Mention the idea of ‘Satanism’ in the music industry to any random individual, and their mind will probably go straight to the genres of Heavy Metal and Heavy Rock, such has been their association with the dark occult through groups such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Megadeth and Judas Priest. How did these associations come about, are they justified, and how much of it can be attributed to controversial hype, versus genuine links with the occult?

Guesting to discuss these points is U.S. rock musician-turned-researcher Chris Drapeau. We get into the ‘devil’s horns’ frequently flashed by both band members and fans at gigs, and Chris gives his perspective on where this came from. We also cover the subject of backmasking - subliminal messages placed in reverse in recordings, which have been much associated with these genres. Other aspects discussed include the genre’s roots, including a black mass committed to vinyl back in 1969, and the deeply dark Black Metal scene coming out of Norway.