Marduk Now Leaves One Debut Album Personnel

JAKARTA - There is unpleasant news from one of the performers of the 2020 Hammersonic Festival. Swedish black metal band Marduk has just been left behind by Magnus "Devo" Andersson, the bassist.

Andersson, who originally joined Marduk in 1992 as a guitarist, announced his departure from the band via a Facebook post, Sunday, December 29.

"After a total of 17 years in Marduk, 70 countries and nearly 900 shows, I decided to leave the band. I intend to concentrate more in the studio. I therefore wish the other Marduk members good luck in the future," wrote Andersson.

With Andersson leaving, guitarist Morgan Steinmeyer Håkansson became the only member of the band to play on the debut album Dark Endless (1992).

In recent years, Marduk has been criticized for glorifying Nazi images and anti-Semitism. Partly due to the fascist title of their album, such as the Panzer Division Marduk, which refers to a German WWII-era tank.

Additionally, Marduk's February 2017 concert in Oakland was closed by the Bay Area Anti-Fascist Action group, which accused Marduk of white supremacist ties and pointed out that the content of Frontschwein's (2015) album was entirely about the Nazis' third regime.

Marduk released his last album, Viktoria, in June 2018 through Century Media Records. This album is what brings them to Indonesia next year where Håkansson et al will perform on the second day of the Hammersonic event at Caranaval Beach Ancol.