Frostnatt - Putin attacks black metal in Russia

On March 23rd, 2026 the instrumental black metal project Frostnatt (Russia) posted an update on Facebook about the situation for black metal in Russia. It says:

I want to share my thoughts about what is happening on the Russian black metal scene today and talk about something you may not have heard about.

On March 14, a small black metal festival called "Funeral of the Winter" took place in Yaroslavl, Russia. It was interrupted by police officers during a live performance. Both attendees and musicians were forced face down onto the floor and kept in that position for about five hours. Some of them were taken away and tortured. I have seen photos taken immediately after the torture. There were clumps of hair torn out and blood on the floor. The police were looking for "extremist" (pagan) tattoos, interrogating people, and pressuring them to go to war with Ukraine as soldiers.

The reasons for this police action were: an inverted cross in the organizer's logo, the pagan aesthetics of the concert, and the alleged connection of the bands to a far-right scene. Among the affected bands, I would like to specifically mention the band Nebokray, whose vocalist runs the underground label Der Schwarze Tod, which released all the Frostnatt full-length albums on CD.

This situation sounds so absurd that it is hard to believe, but unfortunately, it is true. This is the reality of the black metal scene in Russia, especially for bands that use even a small amount of pagan, anti-Christian, or similar aesthetics. This is not the first and will not be the last case of abuse of power by the Russian regime. Earlier, in February, police officers stopped a concert by the band Nechist' and arrested the musicians.

I have not found any statements from other Russian black metal bands expressing support for the affected bands or condemning the Russian authorities regarding this situation. Apparently, fear of ending up in the same situation forces people into self-censorship and silence. This is a perfect example of atomization. In this regard, I want to remind you that the Russian regime is an enemy not only to the rest of the world, but also to Russians themselves. Do not equate the two. I want to thank everyone who, despite the global demonization of Russians, continues to listen to and support Russian bands.

Den Evige Vinters Rike by Frostnatt

https://www.facebook.com/frostnattofficial