Norwegian black metal band Taake has been nominated for a Spellemann Award, which is their country's version of a Grammy, for their album "Noregs Vaapan." According to Blabbermouth, the nom has caused some controversy, since the band reportedly writes anti-Islamic lyrics, something that has obviously upset the Arab media.
Arab TV network Al Arabiya reports that the band's song "Orkan," which translates to "Hurricane," features the problematic phrase "To hell with Muhammad and the Mohammedans" and their "unforgivable customs." Frontman Hoest addressed the drama, saying the band is anti-organized religion overall. He said, "Our view, in the name of freedom of expression, is that it is shameful to adhere to Christianity or Islam."
The nomination will not be retracted, since the chairman of the Spellemann Award committee board reminded a newspaper that "we enjoy full freedom of expression in Norway and a Spellemann jury is not going to censor content in any way." She also took care to address concerns that the jury that nominated the album didn't carefully listen to the album.
Taake did issue a terse statement, saying, "Taake has never been a political band, and we do not encourage either violence or racism."
I was actually listening to this album yesterday and it's not bad at all. Although I can't understand words considering its all in Norwegian and I'm American...
"There's no such thing as bad publicity." After all, Salman Rushdie had to stay in hiding for only 10 years. -Plenty of time to come up with more lyrics for extra publicity then back into hiding. And it will be easy to hide in Norway. All those trees...
Don't know why Islam feels hard done by, it's not like they've burnt a few mosques in the past... Come on, who really listens to black metal and a) takes it seriously and b) doesn't expect any religion to be slandered?
Good for them. I fully endorse any band that takes a jab at all religions(Without getting NS about it). I find this funny because Taake easily have 20 other songs about bashing Christianity but no one says anything about it. I hope they bash the Judaism/Zionism and Scientology next.
Proud to be an Norwegian! Islam is growing fast, too fast sadly. I said to a fellow classmate who was Islamic that I belive in science and evolution, then suddently that ****er punched me! And since so many Islamic people are so corrupt and violent (espesially in Norway and Sweden) I do support the phrase "To hell with Muhammad and the Mohammedans''. Many Norwegians were raped last year because they used tiny skirts and didn't use ''Hijab'' . This is our country, if they don't appreciate that then they can leave now!
Sorry for raging, I am not a racist. I just hate religion and I don't understand why Islamic people must be so bloody serious about Islam. It's just a bloody fairlytale ffs!!!
The good islamic people who respect other opinions and are peaceful at the same time have my respect though.
As a Muslim, what's a Muhammedan?
Also, this isn't a freedom of 'artistic expression' argument. Bands are free to bash whoever and whatever they feel the need to. I think the issue is the fact that they've been nominated for a rather prestigious national award based at least in part on their hate towards Muslims or religion in general. Hate in general shouldn't be celebrated, whether it's towards a religious group or an anti-religious group.
Now, the article doesn't actually report on the actual "outrage", the nomination was just carried by a tv station, what you can call 'freedom of the press'. Who is actually outraged? Not me.
This article was posted up here to get all the smarty pants teenage athiests cheering, all the open-minded fence sitters fence sitting, and the bible bashing Americans feeling confused because they hate both athiesm and Islam.
As a Muslim, what's a Muhammedan?
Also, this isn't a freedom of 'artistic expression' argument. Bands are free to bash whoever and whatever they feel the need to. I think the issue is the fact that they've been nominated for a rather prestigious national award based at least in part on their hate towards Muslims or religion in general. Hate in general shouldn't be celebrated, whether it's towards a religious group or an anti-religious group.
Now, the article doesn't actually report on the actual "outrage", the nomination was just carried by a tv station, what you can call 'freedom of the press'. Who is actually outraged? Not me.
Well they don't actually say we hate Muhammedans just to hell with them as in we'll be ignorant towards their arrogance and ignorance towards everyone else. which I hope is tongue in cheek as hell is a religious fictitious punishment for wrong doing.
As a Muslim, what's a Muhammedan?
Also, this isn't a freedom of 'artistic expression' argument. Bands are free to bash whoever and whatever they feel the need to. I think the issue is the fact that they've been nominated for a rather prestigious national award based at least in part on their hate towards Muslims or religion in general. Hate in general shouldn't be celebrated, whether it's towards a religious group or an anti-religious group.
Now, the article doesn't actually report on the actual "outrage", the nomination was just carried by a tv station, what you can call 'freedom of the press'. Who is actually outraged? Not me. Well they don't actually say we hate Muhammedans just to hell with them as in we'll be ignorant towards their arrogance and ignorance towards everyone else. which I hope is tongue in cheek as hell is a religious fictitious punishment for wrong doing.
Well, if you're gonna go and condemn an entire religion to a terrible punishment and deny any compassion, that's pretty much synonymous with hate. heck, it's pretty much synonymous with racism, to look down on someone based on their religion, which makes their final statement even more of a joke.
As a Muslim, what's a Muhammedan?
Also, this isn't a freedom of 'artistic expression' argument. Bands are free to bash whoever and whatever they feel the need to. I think the issue is the fact that they've been nominated for a rather prestigious national award based at least in part on their hate towards Muslims or religion in general. Hate in general shouldn't be celebrated, whether it's towards a religious group or an anti-religious group.
Now, the article doesn't actually report on the actual "outrage", the nomination was just carried by a tv station, what you can call 'freedom of the press'. Who is actually outraged? Not me. Well they don't actually say we hate Muhammedans just to hell with them as in we'll be ignorant towards their arrogance and ignorance towards everyone else. which I hope is tongue in cheek as hell is a religious fictitious punishment for wrong doing.
Well, if you're gonna go and condemn an entire religion to a terrible punishment and deny any compassion, that's pretty much synonymous with hate. heck, it's pretty much synonymous with racism, to look down on someone based on their religion, which makes their final statement even more of a joke.
While I can understand your anger about this, you have to remember, this is a black metal band. Black metal is all about shock and awe, how much of a reaction they can get. This is how black metal acts get publicity. Most of them don't mean any of what they actually say, kind of like a way-over-the-top-extreme version of Alice Cooper.
We've detected that you are using Ad Blocking software.
If you hate ads, but love Ultimate Guitar, how about subscribing to Ultimate Guitar's Ad Free Service? If you subscribe to this service, you won't see annoying banner ads, pop-up ads, text-link ads or video ads and will be helping to support your favorite site at the same time.
As you know, we provide you with a lot of great, free content like news, reviews, interviews, tabs and chords, but you see, ads are the way we generate revenue to run UG and pay royalties to the songwriters and music publishers of the songs that are posted here.
