Metal Anarchy

As previously reported, System Of A Down’s Serj Tankian recently blasted Imagine Dragons for playing a show in Azerbaijan, saying that the concert would be used to “whitewash the dictatorial regime’s image.” However, Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds defended his decision, saying that he doesn’t “believe in depriving fans who want to see [them] play because of the acts of their leaders.” As such, Tankian has since responded with more criticism.

Tankian said the following:

“Dan Reynolds stated: ‘I don’t believe in depriving our fans who want to see us play because of the acts of their leaders and their governments, I think that’s a really slippery slope. I think the second you start to do that, there’s corrupt leaders and warmongers all over the world, and where do you draw the line’

Respectfully, I draw the line at ethnic cleansing and genocide. Azerbaijan’s dictatorship with popular support was already into a 9 month starvation blockade of Nagorno-Karabagh qualified as Genocide by former @icc prosecutor @luismorenoocampo when they decided to play Baku. Would they play in Nazi Germany? Why don’t they want to play in Russia? Because it’s not popular?

They support Ukraine but not Armenians of Artsakh? The only “slippery slope” is the farce moral equivalency at the heart of this hypocritical attitude. I have nothing against this guy nor his band. I just hate artists being taken advantage of to whitewash Genocidal dictatorships.

Thanks for reading @nmemagazine @rollingstone @the.independent @metalsucks”