Randy Blythe of Lamb of God performs on stage during Soundwave 2012 at the Sydney Showground.
Malaysia barred heavy-metal band Lamb of God from performing in the country after officials deemed it a threat to the morality, faith and safety of the Muslim community. According to the New Straits Times, the director general of the government’s Department of Islamic Development cited the song “Walk With Me in Hell” as an example of the band’s satanic message, in which the lead singer moans, “Walk with me in Hell,” before adding, “Walk with me in Hell,” another five times over.
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The band members responded in an open letter on their website, arguing that their critics “have themselves only made a passing glance at the content and meanings of those songs,” and needed to take a deeper look at the “true motivations” of their work. The band also apologized to its Malaysian fans, adding that it had sold 1,500 tickets before the show was canceled. For those 1,500 fans, at least, the heavy-metal scene in Malaysia just got a little less heavy.