I don’t watch Rachel Maddow’s MSNBC program on a regular basis the way I once did; if I was still a frequent viewer, though, I might have seen this little bit about the RNC’s decision to hold their 2012 National Convention in Tampa, and Maddow’s subsequent discussion of death metal. Instead, I only came across the clip ’cause reader Nikhil Krishnaswamy sent it to us. Thanks, Nikhil!

Maddow seems to be implying that death metallers from around the area are gonna make life a living hell for the Republicans, but I think that’s overly optimistic. There’s obviously a political component to death metal (I mean burning a fucking inverted cross into your noggin is a political statement as much as it’s an act of shock theater), but I don’t exactly see the members of Deicide and Obituary holding a protest rally outside the convention anytime soon, do you?

Meanwhile, it’s interesting to note that this isn’t Maddow’s first dalliance with metal. For one thing, there’s this:

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Nothing like seeing heavy metal hit prime time television.

On last night’s The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC, Maddow (pictured above) mentioned the Iraqi band Accrassicauda (see my review of the documentary Heavy Metal in Baghdad) and how they were forced to flee their home country more than five years ago after the American-led invasion.

According to the eloquent liberal commentator Maddow, heavy metal has once again returned to Iraq.

Maddow quoted an article in USA Today that talked about the bands Brutal Impact (pictured below) and Dog Faced Corpse and their performances at a “private party on the banks of the Tigris” this past Saturday. “Tables were broken, lyrics were screamed, amps were maxed out.”

Maddow further added that band members had been stereotyped based on their appearances (just like in the good ol’ US of A), except people assumed they were either Mahdi Army supporters or members of al-Qaeda because of their black wardrobe and goatees.

One 18-year-old female fan, Nadaa Haidar, who was rocking out to a Metallica cover said, “There’s nothing wrong with wearing a veil and listening to metal.” Added the extremely pleasant Maddow, “Amen to that. Rock on!”

Seriously, now. Do you ever think you will see Bill O’Reilly or Sean Hannity give a shout out to metal? Maddow certainly throws goat better than Sarah Palin. Here’s the link to the video since the embed doesn’t work. Fast forward to the 3:00 mark if you want to see only the segment on metal.

Be sure to check out that USA Today article for an excellent four-minute video on the concert. The highlight is a crowd singalong to Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters.”

-CM