Heavy Ethics

Marduk was a familiar name to me, but I never really listened to them before I saw Marduk at Eistnaflug in 2016. I enjoyed the set, but the presence of meaty rams’ heads on stage as props gave me pause. As a vegetarian, how did I feel about the aesthetic use of animal parts for entertainment? A vegan friend who was also there didn’t even notice them, and was much more enthusiastic about the music than I was.

After a discussion of ethics in heavy metal, we decided it was okay. They eat a lot of mutton in Iceland, and whole sheep’s heads are a holiday special there like whole turkeys in the U.S. It’s not like they actually killed animals for the show. And it did look cool if you didn’t think about it too hard.

Only later did we discover that they also have songs celebrating the courage of Nazi military units, and have refused to distance themselves from white supremacy. I did a bit more research, and it doesn’t seem like Marduk are actually Nazis. It sounds more like an example of white privilege trying to be edgy. But if you prioritize an edgelord aesthetic or obscure mystique of your band over the safety and welfare of actual people, I have better things to do than listen to your music.

It turns out that when something pricks your conscience, there’s usually a reason. Even if it looks really cool.