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On Tyranny: Nixil Insist Black Metal Bands Are Fighting Harder Against Fascism Than Veteran Punks

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , , , , , on 05/06/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Could there be a band better-suited to participate in The Bad Penny‘s ongoing On Tyranny series than one that prominently states on their Bandcamp page that they “detest fascism, white supremacy and nationalist ideology. NO GODS, NO MASTERS, NO BOOTLICKERS”?

The answer is no.

Meet Nixil, a melodic black-metal band that hails from Baltimore and is still pretty young at approximately five years old. When The Bad Penny learned that they. Nixil also distinguish themselves from just about every other extreme-metal band by incorporating atmospheric elements, French avant-garde flourishes, occult psychedelia and crust punk into their sound.

To the extent that Nixil have a peer group, it’s Portland, Oregon’s Drouth. That quartet stirs a stew of atmospheric death metal, black metal and blackened death metal in their proverbial cauldron. Nixil and Drouth are such a good match that the bands teamed for a split album, recorded and mixed by the revered J. Robbins, that came out roughly two weeks ago. The two bands are also heading out on tour together starting tomorrow.

The Bad Penny caught up with Nixil vocalist Ash Nix – who says he became an anarchist and anti-fascist in high school – and bassist/backing vocalist Aurora less than a month ago. During our candid conversation, they made a strong case that black metal currently occupies the fiercest role of any music genre in battling the Trump administration’s and oligarchs’ fascist takeover of the U.S.

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On Tyranny: Zach Galifianakis Nails Joe Rogan, Theo Von, Other Podcast Bros for Failing With ‘Political Comedy’

Posted in Comedy, Features, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags , , , , , on 05/06/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Perfectly stated:

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On Tyranny: Ecce Shnak Leader Says ‘White European Plutocrat Supremacist Psychosis’ Has Gripped US

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , , , , on 05/04/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

As marginalized Americans continue to get hammered by a new upper-class uppercut every day, at least so it seems, visionary composer/bassist/singer David Roush is turning his idealistic vision into a reality by directly helping those most in need. Roush is the frontman of Ecce Shnak (pronounced Eh-kay sh-knock), a five-piece art-rock band now in its 15th year. They describe their sound as “one part pop music, another part classical music, and a third part punk music.”

Rousch is one of the 100-plus musicians profiled in The Bad Penny‘s On Tyranny series who are taking action during the most perilous time for U.S. democracy in recent decades, if not centuries. Specifically, Roush is tirelessly trying to help get poet/philosopher Keith LaMar off death row, where he was relegated to an Ohio prison 30 years ago for crimes he allegedly didn’t commit.

Roush discusses LaMar’s case and shares his analysis about the abysmal state of America, Ecce Shnak and much more in the latest installment of On Tyranny.

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On Tyranny: Nequient Vocalist Links America’s Current Catastrophes to Obama Haters’ ‘Deep-Seated Racial Animosity’ After He Was Elected President

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , , on 05/03/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

Fans of grindcore no doubt are aware that Nequient – arguably Chicago’s greatest contribution to the subgenre – just spat out their third LP two Fridays ago on Nefarious Industries. One of the main themes on the nine-track Avarice fits in comfortably with The Bad Penny‘s ongoing On Tyranny series.

Vocalist Jason Kolkey shows no restraint in lambasting the greedy oligarchs who are stridently, shamelessly and soullessly puppet-mastering the U.S. economy into incalculable and perhaps unsalvageable economic ruin, particularly during Donald Trump’s fascist reign. It’s difficult which is more terrifying, Nequient’s unforgivable brutality or the nauseating avarice of the top 1 percent richest individuals in America.

Kolkey generously carved out some time late last week to elaborate on his highly charged and completely coherent positions with The Bad Penny. Dude knows what he’s talking about … Kolkey earned a PhD in English from Loyola University Chicago, and works as an independent scholar and writer when not declaring war on his vocal cords (and the ultra-wealthy) as the frontman of Nequient.

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On Tyranny: Silver Jews and Lambchop Collaborator William Tyler Takes a Fierce Stand Against Fascism

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , , , , on 04/08/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

“The real deal” is a phrase that gets bandied about often – excessively and sloppily so when it comes to singer/songwriters. But listen to Nashville musician William Tyler say five words, and you’ll immediately identify his Achilles’ heel: bullshit. Tyler has no reason to bloviate when he’s spent so much of his decorated career recording and touring with a litany of other sacrilegiously overlooked yet irrefutably talented musicians of the indie-folk, Americana and cosmic country varities. Tyler had membership in Silver Jews and Lambchop, made a record five years ago with Marissa Anderson, and counts Bonnie “Prince” Billy as one of his multitudinous collaborators.

Over the course of his three-decade career, the immediately disarming and infectiously kind Tyler’s list of credits runs longer than one featured at the end of a Sergio Leone film. And yet occasions in which Tyler overtly tackles topical issues or shares his beliefs about politics and the like are rare. Which is why The Bad Penny took note of Tyler’s participation in a recent compilation co-produced by indie filmmaker Rick Alverson called Passages: Artists in Solidarity with Immigrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers. A description accompanying the Western Vinyl release stated: “Passages is both an acknowledgement of work in progress and an invitation to do more. Our representatives need to see us. Our families need to hear from us. Our neighbors and local organizations on the front lines of this crisis are ready for us to join them.”

