Four teenagers arrested in connection with the fatal beating of a 37-year-old man in Plovdiv appeared at their court hearing wearing t-shirts from metal bands including Mayhem, Pantera, Sepultura and Powerwolf. The murder occurred on August 4, and the defendants' sartorial choices at their August 7 hearing immediately became the focus of widespread public attention in Bulgaria.

Bulgarian tabloid media, particularly 24 Chasa, published stories asserting that the bands promoted violence and aggression toward audiences. The outlet specifically highlighted the criminal past of Mayhem's former bassist Varg Vikernes, who served time in Norway during the 1990s for murder and church arson. The tabloid's reporting generated social media debate about whether heavy metal music itself bears responsibility for encouraging violent behaviour among young listeners.