AsiaPundit is no fan of ‘black metal,’ a ridiculous heavy-metal subgenre featuring men in leather and heavy makeup often singing in falsetto. However, AP objects to Malaysia’s move to ban all things black metal.
Black Metal culture has been declared as a deviation from Islamic teachings and those found practising it could be penalised under syariah law. The National Fatwa Council ruled that Black Metal culture was totally against the syariat (Islamic principles) and could lead its followers to being murtad (apostate). The council issued the decree after deliberating on the matter at its bi-monthly meeting yesterday.
“We discussed the issue at length to understand what Black Metal is all about and its effect on our culture,” council chairman Prof Datuk Shukor Husin told newsmen after the meeting. “It has been established that Black Metal practices are way against the syariat and every effort must be taken to stop its spread.”
First they came for the headbangers, and I didn’t speak up,: because I wasn’t a headbanger…
Technorati Tags: asia, censorship, east asia, malaysia, southeast asia
January 31st, 2006 at 2:03 am
historically, there has always been bad blood between heavy metal and hip hop. given that there seems to be an affinity between hip-hop culture and islam (as was first observed during the riots in France), this sort of thing can considered part of a logical progression of events.