Fearless Iranians from Hell

Lore & Background

Fearless Iranians from Hell were formed in 1983 by members of the group Marching Plague, who donned ski masks and posed as terrorists. Photographer John Cohen noted that the original lineup played only three or four shows before the lineup began changing. Ras Matthew (born Matthew McChesney) was 16 when he sang for the group in the 1980s; he later left to become a Rastafarian and play with the reggae group Buffalo Soldier. The band signed to Boner Records and released their self-titled 7" EP in 1986, which included the songs 'Blow Up the Embassy' and 'Iranian Klan.' Their first full album, Die for Allah, came out in 1988, featuring a cover image of Ayatollah Khomeini and a song with lyrics in Azerbaijani. They released Holy War in 1988 and Foolish Americans in 1990. A CD compilation combining all three albums was released in 1991 and re-released in 2002. The band refused to do interviews. While most understood their anti-American sentiment as sarcastic, the band members once contacted a lawyer over a website offering a bounty on their lives. Their message depicted a nation of Islamic radicals united in fervor to see destruction in the West. Their music is held in New York's ARChive of Contemporary Music.

Reader's Guide

Fearless Iranians from Hell occupy a unique niche in American underground music, blending hardcore punk and crossover thrash with deliberately inflammatory political theater. Their use of ski masks and terrorist personas, combined with song titles like 'Blow Up the Embassy' and album covers featuring Ayatollah Khomeini, created a confrontational aesthetic that was widely interpreted as sarcastic commentary on American fears of Islamic radicalism. The band's refusal to grant interviews added to their mystique, though their legal response to a bounty website suggests the line between performance and reality was not always clear. Their music has been covered by bands such as Birth A.D. and Ghoul, and at least one member later played with the Butthole Surfers, indicating their influence within the punk and metal scenes. The inclusion of their work in New York's ARChive of Contemporary Music underscores their historical significance as a document of a particular moment in American counterculture, where satire, shock, and musical aggression intersected. Their discography, spanning from 1986 to a 2008 EP, shows a sustained if sporadic output, and their legacy endures among collectors and fans of provocative underground music.

Did You Know?

• The band was formed by members of the group Marching Plague, who wore ski masks and posed as terrorists.
• Ras Matthew (born Matthew McChesney) was 16 when he sang for the band in the 1980s and later became a Rastafarian.
• Their album Die for Allah featured a cover image of Ayatollah Khomeini and included a song with lyrics in Azerbaijani.