Kansas City Blog

Alleged: Nachtmystium played several dates in Switzerland with the notorious anti-semitic outfit Grand Belial's Key ("The Shitagogue") in February 2006.

Actually: Nachtmystium pulled out of this tour, provoking an online rant from Grand Belial Key's French record label Drakkar Productions: "At first this show was scheduled to take place with Nachtmystium (USA), but all of a sudden this band backed out because they 'feared for their reputation' playing with Grand Belial's Key. The band knew what kind of band GBK is, so cancelling (sic) the tour at the last minute because of fear for their reputation is ridiculous. And since when does someone claiming to be Black Metal fear for their reputation?" Judd obliquely references this incident in his statement: "We have canceled tours in the past and dodged working with bands and people BECAUSE they had these ideologies and we never wanted to be affiliated with it." However...

Alleged: Nachtmystium released its 2001 demo Unholy Terrorist Cult on the strident National Socialist black metal label Vinland Winds, run by Grand Belial's Key singer Grimnir Wotansvolk.

Actually: True. Also, the group's first full-length album, 2002's Reign of the Malicious, appeared on Regimental Records, with distribution from Unholy Records, an imprint of Resistance Records. Reign of the Malicious remains available in the Resistance Records Web store, resulting in some unflattering "Customers also purchased..." associations.

In a 2006 interview with Decibel, Judd confessed "In the past, we've had some indirect ties to labels and bands that are part of the (National Socialist) scene. At one point not too many years ago, it wasn't uncommon for NS labels or bands to trade and work with non-politically motivated bands and labels because at the end of the day, we're all trying to promote, release, and be involved with music - all politics aside. Today it seems like there's less of a connection, at least for me and my label. (Judd runs Battle Kommand.) We don't oppose people's right to be 'NS' or whatever - that's a personal choice, and if you live in the USA, you have the right to that opinion. Even though I personally, my band(s) and my label have absolutely no interest in being a part of that scene, I will ALWAYS take their side when it comes to their freedom of speech being imposed upon."

Alleged: Nachtmystium covers artists that espouse fascist views.

Actually: Nachtmystium covers Burzum's "Lost Wisdom" on Reign of the Malicious. Varg Vikernes, who has recorded as Burzum since 1991, is currently incarcerated for killing his Mayhem bandmate Euronymous (and for additional charges involving multiple counts of church arson). In his online writings, he supports the practice of "race hygiene."

On 2008's Worldfall EP, Nachtmystium covers Death in June's "Rose Clouds of Holocaust." Death in June incorporates Nazi imagery into its artwork, to the extent that protesters barred the band from playing Nachtmystium's hometown Chicago in 2003.

(Incidentally, Burzum and Death in June are pretty fucking amazing, musically speaking.)

While avowedly non-political, Nachtmystium has taken a provocative stance, embracing the scary fringes of the freedom-of-speech debate. Is it open-mindedness at its purest to associate with all acts of musical value, regardless of their beliefs? Or does that platform reek of naïve rationalization? Apparently even the Scion's spacious interior can't handle quandaries this big.