Online campaign launched to stop metal bands playing in Singapore

Watain (Image credit: Jake Owens)

An online petition to stop metal bands from playing in Singapore has been signed by more than 16,000 people.

The petition was started in an effort to alert the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth to upcoming shows by Watain and Soilwork.

The Change.org campaign is titled Ban satanic music groups Watain and Soilwork performing in Singapore and, at the time of writing, has been signed 16,894 times.

A statement reads: These heavy metal bands do not represent the culture which we want in our youths. Their subliminal messages in their songs include death and suicide.

“Sign this petition to get our lawmakers to ban these bands from performing in Singapore.”

Watain were due to perform at the EBX Live Space in Singapore today (March 7) but some fans have reported that the show had been called off with just a meet and greet taking place.

Soilwork, meanwhile, are scheduled to play in Singapore in October at the same venue, with many tickets for the show already sold out.

It’s not the first time that metal bands have faced hostility. In September last year, Marduk were banned from entering Guatemala for being “satanic” while Carcass were forced to cancel a trip to Malaysia in 2015.

In 2014, Malaysian censors seized copies of Jimi Hendrix’s Axis: Bold As Love for offending religious beliefs – 47 years after it was first released. The previous year Lamb Of God were blocked from appearing in the country.

Artists

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.