People often say that metal music deliberately seeks the politically controversial (just look at Slayer), or – on the contrary – avoids politics generally, and considers it separate from, and inapplicable to, art. Musicians and listeners alike are often accused of being ignorant, uncaring, or both. Such people, of course, exist in the world of metal music – just like in every other sphere of life. But they do not represent all of metalheads. Here’s an old-ish Sepultura video to counter the notion of the ignorant and unthinking metal devotee.
Unknown man
Speaks to the world
Sucking your trust
A trap in every worldWar for territory, war for territory
Choice control
Behind propaganda
Poor information
To manage your angerWar for territory, war for territory
This video was shot sometime in 1993, if I remember correctly, and shows the band in the war territories of Israel and Palestine. The lands this war has been fought over for so long can be easily described in one word: desert. And in that desert, people still kill each other and die, and no end to the devastating conflict is in sight. Sixteen years ago, the situation looked as bleak as today. Sepultura wanted to show that, expose the destruction – like so many other musicians – so that we could possibly stop it. Today, that may be finally getting nearer: one thing everyone can do to bring it about is support the Goldstone report which, by all accounts, seems to one of the most objective and fair political and legal analyses of the conflict up to now. And while doing that, don’t forget to listen to Sepultura. Q. W3ary over & out.
