Hypocrisy’s Peter Tägtgren Supports Right-Wing Radio Host Dan Bongino in Fight Against Vaccine Mandates

Remember last month when Hypocrisy, the band led by Swedish death metal royalty Peter Tägtgren, released a new single — their first in eight years — the lyrics of which seemed suspiciously anti-vax? True, “Chemical Whore” could’ve been written years before we ever knew what Covid-19 was, and true, the song’s lyrics were general enough that they could’ve referred to any number of grave horrors the pharmaceutical industry has perpetrated on the masses (which, to be clear, there have been many). Still, the timing and context were suspicious, as MS co-founder Axl Rosenberg noted in his writeup of the track.

Another day another dollar, as once again my cynical old pal Axl was correct.

The revelation comes via a comment Tägtgren left on a Facebook post by popular conservative radio host Dan Bongino, who has been placed on leave from his usual role over vaccine mandates imposed by his employer, the radio behemoth Cumulus Media. Bongino, whose show is syndicated to over 300 radio stations during the mid-day time slot previously occupied by the late Rush Limbaugh, is a former secret service agent who built a large social media following in right-wing circles as a pundit on Fox News, NRA TV and InfoWars, among others. Given all of that it’s not surprising that he’d be taking an anti-vax stance, but the thrice unsuccessful congressional candidate, who is battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma, is himself fully vaccinated. It’s the mandates he’s against. Because, you know, one individual’s selfish decision not to get vaccinated has no repercussion whatsoever on anyone else! Yeah, that’s it.

Which is where Tägtgren comes into the picture. Commenting on a photo Bongino posted this weekend from a football game, Tägtgren first said “Keep on Rocking in the free world” with the metal horns and beer emojis, a co-option of the classic Neil Young lyric presumably meant to support an individual’s “freedom” to choose to take a vaccine or not. Later, replying to responses to his initial comment, he added:

“I’m not here to debate, I’m here to support..

“It’s not my country but it’s close to my heart and I support Dan Bongino with his options..

“Woooops.. there goes my working visa for next tour

“Maybe it’s worth it”

I’m not fully up on the latest visa application hoops artists need to jump through to tour the U.S., but I’d wager it’s not Tägtgren’s visa that’s in jeopardy: he may not even be allowed into the country without proof of vaccination, and even if he were, a number of cities and venues won’t allow him to play anyway. Those policies don’t appear likely to change anytime soon. Presumably Tägtgren is half-joking on that point… but it’s his support of Bongino, whose Facebook wall in recent days is full of dozens of posts supporting former president Donald Trump and blasting current president Joe Biden, that’s the most troubling to me personally, and I’d venture countless others. What’s truly at stake, then, is not visas, but Tägtgren’s very fanbase. It’s unfortunate, to be sure, and I certainly won’t be viewing Hypocrisy in the same light as I did previously (gtfo with your “cancel culture” BS… no one is “cancelling” Hypocrisy. They’ll be around for years to come, I’m sure, independent of my support).

So, in conclusion: bummer. Do with that info as you wish. Screen shots of the exchange below.