Iskra (band)
Encyclopedia
Iskra is a Canadian anarchist
, thrash
, and black metal
project founded in Victoria
, British Columbia
in 2002. Their name means "spark" in Russian (искра).
Iskra performs and contributes to the anarchist underground
musical tradition, which emerged via punk in the late 1970s/80s with bands like Crass
, Amebix
, Antisect
, and Conflict. By blending elements of crust punk
, black metal
, Iskra say they have created their own sub-genre: "blackened crust".
Iskra includes former members of the anarchist crust band Black Kronstadt, who in the 1990s also described their music as "blackened crust", thus coining the phrase.More recently, Iskra has changed their style and prefer to call their music "Anarchist Metal".
Lyrically, Iskra's early material followed, more-or-less, in the anarcho-punk
tradition with regard to topic and theme. Such topics include a criticism of government, war, and economics as well as social issues such as homophobia
, sexism
, racism
, and the struggles of indigenous peoples
. The effects of political organization (both right and left wing) is also a common theme. Some songs discuss the global effects of capitalist institutions such as the World Trade Organization
, World Bank
, the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) and the Independent Task Force on North America
, to name a few.
More recently the band has changed lyrical style to a more poetic, but still very seditious, attack on political structures. Current lyrics also concentrate on exposing the deeper control mechanisms used by the modern state, and corporate structures, to rule people and manage resources.
As anarchists, Iskra promote self reliance, self organization, and the power of the individual over large scale political structures. They view politics as a practice that emerges locally, and is variable depending on the wants, and needs, of those directly involved.
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
, thrash
Thrash
Thrash may refer to:*Thrashing , where increasing resources are used to do a decreasing amount of work*Thrash , mascot of the Atlanta Thrashers-Music:*Thrash metal, a subgenre of heavy metal music...
, and black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
project founded in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in 2002. Their name means "spark" in Russian (искра).
Iskra performs and contributes to the anarchist underground
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
musical tradition, which emerged via punk in the late 1970s/80s with bands like Crass
Crass
Crass are an English punk rock band that was formed in 1977, which promoted anarchism as a political ideology, way of living, and as a resistance movement. Crass popularised the seminal anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, and advocated direct action, animal rights, and environmentalism...
, Amebix
Amebix
Amebix are an English crust punk/heavy metal band. Formed as "The Band with No Name," Amebix's original run was from 1978 to 1987, during which time they released three EPs and two full-length LPs...
, Antisect
Antisect
Antisect are an English anarcho-punk band, formed in 1982 in Daventry, Northamptonshire, UK. Their debut album, In Darkness There is No Choice, was released in 1983...
, and Conflict. By blending elements of crust punk
Crust punk
Crust punk is a form of music influenced by anarcho-punk, hardcore punk and extreme metal. The style, which evolved in the mid-1980s in England, often has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on political and social ills...
, black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
, Iskra say they have created their own sub-genre: "blackened crust".
Iskra includes former members of the anarchist crust band Black Kronstadt, who in the 1990s also described their music as "blackened crust", thus coining the phrase.More recently, Iskra has changed their style and prefer to call their music "Anarchist Metal".
Lyrically, Iskra's early material followed, more-or-less, in the anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk is punk rock that promotes anarchism. The term anarcho-punk is sometimes applied exclusively to bands that were part of the original anarcho-punk movement in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
tradition with regard to topic and theme. Such topics include a criticism of government, war, and economics as well as social issues such as homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
, sexism
Sexism
Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...
, racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, and the struggles of indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
. The effects of political organization (both right and left wing) is also a common theme. Some songs discuss the global effects of capitalist institutions such as the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
, World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), the North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA) and the Independent Task Force on North America
Independent Task Force on North America
The Independent Task Force on the Future of North America advocates a greater economic and social integration between Canada, Mexico, and the United States as a region...
, to name a few.
More recently the band has changed lyrical style to a more poetic, but still very seditious, attack on political structures. Current lyrics also concentrate on exposing the deeper control mechanisms used by the modern state, and corporate structures, to rule people and manage resources.
As anarchists, Iskra promote self reliance, self organization, and the power of the individual over large scale political structures. They view politics as a practice that emerges locally, and is variable depending on the wants, and needs, of those directly involved.
Discography
- Demo, 2003
- Self Titled LP (Profane ExistenceProfane ExistenceThe Profane Existence Collective is a Minneapolis-based anarcho-punk collective. Established in 1989, the collective publishes a nationally-known zine , as well as releasing and distributing anarcho-punk, crust, and grindcore music, and printing and publishing pamphlets and literature...
), 2004 - Fucking Scum Cassette (Harsh Brutal Cold Productions), 2004
- The Terrorist Act EP 7" (Unrest Records), 2005
- Iskra/Self-Rule Split 7" (Unrest Records), 2005
- Bring the War Home split CD/LP with Against Empire (RABID RECORDS [LOS ANGELES] Rodent Popsicle Records), 2006
- Selected Works, compilation of all work excluding Bring the War Home (Profane Existence), 2007
- Bureval (Black Raven Records), 2009
- Self Titled LP Re-Issue/Re-Mastered (Mercy Of Slumber Records), 2011
- Iskra/Doom Siren Split LP/Cassette (Black Raven Records/Threat To Existence/Eat Lead Records/Anti-Corp), 2011
Current members
- Wolf - guitar
- Danielle - vocals
- Cody - drums
- Anatol Anton - guitar
- Jean Paul - bass
Past recording members
- Sean - vocals
- Scott - vocals
- Mel - vocals
- Brett - bass/vocals
- Calvert - drums
- Jasper Van Der Veen - drums
- Jesse - drums
- Nick Engwer - guitar
- Devin - bass
External links
- http://weirdcanada.com/tag/interview/
- http://weirdcanada.com/tag/zachary-fairbrother/
- Official Iskra site
- Iskra on Myspace