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HEAVY METAL France: Threats, campaigns and media rage against heavy metal festival The ecclectic metal festival Hellfest in France received threats from religious groups. The media attention which followed doubled the festival's ticket sales 09 June 2010 Russia: City bans heavy metal music in cafés, clubs and restaurants Authorities in the West-Russian city of Belgorod has banned performances of heavy metal music in a bid to “save the city’s youth” 31 May 2010 Germany: Expelled from teachers collage for playing death metal A singer from the death metal band Debauchery was given the choice of either abandoning his music for three years or quit the teachers college 10 May 2010 Iran: 80 young people arrested at illegal concert Iranian police detained 80 young men and women for "lustful pleasure-seeking" activities at an illegal concert, Tehran's chief prosecutor was quoted as saying 10 May 2010 Iran: Music from 'below the radar' distributed on free CD A compilation of underground Iranian music, compiled by the music centre Bar-Ax, was published as a free bonus-CD with April-May 2010 issue of the music magazine Songlines 05 May 2010 Poland: Death metal band leader charged for offending religious feelings Vocalist and guitarist Adam Darski of the Polish heavy metal band Behemoth was charged on 8 March 2010 for insulting Roman Catholics, facing up to two years in prison 14 April 2010 Syria: Interrogated and harassed for listening to metal music Young people in Syria are interrogated by the secret police if they listen to heavy metal music, writes Romuald Stankiewicz in this personal travel report from the country 29 March 2010 Press release: New Freemuse report about censorship of heavy metal music The new Freemuse report written by Mark LeVine reveals a different face of the heavy metal artists who yearn for change in their restrictive societies 17 February 2010 Launch of Freemuse's new report on censorship of heavy metal music Mark LeVine is online, ready to communicate with you on Facebook and Skype, from 6 PM to 8 PM GMT on Monday 22 February 2010. 17 February 2010 Freemuse report on censorship of heavy metal music Headbanging against repressive regimes - Censorship of heavy metal in the Middle East, North Africa, Southeast Asia and China. Freemuse report no. 9 25 January 2010 Iran: 12 'satanist' musicians reportedly arrested in Orumiyeh An Iranian newspaper reported that 12 musicians accused of promoting satanism have been arrested in northwest Iran 02 November 2009 Jordan: Heavy metal musician: "We were rebels" Rami Abdel Rahman's personal account of his experiences as a young metal head in the 1990s heavy metal scene of Jordan 08 October 2009 Malaysia: In League With Satan? - The Malaysian Black Metal Ban A personal account by 'Ed On 45', the editor of The Devil On 45 Zine which is published in Ireland 23 September 2009 Iran: Musicians respond to the crisis Despite a general ban, rock music has become one of the most vibrant forces for critiquing the various ills of Iranian society, writes music researcher Mark Levine 23 June 2009 Iran: Rock concert raided, 104 arrested A concert in Shiraz was raided by an Islamist militia, and 104 people arrested, on the grounds of being 'immoral', reported Jam-e Jam newspaper on 27 May 2009 08 June 2009 Iraq: Musicians take up their instruments again As the civil war in Iraq appears to be fading, so does the pressure on musicians and the ban on music by the Mehdi Army's and Al-Qaeda's militiamen 24 November 2008 Commentary: Motley Crue, open your ears to Middle East bands Author Mark LeVine asks the heavy metal band Motley Crue: "Why not really make rock history and open your Make Rock History contest to bands from around the world?" 01 August 2008 Book by Mark LeVine: 'Heavy Metal Islam' American author and historian Mark LeVine has published a book about the special role of Heavy Metal music in the Middle East and its relationship with Islam: 'Heavy Metal Islam' 16 July 2008 Sweden: Teacher fired because of his music A Swedish school teacher was kicked out after only one week's employment. The reason? He played in a heavy metal band, reported the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation 27 June 2008 Saudi Arabia: Interview with founder of thrash metal band Faisal Al-Alamy is founder of the Saudi Arabian thrash metal band Octum. They released a demo entitled 'Fighting For Freedom' in January 2008 04 June 2008 Saudi Arabia: Musicians' freedom expanded There has been a quiet, yet marked increase in cultural activities in Saudi Arabia during the past couple of months. New music bands emerge and blossom on the internet 27 May 2008 Iraq: Film about the heavy metal band Acrassicauda The documentary film 'Heavy Metal in Baghdad' documents how Iraq’s only heavy metal band, Acrassicauda, had to escape the country and is now literally a band on the run 18 December 2007 USA: Disney criticised for stopping heavy metal concerts Why has the heavy metal genre now been labeled “inflammatory” and their fans “undesirable? at House of Blues venues in Anaheim and Orlando? 