Behemoth, a Polish "death metal" band, has been forced to cancel its upcoming show in India. There have been some concerns regarding the band's safety following alleged "threats" from "religious Christian groups," per NME.
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The gig was scheduled for March 3. However, it has since been nixed due to credible threats stemming from religious Christian groups." Behemoth has since released a statement regarding the cancelled show on social media.
"Over the past few weeks, we and our team have received numerous credible threats stemming from religious Christian groups who have been applying pressure to authorities and to the promoter in an effort to stop the show from taking place," the statement read. "These threats have raised serious concerns regarding the band's safety and security, including the possibility of arrest or physical danger."
A lack of 'sufficient' safety assurances ultimately led to the decision.
"We have been in close contact with the local promoter throughout this process. We want to make it clear that this cancellation is not the fault of the promoter, who has acted in good faith at every stage. Despite genuine efforts, it was not possible to obtain sufficient assurances that the band would be protected from legal consequences or security risks. On that basis, we have made the decision to cancel the show."
Behemoth Recently Cancelled Two Shows in Turkey, Too
Behemoth's show in India isn't the only one the band has cancelled in recent weeks. The group recently released a statement on Instagram explaining that two shows in Turkey were also cancelled.
"To our fans in Istanbul and Ankara, we are deeply disappointed to confirm that our scheduled performances in Turkey have been cancelled," the statement began. "...The cancellations come after pressure from religious groups who have characterized our art as satanic propaganda and deemed it unacceptable. This is another example of ideology being used to suppress artistic expression and restrict cultural freedom. Behemoth has always stood for creative independence and the right of artists to express themselves without censorship."
With shows likely booked elsewhere in the world, it will be interesting to see if any more bookings are cancelled in the coming days or weeks. Until then, Behemoth will likely continue to share its dark "death metal" style with rock fans around the globe.
