Berlin’s Storms Of Damnation show, slated for 11th November, was called off after anti-fascist activists Antifa allegedly vocalised their concerns over the political-leanings of two of the billed bands. According to the Storms Of Damnation organisers, Sweden’s Kill and the UK’s Spearhead were named as the catalyst for the turn of events that ultimately shut the show down.
The organisers are keen to distance themselves from any political agenda, stating that they “never have, nor ever will, choose…bands based on a political basis…” They go on further, stating that: “We are not looking for NS bands…we had people coming from all over the world… all united together by the same metal spirit and eager to see and support the bands and the true underground…”
The organiser also takes issue with the venue, Slaughterhouse, claiming that everything was hunky-dory right up until Antifa’s voice arrived on the scene. With threats of direct protest on venues that play host to shows suspected of supporting fascist bands, it’s not all that surprising that the venue got cold feet. The show, albeit in a stripped down format, was subsequently moved to the Blackland venue which hosted the warm-up gig to the weekend’s NWN! festival. Both SoD main acts, Tyrants Blood and Vassafor, played their sets during the aftershow party there. Spearhead, Kill and Maveth were all removed from the bill and as a result, did not play.
According to the organisers, people who bought tickets in advance have been offered a monetary refund, though a free tshirt has been offered an an alternative method of compensation since money from ticket pre-sales was used in advance to cover travel costs for some of the bands. Some punters have been generous enough to waive the right to a refund given the financial loss the organisers have suffered. You can read the full statement from the organisers here.
ZT has tackled the subject of the growing unrest between anti-fascist protest groups and certain quarters of the extreme music underground editorially a number of times: most notably in issue 038 where staff writer Cormac O’Siochain contributed a thought-provoking piece on the subject, with comments from both Antifa and some of the artists they have come up against.
