...most people are NOT smart enough to discriminate, but thats another topic.

There they were, pounding heavy against the double glass—Grafvolluth, legendary, black-Pagan metal craftsmen, plying their considerable trade right in my face. I seriously cannot thank the band enough, Joe @ Regimental in particular, for the months of emailing and scheduling between us that finally made this happen. I'm personally gratified to be presenting an ever-widening variety of black metal on the show. ...

Much, much credit must go to my WFMU colleague Diane Kamikaze, always a consummate professional, for capturing Grafvolluth's frenetic mania, and Tyrinn's forceful, necrotized vocals, in a set that expanded upon the greatness of the Long Live Death! album, with two new songs, and a charged sound which added yet another layer of live power to the essence I knew from their records.

You can hear last night's archive by clicking on the image above. Our friend—he's a little wrapped up, but can still take you to your streaming options, and last night's playlist and lively discussion board.

I want to thank several friends in Germany for checking in, both on the live playlist and via email, for sharing their thoughts on some of the NS black metal that is occasionally played on the show. The issue of Neo-National Socialism is certainly no more visceral anywhere than it is in Deutschland, especially due to current, tragic events there, and the perspective of my listener-friends is always welcome and much appreciated/respected. To view the live discussion, see our playlist.

Though I am staunchly anti-censorship, I also have no wish to promote Nationalist values of any stripe, and certainly have a personal admiration and respect for all cultures. Where the Absurd track I played may be viewed by myself as a "curiosity," or more well-put, a black-metal-genre artifact, I can also appreciate that the issue is much more contemporary and passionate in Europe (sort of like 9/11 is for NY-area locals who lived through it, though admittedly that's not the strongest comparison.)

My Castle of Quiet the radio program, by its very nature courts the fringe in any number of ways, and I am always grateful to WFMU for the forum and opportunity to do my bit for a loyal and rarely-served (in radio terms) "niche" audience. It was most certainly not my intention to offend anyone, and I don't believe anyone was offended per se, though a healthy and welcome discussion certainly ensued. It's a fine line I must often tread, as at least sonically speaking, "offensive" could be viewed as one of the totems of the show.

Much love on our comments board for our special guests, as well as Final Doctrine (new tape on Primal Vomit!), Cincinnatus C, and our Russian brothers EDASI and Degenerate Slug.

Thanks again to Grafvolluth; watch for their set to post to WFMU's Web portals in the near future.

(For an extended commentary on NSBM, and the particulars and peculiarities of the subgenre, please see this post, from 2009.)