Metallica has been dragged into a bizarre murder case as some people look to blame music for violence
Back on August 13, Chris Watts snapped. After growing apart from his family and becoming besotted with a co-worker named Nichol, he decided he had to act so he could have a “fresh start.”
Just before sunrise at Frederick, Colorado, home, he strangled his pregnant wife, Shan’ann. He then smothered his two daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste. He then hid the bodies on some property that was owned by his employer.
Back at the house, the then Googled the lyrics to Metallica’s “Battery” from the Master of Puppets album.
Watts was arrested two days after the murders. On November 6, he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, multiple counts of tampering with a dead body, and a charge known as “unlawful termination of a pregnancy.” His sentence was three consecutive life sentences, two additional life sentences, 48 years for the pregnancy termination count, and 36 years total for tampering with dead bodies.
We know about the Metallica connection because details of the police investigation have been made public. People Magazine picked up on the story this past week.
August 13, 2018 (CBS4 note: This contains lyrics from a song which Chris Watts looked up on Google the lyrics include: “- lunacy has found me – Cannot stop the battery – Pounding out aggression – Turns into obsession – Cannot kill the battery – Cannot kill the family .“
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1010 hours: during a respite following the murder of his family, and disposing of their bodies at a desolate well site, Watts searched Google for the lyrics to “Battery” by Metallica. ”Lashing out the action, returning the reaction – Weak ore ripped and torn away – Hypnotizing power, crushing all thot cower – Battery is here to stay Smashing through the boundaries – Lunacy hos found me – Cannot stop the battery – Pounding out aggression – Turns into obsession – Cannot kill the battery – Cannot kill the family – Battery is found in me Crushing oll deceivers, moshing non-believers – Never-ending potency – Hungry violence-seeker, Feeding off the weaker – Ereeding on insanity Smashing through the boundaries – lunacy hos found me – connote stop the battery – Pounding out aggression – Turns into obsession – Cannot kill the battery – Cannot kill the family – Battery is found in me – Battery, Battery Circle of destruction, hammer comes crushing – Powerhouse of energy – Whipping up o fury, dominating flurry – We create the battery Smashing through the boundaries – Lunacy hos found me – Cannot stop the buttery – Pounding out aggression – Turns into obsession – Cannot kill the battery – Cannot kill the family – Battery is found in me.”
I bring this up because this could open up the old debate over whether music (especially flavours of metal) can bring out aggressive tendencies in people. Ozzy, The Beatles, Judas Priest, AC/DC Marilyn Manson, Slayer, Eminem, Slipknot, and a variety of black metal bands and hip-hop artists (see a partial list here and others here and here) have been implicated in various court cases.
No comment from Metallica yet, but what are they supposed to say?
If you look at anything a certain way for long enough or let a pre assumption taint the “investigation” you will find that the conclusions you set out to find are true.
He googled the lyrics, so google was involved, we can also assume the involvement of either microsoft, apple or linux as they are the operating system etc.
Music is an outlet and and also expression, most people use this expression as catharsis. Someone who commits these acts in all propability would have committed them without the input from a song or a band ( I believe that should metallica or Battery not existed in this case, he would have googled another song )
Point is, mentally unwell people exist and murder does happen, it should be up to us as a society to identify and treat the unwell and have more in place to give troubled minds help. Not blame music, tv or media.
If you or someone you know is getting unhinged, acting more and more unlike themselves get them help.
My prayers go to all victims involved and I hope their community strengthens over this tragedy.
There have been other cases like this, where people try to blame their extreme activities on heavy metal bands. In both the Ozzy and Judas Priest cases, the judges came down on the side of the bands.
Judges know that people don’t do crazy, desperate things because of something they heard on a record.
I think for most people, metal provides catharsis and allows them to work out, rather than carry out, their aggressive thoughts.
Totally agree.
Alan Cross Wtf!! I have followed and listened to you since the edge days… to read this piece of garbage blaming music for violence is absurd and for someone who is so involved in the history of music should know this.
I listen to black metal. I listen to Metallica. And I listen to gangster rap and I have never been violent or hurt anyone.
Mental illness or just some people not knowing right from wrong is the problem. Not music.
Hey, I’m just the messenger. I don’t believe any of this crap, either. Read the article again. Where did I take a position that this stuff is true? I’m just pointing out that a lot of idiots do. Can’t ignore that truth, can we?
Okay music and feelings people have are connected music can create feelings and someone and can be very powerful especially to the weak-minded or those who are mentally ill and where most people would listen to a song and it create a Feeling don’t choose to act on that feeling that a song has created people that are mentally ill may act out or act on the feeling that was created by the music so there is a connection but the band cannot be blamed but it does get a little rough some of the lyrics that these songs have but you can’t blame and crucify a band for the actions of a mentally ill person or a weak-minded person each and every person is responsible for their own actions regardless of outside influence even though the influence may be negative and push them over that edge eventually without the music….