As Iced Earth frontman Jon Schaffer faces six criminal charges related to his alleged participation in the violent and fatal clashes at the US Capitol, the World Metal Congress (WMC) is tackling the thorny subject of extremist politics in metal for their next webcast, which is being broadcast tonight (January 19).
The WMC asks: "What happens when members of the metal community reveal abhorrent beliefs? Is there common ground or should we simply reciprocate intolerance with intolerance, and call it out?"
Machine Head’s Robb Flynn recently revealed that he regularly gets death threats as a result of criticising Phil Anselmo following the former Pantera singer’s ‘White Power!’ shout at the 2016 Dimebash, which indicates just how incendiary the discourse has become.
Tonight, Metal Hammer’s Deputy Editor Eleanor Goodman and Gama Bomb vocalist (and Irish Times journalist) Philly Byrne will discuss the matter in a special Metal vs. Extremism debate hosted by the World Metal Congress. It promises to be a lively and thought-provoking conversation.
World Metal Congress is a celebration of heavy metal and its global appeal. The collective brings fans, artists, and key industry figures from every time zone together for panels, film premieres, live music, and important conversations about how to take our music and our culture forward.
Log on to the debate tonight on the World Metal Congress YouTube channel.
