Taake’s 2011 album Noregs Vaapen (“Norway’s Weapon”) is rife with nationalistic themes. The statement Hoest issued to explain that incident at the time did more harm than it did good: it included the phrases “go suck a Muslim” and “untermensch,” the latter a term the Nazis used to describe the “inferior races” they were “exterminating.” While the swastika incident from 2007 has been getting the most attention, Hoest and Taake have a long, troubling history of racism and bigotry. OK, maybe they’re not actual Nazis, but they’re still at least very Islamophobic and at worst overt racists. Taake’s racism and bigotry are all out in the open to see for anyone who’s willing to look. “Taake is not now, has never been, and never will be a Nazi band,” the statement reads.

In a new statement issued following the cancelation of the band’s entire North American tour yesterday, Taake attempt to play the victim, painting themselves as innocent targets unfairly singled out, and casting blame on “the dissemination of lies, misinformation and unfounded accusations” and “the lies spread by Antifa.”