The devil made you do it?

In America, heavy metal music is blamed for everything from cult killings to teen acne. I think, perhaps, we give too much credit to long-haired head-bangers. Most of them just want to salute those about to rock. In Norway, black metal music has been linked to a murder and a series of church burnings. But were these  crimes instigated by the nihilistic song-stylings of Varg Vikernes… or just the by-product of his already troubled/triggered anarchist sensibility?

UNTIL THE LIGHT TAKES US lets the convicted crooner, Vikernes, lyricize about his political leanings and musical ambitions. Documentarians Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell also check in with his foes, friends and fellow rockers for both perspective and the saner side of the black metal movement. Commendably, the film foregoes shock value in favor of fair-minded story-telling and surprising portraits of the major players in the case.

I am so glad I had the opportunity to talk with Aaron and Audrey when they were in Seattle this summer. Eavesdrop on my conversation with them here. And, if you’d like to reach your own verdict about Varg Vikernes, you can see UNTIL THE LIGHT TAKES US this Sunday (at 6:30pm) at the Maelstrom International Fantastic Film Festival.