English

Authorities ban show by Swedish black metal band

The Prosecutor General's Office has banned Swedish black metal band Marduk from playing a show in Minsk.

Speaking to reporters in the Belarusian capital on Monday, Pavel Radzivonaw, a departmental head at the Prosecutor General's Office, confirmed that Marduk's concert, scheduled for May 22, would not take place.

"The band preaches Satanism, which has nothing to do with art. This is an affront to Christian values, they preach the ideas of death, of the Third Reich," he said, describing the band's songs as "destructive."

Four other foreign bands that were to open for the Swedish act during the show at the Re:Public club will be allowed to perform. However, Mr. Radzivonaw warned, their sets may be stopped if they involve violations of laws.

The official said that a May 18 show by controversial Russian musician Sergei Shnurov's band in Minsk had not been cancelled but its organizers had been warned against the use of profane language during the concert. Mr. Shnurov is notorious for the extensive use of explicit lyrics in his songs.

Mr. Radzivonaw stressed that the Office's actions had nothing to do with censorship. //BelaPAN