin, a compilation with the openly National Socialist Italian outfit Gaszimmer, limited to 488 copies.
Many NSBM labels choose to release a limited number of 88, 488 or 1488 copies, in reference to a neo-Nazi numerical symbol signalling support for white supremacy and Adolf Hitler.
Akitsa used its first tour to share a stage with Peste Noire, an openly fascist French act that supports the Ukrainian neo-Nazi militia Azov Battalion, according to the FOIA Research blog. Its singer, Pierre-Marc Tremblay, also appears as a vocalist on a song with Baise Ma Hache, another French NSBM act.
In an interview published by Vice after the release of Akitsa’s 2015 album “Grand Tyrans,” Tremblay stated that his past collaboration with NSBM artists was “never intended or meant to be political” – echoing line used by Sepulchral Production when faced with criticism. That same article describes this quote as “squashing (the) NSBM rumours” levelled against Akitsa.
Sweden’s Marduk also denies that their music supports National Socialism, though they do make use of Nazi symbols and themes in their music.
This includes frequently penning songs from the perspective of the Third Reich, the Wehrmacht (the Nazi armed forces) and the Schutzstaffel (SS). The band’s most recent 2018 album includes songs, MTL Antifasciste wrote, that reference multiple SS divisions, Nazi battles, plans for post-war resistance, and even the album’s title “refers to the military marching song of the Nazi troops.”
A look at Marduk’s merchandise includes the Totenkopf (or deathhead) used by the SS.
In 2017, two Marduk members were identified as having purchased items from the Nordic Resistance Movement, a group recently designated as terrorists by the US government and the largest neo-Nazi movement in Scandinavia. A database of customers was released by the same hacking collective that released similar data from the white nationalist Midgard website in 2023.
The band's bassist was also fired after being recorded making a Nazi salute at a performance.
The 2016 iteration of Messe des Morts also resulted in protests, as the band Graveland’s singer is an avowed “extreme right-wing national socialist,” expresses his admiration for Adolf Hitler – whom he once described as embodying “the idea of an Empire of White people“ – and his repeated collaborations with overt neo-Nazis. Organizers would cancel Graveland's appearance the day of the show.
In spite of the chaos caused by the cancellation of the concert, Messe des Morts’ organizers would invite another NSBM-linked band, Germany’s Nargaroth, the following year. According to a report published by Dure Réalité, a Montréal-based antifascist zine, several concertgoers wore neo-Nazi symbols and flashed Nazi salutes during the band’s set.
With files from Sébastien Roback.
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