DragonForce guitarist: "I'm not a Nazi!"

Sam Totman, guitarist with this week's Kerrang! cover stars has spoken out against his old band, Demoniac White Power lyrics.

The New Zealand-based black metal outfit achieved a certain amount of notoriety in the '90s when a song entitled Hatred Is Purity appeared on their second album, 1996's Stormblade. The song featured lyrics such as 'Aliens invade this place, white man stand up for your race...' and 'So much anger but so much pride, I want to see them all dying', White Power lyrics which sat awkwardly with the tales of bloodthirsty demons, zombies, witches and warriors elsewhere on the album.

"Everyone in Demoniac used to write their own songs, and one guy wrote lyrics for about three songs which were kinda White Power Nazi lyrics," Totman told Kerrang! magazine. "It wasn't really serious. We thought singing about Satan and heavy metal was funny and he liked singing about that because that's what he was into at the time. I don't think he's into it now."

But when people read those lyrics, they might think it's something you endorsed, given that you stood on a stage beside him.

"Yeah maybe. I actually listened to lots of Nazi bands, not so much now, but like, I don't really think that listening to a Nazi band is any different to watching, say, a horror movie: just because you watch a horror movie doesn't mean you wanna go and murder people and just because you listen to a Nazi band doesn't mean that you wanna go and kill black people either. If you listen to Cannibal Corpse it doesn't mean you wanna go and chop up babies either. If it's good music..."

You don't think that people might find those kind of lyrics offensive on a different level than, say, an Evil Dead movie?

"Well yeah, it's offensive, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't listen to it. We probably sold about 10 copies of that record, I don't think I'm gonna be on Ophrah's show trying to say 'Oh sorry, I'm not a Nazi really'."

Posted by Dan at 04:40PM | September 12, 2008

First of all as a black lobg time metal fan I always want to hear the truth wether it hurt's or not? I'ne called the N. word at shows but it's worse when somebody calls you friend then says it behind your back.

more aeticles on Dream Theater, pull-ezz!

JAYMES.

Posted by Jaymes Wailson | September 12, 2008 4:58 PM | Reply to this

lol

How funny :L

Posted by sarah;) | September 12, 2008 5:05 PM | Reply to this

I didn't believe Totman was a Nazi anyway, he wouldn't of been in Dragonforce if he was.

Posted by Trollkiller | September 12, 2008 7:35 PM | Reply to this

how caqn he be a nazi? factually a nazi was someone who belonged to the nazi party. he got a good point about it being offensive if they find it offensive why listen to it?

and what jaymes said more on dream theatre plz!!!!!!!!!

Posted by luke | September 12, 2008 8:41 PM | Reply to this

You wont get Dream Theatre articles mate, they've got to much talent, and they take to much effort for your average 11 year old to listen to

Posted by Gareth | September 12, 2008 8:59 PM | Reply to this

Neo nazi bands

yeah why not listen to racist bands?It doesnt make diffrence anyway,right?Fuck yeah it does if you listen to these bands and buy their albums,you are supporting them and giving them the money to spread their hate-lyrics.
Wanna see what these bands do in germany,they attract young people to the neo nazis and next thing you know they are off beating some immigrants to death again.So yeah why not listen to those bands?Lets see how many young people the recruit today!

Posted by jerry | September 13, 2008 11:08 AM | Reply to this

Neo nazi bands

You do make me laugh. I listen to some "national socialist black metal" bands sometimes. I hate the Nazi ideology, but its just music. Just becasue some kid listens to Dimmu Borgir, dosn't mean they are a going into pagan / leVay satanism!

Posted by A Goth | September 14, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply to this

Neo nazi bands

Have you ever lived in berlin especially in kreuzberg?And if you think its just music how about you tell the family of the 11 YEAR OLD NEIGHBOURBOY that was beaten to death by some neo nazi fucks that they should not worry about the music these sick fucks were listening to because other normal people listen to it.Do ya really think a song called "die jew die" is still good music?

Posted by jerry | September 15, 2008 6:31 PM | Reply to this

nazi

I dont think the guys a nazi at all, he's getting alot of stick for the lyrics someoneelse wrote... it not like he's gone out and personally slandered a paricular race in the media... you can dissagree with lyrics and still enjoy the music.... Im a huge megadeath fan... dave's political lyrics have always been sh*t but I still love the music! lol

Posted by L.H | September 13, 2008 11:46 AM | Reply to this

racist

he sounds like a complete moron.

Posted by ash | September 13, 2008 2:26 PM | Reply to this

nazi

you are funny, all of you...

Posted by VoiVod | September 14, 2008 12:32 AM | Reply to this

Nazi or not,y ou're still just a fucking drunk showoff

Posted by Titan50 | September 14, 2008 5:08 PM | Reply to this

Drunk show off?, least he knows how to enjoy himself unlike you prick.

Posted by Trollkiller | September 14, 2008 9:27 PM | Reply to this

Lies!

What eez this? Claiming not to be a Nazi?

Schweinwund! I saw you at the meeting on thursday! You vanted to kill ze black people and ze Jews. You told me yourself! And now you eez denying it?! I think it's time for a little trip to ze showers for you.

Posted by Adolf Hitler | September 16, 2008 5:43 PM | Reply to this

no.

you're not funny, you're sick.

Posted by Gerald | September 16, 2008 5:50 PM | Reply to this

no.

So are you :)

Posted by Adolf Hitler | September 16, 2008 7:45 PM | Reply to this

the have the fastist guitarist in the world and he is ace

Posted by anthony | September 30, 2008 12:38 PM | Reply to this

Demoniac

Look, I have the album, it's an absolute masterpiece. Primitive, like the first, but with ripping solos and slightly better production. The lyrics for "Niggerslut" were not included (well, one line was, and it had nothing to do with racism), so the only obviously racist song is "Hatred is Purity." By "the other member," he might have been referring to Mark Hamill (of HLAH), since I believe he sang the song. Honestly, I could care less if they were a Nazi/racist band. I am by no means racist, nor have I ever considered myself such, but, when you have rap lyrics that blatantly talk about "killin' crackas," It doesn't bother me much to see one white band make an off-color joke. I see no reason to damn this masterpiece, nor the musicians who created it.

Posted by Austin | April 14, 2009 2:39 AM | Reply to this