X-rated Bob wrote
Here's the question: Are these acts sincere, or are they just conforming to the style and form that the market they're in dictates?
Well there were all the church-burnings in Scandinavia. Even though I have little sympathy with christianity, I find the idea of burning historical national relics a revolting act of ignorant vandalism - much like the Taliban thugs destroying those giant Buddhas.
And whatsisname Vaag Vickerson(?), who was behind a lot of them, went to jail for murdering - not a priest or a christian of course - but another black metal musician. Scumbag.
As the Metal: A Headbanger's Journey doccie makes clear, there's a lot of marketing cachet to be gained by being more evil than the next metal band. But like most things, I guess a lot of people have to buy into it themselves to pull it off. But I reckon it's the minority who take these things more seriously than say, a person dressing up in a Federation uniform to attend a Star Trek convention.
It's quite obvious us to even the most superstitious person now that Ozzy is no black magician. But in his heyday, many were terrified that he was releasing his hell-hounds on their children. Now it's clear that he's just an emotional cripple with a great stage persona.
