Absurd is one of the best-known National Socialist black metal bands[2] in Germany, classified as right-wing extremist by the Thuringian Landesbehörde für Verfassungsschutz.It was founded in Sondershausen by Hendrik Möbus and Sebastian Schauseil in 1992, with a third member, Andreas Kirchner, joining at a later stage. Möbus’ brother Ronald (who is also the owner of the label Nebelklang, formerly Nebelfee Klangwerke, on which Absurd are signed) had previously sat in rehearsal sessions with the band at the local YMCA, where they utilized a free rehearsal space open to local teen bands. Their lyrics concern nationalistic, pagan (Hendrik Möbus is the founder of the Deutsche Heidnische Front), and anti-Christian themes.
Despite being considered one of the most well-known and one of the first NSBM bands, these themes did not seem to become that prominent until the 1999 release Asgardsrei.
Though Hendrik Möbus claims Euronymous, the figurehead in the Norwegian black metal circle, wanted to sign Absurd after hearing their second demo Death from the Forest, this claim is neither founded nor plausible.
The band achieved infamy because its members murdered the 15-year-old Sandro Beyer in 1993. The canonical motive is that Beyer was privy to an illicit relationship of Schauseil's with the mother of a schoolmate, and had been spreading rumours about this and other activities of the band. On 29 April in Sondershausen, Möbus, Schauseil, and Kirchner enticed Beyer to a meeting, and strangled him there with an electrical cord. Kirchner, in a now infamous quotation, was reported as saying: "Oh shit, I completely fucked up my life". Schauseil attempted a plea of insanity, claiming that voices in his head told him to murder Beyer. This was, however, thrown out in court, due to the testimony of psychiatrists who worked with Schauseil after the initial arrest.
Despite being considered one of the most well-known and one of the first NSBM bands, these themes did not seem to become that prominent until the 1999 release Asgardsrei.
Though Hendrik Möbus claims Euronymous, the figurehead in the Norwegian black metal circle, wanted to sign Absurd after hearing their second demo Death from the Forest, this claim is neither founded nor plausible.
The band achieved infamy because its members murdered the 15-year-old Sandro Beyer in 1993. The canonical motive is that Beyer was privy to an illicit relationship of Schauseil's with the mother of a schoolmate, and had been spreading rumours about this and other activities of the band. On 29 April in Sondershausen, Möbus, Schauseil, and Kirchner enticed Beyer to a meeting, and strangled him there with an electrical cord. Kirchner, in a now infamous quotation, was reported as saying: "Oh shit, I completely fucked up my life". Schauseil attempted a plea of insanity, claiming that voices in his head told him to murder Beyer. This was, however, thrown out in court, due to the testimony of psychiatrists who worked with Schauseil after the initial arrest.
