The Devil You Know with Sarah Marshall A second helping from Satan: Arab Spring, Satanic Summer
Nov 13, 2025
Cherine Amr, founder of the Egyptian all-female metal band Massive Scar Era, shares her harrowing experiences of being accused of possession during the moral panic following the Arab Spring. She discusses how heavy metal music was viewed in Egypt, often labeled as satanic and foreign. Pasqualina Eckerström provides academic insights into the political implications of such accusations, emphasizing the gendered nature of the panic. Together, they explore music as a means of cultural expression and healing amidst oppression.
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Founding An All‑Female Metal Band
- Cherine Amr founded Egypt's first all-female metal band, Massive Scar Era, and faced family and social pushback for performing.
- The band hid faces in a documentary and missed SXSW due to visa denials, showing ongoing restrictions on visibility.
Political Upheaval Fuels Moral Panics
- The Arab Spring's instability created fertile ground for moral panics targeting cultural outsiders.
- Political uncertainty amplified fears, making musicians easy scapegoats for social change.
Complaint Sparked By A Video Of Headbanging
- A Muslim Brotherhood lawyer filmed a metal show, filed a complaint, and alleged satanic rituals after seeing headbanging.
- Cherine was summoned at work and asked bluntly, "do you worship the devil?" which terrified her.