Forbidden Ecstasy: Pre-Zoroastrian and Zoroastrian Esotericism in Iranian Black Metal

Charuk Revan and Magus Faustoos are two Iranian artists who have pioneered the Iranian Black metal scene, using their music to promote Zoroastrianism and pre-Zoroastrian esotericism. Unfortunately, their passion for music led them to flee Iran, where they faced severe persecution for their art. Magus, a musician with a PhD in Theology, was imprisoned and tortured for his work, while Charuk, a female Black metal artist raised in an Azeri family, was forced to leave Iran when her music and psychology school was shut down by the government. Today, they reside in Germany as political refugees. While Western Black metal often incorporates ancient legends and esoteric traditions, musicians in religiously authoritarian countries face severe penalties for doing so. In Iran, Black metal is considered a sinful form of art. Magus and Charuk have a particular fascination with occult practices within Zoroastrianism and pre-Zoroastrianism wisdom. They aim to revive ancient Persian tales and mysticism by making use of a diverse range of traditional folk instruments and teachings that date back to the pre-Islamic era. They view their performances as an expression of the occult, an act of mystic transcendence shared with their audience.
Other Iranian Black metal musicians often incorporate pre-Islamic Neopagan themes and practices, but scholars have yet to explore this connection. Through narrative interviews, I am investigating how Iranian Black metal musicians reinterpret, redefine, and revive Zoroastrian and pre-Zoroastrian esotericism while resisting the Iranian government.