In a recent interview with Rock Sverige, Behemoth‘s Nergal shared his views on cancel culture. He noted that the initial reaction might come from a good place, but in most cases, people take it too far.
Nergal became famous within Behemoth for his distinctive vocal style. The band found great success with their original sound and collaborations with other touring bands and artists. Nergal has also pursued a solo career. In 2017, he started a solo project called ‘Me and That Man’ and then released his first album ‘Songs of Love and Death,’ which was appreciated by his fans.
Cancel culture is a new movement initiated by today’s generation and has spread through social media. Many people, including artists and bands, are constantly scrutinized by the public. They get criticized not just for their music but for their thoughts and behaviors if they are considered offending and problematic. However, it is wise to remember that the artists we put on a pedestal are also people bound to make mistakes or say the wrong things.
Nergal stated that the new album ‘Opvs Contra Natvram’ could be interpreted differently. Still, it generally means an act of rebellion. He added that anything they release is revoked, banned, or sued. Nergal noted that he believes cancel culture and political correctness are unnecessary. He said that initially, the intention might be good, but it is abused to a point where it no longer makes sense.
Nergal’s thoughts about cancel culture:
“Kind of, yes. It’s one of my maxims. It’s a powerful statement because ‘opus’ means the work of art, ‘contra’ is in contradiction to something, and ‘natura’ means nature. It can be interpreted in many ways; everyone probably has different optics. I suggest that you go through it yourself and make your interpretation.
What’s happening is that we’re releasing records, and it’s never been an easy ride, you know. On a lot of occasions, it’s been a struggle. We release a record, and we get banned. We release a song, poster, or shirt, and there’s a f*cking lawsuit, another lawsuit, and this and that. In retrospect, when I look at it, it’s like, ‘Holy shit!’
At times there are f*cking agendas for Behemoth to be stopped, to be canceled. I think it’s a middle finger to all those f*cking cancel culture bullshit and political correctness agendas I’m firmly against. The initial idea might be good, but it’s abused and used in a wrong way on most occasions.”
The new album ‘Opvs Contra Natvram’ is set to release on September 16th, 2022. The album aims to talk about the negative effects of cancel culture and the role of social media in contemporary life.
