The nexus between music and sports is a very nuanced one, but for those in the know, there seems to be a very kindred connection between the world of hockey and heavy music unlike any other pairing.
While there is plenty of room to ruminate about why the two seem to go so hand-in-glove, there seems to be growing evidence to reference how metal music and the brutal ballet on ice were meant for one another.
Read the KNOTFEST feature with Carrie Heisler - the ally blasting metal for the Detroit Red Wings
Among the NHL's most recent expansion teams, the Seattle Kraken would be a great example of kind of unspoken synergy that exists between the two cultures. Aside from the Lovecraftian references that can be derived from the franchise's monkier, the team's pre-game programming is a spectacle tailor made for the metal fan.
Conjuring images of violent squalls out in the dark oceanic abyss, the team's home arena introduction includes the ominous prelude, "Do not fear the strong winds or angry seas nor the stormy skies you see above. Fear the creature that dwells in the deep - the ice shackled Kraken."
As if that weren't enough, the team has recently revealed a pair of downloadable logos that make their affinity for the heavy stuff very apparent. Bearing both the team name and their "Yeet the Fish" reference, the logos are an obvious nod to a death metal aesthetic. Though the logos are much more legible than your typical death metal typography, the fact that an NHL franchise has such an extreme lean is something to get excited about.
The formula seems to be especially effective in establishing an endearing, enthusiastic fanbase. Despite the team's infancy as an expansion club, they have already climbed to 13th in attendance numbers in just their first season, per ESPN. That is particularly impressive when considering the teams that the Kraken are beating out, regional hockey strongholds like The Los Angeles Kings, the Vancouver Canucks and the New York Rangers.
Check the logos below and judge for yourself.
#YeetTheFish Metal Bands
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) March 23, 2022
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#WallpaperWednesdays pic.twitter.com/L4S6I8fhdl
