A VENUE in Glasgow has cancelled a metal festival after learning a number of the bands had links to the far right.

In a statement on their website, the Classic Grand said they were parting ways with the Darkness Guides Us event, and that they would "never give a platform to any kind of hatred."

In today's The National we revealed that at least four of the bands playing at the festival were involved with the Neo-Nazi metal scene.

One of the group booked even has a song called “Gas Chamber” and lyrics which include the phrase “Sieg Heil!” and refers to “torching the Jewish creation”.

On their Facebook page, the Classic Grand said they had been "made aware of certain connections to fascist ideology being associated with the festival which was due to take place in November of this year."

They added: "As such we have made the decision NOT to be associated to this festival and will no longer be hosting this event.

"The Classic Grand is not, nor do we give a platform to any form of hatred".

It's not clear what will happen to the festival. They had already booked a separate venue for headliners Taake and Satanic Warmaster, both of whom have had events cancelled in the past because of their brushes with fascism.

Satanic Warmaster have been in conflict with anti-fascists in Glasgow before, because of their links to National Socialist Black Metal (NSBM).

Singer Werwolf – real name Lauri Penttilä – contributed to a 2006 compilation titled Declaration of Anti-Semitic Terror and has issued split-releases with NSBM bands including Aryan Blood and shared with the stage with Germany’s Absurd.

One member of that band broke parole terms when, on release from prison for murder, he gave a Nazi ­salute.

Other bands on the line up include Kalmankantajah from Finland. The group's lead member, Grim666, is also in Order of the White Hand, who are an openly national socialist outfit.

Nocturnal Depression too have expressed views supporting NSBM.

It’s not the first time, the event has found itself in the middle of a race storm.

Last year the Ukrainian band Kroda were booked to play. The group are holocaust deniers with links to a Russian outfit called M8l8th. The 88 is Neo-Nazi shorthand for “Heil Hitler”.

The Glasgow Anti-Fascist Alliance had promised to “mobilise” against Darkness Guide Us.

Responding to the initial criticism, the event organiser Dimitris Artofsin told The National: “I don’t know if you are aware, but I’m not a white power supporter, hell I’m not even white myself.

“I’m getting tired of this. Darkness Guides Us is at its core, like me anti-authoritarian, neither right nor left but with extreme hate towards both ends. Antifascists and fascists are the same for me and I’m disgusted by what they both represent.”

He said he couldn’t care if any of the bands booked for his event had “a member in their band affiliated with another band that is political”.

He added: “The publicity has certainly helped me, it’s like free advertising."