Metal band Watain hits back after Singapore bans its concert over fears its ‘Satanist views’ would disrupt social harmony
- The city state cancelled the Swedish band’s show hours before it was due to play
- Watain slammed the decision as “old-fashioned” and “self-righteous”
A Swedish metal band has hit back at the Singapore government for abruptly cancelling its show over concerns of its “Satanist views”.
Regulators had initially granted permission for the concert by Watain, a group of black-clad, tattooed rockers – whose performances have involved throwing pig’s blood onto revellers – as long as they removed songs deemed religiously offensive from their performance.
But they decided to axe the show before its scheduled start on Thursday evening after advice from the city state’s home affairs ministry.
The ministry “expressed serious concerns about the concert, given the band’s history of denigrating religions and promoting violence, which has potential to cause enmity and disrupt Singapore’s social harmony,” said the Infocomm Media Development Authority, which regulates public entertainment.
“Watain is known for its Satanist views and some of their previous controversial performances involved animal carcasses and throwing pig’s blood on its audience,” the statement added.