Professionally-filmed footage from Slaughter To Prevail‘s recent set at the Vans Warped Tour 30th anniversary festival in Washington, D.C., has been shared online by the band’s vocalist, Alex Terrible. The video captures the Russian deathcore band’s high-energy performance this past Saturday, June 14th, at the RFK Stadium grounds. Notably, the footage highlights Terrible’s striking opening gesture: taking to the stage while waving a Russian flag.
This particular act quickly ignited a fresh wave of controversy and divisive commentary aimed at the vocalist. The decision to display the Russian flag, particularly in Washington, D.C., the heart of the U.S. government, and amidst the ongoing tensions between much of the Western world and Russia due to the conflict in Ukraine, proved inflammatory for many in attendance and online. Terrible‘s past associations and a history of allegations have already positioned him as a controversial figure within the deathcore scene, though his band’s burgeoning success continues to introduce them to wider audiences.
Despite the critical reception to his flag display, Alex Terrible remains openly patriotic regarding his home country and heritage. It is important to note, however, that he has publicly condemned the ongoing war in Ukraine. In 2022, he vocalized his opposition to the Russian invasion, and earlier this year in March, while elaborating on his national pride, the frontman, known for his “bear wrestling, bare-knuckle brawler” persona, described himself as a “man of peace.”
Upon sharing the performance footage yesterday, June 16th, Terrible offered his initial perspective on the symbolic act:
“Im grateful to represent my country worldwide I really want to make this legacy of the Russian heavy metal band smashing the stages everywhere and spreading a good message. Motivate people with our music to not to give up on yourself and do more than you think you can do @vanswarpedtour we appreciate your hospitality ! Crowd was insane”
Seemingly in direct response to the intensified criticism that followed his performance, Terrible issued a comprehensive statement on June 15th, addressing the broader nature of public judgment and online discourse:
“Over the years of being in the spotlight, I’ve come to clearly understand just how selfish people can be. No matter what you do, it’s never enough for them. If you don’t do what people expect or want from you — you’re bad. If you do? It’s still not enough. You need to do more. If you do something, but it goes against their opinion? You become the enemy. You should be canceled, thrown in jail, even killed. People start saying things about you that you never said or did. They wish you harm. And then, in the same breath, they talk about freedom of speech and democracy. It’s all double standards and hypocrisy. I especially like the type of people who are “for everything good and against everything bad.” I consider them to be some kind of genius saints burdened with holy morality and the right to decide for everyone how they should live and who they should be. With the rise of the internet, you see just how many of these people there actually are — and you start to understand why the world is the way it is. We are still light-years away from being a civilized, tolerant, and highly educated society. Many people still live in black-and-white thinking, unable to grasp how complex and ambiguous this world truly is. We live in a society, and whether we like it or not, the opinion of others matters. What people say or think about us affects us. But with each passing year, I realize that I care less and less about what others think of me. I don’t even care anymore what my close ones think. No matter what, I’m going to act the way I want to — the way that benefits me. And at the same time, I will still love my loved ones and try to love all people on this planet. It’s hard work! But I believe it’s the most interesting work in life”
Slaughter To Prevail is gearing up for the release of their new album, GRIZZLY, set to drop on July 18th via Sumerian Records.
Slaughter To Prevail’s Vans Warped Tour Setlist (June 14th, Washington, DC):
- “Bonebreaker”
- “Baba Yaga”
- “Song 3”
- “Viking”
- “Bratva”
- “Russian Grizzly In America”
- “Behelit”
- “Kid Of Darkness”
- “Demolisher”
