Municipal authorities in Monterrey, Nuevo León, have bowed to public pressure and refused permits for a concert by a “black metal” band from Sweden.

A religious group called Familias Cristianas created a petition at change.org calling on local authorities to prohibit concerts by the group, which it described as the world’s most blasphemous rock band.

The three-week-old petition, entitled “We don’t want Marduk in Monterrey and Mexico City,” has earned 65,000 signatures as of today.

“This message is for all Catholic and Christian Mexicans who believe that the battle against Satan is won with prayer,” the petition reads. “But prayer needs reinforcement with action, for which we ask that you sign the petition so that together we can stop this heavy metal rock group called Marduk from coming to blaspheme and insult God in our own home (Mexico).”

The municipal government has decided it will not issue the necessary permits for a concert scheduled for tonight at Café Iguana.

The move brought accusations of censorship from the venue and the promoter, but fans were told they would be reimbursed their ticket money.

Another concert by the band is scheduled for tomorrow in Mexico City but there has been no indication that it might be canceled as well.

Marduk has faced a similar reaction elsewhere in Latin America. Concerts have been canceled in Colombia, Ecuador and Guatemala.

A change.org petition in Colombia picked up 167,000 supporters. In Guatemala, a congressional decree banned the band and anyone involved with it from entering the country, canceling a concert scheduled for October 11.

Marduk, named after the patron god of Babylon, was formed in 1990 to create “the most brutal and blasphemous metal act ever,” according to information on the band’s website.

Themes of its song lyrics include Satanism, anti-Christianity, blasphemy, death, Nazi German history and World War II.

Mexico News Daily