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... Economic change or distress are not the only factors that contributed to the popularity of heavy metal world-wide. Equally important outside the European and American contexts has been its function as a symbol of resistance – either covertly or overtly – to political and cultural systems from which ...
... Economic change or distress are not the only factors that contributed to the popularity of heavy metal world-wide. Equally important outside the European and American contexts has been its function as a symbol of resistance – either covertly or overtly – to political and cultural systems from which ...
Early Norwegian black metal scene
The early Norwegian black metal scene was a black metal music scene and subculture in Norway during the early 1990s. It is credited with creating the modern black metal genre and produced some of the most highly acclaimed and influential artists in extreme metal.The scene attracted massive media attention when it was revealed that its members had been responsible for two murders and a wave of church burnings in Norway. The scene had an ideology and ethos and was likened to a cult, with the core members referring to themselves as ""The Black Circle"" or ""Black Metal Inner Circle"". It consisted primarily of young men, many of whom gathered at the record shop Helvete (""Hell"") in Oslo. In interviews, they voiced extreme anti-Christian and misanthropic views, presenting themselves as genuine Satanists who wanted to spread terror, hatred and evil. They adopted pseudonyms and appeared in photographs wearing 'corpse paint' and wielding medieval weaponry. The scene was exclusive and created boundaries around itself, incorporating only those it deemed to be ""true"" or committed. Musical integrity was highly important and artists wanted black metal to remain underground and uncorrupted.In August 1993, several of its members were arrested and in May 1994 were convicted variously for arson, murder, assault and possession of explosives. Most showed no remorse for their actions. The Norwegian media covered events closely, but the reporting of the scene was often sensationalist. For example, one Norwegian TV channel interviewed a woman who claimed Satanists had sacrificed her child and killed her dog. The early Norwegian black metal scene has since been the subject of books and documentaries.