Istanbul cancels Slaughter to Prevail & Behemoth concerts due to backlash over “societal values”
Local officials in Istanbul, Turkey recently announced the cancellation of scheduled performances by the Russian deathcore band, Slaughter To Prevail, and the Polish blackened death metal group, Behemoth. The decision to scrap the shows came after local groups expressed reservations about the bands’ material conflicting with “societal values.”
Istanbul Governor Davut Gül made the cancelations public via social media, stating that events that harm society have never been allowed in Istanbul and will not be allowed in the future. The governor’s office released an official statement translating to English from Turkish by The PRP, indicating that the concerts at the Zorlu Performing Arts Center Turkcell Stage on February 10 (Slaughter To Prevail) and February 11 (Behemoth) faced opposition from the public.
The address made reference to specific articles from Turkish law – Articles 17 and 22 of Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations and Article 32/Ç of Law No. 5442 on Provincial Administration. As a result, a two-day ban was imposed on all concerts, festivals, and ticketed events at the Zorlu PSM and Zorlu Center from 00:01 on February 10 to 23:59 on February 11.
Bianet reported that Turkish broadcaster Akit TV criticized both bands, accusing Slaughter To Prevail of promoting satanism and Behemoth of openly defying religion with their apparel. Slaughter To Prevail’s frontman, Alex Terrible, disputed the religious connotations attached to the band, clarifying that they are a brutal death metal outfit and asserting respect for Turkey, its people, and their religious beliefs. Terrible expressed dismay over the cancelation, mentioning that it occurred due to pressure from a particular Islamic group.
Behemoth, renowned for challenging religious hierarchies and embracing Satanic imagery, have not commented on the developing situation regarding the concert ban in Istanbul.
Despite the cancelation, Slaughter To Prevail and Behemoth have not issued any formal statements addressing the controversy. The future of the scheduled performances remains uncertain as fans await updates on whether the bands will stage shows in Istanbul at a later date.