Alex Terrible responds to accusations of being transphobic and racist

Alex Terrible, the singer of Slaughter To Prevail, has denied holding transphobic and neo-Nazi views, as reported from loudersound. In reaction to accusations against him based on previous words, photos, and tattoos, the Russian-born/Florida-based deathcore frontman says he is neither racist, transphobic, or homophobic in the latest episode of the Downbeat podcast, which is hosted by Craig Reynolds, drummer for Stray From The Path. He also argues that the tattoo was not politically motivated, explaining why he had a now-covered tattoo of the Black Sun, an image that was first used by the Nazis in the 1930s and later embraced by neo-Nazis and other white supremacists. Terrible’s (real name Aleksandr Shikolai) covert tattoo on his right elbow, which sparked claims of the singer’s neo-Nazi sympathies, takes up a significant amount of the discussion. He got that tattoo at 19 years old.

It was very popular to join right-wing guys, which were very strong physically, smart, don’t drink. Before that, I was actually hanging out with Antifa, and we were just fucking drink[ing], using drugs and shit, and I almost died because of that, but not because I was hanging out with Antifa and Antifa are bad guys. Just because I was in bad company, you know? After that, I found myself alone at home and fucking completely lost. I started to ask myself, ‘Who the fuck am I?’ and what I’m living for. I started to read about esoterica, about energy and stuff. But, I’m not stupid. Of course I understand that it was used by the Third Reich, Nazis.

Terrible goes on to express his opinion that right-wingers who employ Nazi-appropriated imagery aren’t always neo-Nazis.

A lot of people in Russia, right-wing guys, they use these symbols like the Black Sun and runes and all this shit, but they’ve never been Nazi or racist or some shit like that.

After the 2015 Slaughter To Prevail European tour was canceled due to outcry about his Black Sun tattoo, Terrible had it covered. He acknowledges that he concealed the image to further his musical career and claims it wasn’t until “three or four” years later that he realized the tattoo was objectionable. The topic of Terrible’s other tattoo, an Othala rune on his left foot that he disclosed in a 2020 YouTube video, is not discussed in the conversation. This image was once taken by the Nazi dictatorship. Terrible also acknowledges that he has previously promoted You Must Murder‘s songs on the Russian social media site VK, which the singer refers to as a “completely Nazi band,” but he makes no apologies. He then discusses a contentious image of himself sporting a hoodie from White Rex, a clothing line owned by far-right activist and Russian fighter Denis Kapustin, whom the Anti-Defamation League has called a neo-Nazi. However, he again refrains from offering an apology, claiming that the hoodie was only offered at a Russian shopping center. He did, however, apologize for sharing a picture of himself with a rifle and a helmet that had once belonged to an SS member.

I put it on my fucking social media! Stupid and silly. I was not a boy – I was, like, around 20 or fucking 19 – but it doesn’t matter, it’s just excuses. I was stupid and I have to take this responsibility, because I wasn’t a boy. I wasn’t like 13 years old or fucking 14 years old; I was a grown man already. I understand, I’m paying the price right now.

Terrible flatly denies being racist, homophobic, or “LGBT-phobic” when Reynolds asks him about it. Terrible goes on to say that he despises no one, except himself.