This year the Messe Des Morts festival in Montreal, Canada has went back to its roots. Some of you might remember the clashes that happened when the festival invited NSBM stalwarts Graveland back in 2017, which resulted in its cancellation. Well, this year it featured renowned crypto-fascist bands such as Marduk, Akitsa and Horna and antifascists were back on the road to protest. The 150 demonstrators were met by 200 policemen in riot gear, on bikes, and on horseback who protected the festival. The festival is organized by the owner of Sepulchral Productions, a label that releases many well-known bands from that region like Forteresse, Monarque and so on. Below we also provide a link to an extensive article by Montreal antifascists, which expands on the nazi references and connections between these bands and the festival.

The Messe des Morts 2024: The Return of National Socialist Black Metal (NSBM)

Antifascist black metal is not just a music style, but the active opposition to the presence of fascism and the far right within the metal scene. And this is a duty that all of us that exist in a music scene where fertile ground is found to spread this ideology. We therefore find nothing more appropriate than to protest the presence of fascist bands worldwide with a “love metal, hate fascism” banner!

Other sources

More than 200 police in riot gear, on bikes, and on horseback were mobilized to defend the metal festival Messe des Morts tonight on Monk Boulevard. Around 150 counter-protesters still made their presence known, and two Nazi bands were struck from the lineup after being blocked at the border. (1/3)

— Clash Montréal (@clashmtl.bsky.social) 2024-11-30T03:28:36.704Z