Background of the controversy
In early July, a Reddit post on the r/Triangle subreddit brought national attention to a planned performance by the Texas-based metal act True Iron Will at Chapel of Bones, a coffee shop and live‑music venue in Raleigh, North Carolina. The anonymous poster alleged that True Iron Will is a Nazi band with clear ties to the National Socialist Black Metal (NSBM) scene. The user highlighted two tracks from the group’s most recent album, “Spirit of Steel,” titled “As the Blood Flag Waves” and “Voice of Vinland,” both of which contain overt Nazi symbolism and lyrical references to Aryan ancestry in early Norse settlements in North America.
Allegations and the Reddit post
The Reddit user explained that they had contacted Chapel of Bones approximately three weeks before the show to warn the venue about the band’s extremist ideology. According to the poster, the venue did not respond, leading to the public exposure on July 4. The post also pointed out that one member of True Iron Will also runs the band Lost Hierarchy, which is known for even more explicit NSBM content, while another member has been photographed wearing clothing from brands associated with Nazi symbolism. These details intensified the scrutiny and sparked a wave of criticism from the local metal community.
Venue response and swift action
Dante, the General Manager and Senior Talent Buyer at Chapel of Bones, addressed the allegations in a comment on the same Reddit thread. He stated that the show had been arranged by an external promoter and that, after personally reviewing the claims, he determined the concerns were valid. Dante emphasised that the venue hosts hundreds of acts each year and that manual background checks on every band are impractical, but that the situation prompted immediate intervention. He confirmed that he had already reached out to the promoter to remove True Iron Will from the lineup.
It was later revealed that the original warning email from the Reddit user had been diverted to Chapel of Bones’ spam folder, which explained the lack of a prior response. Dante uploaded a screenshot of the email to demonstrate the technical mishap, underscoring that the oversight was unintentional.
Official statement from Chapel of Bones
On July 7, Chapel of Bones issued a formal statement on its Facebook page. The statement announced that True Iron Will had been removed from the upcoming Abysmal Lord show and that patrons seeking refunds could do so through the venue’s website contact form. The venue clarified that the outside promoter who booked the band was an immigrant and was unaware of the group’s ideological stance, having not studied Nazi ideology, symbolism, or coded language in depth. The post also acknowledged that some promotional material might still feature the band and assured that the team was working to replace the artwork and scheduled posts as quickly as possible.
The statement concluded with a firm rejection of hate: “After reviewing the information that was provided, we requested that True Iron Will be removed from the lineup… There is absolutely no place for Nazism, fascism, or any ideology rooted in hate at our venue. If that’s what you’re looking for, Chapel of Bones isn’t the place for you.”
Implications for the metal scene
The incident has ignited a broader conversation within the metal community about venue responsibility, due diligence, and the presence of extremist elements in certain sub‑genres. Many fans have praised Chapel of Bones for taking a clear stand, while others have called for more rigorous screening processes for all performing acts. As of this writing, True Iron Will has not issued any public statement regarding the controversy or the canceled show.
