Ukrainian Nazi Music
Alexei Lyovkin and the music of hate
I was reminded by this phenomenon by a post from Ukrainian historian Marta Havryshko on X. Neo-Nazi metal music has long played a role in the growth of the far right and it remains popular in Ukraine today.
This isn’t Russian propaganda. None of my sources are Russian. The Asgardsrei Festival was covered in depth by Bellingcat in 2020, a decidedly pro Ukraine outlet. In Dispatches From Asgardsrei: Ukraine’s Annual Neo-Nazi Music Festival, Michael Colborne describes this festival as “Kyiv’s Hitler-saluting, Sieg-Heil-ing, Nazi-promoting December tradition.” Eurasia Review describes such concerts as “pivotal to the mobilisation and recruitment of hardened extremists.”
The Asgardsrei festival was cancelled during COVID, but has returned in a new form. In December 2024, Ukraine held a concert for Yule night which was headlined by right-wing bands from the Russian Volunteer Corps, a Ukrainian unit composed of Russian nationalists. One of the top bands was MOLOCH (aka M8L8CH aka MOLOTCH aka Hitler’s Hammer), which includes Alexei Lyovkin, a Russian born member of Azov. This band has performed songs with clear Nazi references such as Prophecies of Aryan Moon, Sturm, and Swastyka. The lyrics from ‘Prophecies of Aryan Moon’ include the following:
Too long our noble race has suffered
Under foreign rule, built on jewish lies
The long awaited times of Aryan rebirth have come
By the power of Blood! By the forces of Evil!
The sky is plain black, and stone cold...
Alexei Lyovkin, callsign ‘Hammer,’ was recently interviewed by ArmyInform, the news agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. In this interview, Asgardsrei was mentioned and the band’s Yule Night performance was promoted. Alexei says that he moved to Ukraine in 2011 because the “the Kharkiv right-wing scene is a well-known phenomenon throughout the world, which was important not only for Ukraine, but also for European listeners.” He also praises nationalism. Not mentioned in this interview was Alexei’s solo project known as “Adolfkvlt.” The original album cover had a picture of Hitler and a limited release of 88 copies.
In fact , it is among the nationalists that the largest number of ideologically minded people is found, if we talk about volunteers. Having talked to them, you immediately understand that these are people who are ready to give their lives for freedom. - Alexei Lyovkin
According to Bellingcat, Alexei performed as Adolfkvlt at “‘Fuhrernacht’ in May 2019, a private night of literal Hitler worship.” This is the face that Ukraine has decided to put on their war effort, an open Nazi Hitler worshipper.
In spite of western attempts to downplay Ukrainian Nazism, interviews such as this and concerts like Yule Night show that it is a major factor in modern day Ukraine. The rest of the bands that played at Yule Night were also closely linked to Nazism. My Skin Is Multicam, Nezhegol and Ares are considered to be “National Socialist Black Metal” groups.
Trump briefly paused arms shipments to Ukraine, but they have already started again. He clearly failed on his promise to end the war on day one. And he is now making Ukraine aid conditional on access to their rare earths - naked US imperialism. Meanwhile, the establishment is still leaning towards Ukraine, as evidenced by Tulsi Gabbard’s blaming Putin for starting the war during her confirmation hearings. It doesn’t matter which party is in charge, US support for Ukraine will continue because it enriches the military industrial complex, expands US imperialism, and continues the proxy war. Biden may have started the war, but Trump is continuing in his footsteps.
The truth of the matter is that Nazism is not an issue for either US capitalist party. They would rather arm Nazis in service of US imperialism than take a principled stance against the war and imperialism. The Ukraine government which is being propped up by US aid actively upholds Nazism including the music of Hitler worshipping Alexei Lyovkin.