Asgardsrei
GenreNational Socialist black metal
Location(s)Moscow, Russia (2012–2013) Kyiv, Ukraine (2014–present)
Years active2012–present
Founded byAlexey Levkin
Organized byMilitant Zone
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Asgardsrei festival (Norwegian: 'The Ride of Asgard', i.e "The Wild Hunt") is an annual National Socialist black metal (NSBM) festival in Kyiv, Ukraine.[1]

As a NSBM and white power music festival, it is one of the most popular events for far-right and neo-Nazi extremists and a meeting ground for white supremacist networks and organizations across Europe and America.[2] Several of the organizers and bands regularly playing at the club Bingo during Asgardsrei festival have been convicted of murders, assaults and other hate crimes, and belong to organizations classified as terrorist groups by several European courts.[3][4] It is named after the mythological Oskorei, also known as the Wild Hunt, which also was the name of a 1999 album by Absurd, which was seen as influential to the National Socialist black metal scene.[5] Such bands that are participating in the festival include Absurd, Peste Noire, Goatmoon, M8L8TH, and Nokturnal Mortum.[6][7]

The festival is strongly connected to Alexey Levkin of М8Л8ТХ, and his "Militant Zone" label, who act as organizers and originally founded the festival in Moscow in 2012. Levkin and the Militant Zone are heavily involved in the Ukrainian nationalist Azov Battalion[3] and the paramilitary Russian Volunteer Corps.

References

  1. ^ Kuzmenko, Oleksiy (February 15, 2019). ""Defend the White Race": American Extremists Being Co-Opted by Ukraine's Far-Right".
  2. ^ Hume, Time (13 December 2019). "A Black Metal Festival in Ukraine This Weekend Is the Neo-Nazi Networking Event of the Year". Vice. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  3. ^ a b Hagen, Freddy (12 December 2019). "Lige nu samles højreekstremister fra hele verden til festival i Kiev • POV". pov.international. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  4. ^ Harlukowicz, Jacek (December 14, 2018). "Wrocław neo-Nazis are going to Kiev for a festival gathering right-wing extremism from all over Europe".
  5. ^ Moynihan, Colin (February 19, 2019). "Heavy Metal Confronts Its Nazi Problem". The New Yorker.
  6. ^ Freieres, Horst (November 30, 2018). "Europe's NSBM scene gathers in Kiev".
  7. ^ "ASGARDSREI V – Nokturnal Mortum, Peste Noire, M8L8TH, Kroda (Kiev, 18.12.2016) | Militant Zone". Militant Zone | Militant Black Metal. 18 December 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2020.


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