Curious to learn more about the collection and its participants, we reached out to some of the contributors. One of them curiously rebuffed our invitation to participate in On Tyranny, saying “I really don’t feel like any of my troubles are the real burden of this moment.” But as the days, weeks, months and years in the still-nascent fascist regime taking hold of this country are proving, none of us will be untouched by the shock, awe, pain and lament that is growing like a cancer inside our collective civic body.

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On Tyranny: Russian Alt-Metal Musician Urges U.S. Artists to Resist America From Turning Into Her Fascist Homeland

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , , on 04/06/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

As if any of us needed any more convincing that Authoritarian America is increasingly resembling Russia, thanks in part to Donald Trump modeling himself after his hero Vladimir Putin, this latest installment of The Bad Penny‘s ongoing series On Tyranny will demonstrate how chillingly similar life in the two countries has become. And for this we have a musician named n0 trixx to thank: The Russian artist is unwavering in her conviction that those who call themselves artists must be uncompromising, courageous beyond dispute and speaking truth to power.

At a time when more American musicians are finally speaking out about the full-scale assault on democracy that Trump and his band of sycophants and sociopaths effectively began launching a decade ago, artists in the U.S. still have much, much more to learn. If there’s an upshot to the pillorying of musicians here, it’s that they have learned, are learning or soon will learn that making art is not simply an exercise in entertainment: It’s a critical activity that ensures the circulatory system of democracy is in good shape.

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On Tyranny: Dropkick Murphys Headlining Free ‘Abolish ICE’ Concert in Minneapolis Tonight

Posted in Concert Previews, Essays, Features, News, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags , , , , , , , , , on 03/06/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

One of the most curious, foreboding and even alarming trends that arose and continues to metastasize amid the Trump regime’s incalculable atrocities can be summed up in one sentence: Where are all the punk bands?

The bread and butter of punk music is – or at least was – an anti-establishment sentiment shared by young people who galvanized to fight en masse against injustices like racism, sexism and class warfare. In fact, the punk movement was so furious, potent and desperate for social and political change that they almost indisputably played a critical role in the last quarter of the 20th century.

From the Sex Pistols publicly taking the piss out of Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher due to the latter’s ruthless rule to railing against bobbies to figuratively spitting on conservative politicians, punk bands played an integral role in transforming their stomping grounds into a more accepting, and therefore freer, version of itself.

American punks also impacted their own culture around the same time as the Brits were fighting the good fight – look no further than Black Flag, Misfits and Circle Jerks for proof. Instead, look at what’s happening today, during one of the most horrific and terrifying periods in the last decade of American history.

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On Tyranny: The Who Asserted ‘We Won’t Get Fooled Again.’ By Re-electing Trump, We Sure as Hell Did

Posted in Essays with tags , , , , , , on 03/03/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

The Bad Penny revolves almost entirely around music – the intended goal of this website upon its launch many, many years ago. But with politics having now infiltrated every aspect of our lives, that lofty goal seems utterly unrealistic. To that end, we debuted a series called On Tyranny, in which musicians share their feelings, concerns and fears about how fascist rule could eventually lead to targets on their backs.

Today, we bring you an essay by yourself truly that may seem intangible to Trump’s fascist takeover but actually applies to all artists and fans thereof. Thanks to the top-most coordinators of Idaho 50501 – each of whom are waaaay smarter than this writer – the bold and ambitious community-organizing effort is growing exponentially and passionately.

To that end, go to Idaho 50501’s website to read an essay I wrote fairly recently to support the cause: “Trump: The Most Destructive Baby Ever.”

(Full disclosure: This writer is a proud member of Idaho 50501, and the group initially published this essay on Jan. 18.)

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On Tyranny: Minneapolis Still ‘Under Violent Occupation’ Despite ICE Drawdown, Taxpayers Singer Says

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny, Videos with tags , , , , , , , on 02/16/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

In The Bad Penny‘s first interview with a Minneapolis band since ICE, CBP and other feds invaded their city, we touch base with Rob Taxpayer, a multi-instrumentalist for Minneapolis punk-rock band the Taxpayers. He insists the Trump regime, the media and bad actors on social media are deceiving the general public into thinking the city is back to normal. But in reality, the city looks so much like a war zone that Rob has to frequently remind himself that he is indeed still living in America, he says.

“This federal government is more willing to do stuff without worrying about the consequences of it,” he says. “That’s the difference between the first Trump administration and this one: [Now] They say, ‘Fuck you, we’re going to do this anyway. Fuck the courts. Fuck public opinion. Fuck America. We’re gonna do what we fucking want.'”

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On Tyranny: Crippled Black Phoenix Say U.K, U.S. Colonialism ‘Has Come Back to Bite Us in the Ass’

Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny, On Tyranny with tags , , , , , , , , on 02/12/2026 by Kurt Orzeck

With all the horrifying, nauseating, apocalypse-seeming terrors the Trump administration and U.S. federal government is unleashing on not only the rest of the world but its own citizens, we often forget that actions and developments that occur in America reverberate an radiate far beyond our shores.

To that end, we touched base with our friends Justin Greaves and Belinda Kordic from self-described “macabre rock” band Crippled Black Phoenix to discuss the political, cultural and moral rot that is corroding the U.S., the U.K. and even Sweden. thanks in part, although not exclusively, a certain president of a certain country trying to shape.

“It’s Handmaid’s fucking Tale, isn’t it?” an understandably upset Kordic remarks as we begin discussing the loaded subject (which, by the way, is no longer about political disagreements between left and right but rather a moral battle between right and wrong).

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