The teen heart throb Jackson Rathbone (Jasper Cullen in Twilight) is slated for his black metal debut – playing Varg Vikernes in the upcoming Lords of Chaos movie.
I can hear Euronymous laughing from the grave.
The film starts shooting in Norway in mid-september. Japanese director Sion Sono will make his english-language debut with the film, which is classed as a teen psychological horror.
Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground, by Michael Moynihan and Didrik Søderlind. 2003
The Lords of Chaos book, written by Michael Moynihan and Didrik Soderlind, attempts to examine and understand the black metal subculture of the early 90s, and the various crimes and notorious figures that resulted from it. First published in 1998 by Feral House, the book was re-released in 2003 with an additional 50 pages of material.
Much of the controversy surrounding the book relates to Moynihan’s supposed right-wing leanings, which he denies.
I’ve read the book and enjoyed it – although I think it started off strong and ended weak, with a sort of cursory attempt at a socialogical explanation.
The black metal community swears it’s all sensationalist lies. It IS sensationalized – I’ll grant that. Boring stuff does not a good book make.
Personally, I think the consternation stems from a desire to legitimize the whole black metal scene and drag it beyond it’s violent, satan-and-fire roots. The music lives on, and the scene continues to grow, but without the notoriety it once had. I think this is a good thing, not helped by the book or impending movie.
Many of those guys have grown up, got married, hard kids, and might be just a teeeny little bit embarrassed by all the goat-sacrificing, corpsepaint nonsense.
In a public statement on his website in 2004, Vikernes slammed the Lords of Chaos book as ”a pile of mud”. He goes on:
“This book serves only one single purpose and that is to create a myth around my name and to mystify me. If that was their objective they have indeed succeeded with their work. Well, the book seems to have served one other purpose too. The authors have managed to fill the heads of a generation of metal fans with lies. What could have been a righteous revolt has been made into some pathetic, embarrassing, brain-dead, impotent and traditional poser-culture best exemplified by bands like Dimmu Borgir – and indeed VENOM!”
Satyr and Frost of Satyricon and numerous other black metal musicians have openly slammed the book and movie. Frost called the tabloid interest in black metal a “parasitic phenomenon” and Satyr had this to say:
“It is sad that such an inaccurate story, written by someone who doesn’t understand black metal, has become a book of reference. And it is sad that someone is willing to go that far to exploit the history of black metal.”
I think everyone should lighten up a little and accept that people are welcome and encouraged to interpret music and ideaology in whatever way they choose. That is all this movie is – one interpretation of a scene.
True Black metal will remain underground, always and forever. It’s too abrasive, too
I’m a huge Burzum fan (not a fan of Varg, just his amazing music) and I will be watching the Lord of Choas movie, because it will make me giggle.
Super Snuggles and Shoggoth Kisses
Steff