11 October 2007 Poland: Anti-sect organisation blacklists metal and rock bands A list of artists with a “dangerous message” will be distributed to the Polish authorities and will likely result in the artists getting banned from performing in Poland. 21 June 2007 USA: Printing plant refused to print 'satanic' album cover A forthcoming death metal album from Akercocke has caused uproar amongst religious groups in Ireland and USA. A US printing plant has refused to print 'satanic' material 16 May 2007 Syria: 'Silenced voices' In Syria, music is a mirror which shows the soul of the listener. A few young musicians perceive a magic language of sound which can touch the heart and make new thoughts spark. And this is exacly where their problems start... 07 November 2006 Mark LeVine: Heavy Metal and Islam Video interview with the American author and historian Mark LeVine who is writing on a book about the special role of Heavy Metal in the Middle East and its relationship with Islam 30 October 2006 Mark LeVine: Globalisation and music censorship in the Middle East Video interview with the American author and historian Mark LeVine - about globalisation and music censorship the Middle East, and the effect of networking among musicians 30 October 2006 India: Album recalled and destroyed because it offends Christians EMI Music has pulled the new album by the American Heavy Metal band Slayer from music stores across India because of protests from the Christian community 12 October 2006 Oath to Vanquish Video interview with the Lebanese Death Metal band Oath to Vanquish, recorded in July 2006 - about their music and music censorship in Lebanon 08 July 2006 Malaysia: Blacklisted Heavy Metal band launches debut album After more than 20 years of performing, the blacklisted Malaysian Heavy Metal band Blackfire has finally released it's debut album, entitled 'Lahir Dari Api' on 6 June 2006 05 July 2006 Freedom of musical expression in the Middle East - report 'All that is Banned is Desired' summarizes the sessions and discussions held at the 'Conference on Freedom of Expression in Music' in Beirut in October 2005 06 June 2006 Malaysia: Norwegian rock band banned from performing Norwegian black metal band Mayhem was scheduled to give a performance in Malaysia’s capital, but following objections from members of the country's parliament, the concert has been banned. 10 February 2006 Malaysia: Islamic authority bans black metal On January 23, 2006, the highest Islamic authority in Malaysia placed a ban on black metal – the rock music variant dominated by distorted guitars and occult imagery 25 January 2006 Beirut Conference 2005: Speech by Ali Abu Shadi At the Freemuse conference in Beriut, October 2005, Ali Abu Shadi spoke about his work as the chairman of the central Censorship Department in Egypt 29 November 2005 Beirut Conference 2005: Speech by Moe Hamzeh Moe Hamzeh, a Lebanese producer and rock musician, tells his story. He performs with his band ‘The Kordz’ every Saturday at the club Nova in Beirut, Lebanon. 29 November 2005 Rèda Zine During Morocco trial rock and heavy metal musicians were accused of Satanism, "acts capable of undermining the faith of a Muslim" and "possessing objects which infringe morals". Interview in French 15 November 2005 Malaysia: Black metal music under attack Malaysian authorities see the music as part of “black metal cult” 28 October 2005 USA: Mötley Crüe blacklisted by NBC The heavy metal band Motley Crue are suing NBC because the network canceled scheduled appearances and banned the band after singer Vince Neil uttered the "F"-word 26 May 2005 Moroccan musicians and fans free The fourteen heavy metal musicians and fans were arrested in February in Casablanca and sentenced to jail from 2 months to 1 year 08 April 2003 1990s Freemusepedia timeline: Middle East: 1990s: Algeria: Souad Massi, Cheb Hasni, Rachid Baba-Ahmed & Matoub Lounès. Egypt: Heavy Metal. Iran: Hengameh Akhavan. 01 January 2001