An American metal festival has found itself at the centre of a strange situation, with a group of self-proclaimed “Bible thumpers” targeting the festival’s ‘Satanic’ ties.
If you’ve found yourself in the US state of West Virginia in the last couple of years, you might have run into the Metal In The Mountains festival. Held in the area of Pipestem, the festival is gearing up for its third year, but has run into a bit of a headache.
As Metal Sucks reports, festival organisers Anthony and Anna Ferraraccio recently received a threatening letter from a group of “Bible thumpers”, demanding that the festival be shut down.
“Just letting you know the bible thumpers are sick of your rude, obscene performances at your so-called event center, so take a hint,” the letter begins. “Just ask Rock Ridge, River Rock, Andrew Reynolds, High Country Maximus Minaj [and] Wild Riders.”
“We hear you and Rock Ridge also Wild Riders are working together. Rock Ridge already lost one home and stage destroyed, guess they want to loose [sic] another and looks like your [sic] not going to stop till you do to [sic].”
“We won’t stop till [sic] all you Satan-loving businesses are closed or destroyed,” it continues. “May God’s word prevail. We have contacted law enforcement many times about your location and many others and fully intend to keep calling but those efforts fail but know ways that don’t.”
“Sincerely, Fucking Bible Thumpers as you like to call us.”
Check out the letter sent to Metal In The Mountains organisers:
Anthony Ferraraccio soon took to Facebook to share a live video of his reaction to the letter, explaining that while he hosts the Metal In The Mountains festival there, his property also hosts a spa, as well as weddings and other private events.
“It’s just crazy because of where I live at how people perceive metal music or hard rock,” Ferraraccio explains in his video. “They think it’s Satan music, which is crazy.”
“Receiving this letter today after being in business for 12 years in the same location, not being from this area, we try to bring things to this area that you just can’t get here, which is crazy,” he continued. “When you bring something to a small area, there are going to be people [who] push back.”
“They are going to be people [who] don’t want to see it. They like their way of living. They like to stay as a small town.”
Elsewhere in the video, Ferraraccio also explains he has faced threats of his house being burnt down, while also noting that the title of “fucking Bible thumpers” is a term used by the letter’s authors, and not a phrase that he uses.
Check out Anthony Ferraraccio’s response to the letter:
Of course, this isn’t the first time that a metal festival has come under fire from zealots who believe it be “satanic”.
Why, just last year saw protestors attempt to shut down France’s Hellfest Open Air Festival, explaining that organisers “do not hesitate to insult and say blasphemy, with overthrown crosses and real Satanic rites.”
Having first been held back in 2017, West Virginia’s Metal In The Mountains festival has been slowly increasing in size.
After initially featuring local or smaller artists, the 2018 event was headlined by Mushroomhead, while this year’s event is still being put together for its May debut.
While it doesn’t seem as though the festival organisers have received any more correspondence about the festival, we hope that the threats cease and they can hold the festival without any fear of violence.
Check out Mushroomhead’s ‘Sun Doesn’t Rise’:
